LETTER 1 FI1 LATIMER TO DR GREENE FI2 . [Parker MSS. in C.C.C. Camb. Cod. 119:15.] Right worshipful Father, When I last night arrived at Kimbolton on my way to my native place, I readily ascertained from Mr. Thorp, and other persons of good credit, (after we had exchanged mutual greetings and compliments,) that nothing could just now occur more agreeable to Mr. Wingfield than that he should succeed to Lovell’s place among us, and hold whatever office that person held: not that so small a salary is an object to one of his high rank, and so signally enriched with abundance of every thing; but in accordance with the ingenuous nobility of his mind, he has the greatest possible desire to form an intimate acquaintance with learned men and those who cultivate polite literature. And this object is so seriously taken up, and canvassed for, moreover, in so eager or rather so ardent a spirit, that since we had nothing but a pledge given beforehand to the honored More to plead in excuse, More is already prevailed upon, and that (it is said) by the mediation of the King, to give way to Wingfield, and to allow us, without any dishonor, to comply with Wingfield’s wishes. And certain it is that this personage, by his matchless politeness, renders people here in all directions friendly to the object he has in view, and by acts of kindness firmly secures those who have been won over; in short, he does good to every body. Your discretion, therefore, will take this matter into consideration. On you alone, more especially, this whole business, and the advantage, the credit, the splendor of the university depends. Thorp, the man of all others whom we most esteem, and who is always very much attached to you, thinks that nothing would be more for the advantage of our commonwealth than the granting of this favor. For, that I may say a word or two respecting Wingfield, who, I ask, in the present day, is more in the royal confidence, or would be more willing and ready to speak for his friends to the king, than this very Wingfield? Or who among the lay nobility has a greater regard for literature than he? But I shall, perchance, appear more meddling than discreet in writing thus boldly to your lordship. Yet Thorp urges me on, — zeal, a sense of duty, a regard for our literary commonwealth impel me. Make allowance for him who errs, but means well.

Farewell, your worship. I write this late at night, after equinoctial rains, and after being well nigh suffocated and out of my wits with the heat of the sun, the fumes of victuals, and the excessive feasting besides.

Kimbolton, 14 Oct. [1524.] H. LATIMER.

LETTER THE SUM OF MASTER LATIMER’S ANSWER TO DR REDMAN FI6 . [Foxe, Acts and Mon. p. 1305, edit. 1563. Vol. 3. p. 351. edit. 1684.] Reverend master Redman, it is even enough for me, that Christ’s sheep hear no man’s voice but Christ’s: and as for you, you have no voice of Christ against me, whereas, for my part, I have a heart that is ready to hearken to any voice of Christ that you can bring me. Thus fare you well, and trouble me no more from the talking with the Lord my God.

LETTER A LETTER OF MASTER LATIMER WRITTEN TO KING HENRY [VIII.] FOR RESTORING AGAIN THE FREE LIBERTY OF READING THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. [Foxe, Acts and Mon. pp. 1344, et seq. edit. 1563; Vol. 3. pp. 410, et seq. edit. 1684.] To the most mighty prince, king of England, Henry the Eighth, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, by our Lord Jesus Christ. The holy doctor, St. 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 than God. And according to the same, the holy man St. John Chrysostom saith, that he is not only a traitor to the truth, which openly for truth teacheth a lie; but he also which doth not freely pronounce and show the truth that he knoweth. These sentences, most redoubted king, when I read now of late, and marked them earnestly in the inward parts of mine heart, they made me sore afraid, troubled, and vexed me grievously in my conscience; and at the last drave me to this strait, that either I must show forth such things as I have read and learned in scripture, or else be of that sort that provoke the wrath of God upon them, and be traitors unto the truth: the which thing rather than it should happen, I had rather suffer extreme punishment. For what other thing is it to be a traitor unto the truth, than to be a traitor and a Judas unto Christ, which is the very truth, and cause of all truth? The which saith, that whosoever denieth him before men, he will deny him before his Father in heaven. The which denying ought more to be feared and dreaded, than the loss of all temporal goods, honor, promotion, fame, prison, slander, hurts, banishments, and all manner of torments and cruelties, yea, and death itself, be it never so shameful and painful. But, alas! how little do men 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 captains 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 them may be said that which our Savior Christ said to the Pharisees, “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 commandments 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 so blinded your liege people and subjects with their laws, customs, ceremonies, and Banbury glosses, and punished them with cursings, 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 it 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, 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 born; so have you no less need of the merits of Christ’s passion for your salvation, than I and other of your subjects have, which be all members of the mystical body of Christ. And though you be a higher member, yet you must not disdain the lesser . For, as St. Paul saith, “Those members that be taken to be most vile , 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 master 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 plainly, that our Savior Jesus Christ’s life was very poor. Begin at his birth, and I beseech you, who ever heard of a poorer, and so poor as he was? It were too 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 master and man, and she both mistress and maid. How vilely, thinks your grace, were they 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 , without company, light, or any other thing necessary for a woman in that plight! Was not here a poor beginning, as concerning this 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 to us, that his followers and vicars should not regard and 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 affiance, pleasure, trust, and heart upon them.” So that it is not against the poverty in spirit, which Christ preacheth in the gospel of St. Matthew, chapter 5 , <400501> to be rich, to be in dignity and in honor, so that their hearts be not fixed and set upon them so much, that they neither care for God nor good men. 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, and they say, willful poverty, and will not be called worldly men; and they have lords’ lands, and kings’ riches. Yea, rather than 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 subjects, 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 St. 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 gainsay 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 grace’s 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 unthristy 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 all 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 chapter: “By their fruits you 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 read in Matthew, the tenth chapter; where he showeth, that here they shall be hated and despised of all men worldly, and brought before 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 master: and seeing they called me Beelzebub, what marvel is it, if they call you devilish persons and heretics?” Read the fourteenth chapter of St. Matthew’s , <401401> gospel, and 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 shall have peace.” John 16. , <431601> And in the tenth chapter of St. Matthew’s , <401001> gospel saith our Savior Christ also, “Lo, 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 is it off that they will persecute any other but with the word of God only, which is their weapon. And so this is the most evident token that our Savior Jesus Christ would that his gospel and the preachers of it should be known by, 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 Savior 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 St. 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 <500101> first chapter, that “it is not only given to 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, and hateth all things that are contrary to it. And, to be short, St. 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 Master and Savior Jesus Christ, which is this, “By their fruits you shall know them.” For where you see 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 St. 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 call light darkness, and darkness light, sweet sour, and sour 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, wherewith they judge and measure every thing, 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 cannot see the clear light of the sacred scripture, though they babble never so much of it.

But as concerning this matter, other men have showed your grace their minds, how 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 the wickedness of these worldly men detain you from your godly purpose and promise. :Remember the subtle worldly wise counselors of Hammon the son of Nahas, king of the Amonites, which when David had sent his servants to comfort the young king for the death of his father, by crafty imaginations counseled Hammon, not only not to receive them gently, but to entreat them most shamefully and cruelly, saying that “they came not to comfort him, but to espy and search his land; so that afterward they, bringing David word how everything stood, David might come and conquer it.” 1 Samuel 10. , <091001> And they caused the young king to shear their heads, and to cut their coats by the points, and sent them 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 that took their parts.

Therefore, good king, seeing that the right David, that is to say, our Savior Christ, hath sent his servants, that is to say, his 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, lest 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 withstood and gainsaid his word. But peradventure they will lay this against me, and say that experience doth show, how that such men as call themselves followers of the gospel regard not your grace’s commandment, neither set by your proclamation: and that was well proved by those persons which of late were punished in London for keeping 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 grace’s laws, statutes, or ordinances. But this is but a crafty persuasion: for your grace knoweth that there is no man living, especially that loveth worldly promotion, that is so foolish to set forth, promote, or enhance 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 confound, 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 three or four, that would have had the scripture to go forth in English , yet it happened there, as it is evermore seen, that the most part 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 more: which hath put this your realm in great hindrance and trouble, and brought it in great penury, and more would have done, if God hath not mercifully provided to bring your grace to knowledge of the falsehood and privy treason, which their head and captain 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 counsel and so familiar with your lords, 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, before they send one to God: and yet the new Testament (and so I think by the other) was meekly 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 have 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 grace’s 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 hundred, but that he will cry out both of these books, and also of them that have them; yea, and will be glad to spend the good which he hath wrongfully gotten, upon fagots, to burn both the books, and them that have them.

And as touching these men, that were lately 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 grace’s 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 man’s: yet these books be not the cause thereof, no more than was the bodily presence of Christ, and his words, the cause that Judas fell; but their own foward mind and carnal wit, which should be amended by the virtuous example of living of their curates, and by the true exposition of the scripture. If the lay people had such curates that would thus do their office, neither these books, nor the devil himself, could 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 written in these books, which I have not all read; but to show that there cannot such inconvenience follow of them, and especially 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 itself, know and 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 my mind to write. And this I do (God so judge me!) not for hate of any person or persons living, nor for 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 mother’s tongue. For the gospel must needs have persecution unto the time that it be preached throughout all the world, which is the last sign that Christ showed to his disciples 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 wile or other to persecute the truth. But my purpose is, for the love that I have to God principally, and the glory of his name, which is only known by his word, and for the true allegiance 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 others, that it may increase to the pleasure of God, to exhort your grace to avoid and beware of these mischievous flatterers, and their abominable 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 of 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 marred, and their wisdom not so greatly regarded, if that which they have so slanderously oppressed, should now be put forth and allowed. But, alas! let these men remember St. 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 and great persecutions for that which before he despised and called heresy. And I am sure that their living is not more perfect than St. 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 showed him that it was not the pleasure of God that he should build any house for him; and, notwithstanding that Nathan had before allowed and 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 acknowledge their ignorance : whom I pray to God that your grace may espy, and take heed of their worldly wisdom, which is foolishness before God; that you may do 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 members 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 word 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 make mention.

Wherefore, gracious king, remember yourself; have pity upon your soul; and think that the day is even at hand, when you shall give account 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 not be ashamed, but be clear and ready in your reckoning, and to have (as they say) your quieters 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! Amen. The Spirit of God preserve your grace! — Anno Domini 1530. 1 die Decembris.

LETTER 4.

AN ANSWER TO A LETTER FROM DR SHERWOOD FI61 . [Foxe, Acts and Mon. p. 1318, et seq. edit. 1563.

Vol. 3. pp. 394 and 5, edit. 1684.] Abundant health! I am neither so churlish, good sir, (so far as I know myself) as to take amiss a christian admonition from a christian man, nor yet so without sensibility and void of common feeling (if I mistake not) as to be always pleased at having been insulted by you more than once, and that over your cups, before I received your admonition: nay, I am not admonished after all, but rather most bitterly chided, yea assailed, I might say, wickedly assailed with calumnies, and what is more, falsely condemned. Should I now reply to this letter of yours as it deserves, and as my natural disposition would lead me — but I check myself, lest whilst I aim at curing your distemper I stir up your bad humor; for (as your letter of itself tells us) you are a man who, without goading, are more wrathful than is seemly. Yea rather, may God grant to us both, what he himself knoweth to be for our advantage: to me such patience, even in the midst of evil report, as becometh a Christian; and to you as much soundness of judgment, in time to come, as you now have fervency of zeal in your own cause! It will be more profitable, methinks, thus to pray, than to prepare an answer to such an attack as yours: besides that I am too much engaged by daily preaching conveniently to answer you; and all your charges are too flagrantly untrue to deserve a confutation at my hands. But to answer, if it may be, many accusations in few words, it will be worth while to bring forward both what I stated, and what you gathered from what I said. You gathered indeed much, as one determined to strike blood out of a flint. Yes: such, I perceive, is your feeling towards me, which from the violence of it you can ill dissemble.

Suppose I said all popes, all bishops, vicars, and rectors, who do not enter by the door, but climb up another way, are thieves and robbers: in saying so I passed a judgment, as Christ also did, on the manner of entering and on the climbing, not on persons or dignities. Hence you, in your wisdom, gather that all popes, all bishops, and all rectors and vicars, are absolutely thieves; at least that I said so. Is this, my brother, a fair conclusion? Does not that saying of Paul to the Romans justly apply to you? “They say that we thus speak; thus they speak evil of us:” but he adds, “whose damnation is just.” And yet the adversaries of Paul may seem to have interpreted his words more justly than you did mine.

If the word of God be still the same as it then was, and equally pleasing and acceptable to God, does not the same condemnation await those who speak falsely of the minister of the word, be that minister who he may? It makes a great difference whether you say, “All who enter not in by the door are thieves,” or simply, “All are thieves.” But how is it, I pray, that while I say, all who enter not in by the door are thieves, I seem to you to say that all are actually thieves; unless, haply, almost all men seem to you to climb up another way, and not to enter in by the door? If this be your persuasion, at least forbear, if you have wit, (and wit enough you have,) to say what you think; for you must perceive what peril you would bring yourself into by such an assertion. And, unless you thus think, why, I demand, can I not say, that all are thieves who enter not in by the door, but climb up another way, whatever be their glittering titles, without forthwith seeming to you to say, that all are thieves to a man? And then I may rather say, What frenzy has seized you when you so draw your conclusion, as by it to make there to be more thieves than shepherds? For whether you will or no, what I said is true, namely, that as many as enter not in by the door, but climb up another way, are thieves and robbers, be they popes or be they bishops. To what purpose, then, is it to examine your statements further, when you thus get out of your way at the first off-set.

But come, this pleases you most, that the scribes and Pharisees are so covertly reproved by Christ, and not openly. How totally repugnant then to your feelings must be that most bitter and open impeachment thrown in their face and before the multitude, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites,” where they are censured by name! But “Christ,” say you, “was God, perceiving the perversity of the heart, while you are a mere man, a looker upon the outside, no searcher of hearts.” I am indeed a man, as you say, a fact I had discovered some time since without your assistance: I am, I say, a man not seeing the evil that lies hid in another man’s heart, but his manner of life which is open and exposed to the view of all; and so I know those by their fruits, who, as Christ taught us, are thus to be known; and freely condemn the manner of life of some; briefly, that manner of life which I find so often condemned in holy scripture, and by the interpreters of God’s word, not troubling myself about what the persons are who live it. While I thus act, nor search further into men’s hearts, am I not unjustly reproved by you? You, forsooth, are not a man like myself, but something more than mere man; since you arrogate to yourself to know the particular bent of my heart better than I myself do; inasmuch as it is not enough for you to know what I say, but you know my yet unuttered thoughts; having most thoroughly searched the very depths of my heart, lest it happen that you should not discover that which you have attempted to twist against me. Judge not, say I too, before the time, condemn not; that you may learn how necessary it is for a liar to have a good memory, lest haply his throat be cut with his own sword, and himself fall into the pit that he digged for another. For whilst I pronounce all to be thieves, as many as enter not in by the door, but climb up another way, I seem to you (who not only hear my words, but behold my inmost heart) to pronounce all to be thieves to a man, except myself, of course, and those men no body (you say) knows whom, that are of my own kidney. Yet who made the exception, but you who, knowing the secrets of hearts, say, “Such appeared to have been your thoughts?” But thus I seem to have thought, in your judgment, to whom also I seem to have said what, most manifestly, I said not at all. But it is your privilege to forbid others to look into the heart, that you exclusively may behold whatever is in the heart; and that forsooth with so penetrating an eye, that you can see in the heart what the heart has not yet given birth to!

Such is the case where, as is your custom, you wickedly censure without cause what I rightly stated concerning the church; as if I had made all Christians equal to Peter as regards the use of the keys, when not a word was said or even thought of respecting the power of the keys; nor did I use any expression derogating to the primacy of Peter, as that subject was not mentioned. But with your accustomed candor you so interpret me; whereas I did but put my hearers in mind that the church of Christ hath its foundation on a rock not on the sand; that they should not unduly cling to a dead faith and so perish, being shamefully vanquished by the gates of hell; but show forth their faith by good works, and thus obtain everlasting life.

What could be farther from the meaning of my words than that all Christians are priests as I am? But the envious are very keen-sighted in discovering their game. Am I not here, with the best reason, compelled to think there is somewhat of christian charity lacking in your breast, who, because you cannot confute what I really did say, use strange devices to fix upon me something which you may be able to confute? But you know full well what Luther holds respecting the church: and I will not trouble myself to write down what Lyra , in accordance with many others, holds on the sixteenth of Matthew; where that father remarks that “the church consists not of men by virtue of ecclesiastical or secular power and dignity, for many princes and supreme pontiffs and others of inferior dignity, saith he, have been found to apostatize from the faith; wherefore, he saith, the church consists of those persons in whom abideth the true knowledge and confession of faith and verity.” Hereunto Chrysostom and Jerome also agree; for they speak to this effect. I know not whether their language is approved by you, since you are manifestly of those, who are more ready to uphold the primacy of Peter, even when there is no occasion, than to re-echo the blessed confession of Peter by kindred fruits of holiness. But you refer me to Augustine, and I thank you for the hint. I would have you read, if you please, his third treatise on St.

John’s epistles; for you do not appear particularly well versed in Augustine’s writings, when you argue so subtly concerning justification by faith. Wherefore, not to trouble you to search out more passages either of that father or of other authors, I would fain have you better acquainted with the collectanea of Bede, since your own collectanea breathe so little the spirit of Augustine.

Yet, though much pressed by other business, I cannot omit to notice your assertion that Christ made no allusion to the impiety of the Pharisees, when he spake of certain precepts as the least. So you venture to say, because you have read a different interpretation in Origen . A goodly objection truly, as if one and the same passage of scripture were not quite differently expounded by different men! Origen does not notice the allusion, therefore no one doth. What a conclusion! But, say you, Christ had nothing just then to do with the Pharisees. Well said again; as if Christ did not immediately subjoin mention of the scribes and Pharisees, calling off the people from their righteousness which rested on human (that is, their own) traditions, saying, “Unless your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes,” etc. But, say you, Christ was at that time with a very few disciples, apart from the multitude. Now this is a most manifest untruth, as the words of Matthew, at the close of the seventh chapter, show clearer than daylight: so that I may the more easily endure your falsehoods respecting me, seeing that you dare to belie Christ himself and his sayings: “And it came to pass,” saith he, “that when Jesus had made an end of these sayings, the multitude were astonished at his doctrine.” But lo! if Christ spake apart from the multitude, how were they astonished at the doctrine which, by your account, they never had heard? But St. Luke the evangelist, speaking either of the same or of a similar discourse of Christ, testifies that the people heard it. He says, “When Jesus had made an end of these sayings in the audience of the people.” See! what becomes of that hasty decision of yours, so wretchedly distorted by spleen? Is it not yourself who are totally wrong? And that the more deservedly, because you must needs fish out and note the errors of others, and call on them to recant. Is it not you who trust to your own understanding? “Physician, heal thyself;” and learn what that means, “Thou hypocrite, why seest thou the mote?” etc.

Learn from your own beams to make allowance for your neighbor’s motes.

I said nothing, (I call God to witness, that I lie not) which I borrowed from Luther, Oecolampadius, or Melancthon: yet you hesitate not (such is your charity) to fix this charge upon me. If I have done this thing, may I fall as I deserve, stripped bare by mine enemies. But you know not, methinks, what manner of spirit you are of, while you would rather assail a minister of God’s word with your most impudent falsehoods, than bear testimony to the truth. What a wickedness this is in the sight of God, you know full well without my teaching; to your greater condemnation, if you repent not.

But do I now blame a man for believing as the church believes? I blame him not; only your malice toward me has so stopped up your ears, that even when hearing you do not hear what is said. But this I find fault with — that a man persuade any private Christian (as many false preachers are wont to persuade) that it is, in all things, enough for him to believe what the church believes; though in the mean time he knows not, what or how the church does believe; and thus keep back the wretched people from seeking after a more perfect knowledge of God!

The last charge you thrust upon me is false, and beside unmannerly beyond expression; nor do you take my words in the sense in which I spoke them; and so (as Jerome observes on Matthew 26 , <402601> ) you shall be accounted a false witness before God. Read the passage, and give over bearing false witness. I affirm that a Christian, that is, a person received by baptism into the number of Christians, if he live not according to his profession, but yield himself up to the lusts of the flesh, is no more a Christian, as touching the inheriting of eternal life which is promised to Christ’s people, than a Jew or a Turk; yea, rather his condition at that day will be worse than the others’, if you allow that Peter spoke truly, “It is better not to know the way of truth than having known it,” etc. And to whom saith Christ, “I never knew you?” Is it not to those who prophesied in his name, and performed miracles? Will not Christ deny us, if we deny him before men? We shall not be placed amongst Christ’s sheep on the right hand, if, while professing Christ, we have not lived a life worthy of Christ, but disgrace our profession by an evil life. Such men are to be accounted false Christians rather than Christians, and are called by Augustine , and by Christ himself, “antichrists.” I do not deny that the obligation remains, but it remains only to greater condemnation, if a man do not fulfill the conditions of the engagement. It is the duty of a preacher to exhort his hearers, that they be Christians after such sort, that suffering here together with Christ, they may reign with him in heaven; teaching them that to be otherwise a Christian is to be no Christian at all.

Thus speak the scriptures, thus the interpreters of scripture; though you may deem the words heretical. But the covetous man, the fornicator, the murderer, say you, is a catholic, and a servant of Christ. Yet on this wise, to indulge my humor, I will jest with you. By your account, a fornicator is a servant of Christ; but he is also a servant of sin, and of the devil: then the man can at once serve two masters; of which Christ was not aware.

