Page:Roman Catholic cruelties.pdf/10

 put his neck between two folding doors, and so violently severed his head from his body.

the year 1524, one John Clark, set up a bill on the church door, against the Pope's pardons, and called him Antichrist; for which being apprehended, he was ordered to be whipped several days, and then burned in the forehead; his mother, a religious woman, standing by, encouraging him, saying, with a loud voice, "Blessed be Christ, and welcome be these marks for his sake." After this he went to Metz, and there being some images without the city, which the people used to worship once a-year; the evening before, John Clark abhorring their idolatry, went and brake down all their idols; the next morning, when the clergy and people came to their worship, they found their images lying all broken on the ground, upon which there began a great tumult, and John Clark was suspected and taken; who presently confessed the fact, and gave reasons for his so doing for which he was condemned to a most cruel death; his right hand was cut off, then his nose was violently pulled off, and after that his arms and breasts, with sharp pincers, all which he sustained with admirable patience, uttering all the while the words of the 115th Psalm. Lastly, he was thrown into the fire, and burnt to ashes.