Protestantism in England From the Times of Henry VIII - James Aitken Wylie

his trial, next pressed round the stake, entreating
the martyr to acquit them of his death before the
people, lest they should withhold their alms from
them. "Whereupon," says the chronicler, "the said
Thomas Bilney spoke with a loud voice to the
people, and said, c I pray you, good people, be
never worse to these men for my sake, as though
they should be the authors of my death: it was not
they.' And so he ended."
The officers now made instant preparation for
the execution. They piled up reeds and fagots about
his body. The torch was applied to the reeds; the
fire readily caught, and, mounting aloft with
crackling noise, the flames enveloped the martyr,
and blackened the skin of his face. Lifting up his
hands, and striking upon his breast, he cried at
times, "Jesu," and again, "Credo." A great tempest
of wind, which had raged several days inflicting
great damage on the ripened corn-fields, was
blowing at the time. Its violence parted the flames,
and blowing them to either side of the sufferer, left
full in sight of the vast concourse the blackened
and ghastly figure, of the martyr. This happened
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