The Sun.
London, England, 1827-09-14 00:00:00

A MARTYR.

Sir William Askew, of Kelsey, in Lin-
colnshire, bad several daughters. His second,
named Anne, had received a genteel educa-
tion, which, with an agreeable figure and goOd
understanding, rendered her a very proper
person to be at the head of a family. Her
father regardless of his daughter's inclination and
happiness, obliged her to marry a gentleman who
had nothing to commend him but his fortune,
and who was a most bigoted Papist. No sooner
was he convinced of his wife's regard for the
doctrines of the " Reformation" from Popery,
than by the instigation of the Priests, he vie,
lently drove her from his house, though she bad
borne him two children, anti her conduct was
unexceptionable. Abandoned by her husband,
she came up to London, in order to procure a
divorce, and to make herself known to that part
of the Court who either professed, or were fa_-
vourers of, Protestantism. But as Henry VIII.,
with consent of Parliament, had just enacted the
law of the Six Articles, commonly called the
Bloody Statute, she was cruelly betrayed by her
own husband,..end•upon his information, taken
into custody, and examined concerning her faith.
The Act abovementioned, denounced death
' against all those who should deny the doctrine
of Transubstantiation, or that the bread and wine.
made use of in the sacrament, were not convert-
' zel after consecration into the body and blood of
Christ ; or, maintain the necessity of receiving
the Sacrament in both kinds ; or affirm that it
was lawful for Priests to marry ; that the vtve;
of celibacy might be broken ; that private Masse.4
were of no avail; and that auricular Confession,
to a Priest was not necessary to salvation. Upon
these articles she was examined by the Inquisi-
tor, a Priest, the Lord Mayor of London, and
the Bishop's Chancellor ; and to all their queries
gave proper and pertinent answers ; but not
being such as they approved, she was sent back
to prison, where she remained eleven days to
ruminate alone on her alarming situation, and
was denied the small consolation of a friendle
visit. The King's Council being at Greenwich,
she was once more examined by Chancellor
Wriothesley, Gardiner Bishop of Winchester,
Dr. Cox and Dr. Robinson ; but not being able
to convince her of her supposed errors, she was
sent to the Tower.—lVlr. Strype, from an au-
thentic paper, gives the following short account.
of her examination, which may not, perhaps, be
uninteresting or useless to the present advocates
for Catholic Emancipation :—" Sir Martin
Bowes (Lord Mayor), sitting with the Cduzicil,
as most meet for his wisdom, and seeing her stand
upon life and death--' I pray you,' quoth
my Lords, give me leave to talk to this woman!
Leave was granted.
Lord Mayor—' Thou foolish woman, gayest
thou that the Priest cannot make the holy body
of Christ ?'

Anne Askew—' I say so, my Lord ; for
have read that God made man ; but 'that me,2-
made God I never read; nor, I suppose. evet:,,
shall read it.' • -41
Lord Mayor—' No ! Thou foolish woman,
after the words of Consecration, is it not tbsA,'
Lord's body ?'
Anne Askew—' lro, it is but consecrated s.
bread, or sacramental bread.'
Lord Mayor—, What if a mouse eat it after
consecration ; what shall become of this mouse- -
What What sayst thou, thou foolish. woman ?'
Anne Askew -;.—= What shall beet : of her
say you, my Lord
Lord May or— tl)?.t, the mouse
damned.'

Anne Askew—' Alack, poor mouse.'
" Perceiving that some could not keep in then
laughing, the Council proceeded to the butchery
and slaughter that they intended, before they
came there. It was strongly suspected that
Mrs. Anne Askew was favoured by some ladies
of high rank ; and that she carried on a religious
correspondence with the Queen. So that the
Chancellor Wriothesley, hoping that he might
discover something that would afford matter of
impeachment against that Princess, the Earl of
Hertfigd, or his Countess, who all favoured Re-
formation, ordered her to be -rv!t to the rack ;
but her fortitude in suffering, and her resolution
not to betray her friends, was proof against that
diabolical invention. Not a groan, not a word
could be extorted from her. The Chancellor,
provoked by what he called her obstinacy, au;
-
mented her tortures with his own hands, and
with unheard of violence ; but her courage and
constancy were invincible, and these barbarians
gained nothing by their cruelties but everlasting
disgrace and infamy. As soon as she was taken
from the rack she fainted away ; but being
re-
covered, she was condemned to the flames. Her
bones were dislocated in such a manner, that they
were forced to carry her in a chair to the place of
t‘hveasLaotrdthce
hsatnakceel,loler,ttoeris,
broughtexecution. While
her
from 81
fering her the King's pardon if she would recant.
But she refused to look at them, telling the mes-
senger, that " she came not thither to deny her
Lord and Maker." The same letters were also
tendered to three other persons condemned to the
same fate ; and who, animated by her example,
refused to accept them. Whereupon the Lord
Mayor commanded the fire to be kindled, and
with savage ignorance cried out, "fiat juditia"
(let justice be done.) The faggots being lighted,
she commended her soul, with the utmost com-
posure, into the hands of her Maker, andlike
the great Founder of the religion she professed,
expired praying for her murderers, July 16,
1546. She died when very young.