68 the HISTORY of the PURITANS: Chap. III. Q Mary, the flake. Such as were fufpeEted of herefy, were examined upon the iSC a articles of the corporal prefence of Chrift in the Sacrament, auricular confegion, and the mats ; and if theydid not make fatisfaétory anfwers, they were without any farther proofs condemned to the flames. Womenwere not feared, nor infants in the womb. In the ifle ofGuernfey a woman with child being fentenced to be burnt, was delivered in the flames, and the infant being taken from her, was ordered by the magiftrates to be thrown back into the fire. At length the butcherly work growing too heavy for the hands employed in it, the queen erelted an extraordinary tribunal for trying of herefy, like the Spani/h inquifition, confrfting of3 s commiffiòners, molt of them laymen ; and in the month of yune 5555, the iffued Out a proclamation, That fuch as received heretical books, fhould immediatelybe Clark's put to death by martial Law. She. forbid prayers to be made for the Martyr, . fujerers, or even to fay, God blef them : So far did her fiery zeal tranfport P' 506. her. Upon the whole, the number of them who fuffered death for the h rs reformed religion in this rein were no lefs than 277 perfons, of whom that were g ig , 77 P burnt in this were five bithops, 21 clergymen, 8 gentlemen, 84 tradefmen, roo reign. husbandmen, labourers and fervants, 55 women, and four children. Befides thefe, there were 54 more under profecution, feven of whom were whipt, and 16 peri(hed in prifon the reft who were making themfelves ready for execution, were delivered by the merciful interpofure of divine providence in the queen's death. H:fr. Ref. In a book corrected, if not wrote by lord Burleigh in queen Elizabeth's. Vol. III. time, entitled The executions for treafons, it is Paid 400 perfons fuffered P. 264. publickly in queen Mary's reign, befides thofe who were fecretly murdered in prifon; of thefe, zo were bifhops and dignified clergymen; 6o were women, of whom Tome were big with child ; and one was delivered ofa child in the fire, which was burnt; and above 4o men-children. I might add, thefe mercilefs papifts carried their fury againít the reformed beyond the grave ; for they ordered the bones of Fagius and Bucer, to be dug out of their graves, and having ridiculouflycited them by their commifí'ioners to appear, and give an account of their faith, they caufed them to be burnt for non- appearance. Is it poffible after fuch a relation of things, for any proteftant to be in love with high commgons, with oaths ex egcio, and laws to deprive men of their lives, liberties and Oates, for matters of con/cience ? And yet thefe very reformers, when the, power returned into their hands, were too much inclined to fuch engines ofcruelty. Rife of the The controverfy about predeination andfree-will appeared firft among eentroverf the reformers at this time. Some who were in the King's Bench prifon for aboutPrade- the profefiion of the gofpel, denied the doétrinesof abfolute predeftination ,lunation. and original fin. They were men of ftridt and holy lives, but warm for their opinions, and unquiet in their behaviour. Mr. Bradford had frequent conferences
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