Page:Roman Catholic cruelties.pdf/18

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for it, telling him that it was too much to preach every Sunday, since the people might think they ought to do so likewise; and said the Bishop, Is it not enough for you when you find a good Epistle and Gospel, to set forth and preach the liberty of the Holy Church, and let the rest alone. Dean Thomas replied, that he had read them all over, and knew no bad ones among them; but, said he, when your lordship shews me any such I will pass them by. The Bishop answered, I thank God I never knew what the Old and New Testament was; but go your ways and repent of these fancies ere it be too late. The Dean answered, My cause is good and just in the presence of God, and therefore I care not what follows thereupon, and so went away, but he was shortly after sent for before Cardinal Beaton, by whom he was condemned and burned for an heretic.

The year after, Jerome Russel, and Alexander Kennedy, who was not above eighteen years old, were brought before the Archbishop and his associates, who railed upon them, and called them heretics. Jerome Russel replied, this is your hour and power of darkness, now sit ye as judges, and we are wrongfully accused, but the day will come, wherein our innocency will appear, and ye shall see your own blindness to your everlasting confusion; go forward and fulfil the measure of your iniquity. A while after they were sentenced to die, and as they went to execution, Jerome comforted Kennedy, saying, Brother, fear not, greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world; the pain we are to suffer is short, and shall be light, but our joy and consolation