On this day in history, the 16th July 1546, Anne Askew, John Lascelles and two other Protestants were burned at the stake at Smithfield for heresy. Anne had been so severely tortured on the rack that she had to be carried to the stake and her body supported on the stake by a seat, but she refused to name any names (Catherine Parr was the name her torturers were looking for) and she died bravely for her faith.
You can read more about Anne Askew and see clips from her arrest and execution from “The Tudors” Season 4 in my article “Anne Askew Sentenced to Death”.
RIP Anne, John and friends.
