Marginalia1555. October.ledged that the goodnes of the cause, and not the order of death maketh the holynes of the person: which hee confirmed by the examples of Iudas, and of a woman in Oxford that of late hanged her selfe, for that they and such like as hee recited, might then bee adiudged righteous, which desperately sundred theyr liues from their bodyes, as he feared that those men that stoode before hym, would doe. MarginaliaDoctour Smith rayleth agaynst the Martyrs.But hee cried still to the people to beware of them, for they were heretickes and dyed out of the Church. And on the other side, hee declared their diuersitie in opiniōs,MarginaliaChristes cōgregatiō burdened with diuersitie of opinions. as Lutherans, Oecolampadians, Zuinglians, of which secte they were, (he sayd) & that was the worst: but the old Church of CHRIST and the Catholicke fayth beleued farre otherwise. At which place they lifted vp both their hādes and eyes to heauen, as it were callyng God to witnes of the truth. The which countenaunce they made in many other places of his Sermon, whereas they thought he spake amisse. He ended with a very short exhortation to them, to recant and come home agayne to the Church, and saue their lyues and soules, which els were condemned. His Sermō was scant in all a quarter of an houre.

[Back to Top]

Doct. Ridley sayd vnto M. Latymer: will you begyn to aunswere the Sermon, or shall I? M. Latymer sayd: begyn you first, I pray you. I will, sayd Master Ridley.

Then the wicked Sermon being ended, Doct. Ridley and M. Latymer kneeled downe vpon their knees towardes my L. Williams of Tame, the Vicechaūcellour of Oxford, and diuers other Commissioners appointed for that purpose, which sat vpon a forme there by.MarginaliaD. Ridley ready to answere Doctour Smithes Sermon, but could not be suffered. Vnto whō M. Ridley sayd: I besech you my Lord, euen for CHRISTES sake, that I may speake but ij. or iij. wordes: and whilest my Lord bent his head to þ^e Maior & Vicechaūcellour, to know (as it appeared) whether he might geue hym leaue to speake, the Bayliffes and Doct. Marshall Vicechaūcellour ran hastely vnto hym,MarginaliaDoctor Marshall Vicechaūcellor of Oxford stoppeth Doctour Ridleys mouth. and with theyr handes stopped his mouth, and sayd: M. Ridley, if you wil reuoke your erroneous opinions and recant the same, you shall not onely haue libertie so to do, but also the benefite of a subiect, that is, haue your lyfe. Not otherwise, said M. Ridley? No, quoth Doct. Marshall: therfore if you will not do so, then there is no remedy but you must suffer for your desertes. Well (quoth M. Ridley) so long as the breath is in my body, I will neuer deny my Lord CHRIST & his knowen truth: Gods will be done in me. And with that he rose vp, and sayd with a loud voyce:MarginaliaB. Ridley cōmitteth his cause to God. Well, thē I commit our cause to almighty God, which shall indifferently iudge all.

[Back to Top]

To whose saying, M. Latymer added his old Posie:  

MarginaliaMaster Latimers wordes when he could not be suffered to answere Doctour Smith.Well, there is nothyng hid but it shalbe opened: and he sayd hee could aunswere Smith well inough, if he might be suffered. Incontinently   they were commaunded to make them ready, which they with all meekenes obeyed. M. Ridley tooke his Gowne and his *Marginalia* This was no popish Tippet, but made only to kepe his necke warme. Tippet,   and gaue it to his brother in law M. Shepside, who all his tyme of emprisonment, although he might not bee suffered to come to hym, lay there at hys own charges to prouide hym necessaries, which from tyme to tyme he sent hym by the Sergeant that kept hym. Some other of hys apparell that was litle worth, he gaue away:MarginaliaD. Ridley geueth away his apparrell & other gifts to the people about him. other the Bayliffes tooke.

[Back to Top]

He gaue away besides, diuers other small things to Gentlemen standyng by, and diuers of them pitifully weepyng, as to Syr Henry Ley he gaue a new groate, and to diuers of my Lord Williams Gentlemen, some Napkyns, some Nutmegs, and races  

of Gynger, hys Diall,   and such other thinges as he had about hym, to euery one that stode next hym. Some plucked the pointes   of hys hose. Happy was he that might get any ragge of hym.

