Hooper's Last Days
IMPRISONED ON MARY’S ACCESSION TO THRONE IN 1553 — DETAINED - IN THE FLEET TILL 1555 — SENT TO GLOUCESTER TO BE BURNED FEBRUARY, 1555 — -DESCRIPTION OF HIS CONDUCT THE TWO LAST DAYS OF HIS LIFE AT GLOUCESTER — ACCOUNT OF HIS LAST SUF-FERINGS AT THE STAKE — GENERAL REFLECTIONS.
Hooprr’s most useful episcopal labours were brought completely to an end by Queen Mary’s accession to the throne, in 1553. They did not last, we may observe, longer than two years. Perhaps it is not too much to say that no Bishop of the Church of England ever did so much for his church and diocese in two years, and left so deep a mark on men’s minds in a short period as John Hooper.
Edward the Sixth died in July, 1553; and as soon as his Popish sister Mary was fairly seated on her throne, John Hooper’s troubles began. The sword of persecution having been once unsheathed, the famous Protestant Bishop of Gloucester was almost the first person who was struck at. He was personally obnoxious both to Bonner and Gardiner, with both of whom he had come into collision. He was renowned all over England as one of the boldest champions of the Reformation, and most thorough opponents of Popery. His friends warned him that danger was impending, but he calmly replied, — “Once I did flee and took me to my feet. But now, because I am called to this place and vocation, I am thoroughly persuaded to tarry, and to live and die with my sheep.” ‘The threatening storm soon broke. On the 29th of August he appeared before Queen Mary’s Council, at Richmond; and on the Ist of September he was sent as a prisoner to the Fleet. From that day till 9th February, 1555 — a period of more than seventeen months, — he was kept in close confinement. On that day, at last, death set him at liberty, and the noble Protestant prisoner was free. The history of these sorrowful seventeen months in Hooper’s life would occupy far more space than I have at my disposal. Those who wish to know the particulars of it must study “Fox’s Martyrs.” How the good Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester was cruelly immured in a filthy prison, to the great injury of his health, for nearly a year and a half — how he was three times examined before such judges as Gardiner, Bonner, Day, Heath, and their companions, — how he was by turns insulted, browbeaten, reviled, entreated and begged to recant,- — how gallantly he stood firm by his Protestant principles, and refused to give up a hair’s breadth of Christ’s truth, — how he was finally condemned for holding the right of priests to marry, and for denying the doctrine of transubstantiation, — all these are matters which are fully recorded by the old a6
Bishop Hooper — His Last Days. 37
Martyrologist. But they are far too long to describe
in a biographical paper like that which is now in the
‘reader’s hands.
The end came at last. On Monday, the 4th of ‘February, 1555, Hooper was formally degraded by Bishop Bonner, in the chapel of Newgate prison, and handed over to the tender mercies of the secular power. In the evening of that day, to his great delight, he was informed that he was to be sent to Gloucester, and to be publicly burned in his own cathedral city. On Tuesday, the 5th, he commenced his journey on horseback, at four o’clock in the morning, in the charge of six guards. On the afternoon of Thursday, the 7th of February, he arrived safe at Gloucester, amidst the tears and lamentations of a great crowd of people, who came out to meet him on the Cirencester road.
At Gloucester he was lodged in the house of one Ingram, opposite to St. Nicholas church. The house is still standing, and to all appearance not much altered. The city Sheriffs, two men named Jenkins and Bond, would fain have put him in the Northgate prison, but gave up this intention at the earnest intercession of the guards who had brought him from London. One day only was allowed to elapse between
the saintly prisoner’s arrival and his execution. The
greater part of this short interval he spent in prayer. There were however some interviews, of no small interest, of which Fox has preserved a record.
Sir Anthony Kingston, whom he had once offended by rebuking his sins, came to see him, and entreated him, with much affection and many tears, to consult his safety and recant. “Consider,” he said, “that life is sweet, and death is bitter. Life hereafter may do good.” To this the noble soldier of Christ returned the ever memorable answer: “The life to come is more sweet, and the death to come is more bitter.” Seeing him immoveable, Kingston left him with bitter tears, telling him, “I thank God that ever I knew you, seeing God did appoint you to call me to be His child. By your good instruction, when I was before a fornicator and adulterer, God hath taught me to detest and forsake the same.” Hooper afterwards said that this interview had drawn from him more tears than he had shed throughout the seventeen months of his imprisonment.
