Page:History of the Scottish martyrs.pdf/17

17 pronounced this prophetic sentence,-for the cardinal in about three months afterwards was assassinated in his own castle, and his body hung over the very wall from which he had witnessed the martyrdom of Mr Wishart,-a rope which had been previously fastened around his neck, was suddenly drawn so tight as to disable him from further speech. The fire already blazing furiously around him, was now also enlarged by the addition of more fuel, and its vehemence increased by the executioners stirring it up with their halberts. In a few minutes more the tragedy was completed.

We shall add but one or two more, though there were several besides, to this list of those who perished in the cause of religion previous to the Reformation. The sufferers to whom we allude were a poor woman of the name of Stark, with her husband, who lived at Perth, Adam Wallace, and Walter Mylne, an old man upwards of 60 years of age.

The former was apprehended for refusing to pray to the Virgin Mary when she was in labour, saying, “That she would only pray to God in the name of Jesus Christ." Her husband was condemned at the same time for having behaved disrespectfully to an image of St Francis. This miserable pair requested; as a last favour, that they might be permitted to die together but, as the modes of their execution were different the woman for peing condemned to be drowned and the husband o be hanged, the request was not complied with. She was, however, allowed to accompany her husband to the place of execution. While on this melancholy journey, she continued to exhort him o patience and constancy for the cause of Christ; nd, at the instant of parting from him said,