Anne Askew was martyred. She was a strong Protestant who openly refuted transubstantiation. Born in Lincolnshire, she discovered Protestantism early in life and spent much of her time reading Tyndale’s translation of the Bible. She spent six days reading the Bible at Lincoln Cathedral drawing the ire of the clergy. When she eventually arrived in London, she was drawn into the active circle of Protestants there. Her sister was married to Katherine Brandon’s lawyer. Katherine, who was the Duchess of Suffolk, was a strong supporter of the Reformation and one of the leading ladies-in-waiting to Queen Katherine Parr. The Duchess recommended Anne’s preaching to the Queen who hosted her at court. 

The women of the court were impressed by Anne’s preaching abilities and her remarkable command of scripture. She was arrested by the Bishop of London on charges of heresy and sent to prison when she refused to recant. She was later taken to the Tower of London where she was racked by the king’s councilors, Richard Rich and Thomas Wriothesley. They demanded that she give them the names of women in the Queen’s rooms who were Protestants, trying to induce her to implicate the queen herself in heresy. Anne refused to give up any names. She also refused to recant her faith. 

During her incarceration, most likely with the help of her servant, she wrote her testimony which she named The Examinations of Anne Askew. It was her attempt to share her story from her perspective to ensure that the men surrounding her didn’t distort the narrative. She is one of the few women in the early modern period who produced literature. Her work was later edited and published by the reformer John Bale who was in exile. 

Anne Askew was burned at Smithfield on charges of heresy. She was the first English gentlewoman to be racked in the Tower of London.