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The image of Thomas à Becket

Under these circumstances, the King ordered his Confessor, Alphonsus a Castro, a Franciscan Friar, to preach before him on the 10th of February; and in his sermon it was arranged that he should blame the putting men to death on account of religion. He followed his orders, and declared that the Bishops had not learned these practices from Scripture. Gardiner and his associates were rather disconcerted at this disavowal, which they dared not openly to contradict.› The real inclinations, however, of both the King and Queen were by no means to stop the burning of the Martyrs; and after a few weeks pause, they were resumed. The labour of the examinations and condemnations now chiefly devolved upon Bonner, who entered upon the work with a savage ardour, which shewed that it was conformable to his principles, and grateful to his feelings.

As for the Spanish Friar, he has left a sufficient testimony that his heart approved the proceedings, against which, in this case, his mouth bore testimony at the command of King Philip. He was the author of a treatise expressly on Heresies, in which he defended the lawfulness of repressing them by death; and after his return to Spain, he was appointed Archbishop of Compostella; and none were, in those days, advanced to the Prelacy in Spain, who were not thought to be in all respects fully inclined to sanction and co-operate in the cruel proceedings of the Church of Rome, principally carried into effect by means of that horrid and cruel tribunal, the Inquisition.

Another circumstance also shewed that it was not intended to discontinue these executions. Bishop Farrar was sent from London only four days after this sermon was preached, to St. David's, there to be burned.

The 14th of February was also remarkable for another circumstance. The image of Thomas à Becket had just been set up over the gate of St. Thomas Acres, or Mercer's Chapel, in Cheapside, with his hand in the attitude of blessing the people!* These honours paid to that rebellious and

* The attitude above described, was probably designed to commemorate a miracle recorded of Thomas à Becket. A Romish annalist gravely relates, that while the Monks were singing a requiem over his body, the morning after he had been murdered, a choir of angels appeared, and joined in their melody; upon which the dead body, duly sensible of such an honour, extended its hand, and gave the Monks a benediction as usual! The 29th of December is still observed as a festival, by the Church of Rome, in honour

1555.]

repeatedly broken and repaired.

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worldly-minded Prelate, who had so decidedly contended for the usurped political power of the Pope, in opposition to his lawful Sovereign,* are a sufficient proof of the full restoration of Romanism. The image was not suffered long to remain unmutilated. On the second night, the fingers, which were extended in the act of giving the saintly benediction, were broken off, and, on the morning of the day following, the head also was missing. The Romanists were sorely displeased; and a mercer named Barnes, a professor of the truth, who dwelt opposite, was imprisoned with three of his servants, and examined by Gardiner, but nothing could be proved against him. Notwithstanding this want of proof, he was ordered to repair the image at his own expense, and to enter into bond to do so in future, if it should be again of Thomas à Becket. The following is the Collect appointed for the day. "O Lord, for the sake of whose Church that illustrious high priest, Thomas, was slain by the sword of wicked men, grant, we beseech thee, that all who implore his help, may effectually obtain salvation through his intercession."'

We cannot but observe the frequency with which Romish advocates have publicly adverted to, and praised this favourite saint, who does not appear to have possessed a particle of holiness in his life or conduct, and who stated that the exemption of guilty ecclesiastics from civil justice was one of the privileges which Christ purchased for his Church with his blood! Perhaps some light may be thrown upon this subject, by the following extract from the notes to the Romish Martyrology, set forth by authority of Pope Gregory XIII. and ordered to be read publicly every day. Under the 29th of December, in an account of this most illustrious Martyr, it refers to the English Romanists executed for treason against Queen Elizabeth, and says, " Our happy age has received many a Thomas from that land, (England). Holy priests, and English nobles, have been crowned (if it may be so said) with more than martyrdom, and entitled to a double crown." After noticing "the Jesuits who had lately bled like innocent lambs," &c. it proceeds, "Go forward in courage and virtue, most noble and glorious band of Englishmen; I envy you with a holy emulation, when I behold you designated with the glorious robes of martyrdom, and am compelled to exclaim, Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." Reader, would you desire to die like one of these martyrs for the Pope, notoriously suffering with perjury in your mouth, and a lie in your right hand? Would not you rather exclaim, with the Patriarch of old, "O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united."

* These particulars are so well known, that they need not be repeated here. Those who wish for information upon the subject, may refer to Rapin, or any other impartial History of England.

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Burning of heretics at Lisbon.

defaced. It was mended accordingly, but within a month the head and arm were again broken off, and the author of this deed remained undiscovered, notwithstanding a large reward was offered.

