Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 5.djvu/576

556 Latimer coming up behind him in the frieze coat, with the cap and handkerchief—the workday costume unaltered, except that under his cloak, and reaching to his feet, the old man wore a long new shroud.

'Oh! be ye there?' Ridley exclaimed.

'Yea,' Latimer answered. 'Have after as fast as I can follow.'

Ridley ran to him and embraced him. 'Be of good heart, brother,' he said. 'God will either assuage the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it.' They knelt and prayed together, and then exchanged a few words in a low voice, which were not overheard.

Lord Williams, the vice-chancellor, and the doctors were seated on a bench close to the stake. A sermon was preached, 'a scant one,' 'of scarce a quarter of an hour;' and then Ridley begged that for Christ's sake he might say a few words.

Lord Williams looked to the doctors, one of whom started from his seat, and laid his hand on Ridley's lips—

'Recant,' he said, 'and you may both speak and live.'

'So long as the breath is in my body,' Ridley answered, 'I will never deny my Lord Christ and his known truth. God's will be done in me. I commit our cause,' he said, in a loud voice, turning to the people, 'to Almighty God, who shall indifferently judge all.'