Foxe - The Book of Martyrs

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
for a time, and thence to Brentwood, there to be burned.
About a month afterward, William was sent down to Brentwood, where he was to be
executed. On coming to the stake, he knelt down and read the Fifty-first Psalm, until he came
to these words, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O
God, Thou wilt not despise." Steadfast in refusing the queen's pardon, if he would become an
apostate, at length one Richard Ponde, a bailiff, came, and made the chain fast about him.
William now cast his psalter into his brother's hand, who said, "William, think on the holy
passion of Christ, and be not afraid of death." "Behold," answered William, "I am not afraid."
Then he lifted up his hands to heaven, and said, "Lord, Lord, Lord, receive my spirit;" and
casting down he head again into the smothering smoke, he yielded up his life for the truth,
sealing it with his blood to the praise of God.
Dr. Robert Farrar
This worthy and learned prelate, the bishop of St. David's in Wales, having in the former
reign, as well as since the accession of Mary, been remarkably zealous in promoting the
reformed doctrines, and exploding the rrors of popish idolatry, was summoned, among others,
before the persecuting bishop of Winchester, and other commissioners set apart for the
abominable work of devastation and massacre.
His principal accusers and persecutors, on a charge of praemunire in the reign of Edward
VI were George Constantine Walter, his servant; Thomas Young, chanter of the cathedral,
afterward bishop of Bangor, etc. Dr. Farrar ably replied to the copies of information laid
against him, consisting of fifty-six articles. The whole process of this trial was long and
tedious. Delay succeeded delay, and after that Dr. Farrar had been long unjustly detained in
custody under sureties, in the reign of King Edward, because he had been promoted by the
duke of Somerset, whence after his fall he found fewer friends to support him against such as
wanted his bishopric by the coming in of Queen Mary, he was accused and examined not for
any matter of praemunire, but for his faith and doctrine; for which he was called before the
bishop of Winchester with Bishop Hooper, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Bradford, Mr. Saunders, and
others, February 4, 1555; on which day he would also with them have been condemned, but
his condemnation was deferred, and he sent to prison again, where he continued until February
14, and then was sent into Wales to receive sentence. He was six times brought up before
Henry Morgan, bishop of St. David's, who demanded if he would abjure; from which he
zealously dissented, and appealed to Cardinal Pole; notwithstanding which, the bishop,
proceeding in his rage, pronounced him a heretic excommunicate, and surrendered him to the
secular power.
Dr. Farrar, being condemned and degraded, was not long after brought to the place of
execution in the town of Carmathen, in the market-place of which, on the south side of the
market-cross, March 30, 1555, being Saturday next before Passion Sunday, he most
constantly sustained the torments of the fire.
Concerning his constancy, it is said that one Richard Jones, a knight's son, coming to Dr.
Farrar a little before his death, seemed to lament the painfulness of the death he had to suffer;
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