A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Askew
ASKEW, or AYSCOUGH (ANNE) Daughter of Sir William Askew, of Kelsay, in Lincolnshire, Wife of a Mr. Kyme, burnt July, 16, 1546, aged 25.
A match having been made by the parents of this lady, and of Mr. Kyme, between the son of the latter and her elder sister, who died before it took place; Sir William having paid part of the portion, compelled his second daughter, Anne, a young woman of great beauty, to accept the hand of her intended brother-in-law much against her inclination, though after the marriage had taken place, she fulfilled her duties as a wife and mother, in a most exemplary manner. The doctrines of the reformers making, at that time, much noise, Anne, who was both learned and pious in a high degree, applied herself to reading the Bible, and became a protestant; which so offended her husband, that, by the suggestions of the priests, he drove her violently from his house. On this cruel usage, she came to London to procure a divorce, and to seek the protection of those at court who pretended, or did favour the protestant cause. But it was not long before, by the procurement of her husband, and the vigilance of the priests, she was taken into custody, and several times examined concerning her faith, of which she herself wrote a long account, afterwards published by bishop Bale.
Her first examination was in March, 1545, by Christopher Dare, inquisitor; afterwards by a certain priest, by the lord mayor of London, and the bishop's chancellor, upon the usual topics of transubstantiation, reading the scriptures, of masses for the help of departed souls, and other articles; to which she gave very proper and pertinent answers. Then she was committed to the Compter, where she was kept eleven days, no friend being permitted to speak with her, nor any bail or sureties to be taken for her deliverance from prison.
On March 23, Mr. Britayne, her cousin, obtained leave to visit her in the Compter, and endeavoured all he could to bail her. First, with the mayor, then with the chancellor, and, lastly, with Bonner, bishop of London. This occasioned her to be brought before his lordship, on March 23d, who, with much seeming kindness, told her he was sorry for her troubles, but withal, desired to know her opinion in such things as were alledged against her; and, after much discourse with the bishop and the rest, about transubstantiation, the mass, &c. she was at last bailed, her cousin Mr. Britayne, and Mr. Spilman, of Gray's Inn, being sureties.
Not long after this she was again apprehended, brought before the king's council at Greenwich, and examined by chancellor Wriothesly, Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, Dr. Cox, and Dr. Robinson, upon the old topics; but not being able to convince her of her supposed errors, she was sent to Newgate, though extremely ill.
She was soon after condemned to be burnt, as a heretic, which she denied being. "But, as concerning the faith which I uttered and wrote to the council, I would not (I said) deny it, because I knew it true. After that, they willed me, to have a priest, and then I smiled; then they asked me if it were not good? I said, I would confess my faults unto my God. For I was sure he would hear me with favour. And so we were condemned with a quest."
After her condemnation, her chief support was the goodness of her cause, which afforded her great consolation; and even seems to have made her entertain some hopes of a pardon, even from this unjust tribunal, as appears from two letters which she wrote to the king and the lord chancellor; asserting, in a general but simple way, her own innocence: that she abhorred all heresies, and believed, concerning the supper of the Lord, all that he himself said, and all that was taught by the true church.
Then she proceeds to give an account of her examination and inhuman treatment after her departure from Newgate: that she went from thence to the sign of the Crown, where Mr. Rich and the bishop of London endeavoured, with all their power, to pervert her from the faith, charging her to discover all those she knew of her opinion, particularly some ladies of quality, which, by evasive answers, she refused to do. Then they sent her to the Tower, and put her upon the rack, and kept her on it a long time, because she would make no confession. "And because," says she, "I lay still and did not cry, my lord chancellor and Mr. Rich took pains to rack me with their own hands till I was well nigh dead. Then the lieutenant caused me to be loosed from the rack. Incontinently I swooned, and then they recovered me again. After that I sat two long hours reasoning with my lord chancellor, upon the bare floor, whereas he, with many flattering words, persuaded me to leave my opinions. But my Lord God (I thank his everlasting goodness) gave me grace to persevere, and will do, I hope, to the end.
"Then I was brought to an house and laid in a bed, with as weary and painful bones as ever had patient Job; I thank my God therefore. Then my lord chancellor sent me word, if I would leave my opinions I should want nothing: but, if I would not, I should forthwith go to Newgate, and so be burned. I sent him again word, that I would rather die than to break my faith."
Being led to the stake, letters were brought from the lord chancellor, offering her the king's pardon if she would recant. She not only refused to look at them, but returned this answer: "that she came not thither to deny her Lord and Master." The same letters were also tendered to the other three who suffered with her, who, imitating her example, refused to look at them. Whereupon the lord mayor commanded the fire to be kindled, crying out fiat justitia. And the faggots being lighted, she surrendered her soul to God.