The party gathered on Ash Wednesday at Mr Underhill’s house in Wood Street, where Austin Bernher was come with news; and Mr Underhill desiring to know all, had asked his friends from the Lamb to come and hear also; yet he dared not ask more than those from one house, lest the bloodhounds should get scent of it, and mischief should ensue.
So Austin told all the horrible story; for a horrible story it was. He was not at Mr Saunders’ burning, but he had seen some one who told him particulars of it. To the Bishop of London, who degraded him, Saunders said, “I thank God I am none of your Church.” And when he came to the stake, he embraced and kissed it, saying, “Welcome the cross of Christ! Welcome everlasting life!” And so “being fastened to the stake, and fire put to him, full sweetly he slept in the Lord.” (Foxe, Acts and Monuments, Pratt’s Townshend’s edition, six, 428.)
But Austin himself was at Gloucester, where Bishop Hooper suffered his passion. “A passion indeed,” said he, “for I think never man was burned that had more pains of death. Afore he went into the fire, the gentle Bishop lift up his hands, and said, ‘Lord, I am Hell, but Thou art Heaven!’ And ‘Strengthen me, of Thy goodness, that in the fire I break not the rules of patience; or else assuage the terror of the pains, as shall seem most to Thy glory.’ And God did strengthen him, for he was patience herself, though the wood laid to him was all green, and the wind blew the fire away from him, so that he was long dying, and had an hard death. It was a lowering, cold morning, and the fire first kindled went out, having only touched his lower half. You have seen him, and know how high of stature he was. But he said only, in a mild voice, ‘O Jesus, Son of David! have mercy upon me, and receive my soul.’ Then they fetched fresh faggots, but that fire was spent also. He did but say softly, ‘For God’s love, good people, let me have more fire.’ This was the worst his agony could wring from him. The third fire kindled was more extreme, and reached at last the barrels of gunpowder. Then, when he saw the flame shoot up toward them, he cried, ‘Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me! Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’ And so, bowing forward his head, he died at last as quietly as a child in his bed.” (Note 1.)
“O Austin, how frightful!” cried Isoult: and though she said no more, she wondered secretly if that would ever be the case with her.
“On his way to the stake,” resumed Austin, “they essayed to make him turn. Saith Sir Anthony Kingston unto him, ‘Life is sweet, and death bitter.’ ‘Truth, friend,’ quoth the Bishop; ‘yet is the death to come more bitter, and the life to come more sweet.’”
“He hath found it so ere now,” said John, softly.
“But have you,” pursued Austin, “heard of Dr Taylor’s burning?”
“Not of the inwards thereof,” answered Mr Underhill, “only of the act.”
“Well,” said Austin, “when Bishop Bonner came to degrade him, quoth the Bishop, ‘I wish you would remember yourself, and turn to your mother, holy Church.’ Then said Dr Taylor, ‘I wish you and your fellows would turn to Christ. As for me, I will not turn to Antichrist.’ And at the first, when he come afore my Lord Keeper (Bishop Gardiner), quoth he—‘Art thou come, thou villain? How darest thou look me in the face for shame? Knowest thou not who I am?’ with a great and big voice. Then said Dr Taylor, ‘Yes, I know who you are. Ye are Dr Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, and Lord Chancellor; and yet but a mortal man, I trow. But if I should be afraid of your lordly looks, why fear you not God, the Lord of us all? How dare ye for shame look any Christian man in the face, seeing ye have forsaken the truth, denied our Saviour Christ and His Word, and done contrary to your own oath and writing?’ with more to the same end.”
“My word on’t,” saith Dr Thorpe, “but yonder is a jolly hearing. I am right glad my Lord Chancellor got so well swinged!”