What happens when one of England’s earliest reformers loses his nerve—yet dies for it anyway?

On this day in Tudor history, 19th August 1531, Thomas Bilney, priest and preacher from Norfolk, was burned at the stake in Norwich’s infamous Lollards’ Pit.

Bilney had once been a fiery voice for reform—distributing William Tyndale’s books, preaching against saints and pilgrimages, and even inspiring future martyrs like Hugh Latimer. But under pressure, he broke. He recanted. He regretted it. And in the end… he couldn’t live with his denial.

In this video, I’ll explore Bilney’s:
- Early life and Cambridge career
- Spiritual awakening through Erasmus’s New Testament
- Fiery preaching and arrest under Cardinal Wolsey
- His fateful abjuration—and why he couldn’t bear it
- Final arrest, tr ...