triumphant crown, for evermore, Now, father, I pray you help me to buckle on this gear a little better; for ye know the deepness of Satan, being a known soldier, and you have collared with him ere now; blessed be God, that hath ever aided you so well. I suppose he may well hold you at the bay; but, truly, he will not be so willing, I think, to join with you, as with us younglings. Sir, I beseech you, let your servant read this my babbling unto you, and now and then, as it shall seem unto you best, let your pen run on my book; spare not to blot my paper. I give you good leave."

were

The answer of Latimer shews, that he possessed, under all the infirmities of age and distress, the same vigorous mind that had animated him in the sunshine of life. "Sir," says he, "I have caused my man not only to read your armour unto me, but also to write it out; for it is not only no bare armour, but also well buckled armour, I see not how it could be better. I thank you, even from the bottom of my heart, for it, and my prayer shall you not lack, trusting that you do the like for me; for, indeed, there is the help. Many things make confusion in the memory; and if I were as well learned as Saint Paul, I would not bestow much amongst them, further than to gall them, and spurgall too, when and, where, as occasion given and matter came to mind: for the law shall be their sheet-anchor, stay, and refuge. Therefore, there is no remedy, namely, now when they have the master bowl in their hand, and rule the roast, but patience. Better is it to suffer what cruelty they will put unto us, than to incur God's high indignation. Where, good my lord, be of good cheer in the Lord, with due consideration, what he requireth of you, and what he doth promise you. Our common enemy shall do no more than God will permit him. God is faithful, which will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength.. Be at a point what ye will stand unto: stick unto that, and let them both say and do what they list. They can but kill the body, which otherwise is of itself mortal. Neither yet shall they do that when they list, but when God shall suffer them, when the hour appointed is come. To use many words with them it shall be but in vain, now

that they have a bloody and deadly law prepared for them. But it is very requisite that ye give a reasonable account of your faith, if they will quietly hear you: else ye know, in a wicked place of judgment, a man may keep silence, after the example of Christ. Let them not deceive you with their sophistical sophisms and fallacies. You know that false things may have more appearance of truth, than things that be most true; therefore Paul giveth us a watchword, "Let no man deceive you with likeliness of speech." Neither is it requisite that with the contentious ye should follow strife of words, which tend to no edification, but to the subversion of the hearers, and the vain bragging and ostentation of the adversaries. Fear of death doth most persuade a great number. Be well aware of that argument; for that persuaded Shaxton*, (as many men thought) after that he had once made a good profession openly before the judgment-seat. The flesh is weak, but the willingness of the spirit shall refresh the weakness of the flesh. The number of the criers under the altar must needs be fulfilled; if we be segregated thereunto, happy be we. That is the greatest promotion that God giveth in this world, to be such Philippians, to whom it is given not only to believe, but also to suffer, &c. But who is able to do these things? Surely, all our ability, all our sufficiency is of God. He requireth and promiseth. Let us declare our obedience to his will, when it shall be requisite, in the time of trouble, yea, in the midst of the fire. When that number is fulfilled, which I ween shall be shortly, then have at the papists, when they shall say peace, all things are safe, when Christ shall come to keep his great parliament, to the redress of all things that be amiss. But he shall not come, as the papists fain him, to hide himself, and to play bo-peep, as it were, under a piece of bread, but he shall come gloriously, to the terror and fear of all papists, but to the great consolation and comfort of all that will here suffer for him. Comfort your

* Nicholas Shaxton, bishop of Salisbury, was at first so zealous for the reformation, that on the passing of the six bloody articles, in 1539, he resigned his preferment; but, in the year 1546, he made his submission, and signed a copious recantation. After this he was compelled to disgrace himself still more, by being ordered to preach a sermon at the martyrdom of the accomplished Mrs. Anne Askew.

selves, one another, with these words. Lo, sir, here have I blotted your paper vainly, and played the fool egregiously; but so I thought better than not to do your request at this time. Pardon me, and pray for me; pray for me, I say, pray for me, I say; for I am sometimes so fearful that I would creep into a mouse-hole: sometimes God doth visit me again with his comfort. So he cometh and goeth, to teach me to feel and to know mine infirmity, to the intent to give thanks to him that is worthy, least I should rob him of his duty, as many do, and almost all the world. What credence is to be given to papists, it may appear by their racking, writhing, wrenching, and monstrously injuring of God's holy scripture, as appeareth in the pope's law. But I dwell here now in a school of obliviousness. Fare you well, once again, and be you stedfast, immoveable, in the Lord. Paul loved Timothy marvellously well, notwithstanding he saith unto him: Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel and, again, harden thyself to suffer afflictions. Be faithful unto the death, and I will give thee a crown of life, saith the Lord.""

Thus did these venerable men prepare each other for the conflict that lay before them, and which they well knew must terminate either in disgrace or death. From the queen and her ministers they had no favour to expect, and the ecclesiastics now in power, were of a character little likely to be moved by any respect for learning, age, or virtue. It was now their day, and they were resolved to make the most of the opportunity it afforded of avenging themselves, for the degradation they had suffered. Still some deference was due to public opinion, and policy demanded a colourable pretext for the scene of blood that was already meditated. Nothing seemed better adapted to the purpose, than a disputation between the leading men of the protestant party, and a body of Catholic divines. Accordingly, Oxford was pitched upon for this solemn farce, and thither Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer were removed, to defend the cause of the reformation, against a host of the ablest champions, selected from both universities. But while the popish advocates were armed, at all points, and supported by the government, the protestant sufferers were kept in

close confinement, without being allowed to communicate with each other, or even to have the use of such books as they needed.

