the martyrdom of derrick carver.
so great was the confusion in the high street after the flight of osbert clinton and his companions, and so threatening were the language and attitude of the populace, that it became a question with the sheriff whether it would not be prudent to postpone the execution to the following day. as a matter of precaution, derrick carver was taken into the entrance-hall of the hostel, the door of which was closed, and a guard placed before it.
here he was kept for nearly an hour, when captain brand returned with the intelligence that he had failed in capturing the rebels. these were joyful tidings to derrick carver, and he exclaimed, “now i shall die content!”
after a brief consultation between the sheriff and brand, it was decided that the execution should be proceeded with, upon which brand went forth with his men, and soon succeeded in clearing a space, as before, round the stake.
this done, derrick carver was again brought forth, and when he appeared on the threshold of the inn, a great cry arose from the people, and it became evident from the violence of their gestures and vociferations that another disturbance was at hand.
alarmed by these menacing demonstrations, sir richard de warren, who was of a somewhat timid nature, ordered the prisoner to be taken back, but brand insisted that the sentence must be carried out.
“we must not yield to intimidation,” he said. “the law must be carried out at all risks.”
358still the sheriff hesitated, when derrick carver interposed:—
“i pray you, sirs, let me speak to them,” he said. “they will listen to me.”
“speak to them if thou wilt,” rejoined brand. “but say nought to inflame them further, or it shall be worse for thee.”
having obtained this permission, carver called out in a loud voice to the assemblage, that he desired to address them, upon which the tumult and clamour instantly ceased.
“hear me, good friends,” he cried, amidst the sudden silence. “i am come here to give testimony by my death to truth and pure religion against antichrist and false doctrines, and i beseech you, if you hold with me in the faith, to let me die in peace. i would have my ending profitable to you, and not the cause of bloodshed and destruction even of my enemies.”
this address produced the effect desired, and from that moment the crowd became tranquil, and offered no further interruption to the proceedings.
seeing that order was restored, the sheriff committed the further conduct of the ceremonial to brand, and withdrew to the upper window overlooking the street, whence he could contemplate the tragical spectacle as from a tribune.
meantime, derrick carver, pushing aside father josfrid, marched up to the stake, and after embracing it tenderly, knelt down, and in tones of the utmost fervour prayed for strength and heavenly grace that he might by his death glorify the saviour’s holy name, ratify his gospel, comfort the hearts of the weary, confirm his church, and convert such as were to be converted. he further prayed for support during the grievous torments to which he was about to be subjected, offering himself up as a willing sacrifice and burnt-offering, and concluded by imploring that the blessing of the word, of which the realm was at present unhappily deprived, might be once more vouchsafed to it. this prayer, uttered aloud and with great earnestness, produced a profound impression on all who heard it.
seeing this, and anxious to efface the impression, father josfrid advanced towards him and said,—
“wretched man, thy last hour is arrived; but there is 359yet time to save thy soul if thou wilt recant thine heresies, and return to the church thou hast abandoned, but which is willing to receive thee.”
“hence with thee, tempter!” cried carver, rising to his feet. “wert thou to offer me all the riches of the earth, i would not become an idolater.”
thus rebuked, father josfrid withdrew, and his place was taken by two rough-looking men, one of whom rudely ordered the prisoner to make ready.
upon this, carver proceeded to divest himself of a portion of his apparel, and while he was thus employed, several persons among the crowd called out to him for a memorial, upon which he threw his garments amongst them, and they were instantly seized upon by a hundred eager hands, and rent in pieces, the fragments being carefully preserved by those who were fortunate enough to secure them.
as he was taking off his doublet, the sacred volume which had been the solace of his long imprisonment, and which he had kept about him to this moment, fell to the ground; seeing which, captain brand, who was standing by, picked it up, and with a look of disdain, tossed it into the tar-barrel near the stake.
the two rough-looking men, who had remained near the prisoner, now took hold of him, and raising him in their arms, set him within the barrel. thus disposed, carver’s first business was to take up the bible, and after pressing his lips to it, he threw it amidst the crowd.
greatly enraged by the act, captain brand called out in a furious voice to the person who had secured the prize to restore it instantly on pain of death, whereupon it was flung back, and was subsequently consigned to the flames.
a heavy chain was then passed around carver’s body and made fast to the stake. left to himself for a moment, the martyr then called out in a loud voice, “farewell, dear brethren, farewell! our church is encompassed about by deadly enemies, who seek its destruction, and it is for the restoration of that church that my blood is this day freely poured forth. it will not be shed in vain. comfort ye amid your troubles, and remain stedfast in your faith! happier days shall soon dawn upon you. farewell, o, farewell!”
no sooner had he concluded this valediction which was 360responded to by loud lamentations from the majority of the assemblage, than the men began to heap fagots around him, filling the barrel with dry gorse and brushwood.
before the pile, which was heaped up to his shoulders, could be lighted, the martyr exclaimed, “blessed are they who die in the lord. thrice blessed are they who die in the lord’s cause. fear not them that kill the body, for they cannot kill the soul. he that shall lose his life for my sake shall find it, saith our blessed saviour, in the which hope i now die. again, dear brethren, i bid you farewell!”
“a truce to thy blasphemy!” cried brand, seizing a torch and applying it to the pile.
fast and fierce burnt the fire, and quickly mounted the flame, but, to judge from the serene expression of his countenance, it might have been as innocuous to the martyr as was the blaze of the burning fiery furnace to the three israelites. not a groan escaped derrick carver, and his last words were, “i go to obtain my reward.”
captain brand was as good as his word. a rare bonfire was seen that day at lewes. fagots and brushwood were heaped upon the pile till the flames rose up higher than the upper windows of the old hostel, and the heat was so great, that those nearest the blazing mass drew back half scorched.
when the fire had burnt out, all that remained was a heap of ashes, in the midst of which stood a charred stake with an iron chain attached to it.
such was the martyrdom of derrick carver.
his memory is not forgotten in lewes; and on the fifth of november in each year, a great torchlight procession, composed of men in fantastic garbs and with blackened visages, and dragging blazing tar-barrels after them, parades the high street, while an enormous bonfire is lighted opposite the star inn, on the exact spot where derrick carver perished, into which, when at its highest, various effigies are cast. a more extraordinary spectacle than is presented by this commemoration of the marian persecutions in lewes it has never been our lot to witness.
end of the sixth book.
