EDWARD VI For Faith, which to the Patriarchs did dispense Was needful round men thirsting to transgress ;- Of Christian aspiration, deigned to fill The temples of their hearts who, with his word And worship him in spirit and in truth. XXXI EDWARD VI "SWEET is the holiness of Youth " -so felt Time-honoured Chaucer speaking through that Lay 3 By which the Prioress beguiled the way, * And many a Pilgrim's rugged heart did melt. Hadst thou, loved Bard! whose spirit often dwelt King, child, and seraph,† blended in the mien 5 *The quotation is not from The Prioress's Tale of Chaucer, but from Wordsworth's own Selections from Chaucer modernized, stanza ix. Wordsworth adds an idea, not found in the original, and to make room for it, he extends the stanza from seven to eight lines.-ED. King Edward VI. ascended the throne in 1547, at the age of ten, and reigned for six years.-ED. For universal Christendom had thrilled ΙΟ Thy heart! what hopes inspired thy genius, skilled (O great Precursor, genuine morning Star) XXXII EDWARD SIGNING THE WARRANT FOR THE EXECUTION OF JOAN OF KENT THE tears of man in various measure gush And some break forth when others' sorrows crush The sympathising heart. Nor these, nor yet Claim Heaven's regard like waters that have wet 5 IO * Joan Bocher, of Kent, a woman of good birth, friend of Ann Askew at Court, was accused, and condemned to die for maintaining that Christ was human only in appearance. Cranmer, by order of the Council, obtained from Edward a warrant for her execution. Edward, who was then in his thirteenth year, signed it, telling Cranmer that he must be answerable for the deed.-ED. LATIMER AND RIDLEY 61 XXXIII REVIVAL OF POPERY Published 1827 THE saintly Youth has ceased to rule, discrowned 2 1 For change, to whom the new looks always green! 5 ΙΟ Runs through blind channels of an unknown tongue.† XXXIV. LATIMER AND RIDLEY Published 1827 How fast the Marian death-list is unrolled! See Latimer and Ridley in the might 1 1832. Melts into silent shades the Youth, discrowned 1827. 2 1832. They cast, they cast with joy upon the ground 1827. *Edward died in 1553, aged sixteen.-ED. On the death of Edward and the accession of Mary Tudor, the Roman Catholic worship was restored, all the statutes of Edward VI. with regard to religion being repealed by Parliament.-ED. Of Faith stand coupled for a common flight! * The Other gains a confidence as bold; 5 ΙΟ Of saintly Friends the "murtherer's chain partake, XXXV CRANMER OUTSTRETCHING flame-ward his upbraided hand 1 (O God of mercy, may no earthly Seat 1 1827. upbraiding 1822. Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester, and Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of Winchester, were sent to the Tower, and subsequently burnt together at Oxford in the front of Balliol College, October 16, 1555.-ED. "M. Latimer suffered his keeper very quietly to pull off his hose, and his other array, which to looke unto was very simple: and being stripped into his shrowd, he seemed as comely a person to them that were present, as one should lightly see: and whereas in his clothes hee appeared a withered and crooked sillie (weak) olde man, he now stood bolt upright, as ccmely a father as one might lightly behold. Then they brought a faggotte, kindled with fire, and laid the same downe at doctor Ridley's feete. To whome M. Latimer spake in this manner, "Bee of good comfort, master Ridley, and play the man: wee shall this day light such a candle by God's grace in England, as I trust shall never bee put out." (Fox's Acts, etc.) Similar alterations in the outward figure and deportment of persons brought to like trial were not uncommon. See note to the above passage in Dr. Wordsworth's Ecclesiastical Biography, for an example in an humble Welsh fisherman.-W. W. 1827. (Ecclesiastical Biography, vol. iii. pp. 287, 288.)-ED. Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and leader in the ecclesiastical affairs of England during the latter part of Henry VIII. and Edward VI.'s reign, was, on the accession of Mary Tudor, committed to the Tower, tried CRANMER Of judgment such presumptuous doom repeat !) 63 5 10 Emblem of faith untouched, miraculous attestation ! 3 * Now wrapt in flames-and now in smoke embowered 'Till self-reproach and panting aspirations Are, with the heart that held them, all devoured; acclamations! 1822. on charges of heresy, and condemned. He recanted his opinions, but was nevertheless condemned to die. He then recanted his recantation. "They brought him to the spot where Latimer and Ridley had suffered. After a short prayer, he put off his clothes with a cheerful countenance and a willing mind. His feet were bare; his head appeared perfectly bald. Called to abide by his recantation, he stretched forth his right arm, and replied, 'This is the hand that wrote it, and therefore it shall suffer punishment first.' Firm to his purpose, as soon as the flame rose, he held his hand out to meet it, and retained it there steadfastly, so that all the people saw it sensibly burning before the fire reached any other part of his body; and after he repeated with a loud and firm voice, "This hand hath offended, this unworthy right hand.' Never did martyr endure the fire with more invincible resolution; no cry was heard from him, save the exclamation of the protomartyr Stephen, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!' The fire did its work soon-and his heart was found unconsumed amid the ashes. (Southey's Book of the Church, vol. ii. pp. 240, 241.)—ED. " *For the belief in this fact, see the contemporary Historians.-W. W. 1827. |