Around 800 rich Protestants, including John Foxe, fled into exile.Waller, p. 113. Those who stayed and persisted in publicly proclaiming their beliefs became targets of heresy laws.Solly, Meilan. "The Myth of 'Bloody Mary'". Smithsonian Magazine. March 12, 2020. The first executions occurred over five days in February 1555: John Rogers on 4 February, Laurence Saunders on 8 February, and Rowland Taylor and John Hooper on 9 February.Whitelock, p. 262. Thomas Cranmer, the imprisoned archbishop of Canterbury, was forced to watch Bishops Ridley and Latimer being burned at the stake. He recanted, repudiated Protestant theology, and rejoined the Catholic faith.Loades, p. 325; Porter, pp. 355–356; Waller, pp. 104–105. Under the normal process of the law, he should have been absolved as a repentant, but Mary refused to reprieve him. On the day of his burning, he dramatically withdrew his recantation.Loades, p. 326; Waller, pp. 104–105; Whitelock, p. 274. In total, 283 were executed, most by burning.Duffy, p. 79; Waller, p. 104. The burnings proved so unpopular that even Alfonso de Castro, one of Philip's own ecclesiastical staff, condemned themPorter, pp. 358–359; Waller, p. 103; Whitelock, p. 266. and another adviser, Simon Renard, warned him that such "cruel enforcement" could "cause a revolt".Waller, p. 102. Mary persevered with the policy, which continued for the rest of her reign and exacerbated anti-Catholic and anti-Spanish feeling among the English people.Waller, pp. 101, 103, 105; Whitelock, p. 266. The victims became lauded as martyrs.See for example, the Oxford Martyrs.
Around 800 rich Protestants, including John Foxe, fled into exile.Waller, p. 113. Those who stayed and persisted in publicly proclaiming their beliefs became targets of heresy laws.Solly, Meilan. "The Myth of 'Bloody Mary'". Smithsonian Magazine. March 12, 2020. The first executions occurred over five days in February 1555: John Rogers on 4 February, Laurence Saunders on 8 February, and Rowland Taylor and John Hooper on 9 February.Whitelock, p. 262. Thomas Cranmer, the imprisoned archbishop of Canterbury, was forced to watch Bishops Ridley and Latimer being burned at the stake. He recanted, repudiated Protestant theology, and rejoined the Catholic faith.Loades, p. 325; Porter, pp. 355–356; Waller, pp. 104–105. Under the normal process of the law, he should have been absolved as a repenta.nt, but Mary refused to reprieve him. On the day of his burning, he dramatically withdrew his recantation.Loades, p. 326; :Waller, pp. 104–105; Whitelock, p. 274. In total, 283 were executed, most by burning.Duffy, p. 79; Waller, p. 104. The burnings proved so unpopular that even Alfonso de Castro, one of Philip's own ecclesiastical staff, condemned themPorter, pp. 358–359; Waller, p. 103; Whitelock, p. 266. and another adviser, Simon Renard, warned him that such "cruel enforcement" could "cause a revolt".Waller, p. 102. Mary persevered with the policy, which continued for the rest of her reign and exacerbated anti-Catholic and anti-Spanish feeling among the English people.Waller, pp. 101, 103, 105; Whitelock, p. 266. The victims became lauded as martyrs.See for example, the Oxford Martyrs.