meet at Oxford, and obtained their consent to her marriage; but when she proposed a legal recognition of the pope's supremacy, it was evaded for the time.

And now were active preparations commenced for intoxicating once more the great harlot with her favourite beverage the blood of the saints. In the month of April, Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer, were conveyed from the Tower of London, prisoners to Windsor, and thence to Oxford, to dispute on the sacramental question with the great popish doctors there, not a few of whom were shameless apostates from the scriptural confession of faith. The three questions to be discussed were these: I. Whether the natural body of Christ be really in the sacrament, after the words spoken by the priest, or no?

II. Whether in the sacrament, after the words of consecration, any other substance do remain, than the substance of the body and blood of Christ?

III. Whether in the mass be a sacrifice propitiatory for the sins of the quick and the dead?

Stephen Gardiner, lord chancellor, was, of course, the principal and official mover of all this; and by his letters was the commission empowered to act. On Saturday, April 14, at eight in the morning, the proceedings began, with masses, and other idle ceremonies; after which, the Oxford divines, with a deputation from Cambridge to back them, went in grand procession through the streets, whiling away the hours, until dinner, with such exhibitions, assisted by most of the university members and students. Having dined, they repaired to St. Mary's church, where, being seated in due form, they summoned before them Thomas Cranmer, late archbishop of Canterbury, who was ushered in by a rude company of bill-men. The venerable primate, less reverend from age than from the great and glorious part which he had taken, in delivering the church and realm of England from papal bondage, and giving therein free course to the word of God, came before these men, with meek and courteous aspect, and having saluted them with lowly respect, as the delegates of royalty, he declined the offered seat, and stood, leaning on his staff. After a pompous oration and rebuke from the prolocutor, Weston, a noted persecutor, the articles were delivered to Cranmer, who answered the prelude in a very modest, eloquent, pleasant way; and then reading over the articles several times, demanded of them their own interpretation of the

term "true and natural" in the first articles, which produced divers and contradictory replies. He then dispassionately looking on the two others, said they were all false, and against God's holy word; wherefore he could not agree to them. The following Monday being fixed for disputation, Cranmer was remanded, under the mayor's custody, to his prison. It was observed, that many who in judgment were against him were so moved at his appearance and lamb-like deportment, as to shed tears.

Next was bishop Ridley brought up, whose bearing was worthy of the character which he had long sustained, that of a bold and dauntless champion for the truth; especially as opposed to Romish falsehood. The articles being shown to him, he paused not for an instant, but at once denounced them as being all false; adding that they sprang out of a bitter and sour root. "Sharp, witty, and very earnest," his answers are described to have been. They charged him with having preached, when bishop of Rochester, in favour of transubstantiation. He utterly denied it, challenging them to produce any who heard him: but they could bring no proof. Some one asked him if he had not desired the chancellor, Winchester, to stick to the mass, to which he replied, the chancellor could say no such thing of him: if he did, he spoke falsely. To the inquiry whether he would dispute or no, he answered, that as long as God gave him life, he should not only have his heart, but also his mouth and pen to defend the truth: but he required time and books. Both were in effect denied; he was told he must be ready on the Thursday, and they would lend him books till then. He complained of not being allowed his own books, and a reasonable space for preparation. They then gave him the articles to write his mind on, that night, and so directed the mayor to take him away.

Last came old Dr. Latimer, the honest reprover of Henry, the loving counsellor of Edward, every way reverend, in age, office, character. This venerable bishop and pastor of Christ's fold, had numbered nearly seventy years, but was less bent under that burden than by the cruel usage of his gaoler in the tower, where he had well nigh perished during the winter, through cold and every species of hardship. He came forward, with a handkerchief and two or three caps on his head, his spectacles hanging at his breast, by a string, and a staff in his hand. Feeble and faint, he was placed in a chair, by the gracious sufferance of the

prolocutor! The articles were presented to him, and by him denied when told that he must dispute on Wednesday, he alleged age, sickness, disease, and lack of books: saying that he was almost as meet to be captain of Calais as to dispute; but he would declare his mind either by writing or word, and stand to all they could lay on his back; complaining moreover that he was allowed neither pen, nor ink, nor any book but the New Testament then in his hand; which, said he, "I have read over seven times deliberately, yet could I not find the mass in it, neither the marrow-bones nor the sinews thereof." This speech mightily offended the commissioners, and Weston said he would make him grant that it had both marrow-bones and sinews in the New Testament. "That will never do, master doctor," said Latimer: and they then silenced him, to prevent his explaining as he wished, what he meant by those terms. So great was the press of people to look on the calamity of the blessed martyr, that one of the beadles fainted under it.

