On this day in history, 2nd May 1550, Anabaptist Joan Bocher, was burnt to death at Smithfield for her belief in Christ's celestial flesh.

 

How did a Protestant end up being executed in Edward VI's reign and what did she mean by Christ having celestial flesh?

 

Find out more about Joan Bocher, or Joan of Kent, her beliefs and her links to Protestant martyr Anne Askew, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, author of several Tudor history books.

 

Also on this day in Tudor history, 2nd May 1568, Mary, Queen of Scots, who had recently been forced to abdicate in favour of her son, King James VI, successfully escaped from Lochleven Castle. 

How did she end up a prisoner at Lochleven? How did she escape? And what happened next? Find out in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/ozLwv3LaRY0

And on 2nd May 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn and her brother, Lord Rochford, were arrested and taken to the Tower of London. Find out more in the 2nd May 1536 video - https://youtu.be/ZJuAjJYzpcc 

 

You can see this podcast as a video at the following link:

https://youtu.be/hEF4mgSfWeg

 

Here's William Wordsworth’s sonnet “Edward siging the warrant for the execution of Joan of Kent”:

"THE tears of man in various measure gush

From various sources; gently overflow

From blissful transport some--from clefts of woe

Some with ungovernable impulse rush;

And some, coeval with the earliest blush

Of infant passion, scarcely dare to show

Their pearly lustre--coming but to go;

And some break forth when others' sorrows crush

The sympathising heart. Nor these, nor yet

The noblest drops to admiration known,

To gratitude, to injuries forgiven--

Claim Heaven's regard like waters that have wet

The innocent eyes of youthful Monarchs driven

To pen the mandates, nature doth disown."