turmoiled by wicked and evil disposed persons; so in his bishoprick, also, he was not all clear and void of some that sought his trouble. As among many other evil willers, one especially there was, and that no small person, which accused him then to the king for his sermons. The story, because he himself sheweth in a sermon of his before King Edward, I thought, therefore, to use his own words, which be these.

In the king's days that is dead, a great many of us were called together before him, to say our minds in certain matters. In the end, one kneeled down and accuseth me of a sedition; and that I had preached seditious doctrine. A heavy salutation, and a hard point of such a man's doing, as if I should name, ye would not think. The king turned to me, and said, What say you to that, sir? When I kneeled down, and turned me first to my accuser, and required him, Sir, what form of preaching would you appoint me in preaching before a king? would you have me preach nothing as concerning a king in the king's sermon? have you any commission to appoint me what I shall preach? besides this I asked him divers other questions, and he would make me no answer to any of them all; he had nothing to say. Then I turned me to the king and said, I never thought myself worthy, nor did I ever sue to be a preacher be fore your grace, but I was called to it, and would be willing (if you mislike me) to give place to my betters; for I grant there be a great many more worthy of the room than I am; and if it be your grace's pleasure so to allow them for preachers, I could be content to bear their books after them; but if your grace allow me for a preacher, I would desire your grace to give me leave to discharge my conscience, give me leave to frame my doctrine according to my audience. I had been a very dolt to have preached so at the borders of your realm, as I preach before your grace; and I thank Almighty God (which has always been my remedy) that my sayings were well accepted of the king, for, like a gracious lord, he turned into another communication. It is even as the Scripture saith, Cor regis in manu domini, i. e. the Lord directeth the king's heart. Certain of my friends came to me with tears in their eyes, and told me they looked I should have been in the Tower the same night.' Besides this, divers other conflicts and combats this godly bishop sustained in his own country and diocess, in taking the cause of right and equity against oppressions and wrong. As, for another example, there was at that time, not far from the diocess of Worcester, a certain justice of peace, whom here. I will not name, being a good man afterwards, and now deceased. This justice, in purchasing of certain land for his brother, or for himself, went about to wrong or damnify a poor man, who made his complaint to Master Latimer; he first hearing, then

tendering his rightful cause, wrote his letter to the gentleman, exhorting him to remember himself, to consider his cause, and to abstain from injury. The justice of peace, not content withall, (as the fashion of men is when they are told of their fault), sendeth word again in great displeasure, that he would not so take it at his hands with such threatening words, &c. Master Latimer hearing this, answered again by writing to a certain gentleman, the copy whereof, among his letters, hereafter followeth in the sequel of this story to be seen. It were a large and long process to story out all the doings, travels, and writings of this Christian bishop, neither have we expressed all that came to our hands; but this I thought sufficient for this present. Thus he continued in this laborious situation of a bishop the space of certain years, till the coming in of the six articles: when being distressed through the straightness of time, so that either he must lose the quiet of a good conscience, or else forsake his bishoprick,-he did of his own free accord resign his pastorship; at which time, Wharton, the Bishop of Salisbury, resigned likewise with him his bishoprick. And so these two remained a great space unbishopped, keeping silence till the time of King Edward of blessed memory. At what time he first put off his rochet in his chamber among his friends, suddenly he gave a skip in the floor for joy, feeling his shoulders so light, and being discharged (as he said) of such an heavy burden. Howbeit, neither was he so lightened, but that troubles and labours followed him wheresoever he went. a little after he had renounced his bishoprick, first he was almost slain, but sore bruised with the fall of a tree. When coming up to London for remedy, he was molested and troubled of the bishops, whereby he was again in no little danger, and, at length, was cast into the Tower, where he continually remained prisoner, till the time that blessed King Edward entered his crown, by means whereof the golden mouth of this preacher, long shut up before, was now opened again. And so he beginning afresh to set forth his plough again, continued all the time of the said king, labouring in the Lord's harvest most fruitfully, discharging his talent as well in divers other places of this realm, as in Stamford, and before the Dutchess of Suffolk (whose sermons be extant and set forth in print), as also in London in the convocation house; and especially before the king at the court: in the same place of the inward garden, which was before applied to lascivious and courtly pastimes, there he dispensed the fruitful word of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, preaching there before the king and his whole court to the edification of many. In this his painful travel, he occupied himself all King Edward's days, preaching for the most part every Sunday twice, to the no small shame of all other

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loytering and unpreaching prelates, which occupy great rooms, and do little good; and that so much more to their shame, because he being a sore bruised man by the fall of a tree, mentioned a little before, and above sixty-seven years of age, took so little ease and care of sparing himself to do the people good. How to speak here of his indefatigable travel and diligence in his own private studies, who notwithstanding both his years, and other pains in preaching, every morning ordinarily, winter and summer, about two of the clock in the morning, was at his book most diligently.