In the disputations that followed, the three prelates maintained their ground manfully, amid the bitter taunts, unseemly insults, and shuffling sophistry of their inquisitors. It ended, as might have been expected, by their condemnation as heretics, and delivery to the secular power. Each of them made a brief remark on the passing of this wicked decree. Cranmer said, "From your judgment and sentence I appeal to the just judgment of God Almighty, trusting to be present with him in heaven, for whose presence in the altar I am thus condemned." Ridley observed, “Although I be not of your company, yet I doubt not my name is written in another place, whither this sentence will send us sooner than we should by the course of nature have come:" and Latimer exclaimed, "I thank God most heartily, that he hath prolonged my life to this end, that I may in this case glorify God by that kind of death." On the following Saturday they had a grand procession of the mass; and in order to vex the souls of these righteous men with the sight of their unlawful deeds, they ordered that the archbishop should behold it from his prison, Bocardo; bishop Ridley from the sheriff's house, and bishop Latimer from the bailiff's. When the latter was being brought along, he supposed they were going to burn him, and requested to have a quick fire; but on discovering what it 14

MARTYROLOGY.-VOL. I.

was, he ran, as fast as his old bones would carry him, into a shop, and would not so much as look towards it.

Philip of Spain having landed at Southampton, in the month of July following, and bearing himself from the first as though the country were laid prostrate at his feet, was married to Mary within a few days; and the hunted flock had some respite, during the shows, pageantries, and progresses that engaged the court for some time afterwards. The work, however, was vigorously prosecuted, of painting old roods afresh, and carving new ones, to set up in the churches; with all the vain conceits that had been taken away, and which were now restored; while the texts of Scripture recently painted on the church walls, were obliterated, by a mandate from Bonner, who denounced them as great abuses.

CHAPTER XI.

THE POPE'S SUPREMACY RESTORED-ROGERS.

On the 21st November, cardinal Pole landed at Dover; the act of attainder and banishment, passed against him in Henry's reign, having been repealed as false and slanderous, and his full restitution to all honours of blood and station confirmed. He now, coming as the pope's representative, delivered an oration to the king, queen, and parliament, where he set forth the sin of separation from the Romish see and on their humble submission-prostrating once more their unhappy country under the papal foot-he graciously pronounced absolution in the pope's name, readmitting England to her former privileges of spiritual and temporal vassalage. On the 3d of January, a formal act of parliament ratified the deed. As a necessary consequence, persecution began to rage more vehemently: the preachers in the tower were summoned before Winchester, and asked whether they would recant and enjoy the queen's pardon, or stand to what they had taught. They all answered that they would stand; and were committed to straiter prison than before. On the 23d January there was

a solemn procession of the host throughout London, with an immense display of idolatrous pomp, to celebrate the national conversion to popery: and the month ended with the solemn excommunication of Christ's servants then in prison.

February 4 was appointed to witness the rekindling of fires that were yet to burn more intensely for the trial and proof of that pure gold, the patience and faith of the saints. The proto-martyr of Mary's reign was JOHN ROGERS.

He was a student of Cambridge, well learned, and was afterwards invited by the English merchants at Antwerp to be their chaplain. Here, by the good providence of God, he became acquainted with Tindal and Coverdale, under whose enlightened teaching he soon cast off the yoke of popery, and diligently helped in their blessed work of translating the Scriptures. He then took a wife, and repairing to Saxony, dwelt in Wittemberg, where he profited both in Scripture language and in the knowledge of the German tongue, so that he became the pastor of a congregation there.

When God had been pleased, by the faithful labours of his chosen and dear servant, Edward VI., to banish popery from England, and to set his glorious gospel at liberty in it, Rogers, moved with zeal to help forward the work, relinquished his comfortable establishment in Saxony, and hastened home, having no other prospect but the precious privilege of preaching Christ there. After a while, Dr. Ridley, then bishop of London, gave him a prebend in the cathedral of St. Paul's, the dean and chapter also electing him as their reader in divinity, in which offices he diligently laboured, until Mary, coming to the crown, drove the gospel away, and re-instated the papal Antichrist with all his idolatries and superstitions.

Nevertheless, when next it came to Rogers' turn to preach at Paul's cross, he vehemently exhorted the people to remain in the true doctrine there confirmed by king Edward, and which he once more declared to them, warning them to beware of popery. For this he was cited before the council, to whose charges he answered boldly, pointedly, and faithfully, yet with so much wisdom, that they were unable to take hold on his words, and for that time discharged him. On the setting forth, however, of the queen's proclamation against true preaching, he was again summoned for his former discourse; and after many reproach