The Trial, Condemnation, and Martyrdom of Ridley and Latimer
THE TRIAL, CONDEMNATION AND MARTYRDOM OF RIDLEY AND LATIMER
AND thus hast thou, gentle reader, the whole life, both of Master Ridley and of Master Latimer, severally set forth. Now we couple them together, as they were together joined in one martyrdom.
Upon the 28th of September (1555), was sent down to Oxford a commission from Cardinal Pole to John White, Bishop of Lincoln, to Dr Brooks, Bishop of Gloucester, and to Dr Holyman, Bishop of Bristol, that they, or two of them, should have full power to judge Master Hugh Latimer, and Master Dr Ridley, for divers erroneous opinions, which they did maintain in open disputations had in Oxford. The which opinions if the named persons would recant, then they, the deputed judges, should have power to receive the said penitent persons, and forthwith minister unto them the reconciliation of the holy father the Pope. But if the said Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley would maintain their erroneous opinions, then the said lords should pronounce them heretics, cut them clean off from the Church, and yield them to receive punishment.
Wherefore, the last of September, the said lords were placed and set in the divinity school at Oxford; and first appeared Master Dr Ridley. After his coming into the school, the cardinal’s commission was read. But Dr Ridley, standing bareheaded, humbly expecting the cause of that his appearance, eftsoons as he had heard the cardinal named, and the Pope’s holiness, put on his cap. ‘The usurped supremacy, and abused authority of the Bishop of Rome, I utterly refuse and renounce. I may in no wise give any obeisance or honour unto him, lest my so doing might be a derogation to the verity of God’s Word.’
The Bishop of Lincoln, after the third admonition, commanded one of the beadles to pluck Master Ridley’s cap from his head. Master Ridley, bowing his head to the officer, gently permitted him to take away his cap. After this the bishop in a long oration exhorted Master Ridley to recant, and acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope.
Then Master Ridley said in this manner: ‘As touching the saying of Christ, from whence your lordship gathereth the foundation of the Church upon Peter, truly the place is not so to be understood as you take it. For after that Christ had asked His disciples whom men judged Him to be, and they had answered, that some had said He was a prophet, some Elias, some one thing, some another, then He said, “Whom say ye that I am?” Then Peter said, “I say that Thou art Christ, the Son of God.” To whom Christ answered, “I say, thou art Peter, and upon this stone I will build My Church;” that is to say, upon this stone—not meaning Peter himself, as though He would have constituted a mortal man, so frail and brickie a foundation of His stable and infallible Church; but upon this rock-stone—that is, this confession of thine, that I am the Son of God, I will build My Church. For this is the foundation and beginning of all Christianity, with word, heart, and mind, to confess that Christ is the Son of God.’
But the bishop, not attending to this answer, proceeded: ‘We came not to reason with you, but must proceed, proposing certain articles, unto the which we require your answer directly, either affirmatively or negatively to every of them, either denying them or granting them, without further disputations or reasoning; the which articles you shall hear now; and to-morrow, at eight of the clock in St Mary’s Church, we will require and take your answers.’
ARTICLES, JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY MINISTERED TO DR RIDLEY AND MASTER LATIMER, BY THE POPE’S DEPUTY
1. We do object to thee, Nicholas Ridley and to thee Hugh Latimer, jointly and severally; that thou hast affirmed, and openly defended and maintained, that the true and natural body of Christ, after the consecration of the priest, is not really present in the sacrament of the altar.
2. That thou hast publicly affirmed and defended, that in the sacrament of the altar remaineth still the substance of bread and wine.
3. That thou hast openly affirmed, and obstinately maintained, that in the mass is no propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead.
After Master Ridley was committed to the mayor, the bishop commanded the bailiffs to bring in the other prisoner. Then Master Latimer bowed his knee down to the ground, holding his hat in his hand, having a kerchief on his head, and upon it a night-cap or two, and a great cap (such as townsmen use, with two broad flaps to button under the chin), wearing an old thread-bare Bristol frieze-gown girded to his body with a penny leather girdle, at the which hanged by a long string of leather his Testament, and his spectacles without case, depending about his neck upon his breast. After this the bishop began on this manner: ‘What should stay you to confess that which all the realm confesseth, to forsake that which the King and Queen have renounced, and all the realm recanted. It was a common error, and it is now of all confessed: it shall be no more shame to you, than it was to us all. Therefore, Master Latimer, for God’s love, remember you are an old man; spare your body, accelerate not your death, and specially remember your soul’s health. If you should die in this state, you shall be a stinking sacrifice to God; for it is the cause that maketh the martyr, and not the death: consider that if you die in this state, you die without grace, for without the Church can be no salvation.’ The bishop said that they came not to dispute with Master Latimer, but to take his determinate answers to their articles; and so began to propose the same articles which were proposed to Master Ridley.
