Thomas Hawkes facts for kids
Thomas Hawkes was an English man who lived a long time ago, in the 1500s. He was a Protestant, which was a different type of Christian faith from the Roman Catholic Church. In 1555, during a time called the Marian Persecutions, he was put to death because he would not change his beliefs. He refused to have his son baptized (a special church ceremony) into the Roman Catholic Church.
Who Was Thomas Hawkes?
Thomas Hawkes lived in England during a time when the country was going through big changes in religion. The Queen at the time, Queen Mary I, wanted everyone in England to be Roman Catholic. However, many people, like Thomas Hawkes, had become Protestants. This led to a lot of trouble and sadness for those who did not agree with the Queen's religious views.
Standing Up for His Beliefs
Thomas Hawkes was asked by Edmund Bonner, who was a very important church leader (the Bishop of London), to stop being a Protestant and return to the Catholic faith. But Thomas Hawkes was very brave and strong in his beliefs. He told the Bishop: "No, my lord, I will not do that. Even if I had a hundred bodies, I would let them all be torn apart rather than give up my faith."
Because he refused to change his mind, Thomas Hawkes was sentenced to be burned at the stake. This terrible event happened in a town called Coggeshall in Essex, England.
A Brave Farewell
As Thomas Hawkes was being burned, he did something amazing. He threw his hands up and clapped them together three times. This was a secret signal to his friends watching that the pain, though terrible, could be endured. It showed them that he was still strong in his faith, even at the very end.
Thomas Hawkes' story, and the reasons why he was put to death, are written down in a famous book called Foxe's Book of Martyrs. This book tells the stories of many people who suffered for their religious beliefs during that time.
