Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2

*A brief digression touching the railing of Hubberdin against M. Latimer.

FOrasmuch as mention hath been made in this letter of Hubberdin, an old Divine of Oxford, a right painted Pharisey, and a great strayer abroad in all quarters of the realm to deface and impeach the springing of God's holy Gospel, something would be added more touching that man, whose doings and pageantes if they might be described at large, it were as good as any Enterlude for the Reader to behold. Who in all his life and in all his actions (in one word to describe him) seemeth nothing elles but a right Image or counterfayt, setting out unto us in lively colors the pattern of perfect hypocrisye. But because the man is now gone, to spare therefore the dead (although he little deserved to be spared, which never spared to work what vilany he could against the true servants of the Lord) this shall be enough for example sake, for all Christian men necessarily to observe, howe the said Hubberdin after his long railing in all places against Luther, Melangthon, Zwingli, John Frith, Tindale, Latimer, and all other like Professors, after his hypocritical opē alms given out of other men's purses, his long prayers, pretensed devotions, devout fastinges, his wolwarde going, and other his prodigious demeanor, riding in his long Gowne down to the Horse heels like a Pharisey, or rather like a slouen, dyrted up to the Horse belly, after his forged Tales and Fables, Dialogues, dreams, dauncinges, hoppinges and leapinges, with other like histrionical toys and gestures used in the Pulpit, and all against heretics: at last riding by a Church side where the youth of the Parishe were dancing in the Churchyarde, sodeinely this Silenus lighting from his horse, by occasion of their dancing came into the Church, and there causing the bell to tolle in the people, thought instead of a fit of mirth, to give them a Sermon of dancing. In the which Sermon after he had patched up certain common texts out of Scriptures, and then coming to the Doctors, first to Augustine, then to Ambrose, so to Jerome, and Gregory, Chrysostom, and other Doctors, had made them everyone (after his Dialogue manner) by name to answer to his call, and to sing after his tune for the probation of the sacrament of the altar against John Frith, Zwingli, Oecolampadius, Luther, Tyndale, Latimer, and other Heretics (as he called them) at last to show a perfect Hermonye of all these Doctors together, as he had made thē before to sing after his tune, so now to make them dance also after his Pype, first he calleth out Christ and his Apostles, then the Doctors and ancient Seniours of the Church, as in a round ring all to dance together: with Pype up Hubberdin. Now dance Christ, now dance Peter, Paul, now dance Agustine, Ambrose, Jerome, and thus old Hubberdin as he was dancing with his Doctors lustely in the Pulpit, against the Heretics, howe he stamped and took on I cannot tell, but crashe quoth the Pulpit, down cometh the dauncer, and there lay Hubberdyn not dancing, but sprawling in the midst of his audience: where altogether he brake not his neck, yet he so brake his leg the same time and bruised his old boanes, that he never came in Pulpit more, and died not long after the same. Whereupon when the Church Wardens were called and charged for the Pulpit being no stronger, they made answer again, excusing themselves that they had made their Pulpit for preaching, and not for dancing. &c. But to spend no more paper about this idle matter, now to our purpose again.

Amongest many other impugners and Aduersaryes, whereof there was no small sort which did infest this good man in Sermons: some also there were, which attempted the pen against him. In the number of whom was one Doctor Sherwoode, whom upon the same occasion of preaching of the Virgin Mary (or as they thought, against the Virgin) did invade him with his pen, writing against him in Latin, whose long Epistle, with M. Latimers answer also in Latin to the same, hereunder followeth.

Epistola Gulielmi Sherwodi aduersus Dominum Latymerum expostulatoria.

The copy of a letter sent by master Latimer, person of Westekington, in the county of Weltes. to Syr Edward Baynton Knight. Salutem in Christo.

RIght worshipful Syr, I recommend me unto youre maystership, with hearty thanks for your so friendly, so charitable, and so mindful remembrance of me so poor a wretch. Whereas of late I received your letters by M. Bonnam, perceiving therein both who be grieved w ^t me, wherefor, & what behooveth me to do, in case I must needs come up, which your goodness towards me w ^t all other such like to recompense, where as I myself am not able, I shall not cease to pray my Lord God, which both is able and also doth in deed reward all them that favor the favorers of his truth for his sake, for the truth is a common thing, pertaining to every man, for the which every man shall answer another day. And I desire favor neither of your maystership, neither of any man else, but in truth, and for the truth, I take God to witness which knoweth all. In very deed master Chancellor did show me that my Lord bishop of London had sent letters to him for me: and I made answer that he was mine Ordinary, and that both he might & should reform me as far as I needed reformation, as well and as soon as my Lord of London. And I would be very loath (now this deep winter) being so weak and so feeble (not only exercised with my disease in my head and side, but also with new, both the colike and the stone) to take such a journey: and though he might so do, yet he needed not, for he was not bound so to do: notwithstanding I said, if he to do my Lord of London pleasure to my great displeasure, would needs command me to go, I would obey his commandment: yea, though it should be never so great a greuance and painful to me: with the which answer he was content, saying he would certify my Lord of London thereof, trusting his Lordship to be content with the same: but as yet I hear nothing from him. M. Chancellor also said that my Lord of Londō maketh as though he wer greatly displeased with me, for y ^t I did contēpne his authority, at my last being in London. Forsooth I preached in Abbe-church, not certain then (as I remember) whether in his Dioces or no, intending nothing less then to contemn his authority, and this I did not of mine own suinge, or by mine own procuration, but at the request of honest merchaunt men (as they seemed to me) whose names I do not know, for they were not of mine acquaintance before: & I am glad thereof for their sakes, least if I knew thē I should be compelled to utter them so, and their godly desire to hear godly preaching should return to their trouble: for they required me very instantly, and to say y ^e truth even importunately. Whether they were of that parish or no, I was not certain: But they shown not only themselves but also many other to be very desirous to hear me, pretending, great hunger, and thyrst of the word of God & ghostly doctrine. And upon consideration, and to avoid all inconveniences, I put them of, and refused them twice or thrice, till at the last they brought me word that the Parson and Curate were not only content, but also desired me, notwithstanding that they certified him both of my name plainly, and also that I had not the bish. seal to show for me, but only a license of y ^e University, which Curate did receive me, welcommed me, and when I should go into the pulpite gave me the common benediction: so that I had not ben, alonely uncharitable, but also churlishly uncharitable if I would have said nay. Now all this supposed to be truth (as it is) I marvel greatly howe my Lord of London can allege any contempt, of him in me.