The next day following (which was the first day of October), somewhat after eight of the clock, the said lords repaired to St Mary’s Church, and after they were set in a high throne well trimmed with cloth of tissue and silk, appeared Master Ridley.
Then spake the Bishop of Lincoln: ‘We came to take your determinate answers to our articles. If you have brought your answer in writing, we will receive it: but if you have written any other matter, we will not receive it.’
Then Master Ridley took a sheet of paper out of his bosom, and began to read that which he had written: but the Bishop of Lincoln commanded the beadle to take it from him. But Master Ridley desired license to read it, saying that it was nothing but his answer, but the bishop would in no wise suffer him.
Ridley: ‘Why, my lord, will you require my answer, and not suffer me to publish it?’
Lincoln: ‘Master Ridley, we will first see what you have written, and then, if we shall think it good to be read, you shall have it published; but, except you will deliver it first, we will take none at all of you.’
With that Master Ridley, seeing no remedy, delivered it to an officer, who delivered it to the bishop. After he had secretly communicated it to the other two bishops, he would not read it as it was written, saying, that it contained words of blasphemy; therefore he would not fill the ears of the audience therewithal, and so abuse their patience.
The Bishop of Gloucester and likewise the Bishop of Lincoln, with many words, desired Master Ridley to turn. But he made an absolute answer, that he was fully persuaded the religion which he defended to be grounded upon God’s Word; and, therefore, without great offence towards God, great peril and damage of his soul, he could not forsake his Master and Lord God, but desired the bishop to perform his grant, in that his lordship said the day before, that he should have license to show his cause why he could not with a safe conscience admit the authority of the Pope. The bishop bade him take his license: but he should speak but forty words, and he would tell them upon his fingers. And eftsoons Master Ridley began to speak: but before he had ended half a sentence, the doctors sitting by cried that his number was out; and with that he was put to silence.
And forthwith the Bishop of Lincoln did read the sentence of condemnation, degrading Master Ridley from the degree of a bishop, from priesthood, and all ecclesiastical order; declaring him to be no member of the church: and committing him to the secular powers, of them to receive due punishment. Then Master Ridley was committed as a prisoner to the mayor.
Immediately Master Latimer was sent for, whom the Bishop of Lincoln desired to recant, revoke his errors, and turn to the catholic church.
‘No, my lord,’ interrupted Master Latimer, ‘I confess there is a catholic church, but not the church which you call catholic, which sooner might be termed diabolic. It is one thing to say Romish church, and another thing to say catholic church: I must use here the counsel of Cyprian, who at what time he was ascited before certain bishops demanded of them sitting in judgment, which was most like to be of the Church of Christ, whether he who was persecuted, or they who did persecute? “Christ,” said he, “hath foreshowed, that he that doth follow Him, must take up His cross. Christ gave knowledge that the disciples should have persecution and trouble. How think you then, my lords, is it most like that the see of Rome, which hath been a continual persecutor, is rather the Church, or that flock which hath continually been persecuted of it, even to death?”’
After Master Latimer had answered that he neither could nor would deny his Master Christ, and His verity, the Bishop of Lincoln desired Master Latimer to hearken to him: and then Master Latimer, hearkening for some new matter, the bishop read his condemnation; after which, the said three bishops brake up their sessions, and dismissed the audience. But Master Latimer required the bishop to perform his promise in saying the day before, that he should have license briefly to declare why he refused the Pope’s authority. But the Bishop said that now he could not hear him, neither ought to talk with him. Then he committed Master Latimer to the mayor, saying, ‘Now he is your prisoner, master mayor.’
And so continued Bishop Ridley and Master Latimer, in durance till the 16th day of October A.D. 1555.
