He walked between the mayor and aldermen, and Master Latimer followed him in the same shabby attire as that which he had worn on the occasion of his examination. As they passed towards Bocardo they looked up in the hope of seeing Cranmer at the little glass window. It was from this window[35] that the Bocardo [Illustration: South View of Bocardo Herbert Railton] prisoners used to let down an old hat and cry, "Pity the Bocardo Birds." For prisoners in those days depended for their daily sustenance on the charity of strangers, even as the prisoners in Portugal or Morocco do to-day, and "Bread and meat for the prisoners" was a well-known cry in the London streets. The Parisian version was, "Aux prisonniers du Palais." Cranmer's attention at this moment was engrossed by a Spanish friar, who was busy improving the occasion, and the martyr could not see him. But Ridley spied Latimer hobbling after him. "Oh, be ye there?" he exclaimed. "Yea," answered the old man. "Have after as fast as I can follow!" When he reached the stake Ridley ran to Latimer, "and with a wondrous cheerful look embraced and kissed him" and comforted him, saying, "Be of good heart, brother, for God will either assuage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it." With that he went to the stake, kneeled down by it, kissed it and effectually prayed, and behind him Master Latimer kneeled, as earnestly calling upon God as he. The martyrs had now to listen to a sermon from Dr Smith, who denounced them as heretics, and exhorted them to recant. The Lord Williams of Thame, the Vice-Chancellor and other commissioners sat upon a form close at hand. The martyrs asked leave of them to reply, but the bailiffs and the Vice-Chancellor ran up to Ridley and stopped his mouth with their hands. The martyrs now commended their souls and their cause to God, and stripped themselves for the stake, Ridley giving away to the eager crowd his garments, dials, napkins and nutmegs, whilst some plucked the points off his hose; "happy was he that might get any rag of him." They were chained to the stakes, and gunpowder was hung about their necks, thanks to the humane care of Ridley's brother-in-law. Then men brought a faggot kindled with fire, and laid the same down at Dr Ridley's feet, to whom Master Latimer spake in this manner: 'Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.'