the same. Now I heare say the bishop that now occupieth the same roome will not allow my grants unto them made, but contrarie unto all lawe and conscience hath taken from them their livings, and will not suffer them to injoy the same. I beseech you, my lord, be a meane for them; you shall do a good deed, and God will reward you."

Then they brought a faggotte, kindled with fire, and laid the same downe at Dr. Ridleys feete. To whome Master Latimer spake in this manner: "Bee of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. Wee shall this day light such a candle, by Gods grace, in England, as I trust shall never bee putte out."

And so the fire being given unto them, when Dr. Ridley saw the fire flaming up towards him, he cried with a wonderful lowd voice: “In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum: Domine, recipe spiritum meum." And after, repeated this latter part often in English, "Lord, Lord, receive my spirit;" Master Latimer crying as vehementlie on the other side, "O Father of heaven, receive my soule!" who received the flame as it were imbracing of it. After that he had stroaked his face with his hands, and as it were bathed them a little in the fire, he soone died (as it appeared) with verie little paine or none. And thus much concerning the end of this olde and blessed servant of God, Master Latimer, for whose laborious travailes,1 fruitfull life, and constant death the whole realme hath cause to give great thanks to almightie God.

But Master Ridley, by reason of the evill making of the fire unto him, because the wooden faggots were laide about the gosse 2 and over-high built, the fire burned first beneath, being kept downe by the wood; which when he felt, hee desired them for Christes sake to let the fire come unto him. Which when his brother-in-law heard, but not well understood, intending to rid him out of his paine (for the which cause hee gave attendance), as one in such sorrow not well advised what hee did, heaped faggots upon him, so that he cleane covered him, which made the fire more vehement beneath, that it burned cleane all his neather parts, before it once touched the upper; and that made him leape up and down under the faggots, and often desire them to let the fire come unto him, saying, "I cannot burne." Which indeed appeared well;

1 labors 2 gorse, furze

for, after his legges were consumed by reason of his struggling through the paine (whereof hee had no release, but onelie his contentation in God), he showed that side toward us cleane, shirt and all untouched with flame. Yet in all this torment he forgate not to call unto God still, having in his mouth, “Lord have mercy upon me," intermedling1 this cry, "Let the fire come unto me, I cannot burne." In which paines he laboured till one of the standers by with his bill 2 pulled off the faggots above, and where he saw the fire flame up, he wrested himself unto that side. And when the flame touched the gunpowder, he was seen to stirre no more, but burned on the other side, falling downe at Master Latimers feete. Which some said happened by reason that the chain loosed; other said that he fell over the chain by reason of the poise of his body, and the weakness of the neather lims.

Some said that before he was like to fall from the stake, hee desired them to holde him to it with their billes. However it was, surelie it mooved hundreds to teares, in beholding the horrible sight; for I thinke there was none that had not cleane exiled all humanitie and mercie, which would not have lamented to beholde the furie of the fire so to rage upon their bodies. Signes there were of sorrow on everie side. Some tooke it greevouslie to see their deathes, whose lives they held full deare: some pittied their persons, that thought the soules had no need thereof. His brother mooved many men, seeing his miserable case, seeing (I say) him compelled to such infelicitie, that he thought then to doe him best service when he hastned his end. Some cried out of the lucke, to see his indevor (who most dearelie loved him, and sought his release) turne to his greater vexation and increase of paine. But whoso considered their preferments in time past, the places of honour that they some time occupied in this common wealth, the favour they were in with their princes, and the opinion of learning they had in the university where they studied, could not chuse but sorrow with teares to see so great dignity, honour, and estimation, so necessary members sometime accounted, so many godly vertues, the study of so manie yeres, such excellent learning, to be put into the fire and consumed in one moment. Well! dead they are, and

1 intermingling 2 a kind of weapon consisting of a curved blade fixed at the end of a pole.

"I shall thee guide first to the griesly 2 lake, And thence unto the blissful place of rest, Where thou shalt see and hear the plaint they make, 178

That whilom here bare swing 3 among the best. This shalt thou see, but great is the unrest That thou must bide before thou canst attain Unto the dreadful place where these remain.

