bishop of Winchester, Dr. Cox, and Dr. Robinson; but not being able to convince her of her supposed errors, she was sent to the Tower. It was strongly suspected, that Mrs. Askew was favoured by some ladies of high rank; and that she carried on a religious correspondence with the queen.* So that the chancellor Wri

Lord? Lord-Mayor. I say, that the mouse is damned. 4. Askew. Alack, poor mouse!"—Perceiving that some could not keep in their laughing, the council proceeded to the butchery and slaughter that they intended before they came there.

* About this time Henry was afflicted with an ulcer in his leg. The queen, his last wife, Catharine Parr, attended him with the most dutiful care, and employed every art which her sagacity or affection could suggest, in order to sooth his pain, and divert his melancholy. His favourite topic of conversation was divinity; and Catharine, whose good sense enabled her to talk on any subject, was frequently drawn into the argument; and being a secret friend to the reformation, would sometimes discover more of her sentiments than were consistent with her safety. Henry, incensed at her presumption in daring to differ from him, complained of her obstinacy to Gardiner; who gladly embraced such a favourable opportunity of widening the breach between them. He commended the king for the care he took of the orthodoxy of his subjects; and told him, that the more exalted the person was who was punished, and the more nearly connected with his majesty, the greater terror would the example strike into others, and the more glorious would the sacrifice appear to all succeeding ages. The chancellor, being consulted, highly approved of what the bishop had advanced; and Henry, actuated by his own impetuous temper, and encouraged by the advice of his counsellors, carried the matter to such a length, as to order articles of impeachment to be drawn out against his own wife. But the secresy and fidelity of Mrs. Askew, together with the prudent behaviour of the queen, saved her from the imminent danger

she was in.

othesley, hoping that he might discover something that would afford matter of impeachment against that princess, the earl of Hertford, or his countess, who all favoured the reformation, ordered her to be put to the rack: but her fortitude in suffering, and her resolution not to betray her friends, was proof against that diabolical invention. Not a groan, not a word could be extorted from her. The chancellor, provoked with what he called her obstinacy, augmented her tortures with his own hands, and with unheard of violence: but her courage and constancy were invincible; and these barbarians gained nothing by their cruelties, but everlasting disgrace and infamy. As soon as she was taken from the rack she fainted away; but, being recovered, she was condemned to the flames. Her bones were dislocated in such a manner, that they were forced to carryher in a chair to the place of execution. While she was at the stake, letters were brought her from the lordchancellor, offering her the king's pardon if she would recant. But she refused to look at them; telling the messenger, that “she came not thither to deny her Lord and Master." The same letters were also tendered to three other persons, condemned to the same fate; and who, animated by her example, refused to accept them.. Whereupon the lord-mayor commanded the fire to be kindled; and, with savage ignorance cried out, Fiat justitia, Let justice take its course. The faggots being lighted, she commended her soul, with the utmost composure, into the hands of her Maker; and, like the great founder of the religion she professed, expired, praying for her murderers, July 16, 1546, about the 25th year of her age. MEM. OF A. ASKEW.

HIST. ENGL.

To

I do not know, if all circumstances be considered, whether the history of this, or any other nation, can furnish a more illustrious example than this now related. To her father's will she sacrificed her own inclinations. a husband, unworthy of her affections, she behaved with prudence, respect, and obedience. The secrets of her friends she preserved inviolable, even amidst the tortures of the rack. Her constancy in suffering, consider

2

ing her age and sex, was equal, at least, if not superior, to any thing on record: and her piety was genuine and unaffected; of which she gave the most exalted proof in dying a martyr for the cause of her religion, and liberty of conscience. But who can read this example, and not lament and detest that spirit of cruelty and inhumanity which is imbibed and cherished in the church of Rome a spirit repugnant to the feelings of nature, and directly opposite to the conduct and disposition of the great Author of our religion, who came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them: and, instead of delighting in the death of a sinner, gave his own life a ransom for theirs. On the contrary, who that is not sunk into brutality can see, without horror, a man, a priest, pretending to be influenced by the love and honour of God, torturing a woman whose youth and beauty might have disarmed the most savage resentment, and after often wearying himself in this diabolical service, committing her to the flames, for not believing the grossest absurdities and impossibilities? Who can see animosities, hatred, and variance, encouraged and fomented between man and wife, and the one prompted and persuaded to contrive and effect the death of the other, and not abandon a religion that justifies such a practice?

