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ashes, washing his hands in the flame as hee was in burning. A little before his burning at the stake, his pardon was brought if he would have recanted, but he utterly refused it. He was the first Protomartyr of all the blessed company that suffered in queene Maries time, that gave the first adventure upon the fire. the fire. His wife and children, beeing eleven

3 He was burned into ashes.] We may easily believe, that events of this tragical nature would awaken a variety of passions in the minds of the spectators: nor is it surprizing, that superstition had its place amongst them. Miles Hoggard, a most intemperate and malignant enemy of the Reformation, has recorded an anecdote of this kind respecting the martyrdom of Rogers, which is worthy of insertion. "When Rogers their pseudo-martyr (proto martyr I would saye) was burnt in Smithfield, were there not divers marchant men and others, which seeing certayn pigeons flying over the fire, that haunted to a house hard adjoining, and which, being amased withe the smoke, forsoke their nestes, and flewe over the fire, were not ashamed boldely to affirme, that the same was the Holy Ghoste in the likeness of a dove? This thinge is sufficiently knowen by experience to them which were there present. Then by the lyke argument they might have said, the crowes which the same time hovered over the fire, were develles. But what blasphemy is this, suche opinionative fooles to beleeve or credite such fansies?" Displaying of the Protestants. fol. 56. A. D. 1558.

To this Hoggard, by trade a Hosier, whose activity and influence against the Protestants was very great during the reign of Q. Mary, Robert Crowley, addressing himself, at an earlier period, says,

"Remembre your selfe, frynde Hogherde, howe manie you have sette forwarde towarde Smithfield in the tyme of persecution. Men thinke that from the tyme of John Frith to the death of the constant witnesse of Gods trueth, Anne Askewe, there was no bloud shed in Smythfylde, but your parte wyll be in it at the laste daye. Repent therfore, and acknowledge your faute: God is mercifull to the penitent. He is able to take frome you your stonie herte, and to give you one of flesh." Confutation of the Aunswere to the Ballad called the Abuse of the blessed Sacrament of the Aultare. signat. a. 4. b. A. D. 1548.

in number, ten able to go, and onc sucking on her brest, met him by the way as he went towards Smithfield this sorrow full sight of his owne flesh and bloud could nothing moove him, but that he constantly and cheerefully tooke his death with wonderfull patience, in the defence of the quarell of Christes Gospell.

BISHOP HOOPer.

A Patriot's blood

Well spent in such a strife, may earn indeed,
And for a time ensure, to his lov'd land
The sweets of liberty and equal laws.
But Martyrs struggle for a brighter prize,
And win it with more pain. Their blood is shed
In confirmation of the noblest claim-

Our claim to feed upon immortal truth,
To walk with God, to be divinely free,
To soar, and to anticipate the skies.

COWPER.

BISHOP HOOPER.

JOHN HOOPER student and graduate in the University of Oxford, after the study of other Sciences, wherein he had aboundantly profited and proceeded, through Gods secret vocation' was stirred with fervent desire to the love and knowledge of the Scriptures. In the reading and searching wherof, as there lacked in him no diligence, joined with earnest praier,

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God's secret vocation.] We have some particulars of Hooper's early history from his own pen, in a letter to Henry Bullinger, from which it appears, that he was much influenced in his conversion by the writings of that Divine, and of Huld. Zuinglius. "Non multos ante annos (says he), "cum in aula Regis nostri, aulicus aulice plus satis vixerim, ornatissime Domine et Frater in Christo dilectissime, tum fausto et felici omine mihi obtulerunt sese quædam opera Doctoris Huldrici Zuinglii, eximii viri piæ memoriæ, et commentaria in Paulinas Epistolas, quis tu felicissime universo orbi innotuisti, in perpetuum tui nominis monimentum duraturum. Ista egregia Dei doua universo mundo per vos exhibita, negligere nolui; cum in ipsis præsertim de animæ meæ salute felicitateque perpetua serio agi videbam. Omni itaque studio, et velut diligentia quadam superstitiosa, noctes atque dies operam vestris scriptis navare operæ pretium fore duxi. Nec labor iste mihi unquam molestus in ea re fuit. Nam postquam excessi ex Ephebis, et Patris clementiâ liberius vivendi fuit potestas, cultu impio et quovis genere idolatriæ, Majorum æmulatus impietatem, Deum prius cœperam blasphemare, quam quid Deus esset, recte cog, noveram. Inde tamen Dei benignitate liberatus, quod Deo et vobis unice acceptum fero, jam nihil restat, quod ad reliquum vitæ meæ et ultima fata spectat, quam ut Deum pura mente colam." Hottingeri Histor. Ecclesiast. novi Testamenti. Vol. VI. p. 271. Hottinger does not mention, whether the original letter, from which he transcribed the above extract, bore any date of time and place.

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