drawn to that purpose. I have thought in times past that the pope's dispensations of pluralities of benefices, and absence from the same, had discharged consciences before God: forasmuch as I had heard ecce vobiscum sum, and qui vos audit, me audit, tended to corroborate the same. Now I might be easily intreated to think otherwise. I have thought in times past that the pope could have spoiled purgatory at his pleasure, with a word of his mouth: now learning might perswade me otherwise; or else I would marvel why he would suffer so much money to be bestowed that way, which so needful is to be bestowed otherwise, and to deprive us of so many portions in heaven as he might deliver out of purgatory. I have thought in times past, that if I had been a friar and in a cowl, I could not have been damned nor afraid of death; and by occasion of the same, I have been minded many times to have been a friar, namely when I was sore sick and diseased. Now I abhor my superstitious foolishness. I have thought in times past, that divers images of saints could have holpen me, and done me much good, and delivered me of my diseases; now I know that one can help as much as another. And it pitieth mine heart that my lord, and such as my lord is, can suffer the people to be so craftily deceived. It were too long to tell you what blindness I have been in, and how long it were ere I could forsake such folly, it was so corporate in me ; but by continual prayer, continual study of scripture, and oft communing with men of more right judgement, God hath delivered me. Yea, men thinketh that my lord himself hath thought in times past, that by God's law a man might marry his brother's wife, which now both dare think and say contrary, and yet this his boldness might have chanced in pope Julius's days, to stand him either in a fire or else in a fagot. Which thing deeply considered and pondered of my lord, might something stir him to charitable equity, and to be something remissable toward men, which labour to do good as their power serveth with knowledge, and doth hurt to no man with their ignorance: for there is no greater dis * Stokesley was so zealous in promoting the divorce of Henry and Catherine, that the king actually pitched upon him to argue the case with Sir Thomas More, who was of opinion that the marriage could not be legally set aside. tance, than between God's law, and not God's law: nor is it not so, or so; because any man thinketh it so, or so; but because it is so or so indeed, therefore we must think it so or so, when God shall give us knowledge thereof; for if it be indeed either so or not, it is so or not so, though all the world had thought otherwise these thousand years. "And, finally, the matter is weighty, and ought substantially to be looked upon; even as weighty as my life is worth but how to look substantially upon it, otherwise know not I, than to pray my Lord God day and night, that as he hath boldened me to preach his truth, so he will strengthen me to suffer for it, to the edification of them which have taken by the working of him, fruite thereby ; and even so I desire you, and all other that favour me for his sake, likewise to pray; for it is not I (without his helping hand) that can abide that brunt: but I have trust that God will help me in time of need, which, if I had not, the ocean sea, I think, should have divided my lord of London and me by this day. For it is a rare thing for a preacher to have favour at his hand which is no preacher himself, and yet ought to be: I pray God that both he and I may discharge ourselves, he in his great cure, and I in my little, to God's pleasure, and safety of our souls,-Amen. "I pray you pardon me that I write no more distinctly, nor more truly for my head is so out of frame, that it should be too painful for me to write it again; and if I be not prevented, shortly I intend to make merry with my parishioners this Christmas, for all the sorrow, least perchance I never return to them again; and I have heard say, that a doe is as good in winter as a buck in summer." On the arrival of Latimer in London, he appeared before the commissioners appointed to examine him, and who immediately tendered him a set of articles for his subscription as follows: "That there is a purgatory to purge the souls of the dead after this life-that the souls in purgatory are holpen with the masses, prayers, and alms of the living-that the saints do pray as mediators now for us in heaven-that they are to be honoured that it is profitable for christians to call upon the saints that they may pray for us unto God that pilgrimages and oblations done to the sepulchres and reliques of saints are meritorious-that they which have vowed perpetual chastity, may not marry, nor break their vow, without the dispensation of the pope-that the keys of binding and loosing delivered to Peter do still remain with the bishops of Rome his successors, although they live wickedly, and are by no means, nor at any time committed to laymen-that men may merit at God's hand by fasting, prayer, and other works of piety-that they which are forbidden of the bishop to preach, as suspected persons, ought to cease until they have purged themselves-that the fast which is used in Lent, and other fasts prescribed by the canons are to be observed that God in every one of the seven sacraments, giveth grace to a man rightly receiving the same that