And if dead faith makes a catholic, the very devils belong to the catholic church; for they, according to St. James, “believe and tremble.” A fornicator, say you, believes in Christ; “hope maketh not ashamed;” “whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Yet I am aware that Paul wrote to the Galatians, when they erred from the faith, and yet addressed them as the church: so the same apostle, writing to the Corinthians, calls them in the same chapter, in one place, carnal; in another, the temple of God; meaning by both expressions Corinthians, but different individuals. For they who were carnal were not the temple of God: albeit I know also that the church, that is, the body of those who profess Christ, consists partly of good and partly of evil men; forasmuch as the gospel net gathereth of every kind. How does this contradict what I said, whose aim was to make all good and not bad, and so would have my hearers think it no great matter if ecclesiastics be of the number of the wicked? But it did not seem good to you to interpret my preaching piously, as it was meant; yet you think it consistent with piety to repeat, in a bad spirit, what was said with holy purpose. If your discourse be not milder than your writings, I would fain be delivered from both: but may all bitterness and pride and anger and clamor and evil speaking be taken from you, with all malice! Yet neither your words nor your writings will trouble me. You would not wish, I trow, for such hearers as you have shown yourself to be: then may God make you of a better spirit, or keep you as far away as possible from my preaching!

Farewell.

LETTER 5.

LATIMER TO HUBBARDINE FI68 . [Printed in Strype, Eccl. Mem. 1. 2:175 et seq. Oxf. ed.] The Spirit of God be with you to seal the truth and follow the same!

Amen. I doubt not, master Hubbardine, that you have read the saying of the Spirit by his prophet Isaiah: Voe qui dicunt malum bonum, et bonum malum, ponentes lucem tenebras, et tenebras lucem, etc. which words, after mine understanding, be this much in English: “Woe,” or eternal damnation, “be unto them which say that good is evil and evil is good; calling light darkness, and darkness light, etc.” Take heed.

Remember yourself well. Ye may mock and deceive us: Deus non irridetur , “God will not,” for all that, “be mocked.” It is not the saying of wise Aristotle, of godly Plato, of holy Thomas , no, nor yet of subtle Duns , (who for all their wisdom, godliness, holiness and subtlety, deceived, were deceived, and lied,) but it is the eternal and perpetual word of God; who, as he deceiveth no man, so can he be deceived of no man, nor yet make any lie. God it is that saith, “Woe,” or eternal damnation, “be unto him that saith that good is evil, etc.” It is no threatening of man, but it is the sentence of God: wherefore it is the more to be feared, and undoubtedly to be looked for. For it is only the word of God that lasteth ever, and may sustain no change . Do you marvel wherefore I say this? It is only brotherly love, and my conscience, which compelleth me, as bounden, brotherly to admonish you not only of the grievous blasphemies against the truth which ye uttered here on the Ascension-day, but also to exhort you to desist of your proposed blasphemy and lies against God and his word, which ye have promised to prove in this same place this day. And that ye may know that ye have inexcusably blasphemed and belied the truth, and promised to do the same, partly here I will confute your blasphemies that be past, and partly that be promised.

And so first to begin with that which is past. Ye said, that it was plain that this new learning (as ye call it) was not the truth, and so not of God; but contrariwise that it was lies, and so surely of the devil. This your assertion ye proved by two manner of conjectures: the one is, that the professors of it live naughtily; and the other is, that priests be prosecuted of them. Which two persuasions, though they be in very deed lies, as I trust in God to show them, yet though they were true, did but easily prove your intention. For after the same manner ye may as well openly improve Christ and all his doctrine, as ye do now under a color, which I will entreat more largely hereafter. But to our purpose: that, as ye say, it is plain that this new learning (as ye call it) is not the truth, and so not of God; but contrariwise it is lies, and surely of the devil. Herein are contained three great blasphemies and abominable lies, injurious both to God and his word; and, I fear, sin against the Holy Ghost: for they are even the same words with the example of Christ, declaring the sin against the Holy Ghost. For to begin withal: ye call the scripture the new learning , which I am sure is older than any learning which ye wot to be the old. But if ye will say, that it is not the scripture that ye call new, but other books lately put in English: I answer, that the scripture was the first which you and your fautors condemned; besides that those other, for the most, teach nothing but that which is manifest in the scripture, and also plain in the ancient doctors. I speak not of your old doctors, Duns and St. Thomas, Halcot , Briget and others , but of Augustine, Hierome, Chrysostom, Ambrose, Hilary, and such other; which, in like manner, be called new doctors, as the scripture new learning; and as Tully, new Latin; as the text of Aristotle, new philosophy; and likewise of all sciences.

And so in this appeareth your first lie, that ye call the scripture new doctrine ; except that ye would call it new, either because it makes the receivers of it new men, or else that it was now newly received into the world, for the condemnation of them that reject it, and the salvation of the receivers; of which newness I am sure ye spake not. I pray you, was not the scripture, if ye would contend, before your most ancient doctors, that ye can allege to have written of it? Was it not, afore they wrote upon it, better received, more purely understand, of more mighty working, than it is now, or since they wrote upon it? In St. Paul’s time, when there was no writers upon the new Testament, but that the plain story was then newly put forth, were there not more converted by (I dare boldly say) two parties, than there be at this hour, I will not say christian men, but that profess the name of Christ? Is it not now the same word as it was then? Is not the same schoolmaster, that taught them to understand it then (which, as St. Peter saith, is the Spirit of God) alive, as well as he was then? Doth he not favor us now as well as he did then? Have we him not now, as well as we had then? If we have not the Spirit of Christ, St.

Paul saith, so be we no christian men. And if we be no christian men, so be you deceivers and false prophets; preaching unto yourself your authority and your constitutions, without the word of God; which is only the rule of faith according to the saying of St. Paul, where he saith that “faith is of hearing,” and not of all manner hearing, but of hearing of the word of God: which faith, also, is the first-fruit of the Spirit of God: which Spirit if we have not, so testify ye against us, that we be no christian men; and. against yourself, that ye be no ministers or stewards of Christ, but ministers of antichrist, and shepherds of your own bellies.

Which Spirit if we have, so beareth us witness St. Paul that we be Christ’s men; and St. Peter, that we may understand the scripture. Which only is that the lay-people desire; utterly contemning all men’s draughts, and all men’s writings, how well learned soever they be; only contented with their old and new schoolmaster , the Holy Spirit of God, and the minister thereto of him elect, and of him sent.

But you will say, that you condemn not the scripture, but Tyndal’s translation. Therein ye show yourself contrary to your words; for ye have condemned it in all other common tongues, wherein they be approved in other countries. So that it is plain, that it is the scripture, and not the translation, that ye bark against, calling it new learning. And this much for the first lie.

And as for the two other, [they] be soon confuted, that it is not the truth, nor of God, but lies and of the devil. O Jesu, mercy! that ever such blasphemy against the Holy Ghost should proceed out of a christian man’s mouth! Is it not all one to say, that the doctrine of Christ is lies, and cometh of the devil, and that Christ is a liar, and the devil? What difference, I pray you, is here betwixt this blasphemy, and that which the Pharisees imputed unto Christ, when they said, “We know that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil within thee?, when that Christ said, that the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost should never be forgiven. If ye have said this of ignorance, I pray God bring you to knowledge and repentance. If ye spake it against your conscience, of malice against the truth, (as he knoweth qui scrutator cordium est,) I fear me lest time of repentance (which God forbid!) shall ever be given you in this life. O Lord God! what a wresting of the scripture was it to interpretate and ... those words of St. Paul, “Before the coming of antichrist, there shall be a departure from the pope;” when, as the text saith plainly, antichrist was come already, and that he then worked secretly, and that there should be a departing from the faith, and that he should be opened unto all men afore the coming of Christ. For shame, nay for conscience, either allege the scriptures aright, without any such wresting, or else abstain out of the pulpit.

But now, to come to your conjectures by which you persuaded your assertions; that is, that the scripture was new learning, Christ a liar and the devil: which are, that the fautors and professors thereof live naughtily, and that they persecute priests. First, besides that it is manifest that your conjectures both be false; for the pureness of life of the favorers of it, (I speak of them that are of my only knowledge ,) their virtuous living is so well known, that it is but folly for me to labor to confute it. And that they persecute priests, I would gladly hear of one priest so much as once prisoned , ¾ I mean not for whoredom, theft, and murders, with such their common practices, but for his faith’s sake; except it were such as you yourself persecuted, as ye do us for knowledging the truth. Need ye that I bring forth examples? Remember ye not the honest priest that the last year was martyred by you in Kent? Do you not hold Nicholson, Smyth, Patmore, and Philips , with many other , in prison yet at this hour? [The rest is wanting.] LETTER 6.

LATIMER TO SIR EDWARD BAYNTON, KNIGHT FI88 . [Foxe, Acts and Mon. pp. 1321, et seq. edit. 1563.

Vol. 3. pp. 396, et seq. edit. 1684.] Salutem in Domino .

Right worshipful sir, I recommend me unto your mastership 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 master Bonnam, perceiving therein both who be grieved with me, wherefore, and what behoveth me to do, in case I must needs come up; which your goodness towards me, with all other such like, to recompense, whereas I myself am not able, I shall not cease to pray my Lord God, who both is able, and also doth indeed 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 mastership, 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 and 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 old disease in my head and side, but also with new, both the cholic 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 grievance and painful to me: with the which answer he was content, saying, he would certify my lord of London thereof, trusting his lordship would be content with the same; but as yet I hear nothing from him.

Master chancellor also said, that my lord of London maketh as though he were greatly displeased with me, for that I did contemn his authority at my last being in London.

Forsooth, I preached in Abb-church, not certain then (as I remember) whether in his diocese or no , intending nothing less than to contemn his authority: and this I did not of mine own seeing or by mine own procuration, but at the request of honest merchantmen (as they seemed to me), whose names I do not know, for they were not of mine acquaintance before. And I am glad thereof for their sakes, lest, if I knew them, 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 the truth, even importunately. Whether they were of that parish or no, I was not certain; but they showed not only themselves, but also many other, to be very desirous to hear me, pretending great hunger and thirst of the word of God and ghostly doctrine. And upon consideration, and to avoid all inconveniences, I put them off, 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, not withstanding that they certified him both of my name plainly, and also that I had not the bishop’s seal to show for me, but only a license of the university ; which curate did receive me, welcomed me, and, when I should go into the pulpit, gave me the common benediction: so that I had not been alone uncharitable, but also churlishly uncharitable, if I should have said nay. Now all this supposed to be truth (as it is), I marvel greatly how 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 did it appear to me very likely that the curate would so little have regarded my lord’s inhibition, which he maintaineth so vigilantly, not knowing my lord’s mind before. Therefore I conjectured 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 train and a trap laid before me, to the intent that my lord himself, or some other pertaining to him, were 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 spake never so fair and friendly, and also the rather to go. For I preach nothing, but (if it might be so) I would my lord himself 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 with power of my friends (the curate gainsaying and withstanding) presumed to have gone into the pulpit, there had been something wherefore to pretend a contempt. I preached in Kent also, at the instant request of a curate; yet hear 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 bishop of London, having so broad, wide, and large a diocese committed unto his cure, and so peopled as it is, can have leisure for preaching and teaching the word of God, opportune, importune, tempestive, intempestive, privatim, publice , to his own flock, instando, arguendo, exhortando, monendo, cum omni lenitate et doctrina; have leisure (I say) either to trouble me, or to trouble himself with me, so poor a wretch, a stranger to him, and nothing pertaining to his cure, but as every man pertaineth to every man’s cure; so intermixing and intermeddling himself with another man’s cure, as though he had nothing to do in his own. If I would do as some men say my lord doth, gather up my joyse (as we call it) warily 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 ordinaries to use charitable equity in their judgments towards such as be accused, namely of such accusers which be as like to hear and bewray, as other be to say amiss; and to take men’s words in the meaning thereof, and not to wrest them in another sense than they were spoken in: for all such accusers and witnesses be false before God, as St. Jerome saith upon the twenty-sixth chapter of St.

Matthew . Nor yet do I account those judges well advised, which wittingly will give sentence after such witnesses; much less those which procure such witnesses against any man: nor no I think judges nowa- days so deeply confirmed in grace, or so impeccable, but that it may behove and become preachers to admonish them 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, ( Romans 6) <450601> wherein is this sentence, Non estis sub lege, sed sub gratia ; “Ye christian men, that believe in Christ, are not under the law.”

What a saying is this (quoth I), if it be not rightly understood; that is, as St. 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 if the pseudo-apostles, adversaries to St. Paul, would have so taken them, and accused St. Paul of the same to my lord of London? If my said lord would have heard St. Paul declare his own mind of his own words, then he should have escaped, and the false apostles have been put to rebuke: if he would have rigorously followed utcunque allegata et probata, and have given sentence after relation of the accusers, then good St. Paul must have borne a fagot at Paul’s Cross, my lord of London being his judge. Oh! it had been a godly sight, to have seen St. Paul with a fagot on his back, even at Paul’s 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 St. Paul did not mean that christian 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, and 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 St. Paul’s meaning, is to be weak to satisfy the law; and what could St.

Paul do withal, though his adversaries would not so take it ?

But my lord would say, peradventure, that men will not take the preacher’s words otherwise than they mean therein. Bona verba: as though St. Paul’s words were not otherwise taken; as it appeareth in the third chapter to the Romans, where he saith, Quod injustitia nostra Dei justitiam commendat; that is to say, “Our unrighteousness commendeth 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 St.

Paul was reported to mean: yet he did mean nothing so; but showed the inestimable wisdom of God, which can use our naughtiness to the manifestation of his unspeakable goodness; not that we should do naughtily to that end and purpose. Now my lord will not think, I dare say, that St. Paul was to blame that he spake no more circumspectly, more warily, 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 attendance to Paul’s speaking, to the understanding of the same: yea, he will rather pity the people, which had been so long nurse-led 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 to receive the bright lightness of the truth, and wholesome doctrine of God, uttered by St. Paul. Nor do I think that my lord will require more circumspection, or more convenience to avoid offense of errors in me, than was in St. Paul, when he did not escape malevolous corrections and slanderous reports of them that were of perverse judgments, which reported him to say whatsoever he appeared to them to say, or whatsoever 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 St. Paul; “so they speak evil of us:” sed quorum damnatio justa est , “but such, whose damnation is just,” saith he.

And I think the damnation of all such that evil report preachers now-adays, likewise just; for it is untruth now and then. Yea, Christ himself was misreported, and 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 wrested 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; secondly, ignorant and without judgment; thirdly, susurrones , that is to say, whisperers and blowers in men’s ears, which will spew out in huddermudder more than they dare avow openly. The first will not, the second cannot, the third dare not: therefore the relation of such is not credible, and therefore they can make no fame lawful, nor occasion any indifferent judge to make process against any man. And it maketh no little matter what they be themselves that report of any man, whether well or evil: for it is a great commendation to be evil spoken of of them that be naught themselves; and to be commended of the same is, many times, no little reproach. God send us once all grace to wish well one to another, and to speak well one of another!

Meseems it were more 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, than 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 a labor and pain at any time, as to come to preach in my little bishopric at West-Kington , 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 unnatural than 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 predication were fruitful and to the edification of my parishioners.

As for my lord, he 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 St. Paul, the true minister of God, and faithful dispenser of God’s mysteries, and 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 truth’s sake), so that Christ be preached and showed, I joy and will joy:” so much he regarded more the glory of Christ, and promotion of Christ’s doctrine, to the edification of christian souls, than the maintenance of his own authority, reputation, and dignity; considering right well (as he said), that what authority soever 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 St. Paul, and be glad that Christ be preached quovis modo , yea, though it were for envy, that is to say, in disdain, despite, and contempt of his lordship, (which thing no man well advised will enterprise or attempt,) than when the preaching cannot be proved justly, to demand of the preacher austerely, as the Pharisees did of Christ, qua auctoritate haec facis, aut quis dedit tibi istam auctoritatem? 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 a lord unto me. For the university of Cambridge hath authority apostolic to admit twelve yearly, of the which I am one: and the king’s 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 distrain of any man, my lord of Canterbury , my lord of Durham , with such other not a few, standing by, and hearing the decree, nothing gainsaying 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 king’s authority and decree, yea, so godly, so fruitful, so commendable a decree, pertaining both to the edification of christian souls, and also to the regard and defense of the popish grace and authority apostolic. To have a book of the king not inhibited is to obey the king; and to inhibit a preacher of the king’s admitted, is it not to disobey the king? Is it not one king that doth inhibit and admit, and hath he not as great authority 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 itself, I trust in God, my lord of London cannot rightfully belack 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 Fidentine, libellus:

Sed male cum recitas, incipit esse 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 ordinaries and his judges, which I assure 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 monish all judges indifferently to do right; nor am I 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 than 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 friend and foe; noisome wittingly to no man, and towards his enemy so charitable, so seeking to reconcile them as he did, I have known yet not many; and to be short, in sum , a very simple good soul, nothing fit or 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. Notwithstanding, if he either now of late, or at any time, attempted any thing 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; wherefore he that standeth, let him beware he fall not. How he ordered or misordered himself in judgment, I cannot tell, nor will I meddle withal; God knoweth, whose judgments I will not judge. But I cannot but wonder, if a man living so mercifully, so charitably, so patiently, so continently, so studiously and virtuously, and killing his old Adam (that is to say, mortifying his evil affections and blind motions of his heart so diligently), should die an evil death, there is no more, but “Let him that 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, as 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, and judge mine inward man, as it is 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 christian brethren, the king’s liege people, I trust I shall please and content both my Lord God, and also my lord of London: for I have preached and taught but according to holy scripture, holy fathers, and ancient interpreters 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 have damage, and find less in their boxes by condemnation of the abuse; which abuse they had rather should continue still, than their profit should not continue: so thorny be their hearts. If my lord will needs coast and invade my inward man, will I, nill I, and break violently into my heart, I fear me I shall either displease my lord of London, which I would be very loth, or else my Lord God, which I will be more loth; not for any infidelity, but for ignorance, for I believe as a christian man ought to believe. But peradventure my lord knoweth and will know many things certainly, which (perchance) I am ignorant in; with the which ignorance though my lord of London may, if he will, be 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 18) <441801> , as Apollo did, when he knew nothing of Christ but baptismum Johannis , teach and preach mine even christian , that and no further than I know to be true.

There he three Creeds, one in my mass, another in my matins, the third common to them that neither say mass nor matins, nor yet know what they say, when they say the Creed: and I believe all three, with all that 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, as I do now know things in which I have been ignorant heretofore: ever to learn, and ever to be learned; to profit with learning, with ignorance not to annoy . I have thought in times past, that the pope, Christ’s vicar, hath been Lord of all the world, as Christ is; so that if he should have deprived the king of his crown, or you of the lordship of Bromeham, it had been enough; for he could do no wrong. Now I might be hired to think otherwise; notwithstanding I have both seen and heard scripture drawn to that purpose. I have thought in times past, that the pope’s dispensations of pluralities of benefices, and absence from the same, had discharged consciences before God; forasmuch as I have heard, Ecce vobiscum sum , and Qui vos audit , bended to corroborate the same. Now I might be easily entreated to think otherwise, etc. I have thought in times past, that the pope could have spoiled purgatory at his pleasure with 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 heaven, as he might deliver out of purgatory, etc. I have thought in times past, that if I had been a friar, and in a cowl, I could not have been damned, nor afraid of death; and by occasion of the same, I have been minded many times to have been a friar, namely when I was sore sick and diseased : now I abhor my superstitious foolishness, etc. I have thought in times past, that divers images of saints could have helped 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 too long to tell you what blindness I have been in, and how long it were before I could forsake such folly, it was so corporate in me: but by continual prayer, continual study of scripture, and oft communing with men of more right judgment, God hath delivered me, etc. Yea, men think that my lord himself hath thought in times past, that by God’s law a man might marry his brother’s wife , which now both dare think and say contrary: and yet this his boldness might have chanced, in pope Julius’s 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 remiss toward men which labor to do good, as their power serveth, with knowledge, and do hurt to no man with their ignorance: for there is no greater distance, than between God’s law and not God’s law: nor is it so or so, because any man thinketh it so or so; but, because it is so or so indeed, therefore we must think it so or so, when God shall give us knowledge thereof: for if it be indeed either so or not, it is so, or not so, though all the world hath thought otherwise these thousand years, etc.

And finally, as ye say, the matter is weighty, and ought substantially to be looked upon, even as weighty as my life is worth: but how to look substantially upon it, otherwise know not I, than to pray my Lord God day and night, that as he hath emboldened 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 brunt; but I have trust that God will help me in time of need; which if I had not, the oceansea, 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 himself, and yet ought to be. I pray God that both he and I may both discharge ourselves, 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 distinctly, nor more truly: for my head is out of frame, that it would be too 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, lest perchance I never return to them again: and I have heard say, that a doe is as good in winter, as a buck in summer.

LETTER 7.

LATIMER IN REPLY TO SIR EDWARD BAYNTON FI140 . [Foxe, Acts and Mon. pp. 1326, et seq. edit. 1563.

