age of eight years. For fifteen days, had its hapless father been
suspended by his tormentor by the right arm and left leg, and sometimes
by both, shifting his positions for the purpose of giving him strength
to bear and to lengthen the date of his sufferings. When the unoffending
innocent, desirous of seeing and speaking to its parent, applied to
Bonner for permission so to do, the poor child being asked by the
bishop's chaplain the purport of his errand, he replied, he wished to
see his father. "Who is thy father?" said the chaplain. "John Fetty,"
returned the boy, at the same time pointing to the place where he was
confined. The interrogating miscreant on this said, "Why, thy father is
a heretic!" The little champion again rejoined, with energy sufficient
to raise admiration in any breast, except that of this unprincipled and
unfeeling wretch--this miscreant, eager to execute the behests of a
remorseless queen--"My father is no heretic: for you have Balaam's
mark."

Irritated by reproach so aptly applied, the indignant and mortified
priest concealed his resentment for a moment, and took the undaunted boy
into the house, where, having him secure, he presented him to others,
whose baseness and cruelty being equal to his own, they stripped him to
the skin, and applied their scourges to so violent a degree, that,
fainting beneath the stripes inflicted on his tender frame, and covered
with the blood that flowed from them, the victim of their ungodly wrath
was ready to expire under his heavy and unmerited punishment.

In this bleeding and helpless state was the suffering infant, covered
only with his shirt, taken to his father by one of the actors in the
horrid tragedy, who, while he exhibited the heart-rending spectacle,
made use of the vilest taunts, and exulted in what he had done. The
dutiful child, as if recovering strength at the sight of his father, on
his knees implored his blessing. "Alas! Will," said the afflicted
parent, in trembling amazement, "who hath done this to thee!" The
artless innocent related the circumstances that led to the merciless
correction which had been so basely inflicted on him; but when he
repeated the reproof bestowed on the chaplain, and which was prompted by
an undaunted spirit, he was torn from his weeping parent, and conveyed
again to the house, where he remained a close prisoner.

Bonner, somewhat fearful that what had been done could not be justified
even among the bloodhounds of h