“………Then they brought a faggot, kindled with fire, and laid it down at Dr. Ridley’s feet. Master Latimer[2] spake to him in this manner: ‘Be of good comfort, master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.’ And so the fire being given unto them, when Dr. Ridley saw the fire flaming up towards him, he cried, several times, with a wonderful loud voice, ‘Into thy hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Lord, receive my spirit.’ ….Master Latimer also cried as vehemently on the other side, ‘O Father of heaven, receive my soul!,’ receiving the flame as if in an embrace. After stroking his face with his hands, appearing to bathe them a little in the fire, he soon died (as it appeareth) with very little pain or none. And thus much concerning the end of this old and blessed servant of God, master Latimer, for whose laborious travails, fruitful life, and constant death, the whole realm hath cause to give great thanks to Almighty God. “But master Ridley, by reason of the poorly constructed fire under him, caused by the wooden faggots which were laid too high about the plants commonly used for kindling, the fire burned first beneath, kept there by the weight of the wood; which when Ridley felt the heat, he desired them for Christ’s sake to re-arrange the faggots to allow the fire to come unto him. When his brother-in-law heard this, he did not fully understand, and so, intending to rid him out of his pain (which is why he acted in such a manner), though in such a sorrowful state he misunderstood Ridley’s request, and heaped faggots upon him, so that he clean covered Ridley. This made the fire more vehement beneath, so that it burned clean all his lower body parts before it touched his upper torso. That made Ridley leap up and down under the faggots, and often desiring they let the fire come unto him, saying, ‘I cannot burn.’ Indeed this appeared to be true; for, after his legs were consumed by reason of his struggling through the pain (whereof he had no relief, but only through his contentment in God), he turned to his side showing the people his shirt and body which were yet untouched by the flame. But in all this torment he forgot not to call unto God still, praying, ‘Lord have mercy upon me,’ intermingled with his cry, ‘Let the fire come unto me, I cannot burn.’ In these pangs he labored till one of the bystanders pulled off the higher faggots with his sword. When master Ridley saw where the fire then flamed up, he positioned himself unto that side. And when the flame touched the gunpowder, he was seen to stir no more, but burned on the other side, falling down at master Latimer’s feet; which, some said, happened by reason that the chain loosed; others said, that he fell over the chain by reason of the position of his body and the weakness of his lower limbs. Some said that before he was about to fall from the stake, he desired them to hold him to it with their swords. “However it was, surely it moved hundreds to tears, in beholding the horrible sight; for I think there was no one person, who was not completely devoid of all humanity and mercy, who would not have lamented to behold the fury of the fire had it raged upon their bodies. Signs of sorrow were everywhere. Some grieved to see their deaths, whose lives they held most dear. Some simply pitied them as persons, for they thought their souls had no need of their pity. Ridley’s brother touched the hearts of many men, as they saw him in his misery compelled to such infelicity that he thought to do Ridley a good turn in hastening his death. Some cried out (who most dearly loved him, and sought his release) because of his misfortune, seeing his endeavors turned to his greater vexation and increase of pain. But those who revered their past advancements in office, the places of honor that they occupied for a time in this commonwealth, the favor they had with their princes, and the opinion of learning they had in the university where they studied, could not help but shed tears of sorrow, seeing a man of so great dignity, honor, esteem, and so many godly virtues, with many years of study, of such excellent learning, to be put into the fire and consumed in one moment. Well! Dead they are, and the reward of this world they have already. What reward remaineth for them in heaven, the day of the Lord’s glory, when he cometh with his saints, shall shortly, I trust, declare.
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