Vol. 3. pp. 399, et seq. edit. 1684.] Right worshipful sir, and my singular good master, salutem in Christo Jesu , with due commendation, and also thanks for your great goodness towards me, etc. And whereas you have communicated my last letters to certain of your friends, which rather desire this or that in me, etc.; 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 unadvisedly scribbled, 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 where as the bee gathereth honey, even there the spinner gathereth venom, not for any diversity of the flower, but for divers natures in them that suck the flower: as in times past, and in the beginning, the very truth, and one thing in itself, was to some offense, to some foolishness; to others, 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 communicating 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 wist” 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 before he leap; 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, than the opinions of me, having never so christian 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 inasmuch as they cause me to more writing, an occupation nothing meet for my mad head. And as touching the points which in my aforesaid 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 cures), seeing that I am alone without any priest to serve my cure, without any scholar to 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, howsoever 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. Indeed, alone God knoweth all certain truth, and alone God knoweth it as of himself; and none knoweth certain truth but God, and those which be taught of God, as saith St. Paul, Deus enim illis patefecit ; and Christ himself, Erunt omnes docti a Deo . And your friends deny not but that certain truth is communicated 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, etc. But as to my presumption and arrogancy; 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, when shall you be sure, that have 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 ye doubt, cum quicquid non est ex fide, peccatum est ? But contrary say you, alone God knoweth certain truth, and ye have it but per speculum in aenigmate ; 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 et 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, etc . Our knowledge here, you say, is but per speculum in aenigmate. 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 ; because the certainty of faith is the most surest certainty, as Duns and other schooldoctors say, that there is a great discrepancy 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 dispute as though enigmatical 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 have been, say they, Qui zelum Dei habuerunt, sod non secundum scientiam ; “which have had a zeal, but not after knowledge .” True it is, there have been such, and yet be too many, to the great hindrance of Christ’s glory, which nothing doth more obscure than a hot zeal accompanied with great authority without right judgment. There have been also, Qui scientiam habuerunt absque zelo Dei, qui, veritatem Dei in injustitia detinentes, plagis vapulabunt multis, dum voluntatem Domini cognoscentes nihil minus quam faciunt ; “ which have had knowledge without any zeal of God, who holding the verity of God in unrighteousness, shall be beaten with many stripes, while they, knowing the will of God, do nothing thereafter.” I mean not among Turks and Saracens, that be unchristened, but of them that be christened. And there have been also, Scientiam Dei, id est, spiritualem divini verbi sensum, quem prius habuerunt ; “that have lost 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, ut justificetur Christus in sermonibus suis, et vincat cum judicatur ; threatening, Ei vero, qui non habet, etiam quod habet, id est, quod videtur habere, auferetur ab eo; cum abuti habito, vel non bene uti, sit non hubere; necnon sit verum illud quoque, non habitaturam videlicet sapientiam in corpore peccatis subdito; qui adhuc etsi carnaliter sapiat plus satis, at stat sententia, nempe carnalem et philosophicam scripturarum intelligentiam non esse sapientiam Dei, quae a sapientibus absconditur, parvulis revelatur : “To him that hath not, that also which he hath (that is, that which he seemeth to have) shall be taken from him: because to abuse that which a man hath, or not to use it well, is as not to have it; and also seeing it is true, that God’s wisdom will not dwell in a body subject to sin, albeit it abound in carnal wisdom too much; for the mere carnal and philosophical understanding of God’s scriptures is not the wisdom of God, which is hid from the wise, and is revealed to little ones.” 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: and it behoveth 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 Apollos 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 ad discernendum bonum et malum ; “senses well enough 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 certainly discern bonum et malum, I mean, verum et 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 others in all scrupulosity that may arise. But in such I am wont to wade no further into the stream, than 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 argumentations 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 and 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 et malum exercitatissimos: as whether, if Adam had not sinned, we should have stockfish out of Iceland: how many larks for a penny, if every star in the elements 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, quoe proeparavit Deus ut in eis ambularemus, “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 et malum vel mediocriter exercitatos. For it is but foolish humility, willingly to continue always infantulus in Christo et infirmitate ; “an infant still in Christ, and in infirmity:” in reproof of which it was said, Facti estis opus habentes lacte, non solido cibo. For St. Paul saith not, estote humiles, ut non capiatis : for though he would not that we should think arrogantly of ourselves, and above that that it becometh us to think of ourselves, but so to think of ourselves, ut simus sobrii ac modesti ; yet he biddeth us so to think of ourselves, ut cuique Deus partitus est mensuram fidei ; “as God hath distributed to every one 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 et modestia , be sure they preach to you the truth; and whether we may, cum sobrietate et modestia , follow St. Paul’s bidding, where he saith unto us all, Nolite fieri pueri sensibus, sed malitia infantes estote ; “Be not children in understanding, but in maliciousness be infants.” God give us all grace to keep the mean, and to think of ourselves neither too high nor too low; but so that we may restore unto him, qui peregre profectus est , his gifts again cum usura, that is to say, with good use of the same, so that oedificemus invicem with the same, ad gloriam Dei ! Amen.

For my life, I trust in God that I neither have, neither by God’s 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 showed you never so often, that an opinion or manner of teaching, which causeth dissension in a christian congregation, is not of God, by the doctrine of St. John in his epistle, where he saith, Omnis qui confitetur Jesum Christum in carne ex Deo est ; “Every one that confesseth Christ in the flesh is of God.” First, not every thing whereupon followeth dissension, causeth dissension ; as I would that they that showed you that, would also show you, whether this opinion, that a man may not marry his brother’s wife, be of God or of men: if it be of men, then, as Gamaliel said, dissolvetur ; if it be of God, as I think it is, and perchance your friends also, quis potest dissolvere, nisi qui videbitur Deo repugnare? “who can dissolve it, but shall seem to repugn against God?” And yet there be many, not heathens , but in Christendom, that dissent from the same, which could bear full evil to hear said unto them, Vos ex patre diabolo estis. So that such an opinion might seem to some to make a dissension in a christian congregation; saving that they may say perchance with more liberty than others, that an occasion is sometimes taken and not given, which with their favor I might abuse for my defense, saving that non omnia omnibus licet in hac temporum iniquitate.

The Galatians having for preachers and teachers the false apostles, by whose teaching they were degenerate from the sweet liberty of the gospel into the sour bond of ceremonies, thought themselves peradventure a christian congregation, when St. Paul did write his epistle unto them, and were in a quiet trade under the dominion of masterly curates: so that the false apostles might have objected to St. Paul that his apostleship was not of God, forasmuch as there was dissension 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 lords and masters, the false apostles, which were not heathen and unchristianed, but christianed, and high 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, inasmuch as many have dissented from him, not alonely in cloisters, (men more than christened men, of high perfection,) but also at Paul’s Cross, and St. Mary Spital ; 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 St. Hierome’s writings 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 a me impensius scripturae veritatem inquiris, meam quodammodo senectutem invidorum dentibus vel morsibus corrodendam apponis fi159, qui me falsarium corruptoremque scripturarum pronunciant : sed ego in tali opere nec illorum invidentiam pertimesco, nec scripturoe veritatem poscentibus denegabo . I pray you, what were they, that called St. Hierome falsarium , and corrupter of scripture, and for envy would have bitten him with their teeth? Unchristian or christian? What had the unchristian to do with christian doctrine? They were worshipful fathers of a christian congregation, men of much more hotter stomachs than right judgment, of a greater authority than good charity: but St.

Hierome 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 St. Hierome’s time, what may be in our time? De malo in pejus, scilicet .

And, I pray you, what mean your friends by a christian congregation? All those, trow ye, that have been christianed? But many of those be in worse condition, and shall have greater damnation, than many unchristianed.

For it is not enough to a christain 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 ourselves to do, let us not crack that we profess Christ’s name in a christian congregation, in uno baptismo , “in one baptism.” And whereas they add, in uno Domino , “in one Lord,” I read in Matthew 7, Non omnis qui dicit Domine, Domine, etc.; “Not every one that saith Lord, Lord,” etc. And in Luke the Lord himself complaineth, and rebuketh such professors and confessors , saying to them, Cur dicitis, Domine, Do-mine, et non facitis quae dico? “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 Matthoeum, Hom. 49 cap. 24 , to learn to know a christian congregation, if it will please them to learn at him. And whereas they add, In una fide , “in one faith,” St. James saith boldly, Ostende mihi fidem ex operibus; “Show me thy faith by thy works.” And St. Hierome, Si tamen credimus, inquit, opere veritatem ostendimus; “If we believe, we show the truth in working.” And the scripture saith, Qui credit Deo, attendit mandatis; “He that believeth God, attendeth to his commandments:” and the devils do 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 St. Hierome showeth how true preachers should order themselves, when evil priests and false preachers, and populus ab his deceptus , “the people by them deceived,” should be angry with them for preaching the truth, exhorting them to suffer death for the same of the evil priests and false preachers with the people deceived of them; which evil priests and false preachers, with the people deceived, be christened as well as others. And I fear me that St. Hierome might appear to some christian congregation, as they will be called, to write seditiously, to divide the unity of a great honest number confessing Christ, in uno baptismate, uno Domino, una fide, saying: Populus qui ante sub magistris consopitus erat, ibit ad montes; non illos quidem qui vel leviter tacti fumigant, sed montes veteris et novi Testamenti, prophetas, apostolos, et evangelistas. Et cum ejusmodi montium lectione versatus, si non invenerit doctores (messis enim multa, operarii autem pauci), tunc et populi studium comprobabitur, quo fugerit ad montes, et magistrorum desidia coarguetur : “The people which before were brought asleep by their masters, must go up to the mountains; not such mountains which smoke when they are touched, but to the mountains of the old and new Testament, the prophets, apostles, and evangelists. And when they are occupied with reading in these mountains, if they find no instructors (for the harvest is great, and the workmen be few), yet shall the diligent study of the people be approved in fleeing to the mountains, and the slothfulness of the masters shall be rebuked.”

I do marvel why our christian congregations be so greatly grieved that lay-people would read scripture, seeing that St. Hierome 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 asleep in a subtle trade a great while full soundly, though now of late they have been waked but to their pain; at the leastway to the pain of them that have wakened them with the word of God. And it is properly said of St.

Hierome, to call them masters and not servants: meaning that servants teach not their own doctrine, but the doctrine of their master Christ, to his glory. Masters teach not Christ’s doctrine, but their own, to their own glory; which masterly curates cannot be quiet till they have brought the people asleep again: but Christ, the very true master, saith, Vigilate, et orate, ne intretis in tentationem. Non cogitationes meae cogitationes vestrae, neque viae meae viae vestrae, dicit Dominus: and there have been, qui cogitaverunt consilia, quae non potuerunt stabilire; “which have gone about counsels, which they could not establish.” I pray God give our people grace so to wake, ut studium illorum comprobetur, and our masters so to sleep, ut non desidia illorum coarguatur. For who is so blind that he seeth not how far our christian congregation doth gainsay St. Hierome, and speaketh after another fashion? God amend that is amiss; For we be something wide, I wish.

But now your friends have learned of St. John, that omnis qui confitetur Jesum Christum in carne, ex Deo est; “Every one that confesseth Jesus Christ in flesh, is of God:” and I have learned of St. Paul, that there have been, not among the heathen but among the Christians, qui ore confitentur, factis autem negant , “which confess Christ with their mouth, and deny him with their acts:” so that St. Paul should appear to expound St. John, saving that I will not affirm any thing as of myself, but leave it to your friends to show you, utrum qui factis negant Christurn et vita, sint ex Deo necne per solam oris confessionem: for your friends know well enough by the same St. 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 with mouth only confess Christ to be come in the flesh;” but will not effectually hear the word of God, by consenting to the same, notwithstanding that St. John saith, Qui ex Deo est, verbum Dei audit; vos non auditis, quia ex Deo non estis. And many shall hear, Nunquam novi vos , “I never knew you,” which shall not alonely be christened, but also shall prophetare , and do puissant things, in nomine Christi: and St. Paul said there should come lupi graves qui non parcerent gregi , “ravening wolves which will not spare the flock;” meaning it of them that should confiteri Christum in carne , in their lips, and yet usurp by succession the office, which Christ calleth pseudoprophetas , “false prophets,” and biddeth us beware of them, saying, in vestimentis ovium; “they shall come in sheep’s clothing;” and yet they may wear both satin, silk, and velvet, called afterwards servi nequam, non pascentes, sed percutientes conservos, edentes et bibentes cum ebriis, habituri tandem portionem cum hypocritis: “naughty servants, not feeding but smiting their fellow-servants, eating and drinking with the drunken, which shall have their portion with hypocrites.” They are called servi , “servants,” I trow, quod ore confitentur Christum in carne; nequam vero, quia factis negant eundem, non dantes cibum in tempore, dominium exercentes in gregem : “because they confess Christ in the flesh; and naughty they are called, because they deny him in their deeds, not giving meat in due season, and exercising mastership over the flock.”

And yet your friends reason as though there could none bark and bite at true preachers, but they that be unchristianed; notwithstanding that St.

Augustine, upon the same epistle of John, calleth such confessors of Christ, qui ore confitentur, et factis negant, “antichristos ;” a strange name for a christian congregation. And though St. Augustine 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 St. Paul, Sitis odio persequentes quod malum est , “hate that is evil;” and so making division, not between christened and unchristened, but between Christians and antichristians, when neither pen nor tongue can divide the antichristians from their blind folly. And I would you would cause your friends to read over St. Augustine upon the epistle of St. John, and tell you the meaning thereof, if they think it expedient for you to know it. As I remember, it is in his Tractate 3 . But I am not sure nor certain of that, because I have not seen it since I was at Cambridge; and here I have not Augustine’s works to look for it: but well I wot, that there he teacheth us to know the Christians from the antichristians, which both be christened, and both confess Jesum 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 et vivendi genus, num studeamus officia vocationis praestare an non studeamus: imo persuasi forte sumus non necesse esse ut praestemus, sed omnia in primitivam ecclesiam et tempora praeterita referimus, quasi nobis sat sit dominari, et secularibus negotiis nos totos volvere, ac voluptatibus et pompae inhiare: “let us not stand upon our talk, but attend to our doings and manner of life, whether we strive to perform the duties of our calling or not: yea, rather, we perhaps persuade ourselves that it is not necessary for us to perform them, referring them all to primitive usage; but that it is enough for us to bear rule and authority, and to bestow ourselves wholly upon secular matters, pleasures, and pomp of this world.” And yet we desire to appear vel soli ex Deo esse; sed longe aliter Christum confitentur, qui confitendo 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, St. Hierome saith. But there is required a judgment, to discern when they minister God’s word and ordinance of the same, and their own; lest peradventure we take chalk for cheese, which will edge our teeth, and hinder digestion. For, as it is commonly said, “the blind eat many a fly,” as they did which were persuaded a principibus sacerdotum ut peterent Barabbam, Jesum autem crucifigerent; “of the high priests, to ask Barabbas, and to crucify Jesus:” and ye know that to follow the blind guides, is to come into the pit with the same. “And will you know,” saith St. Augustine, “how apertly they resist Christ, when men begin to blame them for their misliving and intolerable secularity and 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 long as we will not hear the truth, but disquiet with crafty conveyance the preachers of the truth, because they reprove our evilness with the truth? And, to say the 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,) than to have such a uniformity, that the silly people should be thereby occasioned to continue still in their lamentable 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 servate; “If ye love me, keep my commandments;” and again, Qui habet proecepta mea et facit ea, hic est qui diligit me; “He that knoweth my precepts, and doth them, he it is loveth me:” but as they bid, qui quaerunt, quae sua sunt, non quae Jesu Christi; “which seek their own things, not Christ’s;” as though to tithe mint were more than 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 me? Feed, feed, feed:” which is now set aside, as though to love were to do nothing else, but to wear rings, mitres, and rochets, etc. And when they err in right living, how can the people but err in loving, and be 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 manure Dei validam? And I have both St. Augustine and St. Thomas , with divers others, that lex is taken not alonely for ceremonies, but also for morals, where it is said, Non 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 soberness 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 than I, yet am I sure that they know not what either I think, or have thought, better than I; juxta illud, Nemo novit quae sunt hominis, etc.: as though better men than I have not thought so; as Bonifacius (as I remember) Octavus , and the great learned man John of the Burnt Tower , presbyter cardinalis, in his book, where he proveth the pope to be above the council general, and specially where he saith that the pope is Rex regum and Dominus dominantium; “king of kings, and lord of lords;” and that he is Verus dominus totius orbis, jure, licet non facto; “the true lord of the whole world by good right, albeit in fact he be not so;” and that Constantinus did but restore his own unto him, when he gave unto him Rome; so that in propria venit, (as St. John saith Christ did), et sui eum non receperunt; “He came unto his own, and his own received him not:” and yet I hear not that any of our christian congregations have reclaimed against him, until now of late dissension 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 than I, yet I am sure I would be as loth to hurt you as they, either with mine opinions, manner of preaching, or writing.

And as for the pope’s high dominion over all, there is one Raphael Maruphus in London, an Italian, and in times past a merchant 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 showed 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; and yet neither mine ordinary, nor you, disallowed the thing that I said. And I looked not to escape better than Dr. Crome ; but when 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 calumias malignantis ecclesiae; “I shall have need of great patience to bear the false reports of the malignant church.”

Sir, I have had more business in my little cure, since I spake with you, what with sick folks, and what with matrimonies, than I have had since I came to it, or than 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, lest I make a dissension in a christian congregation, and divide a sweet and a restful union, or tot quot, with haec requies mea in seculum seculi. Sir, I had made an end of this scribbling, and was beginning to write it again more truly and more distinctly, and to correct it; but there came a man of my lord of Farley , 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. Jesu mercy, what a world 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, et sic intrare: tam periculosum est in Christo pie vivere velle; “I must needs suffer, and so enter: so perilous a thing it is to live virtuously with Christ,” yea, in a christian congregation.

God make us all Christians after the right fashion! Amen.

LETTER 8.

LATIMER TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY FI186 . [Foxe, Acts and Mon. pp. 1333, et seq. edit. 1563; Vol. 3. pp. 382 et seq. edit. 1684.] I Cannot come to your palace, most reverend prelate, by reason of sickness; not any new indisposition, but one of old standing, though lately increased by fresh aggravations. As far as I can see, I say, and conjecture, it will not be in my power to come to you today, without great injury to myself. And that your lordship may not any longer in vain expect my arrival, lo! I send you this strange sheet, blotted by my own hand, which will be a satisfactory evidence to you of the truth of my excuse. In what I am now about to write, I wish I might be able (but the pressure of the time, and this pain in my head, both forbid it) to expostulate with you, in a manner that I have great reason to do; for that you so long detain me, against my will, from the care of those souls which are under my charge; and particularly at this season of the year , when there is most occasion for pastors to be present with their flocks.

And why should I not expostulate with you? If indeed it may be permitted at all to me, so vile a slave, to plead with you, so great a father.

For if Peter thought it was fit, in respect of his office, that he should never cease, so long as he continued in this earthly tabernacle, to teach and admonish the people, and that so much the more urgently, the nearer he approached to death; can it otherwise than appear very unjust, that there are, who neither teach themselves, even at this time of day (to say nothing of their not having taught in former times), nor permit those who wish to teach so to do, except only such persons as are ready to comply with their wishes through and in every thing?

In the first place, then, I had liberty indeed to present myself before your lordship; but to depart, and extricate myself again, seems no longer to be at my own disposal. And seeing that for this long time one object is pretended in the beginning, and another always aimed at in the progress of my cause, I have much reason to doubt of what kind the issue will be.

But the truth, as I hope, will in the end deliver me. The Lord, who is the guardian of truth, will deliver me for ever. And therefore may I never forget the words of Saint Jerome in this behalf: “:Nothing can give me pain which I shall suffer in defense of truth: for God liveth, and he will take care of me.” Secondly, I was summoned to appear only before the bishop of London; and yet the whole process is carried on before you, my lord of Canterbury, occasionally surrounded by many other reverend fathers. My affair had some bounds and limits assigned it by him who sent for me up, but is now protracted by intricate and wily examinations, as if it would never find a period; while sometimes one person, sometimes another, asks me questions, which do or do not relate to me, without measure or end. So, I say, it would seem to be, did not I myself (though perhaps somewhat uncourteously, yet I think not indiscreetly) impose some limit to their interrogatories; fearing, as I do, lest while singly I have to answer to so many, something, as it often happens, should unadvisedly fall from me, to injure a cause in other respects unimpeachable .

Let them be contented to profess, to assert, to defend their own propositions; but why should the opinions of others be obtruded upon me, and I be compelled, I know not by what right, to make confession of them? This hardship I think is unexampled; and yet I am accounted untractable, for refusing to comply with what I deem unjust importunities. If any man has any fault to object against my preaching, as being obscure or incautiously uttered, I am ready to explain my doctrine by further discourse: for I have never preached any thing contrary to the truth, nor contrary to the decrees of the fathers, nor, as far as I know, contrary to the catholic faith; all which I can prove to be true by the testimonies of my enemies and calumniators. I have desired, I own, and do desire, a reformation in the judgment of the vulgar. I have desired, and still do, that they should distinguish between duties; and that each should maintain among them its proper value, its place and time, its rank and degree; and so that all men should know, that there is a very great difference between those works which God hath prepared for each of us, zealously discharging the duties of our respective callings, to walk in, and those that are voluntary, which we undertake by our own strength and pleasure. It is lawful, I own, to make use of images; it is lawful to go on pilgrimage; it is lawful to pray to saints; it is lawful to be mindful of souls abiding in purgatory: but these things, which are voluntary, are so to be moderated, that God’s commandments of necessary obligation, which bring eternal life to those that keep them, and eternal death to those who neglect them, be not deprived of their just value; lest from a mistaken love of God, and by a foolish devotion, we meet with a return from him, not of love, but rather of hatred. For this is truly to love God, that we diligently keep his commandments, according to those words of Christ, “He that hath my commandments and doeth them, he it is that loveth me.” Let no one then so account of those precepts which respect our calling in God, as to choose rather to wander in his own inventions; seeing that in the end we shall all be judged before the tribunal of Christ according to those, and not these; as Christ says, “The word which I have spoken, it shall judge at the last day.” Who can recompense for a single commandment of God by any inventions of his own, however numerous or specious? O that we were as zealous in the things of God, as we are busy and careful about our own fantasies! There are many works which, when done in a simple and honest heart, God does not condemn, yea rather, out of compliance with men’s infirmities, does in some degree approve, which, if he were asked before they were done, he would neither command nor counsel; as being things rather to be tolerated, when so done, than to be recommended to be done; lest haply by occasion of that commendation those duties should come to be neglected, which are to be performed on peril of damnation. But what can be more unseemly, than to employ our preaching in that which God would neither command nor counsel, so long at least as those things thereby fall into neglect, which are commanded? I therefore hitherto stand fixed on the side of the commandments of God; so aiming, not at my own gain, but that of Christ; so seeking not my own glory, but that of God: and as long as life shall be permitted to me, I will not cease thus to continue, imitating herein all true preachers of the word, that have hitherto lived in the world.

