a view either to draw something from him by captious questions, or to tease him finally into compliance. He had, indeed, a very narrow escape, from the influence of his friends about the king; for this very ecclesiastical court had proceeded nearly in the same manner with Bilney, who after a similar examination had been persuaded by Tunstall, Bishop of Durham, to recant, and to bear a fagot upon his shoulder in token of submission. This happened in 1528, and Bilney subsequently feeling great remorse of conscience for his recantation, became extremely melancholy, avoiding company, and observing the severity of an ascetic: after which he went about preaching the Reformation, and confessing the guilt of his abjuration; till at length in 1531 he was apprehended by the Bishop of Norwich, and burnt in pursuance of a writ from the Ecclesiastical Court at London, as a relapsed heretic. The king, apprized (most probably, by Lord Cromwell's means) of the ill usage which Latimer had met with, interposed in his behalf, and rescued him out of the hands of his enemies.

The attachment which Latimer had shown to the cause of the Reformation, the assistance which he had given in forwarding the divorce, and the services which he might perform in a more conspicuous station, were strong inducements to engage the queen, Anne Boleyn, and Cromwell, now prime minister, to urge his promotion. They therefore jointly recommended him to the king for one of the bishoprics, Worcester or Salisbury, both at this

OF HUGH LATIMER.

xxiii

time vacant by the deprivation of Ghinuccio and Campeggio, two Italian bishops, who had fallen under the royal displeasure. Henry, thus powerfully solicited, and being himself likewise strongly disposed in his favor, offered him the see of Worcester, which he accepted in 1535.

All the contemporary historians represent him as a person remarkably zealous in the discharge of his new functions. In reforming the clergy of his diocese, which he deemed the chief branch of the episcopal office, he was uncommonly active and resolute. With the same spirit he presided over his Ecclesiastical Court. In his visitations he was frequent and attentive; in ordaining, strict and wary; in preaching, indefatigable; in reproving and exhorting, severe and persuasive.

Thus far he could act with authority; but in other things, he still found himself under numerous difficulties. The ceremonies of the popish worship gave him great offence: and yet, in times so unsettled, he neither durst wholly lay them aside; nor, on the other hand, was he willing to retain them. In this dilemma, his address was admirable. He inquired into their origin; and, when he found any of them derived from a good meaning, he took care to inculcate that original meaning in the room of a corrupt interpretation. Thus, when bread and water were distributed, he taught the people that "these elements, which had long been regarded as endowed with a kind of magical influence, were nothing more than appendages to the two sacra

ments of the Lord's Supper and Baptism. The former," he said, "reminded us of Christ's death; and the latter was a representation of our being purified from sin.”

While his endeavours to reform were thus confined within his own diocese, he was called upon to exert them in a more public manner; having received a summons to attend the parliament and the convocation. This meeting was opened in the usual form by a Latin sermon, or rather an oration, delivered by Latimer, whose eloquence was now every where celebrated. As he did not, however, particularly distinguish himself in the debates of the convocation, which ran very high between the protestant and popish parties, we shall only add, that a bold attempt was made to subject him and Cranmer to some public censure; but, through their own and Cromwell's interest, they were too well established to fear any open attack from their enemies.

Latimer in the mean while, after a short stay in London, satisfied with the prospect of a reformation, repaired to his diocese. He had no talents, and he knew that he had none, for politics; and therefore he meddled not with them. His whole ambition was to discharge the pastoral functions of a bishop, without affecting to display either the abilities of the statesman, or those of the courtier. How very unqualified indeed he was to support the latter of these characters, will sufficiently appear from the following story. It was the custom of the prelacy, at that time, to make pres

OF HUGH LATIMER.

XXV

ents to the sovereign upon the first day of a new year; and many of them, proportioning their gifts to their ambition, were extremely liberal upon such occasions. Among the rest, the Bishop of Worcester, being at this season in town, waited upon the king with his offering: but instead of a purse of gold, the common oblation, he presented a New Testament, with the leaf doubled down in a very conspicuous manner at the passage, "Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge!"*

After residing about two years in his diocese, he was again summoned to London in 1539 to attend the business of parliament; and soon after his arrival, he was accused before the king of having preached a seditious sermon. This sermon, which he had delivered at court, was unquestionably very severe against whatever he observed amiss. His accuser, said to have been a person of considerable eminence, was most probably Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester; who was now coming into high favor, and had alienated the royal mind from the protestant interest. Latimer, being called upon by his majesty with some sternness to vindicate himself, far from denying or even palliating what he had uttered, boldly justified it; and turning to his sovereign with that noble unconcern, which a good conscience ever inspires, added: "I never thought myself worthy, nor I never sued to be a

*"With a napkin," says Fox, "having this posy, Fornicatores et adulteros judicabit Dominus."

preacher before your grace; but I was called to it, and would be willing, if you mislike me, to give place to my betters: for I grant, there be a great many more worthy of the room than I am; and if it be your grace's pleasure to allow them for preachers, I could be content to bear their books after them. But, if your grace allow me for a preacher, I would desire you to give me leave to discharge, my conscience, and to frame my doctrine according to my audience. I had been a very dolt indeed to have preached so at the borders of your realm, as I preached before your grace." The magnanimity of this answer baffled his accuser's malice: the severity of Henry's countenance relaxed into a gracious smile; and the Bishop was dismissed with an obliging freedom, which this monarch never adopted but toward those whom he esteemed.

About this time, the Six Articles of Religion, having passed both Houses, received the royal assent. They were justly styled 'The Bloody Articles' by the Protestants, who foresaw that they were calculated to restore the Romish religion. It was enacted by the statute, that "whoever should deny the doctrine of transubstantiation, either in speech or by writing, should as heretics be burnt without the privilege of abjuration, and forfeit their estates to the king:" and that "whoever should maintain the necessity of communicating in both species, or affirm that it was lawful for priests to marry, that vows of chastity might be violated, that private masses were useless, or that auricular con