Upon the 15th day in the morning, Dr Brooks, the Bishop of Gloucester, and the vice-chancellor of Oxford, Dr Marshal, with divers other of the heads of the University, came unto Master Irish’s house, then Mayor of Oxford, where Dr Ridley was close prisoner. The Bishop of Gloucester told him for what purpose their coming, saying that yet once again the Queen’s majesty did offer unto him her gracious mercy, if that he would come home to the faith which he was baptized in. If he would not recant they must needs proceed according to the law.
‘My lord,’ quoth Dr Ridley, ‘as for the doctrine which I have taught, my conscience assureth me that it was sound, and according to God’s Word; the which doctrine, the Lord God being my helper, I will maintain so long as my tongue shall wag, and breath is within my body, and in confirmation thereof seal the same with my blood.’
‘Seeing,’ saith the Bishop of Gloucester, ‘that you will not receive the Queen’s mercy, we must proceed according to our commission to disgrading, taking from you the dignity of priesthood. So, committing you to the secular power, you know what doth follow.’
Ridley: ‘Do with me as it shall please God to suffer you, I am well content to abide the same with all my heart.’
Gloucester: ‘Put off your cap, Master Ridley, and put upon you this surplice.’
Ridley: ‘Not I, truly.’
Gloucester: ‘But you must.’
Ridley: ‘I will not.’
Gloucester: ‘You must: therefore make no more ado, but put this surplice upon you.’
Ridley: ‘Truly, if it come upon me, it shall be against my will.’
Gloucester: ‘Will you not do it upon you?’
Ridley: ‘No, that I will not.’
Gloucester: ‘It shall be put upon you by one or other.’
Ridley: ‘Do therein as it shall please you; I am well contented with that, and more than that; “the servant is not above his Master.” If they dealt so cruelly with our Saviour Christ, as the Scripture maketh mention, and He suffered the same patiently, how much more doth it become us His servants.’
They put upon Dr Ridley all the trinkets appertaining to the mass; and the same did vehemently inveigh against the Romish Bishop, and all that foolish apparel, insomuch that Bishop Brooks was exceeding angry with him, and bade him hold his peace. Dr Ridley answered that so long as his tongue and breath would suffer him, he would speak against their abominable doings, whatsoever happened unto him for so doing.
At which words one Edridge, the reader then of the Greek lecture, standing by, said to Dr Brooks; ‘Sir, the law is, he should be gagged; therefore let him be gagged.’ At which words Dr Ridley, looking earnestly upon him that so said, wagged his head at him, and with a sigh said, ‘Oh well, well, well!’ So they proceeded in their doings, yet nevertheless Dr Ridley was ever talking things not pleasant to their ears, although one or other bade him hold his peace, lest he should be caused against his will.
When they came to that place where Dr Ridley should hold the chalice and the wafer-cake, called the singing-bread, they bade him hold the same in his hands. And Dr Ridley said, ‘they shall not come in my hands; for, if they do, they shall fall to the ground for all me.’ Then there was one appointed to hold them in his hand, while Bishop Brooks read a certain thing in Latin law, the effect whereof was: ‘We do take from you the office of preaching the Gospel.’ At which words Dr Ridley gave a great sigh, looking up towards heaven, saying, ‘O Lord God, forgive them this their wickedness!’
When all this their abominable and ridiculous degradation was ended very solemnly, Dr Ridley said unto Dr Brooks, ‘If you have done, give me leave to talk with you a little concerning these matters.’ Brooks answered and said, ‘Master Ridley, we may not talk with you; you be out of the Church, and our law is, that we may not talk with any that be out of the Church.’ Then Master Ridley said, ‘Seeing that you will not suffer me to talk, neither will vouchsafe to hear me, what remedy but patience? I refer the cause to my heavenly Father, Who will reform things that be amiss, when it shall please Him.’
Then Master Ridley said, ‘I pray you, my lord, be a mean to the Queen’s majesty, in the behalf of a great many of poor men, and especially for my poor sister and her husband which standeth there. They had a poor living granted unto them by me, whiles I was in the see of London, and the same is taken away from them, by him that now occupieth the same room, without all law or conscience. Here I have a supplication to the Queen’s majesty in their behalfs. You shall hear the same read, so shall you perceive the matter the better.’ When he came to the place that touched his sister by name, he wept, so that for a little space he could not speak. After that he had left off weeping, he said, ‘This is nature that moveth me: but I have now done.’ Whereunto Brooks said, ‘Indeed, Master Ridley, your request is very lawful and honest: therefore I must needs in conscience speak to the Queen’s majesty for them.’