There are, no doubt, and have long been, some intolerable abuses amongst us. Why then should a preacher be called upon to recommend from the pulpit works, which though they were seldomer performed (not to say never), I do not see that the christian religion would suffer any loss? Unless indeed we be so wretchedly blind as to think, that religion consists in our own unworthy lucre, and not in the true worship of God.

It cannot be, I own, that the blamable abuse of these observances can be duly censured, but that straightway the use of them shall become less frequent. And yet I had rather that some things were never done at all, than with that sort of confidence in them, which diminishes the regard to real duties. Some things, we know, are to be done, and others are not to be left undone: others again we are under no obligation of doing, and may leave undone.

But now, is there one that does not see amongst us many manifest abuses? Who is there that sees and does not greatly lament them? Who shall lament and will not endeavor to remove them? And when will they be removed, if the use be ever extolled in preaching, and the abuse passed over in silence? :Nay verily, it cannot be, but that the abuse must prevail, and bear the sway. It is one thing to tolerate that which may be permitted on fit occasions, and another to be always extolling it as a necessary matter, and to establish it by a law. “Go ye,” says Christ, “and teach all things.” All what things? “All,” says he, “which I have commanded you.”

He does not say, all which you yourselves may choose to account necessary for preaching. Well then, for God’s sake, let us so exert ourselves, as with one accord to preach the doctrines of God; lest we become as they who corrupt and make a traffic of preaching, rather than true ministers of the word: seeing especially, that men are very slow towards heavenly things, and so swift about their own, as to stand in no need of the spur; being miserably deceived by false judgment, and innate superstition, contracted even from their youth; vices which we shall hardly be able to cure by any preaching, how frequent, how vehement, how pure and sincere so ever. May God therefore provide a remedy, that, in these evil days, they whose duty it is rather to preach themselves (for as Peter says, he gave us commandment to preach) do not hinder those that are willing and able to exhort (contrary to those words, “Hinder not him who can do good”), or else compel those to preach, who make traffic of the word, that they may so detain to their destruction the miserable commonalty in superstitions, and a confidence that cannot but fail them. Rather, O God! do thou have mercy on us, that we may learn thy way in the earth; and not be like those of whom it is said, “Your thoughts are not as my thoughts, nor your ways as my ways, saith the Lord.”

For these reasons I dare not, most reverend father, subscribe the bare propositions which you require of me; being unwilling, as far as I may, to be the author of any longer continuance of the superstition of the people; and that I may not be also at the same time the author of my own damnation. Could I but be thought worthy, most venerable father, to offer unto you one piece of counsel! But I restrain myself. It is not hard to conjecture, how depraved and insufferable the heart of man is. But “no man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man that is in him.” It is not any pride that withholds me from that subscription, which has so often been asked of me by your lordship to my great uneasiness. It cannot but be blame-worthy, not to obey the fathers and leaders of the church.

But it is their duty meantime to take care what, and to whom, they give commandment, since there are occasions in which we must obey God rather than men. My head is so out of frame, and my whole body so weak, that I am neither able to come to you, nor to write over again and correct this letter. Your lordship however, I hope, will approve, if not the judgment, at least the affection with which it is written.

Farewell.

LETTER 9.

LATIMER TO GREENWOOD FI190 . [Harleian MSS. 6989, Art. 90.] Master Greenwood, salutem in Christo Jesu. I pray your goodness be charitable, and redime nobiscum tempus. In hac dierum malitia non omni credendum est auditui; but, if all be truth that I hear, cogor equidem desiderare in te Christianae caritatis nonnihil: satis est adversariorum, si tu amicus esse pergeres; sat perversi obloquii, si tu etiam sileres: de otioso verbo rationem reddes; quanto magis de perniciosis! Quod ad rem a me praedicatam attinet, vel praedicandi consilium, ut non sum mihi conscius erroris, ita nec errorem sum publice fassus: though, peradventure, more out some time than well advised; not entreating justum verbum, quod potest salvare animas, with such reverence, majesty or gravity, as either I ought, or I would have had; nor with due discretion at all times, having respect to the time, and the rudeness and the rashness of the people. And yet, in this behalf, I would I were alone without fellows , though more uncomfortable. Report ever as ye would be reported, well and not evil, truth and not otherwise; for else statim in foribus peccatum erit. .Et caritas multitudinem peccatorum operit, falso impingit multum; and yet, peradventure, the misbehavior of the people might as well be imputed to other things as to my preaching: but yet I will not be contentious. As to the people, though I will have more respect to their capacity, yet as to my old preaching, I will not change the verity; and I will with all diligence, according to my promise in my scriptis, do all that is in me to reprove their infirmity. There is no wretch living had more need to say with David than I, Redime, Domine, a calumniis hominum, ut custodiam mandata tua. Of this foolish scribbling ye may know my meaning. Vale. Tuus Latimerus.

LETTER 10.

LATIMER TO MONICE FI192 [Printed in Foxe, pp. 1314, et seq. edit. 1563.

Vol. 3. pp. 390, et seq. edit. 1684.] Right worshipful and mine own good master Morice, salutem in Christo Jesu. — And I thank you for all hearty kindness, not only heretofore showed unto me, but also that now of late you would vouchsafe to write unto me, so poor a wretch, to my great comfort among all these my troubles. I trust and doubt nothing in it, but God will reward you for me, and supply abundantly mine unability, etc. Master Morice, you would wonder to know how I have been entreated at Bristol, I mean of some of the priests, which first desired me, welcomed me, made me cheer, heard what I said, and allowed my saying in all things whiles I was with them.

When I was gone home to my benefice, perceiving that the people favored me so greatly, and that the mayor had appointed me to preach at Easter, privily they procured an inhibition for all them that had not the bishop’s license, which they knew well enough I had not, and so craftily defeated master mayor’s appointment, pretending that they were sorry for it; procuring also certain preachers to blatter against me, as Hubberdin and Powell, with other more , whom when I had brought before the mayor and the wise council of the town, to know what they could lay to my charge, wherefore they so declaimed against me, they said they spake of information: howbeit no man could be brought forth that would abide by anything. So that they had place and time to belie me shamefully; but they had no place nor time to lay to my charge, when I was present and ready to make them answer. God amend them, and suage their malice that they have against the truth and me, etc. Our lady was a sinner fi195.

So they did belie me to have said, when I had said nothing so, but to reprove certain, both priests and beneficed men, which do give so much to our lady, as though she had not been saved by Christ, a whole Savior both of her, and of all that be and shall be saved. I did reason after this manner: that either she was a sinner, or no sinner. If a sinner, then she was delivered from sin by Christ; so that he saved her, either by delivering or preserving her from sin; so that without him neither she, nor none other, either be, or could be saved. And, to avoid all offense, I showed how it might be answered, both to certain scriptures which make all generally sinners, and how it might be answered unto Chrysostom and Theophylact , which make her namely and specially a sinner. But all would not serve, their malice was so great; notwithstanding that five hundred honest men can and will bear record. When they cannot reprove that thing that I do say, then they will belie me to say that thing that they can reprove; for they will needs appear to be against me. Saints are not to be worshipped.

So they lied, when I had showed divers significations of this word “saints” among the vulgar people. First, images of saints are called saints, and so they are not to be worshipped: take worshipping of them for praying to them; for they are neither mediators by way of redemption, nor yet by way of intercession. And yet they may be well used, when they be applied to that use that they were ordained for, to be laymen’s books for remembrance of heavenly things, etc.

Take saints for inhabiters of heaven, and worshipping of them for praying to them, I never denied, but that they might be worshipped, and be our mediators, though not by way of redemption (for so Christ alone is a whole mediator, both for them and for us), yet by the way of intercession fi199.

Pilgrimage.

And I never denied pilgrimage. And yet I have said that much scurf must be pared away , ere ever it can be well done; superstition, idolatry, false faith and trust in the image, unjust estimation of the thing, setting aside God’s ordinance for doing of the thing: debts must be paid, restitutions made, wife and children be provided for, duty to our poor neighbors discharged. And when it is at the best, before it be vowed, it need not to be done; for it is neither under the bidding of God, nor of man, to be done. And wives must counsel with husbands, and husbands and wives with curates, before it be vowed to be done, etc. Ave Maria.

As for the Ave Maria, who can think that I would deny it? I said it was a heavenly greeting or saluting of our blessed lady, wherein the angel Gabriel, sent from the Father of heaven, did annunciate and show unto her the good-will of God towards her, what he would with her, and to what he had chosen her. But I said, it was not properly a prayer, as the Pater noster, which our Savior Christ himself made for a proper prayer, and bade us say it for a prayer, not adding that we should say ten or twenty Ave Marias withal: and I denied not but that we may well say Ave Maria also, but not so that we shall think that the Pater noster is not good, a whole and perfect prayer, nor cannot be well said without Ave Maria. So that I did not speak against well saying of it, but against superstitious saying of it, and of the Pater noster too: and yet I put a difference betwixt that, and that which Christ made to be said for a prayer. No fire in hell.

Who ever could say or think so? Howbeit good authors do put a difference betwixt a suffering in the fire with bodies, and without bodies. The soul without the body is a spiritual substance, which they say cannot receive a corporal quality; and some make it a spiritual fire, and some a corporal fire. For as it is called a fire, so it is called a worm; and it is thought of some not to be a material worm, that is a living beast, but it is a metaphor; but that is neither to nor fro: for a fire it is; a worm it is; pain it is; a torment it is; an anguish it is; a grief, a misery, a sorrow; a heaviness inexplicable, intolerable, whose nature and condition in every point who can tell, but he that is of God’s privy council, saith St.

Augustine ? God give us grace rather to be diligent to keep us out of it, than to be curious to discuss the property of it: for certain we be, that there is little ease, yea, none at all, but weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth; which be two effects of extreme pain, rather certain tokens what pain there is, than what manner of pain there is. No purgatory.

He that showeth the state and condition of it, doth not deny it. But I had rather be in it, than in Lollards’ Tower, the bishop’s prison, for divers skills and causes.

First, In this I might die bodily for lack of meat and drink: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might die ghostly for fear of pain, or lack of good counsel: there I could not.

Item , In this I might be in extreme necessity: in that I could not, if it be peril of perishing.

Item , In this I might lack charity: there I could not.

Item , In this I might lose my patience: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might be in peril and danger of death: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might be without surety of salvation: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might dishonor God: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might murmur and grudge against God: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might displease God: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might be displeased with God: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might be judged to perpetual prison, as they call it: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might be craftily handled: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might be brought to bear a fagot: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might be discontented with God: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might be separated and dissevered from Christ: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might be a member of the devil: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might be an inheritor in hell: in that I could not.

Item , In this I might pray out of charity, and in vain: in that I could not.

Item , In this my lord and his chaplains might manacle me by night: in that they could not.

Item , In this they might strangle me, and say that I hanged myself: in that they could not.

Item , In this they might have me to the consistory, and judge me after their fashion: from thence they could not. Ergo , I had rather to be there than here. For though the fire be called never so hot, yet if the bishop’s two fingers can shake away a piece, a friar’s cowl another part, and scala coeli altogether, I will never found abbey, college, nor chantry for that purpose.

For seeing there is no pain that can break my charity, break my patience, cause me to dishonor God, to displease God, to be displeased with God, cause me not to joy in God, nor that can bring me to danger of death or to danger of desperation, or from surety of salvation; that can separate me from Christ, or Christ from me; I care the less for it. John Chrysostom saith, that the greatest pain that damned souls have, is to be separate and cut off from Christ for ever; which pain, he saith, is greater than many hells: which pain the souls in purgatory neither have nor can have.

Consider, master Morice, whether provision for purgatory hath not brought thousands to hell. Debts have not been paid; restitution of evil-gotten lands and goods hath not been made; christian people (whose necessities we see, to whom whatsoever we do Christ reputeth done to himself, to whom we are bounden under pain of damnation to do for as we would be done for ourself) are neglected and suffered to perish; last wills unfulfilled and broken; God’s ordinance set aside; and also for purgatory, foundations have been taken for sufficient satisfaction: so we have trifled away the ordinance of God and restitutions. Thus we have gone to hell with masses, diriges, and ringing of many a bell. And who can pill pilgrimages from idolatry, and purge purgatory from robbery, but he shall be in peril to come in suspicion of heresy with them, so that they may pill with pilgrimage and spoil with purgatory? And verily the abuse of them cannot be taken away, but great lucre and vantage shall fall away from them, which had rather have profit with abuse, than lack the same with use; and that is the wasp that doth sting them, and maketh them to swell. And if purgatory were purged of all that it hath gotten by setting aside restitution and robbing of Christ, it would be but a poor purgatory; so poor, that it should not be able to feed so fat, and trick up so many idle and slothful lubbers.

I take God to witness, I would hurt no man; but it grieveth me to see such abuse continue without remedy: I cannot understand what they mean by the pope’s pardoning of purgatory, but by way of suffrage; and as for suffrage, unless he do his duty, and seek not his own but Christ’s glory, I had rather have the suffrage of Jack of the scullery, which in his calling doth exercise both faith and charity, but for his mass: and that is as good of another simple priest as of him. For, as for authority of keys, it is to loose from guiltiness of sin, and eternal pain due to the same, according to Christ’s word, and not to his own private will. And as for pilgrimage, you would wonder what juggling there is to get money withal. I dwell within half a mile of the Fossway , and you would wonder to see how they come by flocks out of the west country to many images, but chiefly to the blood of Hales . And they believe verily that it is the very blood that was in Christ’s body, shed upon the mount of Calvary for our salvation, and that the sight of it with their bodily eye doth certify them, and putteth them out of doubt, that they be in clean life, and in state of salvation without spot of sin, which doth bolden them to many things. For you would wonder, if you should commune with them both coming and going, what faiths they have: for as for forgiving their enemies, and reconciling their christian brethren, they cannot away withal; for the sight of that blood doth requite them for the time.

I read in scripture of two certifications: one to the Romans, Justificati ex fide, pacem habemus ; “We, being justified by faith, have peace with God.” If I see the blood of Christ with the eye of my soul, that is true faith that his blood was shed for me, etc.

Another in the Epistle of John: Nos scimus quod translati sumus de morte ad vitam, quoniam diligimus fratres ; “We know that we are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren.” But I read not that I have peace with God, or that I am translated from death to life, because I see with my bodily eye the blood of Hales. It is very probable, that all the blood that was in the body of Christ, was united and knit to his divinity; and then no part thereof shall return to his corruption. And I marvel that Christ should have two resurrections. And if it were that they that did violently and injuriously pluck it out of his body, when they scourged him and nailed him to the cross, did see it with their bodily eye, yet they were not in clean life. And we see the selfsame blood in form of wine, when we have consecrated, and may both see it, feel it, and receive it to our damnation, as touching bodily receiving. And many do see it at Hales without confession, as they say. God knoweth all, and the devil in our time is not dead.

Christ hath left a doctrine behind him, wherein we be taught how to believe, and what to believe: he doth suffer the devil to use his crafty fashion for our trial and probation. It were little thankworthy to believe well and rightly, if nothing should move us to false faith, and to believe superstitiously. It was not in vain that Christ, when he had taught truly, by and bye bade beware of false prophets, which would bring in error slily. But we be secure and uncareful, as though false prophets could not meddle with us, and as though the warning of Christ were no more earnest and effectual than is the warning of mothers when they trifle with their children, and bid them beware the bug, etc.

Lo, sir, how I run at riot beyond measure. When I began, I was minded to have written but half a dozen lines; but thus I forget myself ever when I write to a trusty friend; which will take in worth my folly, and keep it from mine enemy, etc.

As for Dr. Wilson , I wot not what I should say; but I pray God endue him with charity. Neither he, nor any of his countrymen, did ever love me, since I did inveigh against their factions and partiality in Cambridge.

Before that, who was more favored of him than I? That is the bile that may not be touched, etc.

A certain friend showed me, that Dr. Wilson is gone now into his country about Beverley in Holderness; and from thence he will go a progress through Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire, and so from thence to Bristol.

What he intended effectual by this progress, God knoweth, and not I. If he come to Bristol, I shall hear tell, etc.

As for Hubberdin, no doubt he is a man of no great learning, nor yet of stable wit. He is here servus hominum; for he will preach whatsoever the bishops will bid him preach. Verily, in my mind, they are more to be blamed than he. He doth magnify the pope more than enough. As for our Savior Christ and christian kings, they are little beholden to him. No doubt he did miss the cushion in many things. Howbeit they that did send him, men think, will defend him: I pray God amend him and them both.

They would fain make matter against me, intending so either to deliver him by me, or else to rid us both together, and so they would think him well bestowed, etc.

As touching Dr. Powell, how highly he took upon him in Bristol, and how little he regarded the sword, which representeth the king’s person, many can tell you. I think there is never an earl in this realm, that knoweth his obedience by Christ’s commandment to his prince, and wotteth what the sword doth signify, that would have taken upon him so stoutly. Howbeit master mayor, as he is a profound wise man, did twit him prettily; it were too long to write all. Our pilgrimages are not a little beholden to him; for, to occasion the people to them, he alleged this text : Omnis qui relinquit patrem, domos, uxorem ; “Whosoever leaveth father, house, wife,” etc. By that you may perceive his hot zeal and crooked judgment, etc. Because I am so belied, I could wish that it would please the king’s grace to command me to preach before his highness a whole year together every Sunday, that he himself might perceive how they belie me, saying, that I have neither learning, nor utterance worthy thereunto, etc. I pray you pardon me; I cannot make an end.

LETTER LATIMER TO SECRETARY CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49,1. 475.] RIGHT honorable sir. Salutem in Christo Jesu . And as to the thing that I moved unto your mastership, at my departure yesterday, this bearer is the gentleman of whom I told you of, ready to all things that you shall require of him, and only for lack of calling on hitherto slow; as he himself can tell you. And perchance he can tell you of more as far behindhand as he, if commissioners were always as mindful to further the king’s business as they be to advance their own profits about their tenants, etc.

But I ween, if you might make progress throughout England, you should find how acts declareth hearts. But you can use all things to the best according to your approved wisdom. And meseemeth it were not amiss that gentlemen of lands and arms should so swear to the king’s issue, that their oaths and also names be registered, etc.; for so you should know surely who were sworn and who not. I pray you be good master to this gentleman my prisoner, and pardon me of this my foolish scribbling.

Yours, to his little power, H. LATIMER.

It may chance that I shall send you more to the same purpose. God preserve you in long life to God’s pleasure! To the right honorable master, secretary to the king’s grace, his singular good master.

LETTER LATIMER TO SECRETARY CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 476.] HONORABLE sir. Sis salvus in Christo , and do certify your mastership how we succeed in our matters. We have been here now all this fortnight in vain, obtaining as yet neither confirmation, nor yet of temporalities restitution. For lack of the royal assent with your signification, my lord of Canterbury cannot proceed; and we hear nothing of it, neither of master Gostwyck nor other where. For expedition of these things it had been better for us to have given attendance of your mastership still in the court; and so we would have been glad to have done, if it had been seen to your mastership so to have appointed us. I did speak this day with Mr Polsted, which hath no further instructions from your mastership yet, as he saith, but to receive our sureties for the first-fruits: and he is uncertain as yet what they shall be. And as touching my part in that behalf, I trust your mastership hath not forgotten my last suit, for the which I was minded to have gone to the king’s grace myself; but the queen’s grace, calling to remembrance at what end my lord of Salisbury was at, said I should not need to move the king, but that it should be enough to inform your mastership thereof. It shall be your mastership’s pleasure whether I shall tarry your return hither, or whether this bearer shall tarry your leisure to bring further instruction from you.

Thus I am bold to interrupt you, and yet not without great lothness, forasmuch as I consider your hourly business in matters of more weightiness than this. God preserve you long in health to God’s pleasure, which is my daily prayer. My brother of Rochester commendeth him most heartily unto you.

Yours, H. LATIMER, Elect.

The 4th day of September, [1535]. To the right honorable Mr Secretary to the king’s grace, his singular good master.

LETTER LATIMER TO SECRETARY CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 479.] HONORABLE sir, salutem in salutis omnium Authore . I was in a near disposition to an [illness] yesterday, which letted me to come to your mastership for the draft you wot of. And now this day my lord of Westminster hath put unto me to preach there with him, else he should be like to be disappointed. If you would of your goodness send it to me by this bearer, I would apply my little wit to the imitation of the same.

And I will write and certify my lord of Canterbury according to your advertisement in all haste.

Yours, [Oct. 1535.] HUG. WYGORN . To the right honorable Mr Secretary, his singular good master.

