Historical Parallels, vol. 3 (of 3)Malkin, Arthur Thomas
History
Historical Parallels, vol. 3 (of 3)
Malkin, Arthur Thomas
History -- Popular works; World history -- Popular works
“And so he was led forth to the Woolsack.... And at his comming out,
John Hull before spoken of stood at the railes with Dr. Taylor’s sonne.
When Dr. Taylor saw them, he called them, saying, ‘Come hither, my
sonne Thomas;’ and John Hull lifted up the child, and set him on the
horse before his father. Then lifted he up his eyes toward heaven, and
praied for his sonne, laide his hatte on the child’s head, and blessed
him, and so delivered the child to John Hull, whom he tooke by the
hand, and said, ‘Farewell, John Hull, the faithfullest servant that
ever man had.’ And so they rode forth: the Sheriffe of Essex, with
foure yeomen of the guard, and the Sheriffe’s men leading him.”
He was thus conducted to Hadley, in the neighbourhood of which was
appointed the place of his execution, at Aldham Moor. The even and
cheerful tenour of his mind is evinced in many points of our past
narrative, and confirmed by witnesses. “They that were present, and
familiarly conversant with this Dr. Taylor, reported of him that they
never did see in him any feare of death; but especially and above all
the rest, which besides him suffered at the same time, always shewed
himselfe merry and cheerful in time of his imprisonment, as well before
his condemnation as after: he kept one countenance and like behaviour.
Whereunto he was rather confirmed by the company and presence of Mr.
John Bradford, who then was in prison and chamber with him. The same
morning, when he was called up by the Sheriffe to go to his burning,
he cast his armes about a balk which was in the chamber between Mr.
Bradford’s bed and his; and there hanging by the hands, said to Mr.
Bradford, ‘O, Mr. Bradford,’ said he, ‘what a notable sway should I
give if I were hanged,’ meaning for that he was a corpulent and big
man.” His unusual stature seems to have been a favourite subject for
jesting with him; for we find a very elaborate piece of quizzing on the
same subject, approximating in character to that species of wit which
is sometimes denominated _trotting_. It runs thus:—
“At Chelmsford, the Sheriff of Essex, being about to deliver up his
prisoner to the Sheriff of Suffolk, sought, as they sat at supper, to
induce him to recant. After using the common topics, he concludes,
‘Ye should do much better to revoke your opinions, and return to the
Catholike church of Rome: if ye will, doubt ye not but ye shall find
favour at the Queene’s hands. This councell I give you, good Mr.
Doctor, of a good heart, and good will toward you; and thereupon I
drink to you. In like manner said all the Yeomen of the Guard. Upon
that condition, Mr. Doctor, we will all drink to you.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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