discourse. But these served only to increase the heat of persecution from their adversaries. Impotent themselves, and finding their diocesan either unable or unwilling to work their purposes, they determined upon an appeal to the high powers; and heavy complaints were carried to court of the increase of heresy, not without formal depositions against the principal abettors of it. The principal persons, at this time concerned in ecclesiastical affairs, were cardinal Wolsey, Warham,. archbishop of Canterbury, and Tunstal, bishop of London; and as Henry VIII. was now in expectation of having the business of his divorce ended in a regular way at Rome, he was careful to observe all forms of civility with the pope. The cardinal therefore erected a court, consisting of bishops, divines, and canonists, to put the laws in execution against heresy: of this court Tunstal was made president; and Bilney, Latimer, and one or two more, were called before him. Bilney was considered as the heresiarch, and against him chiefly the rigor of the court was levelled, and they succeeded so far that he was prevailed upon to recant; accordingly he bore his faggot (a token of recantation and penance), and was dismissed. As for Mr. Latimer, and the rest, they had easier terms. Tunstal omitted no opportunities of shewing mercy, and was dextrous in finding them. The heretics, upon their dismission, returned to Cambridge, where they were received with open arms by their friends. Amidst this mutual joy, Bilney alone seemed unaffected; he shunned the sight of his acquaintance, and received their congratulations with confusion and blushes. In short, he was struck with remorse for what he had done, grew melancholy, and after leading a life for two years in all the severity of an ascetic, he resolved to acknowledge the truth unto death. Bilney's sufferings, far from shocking the Reformation at Cambridge, inspired the leaders of it with new courage. Mr. Latimer began now to exert himself more than he had yet done, and succeeded to that credit, which Mr. Bilney had so long supported. He constantly preached in Dr. Barnes's church, and assisted him in the discharge of his pastoral duty. Among other instances of his zeal and resolution, he gave one which was indeed very remarkable: he had the courage to write to the king against against a proclamation then just published, forbidding the use of the Bible in English, and other books on religious subjects. He had preached before his majesty once or twice at Windsor, and had been taken notice of by him in a more affable manner, than that monarch usually indulged towards his subjects. But whatever hopes of preferment his sovereign's favour might have raised in him, he chose to put all to the hazard, rather than omit what he thought his duty. Though the influence of the Popish party then prevailed so far, that this letter produced no effect; yet the king, no way displeased, received it not only with temper, but with great condescension, graciously thanking him for his well intended advice. The king loved sincerity and openness; and Mr. Latimer's plain and simple manner had before made a favourable impression upon him, which this letter contributed not a little to strengthen; and the part he acted in promoting the establishment of the king's supremacy, in 1535, rivetted him in the royal favour. Dr. Butts, the king's physician, being sent to Cambridge on that occasion, and upon the affair of the king's divorce, began immediately to pay his court to the Protestant party, from whom the king expected unanimity in his favour. Among the first, he made his application to Mr. Latimer, as a person most likely to serve him; begging that he would collect the opinions of his friends in the case, and do his utmost to bring over those of most eminence, who were still inclined to the papacy. Mr. Latimer, being a thorough friend to the cause he was to solicit, undertook it with his usual zeal, and discharged himself so much to the satisfaction of the doctor, that, when that gentleman returned to court, he took Mr. Latimer along with him, in the design, no doubt, of procuring him a proper consideration. About this time a person was rising into power, who became his chief friend and patron-the lord Cromwell, who, being a friend to the Reformation, encouraged of course such churchmen, as most inclined towards it. Among those was Mr. Latimer, for whom his patron very soon obtained the benefice of West Kingston, in Wiltshire, whither he resolved, as soon as possible, to repair and keep a constant residence. His friend Dr. Butts, surprized at this resolution, did what he could to dissuade him from it; saying, "You are deserting, said he, the fairest fairest opportunities of making your fortune: the prime minister intends this only as an earnest of his future favours, and will certainly in time do great things for you. But it is the manner of courts to consider them as provided for, who seem to be satisfied; and, take my word for it, an absent claimant stands but a poor chance among rivals, who have the advantage of being present." Thus the old courtier advised. Eat these arguments had no weight. He left the palace, therefore, and entered immediately upon the duties of his parish. Nor was he satisfied within those limits; he extended his labours throughout the county, where he observed the pastoral care most neglected, having for that purpose obtained a general licence from the university of Cambridge. As his manner of preaching was very popular in those times, the pulpits every where were gladly opened for him; and at Bristol, where he often preached, he was much countenanced by the magistrates. But this reputation was too much for the Popish clergy to suffer; and their opposition first broke out at Bristol. The mayor had appointed him to preach there on Easter day. Public notice had been given, and all people were pleased; when suddenly there