Latimer was then in his sermon, but paused till the bishop was seated, and then said, " It is of congruence meet that a new auditory being more honourable, requireth a new theme, being a new argument to intreat of. Therefore it behoveth me now to deviate from mine intended purpose, and somewhat to intreat of the honourable estate of a bishop. Therefore let this be the theme, Christus existens pontifex futurorum bonorum, &c.'" This text, says a cotemporary, he so fruitfully handled, expounding every word, and setting forth the office of Christ so sincerely as the true and perfect pattern unto all other bishops that should succeed him in his church, that the bishop then present might well think of himself, that neither he nor any of his fellows were of that race, but rather of the fellowship of Caiaphus and Annas.

This, notwithstanding, the bishop being a very wise and politic man, after the sermon, said, " Mr. Latimer, I heartily thank you for your good sermon, assuring you that, if you will do one thing at my request, I will kneel down and kiss your foot, for the good admonition that I have received of your sermon, assuring you that I never heard mine office so well and substantially declared before this time." "What is your lordship's pleasure that I should do for you?" quoth Mr. Latimer. "Marry," quoth the bishop, "that you will preach me in this place one sermon against Martin Luther and his doctrine." Said then Mr. Latimer again," My lord, I am not acquainted with the doctrine of Luther, nor are we permitted here to read his works; and, therefore, it were but a vain thing for me to refute his doctrine, not understanding what he hath written, nor what opinions he holdeth. Sure, I am, that I have preached before you this day no MAN's doctrine, but only the doctrine of GOD out of the scriptures. And if Luther do none otherwise than I have done, there needeth no confutation of his doctrine. Otherwise, when I understand he doth teach against the scripture, I will be ready with all my heart to confound his doctrine as much as lieth in me.” "Well, well, Mr. Latimer," said the bishop, " I perceive that you somewhat smell of the pan : you will repent this gear one day," and so the bishop never a whit amended by the ser

mon, practised with Latimer's foes from that day forwards. to put him to silence*.

Another person of eminence, who took a dislike to Latimer on account of his honest zeal and scriptural preaching, was Dr. John Redman, then of St. John's College, but afterwards master of Trinity. He was a man of great learning and liberality, but somewhat timid ; and though inclined to a reform, yet fearful of giving offence to those who were in authority. Redman wrote to Latimer a letter in Latin, beseeching him not to prefer his own singular judgment in matters of religion and controversy before so many learned men and the whole Catholic church. Fox gives what he calls a summary in English of this epistle, which, if correct, deserved the laconic answer that Latimer returned to it as follows:

"Reverend M. 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; where, as 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."

This shews the spirit of Latimer; and of his humour we have an instance related incidentally indeed by one of his bitterest enemies. Bishop Bonner, in the process of his examination of the martyr Philpot, said, "The varlet Latimer, at Cambridge, when the vice-chancellor sent for him, intending to have excommunicated him for some of his heresies, and was coming to his chamber, he hearing of his approach made answer that he was sick of the plague, and so deluded the chancellor." This was an ingenious device to get rid of a troublesome visitor, and it was a justifiable piece of wit, for by the plague no doubt Latimer meant heresy.

At length, however, bishop West, who had not forgotten the sermon which he had heard, proceeded to silence the preacher; but as the monastery of Austin friars at Cambridge was exempt from episcopal jurisdiction, and the

* Strype's Eccles. Mem. 111, p. 233.

prior, Dr. Barnes, happened to favour the reformed doctrines, Latimer was suffered to exercise his ministery there in defiance of the interdict. This provoked the bishop and the leading men of the university to such a degree, that a catalogue of complaints was drawn up by them, and exhibited to cardinal Wolsey against Latimer as a sower of discord and false doctrine. The cardinal, who, with all his faults, was no bigot, resolved to hear what this celebrated preacher had to say for himself. Accordingly Latimer was sent for to York Place, and after waiting some time he was called into the presence of the minister, with whom sat two doctors of Cambridge. When he entered the room, the cardinal said, " Is your name Latimer?" "Yea, forsooth," answered Latimer. "You seem," quoth the cardinal," to be of good years, and no babe, but one that should wisely and soberly use yourself in all your doings. And yet it is reported to me, that you are much infected with this new fantastical doctrine of Luther, and such like heretics; and that you do very much harm among the youth, and other light heads, with your doctrine." Said Mr. Latimer again, "Your Grace is misinformed; for I ought to have some more knowledge than to be so simply reported of; by reason that I have studied, in my time, both the ancient doctors of the church, and also the school doctors." "Marry, that is well said," quoth the cardinal, "I am glad to hear that of you; and, therefore, you Mr. Doctor Capon, and you Mr. Doctor Marshall, say you somewhat to Mr. Latimer, touching some question in Duns." Whereupon Dr, Capon propounded a question to Latimer, who being then fresh of memory, and not discontinued from study, as the two doctors had been, answered very roundly; sometimes helping them to cite their own allegations rightly, where they failed themselves in doing so. The cardinal perceiving the ripe and ready answers of Latimer, said, "What mean you, my masters, to bring such a man before me into accusation? I thought he had been some light headed fellow, that never studied such kind of doctrine as the school authors are. I pray thee, Latimer, tell me the cause, why the bishop of Ely, and others, do mislike thy preachings. Tell me the truth, and I will bear