Last of all, as evening drew on, the Mayor, Mr. Loveday, the Aldermen, and Sheriffs of Gloucester, came to his lodging, and courteously saluted him. To them he spoke cheerfully, thanking them for their kindness, requesting that there might be a quick fire at his burning, and protesting that he should die a true obedient subject to the Queen, but “willing to give up his life rather than consent to the wicked papistical religion of the Bishop of Rome.”
These interviews got over, the saintly Bishop began to prepare for his wrestle with the last enemy, death. He retired to bed very early, saying that he had many things to remember, and slept one sleep soundly. The rest of the night he spent in prayer. After he got up, he desired that no man should be allowed to come into the chamber, and that he might be left alone till the hour of execution. What his meditations and reflections were at that awful crisis, God alone knows. Tradition says that he wrote the following piece of poetry with a coal, on the wall of his chamber : —
Content thyself with patience
With Christ to bear the cup of pain:
Who can and will thee recompense
A thousand-fold, with joys again.
Let nothing cause thy heart to fail:
Launch out thy boat, hoist up the sail,
Put from the shore;
And be thou sure thou shalt attain
Unto the port, that shall remain
For evermore.
Fear not death, pass not for bands, Only in God put thy whole trust; For He will require thy blood at their hands, And thou dost know that once die thou must, Only for that, thy life if thou give, Death is no death, but ever for to live, Do not despair: Of no worldly tyrant be thou in dread; Thy compass, which is God’s Word, shall thee lead, And the wind is fair.”
These lines were printed in 1559, in a volume of miscellaneous pieces by the Reformers. I give them for what they are worth.
The closing scene of Hooper’s life had now come.
It is so beautifully and simply described by John Fox, that I think it best to give it in its entirety, with trifling exception, just as the worthy old Martyrologist wrote it. He says — — “On the morning of Saturday, the 9th of February, about eight of the clock, came Sir John Bridges, Lord Chandos, with a great band of men, Sir Anthony Kingston, Sir Edmund Bridges, and other commissioners appointed to see execution done. At nine of the clock, Mr. Hooper was willed to prepare himself to be in a readiness, for the time was at hand. Immediately he was brought down from his chamber by the Sheriffs, who were accompanied with bills, and weapons. When he saw the multitude of weapons, he spake to the Sheriffs on this wise: ‘Mr. Sheriffs,’ said he, ‘I am no traitor, neither needed you to have made such a business to bring me to the place where [I must suffer; for if ye had willed me, I would have gone alone to the stake, and have troubled none of you.’ Afterward, looking upon the multitude of people that were assembled, being by estimation to the number of 7,000 (for it was market-day, and many also came to see his behaviour towards death), he spake unto those that were about him, saying — ‘ Alas! why be these people assembled and come together? Peradventure they think to hear something of me now, as they have in times past; but, alas! speech is prohibited me. Notwithstanding, the cause of my death is well know unto them. When I was appointed here to be their pastor, I preached unto them true and sincere doctrine, and that out of the Word of God. Because I will not now account the same to be heresy and untruth, this kind of death is prepared for me.’. “So he went forward, led between the two Sheriffs (as it were a lamb to the place of slaughter), in a gown of his host’s, his hat upon his head, and a staff in his hand, to stay himself withal; for the grief of the sciatica, which he had taken in prison, caused him somewhat to halt. All the way, being strictly charged not to speak, he could not be perceived once to open his mouth; but beholding the people all the way, which mourned bitterly for him, he would sometimes lift up his eyes towards heaven, and look very cheerfully upon such as he knew; and he was never known, during the time of his being amongst them, to look with so cheerful and ruddy a countenance as he did at that present. When he came to the place appointed where he should die, smilingly he beheld the stake and preparations made for him, which was near unto the great elm-tree over against the college of priests, where he was wont to preach. The place round about, the houses, and the boughs of the trees, were replenished with people; and in the chamber over the college gate, stood the priests of the college.*
* This gateway and the window are still standing exactly as they were when Hooper was burned.