CONTINENCE.

SENTIMENTS.

THIS is a virtue that makes but an inconsiderable figure in our days. However, we ought not to lose our ideas of things, though we have debauched our true relish in our practice: for, after all, solid virtue will keep its place in the opinion of the wise and sensible part of mankind. And though custom has not made it so scandalous as it ought to be to insnare innocent women,

and triumph in the falsehood; such actions as we shall relate must be accounted true gallantry, and rise higher in our esteem the farther they are removed from our imitation.

The force of custom is prodigious and unaccountable: the bulk of mankind are enslaved by it. They have little else to plead for most of their opinious: but the opinion of the multitude is one of the most erroneous, inconsistent, and variable rules we can possibly proceed by. Their blind prejudices, with a mixture of strong passions, are the governing principies of their actions. One of the surest ways, therefore, that can be taken, both to think and act wrong, is implicitly to follow the predominant taste and bias of the times, i. e. the guidance of the multitude, the extravagance of their principles, and the licentiousness of their behaviour. It is no wonder, then, since men appear to be so indolent, and inclined to submit to and follow the public leading implicitly, that custom is apprehended to give a sort of sanction to vice itself; and hinders them from discerning in a clear and strong light, its nature, baseness, and deformity.

Continence consists not in an insensibility or freedom from passions, but in the well-ordering them.

One man may be much more cheaply virtuous than another, according to the different strength of their passions.

The pleasure of subduing an inordinate desire, or denying an impetuous appetite, is not only nobler, but greater by far than any that is to be found in the mast trausporting moments of gratification.

EXAMPLES.

SCIPIO the younger, when only twenty-four years of age, was appointed by the Roman republic to the command of the army against the Spaniards. His wisdom and valour would have done honour to the most experienced general. Determined to strike an important blow, he forms a design of besieging Carthagena, then the capital of the Carthaginian empire in Spain.

His measures were so judiciously concerted, and with so much courage and intrepidity pursued, both by sea and land, that notwithstanding a bold and vigorous defence, the capital was taken by storm. The plunder was immense. Ten thousand freemen were made prisoners: and above three hundred more, of both sexes, were received as hostages. One of the latter, a very ancient lady, the wife of Mandonius, brother of Indibilis, king of the llergetes, watching her opportunity, came out of the crowd, and, throwing herself at the conqueror's feet, conjured him, with tears in her eyes, to recommend to those who had the ladies in their keeping to have regard to their sex and birth. Scipio, who did not understand her meaning at first, assured her that he had given orders that they should not want for any ́ thing. But the lady replied, "Those conveniences are not what affect us. In the condition to which fortune hath reduced us, with what ought we not to be contented? I have many other apprehensions, when I consider, on one side, the licentiousness of war; and, on the other, the youth and beauty of the princesses, which you see here before us; for as to me, my age protects me from all fear in this respect." She had with her the daughters of Indibilis, and several other ladies of high rank, all in the flower of youth, who considered her as their mother. Scipio, then comprehending what the subject of her fear was, "My own glory," says he, " and that of the Roman people, are concerned in not suffering that virtue, which ought always to be respected, wherever we find it, should be exposed in my camp to a treatment unworthy of it. But you give me a new motive for being more strict in my care of it, in the virtuous solicitude you show in thinking only of the preservation of your honour, in the midst of so many other objects of fear." After this conversation, he committed the care of the ladies to some officers of experienced prudence, strictly commanding, that they should treat them with all the respect they could pay to the mothers, wives, and daughters of their allies and particular friends. It was not long before Scipio's inte grity and virtue were put to the trial. Being retired in his camp, some of his officers brought him a young vir