CENSURA LITERARIA.

NUMBER XXV.

[Being Number IX. of the New Series.]

ART. I. The Examynacion of Anne Askewe latelye martyred in Smythfelde, by the wycked Sinagogue of Antychrist, wyth the Elucydacyon of Johan Bale. Marpurg in Hessen. 1546.

THE sufferings of Anne Askewe "a gentlewoman very yonge, dayntye, and tender," (accordyng to myne auctour) are related at length by Ballard in his Memoirs of Learned Ladies, from the tract before us, and “the Actes and Monuments" of the zealous Fox ;-but the "Elucydacyon of Johan Ball," from the fathers and apostles, is only to be found in this volume.

The short life of this amiable and accomplished lady, was embittered by an unfortunate marriage; contracted, (jointly by Sir William Askew, of Kelsay, in Lincolnshire, her father, and Mr Kyme, her father-in-law,) with a young man for whom she felt no attachment, and to whom she consented to unite herself from filial respect. Her husband, by his inhuman treatment, first drove her from his house, and afterward procured her confinement on account of her religious opinions; for her rigid adherence to which she was at last burned

YOL. VII.

B

in

in Smithfield, but not till after she had been put on the rack to extort a confession of her favourers.

Her beauty, her misfortunes, and the cruelty of her fate excited general commiseration; her biographers were numerous; and the "drunkards made songs upon her." One of these is alluded to in Bishop Corbet's Iter Boreale.* The shrewdness of her replies to the artful interrogatories of her examiners proves the strength and acuteness of her mind; and the following "pious chausons" (which may be considered among the curiosities of literature) are alike indicative of her piety and judgment.

The Balade which Anne Askewe made and sange whan she was in Newgate.

"Lyke as the armed knyghte,
Appoynted to the fielde,
With this worlde wyl I fyght,

And fayth shal be my shyelde.

Fayth is that weapon stronge,
Whych wyl not fayle at nede;
My foes therfore amonge,
Wherwyth wyll I procede.

As it is had in strengthe,

And force of Christes waye,

It wyll prevayle at lengthe

Though all the Devyls saye naye.

Faythe if the fathers olde

Obtayned ryght wytnes,

Wych make me verye bolde

To feare no worldes dystresse.

Gilchrist's Edition, page 203.*

I nowe

Absorpt was ryghtwysnesse,
As of the ragynge floude;
Sathane in hys excesse

Sucte up the gyltlesse bloude.

Then thought I, Jesus Lorde,
Whan thou shalte judge us all,
Harde is it to recorde

On these men what wyl fall.

Yet Lorde I the desyre,

For that they do to me,

Let them not tast the hyre

Of theyr inyquyte."

The Voyce of Anne Askewe, oute of the 54 Psalme of David, called Deus in nomine tuo.

"For thy name's sake be my refuge,
And in thy truth, my quarrel judge;
Before the (Lorde) let me be harde,
And wyth faver my tale regarde.
Loo, faythles men, agaynst me ryse,
And for thy sake my death practyse;
My lyfe they seke, wyth mayne and myght,
Which have not the afore their syght;
Yet helpest thou me, in thys distresse,
Savynge my soule from cruelnesse.

I wote thou wylt revenge my wronge,
And vysite them ere it be longe.

I wyll therfore my whole hart bende

Thy gracyouse name (Lorde) to commende.
From evyl thou hast delyvered me,

Declarynge what myne ennemies be.

Stamford.

Prayse to God."

O. G.

ART.

ART. II. A Line of Life.

mortalitie of a vertuous Name.

Pointing at the Im-
Printed by W. S.

for N. Butter, and are to be sold at his shop neere Saint Austen's Gate. 1520. 12mo. pp. 127.

The author of this excellent little manual was John Ford, (most probably the celebrated dramatic writer.) In a preface to the "Wise and therein Noble," he observes, "here in this (scarce an) handful of discourse is deciphered, not what any personally is, but what any personally may be: to the intent, that by the view of other's wounds, we might provide playsters and cures for our owne, if occasion impose them." Having animadverted at some length upon the baneful effects resulting from flattery and flatterers, at page 74, we find these shrewd observations" Flatterie to publique persons, is not more inductious on the one side, then envie on the other is vigilant. Great men are by great men (not good men by good men) narrowly sifted; their lives, their actions, their demeanors examined; for that their places and honours are hunted after, as the Beazar for his preservatives; and then the least blemish, the least slide, the least error, the least offence, is exasperated, made capitall; the dangers ensuing ever proove (like the wound of an enemies sword) mortall, and many times deadly. Now in this case, when the eye of judgement is awakened, flatterie is discovered to be but an inmate to envie; an inmate, at least, consulting together though not dwelling together, the one being catarer to the other's bloudie banquet; and some wise men have been perswaded, that the pestilence, the rigour of law, famine, sicknes,