known to your grace. that forasmuch as I am by the law condempned for an euil doer: Here I take heauen and earth to record, that I shall die in my innocency. And accordinge to that haue said first, and wil say last, I vtterly abhor and detest al heresies. And as concerninge the supper of the Lord, I beleue so much as Christ hath said therin. Which he confirmed with his most blessed bloud. I beleue also so much as he willed me to follow and beleue, and so muche as the catholike church of him doth teach. For I wil not forsake the commaundement of hys holy lippes. But like what God hath charged me with his mouth, that I haue shut vp in my hart, and thus briefly I ende, for lacke of learning Anne Askew.
[Back to Top]ON Tuesdaye I was sente from Newgate to the signe of the crown, wheras Master Rich & the bishop of London withal their power and flattering words, went about to perswade me frō God. But I did not esteme their glosing pretences. Thē came there to me Nicolas Shaxton, & councelled me to recante as he had done. Then I said to him, that it had bene good for him, neuer to haue ben born wt many other like words. Them master Riche sent me to the tower, where I remained til iii. a clock
Askew is visited by (solicitor-general) Sir Richard Rich of the king's Privy Council and Bonner, the Bishop of London, both of whom try to persuade her to save herself through recantation, as does Nicholas Shaxton, former Bishop of Salisbury, who will preach a sermon of recantation at Askew's execution. Having failed in this effort, Rich sends Askew to the Tower of London, and the story of her infamous and illegal torture begins.
[Back to Top]Prior to putting Askew on the rack, Rich and 'one of the Counsell' - Thomas Wriothesley, Lord Chancellor of England - questioned Askew about the identity of fellow evangelicals, specifically a number of noblewomen of the queen's court. When Askew fails to provide them with incriminating information about 'Ladies or Gentlewomen' of her 'opinion', she is put on the rack, with Wriothesley and Rich eventually racking her with their own hands until, as she put it, she was 'nigh dead'. Following this ordeal, and more discussion with the Lord Chancellor, Askew confirms her faith and accepts death, concluding this part of her account with a farewell to her reader.
[Back to Top]OH frend most dearly beloued in God I meruell not a little, what shoulde moue you to iudge in me so slender a faith, as to feare death, which is thend of al misery. In the Lord I desyre you, not to beleue of suche wickednes. For I doubt it not, but God wil perform his work in me, like as he hath begon: I vnderstand the councel is not a little displeased: chat it should be reported abrode, that I was racked in the towre
It is clear that news of Askew's torture was 'reported abroad', as she claims. Otwell Johnson of London wrote, in a letter to his brother, that Askew had received her judgment of the Lord Chancellor, 'to be burned… the gentlewoman and the other man remain steadfast; and yet', he continues, 'she hath been racked since her condemnation (as men say), which is a strange thing in my understanding. The Lord be merciful to us all' (Otwell Johnson to his Brother John Johnson [London, 2 July 1546], Letters & Papers Foreign and Domestic, of the reign of Henry VIII, ed. James Gairdner and R.H. Brodie [London, 1862 1932], XXI, i, 1180).
[Back to Top]I haue red the processe, which is reported of them that know not the truth, to be my recantation. But as sure as the Lorde lyueth. I neuer ment thing les than to recant. Notwithstāding this I confesse, that in my first troubles. I was examined of the bishoppe of London about the sacrament, yet had they no graunt of my mouth, but this: that I beleued there in, as the word of God did binde me to beleue. More had they neuer of me. Then he made a copye which is now in print, and required me to set thervnto my hand. But I refused it. Then my ii. sureties did wil me in no wise to sticke therat. For it was no great matter, they sayde.
[Back to Top]Then wyth much a doo, at the laste I wrote thus: I Anne Askewe do beleue thys, if Gods word do agre to the same, and the true catho-