The governor then proceeded to inquire the quality of the English commander, and the prisoner's opinion what were the motives that prevented his accepting an invitation from him to come on shore. He demanded, likewise, the names of the English captains in the squadron, and what knowledge he had of the embarkation, or preparation for it before its. departure for England. Upon his denying any knowledge of the matter, he was accused of being a traitor and spy, who came directly to favor and assist in the designs that were projected against Spain; and, that he had been, for that purpose, nine months in Seville, in order to procure intelligence of the time the Spanish navy was expected from the Indies. They exclaimed against his familiarity with the officers of the fleet and many other English gentlemen, between whom, they said, unusual civilities had passed, but they had all been carefully noticed.

Besides, to sum up the whole, and put the truth past all doubt, they said he came from a council of war, held that morning on board the admiral's ship, in order to put in execution the orders assigned him.

They upbraided him with being accessory to the burning of the island of St. Thomas, in the West Indies. "Wherefore,” said they, "these Lutherans, ought to have no credit given to what they say or swear."

In vain did Lithgow endeavor to obviate every accusation. laid against him, and to obtain belief from his prejudiced judges. He begged permission to send for his papers, which might serve to show his innocence. They complied with his request, thinking it would discover some things of which they were ignorant. They were accordingly brought, and on being opened, among other things, was found a license from king James the First, under the sign manual, setting forth the bearer's intention to travel into Egypt, which was treated by the haughty Spaniards with great contempt.

The other papers consisted of passports, testimonials, &c., of persons of quality. All these credentials, however, seemed rather to confirm than abate the suspicions of the judges, who after seizing all the prisoner's papers, ordered him to with

draw. In the mean time a consultation was held, to fix the place where the prisoner should be confined.

The chief judge was for putting him in the town prison; but this was objected to by another, who said, "In order to prevent the knowledge of his confinement from reaching his countrymen, I will take the matter on myself, and be answerable for the consequences;" upon which it was agreed, that he should be confined in the governor's house, with the greatest secrecy. Every thing was taken from him, and he was conveyed to a retired room, and left to his own private contemplation.

The next day he received a visit from the governor, who promised him his liberty, with many other advantages, if he would confess being a spy; but on his protesting that he was entirely innocent, the governor left him in a rage, saying, he should see him no more till torments constrained him to confess; commanding the keeper, to whose care he was committed, that he should permit no person whatever, to have access to, or commune with him; that his sustenance should not exceed three ounces of musty bread, and a pint of water every second day; that he should be allowed neither bed, pillow, or covering. "Close up," said he, "this window in his room with lime and stone; stop up the holes of the door with double mats; let him have nothing that bears any relation to comfort." These, and several other orders of the like severity, were given to render it impossible for his condition to be known to those of the English nation.

In this wretched and melancholy condition, poor Lithgow continued for several days, in which time the governor received an answer to a letter he had written, relative to the prisoner from Madrid; and, pursuant to the instructions given him began to put in practice dreadful cruelties.

On the forty-seventh day of his imprisonment, about two o'clock in the morning, he heard a noise of a coach in the street, and sometime afterward heard the opening of the prison-doors, for he had no sleep for two nights, on account of his hunger, pain, and melancholy reflections.

Soon after, he was seized, placed in the coach, and carried

to a place without the town, where tortures awaited him. At day-break the next morning, arrived the governor and his officers, into whose presence Lithgow was brought to undergo another examination.

He desired he might have an interpreter, which was allowed to strangers by the laws of that country, but this was refused, nor would they permit him to appeal to Madrid, the superior court of judicature. After a long examination, which lasted from morning till night, there appeared in all his answers, so exact a conformity with what he had before said, that they declared he had learned them by heart, there being not the least prevarication. They, however, pressed him again to make a full discovery; that is, to accuse himself of crimes never committed, the governor adding, “You are still in my power; I can set you free if you comply; if not I must deliver you to the alcaid." As he still persisted in his innocence, the notary was ordered to draw up a warrant for delivering him up to be tortured.