How careful his heart was of the preservation of the church, and the good success of the gospel, his letter can testify, wherewith he admonished such as then were in authority of their duty, and assisted them with his godly counsel. As the diligence of this man of God never ceased all the time of King Edward to profit the church, both publickly and privately, so among other doings in him to be noted, this is not lightly to be overpassed, but worthy to be observed, that God not only gave unto him his spirit, plenteously and comfortably, to preach his word unto his church, but also by the same Spirit he did so evidently foreshew and prophecy of all those kinds of plagues afore, which afterward ensued, that if England ever had a prophet, he might seem to be one; and as touching himself, he ever affirmed, that the preaching of the gospel would cost him his life, to the which he no less cheerfully prepared himself, than certainly was persuaded that Winchester was kept in the Tower for the same purpose, as the event did too truly prove the same. For after the death of the said blessed King Edward, not long after Queen Mary was proclaimed, a pursuivant was sent down (by the means, no doubt, of Winchester) into the country, to call him up, of whose coming, although Master Latimer lacked no fore-warning, being premonished about six hours before by one John Careless, yet so far off was it that he thought to escape, that he prepared himself towards his journey before the said pursuivant came to his house. At the which thing, when the pursuivant marvelled, seeing him so prepared towards his journey, he said unto him, My friend, you be a welcome messenger to me; and be it known unto you, and to all the world, that I go as willingly to London at this present, being called by my prince to render a reckoning of my doctrine, as ever I was at any place in the world. I doubt not but that God, as he hath made me worthy to preach his word before two excellent princes, so will he enable me to witness the same unto the third, either to her comfort or discomfort eternally, &c. At the which time the pursuivant, when he had delivered his letters, departed, affirming that he had commandment not to tarry for him. By whose sudden departure, it was

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manifest that they would not have him appear, but rather to have fled out of the realm. They knew that his constancy would deface them in their popery, and confirm the godly in the truth. Thus M. Latimer being sent for, and coming up to London, through Smithfield (where merrily he said, that Smithfield had long groaned for him), was brought before the council, where he, patiently bearing all the mocks and taunts given him by the scornful papists, was cast again into the Tower, where, he being assisted with the heavenly grace of Christ, sustained most patient imprisonment a long time, notwithstanding the cruel and unmerciful handling of the lordly papists, which thought then their kingdom would never fall; yet he shewed himself not only patient, but also cheerful in and above all that which they could or would work against him; yea, such a valiant spirit the Lord gave him, that he was able not only to despise the terribleness of prisons and torments, but also to deride and laugh to scorn the doings of his enemies as it is not unknown to the ears of many what he answered to the lieutenant being then in the Tower: for when the lieutenant's man upon a time came to him, the aged father, kept without fire in the frosty winter, and well nigh starved for cold, merrily bade the man tell his master, that if he did not look the better to him, perchance he would deceive him. The lieutenant hearing this, bethought himself of these words, and fearing lest that indeed he thought to make some escape, began to look more straightly to his prisoner, and so coming to him, beginneth to charge him with his words, reciting the same unto him which his man had told him before, how that if he were not better looked unto, perchance he would deceive him, &c. Yea, Master Lieutenant, so I said, quoth he, for you look, I think, that I should burn; but except you let me have some fire, I am like to deceive your expectation, for I am like here to starve for cold. Many such like answers and reasons, merry but savoury, coming not from a vain mind, but from a constant and quiet reason, proceeded from that man, declaring a firm and stable heart, little passing for all this great blustering of their terrible threats, but rather deriding the same.

Thus, Master Latimer passing a long time in the Tower, with as much patience as a man in his case could do, from thence was transported to Oxford, with Doctor Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Master Ridley, Bishop of London, there to dispute upon articles sent down from Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, as is before touched, the manner and order of which disputations between them and the University Doctors, is also before sufficiently expressed; where also is declared, how and by whom the said Latimer, with his other fellow prisoners, were condemned after the disputations, and so com

mitted again to the prison; and there they continued from the month of April above-mentioned to this present month of October; where they were most godly occupied, either with brotherly conference, or with fervent prayer, or with fruitful writing.

Albeit, Master Latimer, by reason of the feebleness of his age, wrote least of them all in this later time of his imprisonment; yet in prayer he was fervently occupied, wherein oftentimes so long he continued kneeling, that he was not able to rise without help; and, amongst other things, these were three principal matters he prayed for:

First, that as God had appointed him to be a preacher of his word, so also he would give him grace to stand to his doctrine until his death, that he might give his heart's blood for the same.

Secondly, that God, of his mercy, would restore his gospel to England once again, and these words, once again, once again, he did so inculcate and beat into the ears of the Lord God, as though he had seen God before him, and spoken to him face to face.

The third matter was, to pray for the preservation of the Queen's majesty that now is, whom in his prayers he was wont to name, and even with tears desired God to make her a comfort to this comfortless realm of England. These were the matters he prayed for so earnestly; neither were these things desired of him in vain, as the good success thereof after following declare; for the Lord most graciously did grant all those his requests. First, concerning his constancy, even in the most extremity the Lord graciously assisted him. For when he stood at the stake without Bocardo gate at Oxford, and the tormenters about to set the fire to him, and to the learned and godly Bishop M. Ridley, he lifted up his eyes towards heaven, with an amiable and comfortable countenance, saying these words, Fidelis est Deus, qui non sinit nos tentari supra id quod possumus. God is faithful, which doth not suffer us to be tempted above our strength; and so afterwards, by and bye, shed his blood in the cause of Christ; the which blood ran out of his heart in such abundance, that all those that were present, being godly, did marvel to see the most part of the blood in his body to be gathered to his heart, and with such violence to gush out, his body being opened by the force of the fire; by which thing God most graciously granted his request, which was, that he might shed his heart blood in the defence of the gospel. How mercifully was heard his second request in restoring the gospel once again unto this realm, these present days can best record. And what then shall England say now for his defence, which being so mercifully visited and refreshed with