s office."

A young Englishman who happened to be at Rome, was one day passing by a
church, when the procession of the host was just coming out. A bishop
carried the host, which the young man perceiving, he snatched it from
him, threw it upon the ground, and trampled it under his feet, crying
out, Ye wretched idolaters, who neglect the true God, to adore a morsel
of bread. This action so provoked the people, that they would have torn
him to pieces on the spot; but the priests persuaded them to let him
abide by the sentence of the pope.

When the affair was represented to the pope, he was so greatly
exasperated that he ordered the prisoner to be burnt immediately; but a
cardinal dissuaded him from this hasty sentence, saying, it was better
to punish him by slow degrees, and to torture him, that they might find
out if he had been instigated by any particular person to commit so
atrocious an act.

This being approved, he was tortured with the most exemplary severity,
notwithstanding which they could only get these words from him, It was
the will of God that I should do as I did.

The pope then passed this sentence upon him.

1. That he should be led by the executioner, naked to the middle,
through the streets of Rome.

2. That he should wear the image of the devil upon his head.

3. That his breeches should be painted with the representation of
flames.

4. That he should have his right hand cut off.

5. That after having been carried about thus in procession, he should be
burnt.

When he heard this sentence pronounced, he implored God to give him
strength and fortitude to go through it. As he passed through the
streets he was greatly derided by the people, to whom he said some
severe things respecting the Romish superstition. But a cardinal, who
attended the procession, overhearing him, ordered him to be gagged.

When he came to the church door, where he trampled on the host, the
hangman cut off his right hand, and fixed it on a pole. Then two
tormentors, with flaming torches, scorched and burnt his flesh all the
rest of the way. At the place of execution he kissed the chains that
were to bind him to the stake. A monk presenting the figure of a saint
to him, he struck it aside, and then being chained to the stake, fire
was put to the fagots, and he was soon burnt to ashes.

A little after the last mentioned execution, a venerable old man, who
had long been a prisoner in the inquisition, was condemned to be b