Monday 23 March 2009

Excerpt from Bradford's examination

Lord chancellor: "Well, to leave this matter: how sayest thou now? Wilt thou return again and do as we have and thou shalt receive the queen's mercy and pardon?"

Bradford: "My lord, I desire your mercy with God's mercy; but your mercy with God's wrath, God keep me from: although I thank God, my conscience doth not accuse that I did speak anything why I should need to receive the queen's mercy or pardon. For all that I ever did or spake was both agreeable to God's laws and the laws of the realm at that time, and did make much to quietness. I have not deceived the people, nor taught any other doctrine than, by God's grace, I am not ready to confirm with my life."

an examination of John Bradford - martyred in Smithfield... Of his last moments he was described as "constantly abiding in the same truth of God which before he had confessed, earnestly exhorting the people to repent and to return to Christ, and sweetly comforting the godly young man who was burnt with him" (a 19year old called John Leaf).

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