former heresies, and joyfully to embrace the flames in which they were consumed. The improvement of the public morals was the necessary consequence of this obedience to duty.

VOL. I.

LATIMER,

Bishop of Worcester.

LATIMER gained perhaps his greatest publicity under the following reign; though even before the commencement of the present, he had become distinguished, and had reached his highest ecclesiastical dignity. He is properly found, therefore, at the close of this reign.'

He was born at Thirkesson, or Thurcaston, in Leicestershire, about the year 1475. Being an only son, and of quick parts, his father, a respectable yeoman, resolved to make him a scholar. His early years were spent at home, and at the schools in the neighbourhood. At the age of fourteen, he entered at Christ's College, Cambridge; and on taking his degree of master of arts, he entered into priest's orders. This was in the year 1500, when he began to act a conspicuous part on the theatre of the world.

He was a zealous papist till the age of thirty; when, being converted to Lutheranism by Bilney, (who was also a priest, and afterwards burnt for heresy,) he began with great zeal to propagate the opinions of the reformers. His conversion took place in 1505; and about three years after, he was invited, through the interest of Dr. Butts, the king's physician, to court, which he soon quitted in disgust. He obtained, in 1529, the living of Westkinton, in Wiltshire; and in 1534, was made chaplain to the queen, Anne Boleyn, at her own request, occasioned probably by the favorable reprèsentations of the lord Cromwell and Dr. Butts. In 1535, he was promoted by the king to the bishopric of Worcester.

On the passing of the act of the six bloody articles, Latimer's conscience recoiled at their savage spirit, and he resigned his bishopric. He could not refrain sometimes from expressing the abhorrence he felt ; for which an accusation was finally laid against him, and he was committed prisoner to the Tower, where he remained till the death of Henry. He was now released, and entered again on his ministerial function, but did not resume his episcopal dignity.

In 1548, he was one of the commissioners for trying and condemning Joan Bocher; which seems to verify the imputation, that our first reformers were no sooner freed from persecution, than they became persecutors.

During the reign of Edward VI. his zeal was pre-eminent among his zealous cotemporaries, to spread the reformation; and in conjunction with Cranmer, was one of the principal instruments in effecting its establishment. But in the persecutions of Mary, he was singled out as one of the most desired victims of popish vengeance. He might have made his escape, and the opportunity which was given him, seems to have been designed; but Latimer had the true spirit of a martyr; he refused, (and if such an epithet were applicable to a saint,) disdained to fly. On his reaching London, and passing through Smithfield, he remarked, that " Smithfield had long groaned for him." He was burnt for heresy at Oxford, on the 16th of October, 1555.

Latimer, a staff in his hand, a pair of spectacles hanging at his breast, and a Bible at his girdle, walked to his trial, and probably to the place of execution. When chained to the stake, he called out to his fellow martyr, Rid,

ley, bishop of London, "Be of good cheer, master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day kindle such a torch in England, as I trust in God, shall never be extinguished.' Two bags of gunpowder were fastened under his arms, the explosion of which instantaneously deprived him of life. At this moment a quantity of blood seemed to gush from his heart, as if all the blood in his body had been there collected. The unhappy Ridley was less fortunate. His extremities were consumed. to the trunk, before the fire affected his vitals, and he died in lingering anguish.

The writings of Latimer consist chiefly of sermons, of which forty were first published in 1570. These were reprinted in 1572, and 1635, 4to. There are also some letters of his still extant, in Foxe's Acts and Monuments; the .most remarkable and valuable of which is the famous one addressed to Henry VIII. for restoring the free liberty of reading the Scriptures. It is too long to be inserted entire, particularly as it will be proper to exhibit a specimen or two from his sermons; but I shall give the principal parts, and indeed the only parts of much value. This letter was written on occasion of the royal proclamation forbid