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

crosses, and red gloves," or, as the cardinal himself
phrased it, "bloody gloves," was the ground of his
apprehension. When brought before Wolsey he
justified himself. "You must be burned," said the
cardinal, and ordered him into confinement. Before
the tribunal of the bishops he repeated next day his
defense of his articles, and was sentenced to be
burned alive. His worldly friends came round him.
"If you die," said they, "truth will die with you; if
you save your life, you will cause truth to triumph
when better days come round." They thrust a pen
into his hand: "Haste, save yourself!" they
reiterated. "Burned alive" -- the terrible words
ringing in his ears, freezing his blood, and
bewildering his brain, he put forth his hand, and
signed his recantation. He fell now that he might
stand afterwards.
Meanwhile a great discovery had been made at
London. The five merchants who had carried
across from Germany the English New Testaments
of Tyndale, had been tracked, apprehended, and
were to do public penance at St. Paul's Cathedral
on the morrow. It was resolved to consummate
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