A2 Bishops and Clergy of other days.
Then kneeled he down (forasmuch as he could not be suffered to speak unto the people) to prayer, and beckoned six or seven times unto one whom he knew well, to hear the said prayer, to make report thereof in time to come (pouring tears upon his shoulders and in his bosom), who gave attentive ear unto the same; the which prayer he made upon the whole Creed, wherein he continued the space of half-an-hour. Now, after he was somewhat entered into his prayer, a box was brought and laid before him upon a stool, with his pardon (or at leastwise, it was feigned to be his pardon) from the Queen, if he would turn. At the sight whereof he cried, ‘If you love my soul, away with it! If you love my soul, away with it!’ The box being taken away, the Lord Chandos said, ‘ Seeing there is no remedy, dispatch him quickly!’ Master Hooper said, ‘Good, my lord; I trust your lordship will give me leave to make an end of my prayers.’
“Then said the Lord Chandos to Sir Edmund Bridges’ son, which gave ear before to Master Hooper’s prayer, at his request: ‘Edmund, take heed that he do nothing else but pray; if he do, tell me, and I shall quickly dispatch him.’ While this talk was going on, there stepped one or two uncalled, which heard him speak these words following : —
“<Qord,’ said he, ‘I am hell, but Thou art Heaven; I am a swill and sink of sin, but Thou art a gracious
God and a merciful Redeemer. Have mercy, therefore, upon me, most miserable and wretched offender, after Thy great mercy, and according to Thine inestimable goodness. Thou art ascended into heaven; receive me, hell, to be partaker of Thy joys, where Thou sittest in equal glory with Thy Father. For well knowest Thou, Lord, wherefore I am come hither to suffer; and why the wicked do persecute this thy poor servant: not for my sins and transgressions committed against Thee, but because I will not allow their wicked doings to the contaminating of Thy blood, and to the denial of the knowledge of Thy truth, wherewith it did please Thee by Thy Holy Spirit to instruct me; the which with as much diligence as a poor wretch might (being thereto called), I have set forth to Thy glory. And well seest Thou, my Lord and God, what terrible pains and cruel torments be prepared for Thy creature; such, Lord, as without Thy strength none is able to bear, or patiently to pass. By t all things that are impossible with man, are possible with Thee. Therefore strengthen me of Thy goodness, that in the fire I break not the rules of patience; or else assuage the terror of the pains, as shall seem most to Thy glory.’
“As soon as the Mayor had espied these men which made report of the former words, they were commanded away, and could not be suffered to hear any more. Prayer being done, he prepared himself to the stake, and put off his host’s gown, and delivered it to the Sheriffs, requiring them to see it restored unto the owner, and put off the rest of his gear, unto his doublet and hose, wherein he would have been burned. But the Sheriffs would not permit that (such was their greediness),° unto whose pleasures (good man) he very obediently submitted himself; and his doublet, hose, and waistcoat were taken off. Then, being in his shirt, and desiring the people to say the Lord’s prayer with him, and to pray for him (who performed it with tears, during the time of his pains), he went up to the stake. Now, when he was at the stake, three irons, made to bind him to the stake, were brought: one for his neck, another for his middle, and the third for his legs. But he, refusing them, said, ‘Ye have no need thus to trouble yourselves, for I doubt not but God will give me strength sufficient to abide the extremity of the fire, without bands; notwithstanding, suspecting the frailty and weakness of the flesh, but having assured confidence in God’s strength, I am content ye do as ye shall think good.’ So the hoop of iron prepared for his middle was brought, and when they offered to have bound his neck and legs with the other two hoops of iron, he utterly refused them, and would have none, saying, ‘I am well assured I shall not trouble you.’
The clothes of those who were burned, seem to have been the perquisite of the Sheriffs!