First, he did never inhibit me in my life, and if he did inhibit his Curate to receive me, what pertaineth that to me, which neither did know thereof, nor yet made any suit to the curate deceitfully, nor it did not appear to me very likely that the Curate would so little have regarded my Lord's inhibitiō, which he mayntayneth so vigilantly, not knowing my Lord's mind before. Therefore I coniected with myself that either the Curate was of such acquaintance with my Lord, that he might admit whom he would, or else (and rather) that it was a trayne and a trap laid before me, to the intent that my Lord himself, or other pertaining to him was appointed to have been there, and to have taken me if they could in my sermon, which conjecture both occasioned me somewhat to suspect those men which desired me, though they speak never so fair and friendly, and also rather to go. For I preach nothing, but if it might be so, I would my Lord him self might hear me every sermon I preach. So certain I am that it is truth, that I take in hand to preach. If I had w ^t power of my friends (the Curate gaynesaying and withstanding) presumed to have gone into the pulpitte, there had been something wherefore to pretend a contempt. I preached in Kent also, at the instaunt request of a Curate: yet here I not that his Ordinary layeth any contempt to my charge, or yet doth trouble the curate. I marvel not a little, how my Lord Bysh. of London, having so broad, wyde, and large Dioces committed unto his cure, and so peopled as it is, can have leisure for preaching and teaching the word of God, oportune importune, tempestiue, intempestiue, priuatim, publice to his own flock, i • stando, arguendo, exhortando, monendo, c • m omni lenitate & doctrina, have leisure (I say) either to trouble me, or to trouble him self w ^t me, so poor a wretch, a stranger to him & nothing pertaining to his cure, but as every man pertaineth to every man's cure, so intermixing & interm •• ling himself with another man's cure, as though he had nothing to do in his own. If I would do as some men seyn my Lord doth, gather up my • oil, as we call it, warely and narrowly, and yet neither preach for it in mine own cure, nor yet other where, peradventure he would nothing deny me. In very deed I did monish Judges and Ordynaryes to use charitable equity in their judgments towards such as been accused, namely of such accusers, which been as like to hear and bewray, as other been to say amiss, and to take men's words in the meaning thereof, and not to wrast them in another sense, then they were spoken in: for all such accusers and witnesses be false before God, as saint Jerome saith upon the xxvi. chapiter of Matthew. Nor yet I do not accompt those Judges well advised, which wittingly will give sentence after such witnesses, much less those which procure such witnesses against any man: nor I think not judges now a days so deeply confirmed in grace or so impeccable, but that it may behoove and become preachers to admonish thē to do well as well as other kinds of men, both great and small. And this I did, occasioned of the epistle which I declared. Rom. vi. wherein is this sentence, non istes sub lege, sed sub gratia, ye christen men y ^t believe in Christ, are not under the law. What a saying is this (quod I) if it be not rightly understand, that is as saint Paul did understand it? for the words sound as though he would go about to occasion Christian men to break law, seeing they be not under the law: and what tht pseudapostles, adversaries to saint Paul would so have taken them, and accused saint Paul of the same to my Lord of London? if my said Lord would have heard saint Paul declare his own mind, of his own words, then he should have escaped, and the false Apostles put to rebuke: if he would have rigorouslye followed vtennque allegata & probata, and have given sētense after relation of the accusers, then good S. Paul must have borne a fagot at Paul's cross, my Lord of London being his judge. Oh, it had ben a goodly sight to have seen saint Paul with a fagot on his back, evē at paules cross, my Lord of London Bishop of the same, sitting under the cross. Nay verily I dare say, my Lord should sooner have burned him, for saint Paul did not mean that christen men might break law, and do whatsoever they would, because they were not under the law: but he did mean that Christian men might keep the law & fulfill the law, if they would, because they were not under the law, but under Christ, by whom they were divided from the tyranny of the law, and above the law, that is to say, able to fulfill the law to the pleasure of him that made the law, which they could never do of their own strength, and without Christ: so that to be under the law, after Saynct Paul's meaning, is to be weak to satisfy the law: and what could saint Paul do withal, though his adversaries would not so take it? But my Lord would say peradventure that men will not take the preachers words otherwise then they mean therein, bona verba, as though S. Paul's words were not otherwise taken, as it appeareth in the third chapiter to the Romans, where he saith, quod iniustitia nostra dei iustitiam commendat, that is to say, our unrighteousness commondeth and maketh more excellent the righteousness of God, which soundeth to many as though they should be evil, that good should come of it, and by unrighteousness, to make the righteousness of God more excellent. So saint Paul was reported to mean: yet he did mean nothing so, but shown the inestimable wisdom of God, which can use our naughtiness to the manifestation of his unspeakable goodness: not that we should do noughtily to that end and purpose. Now my Lord will not think (I dare say) that S. Paul was to blame that he spake no more circumspectly, more warely, or more plainly, to avoid evil offense of the people: but rather he will blame the people, for that they took no better heed, and attendaunce to Paul's speaking, to the understanding of the same: yea, he will rather pity the people, which had been so long nozeled in the doctrine of the Pharisees, and wallowed so long in darkness of man's traditions, superstitions, and trade of living, that they were unapt ts receive the bright lightness of the truth, and wholesome doctrine of God, uttered by Saint Paul. Nor I think not that my Lord will require more circumspection, or more convenience to avoid offense of errors in me, then was in saint Paul when he did not escape maleuolous corrections, & sclaunderous reports of them that were of perverse judgments, which reported him to say, whatsoever he appeared to thē to say, or what so ever seemed to them to follow of his saying: but what followeth sic aiunt nos dicere, sic male loquuntur de nobis so they report us to say, saith saint Paul. So they speak evil of us: sed quorum damnatio iusta est, but such, whose damnation is just saith he: and I think the damnation of all such that evil reporten preachers now a days, likewise just: for it is untruth now and then. Yea Christ himself was misreported, & falsely accused, both as touching his words and also as concerning the meaning of his words. First he said: destruite, that is to say, destroy you: they made it possum destruere, that is to say, I can destroy: he said templum hoc, this temple, they added manu factum, that is to say made with hand, to bring it to a contrary sense. So they both inverted his words, and also added unto his words, to alter his sentence: for he did mean of the temple of his body, and they wrast it to Solomon's temple. Now I report me whether it be a just fame raised up, and dispersed after this manner. Nay verily, for there be three manner of persons which can make no credible information. First, adversaries, enemies: Second, ignorant & without judgment: Thirdly, susurrones, that is to say, whisperers, and blowers in men's ears, which will spew out in hudder mudder, more then they dare avow openly. The first will not, the second cannot, the third dare not: therefore relation of such is not credible, and therefore can make no fame lawful, nor occasion any indifferent Judge to make process against any man, nor it maketh no little matter what they be themselves that report of any man, neither well or evil, for it is a great commendation to be evil spoken of, of them that be naughty themselves, and to be commended of the same, is many times no little reproach. God send us once all grace to wish one to another, and to speak well one upon another. Me semes it were comely, for my Lord (if it were comely for me to say so) to be a preacher himself, having so great a cure as he hath, then to be a disquieter and a troubler of Preachers, and to preach nothing at all himself. If it would please his Lordship to take so great labor and pain at any time, as to come preach in my little Byshoppricke at Westkington, whether I were present or absent myself, I would thank his Lordship heartily, and think myself greatly bounden to him, that he of his charitable goodness would go so far to help to discharge me in my cure or else I were more •• natural then a beast unreasonable nor yet I would dispute, contend or demand by what authority or where he had authority so to do, as long as his predicatiō were fruitful, & to y ^e edification of my parishioners. As for my lord may do as it pleaseth his lordship I pray God he do always as well as I would wish him ever to do: but I am sure S. Paul y ^e true minister of god, & faithful dispensour of God's miste & ries, right exemplar of all true and very bishops, saith in the first chapter to the Philippians, that in his time some preached Christ for envy of him, thinking thereby so to grieve him withal, and as it were to obscure him, and to bring his authority into contempt, some of good will and love, thinking thereby to comfort him: notwithstanding (saith he) by all manner of ways, and after all fashions, whether it be of occasion or of truth, as ye would say for truths sake so that Christ be preached and shown, I joy and will joy, so much he regarded more the glory of Christ, and promotion of Christ's doctrine, to the edificatiō of christē souls then the maintenance of his own authority, reputation and dignity, considering right well, as he said, that what authority so ever he had, it was to edification and not to destruction. Now I think it were no reproach to my lord but very commendable, rather to joy with saint Paul, & be glad that Christ be preached quouismodo, yea though it were for em • y, that is to say in disdain, despite and contempt of his Lordship (Which thing no man well advised will enterprise or attempt) then when the preaching cannot be reproved justly, to demand of the preacher austerely as the Pharisees did of Christ, qua authoritate haec facis, aut quis dedit tibi istam autoritatem? as my authority is good enough, and as good as my Lord can give me any, yet I would be glad to have his also, if it would please his Lordship to be so good Lord unto me. For the university of Cambridge hath authority Apostolic, to admit. 12. yearly, of the which I am one, and the kings highness. God save his grace, did decree that all admitted of Universities, should preach throughout all his realm as long as they preached well, without distreine of any mā, my Lord of Canterbury, my Lord of Duresme, with such other not a few standing by, and hearing the decree nothing again saying it, but consenting to the same. Now to contemn my Lord of London's authority were no little fault in me: so no less fault might appear in my Lord of London to contemn the kings authority and decree, yea so Godlye, so fruitful, so commendable a decree pertaining both to the edification of christen souls, and also to the regard and defense of the popish grace and authority Apostolic. To have a book of the kings not inhibited, is to obey the king, and to inhibit a preacher of the king admitted, is it not to disobey the king? is it not one king that doth inhibit and admit, and hath he not as great authorititie to admit as to inhibit? He that resisteth the power, whether admitting, or inhibiting, doth he not resist the ordinance of God? we low subjects are bound to obey powers, and their ordinances: and are not the highest subjects also, who ought to give us ensample of such obedience? As for my preaching it self, I trust in God my Lord of London cannot rightfully belacke it, nor justly reprove it, if it be taken with the circumstance thereof, and as I spake it, or else it is not my preaching, but his that falsely reporteth it, as the Poet Martial said to one that depraved his book: quem recitas meus est, o Fidentiue, libellus: sed male cum recitas, incipitesse tuus. But now I hear say that my Lord of London is informed, and upon the said information hath informed the king, that I go about to defend Bilney, and his cause, against his ordinaryes and judges, which I ensure you is not so: for I had nothing to do with Bilney, nor yet with his Judges, except his Judges did him wrong: for I did nothing else but monishe all Judges indifferently to do right, nor I am not altogether so foolish as to defend the thing which I knew not. It might have become a preacher to say as I said, though Bilney had never been born I have known Bilney a great while, I think much better then ever did my Lord of London: for I have been his ghostly father many a time: and to tell you the truth, what I have thought always in him, I have known hitherto few such so prompt, and ready to do every man good, after his power, both friends and foe, noisome wittingly to no man, and toward his enemy so charitable: so seeking to reconcile them, as he did, I have known yet not many, and to be short in a sum a very simple good soul, nothing fit nor meet for this wretched world, whose blind fashion and miserable state (yea far from Christ's doctrine) he could as evil bear, and would sorrow, lament and bewail it as much as any man that ever I knew: as for his singular learning, as well in holy scripture, as in all other good letters, I will not speak of it. Notwythstanding if he either now of late, or at any time attempted anything contrary to the obedience which a Christian man doth owe, either to his prince or to his bishop, I neither do nor will allow and approve that, neither in him nor yet in any other man: we be all men, and ready to fall: wherefor he that standeth, let him beware he fall not. Now he ordered or misordered himself in iudgemeēt, I cannot tell, nor I will not meddle withal: God knoweth, whose judgments I will not judge. But I cannot but wonder, if a man living so mercifully, so charitablye, so patiently, so continently, so studiously, and virtuously, and killyng his old Adam, that is to say, mortify his evil affections, & blind motions of his heart, so diligently should die an evil death, there is no more but let him y ^• standeth beware that he fall not: for if such as he shall die evil, what shall become of me such a wretch as I am? but let this go, a little to the purpose, and come to the point we must rest upon. Either my Lord of London will judge my outward man only, as it is said, Omnes vident quae foris sunt, or else he will be my God, & judge mine inward man, as it said Deus autem intuetur cor: if he will have to do only with mine outward man, and meddle with mine outward conversation, how that I have ordered myself toward my christen brethren the kings liege people, I trust I shall please and content both my Lord God, and also my Lord of London: for I have preached and teached but according to holy scripture, holy fathers, and ancient interpretours of the same, with the which I think, my Lord of London will be pacified: for I have done nothing else in my preaching, but with all diligence moved my auditors to faith and charity to do their duty, and that that is necessary to be done. As for things of private devotion, mean things, and voluntary things, I have reproved the abuse, the superstition of them, without condemnation of the things themselves, as it becometh Preachers to do, which thing if my Lord of London will do himself (as I would to God he would do) he should be reported (no doubt) to condemn the use of such things, of covetous men which chaue damage, and find less in their boxes by condemnation of the abuse, which abuse they said rather should continue still, then your profit should not continue, (so thorny be their hearts:) if my Lord will needs cost and invade my inward man, will I nill I, an • break violently into my heart, I fear me I shall either displease my Lord of London, which I would be very loath, or else my Lord GOD, which I will be more loath: not for any infidelity, but for ignorance, for I believe as a christen man ought to believe: but peradventure my Lord knoweth and will know many things certaynely, which (perchance) I am ignorant in, with the which ignorance though my Lord of London may if he will, 〈◊〉 discontent, yet I trust my Lord God will pardon it as long as I hurt no man withal, and say to him with diligent study, and daily prayer paratum cor meum Deus, paratum cor meum, so studying, preaching, and tarrying the pleasure and leisure of God. And in the mean season. Acts. viii. as Apollo did, when he knew nothing of Christ, but Baptismum Johannes, teach and preach mine even christen that, and no farther then I know to be true. There be three Creedes, one in my mass, another in my mattyns, the third common to them that neither saith mass nor mattyns, nor yet knoweth what they say when they say the Creed: and I believe all three with all y ^t God hath left in holy writ, for me and all other to believe: yet I am ignorant in things which I trust hereafter to know, 〈◊〉 I do now know things, in which I have been ignorau • t at heretofore: ever learn and ever to be learned, to profit • w ^t learning, with ignorance not to noy. I have thought in times past, that the Pope Christ's Uicar, had been Lord of all the world as Christ is, so that if he should have depryued the king of his Crown, or you of y ^e Lordshyp of Bromeham, it had been enough: for he could do no wrong. Now I might be hired to think otherwise: not withstanding I have both seen and heard scripture drawn to that purpose, I have thought in times past, that the Popes dispensations of pluralities of benefices, and absence from the same, had discharged consciences before God: forasmuch as I had heard ecce vobiscum sum, & qui vos a • dit, me audit, bended to coroborate the same. Now I might be easily entreated to think otherwise &c.

I have thought in times past y ^t the P. could have spoiled purgatory at his pleasure w ^t a word of his mouth: now learning might persuade me otherwise, or else I would marvel why he would suffer so much money to be bestowed that way, which so needful is to be bestowed otherwise, and to deprive us of so many patrons in heavē as he might deliver out of purgatory. &c. I have thought in times past, that and if I had been a Friar and in a cowle, I could not have been dāpned, nor afeard of death and by occasion of the same I have been minded many times to have been a Friar, namely whē I was sore sick and diseased. Now I abhor my superstitious foolishenes. &c. I have thought in times past, that diverse Images of saints could have holpen me, and done me much good, and delivered me of my diseases: now I know that one can help, as much as another. And it pitieth mine heart that my Lord and such as my Lord is, can suffer the people to be so craftily deceived, it were to long to tell you what blindness I have been in, and howe long it were or I could forsake such folly, it was so corporate in me: but by continual prayer continual study of scripture, & oft cōmuning w ^t men of more right judgment, God hath delivered me &c. Yea, mē thinketh y ^t my lord himself hath thought in times past that by God's law a man might marry his brothers wife, which now both dare think and say contrary: and yet this his boldness might have chanced in Pope Julius days, to stand him either in a fire, or else in a fagot. Which thing deeply considered, and pondered of my Lord, might something stir him to charitable equity and to be something remissable toward men, which labor to do good as their power serveth with knowledge, and doth hurt to no man with their ignorauncye, for there is no greater distance, then between God's law and not gods law: nor it is not so, or so, because any man thinketh it so, or so: but because it is so or so in deed, therefore we must think it so, or so when God shall give us knowledge thereof, for if it be in deed either so or not: it is so or not so, though all the world had thought otherwise these thousand years &c. And finally as ye say, the matter is weightye and ought substantially to be looked upon, even as weighty as my life is worth: but howe to look substantially upon it, otherwise know not I, then to pray my Lord God day and night, that as he hath bolded me to preach his truth, so he will strengthen me to suffer for it, to the edification of them which have taken by the working of him, fruit thereby, and even so I desire you, and all other that favor me for his sake, likewise to pray: for it is not I, (without his mighty helping hand) that can abide that brute, but I have trust that God will help me in time of need, which if I had not, the Ocean sea, I think should have divided my Lord of London and me by this day. For it is a rare thing for a Preacher to have favor at his hand which is no preacher him self, and yet ought to be: I pray God that both he and I may both discharge our selves, he in his great cure, and I in my little, to God's pleasure and safety of our souls. Amen. I pray you pardon me that I write no more dystinctly, more truly: for my head is so out of frame, that it should be to painful for me to write it again, and if I be not prevented, shortly I intend to make merry with my Parishioners this Christmas, for all the sorrow, least perchance I never return to them again: and I have heard say, that a Do is as good in wyn • er, as a Buck in summer.

