they are children, they honour their father and mother, knowing it to be God's commandment, and that he hath thereto annexed a promise of long life. If they are servants, they obey and serve their masters with all fear and reverence, even for the Lord's sake, neither with murmuring nor grudging, but with a free heart and mind.

If they are husbands, they love their wives as their own bodies; after the example as Christ loved the congregation, and gave himself for it, to make it to him a spouse without spot or wrinkle. If they are women married, they learn of St. Paul to be obedient to their husbands, and to keep silence in the congregation, and to learn of their husbands at home. Also, they wear such apparel as becometh holiness and comely usage with soberness; not being accusers or detractors; not given to much eating or delicate meats, and drinking of wine; but they teach honest things, to make the young women sober-minded, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, housewifely, good, and obedient unto their husbands, that the word of God be not evil spoken of. Verily, if all sorts of people would look to their own vocation, and ordain the same, according to Christ's doctrine, we should not have so many eyes and ears to other men's faults as we have. For we are so busy and glad to find and espy out other men's doings, that we forget, and can have no time to weigh and ponder our own; which, after the word of God, we ought first to reform, and then we shall the better help another to take the straw out of his eyes.

But, alas! we are so much given to love and to flatter ourselves, and so blinded with carnal affections, that we can see and perceive no fault in ourselves; and, therefore, it is a thing very requisite and necessary for us, to pray all, with one heart and mind to God, to give us a heavenly light and knowledge of our own miseries and calamities; that we may see them, and acknowledge them truly before him.

THE TWELFTH CHAPTER.

The conclusion, with a christian exhortation to the amendment of Life.

If any man shall be offended at this my lamenting the faults of men which are in the world, fantasing with

themselves, that I do it either of hatred or of malice to any sort or kind of people, verily, in so doing, they shall do me great wrong; for, I thank God, by his grace, I hate no creature-yea, I would say more, to give witness of my conscience, that neither life, honour, riches, neither whatsoever I possess here, which appertaineth to mine own private commodity, be it ever so dearly beloved of me, but most willingly and gladly I would leave it to win any man to Christ, of what degree, or sort soever he were. And yet is this nothing, in comparison to the charity that God hath showed me, in sending Christ to die for me. No, if I had all the charity of angels, and apostles, it should be but like a spark of fire, compared to a great heap of burning coals.

God knoweth of what intent and mind I have lamented mine own sins and faults to the world. I trust nobody will judge that I have done it for praise or thanks of any creature; since, rather, I might be ashamed, than rejoice in rehearsal thereof. For, if they knew how little I esteem and weigh the praise of the world, that opinion were soon removed and taken away; for, I thank God, by his grace, I know the world to be a blind judge, and the praises thereof to be vain and of little moment; and, therefore, I seek not the praises of the same, nor to satisfy it, none otherwise than I am taught by Christ to do, according to christian charity. I would to God we would all, when occasion doth serve, confess our faults to the world, all respects of our own commodity laid apart. But, alas! self-love doth so much reign among us, that, as I have said before, we cannot espy our own faults. And although, sometimes we find our own guilt, either we are favourable to interpret it no sin, or else we are ashamed to confess ourselves thereof; yea, and we are sorely offended and grieved to hear our faults charitably and godly told us of others, putting no difference between charitable warning and malicious accusing.

Truly, if we sought God's glory, as we should do in all things, we should not be ashamed to confess ourselves to digress from God's precepts and ordinances, when it is manifest we have done, and daily do so. I pray God, our own faults and deeds condemn us not at the last day, when every man shall be rewarded according to his doings. Truly, if we do not redress and amend our living according to the doctrine of the gospel, we shall receive a terrible

sentence of Christ the Son of God, when he shall come to judge and condemn all transgressors, and breakers of his precepts and commandments, and to reward all his obedient and loving children. We shall have no man of law to

make our plea for us, neither can we have the day deferred; neither will the Judge be corrupted with affection, bribes, or reward; neither will he hear any excuse or delay; neither shall this saint, or that martyr, help us, be they ever so holy; neither shall our ignorance save us from damnation; but yet wilful blindness, and obstinate ignorance, shall receive greater punishment, and not without just cause. Then shall it be known who hath walked in the dark; for all things shall appear manifest before him; no man's deeds shall be hidden, no, nor words nor thoughts. The poor and simple observers of God's commandments shall be rewarded with everlasting life, as obedient children to the heavenly Father; and the transgressors, adders to, and diminishers from, the law of God, shall receive eternal damnation for their just reward. I beseech God we may escape this fearful sentence, and be found such faithful servants, and loving children, that we may hear the happy, comfortable, and most joyful sentence ordained for the children of God, which is:

Come hither, ye blessed of my Father, and receive the kingdom of heaven prepared for you before the beginning of the world.

Now unto the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

THE

EXAMINATIONS

OF

ANNE ASKEW,

LATELY MARTYRED IN SMITHFIELD, BY THE ROMISH POPE'S UPHOLDERS.

Written by herself, and published by John Bale. Some further particulars are added from Fox and Strype.)

The verity of the Lord endureth for ever.-Psalm cxvii.
Anne Askew stood fast by this verity of God to the end.

FAVOUR IS DECEITFUL, AND BEAUTY IS A VAIN THING.

BUT

A WOMAN THAT FEARETH THE LORD IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED. SHE OPENETH HER MOUTH TO WISDOM, AND IN HER LANGUAGE IS THE LAW OF GRACE.-Prov. xxxi.

THE persecution urged forward by bishop Gardiner and his associates during the latter years of Henry VIII., was aimed at queen Catherine Parr, and several of her attendants, with others of rank at court. The narrow escape of the queen has been related; but one of her attendants, Mrs. Anne Askew, and a gentleman of the royal household, named Lascels, were burned.

ANNE ASKEW* was the second daughter of Sir William Askew, of Kelsey in Lincolnshire. A marriage was planned between the eldest sister and the heir of a neighbouring gentleman named Kyme, but she died before the union took place. Sir William, unwilling to lose an advantageous match, compelled his second daughter to marry Kyme. The marriage was against her will, but when it had taken place, she demeaned herself like a christian wife, and became the mother of two children. After a time, by the study of the scriptures, she was convinced of the errors of popery, and became a true follower of Christ. Her husband, being a bigoted papist, was much enraged at this change, and after a series of ill treatment, by the advice of his priests, violently drove her from his house. She came to London, where she attended upon the queen, and sought a divorce on the ground of her husband's conduct, considering that his cruel usage had released her obligations, according to the principle laid down by St. Paul, 1 Cor. vii. 15.

Anne Askew's beauty, learning, and piety, procured her much esteem from the queen's friends, while she was hated by Gardiner and his party. Her conduct was irreproachable. A strong testimony in her favour was borne by a papist, according to the following relation from Strype. "A great papist of Wickham college, called Wadloe, a cursitor of the chancery, hot in his religion, and thinking not well of her life, got himself lodged at the next house to her. For what purpose need not be opened. But the conclusion was, that instead of speaking evil of her, he gave her the praise to sir Leonil Throgmorton, for the devoutest and godliest woman that ever he knew. For, said he, at midnight she beginneth to pray, and ceaseth not for many hours after, when I, and others are at sleep or at work."

In 1546, she was accused of heresy, and made an undaunted profession of the truth, an account of which being penned by her own hand, was conveyed to Bale, and printed by him in Germany. Bale accompanied it with severe reflections upon the conduct of the Romanists towards her, which it does not appear necessary to reprint, as the affecting narrative is a sufficient comment upon the proceedings of her persecutors.

* Her name is also spelled Ascue and Ayscough.