Oxford (England) -- History; University of Oxford -- History
The two Protestants were reprieved for the day and summoned to appear
next morning at eight o'clock in S. Mary's Church. There, after further
examination, the sentence of condemnation was pronounced upon them as
heretics obstinate and incurable. And on 16th October the sentence was
fulfilled.
Ridley and Latimer were led out to be burnt, whilst Cranmer, whose
execution had been delayed, since it required the sanction of Rome,
remained in Bocardo, and ascending to the top of the prison house, or,
as an old print represents it, to the top of S. Michael's Tower, kneeled
down and prayed to God to strengthen them.
On the evening of the 15th there had been a supper at the house of
Irish, the mayor, whose wife was a bigoted and fanatical Catholic.
Ridley, as we have seen, was in their charge, and the members of his
family were permitted to be present. He talked cheerfully of his
approaching "marriage"; his brother-in-law promised to be in attendance
and, if possible, to bring with him his wife, Ridley's sister. Even the
hard eyes of Mrs Irish softened to tears as she listened and thought of
what was coming. The brother-in-law offered to sit up through the night,
but Ridley said there was no occasion; he "minded to go to bed and sleep
as quietly as ever he did in his life." In the morning he wrote a letter
to the Queen. As Bishop of London he had granted renewals of certain
leases on which he had received fines. Bonnor had refused to recognise
them; and he entreated the Queen, for Christ's sake, either that the
leases should be allowed, or that some portion of his own confiscated
property might be applied to the repayment of the tenants. The letter
was long; by the time it was finished the sheriff's officers were
probably in readiness.
Bocardo, the prison over the North Gate, spanned the road from the
ancient tower of S. Michael's, and commanded the approach to Broad
Street. Thither, to a place over against Balliol College, "those special
and singular captains and principal pillars of Christ's church" were now
led. The frontage of Balliol was then much further back than it is now;
beyond it lay open country, before it, under the town wall, ran the
water of the tower-ditch. Some years ago a stake with ashes round it was
found on the site which is marked by a metal cross in the roadway, at
the foot of the first electric lamp, as the site of the martyrs'
death.[34] To this spot then came the two bishops.
Lord Williams of Thame was on the spot by the Queen's order; and the
city guard was under arms to prevent disturbance. Ridley appeared first.
He wore
"a fair black gown furred and faced with foins, such as he was wont
to wear being Bishop, and a tippet of velvet furs likewise about
his neck, a velvet nightcap upon his head and a corner cap upon the
same, going in a pair of slippers to the stake."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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