Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 14 · Account 2
*The behauiour of D. Ridley and M. Latymer, at the tyme of their death, which was the 16. of October. An. 1555.
The order and maner of B. Ridley and M. Latimer going to the stake.VPonUpon the Northside of the towne, in the ditch ouer against Baily Colledge, the place of execution was appoynted: and for feare of any tumult that might aryse, to let the burnyng of them, the L. Williams was commaunded by the Queenes letters, and the householders of the Citie to be there assistant, sufficiently appoynted, & when eueryevery thyng was in a readines, the prisoners were broght forth by the Maior and Bailiffes.
M. Ridley had a faire blacke goune furred, and faced with foines, such as he was woont to weare beyng Bish. and a tippet of veluet furred likewyse about his necke, a veluet night cap vponupon his hed, & a corner cappe vponupon the same, goyng in a paire of slippers to the stake, & going betweene the Maior and an Alderman, &c.
After hym came M. Latimer in a poore Bristow freeze frocke all worne, with hys buttened cap, and a kerchiefe on his hed, all redy to the fire, a new long shroud hanging ouer his hose downe to the feete, which at the first sight, stirred mens hearts to rue vponupon them, beholdyng on the one side, the honour they sometyme had, on the other, the calamitie whereunto they were fallen.
M. Doctor Ridley, as hee passed towards Bocardo, lookyng vp where M. Cranmer did lye, hopyng belike to hauehave seene hym at the glasse window, and to hauehave spoken vntounto hym. But then M. Cranmer was busie with Frier Soto & his fellowes disputyng together, so that he could not see hym through that occasion.D. Ridley and M. Latimer brought together to the stake. Then M. Ridley lookyng backe, espied M. Latymer commyng after. Unto whome he sayd: Oh be ye there. Yea sayd M. Latymer, hauehave after as fast as I can follow. So he following a prety way of, at lenth they came both to the stake, one after the other, where first D. Ridley entring the place, maruelous earnestly holding vp both his hands, loked towards heauen: then shortly after espying M. Latimer, with a wonderous cheerefull looke, ranne to hym, embraced, and kissed hym, and as they that stoode neare reported, comforted hym,The behauiour of D. Ridley & M. Latimer at the stake. saying: be of good heart brother, for GOD will either asswage the fury of the flame, or els strengthen vsus to abyde it.
With that went he to the stake, kneeled downe by it, kissed it, most effectuously prayed, and behynd him M. Latymer kneled, as earnestly callyng vponupon God as he. After they arose, the one talked with the other a little whyle, tyll they which were appoynted to see the execution remooued themselues out of the sunne. What they sayd, I can learne of no man.
Then Doctor Smith,… of whose recantation in K. Edwards tyme, ye heard before, began his Sermon to them, vponupon this text of Saint Paule, in the xiij. chapiter of the first Epistle to the Corrinthians: Si corpus meum trad…m igni, charitatem autem non habeo, nihil inde vtilitatis capio: That is, If I yeld my body to the fire to be burnt, & hauehave not Charitie, I shall gayne nothyng thereby. Where in he alledged, that the goodnesse of the cause, and not the order of death: maketh the holynes of the person: Which he confirmed by the examples of Iudas, and of a woman in Oxford that of late hanged her selfe, for that they and suche lyke as he recited, might thē be adiudged righteous, which desperately sundered their lyues from their bodies,… as he feared that those men that stood before hym would do. But he cryed stil to the people to beware of them, for they were heretikes, and dyed out of the Church. And on the other side, he declared their diuersities in opinions, as Lutherians, Oecolampadians, Zuinglians,… of which secte they were, (he sayd) and that was the worst: but the old church of Christ, and the Catholike fayth beleeued far otherwyse, At which place they lifted vp both their handes 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, where as they thought hee 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.
Doctor Ridley sayd to Maister Latymer, will you beginne to aunswer the Sermon, or shall I? Maister Latimer sayd, begin you first I pray you. I will sayd Maister Ridley.
Then the wicked Sermon beyng ended,D. Ridley ready to aunswere D Smithes Sermon, but …uld not …e suffered. Doctor Ridley and Maister Latymer kneled down vponupon their knees towardes my Lord Williams of Tame, the Uicechancellor of Oxford, and dyuers other Commissioners appointed for that purpose, which sate vponupon a forme therby. Unto whome Maister Ridley sayd: I beseech you my Lord euen for Christes sake, that I may speake but two or three wordes: and whylest my Lord bent hys head to the Maior and Uicechauncellour, to know (as it appeared) whether he myght geue hym leaue to speake, the Bailiffes and Doctour Marshall Uicechancellour ranne hastily vntounto hym,D Marshall Vicecha…cellour of Oxford, stoppeth D. Ridleys mouth. and with theyr handes stopped hys mouthe and sayd: Maister Ridley, if you will reuoke your erroneous opinions, and recant the same, you shall not onelyonly hauehave libertie so to doe, but also the benefite of a subiect, that is, hauehave your lyfe. Not otherwyse sayd Maister Ridley? No quoth Doctor Marshall: therefore if you will not doe 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, and hys knowen truth: Gods will be done in me.B. Ridley committ… his cause to G…d. And with that he rose vp, and sayd with a lowde voyce: Well, then I commit our cause to almighty God, which shall indifferently iudge all.
