Fox's Book of Martyrs: Or A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and Triumphant; Deaths of the Primitive Protestant MartyrsFoxe, John
HistoryHistory
Fox's Book of Martyrs: Or A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and Triumphant; Deaths of the Primitive Protestant Martyrs
Foxe, John
Church history; Martyrs; Persecution
winter and in summer at two o'clock in the morning. By the strength of
his own mind, or of some inward light from above, he had a prophetic
view of what was to happen to the church in Mary's reign, asserting that
he was doomed to suffer for the truth, and that Winchester, then in the
Tower, was preserved for that purpose. Soon after queen Mary was
proclaimed, a messenger was sent to summon Mr. Latimer to town, and
there is reason to believe it was wished that he should make his escape.
On entering Smithfield, he jocosely said, that the place had long
groaned for him. After being examined by the council, he was committed
to the Tower, where his cheerfulness is displayed in the following
anecdote. Being kept without fire in severe frosty weather, his aged
frame suffered so much, that he told the lieutenant's man, that if he
did not look better after him he should deceive his master. The
lieutenant, thinking he meant to effect his escape, came to him, to know
what he meant by this speech; which Mr. Latimer replied to, by saying,
"You, Mr. Lieutenant, doubtless suppose I shall _burn_; but, except you
let me have some fire, I shall deceive your expectation, for here it is
likely I shall be _starved with cold_."
Mr. Latimer, after remaining a long time in the Tower, was transported
to Oxford, with Cranmer and Ridley, the disputations at which place have
been already mentioned in a former part of this work. He remained
imprisoned till October, and the principal objects of all his prayers
were three--that he might stand faithful to the doctrine he had
professed, that God would restore his gospel to England once again, and
preserve the Lady Elizabeth to be queen; all which happened. When he
stood at the stake without the Bocardo-gate, Oxford, with Dr. Ridley,
and fire was putting to the pile of fagots, he raised his eyes
benignantly towards heaven, and said, "God is faithful, who doth not
suffer us to be tempted above our strength." His body was forcibly
penetrated by the fire, and the blood flowed abundantly from the heart;
as if to verify his constant desire that his heart's blood might be shed
in defence of the gospel. His polemical and friendly letters are lasting
monuments of his integrity and talents. It has been before said, that
public disputation took place in April, 1554, new examinations took
place in Oct. 1555, previous to the degradation and condemnation of
Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer. We now draw to the conclusion of the lives
of the two last.
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