diligence and fincere conduct in propagating the true gofpel of Chrift brought on him, in the year 1535, the envy, malice and perfecution of all the country Priests in his neighbourhood. Among whom were feveral of some note, fuch as Doctor Powel of Salisbury, Doctor Wilson sometime of Cambridge, Master Hubbendine and Doctor Sherwood. Of whom some preached against him, and fome wrote against him. They at length drew up the following Accufations against him, which they affirmed he had maintained in his fermons: I. That faints were not to be worshipped. II. That Ave Maria was a falutation only, and no prayer. III. That there was no material fire in hell. And IV. That there was no purgatory, and that he had rather be in purgatory than in Lollard's tower. Hereupon his enemies procured him to be cited up and called to appear before William Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury, and John Stokefly, Bishop of London, on a day certain, in the confiftory court in London.

Latimer now in the fixty-fixth year of his age, and grievously troubled with the colic and ftone, obeyed the citation of Warham, and though it was winter-time repaired to London, and appeared in the confiftory-court in St Paul's. Warham and Stokefly offered him certain articles ready drawn up to fubfcribe. Which he not being willing to do, they defired him to confider of them against the next court-day, but then alfo he was not willing to fign the articles. They gave him still far

ther

ther time from court-day to court-day, hoping that he would comply; till at length Latimer was tired with attending and refufing; and as he complained thereof to Warham and Stokefly, his inveterate Enemies, we may conclude he did fo to Doctor Butts and Lord Cromwell his friends. Latimer, it feems, wanted to be in his parish feeding of his flock. Whereupon Lord Cromwell and Doctor Butts, in order to put an end to the profecution, acquainted the King of the unhappy ftate of our Hero; when his Majefty reflecting on the letter Latimer had not long before fent him, and the honesty and integrity of the author; and this being joined with the recommendation of the aforefaid gentlemen and Anna Bullen, who had a great refpect for Latimer, and for the Reformation, and at this time the Bishoprics of Worcester and Salisbury being vacant, the King very readily gave Latimer the former. Which proceeding put an end to the defigns of Latimer's enemies, at least for the prefent.

And now we are to regard Latimer as a Bishop of that church he had been hitherto so defirous to reform. He undertook the office of a Bishop to fecure himself from perfecution, and with a view to serve the intereft of the Reformation, and it is very likely, that this was the main reason that moved Cromwell, Anna Bullen and Butts, to folicit the King in his behalf, for these were great and potent advocates for the Proteftant caufe. In 1536, this proved to be the very cafe; for Latimer, together with Archbishop Cranmer, and the Bishops of Ely, Sarum, Here

d 2

ford,

ford, Rochester and St David's, publicly declared. for a Reformation.

The convocation met the ninth of June this year, and Latimer fpoke the oration in Latin before them from thefe Words, The chil

dren of this world are wifer in their geneσε ration, than the children of light." He was efteemed the most celebrated Preacher of this time. The fimplicity and plainness of his matter, with a serious and fervent action that accompanied it, being preferred to more learned and elaborate compofures. Cranmer declared, he knew no Clergyman fo well qualified to lay before the Clergy the corruption of their order; and to rouze them, if poffible, into a sense of their duty. This fermon tranflated into Englifh, is the fecond in the following collection of his difcourfes, to which this is prefixed.

Certain articles were foon after drawn up, as was generally imagined by Archbishop Cranmer, affifted by Latimer, against relics, pilgrimages, images, and fuperfluous faints-days, The eyes of the Laity began to be opened, they wanted to be inftructed in the principles of religion in their own tongue; they defpifed and ridiculed the craft and foolery of the Monks and Clergy, and every one loudly cried out for a translation of the Bible.

All this in the following year our Bishop faw with an eye of joy and pleafure, and being fatisfied that things were ripening, if not yet quite ripe, for the Reformation of the church, he left London, and repaired to his own epifcopate of Worcester. His head was no way turned for politics, his talents were truly evangelical. He

was

was ordained to preach the gospel, and to fee that others did it, and both thefe duties he diligently and constantly performed. He fought all opportunities to reprove vice, in every one, even in Kings, as appears from the following ftory: It was the cuffom in those days, about new year's tide for each Bifhop to make the King a handsome prefent of a purse of gold, fome more and fome lefs, according to their defires of preferment; but honeft Latimer being to make his prefent, instead of gold, prefented King Henry with a New Teftament, neatly bound and gilt, with a leaf turned down, in the most confpicuous manner, pointing to these words: "Whoremongers and adulterers God " will judge."

1538. This year the Bible was published, by the Royal authority, in English; and as our Bishop daily preached up the neceffity of a tranflation in the vulgar tongue, we may juftly conclude, he had no little hand in it. The King commiffioned only Grafton the Printer to print it, and he printed fifteen hundred of them at his own charge; and the King by proclamation, according to the advice of Archbishop Cranmer, and alfo of Latimer, allowed every one to read it. Cromwell procured this great privilege; and "Cranmer publicly rejoiced to "fee this day of Reformation, which he con"cluded was rifen now in England, fince the

light of God's word did fhine over it with-. "out any cloud." This he declared in a letter to Cromwell.

Latimer was a true Bishop indeed! for he not only preached the gofpel of Chrift faithfully

and

and diligently, but he watched over his diocese, and took care, if poffible, to right all those poor perfons who were impofed upon or hardly ufed by their great and wealthy overbearing neighbours. It feems, fays Fox, there lived a certain gentleman in Warwickshire, in that part of it which lies within the diocese of Worcefter, who had wronged a poor man his neighbour, though he had kept within the literal fenfe of the law. The gentleman had a large estate in the county, and his brother was also in the commiffion of the peace; and thefe two over-awed and cowed the whole neighbourhood, for many miles round. The poor man, not knowing what to do, at length, applied to his own diocefan, told him the whole ftory, and the manner in which he was oppreffed. Latimer heard, pitied the poor man's cafe, and promised him he would, if poffible, fee him redreffed. Whereupon Latimer wrote a very long letter to the parties, reproved them fharply for the injury they had done the man, and required them fpeedily to do him juftice. They replied to the Bishop, and told him;

They had done only what was right, and "would abide by it: that as for the fufferer "the law was open; and as for his Lordship, they "could not but think he interfered very im

pertinently in an affair which did not concern him:" Latimer never efpoufed a cause but that he would go through with it; and therefore, finding that the gentlemen did not proceed readily to right his client, as we may call the poor man, he fent them a fecond letter, acquainting them in few words: "That if the

"cause