*A letter of Syr Edward Baynton Knight, answering to the letter of M. Latimer sent to him before.

MAyster Latimer, after hartye recommendations, I have communicated the effect of youre letters to diverse of my friends, such as for Christian charity (as they say) rather desire in you a reformation, either in youre opinion) if it swerve frō the truth) or at the least in your manner and behavior, in as much as it giveth occasion of slander and trouble in let of your good purposes, then any other inconvenience to youre person or good name. And for as much as your said letter misliked them in some parte, and that I have such confidence in your Christian breste, as in my judgment ye will conformably and gladly, both hear that may be reformed in you, and also (as it is worthy) so knowledge and confess the same: I have therefore desired them to take the pain to note their minds in this letter which I send to you, as agregate of their sayings, & sent from me your assured friend and favorer, in that that is the very truth of God's word, wherein nevertheless, as I trust ye yourself will temper your own judgment, and in a sobernes affirm no truth of yourself, which should devide the unity of the Congregation in Christ, and the received truth agreed upon by holy fathers of the Church, consonaunt to the scripture of GOD, even so whatsoever ye will do therein (as I think ye will not otherwise then ye should do) I being unlearned, and not of the knowledge to give sentence in this altera • ion and contention, must rather of good congruence show myself in that you disagree with thē, readier to follow their doctrine in truth, then yours, unless it may please almighty God to inspire and confirm the hearts of such people to testify the same in some honest number as ought to induce me to give credence unto them.

Only God knoweth the certain truth, which is communicate unto us, as our capacity may comprehend it by faith, but that it is per speculum in enigmate. And there have been qui zelum Dei habuerunt, sed non secundum scientiam. Among which I repute not you, but to this purpose I write it, that to cal this or that truth it requireth a deep and profound knowledge, considering that to me unlearned, that I take for truth may be otherwise, not having sensus exercitatos, as saint Paul saith, ad discernendum bonum & malum, and it is shown me, that an opinion or manner of teaching, which causeth dissension in a Christian congregation, is not of God, by the doctrine of S. John in his Epistle, where he saith: Omnis qui confitetur Christū in carne. &c. ex Deo est. And like as y ^e word of God hath always caused dissension among men unchristened, whereupon hath ensued and followed Martyrdom to the preacher, so in Christ's congregation among them that profess Christ's name, In vno Domino, vno Baptismate & vna fide, they that preach and stir rather contention, then charity, though they can defend their saying, yet their teaching is not to be taken as of God, in that it breaketh the chain of Christian charity, and maketh division in the people, congregate and called by GOD into an unity of faith and Baptism. But for this point I would pray to God, that not only in the truth may be agreement, but also such sobernes and uniform behavior used in teaching and preaching, as men may wholly express (as they may) the charity of God tendyng only to the union in love of us all, to the profit and salvation of our souls.

The answer of M. Latimer to the letter of Syr Edward Baynton above prefixed.

RIght worshipful sir, and my singular good master, salutem in Christ Jesus, with due commendation and also thanks for your great goodness towards me &c. And whereas you have communicate my last letters to certain of your friends, which rather desire this or that in me &c. what I think therein I will not now say, not for that there could be any peril or danger in the said letters (well taken) as far as I can judge, but for that they were rashly and vndeuisedly scribled, as ye might well know both by my excuse, and by themselves also, though none excuse had been made. And besides that, ye know right well, that whereas the Be gathereth honey, even there the spinner gathereth venom, not for any diversity of the flower, but for divers natures in them that sucketh the flower: As in times past, and in the beginning, the very truth: and one thing in it self was to some, offense, to some foolishness, to other otherwise disposed, the wisdom of God. Such diversity was in the redress of hearers thereof.

But this notwithstanding, there is no more but either my writing is good, or bad, if it be good, the communicatynge thereof to your friends cannot be hurtful to me? if it be otherwise, why should you not communicate it to them, which both could and would instruct you in the truth, and reform my error. Let this pass, I will not contend: had I wyst cometh ever out of season. Truly I were not well advised if I would not either be glad of your instruction, or yet refuse mine own reformation, but yet it is good for a man to look or he leapeth, and God forbid that ye should be addict and sworn to me so wretched a fool, that you should not rather follow the doctrine of your friends in truth, so great learned men as they appear to be then the opinions of me, having never so christen a breast.

Wherefore do as you will: for as I would not if I could so I cannot if I would, be noisome unto you, but yet I say I would my letters had been unwritten, if for none other cause, at least way, in as much as they cause me to more writing, an occupation nothing meet for my mad head: and as touching points which in my foresaid letters mislike your friends, I have now little leisure to make an answer thereto for the great business that I have in my little cure, I know not what other men have in their great cure seeing that I am alone without any Prieste to serve my cure without my scholar too read unto me, without any book necessary to be looked upon, without learned men to come and counsel withal All which things other have at hand abundantly, but something must be done, how soever it be. I pray you take it in good worth, as long as I temper mine own judgment, affirming nothing with prejudice of better. First ye mislike, that I say I am sure that I preach the truth, saying in reproof of the same, that god knoweth certain truth. In deed alonely God knoweth all certain truth, and alonely God knoweth it as of himself, and none knoweth certain truth but God, and those which be taught of God, as saith S. Paul: Deus enim illis patesecit: And Christ himself: erunt omnes docti a Deo: And your friends deny not but that certain truth is communicate to us, as our capacity may comprehend it by faith, which if it be truth as it is, then there ought no more to be required of any man, but according to his capacity: now certain it is that every man hath not like capacity. &c.

But as to my presumption and arrogancye: either I am certain or uncertain that it is truth that I preach, If it be truth, why may not I say so, to courage my hearers to receive the same more ardently, and ensue it more studiously? If I be uncertain, why dare I be so bold to preach it? And if your friends in whom ye trust so greatly, be preachers themselves, after their sermon I pray you ask them whether they be certain and sure that they taught you the truth or no, and send me word what they say, that I may learn to speak after them. If they say they be sure, ye know what followeth: If they say they be unsure, whē shall you be sure that hath so doubtful teachers and unsure? And you yourselves, whether are you certain or uncertain, that Christ is your savior, and so forth of other articles that ye be bounden to believe, or whether be ye sure or unsure, that civil ordinances be the good works of God, and that you do God service in doing of them, if ye do them for good intent: if ye be uncertain, take heed he be your sure friend that heareth you say so, and then, with what conscience do you doubt: Cum quicquid non est ex fide, peccatum sit? But contrary say you, alonely God knoweth certain truth, and ye have it but per speculum in enigmate: and there have been, qui zelum Dei habuerunt, sed non secundum scientiam: and to call this or that truth, it requireth a deep knowledge, considering that to you unlearned, that you take for truth may be otherwise, not having sensus exercitatos (as Paul saith) ad discernendum bonum & malum, as ye reason against me, and so you do best to know surely nothing for truth at all, but to wander meekly hither and thither, omni vento doctrinae. &c. Our knowledge here, you say, is but per speculum in enigmate? What then? Ergo it is not certain and sure?

I deny your argument by your leave: yea if it be by faith, as ye say, it is much sure, quia certitudo fidei est maxima certitudo as Duns and other school Doctors say: that there is a great discrepaunce between certain knowledge, and clear knowledge: for that may be of things absent that appear not, this requireth the presence of the object, I mean of the thing known so that I certainly and surely know the thing which I perfectly believe, though I do not clearly and evidently know it. I know your school subtleties, as well as you, which 〈◊〉 as though enigmaticall knowledge, that is to say, dark and obscure knowledge might not be certain and sure knowledge because it is not clear, manifest and evident knowledge: and yet there hath been (they say) qui zelum Dei habuerunt, sed non secundum scientiam, which have had a zeal, but not after knowledge. Truth it is, there hath been such, and yet be to many to the great hinderance of Christ's glory, which nothing doth more obscure, then an hot zeal accompanied with great authority without right judgment. There have been also, Qui scientiam habuerunt absque zelo Dei, qui viuitatem Dei in iniustitia detinentes plagis vapulabunt multis, dum voluntatem Domini cognoscentes, nihil minus quàm, faciunt, I mean not among Turks and Saracens that be unchristened, but of them that be christined▪ and there have been also that have lost scientiam Dei, id est, spiritualem diuini verbi sensum, quam prius habuerunt. i. The spiritual knowledge of God's word which they had before, because they have not ensued after it, nor promoted the same, but rather with their mother wits have impugned the wisdom of the father, and hindered the knowledge thereof, which therefore hath been taken away from them, vt iustificetur Christus in sermonibus suis, & vincat cum iudicatur, threatening Math. 13. Ei vero, qui non habet, etiam quod habet, id est, quod videtur habere, auferetur ab eo, cum abuti habito, vel non been vti, sit non habere, nec non sit verum illud quoq́ue, non habitaturam, videlicet sapientiam in corpore peccatis subdito, qui adhuc & si carnaliter sapiant plus satis, at stat, sententia, nem •• e carnalem & Philosophicam scripturarum intelligentiam, non esse sapientiam Dei, quae à sapientibus absconditur, paruulis reuelatur. And if to call this or that truth, requireth a deep and profound knowledge, then either every man hath a deep and profound knowledge, or else no man can call this or that truth: & it behooveth every Preacher to have so deep and profound knowledge, that he may call this or that truth, which this or that he taketh in hand to preach for the truth, and yet he may be ignorant and uncertain in many things, both this and that, as Apollo was: but which things, whether this or that, he will not attempt to preach for the truth. And as for myself, I trust in God, I may have sensus exercitatos well enough ad discernendum bonum & malum. Sensus exercised to discern good and evil in those things which without deep and profound knowledge in many things I preach not, yea there be many things in scripture in which I cannot certaynely discern bonum & malum, I mean verum & falsum, not with all the exercise that I have in scripture, nor yet with help of all interpreters that I have, to content myself and other in all scrupulosity, that may arise: but in such I am wont to wade no farther into the stream, then that I may either go over, or else return back again, having ever respect, not to the ostentation of my little wit, but to the edification of them that hear me, as far forth as I can, neither passing mine own nor yet their capacity.

And such manner of arguments might well serve the Devil contra pusillanimes, to occasion them to wander and waver in the faith, and to be uncertain in things in which they ought to be certain: or else it may appear to make and serve against such preachers which will define great subtleties & high matters in the Pulpit, which no man can be certain and sure of by God's word to be truth, ne sensus quidem habens ad discernendum bonum & malum exercitatissimos: as whether, if Adam had not sinned we should have had Stockefishe out of Iseland: howe many Larkes for a penny if every Star in the element were a flickering Hobby: how many years a man shall lie in Purgatory for one sin if he buy not plenty of the oil that runneth over our lamps to slake the sin withal, and so forget hell which cannot be slaked, to provide for Purgatory.

Such argumentation (I say) might appear to make well against such Preachers, not against me, which simply and plainly utter true faith and fruits of the same, which be the good works of God, quae preparauit deus vt in eis ambularemus. i. which he hath prepared for us to walk in, every man to do the thing that pertaineth to his office and duty in his degree and calling, as the word of God appointeth, which thing a man may do with soberness, having sensus ad discernendum bonum & malum, vel mediocriter exercitatos. For it is but foolish humilitye, willingly to continue always infantulus in Christo & in infirmitate. i. an infant still in Christ, and in infirmity: in reproof of which it was said 〈◊〉 estis opus habentes lacte non solido cibo. For S. Paul saith not: Estote humiles, vt non capiatis. For though he would not that we should think arrogantly of our self, and above that that it becometh us to think of our self, but so to think of our self, vt simus sobrij ac modesti, yet he biddeth us so to think of our self, vt cuiq́ue Deus partitus est mensuram fidei. i. as God hath distributed to everyone the measure of faith. For he that may not with meekness think in himself what God hath done for him, and of himself as God hath done for him, how shall he, or when shall he give due thanks to God for his gifts? And if your friends will not allow the same, I pray you inquire of them whether they may cum sobrietate & modestia be sure they preach to you the truth, and whether we may, cum sobrietate & modestia follow S. Paul's bidding, where he saith unto us all: Nolite fieri pueri sensibus, sed malitia infantes estote. i. Be not children in understanding, but in maliciousness be infantes. God give us all grace to keep the mean, & to think of our self neither to high nor to low, but so that we may restore unto him, qui peraegre profectus est, his gifts again cum vsura, that is to say, with good use of the same, so that aedificemus inuicem with the same, ad gloriam Dei. Amen.

