"Besides this, he was very learned, his memory was great, and he had attained such reading withal, that he deserved to be compared to the best men of his age, as his works, sermons, and his sundry disputations in both the universities well testified.

design, some hours before the messenger's flock and diocese. Every holiday and Sunarrival, but he made no use of the intelli- day he preached in one place or other, exgence. The messenger found him equipped cept he was otherwise hindered by weighty for his journey, at which, expressing his affairs and business; and to his sermons the surprise, Mr. Latimer told him, that he was people resorted, swarming about him like as ready to attend him to London, thus bees, and so faithfully did his life portray called upon to answer for his faith, as he his doctrines, that even his very enemies ever was to take any journey in his life; could not reprove him in any thing. and that he doubted not but that God, who had already enabled him to preach the word before two princes, would enable him to witness the same before a third. The messenger then acquainting him, that he had no orders to seize his person, delivered a letter, and departed. However, opening "He was, also, wise of counsel, deep of the letter, and finding it a citation from the wit, and very politic in all his doings. He council, he resolved to obey it, and set out was anxious to gain the obstinate papists immediately. As he passed through Smith- from their erroneous opinions, and sought field, he said, cheerfully, "This place of by gentleness to win them to the truth, as burning hath long groaned for me." The his gentle and courteous treatment of Dr. next morning he waited upon the council, Heath, who was prisoner with him in king who having loaded him with many severe Edward's time, in his house, one year, suffireproaches, sent him to the Tower, from ciently proved. In fine, he was in all points whence, after some time, he was removed so good, pious, and spiritual a man, that to Oxford.. England never saw his superior.

NICHOLAS RIDLEY, bishop of London, received the earliest part of his education at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, from whence he was removed to the university of Cambridge, where his great learning and distinguished abilities, so recommended him, that he was made master of Pembroke-hall, in that university...

"He was comely in his person, and well proportioned. He took all things in good part, bearing no malice nor rancor from his heart, but straightways forgetting all injuries and offences done against him. He was very kind and natural to his relations, and yet not bearing with them any otherwise than right would require, giving them always for a general rule, yea to his own After being some years in this office, he brother and sister, that they doing evil left Cambridge, and travelled into various should look for nothing at his hand, but parts of Europe for his advancement in should be as strangers and aliens to him, knowledge. On his return to England, he and that they, to be his brother and sister, was made chaplain to Henry VIII. and must live a good life. bishop of Rochester, from which he was translated to the see of London by Edward VI

In private life he was pious, humane, and affable: in public he was learned, sound, and eloquent; diligent in his duty, and very popular as a preacher:

"He used all kinds of ways to mortify himself, and was much given to prayer and contemplation for duly every morning, as soon as he was dressed, he went to his bedchamber, and there upon his knees prayed for half an hour: which being done, immediately he went to his study (if no other He had been educated in the Roman business came to interrupt him) where he Catholic religion, but was brought over to continued till ten o'clock, and then came to the reformed faith by reading Bertram's the common prayer, daily.used in his house. book on the Sacrament; and he was con- This being done, he went to dinner; where firmed in the same by frequent conferences he talked little, except otherwise occasion with Cranmer and Peter Martyr, so that had been ministered, and then it was sober, he became a zealous promoter of the re-discreet and wise, and sometimes merry, as formed doctrines and discipline during the cause required. reign of king Edward.

"The dinner done, which was not very The following character of this eminent long, he used to sit an hour or thereabouts divine presents so interesting a picture of talking, or playing at chess: he then rethe good man and pious Christian, that we turned to his study, and there would congive it verbatim. tinue, except visitors, or business abroad "In his important offices he so diligently prevented him, until five o'clock at night, applied himself by preaching and teaching when he would come to common prayer, as the true and wholesome doctrine of Christ, in the forenoon; which being finished, he that no good child was more singularly went to supper, behaving himself there as loved by his dear parents, than he by his at his dinner before. After supper, recre

ating himself again at chess, after which | honesty, wrested from them all the livings he would return again to his study; con- they had."