LETTER LATIMER TO SECRETARY CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 477.] HONORABLE sir, salutem . And I pray you forgive me for that I have not, according to my duty, delivered unto you the draft before this time, I have been so distract in preparing homewards, etc. God preserve you long to his pleasure in health and well-doing!

Yours to his little power, H. WYGORN.

Postridie sanctissimorum sutorum , [26 Oct. 1535.] If your mastership have the old seal of my office, I would recompense you according to the weight. Bene sit tibi ut sis longoevus super terram . To the right honorable master Thomas Cromwell, the king’s principal secretary, and his singular good master.

LETTER LATIMER TO SECRETARY CROMWELL. FJ11 [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, p. 480.] AFTER my right hearty commendations to your mastership. Where you write unto me that the king’s grace, moved with pity, and having also divers other considerations stirring to the same, is inclined to restore the Prior of Worcester to his room and office again; desiring nevertheless to know my opinion therein in writing to you, or ever his grace do resolve himself thoroughly upon the same: in consideration whereof, I do you to understand, by this letter written with my own hand, that I rejoice not a little to perceive that the king’s grace is moved of his gracious goodness to have pity of that simple man. But there is divers degrees in pity, as I think; for if that great crime was not alonely detected, but also proved against him, as you do say it was, then to pardon him of his life is to shew a great pity. To add thereunto a competent living for himself and one to wait upon him, is to shew a greater pity, and so far forth. I wish, and have done always, that the king’s highness would extend his pity unto him. And verily I marvel greatly if his heart be so stony, so flinty, that so great pity and compassion as it is cannot reconcile him to the king’s highness sufficiently. Marry, to burden him with his busy office again, and to clog him again with his great cure, namely now, he being so debile, so weak, and of so great age as you write him to be, whether it be to pity him or trouble him, I cannot say. But for mine opinion in this behalf, (to say what I think without fiction to my prince,) the king’s grace had need after such a sort to be pitiful toward one man, that his grace seem not for pitying of one to be pitiless toward many: I mean the whole house of the country thereabout. For either he is able to discharge that great cure, and can serve God and the king sufficiently therein, or not. If he be able and can, it were well done that the king’s grace would extend his pity thereunto: if not, it were great pity to trouble him, and to charge him with that thing now, in his extreme age, which thing (perchance) he was never able to discharge in midst of his youth.

But now, what ability is required to discharging of such an office, no man can tell better than the king’s grace himself. Again: what ability this man hath to discharge such an office, no man can tell better than my lord of Canterbury, or than Mr doctor Lee, which both did visit there, as knoweth both what he can do, and what the house needeth to be done.

And I think you yourself is not ignorant therein; for I have heard you speak your mind both of their house, and also of him. And this is all that I can say. If I have one there to help me, I shall do the more good; if not, I shall boggle myself as well as I can. When I perceived that there was no hope to speak for this man, I named two other to the king, of the which two his grace preferred Coton; and I certified you his highness’s pleasure thereof, and the queen’s grace hath remembered you since. As God and the king will have it, so be it, Amen: for if they two be well served, I am right well pleased; and thus I commit you to God’s preservation. This messenger maketh so great haste, that I have leisure to write no better.

By yours, HUGH OF WORCESTER to command. Sabbato post Epiphaniam proximo , [8 Jan. 1536]. To my singular good master, Thomas Cromwell, high secretary to the king’s noble grace.

LETTER LATIMER TO SECRETARY CROMWELL. FJ16 [Printed by Strype, Eccl. Mem. 1. 1, 470, et seq. Oxf. ed.] RIGHT honorable sir. Salutem plurimam . And because I hear your mastership hath sent for master Coots, which preached at Halls, to come to you, therefore I do now send unto you his sermon; not as he spake it, (if he spake it as his hearers reported, ) but rather as he had modified and tempered it, since he perceived that he should be examined of it. And yet, peradventure, you will not judge it everywhere very well powdered. He seems to be very well studied in master Moor’s books, and to have framed him a conscience and a judgment somewhat according to the same. And to avoid all falsities, he appeareth to stick stiffly to unwritten verities. I would fain hear him tell who be those new fellows that would approve no sciences but grammar. Qui vos audit , etc ., obedite proepositis , etc ., qui ecclesiam non audivit , etc ., serveth him gaily, for traditions and laws to be made of the clergy authoritatively; and to be then observed of the laity necessarily, as equal with God’s own word; as some, saith he, both thinketh and heareth etc.

As far as I can learn of such as here commoned with him, he is wilfully witted, Dunsly learned, Moorly affected, bold not a little, zealous more than enough: if you could monish him, charm him, and so reform him, etc. Or else, I pray you, inhibit him my diocese. You may send another, and appoint him his stipend; which God grant you do. To whom I now and ever commit you.

Yours, H. WIGORN.

To the right honorable master T. Cromwell, high secretary to the king’s highness, and his singular [good] master.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. FJ28 [Cotton, MS. Cleop. E. 4. 142.] RIGHT honorable. Salutem . And, sir, this bearer can tell your lordship to what effect he doth expound this prophecy inclosed: howbeit he hath it, I trow, but of hearsay. But your lordship can try the truth, because you love antiquities; therefore I do send it to you by my man that hath heard further than I. Thus fare your good lordship well in God. H.L.

Wigorn. 19 October, [1536], at Hartl[ebury]. To the right honorable the lord privy seal, his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. FJ29 [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 50. 499.] SALUTEM in Christo diutinam et plurimam , with thanks to your lordship for your goodness; though not as duty requireth, yet as power sufficeth.

And, sir, according to your commandment, I was occupied at Paul’s Cross upon Sunday next after your departure from London, not otherwise (I trust) than according to your discreet monition and charitable advertisement, so moving to unity without any special note of any man’s folly, that all my lords there present seemed to be content with me, as it appeared by the loving thanks that they gave me. And now, sir, I look for your letters of instructions and further knowledge of your pleasure as touching our visitations. Moreover, I have bestowed the two benefices that Silvester Darius had, the one to doctor Bagard, my chancellor, the other to doctor Bradford, my chaplain; for the king’s grace charged me to bestow them well. But now, after that we have begun, we have a scruple how to proceed and end: if according to form hitherto used, it will not be done without great tract of time. The king’s grace said no more to me but “Give’em, give’em.” You know my chancellor’s scrupulosity; and I myself, though I am not altogether so scrupulous, yet I would it were done inculpably and duly. If we might know your advice herein, we should be very well ridded and eased.

Finally, this bringer, my chaplain, would be a poor suitor to your lordship in a poor man’s cause. I know not well the matter; but if you would give him the hearing, etc. I am the bolder, because I think you are set up of God to hear and to help the little ones of God in their distress. God preserve your good lordship in prosperity as long as you promote God’s word with all sincerity! Postridie Stephani sancti , [27 Dec. 1536.] Yours, H. WYGORN.

To the right honorable and his singular good lord, lord privy seal.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 522.] SALUTEM in Christo plurimam . Sir, These two fellows of St John’s college, Cambridge, do come to your lordship in the name of the whole college, to the intent to shew to your lordship the tenor of their statute as touching the election of a new master; and I doubt not but with a word or two you may make master Day, or any else eligible by their statute, as Mr Nevell, yet fellow of the same college, can commune with your lordship further, as shall please you; for they have great need of your lordship’s charitable favor in many suits and traverses appertaining unto them not yet perfectly established.

I trust also your lordship doth remember poor Clare Hall, that the master neither transgress the statute himself, nor yet bring into his room Mr Swynbourne of the same house, a man, as they say, of perverse judgment, and too factious for such a cure.

Mr Nevell shall deliver to you a bill of the gravaments of two or three of the fellows, most given to good letters.

I pray God preserve you, and send you hither shortly again, that we might end and go home into our diocese, and do some good there.

My lord of York hath done right well at Paul’s Cross as touching the supremacy, and as touching condemnation of the rebels; as well as he did before, if not better.

Dr Barnes, I hear say, preached in London this day a very good sermon, with great moderation and temperance of himself. I pray God continue with him, for then I know no one man shall do more good.

I send you here a bullock which I did find amongst my bulls; that you may see how closely in time past the foreign prelates did practice about their prey. If a man had leisure to try out who was king in those days, and what matters were in hand, perchance a man might guess what manner a thing illud secretum quod nosti was; such cloked conveyance they had. Valeat tua dominatio in salvatore Christo.

H. L.W.

Sub diem Swythineum , [15 July 1537.] To the right honorable and his singular good lord, the lord privy seal.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. FJ39 [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 520. State Papers, Vol. 1, p. 563.] SALUTEM in Christo plurimam . This day, sir, which is Saturday, we had finished (I trow) the rest of our book, if my lord of Hereford had not been diseased, to whom surely we owe great thanks for his great diligence in all our proceedings. Upon Monday I think it will be done altogether, and then my lord of Canterbury will send it unto your lordship with all speed; to whom also, if anything be praiseworthy, bona pars laudis optimo jure debetur . As for myself, I can nothing else but pray God that when it is done it be well and sufficiently done, so that we shall not need to have any more such doings. For verily, for my part, I had lever be poor parson of poor Kinton again, than to continue thus bishop of Worcester; not for anything that I have had to do therein, or can do, but yet forsooth it is a troublous thing to agree upon a doctrine in things of such controversy, with judgments of such diversity, every man (I trust) meaning well, and yet not all meaning one way. But I doubt not but now in the end we shall agree both one with another, and all with the truth, though some will then marvel. And yet, if there be anything either uncertain or unpure, I have good hope that the king’s highness will expurgare quicquid est veteris fermenti ; at leastway give it some note, that it may appear he perceiveth it, though he do tolerate it for a time, so giving place for a season to the frailty and gross capacity of his subjects.

Sir, we be here not without all peril: for beside that two hath died of my keeper’s folks, out of my gate-house, three be yet there with raw sores; and even now master Nevell cometh and telleth me that my under cook is fallen sick, and like to be of the plague. Sed duodecim sunt horoe diei , et termini vitoe sunt ab eo constituti , qui Non potest falli ; neque verius est tamen , quod nascimur , quam quod sumus morituri .

As for Dr King’s matter, I refer to your knowledge of justice, and to the use of your charity; but as touching Defensor Fidei , I think that title due to the king.

As for my lord of Hayles, I fear he will be too cocket now with his great authority and promotion: his friends can jest upon such a bishop, that can with complaining promote, and would he should complain more.

But I wot what I intended, let them jest at large.

But now, sir, this bringer, Thomas Gybson, is a poor suitor to your lordship, that he may by your favor have the printing of our book. He is an honest, poor man, and will set it forth in a good letter, and sell it good cheap: whereas others do sell too dear, which doth let many to buy. Dr Crom and other my friends obtained of me, not without some importunity, to write unto you for him: but I wot not what I do, saving that I know that you wot both what is to be done, and what may be done; I nothing else but commit him to your charitable goodness. [July 21, 1537.] Yours, HUGO WYGORN, more hastily than wisely. To his singular good lord Cromwell, the lord privy seal.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL FJ45 [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49. l. 482.] RIGHT honorable sir, and my singular good lord. Salutem . And, sir, as touching all matters in the parts of this master Lucy, he himself shall be my letters unto your good lordship. Only I desire you so to use him, as far as may stand with right, that his good-will towards all goodness may be encouraged by communing with you, and promoted by hearing of you.

There be too few such gentleman in the king’s realm. And he can open to you all together, as to the priest of Hampton’s judgment, what proceedings it had. I would wish better judgments to be in some of the king’s judges, and more prepense favor towards reformation of things amiss in religion. There be many judgments, and yet few or none be brought to the Ordinary’s knowledge, after due form of the king’s acts.

But now, sir, as for my brother Prior’s matter, my lord of Hereford’s, and mine of Clare Hall’s matter, dependeth only of your opportune and behoofable remembrance.

As for St John’s College, I can say no more but that all factions and affections be not yet exiled out of Cambridge: and yet, my good lord, extend your goodness thereunto, forasmuch as you be their chancellor, that in your time they be not trodden under foot.

As for master Ponnes, sir, I assure you I am not so light of credence as he pretendeth me to be, as I can affirm unto you with certain and sure arguments, as you shall hereafter know all together ab origine . Postridie Laurentii , at Har[t]lebury. [Sep. 6, 1537.] H. LATIMER , bishop. To the right honorable lord Cromwell, lord privy seal, and his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 486.] SALUTEM in Christo plurimam . And, my singular good lord, I doubt nothing but that your good lordship will extend your goodness to that poor priest, sir Large, in my conscience injured and wronged by means of one Mr Clopton, which neither did hear him, nor, if he had, could judge his doctrine; but zealously, for lack of right judgment, stirred the people against him, as master Nevell can tell you, whom I do make my letters to you at this time. And thus I commit good master Lucy to your goodness, and his whole cause.

Yours, H. LATIMER, Wigorn. 6 October [1537], at Pershore in his visitation. To the right honorable and his singular good lord, lord privy seal.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 484.] RIGHT honorable. Salutem in Christo Jesu . And, sir, as touching your request concerning your friend, master Barker, shall be accomplished and done; it shall not stick on my behalf. He seemeth a man, as your lordship doth say, of honest conversation, and also not without good letters. Let them both commune and conclude; I shall confer the resignation once exhibited unto me, according to your desire. Only I require two things upon your good lordship: the one, that the poor college be not bounden for the pension; and to that master Barker himself is agreeable, for I telled him plainly my mind therein; for it may right well chance that Mr doctor Bell do outlive Mr Barker, and then the succeeder should come in to a warm office, to be charged not alonely with fruits and tenths, but also with pension. The other, that your lordship would persuade master Barker to tarry upon it, keep house in it, preach at it and about it, to the reformation of that blind end of my diocese. For else what are we the better for either his great literature or good conversation, if my diocese shall not taste and have experience thereof? And the houses (I trow) be toward ruin and decay, and the whole town far out of frame for lack of residence. When the head is far off, the body is the worse.

Thus I commit altogether to your customable gentleness and charitable goodness, which is not wont to regard more the wealthy and pleasant living of one body, than the necessary relief of many souls.

As to Sir Large, your commandment shall be done, whose cause, in my mind, your lordship doth judge rightly: malice to be in one part, and simplicity in the other. But God shall reward you, that will not suffer malice to prevail. Postridie Edwardi at Warwick, visiting and busily alway. [Warwick, 14 Oct. 1537.] Yours, H. LATIMER, BISHOP OF WORCESTER. To the right honorable the lord privy seat, his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. FJ54 [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, l. 5l5.] RIGHT honorable, salutem in Christo Jesu . And, sir, here is no less joying and rejoicing in these parts for the birth of our prince, whom we hungered so long, than there was, I trow, inter vicinos , at the birth of St John Baptist; as this bearer, master Evance, can tell you. God give us all grace to yield due thanks to our Lord God, God of England! for verily he hath shewed himself God of England, or rather an English God, if we consider and ponder well all his proceedings with us from time to time.

He hath overcome all our illness with his exceeding goodness; so that we are now more than compelled to serve him, seek his glory, promote his word, if the devil of all devils be not in us. We have now the stop of vain trusts, and the stay of vain expectations: let us all pray for his preservation; and I for my part will wish that his grace always have, and even now from the beginning, governors, instructors, and officers of right judgments, ne optimum ingenium non optima educatione depravetur .

But what a great fool am I! So, what devotion sheweth many times but little discretion. And thus the God of England be ever with you in all your proceedings!

Yours, H. LATIMER, bishop of Worcester.

The 19th of October, now at Hartlebury, [1537].

If you would excite this bearer to be more hearty against the abuse of imagery, and more forward to promote the verity, it might do good; not that it came of me, but of yourself, etc. To the right honorable lord privy seal, his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. FJ56 [Cotton, MS. Cleop. E. 4, p. 139.] RIGHT honorable, salutem in Christo . And, sir, when I was with your lordship last, you were desirous to know where you might have good monks. I told you of two with my lord of Westminster; I could not then name them to you, but now I can: the one is called Gorton, the other Clarke; both bachelors of divinity, well learned, of right judgment, of very honest name. The prior of Coventry, as I hear say, is dead. The matter is somewhat entered with the king’s grace, and like to go forward, if you put thereto your helping hand. I doubt not but my brother abbot of Westminster, as ill as he might spare them, yet will forego them, for such a purpose; but much the rather if he perceive your pleasure therein.

I would have waited upon your lordship myself, as my duty had been; but surely, sir, I do what I can to enable myself to stand in the pulpit upon Tuesday. I am in a faint weariness over all my body, but chiefly in the small of my back: but I have a good nurse, good mistress Statham, which, seeing what case I was in, hath fetched me home to her own house, and doth pymper me up with all diligence: for I fear a consumption. But it maketh little matter for me. I pray God preserve your lordship long in health to all such good purposes as God hath ordained you to! In master Statham’s house. H. LATIMER, Wigorn. 8th of November, [1537].

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 495.] RIGHT honorable, salutem . And, sir, I am so malapert, saving that your goodness towards me maketh me bold, I should have remembered your lordship of Gorton and Clarke, the two monks of Westminster, as concerning Coventry, but I had forgotten it; and nevertheless I trust it needeth not.

As for master Haynes, [he] thinketh to keep the Wednesday himself, so that I shall not need to advertise my brother prior of that; but I would be glad that he had a Sunday, to the intent that the king’s grace might taste what he can do, if it were so seen to your good lordship; and then I would know what Sunday.

This bearer, master Acton, my godsib and friend, hath something to say to your lordship. He is faithful and hearty in all good causes, no man more ready to serve God and the king, and your lordship’s hearty lover to his power. I commit both him and his cause to your accustomable goodness, and you and yours to God’s goodness.

There is one Anthony Throgmorton, servant (as they say) to master Pole, cardinal: if he be the king’s true subject, well and taill; if not, I would master Robert Acton, the king’s true and faithful subject and servant, had his thing at Wynche, for it lieth very commodiously for him; and then, as he is always willing, so he should be more able to do his grace service. Thus I run riot, but presuming of your goodness.

If Frere Ganlyne have suffered condignly for his misbehavior, I doubt not but, when you see your time, you will extend your charity unto him, with some injunctions to do better.

Your lordship’s own, H. LATIMER, [1537.] Wigorn. To the right honorable his singular good lord Cromwell, the lord privy seal.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 509.] SALUTEM in Christo plurimam . Alack, my singular good lord, saving that I have experience of your benign goodness, that you can be omnia omnibus , to do all men good, I might be irk of my own importunity. As for this letter inclosed, it shall speak for itself, and be heard as God shall work with your ready goodness. When I moved the king’s grace in the cause, his highness did favorably hear me, etc.

As for the Coventry matter, master Acton and master Nevell’s matters, and all other my further suits, I commit to your approved wisdom, high discretion, and charitable goodness.

Mr doctor Barns hath preached here with me at Hartlebury, and at my request at Winchester, and also at Evesham. Surely he is alone in handling a piece of scripture, and in setting forth of Christ he hath no fellow. I would wish that the king’s grace might once hear him: but, I pray you, let him tell you how two monks hath preached alate in Evesham: I wist you will hearken to them and look upon them; for though they be exempt from me, yet they be not exempt from your lordship. I pray God amend them, or else I fear they be exempt from the flock of Christ, very true monks; that is to say, pseudo-prophets and false christian men, perverters of scripture; sly, wily, disobedientiaries to all good orders; ever starting up, as they dare, to do hurt.

Yours, H. LATIMER, W.

This Christmas Day [1537]. To the right honorable lord privy seal, his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 500.] RIGHT honorable, and my very good lord, salutem in Domino . And, sir, this bearer is an honest poor gentleman, whose chance hath been to travel much in Wales and in the borders of the same, as in the diocese of Landaff and other where; and by the reason of the same hath perceived some thing seeming to him not well, which he of a good zeal that he hath, and in discharging of his bounden duty, would be glad to disclose unto your lordship, for reformation of the same, with such expedition as should be thought unto your lordship convenient. He is my servant, though much away from me by occasion of his own business; but now returning to me, required my letters, whereby he might the sooner approach to your lordship’s speech. Thus I commit both him and his cause to your lordship’s goodness, and your lordship with all yours to the goodness of God. H.L.

Wigorn. Postridie natalis Chris . [26 Dec. 1537?] Hartl[ebury] To the honorable the lord privy seal, his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49. 1. 516.] RIGHT honorable, salutem . And, sir, this bearer, Mr Butler of Droitwich, one of the commissioners, hath to certify your lordship of the misbehavior of a certain priest in the commotion time. Sed reus ille nunc non comparet : but yet I would your lordship would allow this man’s diligence, both in that and other things more; for though he do but his duty to serve the king’s grace truly, yet your allowance of the same cannot be in vain. The man is honestly reputed in his country, and witnessed for one that hath done the king’s grace good service in many his grace’s affairs, many times. If your good lordship do hear him honestly in his honest suits, I think you shall not bestow your so doing unworthily. He can tell your lordship of that unpriestly priest, whose damsel was brought to bed alate, not without offense of many; and of another priest also, as lewd as he, of the same town, which hath defiled a young girl alate, of thirteen years of age, and burnt her almost to death. O unholy and also unchaste chastity, which is preferred in a christian realm to chaste and holy matrimony!

I pray you, my good lord, pardon me that I do write unto you so unadvisedly, for I am light-headed for lack of sleep; not that I can sleep and will not, but that I would sleep and cannot; but all as doth please Almighty God, to whom I commit your good lordship: but too I cannot forget my nurse, to bring her to your good remembrance, with all opportunity, et Nevellus proesens suspirat benignitatem tuam . [1537?] H.L.

