The Life, Acts, and Doings of Master Hugh Latimer, the Famous Preacher and Worthy Martyr of Christ and His Gospel
THE LIFE, ACTS, AND DOINGS OF MASTER HUGH LATIMER, THE FAMOUS PREACHER AND WORTHY MARTYR OF CHRIST AND HIS GOSPEL
THIS old practised soldier of Christ, Master Hugh Latimer, was the son of one Hugh Latimer, of Thurkesson in the county of Leicester, a husbandman, of a good and wealthy estimation; where also he was born and brought up until he was the age of four years, or thereabout: at which time his parents, having him as then left for their only son, with six daughters, seeing his ready, prompt, and sharp wit, purposed to train him up in erudition, and knowledge of good literature; wherein he so profited in his youth at the common schools of his own country, that at the age of fourteen years, he was sent to the University of Cambridge; where, after some continuance of exercises in other things, he gave himself to the study of such divinity, as the ignorance of that age did suffer.
Zealous he was then in the popish religion, and therewith so scrupulous, as himself confesseth, that being a priest, and using to say mass, he was so servile an observer of the Romish decrees, that he had thought he had never sufficiently mingled his massing wine with water; he thought that he should never be damned, if he were once a professed friar; with divers such superstitious fantasies. In this blind zeal he was a very enemy to the professors of Christ’s Gospel; as his oration made, when he proceeded Bachelor of Divinity, against Philip Melancthon and his works, did plainly declare.
Notwithstanding, such was the goodness and merciful purpose of God, that where he thought by that his oration to have utterly defaced the professors of the Gospel and true Church of Christ, he was himself by a member of the same prettily catched in the blessed net of God’s Word. For Master Thomas Bilney, being at that time a trier out of Satan’s subtleties, and a secret overthrower of Antichrist’s kingdom, and seeing Master Latimer to have a zeal in his ways, although without knowledge, was stricken with a brotherly pity towards him, and bethought by what means he might best win this zealous, yet ignorant brother to the true knowledge of Christ. He came to Master Latimer’s study, and desired him to hear him make his confession; which thing he willingly granted; with the hearing whereof he was, by the good Spirit of God, so touched, that he forsook his former studying of the school-doctors and other such fooleries, and became a true scholar of the true divinity. So that whereas before he was an enemy, and almost a persecutor of Christ, he was now an earnest seeker after Him, changing his old manner of calumnying into a diligent kind of conferring, both with Master Bilney and others.
After his winning to Christ, he was not satisfied with his own conversion only, but, like a true disciple of the blessed Samaritan, pitied the misery of others, and became a public preacher, and a private instructor, to the rest of his brethren within the University, by the space of three years, spending his time partly in the Latin tongue among the learned, and partly amongst the simple people in his natural and vulgar language. Howbeit, as Satan never sleepeth when he seeth his kingdom begin to decay, so likewise now, seeing that this worthy member of Christ would be a shrewd shaker thereof, he raised up his children to molest and trouble him.
Amongst these there was an Augustine friar, who took occasion, upon certain sermons that Master Latimer made about Christenmas 1529, to envy against him, for that Master Latimer in the said sermons, alluding to the common usage of the season, gave the people certain cards out of the fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of St Matthew, whereupon they might, not only then, but always occupy their time. For the chief, as their triumphing card, he limited the heart, as the principal thing that they should serve God withal, whereby he quite overthrew all external ceremonies, not tending to the necessary beautifying of God’s holy Word and sacraments. For the better attaining hereof, he wished the Scriptures to be in English, that the common people might thereby learn their duties, as well to God as to their neighbours.
The handling of this matter was so apt for the time, and so pleasantly applied of Latimer, that not only it declared a singular towardness of wit in him that preached, but also wrought in the hearers much fruit, to the overthrow of popish superstition, and setting up of perfect religion.
On the Sunday before Christenmas day coming to the church, and causing the bell to be tolled, he entereth into the pulpit, exhorting and inviting all men to serve the Lord with inward heart and true affection, and not with outward ceremonies: meaning thereby how the Lord would be worshipped and served in simplicity of the heart and verity, wherein consisteth true Christian religion, and not in the outward deeds of the letter only, or in the glistering show of man’s traditions, of pardons, pilgrimages, ceremonies, vows, devotions, voluntary works, works of supererogation, foundations, oblations, the Pope’s supremacy; so that all these either be needless, where the other is present, or else be of small estimation, in comparison.
It would ask a long discourse to declare what a stir there was in Cambridge, upon this preaching of Master Latimer. Belike Satan began to feel himself and his kingdom to be touched too near, and therefore thought it time to look about him, and to make out his men at arms.
First came out the prior of the Black Friars, called Buckenham, declaring that it was not expedient the Scripture to be in English, lest the ignorant might haply be brought in danger to leave their vocation, or else to run into some inconvenience: as for example, the ploughmam, when he heareth this in the Gospel, ‘No man that layeth his hand on the plough and looketh back, is meet for the kingdom of God,’ might peradventure, hearing this, cease from his plough. Likewise the baker, when he heareth that a little leaven corrupteth a whole lump of dough, may percase leave our bread unleavened, and so our bodies shall be unseasoned. Also the simple man, when he heareth in the Gospel, ‘If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee,’ may make himself blind, and so fill the world full of beggars.
