sign of their good will," he said, "and a proof
that they had not forgotten the lessons which he used to teach them."
He begged the sheriffs that there might be "a quick fire, to make an
end shortly;" and for himself he would be as obedient as they could
wish.

"If you think I do amiss in anything," he said, "hold up your fingers,
and I have done; for I am not come hither as one enforced or compelled
to die; I might have had my life, as is well known, with worldly gain,
if I would have accounted my doctrine falsehood and heresy."

In the evening, at his own request, he was left alone. He slept
undisturbed the early part of the night. From the time that he awoke
till the guard entered, he was on his knees.

The morning was windy and wet. The scene of the execution was an open
space opposite the college, near a large elm tree, where Hooper had
been accustomed to preach. Several thousand people were collected to
see him suffer; some had climbed the tree, and were seated in the
storm and rain among the leafless branches. A company of priests were
in a room over the college gates, looking out with pity or
satisfaction, as God or the devil was in their hearts.

"Alas!" said Hooper, when he was brought out, "why be all these people
assembled here, and speech is prohibited me?" He had suffered in
prison from sciatica, and was lame, but he limped cheerfully along
with a stick, and smiled when he saw the stake. At the foot of it he
knelt; and as he began to pray, a box was brought, and placed on a
stool before his eyes, which he was told contained his pardon if he
would recant.

"Away with it;" Hooper only cried; "away with it!"

"Despatch him, then," Lord Chandos said, "seeing there is no remedy."

He was undressed to his shirt, in the cold; a pound of gunpowder was
tied between his legs, and as much more under either {p.195} arm; he
was fastened with an iron hoop to the stake, and he assisted with his
own hands to arrange the faggots round him.

The fire was then brought, but the wood was green; the dry straw only
kindled, and burning for a few moments was blown away by the wind. A
violent flame paralysed the nerves at once, a slow one was torture.
More faggots were thrown in, and again lighted, and this time the
martyr's face was singed and scorched; but again the flames sank, and
the hot damp sticks smouldered round his legs. He wiped his eyes with
his hands, and cried, "For God's love, good people, let me have more