To whose saying, Maister Latymer added hys olde Posie. Well,M. Latimer… wordes when he could not be suffered to answere D Smith. there is nothyng hidde but it shall bee opened: and he sayd he could aunswere Smith well enough if he myght bee suffered. Incontinently they were commaunded to make them ready, which they with all mekenesse obeyed. Maister Ridley tooke his gown and his tippet, and gaue it to his brother in law M. Shepside, who all his tyme of imprisonment,*This was no Popish Tippet, … made … to keepe … necke warme. although he might not bee suffred to come to hym, laye there at his owne charges to prouide him necessaries, which from tyme to tyme, he sent him by the Sergeant that kept hym. Some other of hys apparell that was little woorth, he gaue away, other the Bailifs tooke.
He gaue away besides, diuers other small thynges to Gentlemen standyng by,D. Ridley geueth away his apparrell & other … to the pe… ple … him. and diuers of them pitifully wepyng, as to sir Henry Lea, he gaue a new grote, and to diuers of my L. Williams gentlemen, some napkins, some nutmegs, and races of ginger, his Diall, and such other thyngs as he had about hym, to eueryevery one that stoode next hym. Some plucked the pointes of his hose. Happy was he that might get any rag of hym.
M. Latymer gaue nothyng, but very quietly suffered his keper to pull of his hose, and his other aray,M. Latimer standing at the sta…e in his shirte. which to looke vntounto was very simple: and beyng stripped into hys shroud, he seemed as comely a person to them that were there present, as one should lightly see: and where as in his clothes, he appeared a withered and crooked silke olde man, he now stood bolt vpright, as comely a father as one might lightly behold.
Then M. Ridley standyng as yet in hys trusse, sayde to his brother: it were best for me to goe 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 Maister Ridley sayd: be it, in the name of God, and so vnlaced hymselfe.… Then beyng in his shirt, he stoode vponupon the foresayd stone, and held vp hys handes and sayd: Oh heauenly Father, I geue vntounto thee most harty thankes, for that thou hast called me to bee a professour of thee, euen vntounto death. I beseech thee Lord GOD take mercy vponupon this Realme of England, and deliuer the same from all her enemies.
Then the Smith tooke a chaine of iron, and brought the same about both D. Ridleis, and M. Latimers middles: and as he was knockyng in a staple, D. Ridley took the chayne in his hand, and shaked the same, for it did gird in his belly, and lookyng aside to the Smith, sayd: good felow knocke it in hard, for the flesh will hauehave hys course. Then his brother did bring hym gunpouder in a bag,… and would hauehave tied the same about hys necke. M. Ridley asked what it was. His brother said gunpouder. Then sayd he, I take it to be sent of God, therefore I will receyue it as sent of hym. And hauehave you any sayd he, for my brother, meanyng M. Latymer? Yea sir, that I hauehave (quoth hys brother.) Then geue it vntounto hym sayd he, betyme, least ye come to late. So hys brother went, and caried of the same gunpouder vntounto M. Latymer.
…In the meane tyme D. Ridley spake vntounto my L. Williams, and sayd: My L. I must be a suter vntounto your lordship, in the behalfe of diuers poore men, and especially in the cause of my poore Sister: I hauehave made a supplication to the Queenes Maiestie in their behalfes. I beseech your Lordship for Christes sake, to bee a meane to her grace for them. My brother here hath the Supplication, and wyll resort to your lordship to certifie you hereof. There is nothing in all the world yt troubleth my conscience (I praise God) this onelyonly excepted.… Whiles I was in the Sea of London, diuers poore men tooke Leases of me, and agreed with me for the same. Now I heare say, the B. that nowe occupieth the same roume, wil not allow my graunts vntounto them made, but contrary vntounto all law and conscience, hath taken from them their liuynges, and will not suffer them to enioy the same. I beseech you my Lord, be a mean for them: you shall doe a good deed, and God wil reward you.
…Then brought they a fagot kindled with fire, and layd the same downe at D. Ridleys feete. To whome Maister Latymer spake in this maner: Be of good comfort maister Ridley, and play the man: wee shall this day light such a candle by Gods grace in England, as (I trust) shall neuer be put out.