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with thee upon amendment." Quoth Latimer, "Your Grace must understand, that the bishop of Ely cannot favour me, for that not long ago I preached before him, in Cambridge, a sermon on this text, Christus existens pontifex, wherein I described the office of a bishop so uprightly as I might, according to the text, that never after he could abide me; but hath not only forbidden me to preach in his diocese, but also found the means to inhibit me from preaching in the university." ." "I pray you tell me," quoth the cardinal, "what time didst thou preach before him from that text?" Mr. Latimer plainly and simply declared unto the cardinal the whole effect of his sermon preached before the bishop of Ely. The cardinal, nothing at all misliking the doctrine of the word of God that Latimer had preached, said unto him, "Did you not preach any other doctrine than you have rehearsed?" "No, surely," said Latimer. And examining thoroughly with the doctors, what else would be objected against him, the cardinal said unto Mr. Latimer, "If the bishop of Ely cannot abide such doctrine as you have here repeated, you shall have my licence, and shall preach it unto his beard, let him say what he will." Then, after a gentle monition given unto Mr. Latimer, the cardinal discharged him, with his licence, home, to preach throughout England*."

Thus, the malice of his adversaries was turned to good, for Latimer being now armed with an authority which could not be called in question, went on preaching the word of God unreservedly, to the conversion and edification of multitudes.

But now the good man was to shine in a new sphere. The affair that most engaged the mind of Henry VIII., at this time, was the legality of his marriage with Catherine of Arragon, the widow of his brother Arthur. Into the motives of the king for endeavouring to dissolve an union that had been productive of issue, it is not necessary to enter. He solicited a divorce, and would have obtained it from the pope, had it not been for the interest of the emperor Charles V., who, as the queen's nephew,

*Strype, ut supra, p. 234.

thought, and justly enough, that honour required it of him to stand forward as her protector. Between two such potent monarchs the sovereign pontiff found himself in a state of embarrassment, and he endeavoured, by delay, to avoid giving offence to either side. This, however, did not suit the views of the impatient Henry, who began now to think less respectfully of the papal authority than he had been accustomed to do. A jest, sometimes, has an effect which grave argument cannot accomplish. While the king was disturbed and provoked by the dilatory proceedings of the court of Rome, Sir Thomas Wyatt, a man of wit, took the liberty of saying, one day, in the royal presence, "Lord! what a thing is this that a man can't repent of his sin without the pope's leave!"

of

Henry was struck with the remark, and from that moment his thoughts were turned to the abolition of the papal supremacy. Among the persons who enjoyed much of his private confidence, was Dr. William Butts, the physician, a man of great merit, and a favourer of the reformation. Being a member of the university of Cambridge, he was deemed a fit person to go thither, for the purpose bringing over some of the most popular divines there to further the king's designs. The doctor, on hearing Latimer, was so pleased, that he invited him to court, where he introduced him to the king, before whom he was appointed to preach, in the Lent season of 1530. His majesty, who, with all his faults, loved honesty and plain dealing, was much struck with the apostolical freedom of Latimer, and he expressed his satisfaction in a very remarkable manner. There happened to be present, on that occasion, the vicechancellor of Cambridge, who being a known enemy to Latimer, was, in all probability, then exerting himself to bring this heretical preacher into disgrace. Thus much, however, is certain, that the king was well acquainted with the vice-chancellor's sentiments in regard to Latimer, and took a pleasure in mortifying that officer, who, in a letter written to the master of St. Peter's College, gave an account of the treatment he had received. "Dominica Secunda, in the afternoone, I came to Wyndsor, and also to part of Mr. Latymer's sermon, and after the end of the same, I