came out an order from the bishop, prohibiting any one to preach there without his licence. The clergy of the place waited upon Mr. Latimer, informed him of the bishop's order, and, knowing that he had no such licence, "were extremely sorry, that they were, by that means, deprived of the pleasure of hearing an excellent discourse from him." Mr. Latimer received their compliment with a smile; for he had been apprized of the affair, and well knew, that these were the very persons who had written to the bishop against him. Their opposition became afterwards more public; the pulpits were made use of to spread their invectives against him, and such liberties were taken with his character, that he thought it necessary to justify himself, and accordingly called upon his maligners to accuse him publicly before the mayor of Bristol: and, with all men of candour, he was justified; for when that magistrate convened both parties, and put the accusers upon producing legal proof of what they had said, nothing of that kind appeared; but the whole accusation was left to rest upon the uncertain evidence of some hearsay information. But the party against against him became daily stronger, and more inflamed. It consisted, in general, of the country priests in those parts, headed by some divines of more eminence. These persons, after mature deliberation, drew up articles against him, extracted chiefly from his sermons; in which he was charged with speaking lightly of "the worship of saints;" with saying," there was no material fire in hell," and that "he would rather be in purgatory than in Lollards tower." This charge being laid before the bishop of London, that prelate cited Mr. Latimer to appear before him; and, when he appealed to his own ordinary, a citation was obtained out of Warham's (the archbishop's) court, where the bishop of London and some other bishops were commissioned to examine him. An archiepiscopal citation brought him necessarily to a compliance. His friends would have had him fly from it; but their persuasions were in vain. He set out for London in the depth of winter, and under a severe fit of the stone and cholic, and in the sixty-sixth year of his age; but he was more distressed at the thoughts of leaving his parish exposed to the Popish clergy, who he feared might undo in his absence and detention, what he had hitherto done. On his arrival at London, a court of bishops and canonists were ready to receive him; where, instead of being examined, as he expected, about his sermons, a paper was put into his hands, which he was ordered to subscribe, declaring his belief in the efficacy of masses for the souls in purgatory, of prayers to the dead saints, of pilgrimages to their sepulchres and relics, the pope's power to forgive sins, the doctrine of merit, the seven sacraments, and the worship of images: and, when he refused to sign it, the archbishop, with a frown, begged he would consider what he did. "We intend not, says he, Mr. Latimer, to be hard upon you; we dismiss you for the present; take a copy of the articles, -examine them carefully, and God grant that, at our next meeting, we may find each other in better temper." The next and several succeeding meetings, the same scene was acted over again. He continued inflexible; and they continued to distress him. Three times every week they regularly sent for him, with a view either to draw something from him by captious questions, or to teaze him at length into compliance. Of one of these examinations he E .. gives us the following account: "I was brought out, says he, to be examined in the same chamber as before; but, at this time, it was somewhat altered: for, whereas, before, there was a fire in the chimney, now the fire was taken away, and an arras hanged over the chimney, and the table stood near the chimney's end. There was, among these bishops that examined me, one with whom I have been familiar, and whom I took for my great friend, an aged man, and he sat next the table-end. Then, among other questions, he put forth one, a very subtle and crafty one; and when I should make answer: I pray you, Mr. Latimer, said he, speak out, I am very thick of hearing, and there be many that sit afar off.' I marvelled at this, that I was bidden to speak out, and began to misdeem, and gave an ear to the chimney; and there I heard a pen plainly scratching behind the cloth.-They had appointed one there to write all my answers, that I should not start from them. God was my good Lord, and gave me an swers; I could never else have escaped them." At length he was tired out with such usage; and, when he was next summoned, instead of going himself, he sent a respectful letter to the archbishop. The bishops, however, still continued their persecution, till their schemes were frustrated by an unexpected hand. The king being informed, most probably by lord Cromwell's means, of Mr. Latimer's ill usage, interposed in his behalf, and rescued him out of the hands of his enemies. A figure of so much simplicity, and such an apostolic appearance as his at court, did not fail to strike queen Ann Boleyn, who was the favourite wife of Henry, and a great friend to the reformed religion. This unfortunate queen mentioned him to her friends, as a person, in her opinion, as well qualified, as any she had seen, to forward the Reformation; the principles of which she had imbibed from her youth. Lord Cromwell raised Latimer still higher in her esteem, and they both joined in an earnest recommendation of him for a bishopric to the king, who, remembering probably the sincerity of his letter to him, did not want much solicitation in his favour. The sees of Worcester and Salisbury were at that time vacant, by the deprivation of Ghinuccii and Campegio, two Italian bishops, who fell under the king's displeasure, upon his rupture with Rome. The former of these was offered to Latimer; and, as he VOL. III.-No. 59. Сс had |