For my life I trust in god that I neither have, neither (by gods grace) shall I, neither in soberness, nor yet in drunkenness affirm any truth of myself, therewith intending to divide that unity of the Congregation of Christ, and the received truth agreed upon by the holy Fathers of the Church consonant to the Scripture of God, though it be shown you never so often, that an opinion or manner of teaching, which causeth dissention in a Christian Congregation, is not of God, by the doctrine of Saint John in his Epistle where he saith: Omnis qui confitetur Iesum Christum in carne, ex Deo est. i. Everyone that confesseth Christ in the flesh, is of God. First not everything whereupon followeth dissention, causeth dissention, as I would they that shown you that, would also show you, whether this opinion, that a man may not mary his brothers wife, be of God or of men, if it be of men, then as Gamaliell said, dissoluetur: if it be of God, as I think it is, and perchance your friends also, quis potest dissoluere nisi qui videbitur Deo repugnare? i. Who can dissolve it but shall seme to repugn against God▪ And yet there be many not heathennes, but in Christendom, that dissenteth from the same, which could bear full evil to hear said unto them: vos ex patre diabolo estis. So that such an opinion might seme to some to make a dissētion in a Christian Congregation, saving that they may say perchance with more liberty then other, that an occasion is sometime taken and not given, which with their favor I might abuse for my defense, saving that, non omnibus licet in hac temporum iniquitate.

The Galatians having for preachers and teachers the false Apostles, by whose teaching they were degenerate frō the sweet liberty of the Gospel into the sour bond of ceremonies, thoght themselves peradventure a Christian Congregation when Saint Paul did write his Epistle unto them, and were in a quiet trade under the dominion of maysterly Curates, so that the false Apostles might have objected to S. Paul that this Apostleshippe was not of God, for as much as there was dissention in a Christian Congregation by occasion thereof, while some would renew their opinions by occasion of the Epistle some would opinari, as they were wont to do, and follow their great Lord's and masters the false Apostles, which were not heathen and unchristened, but Christened, and hie Prelates of the professors of Christ. For your friends I know right well what Erasmus hath said in an Epistle set before the Paraphrases of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, which Erasmus hath caused no small dissension with his pen in a Christian Congregation, in as much as many have dissented frō him, not alonely in Cloisters, (men more then christened men) of high perfection, but also at Paul's Cross, and S. Mary Spitle: besides many that with no small zeal have written against him, but not without answer.

And I would fain learn of your friends, whether that S. Jerome's writing were of God, which caused dissension in a Christian Congregation, as it appeareth by his own words in the prologue before the Canonical Epistles, which be these: Et tu virgo Christi Eustochium, dum à me impensius Scripturae viritatē inquiris, meam quodam modo senectutem inuidorum dentibus vel morsibus corrodendam apponis, qui me falsarium corruptoremque Scripturarum pronunciant: sed ego in tali opere nec illorum inuidentiam pertimesco, nec Scripturae veritatem poscentibus denegabo. I pray you what were they that called S Jerome falsarium and corrupter of Scripture, and for envy would have bitten him with their teeth? vnchristen, or christen? what had the vnchristen to do with christen doctrine? They were worshipful fathers of a Christian Congregation, men of much more hotter stomachs then right iudgemen • e, of a greater authority then good charity: but Saint Jerome would not cease to do good for the evil, speaking of them that were naught, giving in that an ensample to us of the same: and if this dissension were in Saint Jerome's time, what may be in our time? de malo in peius scilicet.

And I pray you what meaneth your friends by a Christian Congregation? All those (trow ye) that have been christened? But many of those been in worse condition and shall have greater damnation, then many unchristened. For it is not enough to a Christian Congregation that is of God, to have been Christened: but it is to be considered what we promise when we be christened, to renounce Satan, his works, his pomps: Which thing if we busy not our self to do, let us not crake that we profess Christ's name in a Christian Congregation, in vno baptismo. i. in one baptism.

And where they add in vno Domino. i. in one Lord, I read in Math. 17. non omnis qui dicit Domine, Domine. &c. • . Not everyone that saith Lord, Lord. &c. And in Luke the Lord himself complaineth and rebuketh such professors and confessors, saying to them: Cur dicitis domine, domine, & non facitis quae dico? i. Why call you me Lord, Lord, and do not that I bid you? even as though it were enough to a Christian man, or to a Christian Congregation to say every day, Domine Dominus noster, and to salute Christ with a double Domine. But I would your friends would take the pains to read over Chrysostom super Mathaeum, hom. 49. cap. 24. to learn to know a Christian Congregation, if it will please them to learn at him. And where they add, in vna fide. i. in one faith, S. James saith boldly: ostende mihi fidem ex operibus. i. show me thy faith by thy works. And S. Jerome: Si tamen credimus, inquit, opere veritatem ostēdimus. And Scripture saith, qui credit Deo, attendit mandatis: And the devils believe to their little comfort, I pray God to save you and your friends from that believing Congregation, and from that faithful company.

Therefore all this toucheth not them that be unchristened, but them that be christened and answer not unto their Christendom. For Saint Jerome showeth how true Preachers should order themselves, when evil Priests and false Preachers and populus ab his deceptus. i. The people be by them deceived, should be angry with them for preaching the truth. Tom. 5. in Hieremiam Capi. 26. exhorting them to suffer death for the same of the evil priests and false Preachers and the people deceived of thē, which evil Priests and false Preachers with the people deceived, be Christened as well as other: and I fear me that Saynct Jerome might appear to some Christian Cōgregation, as they will be called, to write seditiously, to devide the unity of a great honest number, confessing Christ in vno baptismate, vno Domino, vna fide, saying: populus qui ante sub magistris consopitus erat, ibit ad montes, non illos quidem qui vel leuiter tacti fumigant, sed montes veteris & noui testamenti, Prophetas, Apostolos, & Euangelistas, & cum eiusmodi montium lection versatus, si non inuenerit doctores (messis enim multa operarij autem pauci) tunc & populi studium comprobabitur, quo fugerit and montes, & magistrorum desidia coa • guetur. To. 6. in Naū. cap. 30.

I do marvel why our Christian Congregation be so greatly grieved that lay people would read scripture, seeing that Saynct Jerome alloweth and approveth the same, which compareth not here the unchristened to the christened, but the lay people christened to their Curates christened, under the which they have been rocked and locked a sleep in a subtle trade a great while full soundly, though now of late they have been waked, but to their pain, at the least way, to the pain of them that have weakened them with the word of God: and it is properly said of S. Jerome to call them Maysters and not servants, meaning that servants teacheth not their own doctrine, but the doctrine of their Mayster Christ, to his glory. Maysters teacheth not Christ's doctrine, but their own, to their own glory: which Maysterly Curates cannot be quiet till they have brought the people a sleep again: but Christ the very true Mayster saith: vigilate, & orate, ne intretis in tentationem. Non cogitations meae cogitations vestrae, neque viae meae viae vestrae, dicit dominus: & there have been, qui cogitauerunt concilia, quae non potuerunt stabilire. i. which have gone about counsels, which they could not establish. I pray God give our people grace so to wake, vt studium illorum comprobetur, and our masters so to sleep, vt non desidia illorum coarguatur. For who • s so blind that he seeth not howe far our Christian Congregation doth gaynesay S. Jerome, and speaketh after another fashion. God amend that is amiss: for we be something wide, ywis.

But now your friends have learned of S. John, that omnis qui confitetur Iesum Christum in carne, ex Deo est. i. Everyone that confesseth Jesus Christ in flesh, is of God. And I have learned of Saint Paul, that there have been, not among the heathē, but among the Christian, qui ore confitentur, factis autem negant i. which confess Christ with their mouth, and deny him with their acts: So that Saint Paul should appear to expound S. John saving that I will not affirm anything as of myself, but leave it to your friends to show your vtrum qui factis negant Christum & vita, sint ex deo necne per solam oris confessionem: for your friends knoweth well enough by the same. Saint John, qui ex Deo est, non peccat: and there both have been and be now too many, qui ore tenus confitentur Christum venisse in carne, which will not effectually hear the word of God by consenting to the same, notwithstanding that S. John saith, qui ex deo est, verbū Dei audit, vos non auditis quia ex deo nō estis: & many shall hear nunquam noui vos. i. I never knew you, which shall not alonelye be christened, but also shall prophetare, and do puissaunt things in nomine Christi: and Saint Paul said there should come Lupi graves qui non percerent gregi. i. ravening Wolves which will not spare the flock, meaning it of them that should confite • i Christum in carne in their lips, and yet usurp by succession the office, which Christ calleth speudoprophetas. i. false prophets, & biddeth us beware of them, saying they shall come in vestimentis ouium, id est, in sheep's clothing, and yet they may wear both satten, silk, and velvet, called afterwards serui ne quam, nō pascentes sed percutientes conseruos, edentes & bibentes cum ebrijs, habituri tandem portionem cum hypocritis. They are called serui, servants I trow, quod ore confitentur Christum in carne: nequam vero, quia factis negant eundem, non dantes cibum in tempore, dominum exercentes in gregem: And yet your friends reason as though there could none barcke and bite at true Preachers, but they that be unchristened, notwithstanding that S. Agustine upon the same Epistle of John calleth such confessors of Christ, qui • ore confitentur, & factis negant, Antichristos: a strange n • me for a Christian Congregation: and though S. Augusten could defend his saying, yet his saying might appear not to be of God, to some men's judgment, in that it breaketh the chain of Christ's charity, so to cause men to hate Antichristianismum, Antichrists, according to the doctrine of S. Paul: sitis odio persequentes quod malum est. i. Hate that is evil: and so making division, not between christened and unchristened, but between Christians and Antichristians, when neither pen nor tongue can devide the Antichristians from their blind folly. And I would you would cause your friends to read over S. Agustine, upon the Epistle of S. John, and tell you the meaning thereof, if they think it expedient for you to know it, as I remember it is tractatu. 3. but I am not sure nor certain of that, because I did not see it since I was at Cambridge: and here have I not S. Austin's works to look for it: but well I wot, that there he teacheth us to know the Christians frō the Antichristians, which both be christened, and both confess Iesum esse Christum, if they be asked the question: and yet the one part denieth it in very deed: but to know whether, non linguam sed facta attendamus, & viuendi genus, nū studeamus officia vocationis praestare an non studeamus, immo persuasi forte sumus non necesse esse vt praestemus, sed omnia in primitiuam ecclesiam & tempora praeterita. &c. quasi nobis sat sit dominari, & secula • ibus negotijs nos totos voluere, ac voluptatibus & pompae inhiare: and yet we will appear, vel soli ex Deo esse: sed longe aliter Christum confitentur, qui confitēdo ex Deo esse comprobantur.

And yet as long as they minister the word of God or his Sacraments or anything that God hath ordained to the salvation of mankind, wherewith GOD hath promised to be present, to work with the ministration of the same to the end of the world, they be to be heard, to be obeyed, to be honored for God's ordinance sake, which is effectual and fruitful, whatsoever the minister be, though he be a Devil, and neither Church, nor member of the same, as Origen saith, and Chrysostom, so that it is not all one to honor them, and trust in them, Saint Jerome saith: but there is required a judgment, to discern when they minister God's word and ordinance of the same, and their own, least peradventure we take chalk for cheese, which will edge our teethe, and hinder digestion. For as it is commonly said, the blind eateth many a fly, as they did which were persuaded à principibus sacerdotum vt peterent Barrabam, Iesum autem crucifige • ent. i. Of the high Priests, to ask Barabbas and to crucify Jesus: and ye know that to follow blind guides is to come into the pit with the same. And will you know, saith Saint Augustine, how apertly they resist Christ, when men begin to blame them for they • misliuing, and intolerable secularity, & negligence? they dare not for shame blaspheme Christ himself, but they will blaspheme the ministers and preachers of whom they be blamed.

