Foxe - The Book of Martyrs

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
Richard Pecksal, sheriff.
When standing at the stake he began to untie his points, and to prepare himself; then he
gave his gown to the keeper, by way of fee. His jerkin was trimmed with gold lace, which he
gave to Sir Richard Pecksal, the high sheriff. His cap of velvet he took from his head, and
threw away. Then, lifting his mind to the Lord, he engaged in prayer.
When fastened to the stake, Dr. Seaton begged him to recant, and he should have his
pardon; but when he saw that nothing availed, he told the people not to pray for him unless
he would recant, no more than they would pray for a dog.
Mr. Benbridge, standing at the stake with his hands together in suchj a manner as the
priest holds his hands in his Memento, Dr. Seaton came to him again, and exhorted him to
recant, to whom he said, "Away, Babylon, away!" One that stood by said, "Sir, cut his tongue
out"; another, a temporal man, railed at him worse than Dr. Seaton had done.
When they saw he would not yield, they bade the tormentors to light the pile, before he
was in any way covered with fagots. The fire first took away a piece of his beard, at which he
did not shrink. Then it came on the other side and took his legs, and the nether stockings of
his hose being leather, they made the fire pierce the sharper, so that the intolerable heat made
him exclaim, "I recant!" and suddenly he trust the fire from him. Two or three of his friends
being by, wished to save him; they stepped to the fire to help remove it, for which kindness
they were sent to jail. The sheriff also of his own authority took him from the stake, and
remitted him to prison, for which he was sent to the Fleet, and lay there sometime. Before,
however, he was taken from the stake, Dr. Seaton wrote articles for him to subscribe to. To
these Mr. Benbridge made so many objections that Dr. Seaton ordered them to set fire again
to the pile. Then with much pain and grief of heart he subscribed to them upon a man's back.
This done, his gown was given him again, and he was led to prison. While there, he wrote
a letter to Dr. Seaton, recanting those words he had spoken at the stake, and the articles which
he had subscribed, for he was grieved that he had ever signed them. The same day se'night he
was again brought to the stake, where the vile tormentors rather broiled than burnt him. The
Lord give his enemies repentance!
Mrs. Prest
From the number condemned in this fanatical reign, it is almost impossible to obtain the
name of every martyr, or to embellish the history of all with anecdotes and exemplifications
of Christian conduct. Thanks be to Providence, our cruel task begins to draw towards a
conclusion, with the end of the reign of papal terror and bloodshed. Monarchs, who sit upon
thrones possessed by hereditary right, should, of all others, consider that the laws of nature
are the laws of God, and hence that the first law of nature is the preservation of their subjects.
Maxims of persecutions, of torture, and of death, they should leave to those who have effected
sovereignty by fraud or by sword; but where, except among a few miscreant emperors of
Rome, and the Roman pontiffs, shall we find one whose memory is so "damned to everlasting
fame" as that of Queen Mary? Nations bewail the hour which separates them forever from a
beloved governor, but, with respect to that of Mary, it was the most blessed time of her whole
250