time of which fire, even as at the first flame, he prayed, saying mildly, and not very loud, but as one without pain, "O Jesus, Son of David, have mercy upon me, and receive my soul!" After the second fire was spent, he wiped both his eyes with his hands, and beholding the people, he said with an indifferent loud voice, “For God's love, good people, let me have more fire!" and all this while his nether parts did burn; but the fagots were so few, that the flames only singed his upper parts.

But

The third fire was kindled within a while after, which was more extreme than the other two: and then the bladders of gunpowder brake, which did him little good, they were so placed, and the wind had such power. In this fire he prayed with a loud voice, " Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me! Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" And these were the last words he was heard to utter. when he was black in the mouth, and his tongue swollen that he could not speak, yet his lips went till they were shrunk to the gums: and he knocked his breast with his hands until one of his arms fell off, and then knocked still with the other, while the fat, water, and blood, dropped out at his fingers' ends, until, by renewing of the fire, his strength was gone, and his hand clave fast in knocking to the iron upon his breast. Then immediately bowing forwards, he yielded up his spirit.

30. DR. ROWLAND TAYLOR.

DR. ROWLAND TAYLOR, vicar of Hadley in Suffolk, was a man of eminent learning, and had been admitted to the degree of doctor of the civil and canon law.

His attachment to the pure and uncorrupted principles of Christianity recommended him to the favour and friendship of Dr. Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, with whom he lived a considerable time, till

through his interest he obtained the living of Hadley.

Dr. Taylor promoted the interest of the great Redeemer, and the souls of mankind, both by his preaching and example, during the time of king Edward VI.; but on his demise, and the succession of Queen Mary to the throne, he escaped not the cloud that burst on so many besides.

He was summoned before the bishop of Winchester, and finally sentenced to be burnt. When the sentence was read, he joyfully gave thanks to God. The night after he was degraded, by the favour of his keepers his wife came with his old and faithful servant John Hull and his son Thomas, and supped with him. After tea, walking up and down, he gave God thanks for his grace, that had so called him and given him strength to abide by his holy word; and turning to his son Thomas, he exhorted him to piety and filial obedience in the most earnest manner. Then, turning to his wife, "My dear wife," said he, "continue steadfast in the fear and love of God; keep yourself undefiled from their popish idolatries and superstitions." When he had thus said, they with weeping eyes prayed together, and kissed one another; and he gave to his wife a book for the Church service, set out by king Edward, which he in the time. of his imprisonment daily used. And unto his son. Thomas he gave a Latin book, containing the notable sayings of the old martyrs, gathered out of the Ecclesiastical History; and in the end of that book he wrote his pious testament and last farewell.

Dr. Taylor, about two o'clock in the morning, was conveyed to the Woolpack, Aldgate, and had an affecting interview with his wife and daughter, and a female orphan he had brought up, who had waited all night in St. Botolph's porch, to see him pass before being delivered to the sheriff of Essex. On coming out of the

gates, John Hull, his good servant, stood at the rails with Thomas, (Dr. Taylor's son.) Then he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and prayed for his son and blessed him.

When they were come to Hadley-bridge, at the bridge-foot waited a poor man with five small children; who held up their hands, and he cried, "O dear father, and good shepherd, Dr. Taylor, God help and succour thee as thou hast many a time succoured me and my poor children!" The streets of Hadley were beset on both sides the way with the men and women of the town and country, who waited to see and bless him.

When Dr. Taylor had arrived at Aldham Common, the place where he should suffer, seeing a great multitude of people, he asked, "What place is this, and what meaneth it that so much people are gathered hither?" It was answered, "It is Aldham Common, the place where you must suffer, and the people are come to look upon you." Then he said, "Thanked be God, I am even at home;" and he alighted from his horse, and with both his hands rent the hood from his head.

His head had been notched and clipped like as a man would clip a fool's; which cost the good bishop Bonner had bestowed upon him. But when the people saw his reverend and ancient face, with a long white beard, they burst out with weeping tears, and cried, saying, "God save thee, good Dr. Taylor! Jesus Christ strengthen thee, and help thee! the Holy Ghost comfort thee!"

Dr. Taylor, perceiving that he should not be suffered to speak, sat down. On seeing one named Soyce, he called him, and said, "Soyce, I pray thee come and pull off my boots, and take them for thy labour; thou hast long looked for them-now take them." Then he rode up, and put off his clothes unto his shirt, and gave them away. Which done, he said with a loud voice, "Good people, I have taught you nothing but God's holy word,

and those lessons that I have taken out of God's blessed book-the Holy Bible; and I am come hither this day to seal it with my blood." With that word Holmes, yeoman of the guard, who used Dr. Taylor very cruelly all the way, gave him a heavy stroke upon the head, and said, "Is that the keeping of thy promise of silence, thou heretic?" Then the doctor knelt down and prayed, and a poor woman that was among the people stepped in and prayed with him. When he had prayed, he went to the stake and kissed it, and set himself into a pitchbarrel, which they had put for him to stand in, and stood with his back upright against the stake, with his hands. folded together, and his eyes towards heaven, and continually prayed.

Then they bound him with the chains, and having set up the fagots, one Warwick cruelly cast a fagot at him, which struck him on his head, and cut his face, so that the blood ran down. Then said Dr. Taylor, “O friend, I have harm enough; what needed that?"

Sir John Shelton standing by, as Dr. Taylor was speaking, and saying the Psalm Miserere in English, struck him on the lips: "You knave," said he, " speak Latin; I will make thee." At last they kindled the fire; and Dr. Taylor, holding up both his hands, called upon God, and said, "Merciful Father of heaven, for Jesus Christ my Saviour's sake, receive my soul into thy hands!" So he stood still without either crying or moving, with his hands folded together, till Soyce with a halberd struck him on the head till his brains fell out, and the corpse fell down into the fire.

31. MR. THOMAS TOMKINS.

THOMAS TOMKINS was by trade a weaver in Shoreditch, till he was summoned before the inhuman Bonner, and confined with many others, who renounced the errors of Popery, in a prison in that tyrant's house at Fulham.

Under his confinement, he was treated by the bishop not only unbecoming a prelate, but even a man; for the savage, because Tomkins would not assent to the doctrine of transubstantiation, bruised him in the face, and plucked off the greatest part of the hair of his beard.

On another occasion, this scandal to humanity, in the presence of many who came to visit at Fulham, took this poor honest man by the fingers, and held his hand directly over the flame of a wax candle, having three or four wicks, supposing that, being terrified by the smart and pain of the fire, he would leave off the defence of the doctrine which he had received.

Tomkins thinking no otherwise but there presently to die, began to commend himself unto the Lord, saying, "O Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit," &c. Tomkins afterwards reported to one James Hinse, that all the time that his hand was burning his spirit was so rapt, that he felt no pain. In which burning he never shrank till the veins shrank, and the sinews burst, and the water spurted into Mr. Harpsfield's face; insomuch that Mr. Harpsfield, moved with pity, desired the bishop to stay, saying, that he had tried him enough.

After undergoing two examinations, and refusing to swerve from his duty and belief, he was burned in Smithfield, March 16th, 1555, triumphant in the midst of the flames, and adding to the noble company of martyrs, who had preceded him through the path of the fiery trial to the realms of immortal glory.