Therefore, whereas ye will pray for agreement both in the truth, and in uttering of the truth, when shall that be as longe as we will not hear the truth▪ but disquiet with crafty conveyance the Preachers of the truth, because they reprove our euilnesse with the truth, And to say truth better it were to have a deformity in preaching, so that some would preach the truth of God, and that which is to be preached, without cauponation and adulteration of the word (as Lyranus saith in his time few did, what they do now a days I report me to them that can judge) then to have such an uniformity, that the seely people should be thereby occasioned to continue still in their lamentably ignorance, corrupt judgment, superstition and Idolatry, and esteem things as they do all, preposterously, doing that, that they need not for to do, leaving undone that they ought to do, for lack or want of knowing what is to be done, and so show their love to God, not as God biddeth (which saith: Si diligitis me, praecepta mea seruate. And again: Qui habet praecepta mea & facit ea, hic est qui diligit me) but as they bid qui quaerunt quae sua sunt, non quae Jesus Christi. i. Which seek their own things: not Christ's as though to tythe mynt were more, then judgment, faith, and mercy.

And what is to live in state of Curates, but that he taught which said: Petre amas me? pasce, pasce, pasce: Peter lovest thou feed, feed, feed: which is now set aside, as though to love were to do nothing else, but to wear ringes: miters, and rochets. &c. And when they err in right living, how can the people but err in loving, and all of the new fashion, to his dishonor that suffered his passion, and taught the true kind of loving, which is now turned into piping, playing, and curious singing, which will not be reformed (I trow) nisi per manū Dei validam. And I have both S. Agustine, and S. Thomas, with diverse other, that lex is taken, not alonely for Ceremonies, but also for Mo • als, where it is said: N • estis sub lege: though your friends reprove the same. But they can make no division in a Christian congregation. And whereas both you and they would have a sobernes in our preaching, I pray god send it unto us, whatsoever ye mean by it. For I see well, whosoever will be happy, and busy with vae vobis, he shall shortly after come coram nobis.

And where your friends think that I made a lie, when I said that I have thought in times past that the Pope had been Lord of the world, though your friends be much better learned then I, yet am I sure that they know not what either I think, or have thought, better then I, iuxta illud▪ nemo nouit quae sunt hominis. &c. as though better men then I have not thought so, as Boniface (as I remember) Octauus, the great learned man John of the burnt Tower: presbiter Cardinalis in his book where he proveth the Pope to be above the counsel General and Special, where he saith that the Pope is Rex • egum, & Dominus dominantium. i. The King of Kings and Lord of Lord's, and that he is verus Dominus totius orbis, iure, licet non facto. i. the true Lord of the whole world by good right, albeit in fact he be not so: and that Constantine did but restore his own unto him, when he gave unto him Rome, so that in propria venit, as S. John saith Christ did, & sui eum non receperunt: and yet I hear not that any of our Christian congregation hath reclamed against him, until now of late, dissention began. Who be your friends I cannot tell: but I would you would desire them to be my good masters, and if they will do me no good, at the least way do me no harm: and though they can do you no more good then I, yet I am sure I would be as loath to hurt you as they, either with mine opinions, manner of preaching or writing.

And as for the Popes high dominion over all, there is one Raphaell Maruphus in London, an Italian, and in times past a Marchaunt of dispensations, which I suppose would die in the quarrel, as God's true Knight, and true Martyr. As touching Purgatory, and worshipping of Saints, I shown to you my mind before my Ordinary: and yet I marvelled something, that after private communication had with him, ye would (as it were) adjure me to open my mind before him, not giving me warning before, saving I cannot interpret evil your doings towards me: & yet neither mine Ordinary, nor you disallowed the thing that I said, and I looked not to escape better then Doctor Crome: • ut whē I have opened my mind never so much, yet I shall be reported to deny my preaching, of them that have belied my preaching, as he was. Sed opus est magna patientia ad sustinendas calumnias malignantis Ecclesiae.

Syr, I have had more business in my little cure since I spake with you, what with sick folks, and what with matrimonies, thē I have had since I came to it, or then I would have thought a man should have in a great cure. I wonder how men can go quietly to bed which have great cures and many, and yet peradventure are in none of them all. But I pray you tell none of your friends that I said so foolishly, least I make a dissention in a Christian Congregation, and devide a sweet and a restfull union, or tot quot, with haec requies mea in seculum seculi. Syr I had made an end of this scribbling, and was beginning • o write it again more truly and more distinctly, and to correct it, but there came a man of my Lord of Farleys, with a Citation to appear before my Lord of London in haste, to be punished for such excesses as I committed at my last being there, so that I could not perform my purpose: I doubt whether ye can read it, as it is. If ye can, well be it: if not, I pray you send it me again, and that you so do, whether you can read it or not. Jesus mercy, what Worlde is this, that I shall be put to so great labor and pains, besides great costs, above my power for preaching of a poor simple Sermon? But I trow, our Savior Christ said true: Oportet pati, & sic intrare: tam periculosum est in Christo pie viuere velle: yea in a Christian Congregation. God make us all Christian, after the right fashion. Amen.

Here followeth another letter of M. Latimer written to K. Henry the 8. upon this occasion. Ye heard before of two sundry Proclamations set out by the Bishops in the time of K. Henry, the one in the year 1531. and the other set out an. 1546. In the which proclamations b • ing authorised by the kings name, were inhibited all english books either containing or tending to any matter of the scripture. Where also we have expre • ed at large the whole Catalogue of all their errors & heresies, which the said Bishops falsely have excerpted, and maliciously imputed to Godlye writers, with their places and quotations, above assigned in the page aforesaid. Now M. Latimer growing in some favor with the king, and seeing the great decay of Christ's religion by reason of these Proclamations, and touched therefore with the zeal of conscience, directeth unto K. Henry this letter hereunder ensuing, thereby entēding by all means possible to persuade the kings mind to set opē again the freedom of God's holy word amongst his subjects. The copy and tenor of his letter here followeth.

The Letter of Mayster Latimer written to King Henry, for the restoring again the free liberty of reading the holy Scriptures.

THe holy Doctor Saint Augustine in an Epistle which he wrote to Casulanus saith that he which for fear of any power hideth the truth, provoketh the wrath of God to come upon him: for he feareth men more then God. And according to the same, the holy man Saint John Chrysostom saith: that he is not alonely a traitor to the truth, which openlie for truth teacheth a lie, but he also which doth not freely pronounce and show the truth that he knoweth. These sentences (moste redoubted Kyng) when I read now of late, and marked them earnestly in the inward partes of mine heart, they made me sore afraid, troubled and vexed me grievously in my conscience, and at the last drove me to this strayt, that either I must show forth such things as I have read and learned in Scripture, or elles to be of the sort that provoke the wrath of GOD upon them, and be traitors unto the truth: the which thing rather then it should happen, I had rather suffer extreme punishment.

For what other thing is it to be a Traytour unto the truth, then to be a Traytour and a Judas unto Christ, which is the very truth and cause of all truth? the which saith that whosoever denieth him here before men, he will deny him before his father in heaven. The which denying ought more to be feared and dread, then the loss of all temporal goods, honor, promotion, fame, prison, slander, hurtes, banishmentes, and all manner of torments, and crueltyes, yea, and death it self, be it never so shameful and painful. But alas, how little do mē regard those sharp sayings of these two holy men? and how little do they fear the terrible judgment of almighty God? and specially they which boast themselves to be guides and capitaynes unto other, and challenging unto themselves the knowledge of holy Scripture, yet will neither show the truth themselves (as they be bound) neither suffer them that would: So that unto thē may be said that which our savior Christ said to y ^e Pharisees, Math. 23. Woe be unto you Scribes and Pharisees, which shut up the kingdom of heaven before men, and neither will you enter in yourselves, neither suffer them that would, to enter in. And they will as much as in them lieth, debar, not only the word of God, which David calleth a light to direct and show every man how to order his affections and lusts, according to the Commaundementes of God: but also by their subtle wiliness they instruct, move, and provoke, in a manner, all Kings in Christendom to aid, succor, and help them in this their mischief: and especially in this your Realm, they have sore blinded your Liege people and Subiectes with their Laws, Customs, Ceremonyes, and Banbery Glofes, and punished them with Cursynges, Excommunications, and other corruptions (corrections I would say) and now, at the last when they see that they cannot prevail against the open truth (which the more is persecuted, the more it increaseth by their tyranny) they have made it Treason to your noble Grace to have the Scripture in English.

Here I beseech your Grace to pardon me a while and patiently to hear me a word or two: yea and though it be so that as concerning your high Majesty and regal power, whereunto almighty God hath called your Grace, there is as great difference between you and me, as between God and man. For you be here to me and to all your subjects, in God's stead, to defend, aid, and succor us in our right, and so I should tremble and quake to speak to your grace. But again, as concerning that you be a mortal man, in danger of sin, having in you the corrupt nature of Adam, in the which all we be both conceived and borne, so have you no less need of the merits of Christ's passion for your salvation, then I and other of your subjects have, which be all members of the mystical body of christ. And though you be an higher member, yet you must not disdain the lesser. For as Saint Paul saith: those members that be taken most vilest and had in least reputation, be as necessary as the other, for the preservation and keeping of the body. This, most gracious king, when I considered, and also your favorable and gentle nature, I was bold to write this rude, homely, and simple letter unto your grace, trusting that you will accept my true and faithful mind even as it is.

First and before all things I will exhort your grace to mark the life and process of our Savior Christ and his Apostles in preaching and setting forth of the Gospel, and to note also the words of our Mayster Christ, which he had to his Disciples when he sent them forth to preach his Gospel, and to these have ever in your mind the golden rule of our master Christ: The tree is known by the fruit. For by the diligent marking of these, your grace shall clearly know and perceive who be the true followers of Christ and teachers of his Gospel, and who be not. And concerning the first, all Scripture showeth playnelye that our savior Jesus Christ's life was very poor.

Begin at his birth, and I beseech you, whoever heard of a poorer or so poor as he was? It were to long to write how poor Joseph and the blessed Virgin Mary took their journey from Nazareth toward Bethlehem, in the cold and frosty winter, having nobody to wait upon them, but he both Mayster and man, and she both Mistress and maid▪ How vilely thinks your grace, they were entreated in the Inns and lodgings by the way? and in how vile and abject place was this poor maid, the mother of our Savior Jesus Christ, brought to bed in, without company, light or any other thing necessary for a woman in that plighte? Was not here a poor beginning, as concerning the world? Yes truly. And according to this beginning was the process and end of his life in this world, and yet he might by his godly power have had all the goods and treasures of this world at his pleasure, when and where he would.

But this he did to show us that his followers and Uicars should not regard nor set by the riches and treasures of this world, but after the saying of David we ought to take them, which saith thus: If riches, promotions, and dignity happen to a man, let him not set his affiaunce, pleasure, trust, & heart upon them. So that it is not against the poverty in spirit which Christ praiseth in the Gospel of Saint Matthew, chapter 5. to be rich, to be in dignity, and in honor, so that their hearts be not fixed and set vpō them so much, that they neither care for GOD nor good man. But they be enemies to this poverty in spirit, have they never so little, that have greedy and desirous minds to the goods of this world, only because they would live after their own pleasure and lusts. And they also be privy enemies (and so much the worse) which have professed (as they say) willful poverty, and will not be called worldly men. And they have Lord's Lands, and kings riches, yea rather then they would lose one jot of that which they have, they will set debate between king and king, Realm and Realm, yea between the king and his Subiectes, and cause rebellion against the Temporal power, to the which our Savior Christ himself obeyed and paid tribute, as the Gospel declareth: unto whom the holy Apostle S. Paul teacheth every Christian man to obey. Yea and beside all this, they will curse and ban, as much as in them lieth, even into the deep pit of hell, all that gain say their appetite, whereby they think their goods, promotions, or dignities should decay.

Your grace may see what means and craft the Spiritualty (as they will be called) imagine to break and withstand the Acts which were made in your graces last Parliament against their superfluities. Wherefore they that thus do, your Grace may know them not to be true followers of Christ. And although I named the spiritualty to be corrupt with this unthrifty ambition: yet I mean not all to be faulty therein, for there be some good of them. Neither will I that your Grace should take away the goods due to the Church, but take away such evil persons from the goods, and set better in their stead.

