and led
him furth with thare soldeouris, from the Castell, to the place of thare
cruell and wicked executioun. As he came furth of the Castell gate,
thare mett him certane beggeris, asking of his almes, for Goddis saik.
To whome he answered, "I want my handis, wharewith I wont to geve yow
almes. But the mercyfull Lord, of his benignitie and aboundand grace,
that fedith all men, votschafe to geve yow necessaries, boith unto your
bodyes and soules." Then afterward mett him two fals feindis, (I should
say, Freiris,) saying, "Maister George, pray to our Lady, that sche may
be a mediatrix for yow to hir Sone." To whome he answered meiklie,
"Cease: tempt me not, my brethrene." After this, he was led to the fyre,
with a rope about his neck, and a chaine of irne about his myddill.

When that he came to the fyre, he sat doun upoun his knees, and rose
agane; and thrise he said these wordis, "O thow Saviour of the warld,
have mercy upon me: Father of heavin, I commend my spreit into thy holy
handis." When he had maid this prayer, he turned him to the people, and
said these wordis: "I beseik yow, Christiane brethrene and sisteris,
that ye be nott offended att the word of God, for the afflictioun and
tormentis which ye see already prepared for me. But I exhorte yow, that
ye love the word of God, your salvatioun, and suffer patientlie, and
with a confortable harte, for the wordis saik, which is your undoubted
salvatioun and everlesting conforte. Moirover, I pray yow, shew my
brethrene and sisteris, which have heard me oft befoir, that thei cease
nott nor leve of to learne the word of God, which I taught unto thame,
after the grace gevin unto me, for no persequutionis nor trubles in
this world, which lestith nott. And schaw unto thame, that my doctrine
was no wyffes fables, after the constitutions maid by men; and yf I had
taught menis doctrin, I had gottin grettar thankis by men. Bot for the
wordis saik, and trew Evangell, which was gevin to me by the grace of
God, I suffer this day by men, not sorowfullie, but with a glaid harte
and mynd. For this caus I was sent, that I should suffer this fyre for
Christis saik. Considder and behold my visage, ye sall not see me change
my cullour. This gryme fyre I fear nott; and so I pray yow for to do, yf
that any persecutioun come unto yow for the wordis saik; and nott to
fear thame that slay the body, and afterwarte have no power to slay the
saule. Some have said of me, that I taught, that the s