All things being finished, Dr Brooks called the bailiffs, delivering to them Master Ridley with this charge, to keep him safely from any man speaking with him, and that he should be brought to the place of execution when they were commanded.
The night before he suffered, as he sat at supper at Master Irish’s (who was his keeper), he bade his hostess, and the rest at the board, to his marriage; ‘for,’ said he, ‘to-morrow I must be married:’ and so showed himself to be as merry as ever he was at any time before. And wishing his sister at his marriage, he asked his brother sitting at the table, whether she could find in her heart to be there or no. And he answered, ‘Yea, I dare say, with all her heart:’ at which word he said he was glad. At this talk Mistress Irish wept.
But Master Ridley comforted her, and said, ‘O Mrs Irish, you love me not now, I see well enough; for in that you weep, it doth appear you will not be at my marriage, neither are content therewith. Indeed you be not so much my friend, as I thought you had been. But quiet yourself: though my breakfast shall be somewhat sharp and painful, yet I am sure my supper shall be more pleasant and sweet.’
When they arose from the table, his brother offered to watch all night with him. But he said, ‘No, no, that you shall not. For I mind (God willing) to go to bed, and to sleep as quietly to-night, as ever I did in my life.’
Upon the north-side of the town, in the ditch over against Balliol-college, the place of execution was appointed: and for fear of any tumult that might arise, to let the burning of them, the Lord Williams was commanded, by the Queen’s letters, to be there assistant, sufficiently appointed. And when every thing was in a readiness, the prisoners were brought forth.
Master Ridley had a fair black gown furred, and faced with foins, such as he was wont to wear being bishop, and a tippet of velvet furred likewise about his neck, a velvet night-cap upon his head, and a corner cap upon the same, going in a pair of slippers to the stake, between the mayor and an alderman.
After him came Master Latimer in a poor Bristol frieze frock all worn, with his buttoned cap, and a kerchief on his head, a new long shroud hanging over his hose, down to the feet.
The sight stirred men’s hearts to rue, beholding the honour they sometime had, and the calamity whereunto they were fallen.
Master Doctor Ridley, as he passed toward Bocardo, looked up where Master Cranmer did lie, hoping belike to have seen him at the glass-window, and to have spoken unto him. But then Master Cranmer was busy with friar Soto and his fellows, disputing together, so that he could not see him. Master Ridley, looking back, espied Master Latimer coming after, unto whom he said, ‘Oh, be ye there!’ ‘Yea,’ said Master Latimer,‘have after as fast as I can follow.’ So at length they both came to the stake. Dr Ridley, marvellous earnestly holding up both his hands, looked towards heaven. Then espying Master Latimer, with a wondrous cheerful look he ran to him, embraced, and kissed him; and comforted him, saying, ‘Be of good heart, brother, for God will either assuage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it.’ With that went he to the stake, kneeled down by it, kissed it, and most effectuously prayed, and behind him Master Latimer kneeled, as earnestly calling upon God as he.
Then Dr Smith began his sermon to them upon this text of St Paul, ‘If I yield my body to the fire to be burnt, and have not charity, I shall gain nothing thereby.’ Wherein he alleged that the goodness of the cause, and not the order of death, maketh the holiness of the person; which he confirmed by the examples of Judas, and of a woman in Oxford that of late hanged herself. He ended with a very short exhortation to them to recant, and come home again to the church, and save their lives and souls.
Dr Ridley said to Master Latimer, ‘Will you begin to answer the sermon, or shall I?’ Master Latimer said, ‘Begin you first, I pray you.’ ‘I will,’ said Master Ridley.
Then, the wicked sermon being ended, Dr Ridley and Master Latimer kneeled down upon their knees towards my Lord Williams of Thame, unto whom Master Ridley said, ‘I beseech you, my lord, even for Christ’s sake, that I may speak but two or three words.’ And whilst my lord bent his head to the mayor and vice-chancellor, to know whether he might give him leave to speak, the bailiffs and Dr Marshal, vice-chancellor, ran hastily unto him, and with their hands stopped his mouth, and said, ‘Master Ridley, if you will revoke your erroneous opinions, and recant the same, you shall not only have liberty so to do, but also the benefit of a subject: that is, have your life.’
