Anne Askew was a Reformer who became widely known through her posthumously published works, The First Examination of Anne Askew (1546) and The Latter Examination of Anne Askew (1547), in which she re-creates her interrogations for heresy. Askew's work is memorable for its dramatic first-person narrative, for its careful crafting of the dialogue between Askew and a succession of government and church officials, and for its defiance of traditional injunctions against women publicly debating religious issues. In an often gripping account she reveals her sufferings and triumphs, presenting herself as a deeply pious and quick-witted opponent of her questioners. The Examinations are both spiritual autobiography and dramatic dialogue; as historical documents they offer insight into the religious and political controversies of Henry VIII's last days.

The fifth of six children, Askew was born in South Kelsey, Lincolnshire, around 1521 to Sir William Askew (also Ayscough) and Elizabeth Wrottesley Askew. The Askews...