tinuing there till eleven o'clock at night, On the accession of queen Mary, he which was his common hour of going to shared the same fate with many others who bed, then saying his prayers upon his knees professed the truth of the gospel. Being as in the morning when he rose. When accused of heresy, he was first removed at his manor of Fulham, he used to read from his bishopric, then sent prisoner to the daily a lecture to his family at the common Tower of London, and afterwards to Boprayer, beginning at the Acts of the Apos- cardo prison, in Oxford; from whence he tles, and so going through all the epistles was committed to the custody of Mr. Irish, of St. Paul, giving to every man that could mayor of that city, in whose house he reread a New Testament, hiring them, be-mained till the day of his execution. sides, with money, to learn by heart cer

tain principal chapters, but especially the On the 30th of September, 1555, these 13th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, two eminent prelates were cited to appear reading also unto his household oftentimes in the divinity school at Oxford, which they the 101st Psalm, being marvellously care- accordingly did.

ful over his family, that they might be a Dr. Ridley was first examined, and sepattern of all virtue and honesty to others. verely reprimanded by the bishop of Lin In short, as he was godly and virtuous him-coln, because when he heard the "cardiself, so nothing but virtue and godliness nal's grace," and the "pope's holiness" reigned in his house, feeding them with the mentioned in the commission, he kept on food of our Savior Jesus Christ. his cap. The words of the bishop were to

"The following is a striking instance of this effect: "Mr. Ridley, if you will not be the benevolence of his temper, shown to uncovered, in respect to the pope, and the Mrs. Bonner, mother to Dr. Bonner, bishop cardinal his legate, by whose authority we of London. Bishop Ridley, when at his sit in commission, your cap shall be taken manor of Fulham, always sent for Mrs. off."

Bonner, who dwelt in a house adjoining his The bishop of Lincoln then made a forown, to dinner and supper, with a Mrs. mal harangue, in which he entreated Rid Mungey, Bonner's sister, saying, Go for my ley to return to the holy mother church, mother Bonner; who coming, was always insisted on the antiquity and authority of placed in the chair at the head of the ta- the see of Rome, and of the pope, as the ble, being as gently treated and welcomed immediate successor of St. Peter. as his own mother, and he would never Dr. Ridley, in return, strenuously op have her displaced from her seat, although posed the arguments of the bishop, and boldthe king's council had been present; say-ly vindicated the doctrines of the reforma ing, when any of them were there, (as seve- tion. ral times they were) By your lordships' fa- After much debate, the five following ar vor, this place of right and custom is for ticles were proposed to him, and his imme my mother Bonner. But how well he was diate and explicit answers required. recompensed for this singular kindness and 1. That he had frequently affirmed, and gentle piety afterwards at the hands of Dr. openly maintained and defended, that the Bonner, is too well known. For who after- true natural body of Christ, after consecra wards was a greater enemy to Dr. Ridley tion of the priest, is not really present in than Dr. Bonner? Who went more about the sacrament of the altar.

to seek his destruction than he? Recom- 2. That he had often publicly affirmed. pensing his gentleness with extreme cru- and defended, that in the sacrament of the elty; as well appeared by the severity altar remaineth still the substance of bread against Dr. Ridley's own sister, and her and wine.

husband, George Shipside, from time to 3. That he had often openly affirmed, and time: whereas the gentleness of the other obstinately maintained, that in the mass permitted Bonner's mother, sister, and others no propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and of his kindred, not only quietly to enjoy all the dead.

that which they had from bishop Bonner, 4. That the aforesaid assertions have but also entertained them in his house, been solemnly condemned by the scholasti showing much courtesy and friendship daily cal censure of this school, as heretical, and unto them; while, on the other side, Bon- contrary to the Catholic faith, by the prolo ner being restored again, would not suffer cutor of the convocation-house, and sundry the brother and sister of bishop Ridley, and learned men of both universities. other of his friends, not only not to enjoy that which they had by their brother, but also churlishly, without all order of law or

5. That all and singular the premises ar true, and notoriously known, by all near a hand, and in distant places.

To the first of these articles Dr. Ridley not abandon or deny the same, consistently replied, "that he believed Christ's body to with his regard for the honor of God, and be in the sacrament, really, by grace and the salvation of his immortal soul. spirit effectually, but not so as to include a lively and movable body under the forms of bread and wine."

