602 



l.utimer. 



zeal for the tenets of Popery, and his invectives against 

 the principles of the reformers ; but having subsequent- 

 ly embraced the Protestant faith, principally through 

 the instructions of Thomas Bilney, a devout clergyman 

 in the university, he became equally ardent in promo- 

 ting the cause of the reformed doctrines. His eminence 

 as a preacher, and the exemplary life which he led with 

 his friend Bilney, had a very considerable influence in 

 spreading the new opinions ; and all the exertions of 

 the opposite party were called forth to counteract his 

 growing popularity. Doctor West, bishop of Ely, was 

 at length constrained to exercise his authority as dio- 

 cesan ; but, being a man of great moderation, he con- 

 tented himself with preaching against the heretics, and 

 forbidding Latimer to preach in the university. Doc- 

 tor Barnes, however, prior of the Augustine Friars, li- 

 censed Latimer to preach in the church of his priory, 

 which, like most religious houses, was exempt from 

 episcopal jurisdiction ; and here, in spite of all the ma- 

 chinations of his adversaries, he continued for three 

 years to address the most crowded audiences with dis- 

 tinguished success and applause.- Even the bishop of 

 Ely was frequently observed among his hearers, and 

 candidly acknowledged his excellence as a preacher. 

 About this time, King Henry VIII. desirous to conci- 

 liate the Pope, had enjoined Wolsey to put the laws in 

 execution against heretics ; and Latimer was summon- 

 ed, among others, to answer for his avowed sentiments. 

 According to some accounts, he consented to subscribe 

 the articles which were proposed to him ; but others 

 affirm, that Wolsey was so pleased with his answers, 

 that he dismissed him with a very gentle admonition. 

 He had even begun to be in favour at court ; and hav- 

 ing preached before his majesty at Windsor, was noti- 

 ced with more than usual affability. He was not the 

 less resolute in his adherence to the cause of the re- 

 formed religion : and had the courage even to write a 

 letter to the king, against a proclamation which had been 

 issued for prohibiting the use of the Bible in the English 

 language. Though his remonstrance, which singularly 

 marked the sincerity and openness of his character, pro- 

 duced no effect, yet the king, who had before been 

 pleased with Latimer's plain and simple manner of ad- 

 dress, or who had at the time other ends to serve by 

 his aid, received it with the utmost condescension. He 

 was afterwards still more firmly established in the royal 

 favour by the exertions which he made, in full consist- 

 ency with his principles, to support the plea of the 

 king's supremacy. By the friendship of Doctor Butts, 

 the king's physician, and of Cromwell, the prime mi- 

 nister, both favourers of the reformation, he was pre- 

 sented to the living of West Kingston, in Wiltshire ; 

 and, contrary to the advice of his patrons, he resigned 

 all attendance at court, to devote himself to the duties 

 of his parish. He extended his labours also with great 

 diligence into the adjoining parts, wherever he obser- 

 ved a deficiency of pastoral instruction ; and was rising 

 rapidly in the estimation of all good men in those dis- 

 tricts, when his enemies drew up a charge of heresy 

 against him, and procured a citation for his appear- 

 ance before Stokesley, bishop of London. But this 

 step only furthered his promotion ; for while he was 

 greatly harrassed in the archiepiscopal court, by fre- 

 quent examinations, and crafty interrogatories, and ur- 

 gent injunctions, to subscribe their articles, the king, 

 having been privately informed of the treatment to 

 which he was subjected, interposed his authority, and 

 stopped all proceedings against him. Other accounts 

 seem to imply, that he had previously made all the 

 submissions which the bishops required ,- but in what- 



LATIMER. 



ever way the matter was settled, he does not appear to 

 have fallen in the king's estimation ^and, soon after 

 the date of these troubles, he was promoted to the see 

 of Worcester, through the influence of his steady pa- 

 trons, Cromwell and Butts. In this station, he applied 

 himself with all his usual fidelity to the discharge of 

 his office ; and proceeded, with as much zeal as the 

 state of things would admit, in correcting the tendency 

 Of Popish superstitions. In 1536, he attended the ses. 

 sion of parliament and convocation, in which the Pro- 

 testant influence so far prevailed, as to abolish form out 

 of the seven sacraments and to authorise the transla- 

 tion of the Bible into English. Returning to his bi- 

 shopric, and shunning all concern instate affairs, he 

 occupied himself entirely in the silent discharge of his 

 pastoral duties, till the year 1539, when the act of the 

 Six Articles was passed, which reduced him to the ne- 

 cessity of surrendering his office, or his conscience. In. 

 stantly he resigned his bishopric, and retired to a pri. 

 vate situation in the country ; but being obliged to re- 

 pair to London, in consequence of a severe bruise, 

 which required better medical assistance than his neigh, 

 born-hood could supply, he was soon discovered by 

 Gardener's emissaries ; and, upon an allegation of hav- 

 ing spoken against the Six Articles, was committed to 

 the Tower, where he suffered a severe imprisonment 

 during the remaining six years of Henry's reign. Im- 

 mediately after the accession of Edward VI. he reco- 

 vered his liberty, and found his old friends again in 

 power; but he declined all their proposals to reinstate 

 him in his diocese, and took up his residence with Cran- 

 mer at Lambeth. Here he occupied himself chiefly in 

 redressing the grievances of poor persons, who flocked 

 to him in great numbers ; and assisted in preparing the 

 first part of the English Homilies. He seldom failed, 

 however, to appear in the pulpit on Sundays ; and, be- 

 sides preaching the Lent sermons before his majesty, 

 frequently officiated at St. Paul's cross, and other 

 churches in London. 



After the death of Somerset, he withdrew from the 

 metropolis, and made use of the king's licence as a 

 general preacher, wherever his services appeared to 

 be required. But, upon the restoration of Popery, at 

 the commencement of Mary's reign, he was once more 

 silenced, together with all the Protestant teachers ; and 

 in a short time, summoned to London before the ec- 

 clesiastical council. He had long been persuaded, that, 

 sooner or later, he should be called to answer with his 

 life for the cause which he had espoused ; and, particu- 

 larly, that, in the eye of Bishop Gardener, now prime- 

 minister, he was marked for proscription. Though 

 forewarned of the designs meditating against him, and 

 of the approach of the messenger with the citation from 

 court; he was so far from availing himself of the op- 

 portunity to escape, (which, it is, conjectured, would 

 have been more agreeable to his enemies, than his ap- 

 pearance,) that he instantly made ready to accompany 

 the officer, and addressed him in language expressive 

 of the utmost readiness to attend his orders The mes- 

 senger, however, acquainted him, that he had no au- 

 thority to seize his person ; and merely delivered the 

 citation, took his departure without delay. Latimer 

 prepared to obey the summons, proceeded straight to 

 the metropolis; and, on the day after his arrival, pre- 

 sented himself to the council, by whom he was loaded 

 with reproaches, and committed to the tower. Not- 

 withstanding the infirmities of his advanced age, and 

 the severity of treatment which he experienced, he 

 bore his confinement with the utmost patience, and 

 even frequently indulged in his habitual jocularity. 