I name nor appoint no person nor persons, but remit your Grace to the rule of our Savior Christ, as in Matthew the seventh Chapiter: By their fruits ye shall know them. As touching the words that our Savior Christ spake to his Disciples when he sent them to preach his Gospel, they be readde in Matthew the fiftenth Chapiter, where he showeth, that here they shall be hated and despised of all men worldly, and brought before the Kings and Rulers, and that all evil should be said by them, for their preaching sake, but he exhorteth them to take patiently such persecution by his own example, saying: It becometh not the servant to be above the Mayster. And seeing they called me Belz • bub, what marvel is it, if they call you Deuillishe persons and heretics? Read the fourtenth Chapiter of Saint Matthews Gospel, & there your Grace shall see that he promised to the true Preachers no worldly promotions or dignity, but persecution and all kinds of punishment, and that they should be betrayed even by their own brethren and children. In John also he saith: In the world ye shall have oppression, and the world shall hate you: but in me you you shall have peace. And in the 10. Chapiter of S. Matthews Gospel saith our Savior Christ also: Loe I send you forth as sheep among Wolves. So that the true Preachers go like sheep harmless, and be persecuted, and yet they revenge not their wrong, but remit all to God: so far it is of that they will persecute any other but with the word of God only, which is their weapon. And so this is the most evident tokē that our savior Jesus Christ would that his Gospel and the Preachers of it should be known by, and that it should be despised among those worldly wise men, and that they should repute it but foolishness and deceivable doctrine, and the true Preachers should be persecuted and hated, and driven from town to town, yea and at the last lose both goods and life.

And yet they that did this persecution, should think that they did well, and a great pleasure to God. And the Apostles remembering this lesson of our Sauioure Christ, were content to suffer such persecutions, as you may read in the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles. But we never read that they ever persecuted any man. The holy apostle S. Paul saith, that every man that will live godly in christ Jesus, should suffer persecution. And also he saith further in the Epistle written to the Philippians in the first chapter: that it is not only given you to believe in the Lord, but also to suffer persecution for his sake.

Wherefore, take this for a sure conclusion, that there, where the word of God is truly preached, there is persecution, as well of the hearers as of the teachers: and where as is quietness and rest in worldly pleasure, there is not the truth. For the world loveth all that are of the world, & hateth all things that is contrary to it. And to be short, S. Paul calleth the Gospel the word of the cross, the word of punishment. And the holy Scripture doth promise nothing to the favorers and followers of it in this world, but trouble, vexation, and persecution, which these worldly men cannot suffer, nor away withal.

Therefore, pleaseth it your good Grace, to return to this golden rule of our Mayster & Savior Jesus Christ, which is this: by their fruits ye shall know them. For where you set persecution, there is the Gospel, and there is the truth: and they that do persecute, be void and without all truth: not caring for the clear light, which as our Savior Jesus Christ saith in the third Chapter of Saint John's Gospel) is come into the world, and which shall utter and show forth every man's works. And they, whose works be naught, dare not come to this light, but go about to stop it and hinder it, letting as much as they may, that the holy scripture should not be read in our mother tongue, saying that it would cause heresy and insurrection, and so they persuade, at the least way they would fain persuade your Grace to keep it back. But here mark their shameless boldness, which be not ashamed, contrary to Christ's doctrine, to gather figs of Thorns, and grapes of bushes, and to cal light darkness, and darkness light, sweet sower, and sower sweet, good evil, and evil good, and to say that that, which teacheth all obedience, should cause dissension and strife, but such is their belly wisdom: therewith they judge and measure everything, to hold and keep still this wicked Mammon, the goods of this world, which is their GOD, and hath so blinded the eyes of their hearts, that they can not see the clear light of the Sacred Scripture, though they bable never so much of it.

But as concerning this matter, other men have shown your Grace their minds, howe necessary it is to have the Scripture in English. The which thing also your Grace hath promised by your last Proclamation: the which promise I pray God that your gracious highness may shortly perform, even today before tomorrow. Nor let not the wickedness of these worldly men deceive you from your Godly purpose and promise. Remember the subtle worldly wise Counselors of Hammon the son of Naas, king of the Ammonites, which, when David had sent his Seruauntes to comfort the young King for the death of his Father, by crafty imaginations counseled Hammon, not alonely not to receive them gentlye, but to entreat them moste shamefully and cruelly saying: that they came not to comfort him, but to espy and search his lande so that afterward they bringing David word how everything stood David might come and conquer it. And so they caused the young king to sheare their heads, and cut their coats by the points, and sent thē away like fools: whom he ought rather to have made much of, and to have entreated them gently, and have given them great thanks and rewards. O wretched Counselors. But see what followed of this carnal and worldly wisdom. Truly nothing but destruction of all the whole Realm, and also of all them which took their partes.

Therefore good king, seeing that the right David, that is to say, our Savior Christ hath sent his Seruauntes, that is to say, true preachers, and his own word also to comfort our weak and sick souls, let not these worldly men make your Grace believe that they will cause insurrections and heresies, and such mischiefs as they imagine of their own mad brains, least that he be avenged upon you and your Realm, as was David upon the Ammonites, and as he hath ever been avenged upon them which have obstinately withstand and gainsayd his word. But peradventure they will lay this against me, and say that experience doth show, how that such men as call them selves followers of the Gospel, regardeth not your Graces commandment, neither set by your Proclamation, and that was well proved by these persons which of late were punished in London for keeping of such books as your grace had prohibited by proclamation: and so like as they regarded not this, so they will not regard or esteem other your Graces laws, statutes and ordinances. But this is but a crafty persuasion. For your grace knoweth that there is no man living, specially that loveth worldly promotion, that is so foolish to set forth, promote, or enhaunce his enemy, whereby he should be let of his worldly pleasures and fleshly desires: but rather he will seek all the ways possible that he can, utterly to confoūd, destroy and put him out of the way. And so as concerning your last proclamation, prohibiting such books, the very true cause of it, and chief Counselors (as men say, and of likelihood it should be) were they whose evil living and cloaked hypocrisy these books uttered and disclosed. And howbeit that there were 3. or 4. that would have had the Scripture to go forth in English, yet it happened there, as it is evermore seen, that the most parte overcometh the better, and so it might be that these men did not take this proclamation as yours, but as theirs set forth in your name, as they have done many times moe, which hath put this your Realm in great hinderance and trouble, and brought it to great penury, and more would have done if God had not mercifully provided to bring your Grace to knowledge of the falsehood and privy treason, which their head and Captayne was about: and be you sure not without adherents, if the matter be duly searched. For what marvel is it, that they being so nigh of your Council, and so familiar with your Lord's, should provoke both your Grace and them to prohibit these books, which before by their own authority have forbidden the New Testament, under pain of everlasting damnation: for such is their manner, to send a thousand men to hell, ere they send one to God, and yet the New Testament (and so I think by y ^e other) was me • kely offered to every man that would and could, to amend it, if there were any fault.

Moreover, I will ask them the causes of all insurrections, which hath been in this Realm heretofore. And whence is it that there be so many Extortioners, bribers, murderers, and thieves which daily do not break only your graces laws, ordinances, and statutes, but also the laws and commandments of almighty God? I think they will not say these books, but rather their Pardons which causeth many a man to sin in trust of them. For as for those malefactors which I now rehearsed, you shall not find one amongst a hundredth, but that he will cry out both of these books, and also of them that have them, yea & will be glad to spend the good which he hath wrongfullye gotten, upon Fagots to burn both the books and them that have them.

And as touching these men that were latelye punished for these books, there is no man (I hear say) that can lay any word or deed against them that should sound to the breaking of any of your graces laws (this only except) if it be yours, and not rather theirs. And be it so that there be some that have these books, that be evil, unruly, and self willed persons, not regarding God's laws nor mans, yet these books be not the cause thereof, no more then was the bodily presence of Christ and his words the cause that Judas fell, but their own froward mind and carnal wit, which should be amended by the virtuous example of living of their Curates, & by the true expositiō of the scripture. If the lay people had such Curates that would thus do their office, these books nor the Devil himself could not hurt them, nor make them to go out of frame, so that the lack of good Curates is the destruction and cause of all mischief. Neither do I write these things because that I will either excuse these men lately punished or to affirm all to be true writ̄ in these books, which I have not all read, but to show that there cannot such inconvenience follow of them, and specially of the scripture as they would make men believe should follow.

And though it be so that your Grace may by other books, and namely by the Scripture it self know & perceive the hypocrite Wolves clad in sheep's clothing, yet I think myself bound in conscience to utter unto your grace such things as God put in mind to write. And this I do (God so judge me) not for hate of any person or persons living, nor for that that I think the word of GOD should go forth without persecution, if your Grace had commanded that every man within your Realm should have it in his mothers tongue. For the Gospel must needs have persecution unto the time that it be preached throughout all the world, which is the last sign y ^t Christ shown to his Disciples that should come before the day of judgment: so that if your grace had once commanded that the scripture should be put forth, the devil would set forth some wyle or other to persecute the truth. But my purpose is, for the love that I have to God principally, & the glory of his name, which is only known by his word, and for the true allegiaunce that I owe unto your Grace, and not to hide in the ground of my heart the talent given me of God, but to chaffer it forth to other, that it may increase to the pleasure of God, to exhort your grace to avoid and beware of these mischievous flatterers and their abhominable ways and counsels.

And take heed whose counsels your grace doth take in this matter: for there be some that for fear of losing of their worldly worship and honor, will not leave their opinion, which rashly, and that to please men withal by whom they had great promotion, they took upon them to defend by writing, so that now they think that all their felicity which they put in this life, should be mard, and their wisdom not so greatly regarded, if that which they have so slanderously oppressed, should be now put forth and allowed. But alas, let these men remember S. Paul, how fervent he was against the truth (and that of a good zeal) before he was called: he thought no shame to suffer punishment & great persecutions for that which he before despised & called heresy. And I am sure that their living is not more perfect then S. Paul's was, as concerning the outward works of the law, before he was converted.

Also the king and Prophet David was not ashamed to forsake his good intent in building of the Temple, after that the Prophet Nathan had shown him that it was not the pleasure of god that he should build any house for him: and notwithstanding that Nathan had before allowed & praised the purpose of David, yet he was not ashamed to revoke and eat his words again when he knew that they were not according to God's will and pleasure.

Wherefore they be sore drowned in worldly wisdom that think it against their worship to knowledge their ignorance: whom I pray to God that your grace may es • ye, and take heed of their worldly wisdom, which is foolishness before God, that you may do that that God commandeth, and not that seemeth good in your own sight without the word of God, that your grace may be found acceptable in his sight and one of the menbers of his church and according to the office that he hath called your Grace unto, you may be found a faithful minister of his gifts, and not a defender of his faith, for he will not have it defended by man or man's power, but by his words only, by the which he hath evermore defended it, and that by a way far above man's power or reason, as all the stories of the Bible maketh mention.

Wherefore gracious king remember yourself, have pity upon your soul, and think that the day is even at hand when you shall give accounts of your office and of the blood that hath been shed with your sword. In the which day that your grace may stand steadfastly and be not ashamed, but to be clear and ready in your reckoning & to have (as they say) your Quites est, sealed with the blood of our Savior Christ which only serveth at that day, is my daily prayer to him that suffered death for our sins, which also prayeth to his father for grace for us continually. To whom be all honor and praise forever. Amē. The spirit of God preserve your Grace. Anno Domini 1530. 1. die Decembris.

In this Letter of Mayster Latimer to the king above prefixed, many things we have to consider: First his good conscience to God, his good will to the king, the duty of a right Pastor unto truth, his tender care to the common wealth, and especially to the Church of Christ. Further we have to consider the abuse of Princes courts, how kings many times be abused with flatterers and wicked coūsellers about them, and especially we may note the subtle practices of prelates, in abusing the name and authority of kings to set forth their own malignaunt proceedings. We may see moreover, and rather marvel at in the said letter, the great boldness and divine stoutness in this man, who as yet being no Bishop, so freely and plainly without all fear of death aduentring his own life to discharge his conscience, durst so boldly, to so mighty a Prince, in such a dangerous case against the kings law and proc • amation set out, in such a terrible time, take upon him to write, and to admonish that, which no coūseller durst once speak unto him, in defense of Christ's Gospel. Whose example if the Bishops and Prelates of this Realm, for their partes likewise in like cases of necessity would follow (as in deed they should) so many things peradventure would not be so out of frame as they be, and all for lack that the officers of God's word do not their duty.