And with these words as I upraised stood, And 'gan to follow her that straightforth paced,

Ere I was ware, into a desert wood

We now were come; where, hand in hand embraced,

She led the way, and through the thick so traced,

As, but I had been guided by her might,
It was no way for any mortal wight.

189

Of those detested crimes which she had wrought;

With dreadful cheer and looks thrown to the sky, 230

Wishing for death, and yet she could not die.

His cap borne up with staring1 of his hair, Stoynd 2 and amazed at his own shade for dread,

And fearing greater dangers than was need. 238

And next within the entry of this lake

Sat fell Revenge, gnashing her teeth for ire,
Devising means how she may vengeance take,
Never in rest till she have her desire;
But frets within so farforth 3 with the fire
Of wreaking flames, that now determines she
To die by Death, or venged by Death to be.245

When fell Revenge with bloody foul pretence
Had shown herself as next in order set,
With trembling limbs we softly parted thence,
Till in our eyes another sight we met:
When from my heart a sigh forthwith I fet,4
Rueing, alas! upon the woeful plight
Of Misery, that next appeared in sight. 252

His face was lean, and somedeal pined away,
And eke his hands consumèd to the bone,
And what his body was I cannot say,
For on his carcass raiment had he none
Save clouts and patches, piecèd cne by one.
With staff in hand, and scrip on shoulders cast,
His chief defence against the winter's blast.259

And next in order sad Old Age we found,
His beard all hoar, his eyes hollow and blind,
With drooping cheer still poring on the ground,
As on the place where nature him assigned
To rest, when that the Sisters had untwined
His vital thread, and ended with their knife
The fleeting course of fast declining life. 301

There heard we him with broken and hollow plaint

Rue with himself his end approaching fast, And all for nought his wretched mind torment With sweet remembrance of his pleasures past, And fresh delights of lusty youth forwast.1 Recounting which, how would he sob and shriek,

And to be young again of Jove beseek! 5 308

EDMUND SPENSER (1552?-1599) FROM THE SHEPHEARDS CALENDER

FEBRUARIE

GLOGA SECUNDA

Cuddie Thenot

CUDDIE. Ah for pittie, wil rancke Winters

rage

These bitter blasts never ginne tasswage?
The kene cold blowes through my beaten
hyde,

All as I were through the body gryde.1
My ragged rontes 2 all shiver and shake,
As doen high Towers in an earthquake:
They wont in the wind wagge their wrigle
tailes,

Perke as Peacock; but nowe it avales.4

THE. Lewdly 5 complainest thou, lacsie ladde,

Of Winters wracke for making thee sadde. 10 Must not the world wend in his commun course,

From good to badd, and from badde to worse,
From worse unto that is worst of all,
And then returne to his former fall?
Who will not suffer the stormy time,
Where will he live tyll the lusty prime?
Selfe have I worne out thrise threttie yeares,
Some in much ioy, many in many teares,
Yet never complained of cold nor heate,
Of Sommers flame, nor of Winters threat: 20
Ne ever was to Fortune foeman,
But gently tooke, that ungently came;
And ever my flocke was my chiefe care,
Winter or Sommer they mought well fare.

CUD. No marveile, Thenot, if thou can beare

Cherefully the Winters wrathfull cheare;
For Age and Winter accord full nie,
This chill, that cold, this crooked, that wrye;

1 pierced 2 young bullocks 3 pert 4 droops ignorantly condition

And as the lowring Wether lookes downe,
So semest thou like good fryday to frowne, 30
But my flowring youth is foe to frost,
My shippe unwont in stormes to be tost.

THE. The Soveraigne of seas he blames in vaine,

That, once sea-beate, will to sea againe.
So loytring live you little heardgroomes,
Keeping your beasts in the budded broomes:
And when the shining sunne laugheth once,
You deemen, the Spring is come attonce;
Tho gynne1 you, fond flyes, the cold to scorne,
And crowing in pypes made of greene corne, 40
You thinken to be Lords of the yeare;
But eft,2 when ye count you freed from feare,
Comes the breme winter with chamfred 4
browes

Full of wrinckles and frostie furrowes:
Drerily shooting his stormy darte,
Which cruddles the blood, and pricks the
harte.

Then is your carelesse corage accoied,
Your carefull heards with colde bene annoied.
Then paye you the price of your surquedrie,7
With weeping, and wayling, and misery.

50