[Back to Top]

M. Latymer gaue nothyng, but very quietly suffered hys keeper to pull of hys hose, and his other aray,

which to looke vnto was very simple: & beyng stripped into his shrowde,MarginaliaM. Latymer standing at the stake in his shirte. he seemed as comely a person to thē that were there present, as one should lightly see: and whereas in hys clothes, he appeared a withered and crooked sely old man, he now stode bolt vpryght, as comely a father as one might lightly behold.

[Back to Top]

Then M. Ridley standyng as yet in hys trusse, sayd to his brother: it were best for me to go in my trusse  

still. No (quoth hys brother) it will put you to more payne: and the trusse will do a poore man good. Whereunto M. Ridley sayd: be it, in the name of God, and so vnlaced him selfe. Then beyng in his shirt, he stode vppon the foresayd stone, and held vp his handes, & sayd: MarginaliaB. Ridley thanketh God for his Martyrdome, and prayeth for England.Oh heauenly Father, I geue vnto thee most hartie thankes for that thou hast called me to bee a professour of thee, euen vnto death. J besech thee Lord God, take mercy vpon thys Realme of England, and deliuer the same from all her enemies.

[Back to Top]

Then the Smith tooke a chaine of iron, and brought the same about both Doct. Ridleyes and M. Latimers middles: and as he was knocking in a staple, Doctor Ridley tooke the chayne in his hand and shaked the same, for it did gyrd in his belly, and looking aside to the Smith, sayd: good fellow, knocke it in hard, for the flesh wyll haue his course.  

MarginaliaGunpouder geuen to the Martyrs.Then his brother did bring hym gunpouder in a bag, and would haue tyed the same about his necke. Master Ridley asked what it was. His brother sayd gunpowder. Then sayd hee, I take it to be sent of God, therefore I wyll receiue it as sent of him. And haue you any, sayd he, for my brother, meaning master Latimer? Yea Sir, that I haue (quoth his brother.) Then geue it vnto hym, sayd he, betyme,   lest you come to late. So his brother went and carryed of the same gunpouder vnto M. Latymer.

[Back to Top]

In þ^e meane tyme Doct. Ridley spake vnto my Lord Wyllyams, and sayd. MarginaliaB. Ridleys sute to the L. of Tame for leases of poore men.My Lord, I must be a suter vnto your Lordship in the behalfe of dyuers poore men, and especially in the cause of my poore Sister:  

I haue made a supplication to the Queenes maiesty in their behalfes. I besech your Lordship for CHRISTES sake, to be a meane to her grace for them. My brother here hath the supplication, and will resort to your Lordship to certify you hereof. There is nothing in all the world that troubleth my conscience (I prayse God) this onely excepted. Whyles I was in the see of London, diuers poore men tooke Leases of me, and agreed with me for the same. Now, I heare say, MarginaliaD. Boner taketh away the leases from poore mē graūted before by B. Ridley.the Bishop that now occupyeth the same roome, wyll not allow my grauntes vnto them made, but contrary vnto all law and cōscience, hath taken from them their liuinges, and will not suffer them to enioy the same. I besech you my Lorde bee a meane   for them: you shall do a good dede, and God wyll reward you.

[Back to Top]

Then brought they a fagot kindled with fyre, and layd the same downe at D. Ridleyes feete. To whom M. Latymer spake in this maner: MarginaliaThe Church lightened by the Martyrdome of Sainctes.Be of good comfort M. Ridley, and play the man: we shall this day lyght such a candle by Gods grace in England, as (I trust) shall neuer be put out.  

[Back to Top]

And so the fier being geuen vnto them, when Doct. Ridley saw the fire flaming vp toward hym, he cryed with a wonderfull loud voyce: In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum, Domine recipe spiritum meum,  

  and after repeated this latter part often in English: Lord, Lord, receaue my spirite: M. Latimer crying as vehemently on the other syde: MarginaliaM. Latymers prayer and Martyrdome.Oh Father of heauen receaue my soule: who receyued the flame as it were embrasing of it. After, as he had strooked hys face with his handes, and (as it were) bathed them a litle in þ^e fier, he soone died (as it appeared) with very litle payne or none. And thus much concernyng the end of thys old and blessed seruaunt of God M. Latimer, for whose laborious trauailes, fruitfull life, and constant death, þ^e whole realme hath cause to geue great thākes to almightie God.

[Back to Top]