Wigorn. To the right honorable lord Cromwell, the lord privy seal, his very good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, l. 518.] SALUTEM in Christo phurimam . And, sir, if it be your pleasure, as it is, that I shall play the fool after my customable manner when Forest shall suffer, I would wish that my stage stood near unto Forest; for I would endeavor myself so to content the people that therewith I might also convert Forest, God so helping, or rather altogether working: wherefore I would that he should hear what I shall say, si forte , etc .

Forest, as I hear, is not duly accompanied in Newgate, for his amendment, with the White Friars of Doncaster, and monks of the Charter-house, in a fit chamber, more like to indurate than to mollify: whether through the fault of the sheriff or of the jailer, or both, no man could sooner discern than your lordship. Some think he is rather comforted in his way than discouraged; some think he is allowed both to hear mass and also to receive the sacrament; which if it be so, it is enough to confirm him in his obstinacy, as though he were to suffer for a just cause: these things would be tried, ut retegantur ex multis cordibus cogitationes . It is to be feared that some instilled into him, that though he had persevered in his abjuration, yet he should have suffered afterward for treason: and so by that occasion he might have been induced to refuse his abjuration. If he would yet with heart return to his abjuration, I would wish his pardon; such is my foolishness. I thank your good lordship for Gloucester, desiring the continuance of your goodness to master Nevell: for I doubt not but that you will of yourself remember my nurse.

Thus I can not but be bold with your lordship.

It were good you would sometimes send for masters of colleges in Cambridge and Oxford, with their statutes; and if the statutes be not good and to the furtherance of good letters, change them. If the masters be not good, but honorers of drawlatches, change them. H. L. Wigorn. 18 Ma[y. 1538.] To the right honorable lord privy seal, his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. FJ76 [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49. 1. 513.] RIGHT honorable, salutem in eo qui unus salvare potest . And, sir, I was minded to have been a suitor to your lordship, seeing I cannot attain to the use of my park at Allchurch, for my preferment to some good part of the demesne of Berslay, for my money, which is even at hand, to relief of my great need to such things. For I trow no man, having the name of so many things, hath the use of so few as I, handled indeed like a ward. But now, hearing that this bearer, Mr Evance, hath begun and entered into the same suit beforehand with your lordship, and is put in comfort of the same to be furthered therein, as I perceive by a letter come to him alate, I leave my purpose to begin for myself, and wish good success to his beginning; very loth to hinder or lett any man’s suit begun. And surely, sir, I suppose you shall bestow it right well upon him; for I suppose him to be a witty and a politic man, both active and expert in things to be done, and no less prompt and ready than many ways able to do you service in your affairs. Now, sir, the more you incline your goodness to further him in this his suit, the more able he shall be to do you service from time to time, as you shall call upon him. And though this you know to be true much better than I, without my relation, yet I trust you will not mislike nor ill expound, but take in good part, this my writing; forasmuch as I must needs, being desired, something write, though never so foolishly, after my accustomed manner. And you have been so good, and hath shewed your goodness so largely unto me, that many men doth think that my poor remembrance with a word or two unto your lordship should further their causes with you. But yet methink you smile at one thing, that I, a man of so little policy, so little experience and activity, so little wit and wisdom, would take upon me to judge another man politic and expert, active, witty and wise. Well, sir, if I have done but only that made you to smile, to the refreshing of your mind in the midst of your matters, I have not done nothing: and the rest I commit to your accustomable goodness, with the suit of my nurse, which I am certain you will remember with all opportunity. And master Nevell making himself sure of his suit, hath got the widow, trusting surely in your lordship’s goodness for the performance of the same, not without pledging of my poor honesty in the same behalf.

I trust your lordship will bestow our great Sibyll to some good purpose, ut pereat memoria cum sonitu . She hath been the devil’s instrument to bring many (I fear) to eternal fire: now she herself, with her old sister of Walsingham, her young sister of Ipswich with their other two sisters of Doncaster and Penrice, would make a jolly muster in Smithfield; they would not be all day in burning.

Thus God be with you and perserve you long to such good purposes, that the living God may be duly known in his spirit and verity! H. L. Wigorn. 13 Junii , [1538]. At Hartlebury. To the right honorable lord Cromwell, the lord privy seal, and his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49,1. 506.] RIGHT honorable, salutem . And, sir, by this bill inclosed your lordship can perceive something, how the world doth wag with Warwick college. I advertised master Wattwood, speaking with him at London, to hasten himself homeward for sparing of expenses, and to refer their whole suit to your good remembrance; but the man, belike, doth delight to lie at London upon the college cost, caring neither for statutes, nor yet injunctions, bearing him bold (I trow) of some authority from your lordship, not considering that his authority is to see the statutes kept, and not to break them, I pray you, be good lord to the poor college: so poor, that in good sooth I took not my customable procurations of them in my visitation. And whereas I enjoined them a lecture of scripture, I am fain to reward the reader myself, for anything that doth come from them: verum id curat populus scilicet , Master Wattwood careth greatly for it. And where the treasure-house should have three sundry keys, both by their statutes and also my injunctions, to which both they be all sworn, he looketh upon him altogether as pleaseth himself. Sir, seeing the king’s grace hath their chief jewel that they had, they being so poor themselves, his highness should do graciously to remember them with some piece of some broken abbey, or else I fear they will grow shortly to nought; for, as I hear, the vicars and other ministers sing and say unwaged. But your approved wisdom can consider better than I what is to be done herein, and so God prosper you with good remembrance of mistress Statham’s suit. H. L. Wigorn. 17 Junii, [1538.] At Hartlebury, short-winded. To the right honorable lord Cromwell, the lord privy seal, and his very good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49. 1. 504.] AH! my good lord privy seal, what should I say? Quum tuo solius verbo laxabam rete , et nunc tandem res rediit in ignominiam meam ; with an honest gentlewoman my poor honesty I pledged, which is now distained, and my poor credence, the greatest treasure that I have, not a little minished: for that in Durtwych and here about the same we be fallen into the dirt, and be all-to dirtied, even up to the ears; we be jeered, mocked and laughed to scorn, ut qui coepimus oedificare , neque consummare potuimus . A wily Py hath wilily gone between us and home, when we thought nothing less, but, as good simple souls, made all cocksure. In good faith I would wish to Mr Py as good a thing as it, and better too; but not so, and after that manner, to the defeating of a suit begun and near hand obtained; which if I had suspected, I could perchance have prevented, saving that I would not shew myself to mistrust your pretense nor to have either in doubt or fear your enterprise. But it is now too late to call yesterday again, and to go about to undo that that is done. For master Py doth say that the king hath given it him. I pray God much good might it do him; for I will no longer anguish myself with a matter that I cannot remedy. But I commit altogether to God and to your high discretion, which I am sure meant rightly, and with the loss of the same (ut . in humanis fit rebus ) sought opportunity.

But I trust you will not forget the common suit of the whole country: for better a sheriff annual than perpetual, unless he be good, which is not easy to find; and here is much bearing and bolstering, and malefactors do not lack their supporters; yet by many changings we may chance some time to light upon some one good one, among many ill. And your lordship doth know well enough that if I be ruled of one at home, I am unmeet to rule many from home: for if affection do reign in me, then I will not; if ignorance and unexpertness, then I cannot.

As for the town-clerk of Kethermyster [Kidderminster], after due probation hath confessed his folly: but forasmuch as the commissioners have not authority to punish him accordingly, but it is reserved to the assize, where as men be friended, so (they say) things be ended, I have no great expectation; but I think the commissioners will shortly certify. And as for master Cornwell and his pretty doing, I will write shortly. Thus God preserve you! Postridie Jo . Bapt . At Hartlebury. H. L.

Wigorn. [25 June, 1538.] To the right honorable lord Cromwell, lord privy seal, and his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49,1. 493.] Now, my good lord privy seal, shew your charitable goodness in this matter of Mr Lucy. I have sent unto your lordship his letters. If that Mr William Clapton may be suffered thus to rage, it will be but folly for any true preachers to come into that part of my diocese. I heartily require herein both the use of your authority and also of your counsel; and that you would send for the priest and also that Mr Clapton, and to reduce him into some order; and, according to justice, to end the matter, which is now at length made treason, and so not appertaining to my court. And in what case are they in, that hath veiled treason so long! But I refer all things to your approved wisdom, and singular favor towards the truth of God’s word and execution of justice, that good master Lucy be not discouraged in his hearty goodness.

Yours, this St James’ day, even now going to horse, when master Lucy’s servant came to me, which, if your lordship be at leisure, can tell the whole process. H. Wigorn.

At Har[tle]bury, [25 July, 1538]. To the right honorable lord Cromwell, lord privy seal his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 510.] RIGHT honorable, salutem . And, sir, as I perceive by this bearer, Mr Evance, I have to thank your good lordship for the same, for that you were good lord unto him, and that the rather for my sake, as he saith: for the which and all other your singular goodness I most heartily [thank] you, and even so desire you to continue the same; and I shall daily pray for your prosperous estate, according to my bounden duty, etc.

A certain man told me that the bloody abbot should have said alate among his brethren, that his last coming up to London, by my occasion, cost him, besides the charges of his journey up and down, seven score pounds: wherefore he was not able to make provision for household; and therefore required the best mitre, the best cross, and another thing or two, to make chevance withal for provision. But now you say, “What matter maketh that to you?” Truth it is; but yet to tell it you I thought it not amiss, because it may make matter to you; for so may all the jewels of the house be surveyed away and you not knowing, etc.

This letter inclosed came to me yesterday from your lordship’s visitor. I send it, ut videat dominatio tua , quid sit actum . God forbid but his labor should be well taken! and God forbid that such deceivable hypocrisy should up again and stand at any man’s suit! no, though they would give aureos montes therefore, etc.

Mr Nevell, your hearty servant to all his power, took a pardoner alate misordering himself, and therefore took his seal from him; and because the pardoner doth not return again for it, hath sent it to your lordship, trusting that your lordship will pardon him for so doing. Such new things do but maintain the people in their old superstition, as the pardoners doth abuse them and the poor people doth take them.

I trust in your good lordship as touching to have a good neighbor; unde pendet ut cum fructu ipsc proedicem , alioquin totam noctem laboraturus et parum aut nihil capturus . But I doubt nothing but your lordship hath me in remembrance.

Hereby is an hermitage in a rock by Severn, able to lodge five hundred men, and as ready for thieves or traitors as true men. I would not have hermits masters of such dens, but rather that some faithful man had it. Mr Robert Acton, at his return, shall shew you further.

I pray your good lordship take in worth this foolish farraginary scribbling.

Yours, H. L. Wigorn.

Postridie Bartho . [25 Aug. 1538.] At Hartlebury. To the right honorable and his singular good lord, the lord privy seal.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49,1. 491.] RIGHT honorable, salutem . And, sir, as touching Mr Wattwood, you wot what you have to do; and I doubt not but will do as appertaineth thereunto: whereas he was put up in my visitation for a lecher, a fighter, and a disquieter of his company, I cannot have him to answer thereunto.

He beareth him very boldly of your lordship; and how much he regardeth my injunctions, your lordship may perceive by the testimony of all his company, whose letter I do send unto your lordship here inclosed. As for master Wattwood, so that he be reformed and I discharged, I care not how little I have to do with him; saving only I pray for him that God would make him a good man. I write nothing of him but I dare avow it, with more. And I write it of no malice that I do bear him, but of goodwill that I bear both to him and others. I desire you to be good lord to the college, and set you therein some good order, for it is not without need; for master Wattwood, I ascertain you, is no meet man to do what he listeth. If he inform any thing of me, as I know he can feign and lie to make for his purpose, I dare come to my answer. And thus Almighty God be with you!

Yours, H. L. WIGORN.

At Hartl[ebury] 2 Oct. [1538.] To the right honorable the lord privy seal, his good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL FJ96 [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 531.] RIGHT honorable, in Domino salutem . And, sir, I may marvel greatly that you do not blame me, but will take so patiently this my importunity.

Well! to my purpose; for I must go on like myself. As for Bristow, sir, I am sure you will remember in tempore , of yourself, without me.

Gloucester you have remembered already, by my occasion partly.

Now Worcester is behind, an ancient and a poor city, and yet replenished with men of honesty, though not most wealthy; for by reason of their lady they have been given to much idleness; but now that she is gone, they be turned to laboriousness, and so from ladyness to godliness. But, sir, this city is greatly charged with three things: their school, their bridge, and their wall. As for their school, it hath been maintained heretofore by a brotherhood, called a Gyld, I trow, not without some guile, popishly pardoning, and therefore now worthily decried; so that I am fain myself, as poor as I am, to retain the school-master there with my livery, meat and drink upon the holiday, and some part of his living beside, because he is honest and bringeth up their youth after the best sort. And as for their bridge and their wall, as they be necessary for the city and the country both, so they be now not without great need of reparation, as I hear say.

Wherefore, these premises considered, if the king’s grace of his most gracious goodness, through your lordship’s good advertisement, would vouchsafe to bestow the two friaries, Black and Grey, with their appurtenance, upon this his poor ancient city, to the maintenance of the foresaid three things, so necessary for so many good purposes, et illius majestas rem optimo regum dignam proculdubio faceret , an honorable foundation, a comely commutation; popishness changed into holiness, beggars unbeggared to avoid beggary: quoe sit mutatio dextroe Excelsi , when lip-laboring of a few lewd friars should be turned into right praying of the whole city and town for the king’s majesty and all his grace’s posterity!

Thus we commit our whole matter to your goodness, and you yourself to the goodness of God, long to continue to such good purposes. Amen. H.L.

Wigorn.

At Hartl[ebury]. 6 October [1538].

And your lordship would have thanked the king’s grace’s highness for my stag, in my name, I had been much bounden to you. I have made many merry in these parts, for I eat not all myself. God save the king! To the right honorable lord Cromwell, the lord privy seal, his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49,1. 536.] RIGHT honorable, in Domino dominorum salutem plurimam . And, sir, as touching John Scurfeld, the prisoner of Bristol, we have sent for him and examined him according to the tenor of your lordship’s letters, and in process, after much ado with him, we perceive neither malice nor yet subtlety in him, but rather much simplicity and innocency, though his letters were written, as they seemed, very suspiciously. His delight was to have them punished, which were bruited to deny the sacrament; and of that he had somewhat heard already, trusting to hear more, and so after his affection enlarged his pen at liberty, and so brought himself into suspicion for lack of discretion, he being not yet nineteen years of age: but he hath been hampered therefore meetly well already, and is now recarried again to Bristol, there to put in sureties, lacking such here, for his forthcoming whensoever upon any occasion any of the king’s grace’s council shall call for him. And after such sort, much grating of him, and yet finding no other thing in him, we thought best to dispatch him, and to remit him. And so we now commit your good lordship most heartily to God.

Yours, H. L. Wigorn. 18th Oct. [1538?] at Hartl[ebury].

Your orator, John Russell.

This bearer can tell your lordship how your lordship’s letters might perfect the commonwealth about Tewksbury.

The same hath to thank your lordship, and I also for his sake, for your goodness toward him. Valeat in Christo Dominatio tua . To the right honorable their lord privy seal, their very good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 497.] RIGHT honorable, salutem . And, sir, this bearer, Mr Acton, is altogether yours, under the king’s grace, to be where as your lordship shall think his service most necessary; but when he is above, then we much lack him here beneath. He can tell you what proceedings be in our sessions, and how men be inclined either to justice or from. I can no more; but I pray God send the king’s grace many such trusty servants in all parts of his grace’s realm. And God continue your life to the performance of all your good purposes! H.L. Wigorn. 19th Oct. [1538.] At Hartl[ebury].

Sir, the prior of the Black Friars in Worcester, called Richard Edwards, when he surrendered up his house, was promised his capacity freely, both for himself and all his brethren. He is honest, as Mr Acton can tell. I tolerate him in my diocese, trusting that you will extend your charity to him, etc. To the right honorable the lord privy seal, his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49. 1. 487.] RIGHT honorable, salutem multo plurimam in omnium Salvatore . And, sir, as to master Wattwood, I have done according to the tenor of your lordship’s letters; and at my next speaking with your lordship I will purge myself of his false accusation, as he himself hath confessed that he made untrue relation upon me in one thing, etc. Ad hoec : a certain man did write unto me alate these words, “Frere Bartlow doth much hurt in Cornwall and in Devonshire, both with open preaching, and also with private communication, etc.”

If this be true, he hath some comfort from Rome, I fear me, and, I divine, much of doctor Nicolas; a man with whom my fantasy never wrought withal, etc.

Now, sir, this bearer, the abbot of Evesham, required me to make some mention of him, and to thank your good lordship for him; which I am bounden to do most heartily. And, sir, among many that your lordship hath done for, I think you shall find but few that will better remember, to his power, your beneficialness, than he will. Verily, he seemeth to me a very civil and honest man; and one that putteth all his trust in your good lordship, that of your goodness, as you have begun with him and made him, so you will continue good lord unto him, to the maintaining of him in his right of such things which he hath obtained by your only goodness.

Thus God continue you among us to do many men good!

Yours, H.L.

Wigorn.

Sir, we have been bolting and sifting the blood of Hailes all this forenoon. It was wonderously closely and craftily inclosed and stopped up, for taking of care. And it cleaveth fast to the bottom of the little glass that it is in. And, verily, it seemeth to be an unctious gum and compound of many things. It hath a certain unctions moistness, and though it seem somewhat like blood when it is in the glass, yet when any parcel of the same is taken out, it turneth to a yellowness, and is cleaving like glue.

But we have not yet examined all the monks; and therefore this my brother abbot shall tell your lordship what he hath seen and heard in this matter. And in the end your lordship shall know altogether. But we perceive not, by your commission, whether we shall send it up or leave it here, or certify thereof as we know. H.L.

Wigorn, At Hailes. 28 Oct. [1538.] LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 489.] RIGHT honorable. If it be your pleasure to know with what kind of relics the blood of Hailes is accompanied, read this letter inclosed, and then do as shall be seen unto your approved wisdom. The letter must return again to me to satisfy the writer’s mind, etc.

If master Nevell shall remove St Kenelm, then he shall find his shoe full for a relic, etc.

I would have waited upon your lordship myself, but that I must preach to-morrow for master Manworth at Barking. I doubt not but your good lordship of your accustomed goodness doth remember Gloucester. Lady abbess of Malling hath instantly desired me to thank your good lordship for your goodness towards her.

Yours, H.L.

Wigorn. [16 Nov. 1538.] To the right honorable, and his singular good lord, the lord privy seal.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. FJ111 [Cotton, MS. Cleop. E. 4, p. 264, et seq.] RIGHT honorable, salutem in Salvatore . And, sir, I have to thank your good lordship for many things; and now alate for your singular goodness showed, as I understand, to master Lucy, a very good gentleman; and also towards master Acton, another of the same sort: but of this my duty more at more leisure. And yet thus much now I will say, and not say it alone, but with many, that your lordship (one man) have promoted many more honest men, since God promoted you, than hath many men done before your time, though in like authority with you: tamquam non tibi natus soli , sed multorum commodo . Efficiat , qui omnia facit , et in eundem finem diutissime vivat dominatio tua , ut sic inter nobiles nobilissimus evadas . Quod quidem nihil esse possit nobilius quam bonos viros evehere , malos autem reprimere . Id quod tibi hactenus usu venit , plus omnibus facere .

But now, sir, another thing that, by your favor, I might be a motioner unto you, at the request of an honest man, the prior of Great Malvern, in my diocese, though not of my diocese; referring the success of the whole matter to your only approved wisdom and benign goodness, in any case: for I know that I do play the fool, but yet with my foolishness I somewhat quiet an unquiet man, and mitigate his heaviness: which I am bold to do with you, for that I know, by experience, your goodness, that you will bear with fools in their frailness. This man both heareth and feareth (as he saith) the suppression of his house, which, though he will be conformable in all points to the king’s highness’ pleasure, and yours once known, as both I advertised him, and also his bounden duty is to be; yet nevertheless, if he thought his enterprise would not be mistaken, nor turn to any displeasure, he would be an humble suitor to your lordship, and, by the same, to the king’s good grace, for the upstanding of his foresaid house, and continuance of the same to many good purposes: not in monkery, he meaneth not so; God forbid! but any other ways as should be thought and seem good to the king’s majesty: as to maintain teaching, preaching, study, with praying, and (to the which he is much given) good housekeeping; for to the virtue of hospitality he hath been greatly inclined from his beginning, and is very much commended in these parts for the same. So, if five hundred marks to the king’s highness, with two hundred marks to yourself, for your good will, might occasion the promotion of his intent, at least way for the time of his life, he doubteth not to make his friends for the same, if so little could bring so much to pass. The man is old, a good housekeeper, feedeth many, and that daily; for the country is poor, and full of penury.

And alas! my good lord, shall we not see two or three in every shire changed to such remedy? Thus, too, this honest man’s importunity hath brought me beyond my duty; saving for the confidence and trust that I have always in your benignity. As he hath knowledge from you, so he will prepare for you, ever obedient to your advertisement. Sir William Kingston can make report of the man.

God prosper you to the uttering of all hollow hearts! Blessed be the God of England, that worketh all, whose instrument you be! I heard you say once, after you had seen that furious invective of cardinal Pole, that you would make him to eat his own heart, which you have now, I trow, brought to pass; for he must now eat his own heart, and be as heartless as he is graceless. H.L. Wigorn 13 December [1538].

Hartl[ebury].

