Of the 200 persons who were burned for spreading opinions considered subversive of public order, in the reign of Mary, about 120 came under Bonner’s jurisdiction, so that Foxe’s assertion that the Bishop of London “slew” 300 must be discounted by more than half, leaving a sufficiently heavy record. But his supposed thirst for blood has no foundation in fact, for we have many instances of his labouring not unsuccessfully in causing many to recant, upon which they were restored to liberty. Instances of Foxe’s perversion of truth might be multiplied, but enough has been said, to prove his untrustworthiness wherever his prejudices are involved. An appreciation of Bonner’s character from the pen of the late Dr. S. R. Maitland will fitly close this chapter. “In plainer terms, setting aside _declamation_, and looking at the _details of facts_ left by those who may be called if people please, Bonner’s victims and their friends, we find very consistently maintained, the character of a man, straightforward and hearty, familiar and humorous, sometimes rough, perhaps coarse, naturally hot-tempered, but obviously (by the testimony of his enemies) placable and easily entreated, capable of bearing most patiently, much intemperate and insolent language, much reviling and low abuse directed against himself personally, against his order, and against those peculiar doctrines and practices of his church, for maintaining which, he had himself suffered the loss of all things, and borne long imprisonment. At the same time, not incapable of being provoked into saying harsh and passionate things, but much more frequently meaning nothing by the threatenings and slaughter which he breathed out, than to intimidate those on whose ignorance and simplicity argument seemed to be thrown away—in short we can scarcely read with attention any one of the cases detailed by those who were no friends of Bonner, without seeing in him a judge who (even if we grant that he was dispensing bad laws badly) was obviously desirous to save the prisoner’s life.”[580] FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 507: De Noailles told the Cardinal of Lorraine that the Queen of England caused incessant prayers and processions to be made for obtaining peace; and he declared that he believed her to be sincere, though he attributed less good intentions to the Emperor (_Ambassades_, iv., p. 336). One of Cardinal Pole’s letters in St. Mark’s Library at Venice, dated 20th April 1555, says that “last evening the Queen sent for him [de Noailles] to show him the despatch she was writing to her ambassador in France, charging him to tell the French King how much she rejoiced at his being so well disposed towards the peace, and that she also had performed every good office in favour of it with the Emperor”. A peace conference was about to take place at Ardres, to which Mary had pledged herself to send six commissioners.] [Footnote 508: _Life of Jane Dormer, Duchess of Feria_, p. 64 _et seq._]