“Thus, being ready, he looked upon the people, of whom he might well be seen (for he was both tall and stood also on an high stool), and beheld round about him: and in every corner there was nothing to be seen but weeping and sorrowful people. Then, lifting up his eyes and hands unto heaven, he prayed to himself. By and by, he that was appointed to make the fire, came to him, and did ask his forgiveness. Of whom he asked why he should forgive him; saying, that he knew never any offence he had committed against him. ‘O Sir,’ said the man, ‘I am appointed to make the fire.” ‘Therein, said Mr. Hooper, ‘thou dost nothing offend me: God forgive thee thy sins, and do thine office, I pray thee’ Then the reeds were cast up, and he received two bundles of them in his own hands, embraced them, kissed them, and put under either arm one of them, and showed with his hand how the rest should be bestowed, and pointed to the place where any did lack.
“Anon commandment was given that the fire should be set to, and so it was. But because there were put to no fewer green faggots than two horses” could carry upon their backs, it kindled not by and by, and was a pretty while also before it took the reeds upon the faggots. At length it burned about him, but the wind having full strength in that place (it was a lowering and cold morning), it blew the flame from him, so that he was in a manner no more but touched by the fire.
“Within a space after, a few dry faggots were brought, and a new fire kindled with faggots (for there were no more reeds), and that burned at his nether parts, but had small power above, because of the wind, saving that it did burn his hair, and scorch his skin a little. In the time of which fire, even as at the first flame, he prayed, saying mildly and not very loud (but as one without pains), ‘O Jesus, the Son
of David, have mercy upon me, and receive my soul!’ After the second fire was spent, he did wipe both his eyes with his hands, and beholding the people, he said with an indifferent loud voice, ‘For God’s love, good people, let me have more fire!’ And all this while his nether parts did burn, for the faggots were so few that the flame did not burn strongly at his upper parts.
“The third fire was kindled within a while after, which was more extreme than the other two; and then the bladders of gunpowder brake, which did him small good, they were so placed, and the wind had such power. In the which fire he prayed with somewhat a loud voice, ‘Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me! Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me! Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’ And these were the last words he was heard to utter. But when he was black in the mouth, and his tongue swollen that he could not speak, yet his lips went till they were shrunk to the gums; and he knocked his breast with his hands until one of his arms fell off, and then knocked still with the other, what time the fat, water, and blood dropped out at his fingers’ ends, until by renewing of the fire his strength was gone, and his hand did cleave fast in knocking to the iron upon his breast. So immediately, bowing forwards, he yielded up his spirit.
“Thus was he three quarters of an hour or more in the fire. Even as a lamb, patiently he abode the extremity thereof, neither moving forwards, backwards, or to any side; but having his nether parts burned, and his bowels fallen out, he died as quietly as a child in his bed, and he now reigneth as a blessed martyr in the joys of heaven, prepared for the faithful in Christ before the foundations of the world, for whose constancy all Christians are bound to praise God.” (Fox’s Acts and Monuments 7 loco.)
I leave the story of the martyr of Gloucester at this point, having traced his life from his cradle to his fiery grave. He died as he had long lived, true to his colours; and his death was every way worthy of his life.
Something I might say about the hideous cruelty with which he and his fellow sufferers in Mary’s reign were put to death. Nothing can excuse it. The times no doubt were rough and coarse. Capital punishment was fearfully common. Killing people for alleged heresy was unhappily no strange thing.
But these are poor defences of a huge crime. The* blood of the English Martyrs is an indelible stain on the Church of Rome. It was a judicial murder that can never be explained away.
Something I might say about the glorious patience and courage which Hooper exhibited throughout his sufferings. As long as the world lasts, he will be a pattern of what Christ can do for His people in the hour of need. Never may we forget that He who strengthened Hooper never changes. He is the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.
Something, not least, I might say about the extreme impolicy of the Church of Rome in making martyrs of Hooper and his companions. Never, I believe, did Popery do herself such damage as when she burnt our Reformers. Their blood was the seed of the Church. The good that they did by their deaths was more than they did all their lives. Their martyrdoms made thousands think who were never reached by their sermons. Myriads, we may depend, came to ‘the conclusion, that a Church which could act so abominably and cruelly as Rome did could never be the one true Church of God: and that a cause which could produce such patient and unflinching sufferers must surely be the cause of Christ and of truth.
But I pass away from these points, however interesting. I only hope that they may be seeds of thought which may bear fruit in men’s minds after many days.