The case of these illustrious confessors, therefore, was not very different from that of the holy Ignatius, who was sent from Antioch to Rome, that he might afford sport to the people, and become a prey to the lions. Our English martyrs, in this their exigency, like the saint of old, had recourse to prayer, in which they spent several hours every day; and Latimer, in particular, would often continue kneeling till he was unable to rise without help.

Of the proceedings at Oxford, Fox has given a narrative which could not well be abridged without weakening its effect. It is characteristic of the age, and of the parties, and therefore deserves a serious perusal :

About the 10th of April, 1554, says the historian, Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, Ridley, bishop of London, and Hugh Latimer, bishop also sometime of Worcester, were conveyed as prisoners from the Tower to Windsor, and after from thence to the university of Oxford, there to dispute with the divines and learned men of both the universities, Oxford and Cambridge, about the presence, substance, and sacrifice of the sacrament. The names of the university doctors and graduates appointed to dispute against them were these; of Oxford, Dr. Weston, prolocutor, Dr. Tresham, Dr. Cole, Dr. Oglethorpe, Dr. Pie, M. Harpsfield, M. Fecknam. Of Cambridge, Dr. Young, vice-chancellor, Dr. Glin, Dr. Seaton, Dr. Watson, Dr. Sedgwicke, Dr. Atkinson, &c*.

*The following notices will throw light upon the characters of these commissioned disputants on the popish side of the question :-Hugh Weston, the prolocutor, was a native of Leicestershire, and first a student of Baliol college, afterwards fellow and rector of Lincoln College, Oxford. He also became Margaret professor of divinity, archdeacon of Colchester, and rector of Cliffe in Kent. In the first year of Queen Mary, he obtained the deanry of Westminster, but soon after was removed to that of Windsor, of which he was deprived by cardinal Pole, for adultery. Upon this he appealed to the pope, for which he was sent to the Tower, where he died in 1558. On account of his fluency as an orator, he was chosen prolocutor of the convocation, but his character was infamous, and his conduct towards the three protestant prelates shews him to have had a most malignant spirit.

William Tresham, a native of Northamptonshire, became probationer fellow

The articles or questions whereupon they should dispute were these:

of Merton college in 1515. Afterwards he was made canon of Christ church, for his zeal in defending the divorce of Henry VIII., from Catherine of Arragon. He was also appointed commissary, or vice-chancellor of the university, which situation he filled several years. In 1549, he held a disputation with Peter Martyr, on the doctrine of the real presence, which circumstance shews the lenity of the government of Edward VI. towards the Romanists. On the accession of Elizabeth, Dr. Tresham was deprived of his preferments, but on giving security for his peaceable behaviour, he was suffered to live upon his estate at Bugbrook in Northamptonshire, where he died in 1569.

Dr. Henry Cole, a time-serving divine, was born in the Isle of Wight, and educated at Winchester school, from whence he removed to New College, Oxford, where he obtained a fellowship, but resigned it on being admitted an advocate of the Court of Arches. In 1542, he was elected to the wardenship of New College, with which he held the rectory of Newton Longueville in Buckinghamshire. In the reign of Edward VI., he complied with the reformation, and affected to be a great admirer of Peter Martyr. But on the accession of Mary, he became as zealous for popery, in which he was made provost of Eton College. Soon after he was made dean of St. Paul's, of which preferment he was deprived by Queen Elizabeth, and died in prison in 1579.

Owen Oglethorpe, a native of Yorkshire, became fellow of Magdalen College in 1526; and in 1535, president of that house. About the same time he was made one of the canons of Christ Church; and in 1540, canon of Windsor. He continued to hold all his preferments during the reign of king Edward, though his principles were generally suspected. In 1553, he obtained the deanry of Windsor, which dignity he was suffered to hold with the bishopric of Carlisle, being consecrated in 1556. On the accession of queen Elizabeth, he gave another proof of his pliant disposition, by putting the crown upon her head, after the other bishops had refused to perform the ceremony. Notwithstanding this, he was deprived of the see of Carlisle the following year, and died soon after of an apoplexy.

William Pye was a native of Suffolk, and fellow of Oriel College, where at first he studied physic, but left that faculty for divinity, and in 1545, became archdeacon of Berkshire. In the reign of Edward he wore the mask of protestantism, which he threw off on the accession of Mary, and was made dean of Chichester. He died in 1557.

John Harpsfield was born in London, and educated at Winchester school, from whence he was elected to a fellowship in New College in 1534. His character may be estimated from his connexion with Bonner, to whom he became chaplain; and who gave him the archdeaconry of London, in which situation he equalled his patron in barbarity. In 1558, he was appointed dean of Christ Church; but queen Mary dying soon after, he lost that place, and was sent to the Fleet prison, where he remained some time, and then obtained his release on giving security for his good behaviour. He died in 1578.

John Feckenham was born of poor parents whose name was Howman, but he obtained that of Feckenham from the place of his nativity in Worcestershire. He had his education in the monastery of Evesham, the abbot of which sent him to Gloucester Hall in Oxford. On entering into orders, he became chaplain to