he fire was lighted, he was so scorched that he was
as black as pitch. Dr. Reading standing before him, with Dr. Hearne and
Dr. Spragwell, having a long white wand in his hand, struck him upon the
right shoulder, and said, "Peke, recant, and believe in the Sacrament."
To this he answered, "I despise thee and it also;" and with great
violence he spit blood, occasioned by the anguish of his sufferings. Dr.
Reading granted forty days indulgence for the sufferer, in order that he
might recant his opinions. But he persisted in his adherence to the
truth, without paying any regard to the malice of his enemies; and he
was burned alive, rejoicing that Christ had counted him worthy to
suffer for his name's sake.

On July 28, 1540, or 1541, (for the chronology differs) Thomas Cromwell,
earl of Essex, was brought to a scaffold on Tower-hill, where he was
executed with some striking instances of cruelty. He made a short speech
to the people, and then meekly resigned himself to the axe.

It is, we think, with great propriety, that this nobleman is ranked
among the martyrs; for although the accusations preferred against him
did not relate to any thing in religion, yet had it not been for his
zeal to demolish popery, he might have to the last retained the king's
favour. To this may be added, that the papists plotted his destruction,
for he did more towards promoting the reformation, than any man in that
age, except the good Dr. Cranmer.

Soon after the execution of Cromwell, Dr. Cuthbert Barnes, Thomas
Garnet, and William Jerome, were brought before the ecclesiastical court
of the bishop of London, and accused of heresy.

Being before the bishop of London, Dr. Barnes was asked whether the
saints prayed for us? To this he answered, that he would leave that to
God; but (said he) I will pray for you.

On the 13th of July, 1541, these men were brought from the Tower to
Smithfield, where they were all chained to one stake; and there suffered
death with a constancy that nothing less than a firm faith in Jesus
Christ could inspire.

One Thomas Sommers, an honest merchant, with three others, was thrown
into prison, for reading some of Luther's books; and they were condemned
to carry those books to a fire in Cheapside; there they were to throw
them in the flames; but Sommers threw his over, for which he was sent
back to the Tower, where he was stoned to death.

Dreadful persecutions were at this time carried on at Lincoln, under Dr.
Lo