consecrations, sanctifyings, and blessings, by custom received into the church are profitable-that it is laudable and profitable that the venerable images of the crucifix and other saints should be had in the church as a remembrance, and to the honour and worship of Jesus Christ, and his saints-that it is laudable and profitable to deck and clothe those images, and to set up burning lights before them to the honour of the said saints.". The paper containing these propositions being tendered to Latimer, he read it over and returned it, without signing the same or saying a word; upon which the archbishop thus addressed him, "We intend not to be hard upon you; take a copy of the articles, examine them carefully, and God grant that at our next meeting we may find each other in better temper." There were two more meetings, at both of which Latimer remained firm to his purpose in refusing to subscribe the articles, for which he was at first declared contumacious, and afterwards excommunicated. In order, however, to bring him to some submission, it was resolved at a subsequent convocation, to take off the sentence if he would sign two of the articles, namely, the one respecting the observance of Lent, and that concerning the crucifix, and the lawfulness of images in churches. Fox is in doubt whether Latimer submitted to this condition; and Gilpin, in his memoir of our reformer, roundly asserts that he did not recant; but the fact is put beyond all question by the minutes of the convocation, where it is recorded, that in the month of March, 1531-2, Latimer appeared, and kneeling down, craved forgiveness, acknowledging that he had erred in preaching against the aforesaid two articles. His words are: My lords, I do confess, that I have 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 misbehaviour. 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, lacking discretion in many things." After making this confession, which amounted to any thing but an absolute retractation of opinions, he desired absolution. This, however, was deferred till the 10th of April, when he subscribed the two articles already mentioned, and a further hearing was appointed. When that day came it appeared that a new complaint had been brought against him respecting a letter which he had written to one Greenwood of Cambridge. The result of this was another adjournment of his cause, on which he appealed to the king, whose mandate brought the vexatious business to a conclusion, and Latimer, after repeating his submission before the convocation, was restored to his functions. This, however, was rather a mortification than a victory to the enemies of the good man, and therefore new engines were set at work by them to effect his ruin. But while these designs were carrying on, the friends of Latimer at court were not idle. These were Dr. Butts, Lord Cromwell, and above all the rest, Queen Anne Boleyn, who was much taken with the apostolic appearance of Latimer, the fervour of his zeal in preaching, and the excellence of his character. This unfortunate woman was now at the height of her influence over the capricious mind of Henry; and being much attached to the protestant party, she exerted all her interest in their behalf. Two bishoprics were at this time vacant, Worcester and Salisbury, and the queen thinking that Latimer was better qualified to promote the reformation in a public than VOL. I. d private capacity, recommended him to the king for the former see. Henry, who had already formed a good opinion of the man, very readily gave his consent, and the consecration was performed at Lambeth, by archbishop Cranmer, in September, 1535. Thus Latimer was providentially rescued from the hands of his inveterate enemies, and placed in a sphere of more extended usefulness. As a bishop, he laboured with indefatigable diligence, and those abuses which he could not altogether remove, were rendered less offensive by his prudent management. Among other superstitions which then prevailed, one of the most common and scandalous, was the custom of distributing holy water and holy bread in the churches, to which elements the people paid uncommon reverence, as preservatives from witchcraft, diseases, and lightning. The bishop of Worcester finding that he could not set aside the practice, endeavoured to make it in some degree instructive, by drawing up two forms, in popular language, to be used by the clergy, when they distributed the water and bread. On giving the former, the priest was directed to say: Remember your promise in baptism, Christ his mercy and bloodshedding, Of all your sins you have free pardoning. And on distributing the bread he was to use these words: Of Christ's body this is a token, Which on the cross for our sins was broken, While Latimer was thus labouring for the edification of his flock, he suffered a severe stroke in the fall of Anne Boleyn, to whom he was much attached, on account of her amiable spirit, and the earnestness with which she had espoused the cause of the gospel. But, zealous as she was for the reformation, this unfortunate lady did not approve of the spoliation of the monastic institutions. She thought that some of those monuments of ancient piety ought to be preserved, for the education of youth, the support of the destitute, and the comfort of the penitent. In that sentiment Latimer heartily concurred, and, therefore, was easily per |