On the 31st of August, 1555, he was taken to the stake, where he declared to the people around him what cruelties he had suffered during the time of his imprisonment, but that he had been enabled to sustain them all by the consolations of the divine spirit, with which he had been daily visited. Before Mr. Samuel was chained to the stake, he exhorted the spectators to avoid idolatry, and hold fast the truths of the gospel; after which he knelt down and prayed audibly. When he had finished his prayer he arose, and, being fastened to the stake, the fagots were placed around him and immediately lighted. He bore his sufferings with a courage and resolution truly Christian, cheerfully resigning this life of care and trouble in exchange for another where death shall be swallowed up in victory. and Joan These two advocates and sufferers for the pure gospel of Execution of Jesus Christ, lived in the town of Ipswich, in Suffolk. Being Agnes Potten apprehended on an information of heresy, they were brought Trunchfield before the bishop of Norwich, who examined them concerning of Ipswich their religion in general and their faith in the corporeal presence of Christ in the sacrament of the altar in particular. With respect to the latter article, they both delivered it as their opinion, that, in the sacrament of the Lord's supper there was represented the memorial only of Christ's death and passion, saying that according to the scriptures he was ascended up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God the Father, and therefore his body could not be really and substantially in the sacrament. A few days after this they were examined by the bishop, when, both of them still continuing steadfast in the profession of their faith, sentence was pronounced against them as heretics, and they were delivered over to the secular power. On the day appointed for their execution, which was in the month of March, 1556, they were both led to the stake and burnt, in the town of Ipswich. Their constancy was admired by the multitude who saw them suffer; for as they undressed and prepared themselves for the fire, they earnestly exhorted the people to believe only in the unerring word of the only living and true God, and not regard the devices and inventions of men. They both openly declared that they despised the errors and superstitions of the church of Rome, and most patiently submitted to the acute torments of devouring flames, calling upon the God of their salvation, and triumphing in being deemed worthy to suffer for the glorious cause of Jesus Christ, their Lord and Master. CHAPTER XIII THE REIGN OF ELIZABETH, 1558-1603 I. THE EARLY PERIOD OF QUEEN ELIZABETH The following extract from a report of a Venetian ambassador, made in the middle of Queen Mary's reign, indicates the impression which "my lady Elizabeth" made before she became queen, and describes her difficult position during these troubled years. Elizabeth at My lady Elizabeth, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne 213. The Princess Boleyn, was born in 1533, in the month of September, SO that she is at present twenty-three years of age. She is a lady her sister's of great elegance both of body and mind, although her face court (1556) may rather be called pleasing than beautiful; she is tall and well made; her complexion fine, though rather sallow; her eyes, but, above all, her hands, which she takes care not to conceal, are of superior beauty. She excels the queen in the knowledge of languages, for in addition to Latin she has acquired no small acquaintance with Greek. She speaks Italian, which the queen does not, in which language she takes such delight, that in the presence of Italians it is her ambition not to converse in any other. Her spirits and understanding are admirable, as she has proved by her conduct in the midst of suspicion and danger, when she concealed her religion and comported herself like a good Catholic. She is proud and dignified in her manners; for, though her mother's condition is well known to her, she is also aware that this mother of hers was united to the king in wedlock, with the sanction of the holy church and the concurrence of the primate of the realm; and though misled with regard to her religion, she Elizabeth at Elizabeth is conscious of having acted with good faith; nor can this latter circumstance reflect upon her birth, since she was born in the same faith as that professed by the queen. Her father's affection she shared at least in equal measure with her sister; it is said that she resembles her father more than the queen does, and the king considered them equally in his will, settling on both of them ten thousand scudi per annum. Yet with this allowance she is always in debt. And she would be much more so, if she did not studiously abstain from enlarging her establishment, and so giving greater offense to the queen. For indeed there is not a knight or gentleman in the kingdom who has not sought her service, either for himself, or for some son or brother; such is the affection and love that she commands. This is one reason why her expenses are increased. She always alleges her poverty as an excuse to those who wish to enter her service, and by this means she has cleverly contrived to excite compassion, and at the same time a greater affection; because there is no one to whom it does not appear strange that she the daughter of a king should be treated in so miserable a manner. She is allowed to live in one of her houses about twelve miles distant from London, but she is surrounded by a number of guards and spies, who watch her narrowly and report every movement to the queen. Moreover, the queen, though she hates her most sincerely, yet treats her in public with every outward sign of affection and regard, and never converses with Philip favors her but on pleasing and agreeable subjects. She has also contrived to ingratiate herself with the king of Spain, through whose influence the queen is prevented from bastardizing her, as she certainly has it in her power to do by means of an act of parliament, and which would exclude her from the throne. It is believed that but for this interference of the king, the queen would without remorse chastise her in the severest manner; for whatever plots against the queen are discovered, my lady Elizabeth or some of her people may always be sure to be mentioned among the persons concerned in them. When Mary died and Elizabeth became queen, the ambassador of Spain, the Count de Feria, hoped, at first, that he might exercise as strong an influence over her as he had over the former queen. His disappointment, his efforts to retain his influence, and his growing recognition that there was to be an entire change in religion and policy, are well shown in the following extracts from his letters written to the king of Spain during the first six months of the new reign. of Spain It gives me great trouble every time I write to your Majesty 214. Letters not to be able to send more pleasing intelligence, but what from the Spanish am. can be expected from a country governed by a queen, and she bassador a young lass, who, although sharp, is without prudence, and is to the king every day standing up against religion more openly? The kingdom is entirely in the hands of young folks, heretics, and traitors, and the queen does not favor a single man whom her Majesty, who is now in heaven, would have received, and will take no one into her service who served her sister when she was Lady December Mary. On the way from the Tower to her house where she 15, 1558 now is, she saw the marquis of Northampton, who is ill with a quartan ague, at a window, and she stopped her palfrey and was for a long while asking him about his health in the most cordial way in the world. The only true reason for this was that he had been a great traitor to her sister, and he who is most prominent in this way is now best thought of. The old people and the Catholics are dissatisfied, but dare not open their lips. She seems to me incomparably more feared than her sister, and gives her orders and has her way as absolutely as her father did. Her present controller and Secretary Cecil govern the kingdom, and they tell me the earl of Bedford has a good deal to say. When I spoke to her at Lord North's house, she told me that when anything had to be discussed with me she would send two of her Council to me. I asked her which two they would be, so that I might know with whom to communicate in case I had anything to say. She said they would be the controller, Cecil, and Admiral Clinton, and directly afterwards she appointed the first two, so I knew she only mentioned Clinton |