‘Not otherwise?’ said Master Ridley.
‘No,’ quoth Dr Marshal.
‘Well,’ quoth Master Ridley, ‘so long as the breath is in my body, I will never deny my Lord Christ, and His known truth: God’s will be done in me!’
Incontinently they were commanded to make them ready, which they with all meekness obeyed. Master Ridley took his gown and his tippet, and gave it to his brother-in-law, Master Shipside. Some other of his apparel that was little worth, he gave away; other the bailiffs took. He gave away besides, divers other small things to gentlemen standing by, pitifully weeping, as to Sir Henry Lea a new groat; and to divers of my Lord Williams’s gentlemen some napkins, some nutmegs, and rases of ginger; his dial, and such other things as he had about him, to every one that stood next him. Some plucked the points off his hose. Happy was he that might get any rag of him.
Master Latimer very quietly suffered his keeper to pull off his hose, and his other array, which was very simple: being stripped into his shroud, he seemed as comely a person to them that were there present, as one should see; and whereas in his clothes he appeared a withered and crooked old man, he now stood bolt upright, as comely a father as one might lightly behold.
Master Ridley held up his hand and said, ‘O heavenly Father, I give unto Thee most hearty thanks, for that Thou hast called me to be a professor of Thee, even unto death. I beseech Thee, Lord God, take mercy upon this realm of England, and deliver the same from all her enemies.’
Then the smith took a chain of iron, and brought the same about both Dr Ridley’s, and Master Latimer’s middles: and, as he was knocking in a staple, Dr Ridley took the chain in his hand, and shaked the same, and looking aside to the smith, said, ‘Good fellow, knock it in hard, for the flesh will have his course.’ Then his brother did bring him gunpowder in a bag, and would have tied the same about his neck. Master Ridley asked, what it was. His brother said, ‘Gunpowder.’ ‘Then,’ said he, ‘I take it to be sent of God; therefore I will receive it as sent of Him. And have you any,’ said he, ‘for my brother’; meaning Master Latimer. ‘Yea sir, that I have,’ quoth his brother. ‘Then give it unto him,’ said he, ‘betime; lest ye come too late.’ So his brother went, and carried off the same gunpowder unto Master Latimer.
Then they brought a faggot, kindled with fire, and laid the same down at Dr Ridley’s feet. To whom Master Latimer spake in this manner: ‘Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.’
When Dr Ridley saw the fire flaming up towards him, he cried with a wonderful loud voice, ‘Lord, Lord, receive my spirit.’ Master Latimer, crying as vehemently on the other side, ‘O Father of heaven, receive my soul!’ received the flame as it were embracing of it. After that he had stroked his face with his hands, and as it were bathed them a little in the fire, he soon died (as it appeareth) with very little pain or none.
By reason of the evil making of the fire unto Master Ridley, because the wooden faggots were laid about the gorse, and over-high built, the fire burned first beneath, being kept down by the wood; which when Master Ridley felt, he desired them for Christ’s sake to let the fire come unto him. Which when his brother-in-law heard, but not well understood, intending to rid him out of his pain (for the which cause he gave attendance), as one in such sorrow not well advised what he did, he heaped faggots upon him, so that he clean covered him, which made the fire more vehement beneath, that it burned clean all his nether parts, before it once touched the upper; and that made him often desire them to let the fire come unto him, saying, ‘I cannot burn.’ Which indeed appeared well; for, after his legs were consumed he showed that side towards us clean, shirt and all untouched with flame. Yet in all this torment he forgot not to call unto God, having in his mouth, ‘Lord have mercy upon me,’ intermingling his cry, ‘Let the fire come unto me, I cannot burn.’
In which pangs he laboured till one of the standers by with his bill pulled off the faggots above, and where he saw the fire flame up Master Ridley wrested himself unto that side. And when the flame touched the gunpowder, he was seen to stir no more.
It moved hundreds to tears, in beholding the horrible sight; for I think there was none that had not clean exiled all humanity and mercy, which would not have lamented to behold the fury of the fire so to rage upon their bodies. Signs there were of sorrow on every side. Some took it grievously to see their deaths, whose lives they held full dear: some pitied their persons, that thought their souls had no need thereof. Well! dead they are, and the reward of this world they have already. What reward remaineth for them in heaven, the day of the Lord’s glory, when he cometh with His saints, shall declare.