On the 18th of February, Viscount Montague and the Bishop of Ely, who were appointed Ambassadors to the Pope, passed through London with their train. Their reception will be noticed hereafter. The reader may be reminded, that the next embassy sent from England to Rome was in the reign of James the Second; when, among other objects, the Ambassador was to apply for a dispensation from the Pope, to allow Father Petre, the King's Confessor, to hold an English Bishopric, while the nation continued professedly Protestant.

The cruel scenes we have described, are not without their parallel in later times. Dr. Chandler refers to the following account, from a letter written by Dr. Wilcox (afterwards Bishop of Gloucester) who was Chaplain to the British Factory at Lisbon, and related the particulars of an Auto da Fe, or burning of heretics, which he had witnessed. His letter is dated January the 15th, 1706, and was addressed to Bishop Burnet. He says, "I saw the whole process, which was agreeable to what is published by Limborch and others. One was reprieved, which is very unusual. Heytor Dias and Maria Pinteyra were burned alive, and two others were first strangled. The execution was very cruel. The woman was alive in the flames half an hour, and the man above an hour. The King and his brothers were seated at a window, so near as to be addressed a considerable time in very moving terms, by the man as he was burning. But though the only favour he begged was a few more fagots, he was not able to obtain it. Those which are burned alive here are seated on a bench, twelve feet high, fastened to a pole, six feet higher than the fagots. The wind being a little fresh, the man's lower parts were perfectly wasted, and as he turned himself, his ribs opened before he left speaking; the fire being recruited, so as to keep him just in the same degree of heat. But all his entreaties could not procure him a larger allowance of wood, to shorten his misery and despatch him." Reader, this heart-sickening scene occurred one hundred and fifty years after" the Days of Queen Mary!"

THE DAYS OF QUEEN MARY.

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CHAPTER VI.

Burning of Tomkins, Hunter, Bishop Farrar, Rawlins White, and others.-Monastic Institutions.

ONE

E or two circumstances relative to the year 1554, should have been noticed earlier.

Towards the end of that year, Coverdale was set at liberty, through the intercession of the King of Denmark, who had long and deservedly esteemed him. He was also related to the Prime Minister of that kingdom. To the first application on his behalf, the Queen replied, that Coverdale was not in prison for religion, but for debt! A claim on the part of the Queen, respecting the revenues of his diocese of Exeter, had been raised as a pretext for keeping him in prison; but the King renewed his application; and, at length, though Second Edition.]

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122

Romish preparations for Easter.

very unwillingly, his request was granted. Coverdale was liberated, and allowed to retire to the Continent; thus his valuable life was preserved.

There were many excellent persons at that time in London, who assisted the suffering professors of the Gospel, often sending to such as were in prison supplies of the articles they most needed, and aiding others in escaping, or remaining concealed. Several persons who lived in the country, are also mentioned, as having acted in the same manner; among them was Hopkins, the Sheriff of Coventry, who, during this year, was confined in the Fleet Prison, for having sent a New Testament to a condemned felon! Being set at liberty, after some weeks confinement, he escaped to Germany, with his wife and family. Many pious females were also active in assisting the persecuted witnesses for the truth. Augustine Bernher, a Swiss, originally servant to Latimer, but afterwards a faithful minister of Christ, was very serviceable to the poor prisoners. He travelled from place to place, visiting and helping them, and was a sort of guardian to the wives and fatherless children of such as suffered for the faith.

*

We will now resume the course of our narrative. On the 19th of February, 1555, Bonner issued a Mandate, addressed to every man and woman in his diocese, ordering them to prepare against the approaching Easter, and, by confession and penance, and receiving the Sacrament, to make themselves fit to receive the absolution of Cardinal Pole, and to enjoy the benefits resulting from" the glad tidings of peace and reconciliation" with Rome, according to the willingness of the "Holy Father, Pope Julius the Third," to pardon all their "blasphemy" and heresy. We have already noticed this reconciliation; of the pretended benefits resulting from it, we shall see more as we proceed.

In the month of March 1555, the fires of persecution

If

*The author of "Rome in the Nineteenth Century," says, every true-born Italian man, woman, and child, within the Pope's dominions, does not confess and receive the Sacrament at least once a year, before Easter, his name is posted up in his Parish Church. If he still refrain, he is exhorted, entreated, and otherwise tormented; and if he persists in his contumacy, he is excommunicated. This may appear a trifle to us, but it is none to an Italian; for it involves the loss of civil rights, and perhaps of liberty and property."