During his confinement, various methods were used to bring him over to recant, such as conversation, reading to him, taking him to hear sermons, and the like; but all proved ineffectual; his constant answer to all who spoke to him on that subject, being, "I am no changeling."

Bonner, incensed at his steadfastness, told him on his second examination, he should find him "no changeling" neither, and immediately went out and wrote the following paper:

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I, Thomas Hawkes, do here confess and declare, before my ordinary, Edmund, bishop of London, that the mass is abominable, detestable, and full of all superstition; and also concerning the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, commonly called the sacrament of the altar, that Christ is no part thereof, but only in heaven. This I have believed, and this I do believe."

Bonner ordered Hawkes to subscribe to this paper; but he refused to set his name to what he had not written himself; upon which the haughty prelate struck him on the breast, declaring, at the same time, that "Ile would severely chastise all such proud and disobedient knaves."

A few days after this the bishop summoned him, with several others, to appear publicly in the consistory court at St. Paul's, where the several articles alleged against him, together with the bill of confession, were read to him, in all which he firmly continued.

They then strongly exhorted him to recant, that they might not be obliged to pass the awful sentence of death upon him. To which he cheerfully replied, that if he had a hundred bodies, he would suffer them all to be torn to pieces, rather than abjure the faith of Christ's gospel.

On his thus steadfastly persevering in the faith which he professed, the bishop read the sentence of condemnation against him, and five others; after which he was sent back to prison, where he remained till June following, when he was delivered into the hands of lord Rich, who caused him to be conveyed to Chelmsford, and from thence to Coxall, in Essex, where he was burned on the 10th of the same month.

Mr. Hawkes gave many pious exhortations to his friends

who came to visit him; and several of them requesting, if it were possible, that he would show them some token, by which the possibility of burning without repining might appear, he promised "by the help of God, to show them that the most exquisite torments were to be endured in the glorious cause of Christ. Accordingly, it was agreed between them, that if the rage of pain were tolerable, he should lift up his hands toward heaven, before he gave up the ghost.

A short time after this agreement, he was led to the place of execution, and after having fervently prayed to Almighty God, the flames were kindled around him, and he continued in them so long, that his speech was taken away by their violence; his skin was contracted, and the spectators thought he was dead, when, on a sudden, and contrary to all expectation, this eminent and zealous servant of God, mindful of the promise he had made to his friends, held his hands flaming over his head, and, as if in an ecstacy of joy, clapped them thrice together.

The astonished multitude testified their approbation of his faith and patience, and his friends, to whom he made the promise, were exceedingly confirmed in their most holy faith, by being eye-witnesses to the power of divine strength, which is able to support the servants of God, under every trial that may befall them, for the sake of the truth, as it is in our Blessed Redeemer.

CHAPTER IV.

Margaret Polley, first Female Martyr in England.

SUCH was the fury of bigoted zeal during the reign of Mary, that even the more tender sex did not escape the resentment of the Romish persecutors. These monsters in human form, embraced every opportunity of exercising their cruelty, tyranny, and usurpation; nor could youth, age, or sex, impress on their minds the least feelings of humanity.

Information being given against Margaret Polley, to Maurice, bishop of Rochester, she was brought before him,

and was examined as to her belief on the contested points of religion. Her doctrines being contrary to those taught by the church of Rome, and refusing to recant, the bishop pronounced sentence of condemnation against her; after which she was carried back to prison, where she remained for upward of a month.

She was a woman in the prime of life, pious, charitable, humane, learned in the scriptures, and beloved by all who were acquainted with her.

During her imprisonment she was repeatedly exhorted to recant; but she refused all offers of life on such terms, choosing glory, honour, and immortality hereafter, rather than a few short years in this vale of grief, and even those purchased at the expense of truth and conscience.

When the day appointed for her execution arrived, which was in July, 1555, she was conducted from the prison at Rochester to Tunbridge, where she was burned, sealing the truth of what she had testified with her blood, and showing that the God of all grace, out of the weakest vessel can give strength, and cause the meanest instrument to magnify the glories of his redeeming love.