And so the fire beyng geuen vntounto them, when D. Ridley saw the fire flamyng vp toward hym, he cryed wyth a wonderfull lowd voyce:… In manus tuas Domine, commendo spiritum meum, Domine recipe spiritum meum, and after repeated this latter part often in English: Lord, Lord, receyue my spirit: M. Latymer crying as vehemently on the other side: Oh Father of Heauen, receyue my soule: who receyued the flame as it were embrasing of it. After, as he had stroked hys face with hys hands, & (as it were) bathed them a little in the fire, he soone died (as it appered) with very litle payne or none. And thus much concerning the end of this old and blessed seruaunt of God, M. Latymer, for whose laborious trauails, fruitfull lyfe, & constāt death, the whole Realme hath cause to geue great thankes to almighty God.
But M. Ridley by reason of the euill makyng of the fire vntounto hym,… because the wooden fagots were laid about the gosse, and ouer high built, the fire burned first beneath, beyng kept downe by the woode. Which when he felt, hee desired them for Christs sake to let the fire come vntounto him. Which when hys brother in law heard, but not well vnderstood, entendyng to ridde hym out of his payne (for the which cause he gaue attendance) as one in such sorow, not well aduised what he did, heaped fagots vponupon hym, so that he cleane couered hym, which made the fire more vehement beneath, that it burned cleane all hys neather parts before it once touched the vpper, and that made him leape vp and downe vnderunder the fagots, and often desire them to let the fire come vntounto him, saying: I cannot burne. Which in deed appeared well: for after hys legs were consumed by reason of his struglyng through the payne (whereof he had no release,D Ridley …. but only his contentation in God) he shewed that side toward vsus clean, shirt and all vntouched with flame. Yet in all this torment he forgate not to call vntounto God still, hauyng in his mouth: Lord hauehave mercy vppon me, intermedling this cry, let the fire come vntounto me, I can not burne. In which paynes he laboured, till one of the standers by with his bill, pulled of the fagots aboue, and where he saw the fire flame vp,The death and Martyrdome of D. Ridley. hee wrested himselfe vntounto that side. And when the flame touched the gunpouder, hee was seene stirre no more, but burned on the other side, fallyng downe at M. Latymers feete. Which some said hapned, by reason that the chaine loosed: other sayd that he fell ouer the chaine by reason of the poise of his body, and the weakenes of the neather limmes.
Some say that before he was like to fall from the stake he desired them to holde him to it with their billes. Howsoeuer it was, surely it moued hundredes to teares, in beholding the horrible sight. For I thinke there was none that had not cleane exiled all humanitie and mercy,The lamenting hartes of the people, at the Martyrdome of these two Saintes. which would not hauehave lamented to behold the fury of the fire so to rage vponupon their bodies. Signes there were of sorrowe on eueryevery side. Some tooke it greuously to see their deaths, whose lyues they held full deare. Some pitied their persons that thought theyr soules had no neede thereof. His brother mooued many men, seyng his miserable case: seeyng (I say) hym compelled to such infelicitie, yt he thought then to doe hym best seruice, when he hastened hys ende. Some cryed out of the lucke, to see his endeuor, who most dearely loued hym, and sought his release, turne to hys greater vexation, and encrease of payne. But who so considered their preferments in tyme past, the places of honor that they sometyme occupied in this common wealth, the fauour they were in with their princes, and the opinion of learnyng they had, could not chuse but sorow with teares, to see so great dignitie, honour, and estimation, so necessary members sometime accounted, so many godly vertues, the study of so many yeares, such excellent learnyng, to be put into the fire, and consumed in one moment. Wel, dead they are, and the reward of this world they hauehave already. What reward remayneth for them in heauen, the day of the Lordes glory when he commeth with his saints, shall shortly I trust declare.
Albeit I hauehave differred and put ouer many treatises, letters, & exhortations belongyng to the story of the Martyrs, vntounto the latter appendix in the ende of this volume: thinkyng also to hauehave done the lyke with these farewels, & exhortations followyng of D. Ridley, yet for certain purposes moouing me thereunto, and especially consideryng the fruitfull admonitions, wholesome doctrine, and necessary exhortations conteyned in the same, I thought best here to bestow, and consequently to adioyne the sayd tractations of that learned pastour, with the lyfe and story of the authour. Whereof the two first be in a manner of hys farewels, the one to his kinsfolks, and generally to all the faithfull of the number of Christes congregation: the other more speciall to the prisoners, and banished Christiās in the gospels cause: the third containeth a fruitfull and a generall admonition to the citie of London, and to all other, with necessary precepts of christian office, as by the tenour of them here followeth in order to be seene.