feedeth the soul, but also cleanseth it. Out of these, I suppose it may clearly appear unto all men how far we are from that opinion whereof some go about falsely to slander us to the world, saying we teach that the godly and faithful should receive nothing else at the Lord's table but a figure of the Body of Christ."

This belief the holy bishop said he held and affirmed with the word of God and the ancient fathers. He went on to answer all the questions asked him, and objections brought against him, by the papists; but, as he complained afterwards, they did not give him a fair and patient hearing, but continually reproached him, and railed at him; and though he entreated them to forbear, yet when he began again to read from his paper, they shouted, and cried out; so that he was reminded of the clamour stirred up by Demetrius, the silversmith of Ephesus, and of that which the Arians once raised against the Catholics, at a disputation held between them, when nothing could quietly be heard.

The answers which he had delivered he sent to Archbishop Cranmer, saying, that he had wished to have them corrected by him before he delivered them; but he trusted they agreed together in the substance of the matter which these answers contained. "I trust," he added, "the day of our delivery out of all miseries, and our entrance into perpetual joy and felicity, draweth nigh. The Lord strengthen us with His mighty Spirit of grace;" and he ended his letter with these words, "Turn, or burn."

The three bishops were after this confined to

three different houses in Oxford, where their friends could not get leave to visit them. Dr. Ridley, in particular, suffered great restraint from Mrs. Irish, the wife of the mayor, in whose house he was kept, who was a harsh and ill-tempered woman, though, as it appears, her heart was afterwards softened towards the holy man who was her prisoner. During the many months of his imprisonment he wrote letters to various persons, which all express the same temper, of zeal and resignation, distrust of himself, and confidence in God. One of his own chaplains, who then fell away, wrote to him to try to shake his resolution, and persuade him to conform to the Romish errors. His reply affords a noble example of Christian faith and of apostolical admonition.

Sir, how nigh the day of my dissolution and departure out of this world is at hand I cannot tell the Lord's will be fulfilled, how soon soever it shall come. I know the Lord's words must be verified in me, that I shall appear before the incorrupt Judge, and be accountable to Him for all my former life. And although the hope of His mercy is my sheet-anchor of eternal salvation, yet I am persuaded, that whosoever willingly neglecteth, and regardeth not to clear his conscience, he cannot have peace with God, nor a lively faith in His mercy. Conscience, therefore, moveth me, considering you were one of my family, and one of my household, of whom then I think I had a special care; but, alas, now when the trial doth separate the chaff from the corn, how small a deal it is, God knoweth, which the wind doth not blow away: this conscience, I say,

doth move me to fear, lest the lightness of my family should be laid to my charge for lack of more earnest and diligent instruction, which should have been done. But, blessed be God, which hath given me grace to see this my default, and to lament from the bottom of my heart before my departing hence. This conscience doth move me also now to require both you and my friend Dr. Harvey to remember your promises made to me in times past, of the pure setting forth and preaching of God's word and His truth. These promises, although you shall not need to fear to be charged with them of me hereafter before the world, yet look for none other (I exhort you, as my friends) but to be charged with them at God's hand. This conscience, and the love that I bear unto you, biddeth me now say unto you both, in God's name, Fear God, and love not the world; for God is able to cast both soul and body into hell-fire; when His wrath shall suddenly be kindled, blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.' And the saying of St. John is true, All that is in the world, as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world; and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.'"

6

This admonition, so calm, so solemn, so affecting, produced such a powerful effect on the unhappy person to whom it was addressed, that he pined away with grief and remorse, and soon after died.

To others of his friends, both abroad and in England, Bishop Ridley wrote, to encourage and