To the second he answered in the affirmative.

He desired to declare his reasons, why he could not, with a safe conscience, admit of the popish supremacy; but his request was denied.

The bishop finding him inflexible in the

Part of the fourth he acknowledged, and faith, according to the doctrine of the repart he denied.

To the fifth he answered, "that the premises were so far true, as his replies had set forth. Whether all men spake evil of them he knew not, because he came not so much abroad, to hear what every man reported."

He was then ordered to appear the following day in St. Mary's curch, in Oxford, to give his final answer; after which he was committed to the custody of the mayor. When Latimer was brought into court, the bishop of Lincoln warmly exhorted him to return to the unity of the church, from which he had revolted.

The same articles which were proposed to Dr. Ridley were read to Latimer, and he was required to give a full and satisfactory nswer to each of them.

His replies not being satisfactory to the ourt, he was dismissed; but ordered to apear in St. Mary's church, at the same time with Dr. Ridley.

formation, thus addressed him: "Dr." Rid-. ley, it is with the utmost concern that I observe your stubbornness and obstinacy in persisting in damnable errors and heresies; but unless you recant, I must proceed to the other part of my commission, though very much against my will and desire."

Ridley not making any reply, sentence of condemnation was read; after which he was carried back to confinement.

When Latimer was brought before the court, the bishop of Lincoln informed him, that though they had already taken his answers to certain articles alleged against him, yet they had given him time to consider on the same, and would permit him to make what alterations he should deem fit, hoping, by such means, to reclaim him from his errors, and bring him over to the faith of the holy Catholic church.

The articles were again read to him, but he deviated not, in a single point, from the answers he had already given.

Sen

The account of the degradation of Ridley, his behavior before, and at the place of execution, is curious and interesting: we therefore give it at length.

On the day appointed, the commissioners Being again warned to recant, and rebet, when Dr. Ridley being first brought voke his errors, he refused, declaring, that efore them, the bishop of Lincoln stood up, he never would deny God's truth, which and began to repeat the proceedings of the he was ready to seal with his blood. rmer meeting, assuring him that he had tence of condemnation was then pronounced liberty to make what alterations he against him, and he was committed to the Beased in his answers to the articles pro- custody of the mayor. osed to him, and to deliver the same to the Durt in writing. After some debate, Dr. Ridley took out a aper, and began to read; but the bishop terrupted him, and ordered the beadle to "On the 15th day of October, in the ke the writing from him. The doctor de- morning, Dr. Brooks; bishop of Gloucester, ired permission to read on, declaring the and the vice-chancellor of Oxford, Dr. Martents were only his answers to the arti- shall, with others of the chief and heads of les proposed; but the bishop and others, the same university, and many others acaving privately reviewed it, would not companying them, came to the house of ermit it to be read in open court. Mr. Irish, mayor of Oxford, where Dr. RidWhen the articles were again adminis- ley was a close prisoner. And when the red, he referred the notary to his writing, bishop of Gloucester came into the chamber. tho set them down according to the same. where Dr. Ridley lay, he told him for what The bishop of Gloucester affecting much purpose their coming was, saying, "That cern for Dr. Ridley, persuaded him not yet once again the queen's majesty did offer indulge an obstinate temper, but recant unto him, by them, her gracious mercy, if erroneous opinions, and return to the he would receive it, and come home again ity of the holy Catholic church. to the faith in which he was baptized. Dr. Ridley coolly replied, he was not And further said, "That if he would not rein of his own understanding, but was cant and become one of the Catholic church By persuaded that the religion he pro- with them, then they must needs (against

was founded on God's most holy and their wills) proceed according to the law, llible church; and therefore, he could which they would be very loth to do, if