Christopher Wade.

On the same day that Margaret Polley suffered, one Christopher Wade, a weaver of Dartford, in Kent, who had likewise been condemned by the bishop of Rochester, shared the same fate, and at the same place; but they were executed separately, he first submitting to the dreadful sentence.

Other Martyrs.

About the same time, John Bland, John Frankesh, Nicholas Sheterden, and Humphrey Middleton, were all burnt together at Canterbury. The first two were ministers and preachers of the gospel, the one being rector of Adesham, and the other vicar of Rolvindon, in Kent. They all resigned themselves to their fate with Christian fortitude, fervently praying to God to receive them into his heavenly kingdom.

Martyrdom of John Denley, John Newman, and Patrick Packingham

So perpetually were the popish emissaries in search of their prey, in all parts of the kingdom, that it was almost impossible long to escape them. As Mr. Denley and Mr. Newman were travelling together in Essex, they were met by Mr. Tyrrel, justice of the peace for the county, who, suspecting them of heresy, caused them to be apprehended, and searched; and, at the same time, took from Mr. Denley a confession of his faith in writing, concerning the sacrament of the altar, together with certain notes collected from the holy scriptures.

The justice immediately sent them to London, and with them a letter to be presented to the council, together with the papers he found on the former.

On their being brought before the council, they were admonished to yield obedience to the queen's laws; but this advice proving ineffectual, their examination was referred to Bonner, bishop of London.

On the 28th of June, 1555, Denley and Newman, together with Patrick Packingham, who had been apprehended two days before, were brought before Bonner, at his palace in London.

On the 5th of July the bishop proceeded, in the usual form, against these three persons, in his consistory court at St. Paul's. After the various articles and their answers had been read, they were exhorted to recant, and both promises and threats were used by Bonner, in order to prevail with them; but on their remaining steadfast in their faith, they were all condemned as heretics, and delivered into the custody of the sheriffs of London, who conducted them. to Newgate, where they were kept till writs were issued for their execution.

Denley was ordered to be burned at Uxbridge, where, being conveyed on the day appointed, he was chained to the stake, and expired amid the flames, singing a Psalm to the praise of his Redeemer. A popish priest who was present, was so incensed at his singing, that he ordered one of the attendants to throw a fagot at him, which was accordingly done, and he received a violent fracture in his skull, which, with the fire, soon deprived him both of speech and life.

A few days after, Packingham suffered at the same place; but Newman was executed at Saffron-Walden, in Essex. They both died with great fortitude and resignation, cheerfully resigning their souls into the hands of him who gave them, in full expectation of receiving crowns of glory in the heavenly mansions.

CHAPTER V.

The Life and Martyrdom of Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester; and Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London.

HUGH LATIMER was born of humble parents at Thirkeston, in Leicestershire, about the year 1475, who gave him a good education and sent him to Cambridge, where he showed himself a zealous papist, and inveighed much against the reformers, who, at that time, began to make some figure in England. But, conversing frequently with Thomas Bilney, the most considerable person at Cambridge, of those who favoured the reformation, he saw the errors of popery, and became a zealous protestant.

Latimer, being thus converted, laboured both publicly and privately, to promote the reformed opinions, and pressed the necessity of a holy life, in opposition to those outward performances, which were then thought the essentials of religion. This rendered him obnoxious at Cambridge, then the seat of bigotry and superstition. However the unaffected piety of Mr. Bilney, and the eloquence of Latimer, wrought greatly upon the junior students, and increased the credit of the protestants so much, that the papist clergy became greatly alarmed, and, according to their usual practice, called aloud for the secular arm.

Under this arm Bilney suffered at Norwich: but his sufferings, far from shaking the reformation at Cambridge, inspired the leaders of it with new courage. Latimer began to exert himself more than he had yet done; and succeeded to that credit with his party, which Bilney had so long supported. Among other instances of his zeal and resolution in this cause, he gave one which was very remarkable: he had the courage to write to Henry VIII,