In consequence of this, he was conducted to a stone gallery to be placed upon the rack, and his irons being taken off, he fell upon his knees, uttering a short prayer, that God would enable him to be steadfast, and courageously endure the trials before him.

It were impossible to conceive the extremity of suffering he endured for many hours. A little cordial was at last given him, more for the purpose of reserving him for future punishment, rather than from a principle of charity or compassion.

As a confirmation of this, orders were given for a coach to pass every morning before day, by the prison, that the noise made by it, might give fresh terror and alarm to the unhappy prisoner, and deprive him of all possibility of obtaining the least repose.

He continued in this dreadful situation, almost starved for want of the common necessaries to preserve his wretched existence, with little hope of ever being released from the power of the cruel Spaniards. Till this time, they had punished him for treason, but now they began upon his religion,

and finally gave him eight days to consider and resolve whether he would become a convert to their faith.

The inquisitor told him he, with other religious orders, would attend him for the purpose of rendering assistance thereto, and during one of their first interviews, he was asked, what he had on his conscience that prevented his conversion, to which he answered, "he had not any doubts in his mind, being confident in the promises of Christ, and assuredly believing His revealed will signified in the gospels, as professed in the reformed Catholic church, being confirmed by grace, and having infallible assurance thereby of the true christian faith." This obtained for him the appellation of "absurd heretic," and the like, upon which he told them, "it was not consistent with the nature and essence of religion and charity, to convince by opprobrious speeches, racks, and torments, but by arguments deduced from Scripture; and that all other methods would with him prove ineffectual."

The priests seeing that even the fear of the cruel sentence he had reason to expect would be pronounced against him, did not shake his constancy, left him to prepare for new scenes of cruelty. Oh, the wickedness of the human heart, when under the dominion of Satan!

So terrible had his situation become, that Lithgow longed for the day that should put a period to his sufferings; but his expectations were, by the interposition of Providence, happily rendered abortive, and his deliverance obtained through the interference of a Flemish youth, in the governor's house, who hazarded his life, by telling the tragical story of the prisoner's confinement and sufferings to an Englishman. By this means it reached the ears of the English ambassador, who presented a memorial to the king and council of Spain, and obtained an order for the sufferer's release. By these means, under God, Lithgow was restored from the most wretched spectacle, to a tolerable share of health and strength; but he lost the use of his left arm, and several of the smaller bones were so crushed and broken as to be ever after rendered useless.

We can not help indulging the reflection at the close, how

manifestly Providence interfered in behalf of this poor man, when he was on the brink of destruction; for by his sentence, from which there was no appeal, he would have been taken, in a few days, to Granada, and burnt to ashes. By such secondary means does Providence frequently interfere in behalf of the virtuous and oppressed, of which this is a most distinguished example.

CHAPTER XXIX.

George Wishart.

EFFORTS TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL; DECEPTION OF THE CARDINAL TO PUT

AN END TO HIS LIFE; TRIUMPHANT FAITH AT THE LAST.

HIS man was born in Scotland, and was one of those noble spirits that Cambridge trained for usefulness, not only in literature, but also in religion.

After leaving that institution, he traveled in various parts of the country, where he distinguished himself for his great learning and abilities, both in philosophy and divinity.

After being some time abroad, he returned to England, and took up his residence at Cambridge, where he was admitted a member of Bennet College.

Having taken his degrees, he entered into holy orders, and expounded the gospel in so clear and intelligible a manner, as highly to please his numerous auditors.

Being desirous of propagating the true gospel in his own. country, he left Cambridge in 1554, and on his arrival in Scotland preached at Montrose, and afterward at Dundee. At the latter place he made a public exposition of the epistle to the Romans, which he went through with such grace and freedom, as greatly alarmed the papists.

In consequence of this, at the instigation of the archbishop, one of the principal men of Dundee went to the church where he was preaching, and in the midst of his discourse told