It appears, that Gardiner who had vainly entertained an idea that by making severe examples of eminent men a check would be given to the opposition hitherto experienced by the papists, now felt that his opinion was erroneous, from the fact that a few days after the condemnation of Dr. Hooper, six other prisoners were brought before him for the same cause. He then retired, leaving the direction of these affairs in the hands of Bonner, who with the spirit of a demon rather than a mi. nister of religion carried persecution to an almost incredible

extent.

THOMAS TOMKINS,

Burned in Smithfield March 16th 1555.

Tomkins was a weaver, dwelling in Shoreditch, who being privately complained of to Bonner for his stedfast continuance in the protestant faith, he had him imprisoned in the palace at Fulham, where on several occasions he beat him severely, and cruelly tore out portions of his beard with his own hands. On one occasion in the presence of a party of friends, and in order to give him a foretaste of the torments he was doomed to suffer, he forcibly held his hand over a wax candle, till the veins shrunk and the sinews burst, and the moisture spirted into the face of one of the company who begged for his release. Having been confined six months he was brought before the consistory, and being examined by the usual test and continuing firm, and after

two other examinations refusing to recant, was declared an obstinate and damnable heretic and delivered over to the secular power for execution. He was burned in Smithfield March 6th 1555, triumphing in the steps of those who had preceded him in the same fiery path to everlasting bliss.

WILLIAM HUNTER.

An Apprentice, 19 years of age burned at Burntwood in Essex, 26th March, 1555.

This young man had been trained to the Protestant faith from his earliest youth being descended from religious parents. The priests having summoned the inhabitants of all parishes to receive the communion at mass the Easter after the accession of Mary, and Hunter refusing became suspected of heresy ; He however went into Essex to visit his father where he remained a short time, but having been discovered reading in a bible which lay upon the desk in a chapel, information was given to a magistrate named Brown, who after questioning him, quickly sent him up to Bonner, who appears to have taken some pains to persuade this youth to abjure the principles he had adopted, by offering to set him up in business or take him into his household; but finding his faith unshaken he was condemned and ordered for execution. But for his father's assistance, who gloried in the firmness and integrity of his son, he would have died of cold and hunger in prison. It is recorded that when at the stake he prayed, saying "Son of God shine upon me," when the Sun immediately shone out with great

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examined touching his opposition to popery, his denial of the real presence in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, his defence of Priest's marriages, &c., all of which he stoutly maintained, he was, therefore, adjudged guilty of heresy and schism, and condemned to death. He was then sent to the Clink and after to the Poultry Compter, where Bonner, visited and degraded him; at 2 o'clock on the morning of the 5th of February, the sheriff removed Dr. Taylor from the compter to the Woolsack Inn without Aldgate. His wife with his own child, and an orphan which he had adopted, fearful he would be taken away early, had watched all night in the porch of St. Botolph's church beside Aldgate; she was now permitted to speak to him for a few minutes, when he kissed and blessed her and his children, bade his wife be of good comfort, for he had a clear conscience, and prayed them to be constant in the true faith, and stedfast in their resistance to Idolatry. At the Woolsack he was delivered into the custody of the sheriff of Essex, who departed towards Chelmsford, with him at 11 o'clock. When near Burntwood he was met by one of his parishioners, who wished to speak to him, but was desired to desist by the sheriff, who afterwards to prevent his being recognized, placed a hood upon Dr. Taylor, with two holes for his eyes and a slit for his mouth; at Chelmsford he was delivered over to the sheriff of Suffolk, who at the end of two days led him to Hadley. In order to show the cheerful frame of mind which Dr. Taylor exhibited on this his last journey, it is recorded that he jested in the following manner. In a conversation with the sheriff he said, "I perceive that I have been deceived myself and am like to deceive a great many at Hadley of their expectation." Upon

being asked for an explanation, he said, "I am as you see, a man that hath a very great carcass, which I thought should have been buried in Hadley churchyard, if I had died in my bed as I well hoped I should have done, but herein I see I was deceived; and there are a great number of worms in Hadley churchyard, which should have had jolly feeding upon this carrion which they have looked for many a day. But now I know we be deceived, both I and they; for this carcass must be burnt to ashes and so shall they lose their bait and feeding, that they looked to have had of it." At length having arrived at Hadley, he was paraded through the town, amidst the tears and lamentations of his parishioners, until they arrived at Aldham common, the place of execution, where he would have addressed the people, but one of the guard thrust his staff into his mouth, and would not allow him to speak. He was then chained and placed in a pitch-barrel so that he stood upright with his back to the stake, in the act of praying. While in this attitude one Warwick who assisted to place the faggots, threw one at him which struck him on the head, and instantly covered his venerable face and flowing beard with a gore of blood. Sir John Shelton also struck him on the lips for repeating the Psalm Miserere in English. Fire being at length kindled, Dr. Taylor holding up both his hands, said, " Merciful father of Heaven for Jesus Christ my Saviour's sake, receive my soul into thy hands," and then folding his hands together, stood without motion till one Joyce knocked out his brains with a halbert, and the corpse fell down into the fire.

brightness, although the sky was much obscured before. After having prayed that the Lord would receive his spirit, he hung down his head in the smoke and was speedily destroyed.

PYGOT, KNIGHT and LAWRENCE.

The latter was a clergyman of Colchester, the former were private inhabitants of Braintree and Malden. They were informed against for assumed heresies and were summoned to appear before the Bishop of London, who exhorted them to recant; but they refusing, he proceeded to pass sentence on them as irreclaimable heretics, and then degraded Mr. Lawrence with the usual ceremonies. After which they remained in Newgate, until they were carried down into Essex, and there on the 28th of March, 1555, Pygot was burned at Braintree, and Knight at Malden.

The next day, March 29, Mr. John Lawrence was brought to Colchester, being unable to walk, (for his legs were much worn with irons in prison, and also his body weakened with low keeping,) he was taken to the fire in a chair, and, sitting, was, in his constant faith, consumed.

Messrs. HIGBED and CAUSTON,

Burned in Essex 26th March, 1555.

Two gentlemen in the county of Essex, the one at Horndon