hose fanatics who thought it a merit to
go in the way of danger and court persecution; but in this present
case he shared the misgiving of his correspondent, and did "highly
allow his judgment in that he thought it not lawful to redeem himself
from the crown, unless he would exchange glory for shame, and his
inheritance for a mess of pottage."

"We were created," Latimer said, "to set forth God's glory all the
days of our life, which we, as unthankful sinners, have forgotten to
do, as we ought, all our days hitherto; and now God, by affliction,
doth offer us good occasion to perform one day of our life, our duty.
If any man perceive his faith not to abide the fire, let such an one
with weeping buy his liberty until he hath obtained more strength,
lest the gospel suffer by him some shameful recantation. Let the dead
bury the dead. Do you embrace Christ's cross, and Christ shall embrace
you. The peace of God be with you for ever."[502]

[Footnote 502: Latimer's _Remains_, p. 429.]

Ridley's pen had been more busy: he had written a lamentation over the
state of England; he had written a farewell letter, taking leave of
his friends, and taking leave of life, which, clouded as it was, his
sunny nature made it hard to part from: he had written comfort to the
afflicted for the gospel, and he had addressed a passionate appeal to
the Temporal Lords to save England from the false shepherds who were
wasting the flock of Christ. But both he and Latimer had looked death
steadily in the face for two years, expecting it every day or hour. It
was now come.

On the 30th of September, the three bishops took their seats in the
Divinity school. Ridley was led in for trial, and the {p.230}
legate's commission was read, empowering them to try him for the
opinions which he had expressed in the disputation at Oxford the year
before, and "elsewhere in the time of perdition." They were to degrade
him from the priesthood if he persisted in his heresies, and deliver
him over to the secular arm.

On being first brought before the court, Ridley stood bareheaded. At
the names of the cardinal and the pope, he put on his cap, like
Cranmer, declining to acknowledge their authority. But his scruples
were treated less respectfully than the archbishop's. He was ordered
to take it off, and when he refused, it was removed by a beadle.

He was then charged with having denied transubstantiation, and the
propitiatory sacrifice of the m