Finally, this moreover in the said letter is to be noted, how blessedly almighty God wrought with his faithful servant, whose bold adventure, and wholesome counsel, though it did not preuayl through the iniquity of the time: yet notwithstanding GOD so wrought with his servant in doing his duty, that no danger, nor yet displeasure rose to him thereby, but rather thanks and good will of the Prince: for not long after the same he was advanced by the king to the Bishopric of Worcester, as is above declared.

Seeing M. Latimer was so bold and plain with the king (as is afore specified) no great marvel if he did use like freedom and playnes toward other meaner persons in admonishing them of their misorder, especially if any such occasion were given, where truth and equity required his defense against injury and oppression. For example whereof we have another Letter of his, written to a certain Justice of peace in Warwickshyre, who as he is long since departed, so he shall be here unnamed. The letter although it may seme somewhat long and tedious: yet I thought here not to overpass the same for diverse & sundry respects: first that the virtue and faithful conscience of this good Pastor may appear more at large: also for that all other Bishops and pastors by this example may learn with like zeal and stomach to discharge their duty and conscience in reforming things amiss and in pouderyng with the salt of God's word the sores of the people. Which thing if every Bishop for his part within his Dioces had done in king Edward's days, in redressing such corruption of that time with like diligence as this man did, verily I suppose that the persecution of queen Mary had not so plagued the Realm as it did: but where as never man almost liveth in due order, and yet never a Bishoppe will stir to seek redress, what can become of the Realm? Item, another respect is because of the Justices and all other placed in room and office, which may take heed hereby, not to abuse their authority to tread down truth and bear down poor men with open wrong through extortion or partiality: and finally that all injurious oppressors whatsoever, by the said letter may take some fruit of wholesome admonition. What the argument and occasion was of this letter, I shown before. The tenor and purporte thereof, as it was written to the Gentleman, is this as followeth.

A fruitful letter of M. Latimer, written to a certain Gentleman.

RIght worshipful, salutem in Domino. And now Syr I understand, that you be in great admirations at me, and take very greeuouslye my manner of writing to you, adding thereunto that you will not bear it at my hand, no not and I were the best Bishop in England. &c.

Ah Syr? I see well I may say as the common saying is: Well have I fished and caught a Frog: brought little to pass with much ado. You will not bear it with me, you say. Why syr, what will ye do with me? You will not fight with me, I trow. It may seem unseemly for a Justice of peace to be a breaker of peace. I am glad the dotyng time of my foolish youth is gone and paste? What will you then do with me, in that you say you will not bear it at my hand? What hath my hand offended you? Perchaunce you will conuent me before some Judge, and call me into some court. Deus been vertat. Equidem non recuso iudicium vllum, Accusemus inuicem, vt emendemus alius alium in nomine Domini. Fiat iustitia in iudicio. And then and there, do best have best, for club half penny. Or peradventure ye will set pen to paper, and all to rattle me in a letter, wherein confuting me you will defend yourself and your brother against me. Now that would I see, quoth long Roben, vt dicitur vulgariter. Non potero sane non vehementer probare eiusmodi industriam: For so should both your integrityes and innocencyes best appear, if you be able to defend both your own procedinges, & your brothers doings in this matter to be upright. Et ego tum iustis rationibus victus, libenter cedam, culpam humiliter confessurus. But I think it will not be. But now first of all let me know what it is that ye will not bear at my hand? What have I done with my hand? What hath my hand trespassed you? Forsoothe, that can I tell, no man better: For I have charitably monished you in a secret letter, of your slipper dealing, and such like misbehavior. O quam grave piaculum? i. What a sore matter is this? And will ye not bear so much with me? Will ye not take such a show of my good will towards you, and toward the saving of your soul at my hand? Oh Lord God, who would have thought that Mayster N. had been so impudent, that he would not bear a godly monition for the wealth of his soul? I have in use to commit such trespasses many times in a year with your betters by two ot three degrees, both Lord's and Ladies, of the best in the Realm, and yet hitherto I have not heard that any of them have said in their displeasure, that they will not bear it at my hand. Are you yet to be taught, what is the office, liberty, & privilege of a Preacher? What is it else, but even arguere mundum de peccato, without respect of persons, quod quidem ipsum est ipsius spiritus sancti peculiare in ecclesia munus & officium, sed non nisi per Praedicatores legitimos exequendum. You could but ill bear (belike) to hear your fault openly reproved in the Pulpit, which cannot bear the same in a secret sealed up letter, written both friendly, charitably, and truly, nisi forte acriter reprehendere peccata, sit iam omni charitate, amicitia, veritate carere. But Mayster N. if you will give me leave to be plain with you, I fear me you be so plunged in worldly purchasinges, and so drowned in the manifold dregs of this deceiveable world, that I ween you have forgotten your Catechism. Read therefore again the opening of the first commandment, and then tell me whether you of me, or I of you have just cause to complain. &c.

Item Syr, you said further that I am wonderfully abused by my neighbor. &c. How so, good Mayster N? Wherein? Or how will you prove it to be true, and when? So you said that he had abused you, and given you wrong information, but the contrary is found true by good testimony of Mayster Chamber, which heard as well as you, what my neighbor said, and hath testified the same, both to you, and against you, full like himself. Master N. to forge and feine (which argueth an ill cause) that is one thing: but to prove what a man doth say, that is another thing. As though you were privileged to outface poor men & bear them in hand what you list, as may seem to make some maintenance for your naughty cause. Trust me Mayster N. I was but a very little acquainted with my neighbor when this matter begā: but now I have found him so conformable to honesty, upright in his dealings, and so true in his talk, that I esteem him better, then I do some other whom I have perceived and found other ways. For I will flatter no man, nor yet claw his back in his folly, but esteem all men as I find them, allowing what is good, and disalowing what is bad, In omnibus hominibus sieve amicis sieve inimicis, iuxta praeceptum Paulinum, à filijs huius seculi in precio non habitum: Sitis odio, inquit, prosequentes quod malum est, adhaerentes autem ei quod bonum est: Neque bonum malum, nec malum bonum in gratiam hominum affirmemus vnquam, id quod filij huius seculi vulgo faciunt, vt est videre vbique. And now what manner of man do you make me Mayster N. when you note me to be so much abused by so ignorant a man, so simple, so plain, and so far without all wrinkles? Have I lived so long in this tottering world, and have I been so many ways turmoiled and tossed up and down, and so much, as it were seasoned with the powder of so many experiences to and fro, to be now so far bewitched and alienated from my wyttes, as though I could not discern cheese from chalk, truth from falsehood, but that every seely soul, and base witted man might easily abuse me to what enterprise he listed at his pleasure? Well, I say not nay, but I may be abused. But why do you not tell we howe your brother abused me, promising before me and many moe, that he would stand to your awardship, and now doth deny it? Why do you not tell me, how those two false faythlesse wretches abused me, promising also to abide your awarde, and doth it not? Yea, why do you not tell me, how you yourself have abused me, promising me to redress the injury and wrong that your brother hath done to my neighbor, and have not fulfilled your promise? These notable abuses be nothing with you, but only you must needs burden me with my neighbors abusing me, which is none at all, as farreforth as ever I could perceive, so GOD help me in my need. For if he had abused me as you and other have done, I should be soon at a point with him, for anything further doing for him. &c.

Item Syr, you said further, that I shall never be able to prove that either your brother, or the two tenauntes agreed to stand to your award. &c. No Syr? Mayster N. you say belike as you would have it to be, or as your brother with his adherents have persuaded you to think it to be, so inducing you to do their request to your own shame and rebuke, if you persevere in the same, beside the peril of your soul, for consenting at least wa • , to the mainteinance by falsehood of your brothers iniquity. For in that you would your awardship should take none effect, you show yourself nothing inclinable to the redress of your brothers vnright dealing with an honest poor man, which hath been ready at your request to do you pleasure with his things, or else he had never come into this wrangle for his own goods with your brother.

Ah Mayster N. what manner of man do you show yourself to be? or what manner of conscience do you show yourself to have? For first, as touching your brother, you know right well, that Sir Thomas Cokin with a Letter of his own hand writing, hath witnessed unto your brothers agreement, which letter he sent to me unsealed, and I shown the same to my neighbor and other mo ere I sealed it, and perchance have a copy of the same yet to show. With what conscience then can you say that I shall never be able to prove it? Shall not three men upon their oaths make a sufficient proof trow you? vel ipso dicente Domino: in ore duorum vel trium. &c. Yea, you think it true I dare say, in your conscience, if you have any conscience, though I were in my grave, and so unable to prove anything. And as for the two tenauntes, they be as they be, and I trust to see them handled according as they be: for there be three men yet alive that dare swear upon a book, that they both did agree. But what should we look for at such men's hands, when you yourself play the part you do? Verum viuit adhuc Deus, qui videt omnia & iudicat just. &c.

Item Syr, you said yet further, that the Justices of peace in the country think you very unnatural, in taking part with me before your brother. &c. Ah Mayster N. what a sentence is this to come out of your mouth? For partaking is one thing? and ministering of justice is another thing: and a worthy minister of justice will be no Partaker, but one indifferent between party and partye. And did I require you to take my parte, I pray you? No, I required you to minister justice between your brother and mine neighbor without any partaking with either other. But what manner of Justices be they I pray you, which would so fain have you to take parte naturally with your Brother, when you ought and should reform and amende your brother? as you yourself know, no man better. What? Justices? no Iuggelers you might more worthily call such as they be, then Justices. Be they those Justices which call you unnatural, for that you will not take your brothers part against all right & conscience, whom you had picked out & appointed to have the final hearing and determining of my neighbors cause after your substantial and fine award making? Verily I think no less. Forsooth he is much beholding to you, & I also for his sake. Is that the wholesome counsel that you have to give your poor neighbors in their need? In deed you show yourself a worthy Iuggler: Oh, I would have said a Iusticier, among other of your iuggling and partaking Justices. Deum bonum, what is this world? Mary Syr my neighbor had sponne a fair thread, if your partaking Justices through your good counsel had had his matter in ordering and finishing. I pray God save me and all my friends, with all God's flock, from the whole fellowship of your so natural and partaking Justices. Amen.

Lord God, who would have thought that there had been so many partaking Justices, that is to say, unjust Justices in Warwickshire, if Master N. himself one of the same order (but altogether out of order) and therefore knoweth it best, had not told us the tale? but these call you (you say) very unnatural. &c. And why not rather (I pray you) to much natural? For we read de natura duplici, integra & corrupta. Illa erat iusticiae plena: haec nisi reparata semper manet iniusta, iniusticiae fructus alios post alios paritura: so that he that will not help his brother having a just cause in his need, may be justly called unnatural, as not doing iuxta instinctu naturae, sieve integre, sieve reparate. i. According to the instinct of nature either as it was at the beginning, or as it was restored. But he that will take his brothers parte against right, as to ratify his brothers wrong deceiving, he is too much natural, tanquam sequens ingenium sieve inclinationem naturae corruptae, contra voluntatem Dei. i. As one following the disposition and inclination of corrupt nature against the will of God: and so to be natural may seem to be cater cosin or cosin germane with, to be diabolical.

