th God's
blessing, the child shall fare well."

On Tower Hill, whither they had sent so many better than themselves, on
the 22nd of August, Sir John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, and Sir
Thomas Palmer, ended their wretched and evil lives. With them died Sir
John Gates.

The Duke rehearsed his confession, as he had made it in the chapel;
avowing himself to be of the old learning, "and a Christian now, for
these sixteen years I have been none." Which last was the truth. And
he said, "he would every man not to be covetous, for that had been a
great part of his destruction." And so he tied the handkerchief over
his own eyes, and lay down on the block, and his head was struck off.

So ended this miserable man; for whom it had been a thousand times
better that he had never been born, than to have destroyed himself and
England together, and to have offended so bitterly Christ's little ones.

After him came Sir John Gates, who said little, and would have no
handkerchief over his eyes; and his head fell at the third blow.

Last came Sir Thomas Palmer, "nothing in whose life became him like the
leaving it." For when the people bade him good morrow, he said,--"I do
not doubt but that I have a good morrow, and that I shall have a better
good even." And then he went on to tell them, "that he had been
lawfully condemned, and that he did therein thank God for His mercy: for
that sithence his coming into the Tower, he had seen himself, how
utterly and verily vile his soul was--yea, he did not think any sin to
be, that he had not plunged even into the midst of it [Note 1]; I and he
had moreover seen how infinite were God's mercies, and how Jesus sitteth
a Redeemer at the right hand of God, by whose means His people shall
live eternally. For I have learned (said he) more in one little dark
corner in yonder Tower, than ever I learned by any travail in so many
places as I have been." And he desired the people to pray for him, for
he "did in no wise fear death." So, taking the executioner by the hand,
he said he forgave him heartily, but entreated him not to strike till he
had said a few prayers, "and then he should have good leave." And so he
knelt down, and laid his head on the block, and prayed; then lifting his
head again, once more asked all present to pray for him; and so again
laid down his head, which was stricken from him at one stroke.

And that night Isoult Avery wrote in her diary--"Verily, I do know that
the m