He proved that the sins of idolatry in the palmy days of Babylon, were as nothing compared with those existing in his day. A Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon could exclaim: 'I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. How great are his signs! how mighty are his wonders, his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.' But in his day, people were to confess that the Pope hath the supreme authority, and that his mandates are above the commands of God; and that the Virgin Mary is an object of worship even in heaven; and, therefore, must be so upon earth. Men marvelled, indeed, at the plain, strong, and conclusive arguments which this enlightened man brought forward to prove the wickedness of that spiritual Babylon in which he who called himself the father of princes sat enthroned. He told them that they would even in that chapel see the rage of the Popish priests presently displayed: and had enough to do to restrain the people from rebellion, when the Bailiff, Prior Brown, and the Dominican Friars, entered the congregation, seized him, and conveyed him to prison. His affectionate appeal to them to possess their souls in patience, and to submit even as he did, was more touching than even his strong and forcible doctrine against the superstitions of his country. He was taken to London, and there, like Peter, he showed at first the weakness of his flesh, and, as is well known, through many terrors, was induced to recant; but his after sufferings were infinitely greater; his conscientious soul was troubled to the very depths of chaotic darkness, until, as the heavenly-minded Cranmer afterwards did, he again stepped forth from his hades of death, to shine conspicuous in faith and martyrdom. It is not the object of these pages to show the sufferings of martyrs, though here and there to introduce a word of admiration of their constancy will not be found irrelevant to the subject of Freston Tower. It is said by some, that the great Cardinal was not so severe a bigot as Sir Thomas More, Cuthbert Tonstall, Nix, Bishop of Norwich, Gardiner, and others. Severity, however, he did use, and issued his mandates to his inquisitors to search out all suspected Lutherans and summon them to London. His early disciplinarian was by his order confined, though not for the faith, by the space of four years. Sir Amias Pawlet felt the weight of his revenge, but by bending to the great man's vanity, he obtained his release. The Cardinal, however, was much more severe than Sir Amias was to him. CHAPTER XXXIV. THE ARREST. Amongst those who were considered disaffected to the church, complaints were made to Nix, Bishop of Norwich, that Lord De Freston of Freston was a notorious heretic; that he fostered Bilney, Arthur, Bale, Latimer, and half the seditiously disposed, and spoke disrespectfully of the Cardinal as Legate, and accused him of depravity.