I fear me we have to many Justices that be to much natural to their own perishment both body and soul. For worthy Justices, having ever the fear and dread of God before their eyes (quales sunt pauciores apud nos, quàm vellem) will have no respect at all in their judgments and proceedings, ad propinquitatem sanguinis, but altogether ad dignitatem & aequitatem causae, vt quod iustum est semper iudicent intuitu Dei, non quod iniustum est intuitu hominum: of which number I pray God make you one. Amen. Iustus est (saith John) qui facit iusticiam. At, qui facit peccatum (id quod facit, quisquis injust facit in gratiam & fauorem vllius hominis) ex diabolo est. i. He is just that doth justice. But he that sinneth (as they all do which do unjustly for favor and pleasure of men) is of the devil (saith he) which once all our pataking and unnatural iustices be with all their partiality and naturalitie. Quare dignum & iustum est, that as many as be such Justices, just priuentur munere, & amplius quoque plectantur pro sui quisque facinoris quantitate, vt vel sic tandem abscindantur, tanquam nati in incommodum reipub. nostrae, qui nos conturbant cum adiuuare debeant, Amen.

Quare seponite iustitiam, & sequimini naturam, as your naturals and diabolicales would have you to do, that is, even as just as Germans lips, which came not together by nine mile, Vt Vulgo dicunt &c.

Item Sir, finally and last of all you added these words following? Well (quod you) let master Latimer take heed howe he meddleth with my brother, for he is like to find as crabbed and as froward a piece of him, as ever he found in his life. &c. Ah sir? and is your brother such a one as you speak of in deed? merciful GOD, what a commendation is this for one brother to give another? Est ne eiusmodi gloriatio tua mi amice? And were it not possible, trow you to make him better? It is written: Vexatio dat intellectum. And again, Bonum mihi Domine quod humiliasti me. At least way I may pray to God for him as David did for such like, ad hunc modum: Chamo & freno maxillas eorum constringe qui non approximant at te. In the mean season I would I had never known neither of you both: for so should I have been without this inward sorrow of my heart, to see such untowardness of you both to godliness: for I cannot be but heavy hearted, to see such men so wickedly minded. Well, let us ponder a little better your words, where you say, I shall find him as crabbed and as froward a piece &c. Mark well your own words. For by the tenor of the same it plainly appeareth, that you confess your brothers cause wherein he so stiffly standeth, to be unjust and very naught. For he that standeth so stiffly in a good quarrel and a just cause, as many good men have done, is called a fast man, a constant a trustye man. But he that is so obstable and intractable in wickedness and wrong doing, is commonly called a crabbed and froward piece, as you name your brother to be.

Wherefore knowing so well youre brothers cause to be so naughty, why have you not endeavored youre self, as a worthy Justice, to reform him accordingly, as I required you, and you promised me to do, now almost twelve months ago, if not altogether? Summa Summarum, Master N. if you will not come of shortly, and apply yourself thereunto more effectually hereafter then you have done heretofore, be you well assured thereof, I shall detecte you to all the friends that I have in England, both hye and low, as well his crabbednes and frowardness, as your colorable supportation of the same, that I trust I shall be able thereby, either to bring you both to some goodness, or at least way, I shall so warn my friends and all honest hearts to beware of your ilnes, that they shall take either no hurt at all, or at least way, least harm by you through mine aduertisemente, in that, knowing you perfectly, they may the better avoid and shun youre company. You shall not stay me master N. no though you would give me all the lands and goods you have as riche as you are noted to be. Ego nolo tam iustam causam derelinquere, ego nolo peccatis alienis in hac parte communicare. For whether it be per detestabilem, superbiam, whether per abominabilem auaritiam, or by both two linked to gether, it is no small iniquity to keep any one poor mā so long frō his right and duty so stiff neckedly and obstinately, or whether ye will crabbedly and frowardly. And what is it then any manner of ways to consent to the same? You know I trow, Mayster N. furtum quid sit: nempe quouismodo auferre vel retinere alienam • em inuito Domino, vt quidam definiunt. Si fur sit qui sic palam facit, quis erit qui facientem probat, tutatur, propugnat, vel quibuscunque ambagibus suffulcit? id est. What theft is, that is, to take or deteyne by any manner of way, another man's good against his will that is the owner, as some define it. If he be a thief that so doth openly, what shall he be that approveth him which is the doer, defendeth, mayntayneth, and supporteth him by any manner of color? Consider with yourself good master N quid sit opprimere & fraudare in negotio fratrem, and what followeth thereof. It is truly said, non tollitur peccatum, nisi restituatur obl • tum. No restitution, no salvation▪ which is as well to be understand, de rebus per frauds, technas, & dolos, as de rebus per manifestum furtum & latrocinium partis. Wherefore let not your brother master N. by cavillation continue in the Devils possession. I will do the best I can, and wrestle with the Devil omnib{us} viribus, to deliver you both frō him. I will leave no one stone vnmoued, to have both you and your brother saved. There is neither Archbishop nor Byshoppe, nor yet any learned man either in Universities or elsewhere, that I am acquainted withal that shall not write unto you, and in their writing by their learning confute you. There is no Godly man of Law in this realm that I am acquainted withal, but they shall write unto you, and confute you by the law. There is neither Lord nor Lady, nor yet any noble personage in this Realm, that I am acquainted withal, but they shall write unto you, and Godlye threaten you with their authority.

I will do all this: yea, and kneel upon both my knees before the kings majesty, and all his honorable Counsaile, with most humble petition for youre reformation, rather then the Devil shall possess you still, to you • inall damnation. So that I do not despair, but verily trust, one way or other, to pluck both you, and also your crabbed brother, as crabbed as you say he is, out of the Deuilles claws, maugre the Deuilles heart.

These premisses well considered, look upon it, good master N. that we have no farther ado: God's plague is presentlye upon us: therefore let us now diligently look about us, and in no wise defend, but willingly reknowledge, and amend whatsoever hath been amiss. These were the capital points of youre talk (as I was informed) after you had perused that my nipping and unpleasant letter: and I thought good to make you some answer to them, if perchance I might so move you, the rather to call yourself to some better remembrance, and so more earnestly apply yourself, to accomplish and perform what you have begun and promised to do, namely the thing it self being of such sort, as apparently tendeth both to your worship, and also to God's high pleasure.

Thus loe with a mad head, but yet a good will, after longe scribbling, I wotte not well what (but I know you can read it, and comprehend it well enough) I bid you most heartily to fare in the Lord, with good health, and long life to God's pleasure, Amen. From Baxsterley the xv of July.

During the time that the said M. Latimer was prisoner in Oxford, we read not of much that he did write, besides his conference with Doctor Ridley, and his protestation at the time of his disputation. Otherwise of letters, we find very few or none, that he did write to his friends abroad, save only these few lines, which he wrote to one maistres Wilkinson of Londō, a godly matron, and an exile afterward for the Gospels sake. Who so long as she remained in England, was a singular patronesse to the good saints of God, and learned Bishops, as to master Hooper, to the Bishop of Hereford, to Mayster Coverdale, M. Latimer, Doctor Cramner with many other. The copy and effect of which his letter to Maystres Wilkinson here followeth.

A letter sent to maystres Wilkinson of London widow, from master Hugh Latimer out of Bocardo in Oxford.

Touching the memorable acts and doings of this worthy man, among many other this is not to be neglected, what a bold enterprise he attempted, in sending to king Henry a present, the manner whereof is this. There was then, and yet remaineth still, an old custom received from the old Romans, that upon Newyeares day being the first day of January, every Bishoppe with some handsome Newyeares gift, should gratify the king: and so they did, some with gold, some with silver, some with a purse full of money, and someone thing, some another: but master Latimer being bishop of Worcester then, among the rest presented a New Testament, for his Newyeares gift: with a napkyn having this posy about it: Fornicatores & adulteros iudicabit Dominus.

And thus hast thou gentle reader, the whole life, both of master Ridley, & of master Latimer, two worthy doers in the church of Christ, severally and by themselves set forth, and described with all their doings, writings, disputations, sufferings, their painful trauayles, faithful preachings, studyous service in Christ's Church, their patiente imprisonmente, and constant fortitude in that which they had taught, with all other their proceedings from time to time, since their first springinge years, to this present time and Moneth of Queen Mary, being the Moneth of October. Anno. 1555. In the which Moneth they were both brought forth together, to their final examination and execution. Wherefore, as we have heretofore declared, both their lives seuerallye, and distinctlye one from the other, so now jointly to couple them both together, as they were together both joined in one society of cause and Martyrdom, we will by the grace of Christ prosecute the rest that remaineth, concerning their latter examination, disgrading, and constant suffering, with the order and manner, also of the Commissioners, which were Mayster White Bishop of Lincoln, Mayster Brookes Bishop of Gloucester, with others: and what were their words, their objections, their Orations there used, and what again were the answers of these men to the same as in the process here followeth to be seen.

The order and manner of the examination of Doctor Ridley, and master Latimer, had the xxx. day of September. 1555.

FIrst, after the appearing of Thomas Cranmer Archbyshop of Canterbury, before the Popes Delegate, and the Queens Commissioners in S. Mary's Church at Oxford, about the xii. day of September, whereof more shall be said (by the Lord's grace) when we come to the death of the said Archbyshoppe: shortly after upon the 28. day of the said month of September, was sent down to Oxford another Commission from Cardinal Poole Legate a latere, to John White, Byshoppe of Lincoln, to Doctor Brokes Bishop of Gloucester, and to Doctor Holiman, Byshoppe of Bristow. The contents and virtue of which Commission was, that the said John of Lincoln, James of Gloucester, and John of Bristow, they or two of them, should have full power and authority, to ascite, examine, and judge master Hugh Latimer and M. Doctor Ridley, pretensed Bishops of Worcester, and London, for divers and sundry erroneous opinyons, which the said Hugh Latimer, and Nicholas Ridley, did hold and maintain in open disputations had in Oxford, in the Monethes of Maye, June, and July, in the year of our Lord 1554. as longe before in the time of perdition and sithen. The which opynions if the named persons would now recant, giving and yealdyng themselves to the determination of the universal and Catholic Church, planted by Peter in the blessed Sea of Rome, that then the deputed Judges, by the said authority of their Commission, should have power to receive the said penitente persons, and forthwith minister to them, the reconciliation of the holy Father the Pope, but if the said Hugh Latimer, and Nicholas Ridley would stoughtly and stubbornly defend, and maintain these their erroneous and assertions, that then the said Lord's by their Commission, should proceed in form of Judgment, according to the law of Heretics that is degradyng them from their promotion, and dignity of bishops, priests, & all other Ecclesiastical orders, should pronounce them as Heretics, and therefore clean to cut them off from the Church, and so to yealde them to receive punishments, due to all such heresy and schism.

Wherefore, the last of September, the said two persons Nicholas Ridley, and Hugh Latimer, were ascited to appear before the said Lord's, in the divinity school at Oxford, at viii. of the clock. At what time thither repaired the Lord's, placyng themselves in high seat, made for public lectures and disputations, according to the usage of that school, being then fair set, and trymmed with clothe of Tissue, and cushynges of Ueluet: and after the said Lord's were placed and set, the said Latimer & Ridley were sent for, and first appeared master Doctor Ridley, and anon master Latimer. But because it seemed good severally to examine them, M. Latimer was kept back, until Doctor Ridley was thoroughly examined. Therefore soon after the coming of Doctor Ridley into the school: the Commission was published by an appointed Notary, and openly read. But Doctor Ridley standing bare headed, humbly expectinge the cause of that his appearance, eftsoons as he had heard the Cardinal named, and the Popes holiness, put on his cap. Wherefore after the commission was published, in form and sense above specified, the Bishop of Lincoln spake in sense following.

But the Bishop of Lincoln not attending to this answer, without any stay proceeded in his Oration.

So that the Church seemeth to have authority by the holy Ghost, whom Christ said he would send after his ascension, which should teache the Apostles all truth, to have power and jurisdiction to alter such points of the Scripture, ever reserving the foundation: but we came not, as I said before, in this sort to reason the matter with you, but have certain instructions ministered unto us, according to the tenor of the which we must proceed, proposing certain articles, unto the which we require your answer directly, either affirmatively, either negatively to every of them, either denying them, either granting them without farther disputations or reasoning,: for we have already stretched our instructions, in that we suffered you to debate and reason the matter, in such sort as we have done: the which articles you shall hear now, and tomorrow at eyght of the clock in saint Mary's Church we will require and take youre answers: and then according to the same proceed: & if you require a copy of them, you shall have it, pen, ink and paper, also all such books as you shall demand, if they be to be gotten in the University.