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

thrice. At last the fire caught such hold upon the
wood that it burned steadily; and now "his body,
being withered, bowed downward upon the chain."
One of the officers, with his halberd, struck out the
staple in the stake behind, and the body fell along
upon the ashes. Fresh fagots were heaped over it;
and being again lighted, the whole was speedily
consumed.[14]
So died the first disciple and evangelist in
England in Reformation times. His knowledge was
not perfect: some of the errors of Rome remained
with him to the last; but this much had he learned
from the Greek New Testament of Erasmus, that
there is but one object of worship, namely, God;
that there is but one Savior, namely, Christ; and
that forgiveness comes freely to men through his
blood. Twenty years after the tragedy in the
Lollards' Pit, Latimer, whom he had brought to the
knowledge of the truth, preaching before Edward
VI, called him "that blessed martyr of God,
Thomas Bilney."
The Scriptures sowed the seed in England, and
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