18. … and Fall
Unfortunately for Hugh Latimer, the staunchly Protestant Edward VI died young and without issue. He was succeeded by his staunchly Catholic sister, Mary. She viewed Protestantism as a heresy, and sought to restore England to Catholicism. Mary ordered that prominent Protestants such as Latimer be imprisoned and tried for heresy. Latimer was tried in Oxford in 1555, along with fellow bishop Nicholas Ridley and Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. He refused to renounce his faith, so he was convicted of heresy and was sentenced to be burned at the stake.
Latimer was chained to the stake alongside Ridley. When the flames were lit, Ridley cried out in anguish. Although he himself was also being consumed by the fire, Latimer nonetheless tried to comfort his colleague, telling is fellow bishop: “be of good cheer, master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day light such a candle in England, as I hope, by God’s grace, shall never be put out.” It could be argued that the candle still burns. Queen Mary’s efforts to restore Catholicism failed. When she died in 1558, she was succeeded by her Protestant sister, Elizabeth I, and England has been Protestant ever since.