in. And when I should make answer, 'I pray you, Master Latimer,' said he, 'speak out; I am very thick of hearing, and here be many that sit far off.' I marvelled at this that I was bidden speak out, and began to misdeem, and gave an ear to the chimney. And, sir, there I heard a pen walking in the chimney behind the cloth. They had appointed one there to write all mine answers; for they made sure work that I should not start from them: there was no starting from them. God was my good Lord, and gave me answer; I could never else have escaped it. The question was this: 'Master Latimer, do you not think, on your conscience, that you have been suspected of heresy?' A subtle question-a very subtle question. There was no holding of peace would serve. To hold my peace had been to grant myself faulty. To answer it was every way full of danger. But God, which alway hath given me answer, helped me, or else I could never have escaped it, and delivered me from their hands. Many one have had the like gracious deliverance, and been endued with God's wisdom and God's Spirit, which all their adversaries could not be able to resist.”

Latimer conducted his defence with vigor, acting, as suggested by Mr. Froude, in the spirit of his counsel to James Bainham in like circumstances: "I do not allow that any man should consent to his own death, unless he had a right cause to die in. Let not vain glory overcome you in a matter that men deserve not to die for; for therein you shall neither please God, do good to yourself, nor your neighbor; and better it were for you to submit yourself to the ordinances of men, than so rashly to finish your life without good ground."

The articles were finally reduced to two, said to be those on the observance of Lent, and on crucifixes and images of the saints in churches. These articles Latimer consented to sign. He made a statement in very general terms. "My lords, I do confess that I misordered myself very far, in that I have so presumptuously and boldly preached, reproving certain things, by which the people that were infirm hath taken occasion of ill. Wherefore I ask forgiveness of my misbehavior. I will be glad to make amends. And I have spoken indiscreetly in vehemence of speaking, and have erred in some things, and

in manner have been in a wrong way, ing discretion in many things."

lack

He then requested absolution, but this was deferred to the tenth of April. On that day new charges were brought, based upon a letter written by Latimer to William Greenwood, of St. John's College, Cambridge. He now applied to the King, who intimated to the Convocation that the matter must be dropped. Latimer repeated his submission, and the excommunication was removed. Bishop Stokesley was, however, so little satisfied with the result, that he prohibited Latimer from preaching within his diocese.

CHAPTER VIII.

SERMON AT BRISTOL-" OUR LADY" A SINNER-WORSHIP

OF SAINTS

PILGRIMAGE AVE MARIA - ETERNAL

PUNISHMENT-PURGATORY-POWELL AND HUBBARDIN —LATIMER APPOINTED BISHOP.

L

ATIMER continued to meet with opposition in the discharge of his duties as a preacher. In 1533 he visited Bristol by request of a portion of the clergy. A letter to his friend Ralph Morice, afterwards secretary to Archbishop Cranmer, contains an account of his reception.

"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 Hubbardin 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."

A complaint against Latimer was made to a member of Convocation by Richard Brown, a priest of Bristol. It was probably in consequence of this that the Convocation directed a copy of Latimer's submission should be sent to "some approved and learned person" in districts where Latimer had preached or was likely to preach.

Latimer has left on record, in his letter to his friend Morice, a statement of the objections made to his sermon, and his answers. These are so concisely and forcibly expressed, and present his opinions on the debated points so clearly, that we extract a portion.