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 524.] RIGHT honorable and my singular good lord, salutem plurimam in Christo . And, sir, to be short with you and not to trouble you, thus is now my state, and in this condition I am. All manner of my receipts, since I was bishop, amounts to four thousand pounds and upward. My firstfruits, reparations and solutions of my debts, amounts to seventeen hundred pounds: there remaineth in ready money now at my last audit, ending upon Christmas even’s even, nine score pounds; of the which, five score pound and five is payable forth withal, for my tenths of this year, other twenty goeth to my new year’s gift, and so have I left to myself, to keep my Christmas withal, and to come up withal, three score pounds.

All the rest is spent: if well, that is my duty; if otherwise, that is my folly.

As any man can complain, I must make answer; else, God knoweth all. It is spent, I say, saving that I have provision for household, in wheat, malt, beeves, and muttons, as much as would sustain my house this half year and more, if I should not go forth of my diocese: and in this standeth much the stay of my house; for I am more inclined to feed many grossly and necessarily, than a few deliciously and voluptuously. As for plate and hangings, hath not cost me twenty shillings. In plate, my new year’s gifts doth my need with glass and byrral; and I delight more to feed hungry bellies, than to clothe dead walls. Thus it is, my lord, therefore you may me credit; and as you have been always my good lord, so I desire you to continue, and to take this rude signification of my condition for a new year’s gift, and a poor token of my good will toward you, for this time.

Another year, and I live, it shall be better; for, I thank my Lord God, I am within forty pounds out of debt, which doth lighten my heart not a little.

And shortly cometh on my half-year’s rent; and then I shall be afloat again, and come clean out of debt.

Sir, my brother suffragan, the prior of Worcester, is your orator and beadsman, if it be your pleasure that he shall preach before the king’s highness, this Lent coming, his day once appointed, he will be at your commandment; but now it were time to know his day. H.L. W.

Sub natalem Christi , [24 Dec. 1538.] Hartl[ebury.] To the right honorable the lord privy seal, his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 526.] RIGHT honorable, salutem . And, sir, I doubt not, but the king’s highness, of his gracious and accustomable goodness, will remember his poor subjects now in Lent as touching white meat, of the which I now motion unto your lordship, to the intent it may come betime among them; for heretofore it hath been Midlent as ever it hath come to the borders of the realm, etc.

Sir, this master Lucy shall be now a great piece of my letters unto you. I trust you will give to him the hearing as you may have leisure.

Sir, I like not these honey-mouthed men, when I do see no acts nor deeds according to their words. Master Anthony Barker had never had the wardenship of Stratford at my hands, saving at contemplation of your lordship’s letter. I am sure your lordship can bolt out what should be meant by such instructions as master Anthony Barker gave to his parish priest, whose voluntary confession without any provocation of me, I do send unto your lordship, written with his own hand, his own name subscribed; Mr Lucy with all my house being at the publishing of the same.

Sir, I ascertain you before God, that I never presented any matter unto you, of any malice or ill will to any person, but only of good zeal to the truth and discharging of my duty.

And as for the Arches, I could have had fewer matters there with more money in my purse, by not a little, if I would have followed the old trade in selling of sin and not doing of my duty.

I do send unto your lordship also a copy of master Anthony Barker’s parish priest’s recantation or revocation, which shall be done upon Sunday next, at Stratford, one of my chaplains being there to preach, and he the same.

Sir, our master sheriff hath kept such a sessions at Worcester, as hath not been seen here these many years.

Sir, to be master of the game in the forest of Fecknam is to be leader of many men. It were meet that he that should be leader of many men, should [have] a true faithful heart to his sovereign Lord. In that point you know our sheriff; he dwelleth within with four miles of Fecknam. Dixi , H.L. W. 17 Jan. [1539], Hartl[ebury]. To the right honorable the lord privy seal, his singular good 3lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. FJ122 [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 502.] RIGHT honorable, salutem . And, sir, I pray you give this bearer, my fellow Moore, the king’s servant, the hearing of a matter which I have charged him to open to your lordship, even as he did open it to me. Your lordship shall perceive what conveyance there is by night. It were meet to know to what purpose. If your lordship return my fellow, with your letters of commission to master sheriff and me, to examine the parties, we shall lack no good will to do our best. Some words, meseemeth, soundeth not well toward the king. I refer all to your high wisdom.

This bearer Moore, seemeth to me an honest man: one word of your lordship’s mouth might occasion master captain to be his good master; and something better than he is, as this man doth say.

God forbid that this poor man should forego his right! my counsel hath seen his writings, and they think that he is debarred of right. Your good lordship may ease all with one word. It hangeth betwixt sir John Ashley and him.

Sir, Mr Tracy, your lordship doth know what manner of man he is; I would wish there were many of that sort. He had a lease of the demesnes of Winchcombe, as other more had. The others have theirs renewed without a condition; if you would of your goodness write to the Abbot and Convent, that he might have his renewed again, without a condition, your lordship should do an act not unworthy yourself. He is given to good hospitality, and hath need of such things for the maintenance of the same; and he is always ready to serve the king in commissions and other ways, with most hearty fashion, according to his duty, letting for no costs nor charge at any time.

Sir, I know that I am a bold fool; but till you rebuke me for the same, I must needs be malapert with you for such honest men. God be with you, and I pray God preserve you ad promotionem bonorum , vindictam malorum !

Yours altogether, H.L. Wigorn. 18 Jan. [1539], Hartl[ebury.] To the right honorable the lord privy seal, his singular good lord.

LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 533.] RIGHT honorable, salutem in Domino . And, sir, you be indeed scius artifex , and hath a good hand to renew old bottles, and to polish them and make them apt to receive new wine. I pray you, keep your hand in ure; and to the intent your lordship may perceive what a work you have wrought upon this man, Mr Wattwood, I do send unto you Mr Benett’s letter, my chaplain, testifying what good change and renovation he perceiveth in him, of the which I am very glad. And so, I am sure, your good lordship will be also, and the rather for that he is your own workmanship, under God, to whom be all honor and glory. Amen.

Yours, H.L. Wigorn. 2 April [1539], at Sutton. LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 494.] SIR, — As touching you wot what, I have written again, guessing at your advice; I trust, not far wide. But yet pity it is to see God so dishonored, and no remedy provided, at leastway that God hath provided; not free to be used, but the vengeance of God more and more to be provoked; when comperites doth shew what fedities doth grow .

Now, sir, if you be listy to hear of Furnes fools, this simple priest can tell you the state of those parts: he hath come far to shew you his grief; a world to know how pardoners doth prate in the borders of the realm. If you help not that men of both learning and judgment be resident there, they shall perish in their ignorance.

God send you well again to us for without you we shall make no end. Postridie Benedicti , at Strownd. H. WIGORNIEN. [15 April, 1539.] LETTER LATIMER TO LORD CROMWELL. [Orig. State Pap. Off. Crom. Corr. Vol. 49, 1. 528.] RIGHT honorable, salutem . And, sir, I have to thank your good lordship for many things; but I will not now trouble your better businesses therewith, but shall pray to God to reward you for all together. And now, sir, your good lordship hath begun right graciously with the school of Gloucester: if of your goodness you would now make an end, your perseverance cannot be unrewarded. If the king’s highness doth use to sell of such lands as hath been belonging to monasteries, lady Cooke, foundress of the school, would give after twenty years’ purchase for a parcel which lieth near unto the town, and was belonging to Llanthony. This bill inclosed doth specify the value, and I did send this bearer, Mr Garrett, my chaplain, to speak with lady Cooke, and to know further of the same, and to advertise your lordship of the same. But I refer all to your known both wisdom and goodness; and upon your pleasure known herein lady Cooke shall make ready thereunto.

As to my nurse, I say no more; but if your good lordship do remember her friendly, she both will and shall remember your good lordship again accordingly. But I will go no further, neither in this suit, nor yet in no other, but as I shall perceive your lordship agreeable to hear the same.

Thus God preserve you in long life to the finishing of many things well begun, and to the performance of many things yet unperfect! [1539?] H. L.

Wigorn. To the right honorable and his very good lord, the lord privy seal.

LETTER 49 FJ133 LATIMER TO A CERTAIN GENTLEMAN FJ134 [Foxe, Acts and Mon. pp. 1349, et seq. edit. 1563; Vol. 3, pp. 413 et seq. 1684.] RIGHT worshipful, salutem in Domino . And now, sir, I understand that you be in great admirations at me, and take very grievously 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,” etc.

Ah, sir! I see well I may say as the common saying is, “Well I have fished and caught a frog;” brought little to pass with much ado. “You will not bear it with me,” you say. Why, sir, what will ye do with me? You will not fight with me, I trow. It might seem unseemly for a justice of peace to be a breaker of peace: I am glad the doting time of my foolish youth is gone and past. 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?

Perchance you will convent me before some judge, and call me into some court. Deus bene vertat . Equidem non recuso judicium ullum . Accusemus invicem , ut emendemus alius alium in nomine Domini . Fiat justitia in judicio : “God turn it to good. I refuse no judgment. Let us accuse one another, that one of us may amend another in the name of the Lord. Let justice proceed in judgment;” 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 Robin, ut dicitur vulgariter . Non potero sane non vehementer probare ejusmodi industriam : “I cannot choose but must allow such diligence;” for so should both your integrities and innocencies best appear, if you be able to defend both your own proceedings, and your brother’s doings, in this matter to be upright. Et ego tum justis rationibus victus , libenter cedam , culpam humiliter confessurus : “And then will I gladly give place, confessing my fault humbly, as one conquered with just reasons.” 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? Forsooth, 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 : “What a sore matter is this!” And will ye not bear so much with me? Will ye not take such a shew of my good will towards you, and toward the saving of your soul at my hand?

O Lord God, who would have thought that master 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 trespass many times in a year with your betters by two or three degrees, both lords and ladies, and the best of 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, and privilege of a preacher? What is it else, but even arguere mundum de peccato , “to rebuke the world of sin,” without respect of persons? Quod quidem ipsum est ipsius Spiritus Sancti peculiare in ecclesia munus et officium , sed non nisi per proedicatores legitimos exsequendum : “Which thing undoubtedly is the peculiar office of the Holy Ghost in the church of God, so that it be practiced by lawful preachers.” 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 jam omni caritate , amicitia , veritate carere : “Unless perhaps to rebuke sin sharply be now to lack all charity, friendship, and truth.” But, master N., if you will give me leave to be plain with you, I fear me you be so plunged in worldly purchasings, and so drowned in the manifold dregs of this deceivable 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, etc. Item , sir, you said further, “that I am wonderfully abused by my neighbor,” etc. How so, good master 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 master 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 feign (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, and bear them in hand what you list, as may seem to make some maintenance for your naughty cause. Trust me, master N., I was but a very little acquainted with my neighbor, when this matter began; 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 than I do some others whom I have perceived and found otherways. 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 disallowing what is bad. In omnibus hominibus , sive amicis sive inimicis , juxta proeceptum Paulinum , a filiis hujus seculi in pretio non habitum , Sitis odio , inquit , prosequentes quod malum est , adhoerentes autem ei quod bonum est : neque bonum malum , nec malum bonum in gratiam hominum affirmemus unquam , id quod filii hujus seculi vulgo faciunt , ut est videre ubique : “Among all men, either friends or enemies, according to Paul’s precept, not esteemed of the children of this world, hate you, saith he, that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good. And let us not any time, for the favor of men, call good evil, and evil good, as the children of this world are commonly wont to do, as it is everywhere to be seen.” And now what manner of man do you make me, master 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 wits, as though I could not discern cheese from chalk, truth from falsehood; but that every silly soul and base-witted man might easily abuse me to that enterprise he listed at his pleasure? Well, I say not nay, but I may be abused. But why do you not tell me how your brother abused me, promising before me and many more, that he would stand to your awardship, and now doth deny it? Why do you not tell me how those two false, faithless wretches abuse me, promising also to abide your award, and do 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 neighbor’s abusing me, which is none at all, as far forth as ever I could perceive, so God help me at my need! For if he had abused me as you and others have done, I should be soon at a point with him, for anything further doing for him, etc. Item , sir, you said further, that I shall never be able to prove that either your brother or the two tenants agreed to stand to your award, etc. No sir, master 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 way, to the maintenance by falsehood of your brother’s iniquity. For in that you would your awardship should take none effect, you show yourself nothing inclinable to the redress of your brother’s unright 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, master N., what manner of man do you shew yourself to be? Or what manner of conscience do you shew yourself to have? For first, as touching your brother, you know right well that sir Thomas Coking, with a letter of his own handwriting, hath witnessed unto your brother’s agreement; which letter he sent to me unsealed, and I shewed the same to my neighbor and other more, or I sealed it, and perchance have a copy of the same yet to shew. 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 , etc.: “the Lord himself saying, In the mouth of two or three,” etc.

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 any thing.

And as for the two tenants, 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 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 vivit adhuc Deus , qui videt omnia , et judicat juste , etc. “But God is yet alive, which seeth all, and judgeth justly.” Item , sir, you said yet further, that the justices of peace in the country think you very unnatural, in taking part with me before your brother, etc. Ah, master 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 party. And did I require you to take my part, I pray you? No, I required you to minister justice between your brother and my 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 part naturally with your brother, when you ought and should reform and amend your brother as you yourself know, no man better? What! justices? No, jugglers you might more worthily call such as they be, than justices. Be they those justices which call you unnatural for that you will not take your brother’s part against all right and conscience, whom you had picked out and appointed to have the final hearing and determining of my neighbor’s cause, after your substantial and final award-making? Verily, I think no less. Forsooth he is much beholding to you, and I also for his sake. Is that the wholesome counsel that you have to give your poor neighbors in their need? Indeed you shew yourself a worthy juggler. Oh! I would have said a justices among other of your juggling and partaking justices. Deum bonum , “O good God!” what is in the world? Marry, sir, my neighbor had spun 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, etc. And why not rather, I pray, too much natural? For we read de natura duplici , integra et corrupta . Illa erat justitioe plena ; hoec nisi reparata , semper manet injusta , injustitioe fructus alios post alios paritura : “of a double nature, sound, and corrupt.

That was full of justice; this, unless it be restored, abideth always unjust, bringing forth the fruits of wickedness one after another:” so that he that will not help his brother, having a just cause, in his need, may be justly called unnatural, as not doing juxta instinctum naturoe , sive integroe , sive reparatoe ; “according to the instinct of nature, either as it was at the beginning, or as it was restored.” But he that will take his brother’s part against right, as to ratify his brother’s wrong deceiving, he is too much natural; tanquam sequens ingenium sive inclinationem naturoe corruptoe , contra voluntatem Dei ; “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-cousin, or cousin-germain with to be diabolical.

I fear me, we have too many justices that be too 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 quam vellem , “of which sort we have a fewer amongst us than I would”) will have no respect at all in their judgments and proceedings ad propinquitatem sanguinis , “to vicinity of blood;” but altogether ad dignitatem et oequitatem causoe , ut quod justum est semper judicent intuitu Dei , non quod injustum est intuitu hominum ; of which number I pray God make you one. Amen. Justus est qui facit justitiam . At qui facit peccatum (id quod facit , quisquis injuste facit in gratiam et favorem ullius hominis ) ex diabolo est : “He is just,” saith St John, “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; of which sort all our partaking and natural justices be, with all their partiality and naturaltry. Quare dignum et justum est , that as many as be such justices, juste priventur munere , et amplius quoque plectantur pro sui quique facinoris quantitate , ut vel sic tandem abscindantur , tanquam nati in incommodum reipublicoe nostroe , qui nos conturbant , cum adjuvare debeant ; “be justly deprived of their offices, and further also be punished, according to the quantity or quality of their crime; so that by that means they may be cut off, as men born and bred to the hurt and detriment of the commonwealth, which trouble us, when they ought to help us.”

Amen. Quare seponite justitiam , et sequimini naturam , as your naturals and diabolicals would have you to do; that is, even as just as Germain’s lips, which came not together by nine mile, ut vulgo dicunt , etc. Item , sir, finally and last of all, you added these words following: “Well,” quoth you, “let master Latimer take heed how 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,” etc. Ah, sir! and is your brother such an one as you speak of indeed? Merciful God! what a commendation is this for one brother to give another! Estne ejusmodi gloriatio tua , mi amice ? “Is this your glorying, my friend?” And were it not possible, trow you, to make him better? It is written, Vexatio dat intellectum ; “Vexation giveth understanding.” And again, Bonum mihi , Domine , quod humiliasti me ; “It is good, O Lord, that thou hast humbled me.” At least way, I may pray to God for him, as David did for such like, ad hunc modum : Chamo et froeno maxillas eorum constringe , qui non approximant ad te ; “After this sort: Bind fast asses with bridle and snaffle, that they approach not near unto thee.” In the mean season, I would I had never known either of you both; for so should I have been without this inward sorrow of my heart, to see such untowardliness 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,” etc. Mark well your own words. For by the tenor of the same it plainly appeareth that you confess your brother’s 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 trusty man. But he that is so obstinate and untractable in wickedness and wrong doing, is commonly called a crabbed and froward piece, as you name your brother to be. Wherefore, knowing so well your brother’s cause to be so naughty, why have you not endeavored yourself, 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 off shortly, and apply yourself thereunto more effectually hereafter, than you have heretofore, be you well assured thereof, I shall detect you to all the friends that I have in England, both high and low, as well his crabbedness 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 illness, that they shall take either no hurt at all, or at least way less harm by you through mine advertisement; in that knowing you perfectly, they may the better avoid and shun your company.

You shall not stay me, master N.; no, though you would give me all the lands and goods you have, as rich as you are noted to be. Ego nolo tam justam causam derelinquere , ego nolo peccatis alienis in hac parte communicare ; “I will not forsake such a just cause, neither will I communicate with other men’s sins.” For whether it be, per detestabilem superbiam , by detestable pride; whether per abominabilem avaritiam , by abominable avarice; or by both two linked together, it is no small iniquity to keep any poor man so long from his right and duty so stiffneckedly 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, master N., furtum quid sit , nempe , quovis mode auferre vel retinere alienam rem invito domino , ut quidam definiunt . Si fur sit qui sic palam facit , quis erit qui facientem probat , tutatur , propugnat , vel quibuscunque ambagibus suffulcit ? “What theft is; that is, to take or detain 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, maintaineth, and supporteth him by any manner of color?” Consider with yourself, good master N., quid sit opprimere et fraudare in negotio fratrem ; “what it is to oppress and to defraud your brother in his business, and what followeth thereof.” It is truly said, non tollitur peccatum , nisi restituatur ablatum ; “the sin is not forgiven, except the thing be restored again that is taken away.” No restitution, no salvation: which is as well to be understood de rebus per fraudes , technas , et dolos , ut de rebus per manifestum furtum et latrocinium partis ; “of things gotten by fraud, guile, and deceit, as of things gotten by open theft and robbery.”

Wherefore let not your brother, master N., by cavillation continue in the devil’s possession. I will do the best I can, and wrestle with the devil, omnibus viribus , to deliver you both from him. I will leave no one stone unmoved to have both you and your brother saved. There is neither archbishop nor bishop, nor yet any learned man neither 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, [as master Goodrick, master Gosnal, master Chamber, and, as I should say first, sergeant Hales, and such like, ] 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 godly threaten you with their authority.

I will do all this; yea, and kneel upon both my knees before the king’s majesty, and all his honorable council, with most humble petition for your reformation, rather than the devil shall possess you still to your final 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 devil’s claws, maugre the devil’s heart. These premises well considered, look upon it, good master N., that we have no further ado.

God’s plague is presently 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 your 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 itself; being of such sort as apparently tendeth both to your worship, and also to God’s high pleasure.

Thus, lo! with a mad head, but yet a good will, after long scribbling, I wot not well what (but I know you can read it, and comprehend it well enough), I bid you most heartily well to fare in the Lord, with good health and long life to God’s pleasure. Amen. — From Baxterley, the 15th of June.

Yours to do you good to his power, HUGH LATIMER.

LETTER LATIMER TO ONE IN PRISON FOR THE PROFESSION OF THE GOSPEL. FJ163 [Strype, Eccl. Mem. Vol. 3, 2. pp. 296, et seq.] THE eternal consolation of the Spirit of God comfort and stablish your faithful heart in this your glorious cross of the gospel, until the day of reward in our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.

Blessed be God, dear brother after our common faith, that hath given you hitherto a will with patience to suffer for his gospel sake! I trust that he, which hath begun this good work in you, shall perform the same to the end. But I understand by your letters, that he which tempteth and envieth you this glory, ceaseth not to lay stumblingblocks before you, to bereave you of that crown of immortality which is now ready to be put on your head: persuading that you may for money be redeemed out of a glorious captivity into a servile liberty; which you by your godly wisdom and spirit do perceive well enough, and that he which hath put his hand to the plough and looketh back, is not meet for the kingdom of God; and that none which is a good soldier to Christ entangleth himself with worldly markets. Christ saith, that “foxes have their holes, and the birds of the air have their nests, but the Son of man hath not where to hide his head.”

The wise men of the world can find shifts to avoid the cross; and the unstable in faith can set themselves to rest with the world: but the simple servant of Christ doth look for no other but oppression in the world. And then is it their most glow, when they be under the cross of their master Christ; which he did bear, not only for our redemption, but also for an example to us, that we should follow his steps in suffering, that we might be partakers of his glorious resurrection.

I do therefore allow highly your judgment in this behalf, who think it not lawful for money to redeem yourself out of the cross; unless you would go about to exchange glory for shame, and to sell your inheritance for a mess of pottage, as Esau did, who afterwards found it no more; and to think the good gifts of God to be procured with money, as Simon Magus, or else to sell Christ for thirty pence, as Judas did. Good authority you may have out of the scriptures to confirm your judgment against all gainsayers.

