FEMALE BIOGRAPHY.

MRS. ANN ASKEW.

"Like as the armed knight,
Appointed to the field,
With this world will I fight,

And faith shall be my shield.”
MRS. ASKEW's Prison Thoughts.

THERE is not, throughout the whole extent of human observation, a more interesting spectacle, than that of a Christian rejoicing in tribulation, enabled by the sustaining influence of religion, to rise superior to the pressure of the most intolerable calamities, and even retaining his constancy in the midst of sufferings, which the feeling mind shrinks back from contemplating. But how much is our admiration heightened, and what trains of solemn and afflicting images crowd upon the mind, when the object of sympathy and veneration is a youthful and accomplished female; consigned to all the violence of persecution by the unrelenting cruelty of those,

whom Heaven and nature had equally appointed her protectors! not for any dereliction of moral principle, or deficiency in active virtue, but, because her religious principles were derived from the reading of that sacred volume, which is alike offered us under all circumstances, but which we, alas! are too frequently disposed to consider rather as a friend, whose assistance may be required in the season of adversity, than as the cherished companion of our happier hours.

The difference is a wide and essential one, between supporting the character of a Christian when surrounded by all the accompaniments of domestic happiness and social gratification, and of retaining an unaltered character under the oppressions of an inhuman husband, the solitude of a dungeon, and the prospect of racks and fires; yet such was the case with Mrs. Askew. Her unmerited sufferings and heroic death, have afforded a triumphant instance, that, although deprived of every earthly consolation, and surrounded by all the horrors which imagination can conceive, the peace of a good conscience, and the prospect of a happy eternity, can enable their possessor to welcome with a smile the pale messenger of death.

This amiable young woman was the daughter of Sir William Askew or Ayscough, of Kelsey, in the county of Lincoln. Her natural talents

were of a very superior description, and they were improved by the advantage of a learned education, which, according to the custom of that time, she had received in common with ladies of her rank. Unfortunately for the happiness of his daughter, the disposition of Sir William Ayscough was extremely mercenary; and, on the death of her eldest sister, who had been engaged in marriage to a rich gentleman of the name of Kyme, she was compelled, though exceedingly against her inclination, to give him her hand.

The following account of this unfortunate connexion, which appears to have been the source of many of her afflictions, is thus related in Bale's" Lattre Examinacyons of Anne Askew," and is peculiarly interesting, not only from its originality, but also as affording a striking proof of the native sweetness of her disposition.

"Concernynge Mastre Kyme, thys shulde seme to be the matter. Her father, Sir Wyllyam Askewe, knight, and hys father, olde Mastre Kyme, were sumtyme neybers, within the countye of Lyncolneshyre. Whereupon, the said Sir Wyllyam covenaunted with hym for lucre, to have hys eldest daughter marryed with hys sonne and heyre, an ungodlye manner, in Englande moch used amonge noble men.

So

And as it was her chaunce to dye afore the tyme of marryage, to save the moneye, he constrayned thys (Anne Askewe) to supplye her rowme. that in the ende, she was compelled against her wyll or fre consent to marrye with him. Notwithstandynge, the marryage once past, she demeaned herselfe lyke a Christen wyfe, and had two children. In processe of tyme, by oft readynge of the sacred Bible, she fell clerelye from all olde superstycyons of Papystry to a perfyght beleve in Jhesus Christ, whereby she so offended the prestes, that he at their suggestion drove her out of hys house. Whereopon she thought herselfe free from that uncomely kynde of coacted marryage by thys doctrine of Saint Paule. 1 Cor. vii. If a faythful woman have an unbelevinge husband, which will not tarrye with her, she maye leave hym, for a brother or sister is not in subjectyon to soch. Upon this occasyon, I heard saye, she sought of the law a dyvorcement from hym, namelye, and above all, bycause he so cruellye drove her out of his house in despyghte of Christes veryte. She could not think him worthye of her marryage, whych so spyghtfullye hated God, the chefe autor of marryage. Of thys matter was she first examyned, I thynke at his instaunt laboure and sute."

In consequence of the harsh treatment of

her husband, Mrs. Askew hastened to London, where she resolved to implore the protection of the king against the persecutions of her husband's family, who, exasperated by the religious sentiments which she had adopted, still continued to follow her with the most unrelenting animosity. Alas! that king was no other than Henry VIII., who, although he had cast off the temporal authority of the Pope, was warmly attached to the opinions of the church of Rome, and had not the slightest regard for the rights of conscience.

Several ladies of the court of England, and especially queen Catherine Parr, who was a zealous friend to the Reformation, were, however, warmly interested in the merit and misfortunes of Mrs. Askew; and while they secretly endeavoured to promote the gradual extension of that light, which had lately begun to revisit a world involved in moral darkness, they sought to shelter under the patronage of royalty itself, the virtuous and accomplished fugitive who had fled to them for refuge. But these distinguished ladies had powerful enemies at court, and they were consequently obliged to act with considerable caution. Gardiner, bishop of Winchester,

Mrs. Askew appears never to have taken the name of Kyme.