him'Master Latimer kneeled, as earnestly calling upon God, as he. After they arose, the one talked with the other a little while, till they, which were appointed to see the execution, removed themselves out of the sun. What they said, I can learn of no man.

Then Dr. Smith, who recanted in king Edward's time, began his sermon to them, upon this text of St. Paul, in the 13th chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians.

Though I yield my body to the fire to be burnt, and have not charity, I shall gain nothing thereby." Wherein he alleged, that "the goodness of the cause, and not the order of the death, maketh the holiness of the person: which he confirmed by the examples of Judas, and of a woman in Oxford, that of late hanged herself. For that they and such like, as he recited, might then be adjudged righteous, which desperately sundered their lives from their bodies, as he feared, that those men, who stood before him, would do. But he cried still to the people to beware of them, for they were heretics, and died out of the church. And on the other side, he declared their diversities in opinions, as Lutherans, Ecolampadians, Zuinglians, of which sect they were (he said), and that was the worst: but the old church of Christ, and the Catholic faith, believed far otherwise." At which place they lifted up both their hands and eyes to heaven, as it were calling God to witness of the truth. The which countenance they made in many other places of his sermon, where they thought he spoke amiss. He ended with a very short exhortation to them to recant and come home again to the church, and save their lives and souls, which else were condemned. His sermon was scarce in all a quarter of an hour.

Dr. Ridley said to Master Latimer, "Will you begin to answer the sermon, or shall I?" Master La

timer said, " Begin you first, I pray you.”—“ I will,” said Master Ridley.

Then the wicked sermon being ended, Dr. Ridley and Master Latimer kneeled down upon their knees towards my lord Williams of Thame, the vice-chancellor of Oxford, and divers other commissioners, appointed for that purpose, which sat upon a form thereby. Unto whom Master Ridley said: "I beseech you, my lord, even for Christ's sake, that I may speak but two or three words:" and whilst my lord bent his head to the mayor and vice-chancellor, to know (as it appeared) whether he might give him leave to speak, the bailiffs and Dr. Marshal, vicechancellor, ran hastily unto him, and with their hands stopped his mouth and said: "Master Ridley, if you will revoke your erroneous opinions, and recant the same, you shall not only have liberty so to do, but also the benefit of a subject, that is, have your life."-"Not otherwise?" said Master Ridley. "No," quoth Dr. Marshal: "therefore if you will not so do, then there is no remedy, but you will suffer for your deserts."-" Well," quoth Master Ridley, "so long as the breath is in my body, I will never deny my Lord Christ, and his known truth: God's will be done in me." And with that he rose up, and said with a loud voice: "Well, then I commit our cause to Almighty God, which shall indifferently judge all."

To whose saying, Master Latimer added: "Well, there is nothing hid but it shall be opened:" and he said, "He could answer Smith well enough, if he might be suffered." Immediately they were commanded to make them ready, which they with all meekness obeyed. Master Ridley took his gown and his tippet, and gave it to his brother-in-law, Master Shepside, who all his time of imprisonment, although he might not be suffered to come to him,

lay there at his own charges to provide him necessaries, which from time to time he sent him by the serjeant that kept him. Some other of his apparel, that was of little worth, he gave away; others the bailiffs took.

He gave away, besides, divers other small things to gentlemen standing by, and divers of them pitifully weeping. As to Sir Henry Lee, he gave a new groat, and to divers of my lord Williams' gentlemen, some napkins, some nutmegs, and races of ginger, his dial, and other such things, as he had about him, to every one that stood next him. Some plucked the points of his hose. Happy was he that might get any rag of him.

Master Latimer gave nothing, but very quietly suffered his keeper to pull off his hose, and his other array, which to look unto was very simple: and being stripped into his shroud, he seemed as comely a person to them that were there present, as any one should see and whereas in his clothes he appeared a withered and crooked old man, now he stood bolt upright, as comely a father as one might behold.

Then Master Ridley, standing as yet in his truss, said to his brother: "It were best for me to go in my truss still."-" No," quoth his brother," it will put you to more pain: and the truss will do a poor man good." Whereunto Master Ridley said: "Be it, in the name of God," and so unlaced himself. Then being in his shirt, he stood upon the foresaid stone and held up his hands and said: "O! heavenly Father, I give unto thee most hearty thanks, for that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee, even unto death. I beseech thee, Lord God, take mercy upon this realm of England, and deliver the same from all her enemies."

Then the smith took a chain of iron, and brought the same about both Dr. Ridley's and Master Lati

mer's middles; and as he was knocking in a staple, Dr. Ridley took the chain in his hand, and shook, the same, for it did gird in his stomach, and looking aside to the smith, said: "Good fellow, knock it in hard, for the flesh will have its course." Then his brother did bring him gunpowder in a bag, and would have tied the same about his neck. Master Ridley asked what it was. His brother said, " Gunpowder." Then said he, "I will take it to be sent of God. Therefore I will receive it as sent of him. And have you any," said he, " for my brother?" meaning Master Latimer. "Yea, sir, that I have,' quoth his brother: "then give it unto him," said he, "betime, lest you come too late." So his brother went, and carried of the same gunpowder unto Master Latimer.

In the mean time Dr. Ridley spake unto my lord Williams, and said: "My lord, I must be a suitor unto your lordship, in the behalf of divers poor men, and specially in the cause of my poor sister: I have made a supplication to the queen's majesty in their behalf. I beseech your lordship, for Christ's sake, to be a mean to her grace for them. My brother here hath the supplication, and will resort to your lordship to cer tify you hereof. There is nothing in all the world, that troubleth my conscience (I praise God), this only excepted. While I was in the see of London, divers poor men took leases of me, and agreed with me for the same. Now, I hear say, the bishop, that now occupieth the same room, will not allow my grants unto them made, but, contrary unto all law and conscience, hath taken from them their livings, and will not suffer them to enjoy the same. I beseech you, my lord, be a mean for them: you shall do a good deed, and God will reward you.

Then they brought a fagot, kindled with fire, and laid the same down at Dr. Ridley's feet. To whom

Master Latimer spake in this manner: "Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man: we shall this day light such a candle by God's grace in England, as, I trust, shall never be put out."

And so the fire being given unto them, when Dr. Ridley saw the fire flaming up towards him, he cried with a wonderful loud voice, "Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Lord, receive my spirit:" and after repeating this latter part often :

Lord, Lord, receive my spirit." Master Latimer cried out as vehemently on the other side: "O Father of heaven, receive my soul:" who received the flame as it were embracing of it. After that he had stroked his face with his hands, and (as it were) bathed them a little in the fire, he soon died (as it appeared) with very little pain or none. And thus much concerning the end of this old and blessed servant of God, Master Latimer, for whose laborious travails, fruitful life, and constant death, the whole realm hath cause to give great thanks to Almighty God.