The first is that our Savior Christ saith, “There is none worthy of him except he daily take up his cross and follow him.” If we must daily take up our cross, how may we then shift that cross, which Christ hath put upon us, by our own procurement, and give money to be discharged of that we are called unto? If that in taking up the cross we must also follow Christ, then we may not cast the same off, until we have carried it with him unto death.

St Paul to the Philippians saith, that “It is not only given to us to believe, but also to suffer for his name.” If it be the gift of God to suffer for Christ’s sake; if it be the gift of God, with what conscience may a man sell the gift of God, and to give money to be rid thereof? God giveth this grace but to a few, as we see at this day. Therefore we ought to shew ourselves both faithful and thankful for the same.

Moreover St Paul saith, “That every man must abide in that vocation he is called.” But we are called to suffer.

St Peter doth manifestly declare, saying, “If when you do well, and yet be evil handled, ye do abide it, this is a grace of God. For ye are called to this; because Christ was afflicted, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps.” Since then this is our calling, how may we, without the displeasure of God, go about to redeem us with money out of the same?

St Paul affirmeth the same to the Romans, saying, “For we are all day long delivered unto death, and accounted as sheep appointed to the slaughter.” Also he saith in the same chapter, “that we are predestinate to be like and conformable to the image of his Son;” that as they persecuted him, so shall they persecute us; and as they slew him, so shall they slay us.

And Christ saith in St John, that “they shall excommunicate you and kill you, and think to do God worship thereby. And this they shall do unto you: and this have I spoken unto you, that when the time cometh you shall not be offended in me.”

I cannot see how we might go about to deliver ourselves from the death we are called unto for money. St Peter sheweth what we must do that be under the cross, saying, “Let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit their souls to him, as unto a faithful Creator.” And, “Let him not be ashamed that suffereth as a christian man, but rather glorify God in this condition.” St Paul also to the Hebrews sheweth that we may not faint under the cross, neither by any means fly aside, saying, “Let us lay away all that presseth down, and the sin that hangeth so fast on, and let us run with patience unto the battle that is set before us; looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; which for the joy set before him abode the cross and despised the shame, and is set down on the right hand of the throne of God. Consider therefore that he endured such speaking against him of sinners, lest we should be weary and faint in our mind. For we have not yet resisted unto blood-shedding, striving against sin; and have forgotten the consolation, which speaketh unto us as unto children: My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, him he chasteneth, yea, he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If we endure chastening, God offereth himself unto us as unto sons.” And blessed be they that continue unto the end.

In the Apocalypse the church of God is commanded not to fear those things which she shall suffer. “For, behold! the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tempted, and ye shall have ten days affliction. Be faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit speaketh to the congregations. He that hath overcome shall not be hurt by the second death.”

Be these undoubted scriptures? We may be sufficiently taught that here is no means for us to fly, that are caught under the cross, to any such worldly means as the flesh cant devise. Again, we were created to set forth God’s glory all the days of our life; which we, as unthankful sinners, have forgotten to do, as we ought, all our days hitherto. And now God by affliction doth offer us good occasion to perform, one day of our life, our duty. And shall we go about to chop away this good occasion, which God offereth us for our honor and eternal rest? And in so doing we shall declare, that we have no zeal to God’s glory; neither to the truth, which is so shamefully oppressed; neither to our weak brethren and sisters, who have need of strong witnesses to confirm them. Therefore we should now be glad with St Paul in our afflictions for our weak brethren’s sake, and “go about to supply that which wanteth of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh, in his body, which is the church.” Not that the afflictions of Christ were not sufficient for our salvation; but that we which be professors of Christ must be contented to be afflicted, and to drink of the cup of his passion, which he hath drank: and so shall we be assured to sit at his right hand, or at his left, in the kingdom of his Father.

Christ saith in John, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye shall have no life in you.” Which, in the interpretation of most ancient and godly doctors, is, to be partakers, both in faith and deed, of the passion of Christ. The which if we refuse, what do we but, as the Capernaites did, go from everlasting life? And here we are with Christ, who hath the words of eternal life. Whither shall we go, or what may we give, to be separated from him?

But perchance the worldly-wise man, or carnal gospeller, will confess, and object this to be true, and that he intendeth not to deny the truth, although he buy himself out of the yoke of the cross; minding hereafter, if he be driven thereto, to die therein. But to him I answer, with Solomon, “Defer not to do well to-morrow, but do it out of hand, if thou have liberty.” So I say, that little we know whether God will give us such grace, as he doth now offer us, at another time, to suffer for his sake: and it is not in us to choose it when we will. Therefore let us offer the counsel of St Paul: “Serve the time,” which we are in, of affliction, and be glad to be afflicted with the people of God, which is the recognizance of the children of God; and rather to redeem the time with our death for the testimony of the truth, to the which we are born, than to purchase a miserable life for the concupiscence of the world, and to the great danger of falling from God. For as long as we are in the body, we are strangers to God, and far from our native country, which is in heaven, where our everlasting day is. We are now more near to God than ever we were, yea, we are at the gate of heaven; and we are a joyful spectacle become, in this our captivity, to God, to the angels, and to all his saints, who look that we should end our course with glory. We have found the precious stone of the gospel; for the which we ought to sell all that we have in the world. And shall we exchange or lay to gage the precious treasure which we have in our hands for a few days to lament in the world, contrary to our vocation? God forbid it! But let us, as Christ willeth us in St Luke, “look up, and lift up our heads, for our redemption is at hand.”

A man that hath long traveled, and hath his journey’s end before him, what madness were it for him to set further compass about, and put himself in more trouble and labor than needeth! If we live by hope, let us desire the end and fruition of our hope. “No man is crowned, but he that lawfully striveth: none obtaineth the goal, but he that runneth out.” Run, therefore, so as ye may be sure to obtain. You have run hitherto right well, good christian brethren. God be praised therefore! But now what letteth you but a persuasion, “that is not sprung of him that calleth you,” as it is written?

Example hereof we have, first our Savior Jesus Christ, who being advised by Peter to provide better for himself than to go to Jerusalem to be crucified, received the reproach, “Go behind me, Satan; thou knowest not the things of God. Shall I not drink of the cup which my Father giveth me?” If Christ would not, at his friend’s counsel, provide to shun the cross, no more ought we, whose disciples we are, being called thereto at our friends’ flattering notions. “For the disciple is not greater than his master. For if they have persecuted me,” saith he, “they will persecute you.” St Paul, being in prison for the gospel, was ofttimes brought before Felix the judge, who looked for some piece of money for his deliverance; but I cannot read that Paul went about at all to offer him any. John and Peter, being imprisoned for the testimony of the word, did with all boldness confess the same, and sought no other means of redemption than by faithful confession. Paul and Silas, being of God miraculously delivered from their chains and bands of death, having all the doors open of their prison to depart if they would, yet departed they not out of prison, but abode still the good pleasure of God, and his lawful deliverance. God in time past was angry with his people of Israel for sending into Egypt for help in their necessity; saying by the prophet Esay, “Wo be unto you runagate children, who go about to take advice, and not of me, and begin a work, and not of my Spirit.” “Cursed is he,” by the prophet Jeremy, “that maketh flesh to be his strength.” Moses choosed rather to be afflicted with the people of God than to be counted the son of king Pharaoh’s daughter. The martyrs in the old time were racked, as St Paul testifieth, and would not be delivered, that they might have a better resurrection.

Let us follow them, and leave the pope’s market, who buyeth and selleth the bodies and souls of men, to Balaam and his false prophets, “who love the reward of iniquity.”

If any man perceive his faith [not] to abide the fire, let such an one with weeping buy his liberty, until he hath obtained more strength; lest the gospel by him sustain an offense of some shameful recantation. Let the dead bury the dead. Let us that be of the lively faith follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth, and say to them that be thus curious and wise, Dispute us in this matter with St Paul, “Stretch forth the hands that were let down, and the weak knees, and see that you have straight steps to your feet, lest any halting turn you out of the way: yea, rather let it be healed.”

Embrace Christ’s cross, and Christ shall embrace you. The peace of God be with you for ever, and with all them that live in captivity with you in Christ!

Written by Mr Latimer, being in captivity. [1553-1555.] LETTER AN EPISTLE SENT BY MR LATIMER TO ALL THE UNFEIGNED LOVERS OF GOD’S TRUTH, OUT OF A PRISON IN OXFORD, CALLED BOCARDO, WHERE THE SAID LATIMER WAS IMPRISONED FOR THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST, THE 15TH OF MAY, 1555. [Printed by Strype, Eccl. Mem. 3. 2, pp. 302, et seq. Oxf. edit. fj164] THE same peace that our Savior Christ left with his people, which is not without war with the world, Almighty God make plentiful in your hearts now and ever! Amen. Brethren, the time is come when the Lord’s ground will be known: I mean, it will now appear who hath received God’s word in their hearts in deed, to the taking of good root therein. For such will not shrink for a little heat or sun-burning weather; but stoutly stand and grow, even maugre the malice of all burning showers and tempests. For he that hath played the wise builder, and laid his foundation on a rock, will not be afraid that every drizzling rain or mist shall hurt his buildings, but will stand, although a great tempest do come, and drops of rain as big as fir-fagots. But they that have builded upon a sand will be afraid, though they see but a cloud arise a little black, and no rain or wind doth once touch them; no, not so much as to lie one week in prison, to trust God with their lives which gave them. For they have forgot what St Paul saith, “If we die we are the Lord’s, and if we live we are the Lord’s: so that whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s: Yet we will not put him in trust with his own. And forasmuch, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, as I am persuaded of you that you be in the number of the wise builders, which have made their foundation sure by faith upon the infallible word of God’s truth, and will now bring forth the fruits to God’s glory after your vocation, as occasion shall be offered, although the sun burn never so hot, nor the weather be never so foul: wherefore I cannot but signify unto every of you to go forward accordingly after your master Christ; not sticking at the foul way and stormy weather, which you are come unto, or are like to come: of this being most certain, that the end of your sorrow shall be pleasant and joyful, in such a perpetual rest and blissfulness as cannot but swallow up the storms which both you and they now feel, and are like to feel, at the hands of those sacrificing prelates. But set often before your eyes St Paul’s counsel to the Corinthians, and remember it as a restorative to refresh you withal, lest you faint in the way, where he saith: “Though our outward man perish, yet is our inward man renewed day by day; for our exceeding tribulation (which is momentary and light) he hath prepared for us an exceeding weight of glory: whilst we look not on things that are seen, but on things that are not seen. For things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.” And again he saith: “If this body were destroyed, we shall have another, which shall not be subject to corruption nor to persecution.” Besides this, set before you also, though the weather be stormy and foul, yet strive to go apace, for you go not alone; many other of your brethren and sisters pass by the same path, as St Peter saith and telleth us, that company might cause you to be the more courageous and cheerful: but if you had no company at all to go presently with you, stick not to go still forward. I pray you, tell me, if any from the beginning, yea, the best of God’s friends, have found any fairer way or weather to the place whither we are going (I mean to heaven) than we now find and are like to find. Except ye will with the worldlings, which have their part and portion in this life, tarry still by the way till the storms be overpast; and then either night will approach, that ye cannot travel, or else the doors will be shut up, that ye cannot go in, and so without ye shall have wonderful evil lodgings; I mean, in a bed of fire and brimstone, where the worm dieth not, and the fire goeth not out. Read from the first of Genesis to the Apocalypse: begin at Abel, and so to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the patriarchs; Moses, David, and the saints in the old testament; and tell me whether any of them find any fairer ways than we now find. If the old will not serve, I pray you come to the new, and begin with Mary and Joseph, and come from thence to Zechariah, Elizabeth, John the Baptist, Stephen, James, Peter, and Paul, and every one of the apostles and evangelists: and see whether any of them all found any other way unto the city whereunto we travel than by many tribulations. Besides this, if you should call to remembrance the primitive church, (Lord God!) we should see many that have given cheerfully their bodies to most grievous torments rather than they would be stopped in their journey. There was no day scarce in the year but I dare say a thousand was the fewest that with joy left their houses and lives here; but in the city that they went unto they found another manner of dwellings than many minds be able to conceive. But if none of these were, if you had no company to go with you, yet have you me your poorest brother and bondman in the Lord, with many other, I trust in God. But if ye had none of the fathers, patriarchs, good kings, prophets, apostles, evangelists, martyrs, holy saints, and children of God, which in their journey to heaven found that you are like to find, (if you go on forwards, as I trust you will,) yet you have your general captain and master, Christ Jesus, the dear darling and only-begotten and beloved Son of God, in whom was all the Father’s joy and delectation; ye have him to go before you: no fairer was his way than ours, but much worse and fouler, towards his city of the heavenly Jerusalem. Let us remember what manner of way Christ found: begin at his birth, and go forth until ye come at his burial; and you shall find that every step of his journey was a thousand times worse than yours is. For he had laid upon him at one time the devil, death, and sin; and with one sacrifice, never again to be done, he overcame them all. Wherefore, my dear beloved, be not so dainty to look to have at the Lord’s hands, your dear Father, that which the patriarchs, prophets, and evangelists, martyrs, and saints, yea, and his own Son Jesus Christ, did not find.

Hitherto ye have found fairer weather and fairer way too, I trow; but because we have loitered by the way, and not made the speed that we should have done, our loving Father and heavenly Lord hath overcast the weather, and hath stirred up storms and tempests, that we might the more speedily run out the race before night come, and before the doors be barred up. Now the devil and his ostlers and tapsters stand in every inn-door in city and country of this world, crying unto us, “Come in and lodge here; for here is Christ, and there is Christ; therefore tarry with us until the storm be overpast.” Not that they would not have us wet to the skin, but that the time might be overpast, to our utter destruction. Therefore beware of his enticements, and cast not your eyes upon things that be present, how this man doth or that man doth, (for you may not follow a multitude to do evil; ) but cast your eyes on the wager or mark that you run at, or else you will lose the game. You know, he that runneth at the mark doth not look on other that stands by, or of them that offer to go this way or that way, but looketh altogether on the glove or mark, and on them that run with him, that those that are behind overtake him not, and that he may overtake them that are before. Even so should we do, and leave looking at those that will not run the way or race to heaven’s bliss by suffering persecution. And we should cast our eyes on the end of the race, and on them that go before us, that we may overtake them, and that we may provoke others to come the faster after us. He that shooteth will not cast his eyes in his shooting on them that stand or ride by the way, I trow not; but rather on the mark that he shooteth at, or else he were like to win the wrong way. Even so, my dear beloved, let our eyes be set on the mark that we shoot at, even Jesus Christ, “who for the joy that was set before him abode the cross, and despised the shame;” therefore he now sitteth on the right hand of God, all power and rule subdued unto him. Let us therefore follow him: for thus did he, that we should not be faint-hearted; for we may be most sure, that “if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him, he will surely deny us.” “For he that is ashamed of me,” saith Christ, “and of my gospel, before this faithless generation, I will be ashamed of him before my Father and his angels in heavens.” Oh! how heavy a sentence is this to all those that know the mass to be an abominable idol, full of idolatry, blasphemy, sacrilege against God and the dear sacrifice of his Christ, as undoubtedly it is; and that you have well seen, both by disputing of noble clerks, and also by willing shedding of their bloods against that heinous sacrilege. And yet for fear or favor of men, for the loss of life and goods, (which is none of theirs, but lent them of God, as David saith, “it is the Lord that maketh rich and poor;” and as St Paul saith, “if we live we are the Lord’s, and if we die we are the Lord’s;” therefore let us give him his own; ) yea, some for advantage and gain will honour with their presence this pernicious blasphemy against the death of our Redeemer; and so dissemble both with God and man, as their own hearts and conscience do accuse them. Oh! vain men, do you not remember that God is greater than your conscience? It had been good that such men had never known the truth, nor that the gospel had never been taught amongst them, that thus wittingly and for fear of men (who are but dust, and their breath is in their nostrils) do dissemble, or rather in deed utterly deny Christ and his sacrifice, the price of their redemption; and so bring on them the blood of us, and all other that have sincerely taught the gospel, with the adorning and honoring of that false idol with their bodies, being the temples of God. The end of such men is like to be worse than the beginnings. Such men had need to take heed of their dissemblings and cloakings; for it will once be espied; I mean, when our Christ shall come in his glory, which I trust will be shortly. But if he tarry, the time of all flesh is but short, and fadeth away like a flower. I would wish such men to read the terrible place of St Paul to the Hebrews, in the sixth chapter, where he saith: “It cannot be that they which were once lighted, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were become partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good word of God, and the power of the world to come; if they fall away, and as concerning themselves crucify the Son of God afresh, making a mock of him.” And read the tenth chapter, lest ye fall into the danger of them.

And let men beware that they play not wilily, begailing themselves, as I fear me they do that go to mass. And because they worship not, nor kneel not down, as others do, but sit still in their pews, therefore they think rather to do good to others than hurt. But, alas! if such men would look on their own consciences, there they shall see if they be very dissimulers; and seeking to deceive others, they deceive themselves. For by this means the magistrates think them to be of their sort. They think that at the elevation time all men’s eyes are set on them, to mark how they do; they think that other, hearing of such men’s going to mass, do see or inquire of their behavior there; and thus they play wilily, begailing themselves. But if there were in these men either love to God or to their brethren, then would they, for one or for both, take God’s part, admonishing the people of their idolatry. But “they fear men more than God, that hath authority to cast both body and soul into hellfire.”

They halt on both sides; they “serve two masters.” God have mercy on such men, and anoint their eyes with salve, that they may see, that they which take not part with God are against him, and they that gather not with Christ scatter abroad! The counsel given to the church of Laodicea is good counsel for such men.

But now, dearly beloved, to come again, be not ashamed of the gospel of God; “for it is the power of God unto salvation to them that believe it.” Be therefore partakers of the afflictions of Christ, as God shall make you able to bear; and think that no small grace of God, to suffer persecution for God’s truth’s sake; “for the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God doth rest upon you. Therefore if any man suffer as a christian man, let him not be ashamed, but glorify God on that behalf:” for “whosoever,” saith Christ, “shall lose his life for my sake and for the gospel, the same shall save it.” Yea, happy are you if that come so to pass, as you shall find one day, when “the fire shall try every man’s work what it is.” And as the fire hurteth not the gold, but maketh it finer, so shall ye be more pure in suffering with Christ. The flail or the wind hurteth not the wheat, but cleanseth it from the chaff. And ye, dearly beloved, are God’s wheat: fear not the fanning wind, fear not the millstone; for all these things make you the meeter for God’s tooth. Soap, though it be black, soileth not the cloth, but maketh it clean: so doth the black cross of Christ help us to more whiteness, if God strike with the battledoor. Because you be God’s sheep, prepare yourselves to the slaughter, always knowing, that in the sight of God our death is precious. The souls under the altar look for us to fulfill their number.

Happy are we if God have so appointed it. Dearly beloved, cast yourselves wholly upon the Lord, with whom all the hairs of your head be numbered; so that not one of them shall perish without his knowledge. “It is appointed unto all men that they shall once die.” Therefore, will we nill we, we must drink of the Lord’s cup which he hath appointed for us. Drink willingly therefore, and at the first, whilst it is full; lest peradventure, if we linger, we shall drink at the last of the dregs with the ungodly, if we at the beginning drink not with the children; for with them his judgment beginneth. And when he hath wrought his will upon mount Sion, then will he visit the nations round about. “Submit yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God.” No man shall once touch you without his knowledge; and when they touch you, it is for your profit: God will work thereby to make you like unto Christ, here or elsewhere. That ye may be, therefore, like unto him, acknowledge your unthankfulness and sin, and bless God which correcteth us in the world, because he would not have us condemned with the world. Otherwise might he correct us than to make us suffer for righteousness’ sake: but this he doth because he loveth us. Call upon God through Christ for the joy and gladness of his salvation. Believe that he is our merciful Father, and will hear us and help us; as the Psalmist saith, “I am with him in trouble, and will deliver him.”

Know that the Lord hath appointed bounds, over the which the devil and all the world shall not pass. If all things seem to be against you, yet say with Job, “Though he kill me, yet will I hope in him.”

Read the <191001> tenth Psalm; and pray for me your poor brother and fellow-sufferer for God’s sake: his name therefore be praised! And let us pray to God that he of his mercy will vouchsafe to make both you and me meet to suffer with good consciences for his haree’s sake. Die once we must; how and where, we know not. Happy are they whom God giveth to pay nature’s debt (I mean to die) for his sake. Here is not our home; let us therefore accordingly consider things, having always before our eyes that heavenly Jerusalem, and the way thereto in persecution.

And let us consider all the dear friends of God, how they have gone after the example of our Savior Jesus Christ; whose footsteps let us also follow, even to the gallows, (if God’s will be so,) not doubting, but as he rose again the third day, even so shall we do at the time appointed of God, that is, when the trump shall blow, and the angel shall shout, and the Son of man shall appear in the clouds, with innumerable saints and angels, in his majesty and great glory, and the dead shall arise, and we shall be caught up into the clouds, to meet the Lord, and to be always with him. Comfort yourselves with these words, and pray for me, for the Lord’s sake, and God be merciful unto us all! So be it. HUGH L. [From Bocardo in Oxford, the 15th day of May, An. 1555. Emm. MS.] LETTER LATIMER TO MRS WILKINSON, OF LONDON, WIDOW FJ287 [Foxe’s Acts and Mon. p. 1356, edit. 1563; Vol. 3, p. 415, edit. 1684.] IF the gift of a pot of water shall not be in oblivion with God, how can God forget your manifold and bountiful gifts, when he shall say unto you, “I was in prison, and you visited me?” God grant us all to do and suffer while we be here as may be his will and pleasure! Amen.