Master Latimer, hearing this friarly sermon of Dr Buckenham, cometh again to the church, to answer the friar, where resorted to him a great multitude, as well of the University as of the town, both doctors and other graduates, with great expectation to hear what he could say: among whom also, directly in the face of Latimer, underneath the pulpit, sat Buckenham with his black-friar’s cowl about his shoulders.
Then Master Latimer so refuted the friar; so answered to his objections; so dallied with his bald reasons of the ploughman looking back, and of the baker leaving his bread unleavened, that the vanity of the friar might to all men appear, well proving and declaring to the people, how there was no such fear nor danger for the Scriptures to be in English, as the friar pretended; at least this requiring, that the Scripture might be so long in the English tongue, till Englishmen were so mad, that neither the ploughman durst look back, nor the baker should leave his bread unleavened. ‘Every speech,’ saith he, ‘hath its metaphors and like figurative significations, so common to all men, that the very painters do paint them on walls, and in houses.’ As for example (saith he, looking toward the friar), when they paint a fox preaching out of a friar’s cowl, none is so mad to take this to be a fox that preacheth, but know well enough the meaning of the matter, which is to paint out unto us, what hypocrisy, craft, and subtle dissimulation, lieth hid many times in these friars’ cowls, willing us thereby to beware of them.
In fine, friar Buckenham with this sermon was so dashed, that never after he durst peep out of the pulpit against Master Latimer.
Besides this Buckenham, there was also another railing friar, not of the same coat, but of the same note and faction, a grey friar and a doctor, an outlandishman called Dr Venetus, who likewise, in his brawling sermons, railed and raged against Master Latimer, calling him a mad and brainless man, and willing the people not to believe him. To whom Master Latimer answering again, taketh for his ground the words of our Saviour Christ, ‘Thou shalt not kill,’ etc. ‘But I say unto you, whosoever is angry with his neighbour shall be in danger of judgment: and whosoever shall say unto his neighbour, Raca (or any other like words of rebuking, as brainless), shall be in danger of council: and whosoever shall say to his neighbour, Fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.’ He declared to the audience, that the true servants and preachers of God in this world commonly are scorned and reviled of the proud enemies of God’s Word, which count them here as madmen, fools, brainless, and drunken: so did they, said he, in the Scripture call them which most purely preached and set forth the glory of God’s Word. He so confounded the poor friar, that he drove him not only out of countenance, but also clean out of the University.
Whole swarms of friars and doctors flocked against him on every side, almost through the whole University, preaching and barking against him. Then came at last Dr West, Bishop of Ely, who preaching against Master Latimer at Barnwell Abbey, forbade him, within the churches of that University, to preach any more. Notwithstanding that—so the Lord provided—Dr Barnes, prior of the Augustine friars, did license Master Latimer to preach in his church of the Augustines.
Thus Master Latimer, notwithstanding the malice of the adversaries, continued yet in Cambridge, preaching the space of three years together with such favour and applause of the godly, also with such admiration of his enemies that heard him, that the Bishop himself, coming in and hearing his gift, wished himself to have the like, and was compelled to commend him. Master Latimer, with Master Bilney, used much to company together, insomuch that the place where they most used to walk in the fields, was called long after, the Heretics’-hill. The society of these two, as it was much noted of many in that University, so it was full of many good examples, to all such as would follow their doings, both in visiting the prisoners, in relieving the needy, in feeding the hungry.
Master Latimer maketh mention of a certain history which happened about this time in Cambridge between them two and a certain woman then prisoner in the Castle or Tower of Cambridge. It so chanced, that after Master Latimer had been acquainted with Master Bilney, he went with him to visit the prisoners in the tower in Cambridge, and among other prisoners there was a woman which was accused that she had killed her own child, which act she plainly and steadfastly denied. Whereby it gave them occasion to search for the matter, and at length they found that her husband loved her not, and therefore sought all means he could to make her away. The matter was thus: a child of hers had been sick a whole year, and at length died in harvest time, as it were in a consumption; which when it was gone, she went to have her neighbours to help her to the burial: but all were in harvest abroad, whereby she was enforced, with heaviness of heart, alone to prepare the child to the burial. Her husband coming home, and not loving her, accused her of murdering the child. This was the cause of her trouble, and Master Latimer, by earnest inquisition of conscience, thought the woman not guilty. Then, immediately after, was he called to preach before King Henry the Eighth at Windsor, where, after his sermon, the King’s majesty sent for him, and talked with him familiarly. At which time Master Latimer, finding opportunity, kneeled down, opened his whole matter to the King, and begged her pardon; which the King most graciously granted, and gave it him at his return homeward.
By the means of Dr Buts, the King’s physician, a singular good man, and a special favourer of good proceedings, Master Latimer was in the number of them which laboured in the cause of the King’s supremacy. Then went he to the court, where he remained a certain time in the said Dr Buts’ chamber, preaching then in London very often. At last, being weary of the court, having a benefice offered by the King at the suit of the Lord Cromwell and Dr Buts, he was glad thereof, and, contrary to the mind of Dr Buts, he would needs depart, and be resident at the same.
This benefice was in Wiltshire, under the diocese of Sarum, the name of which town was called West-Kington, where this good preacher did exercise himself to instruct his flock, and not only to them his diligence extended, but also to all the country about. In fine, his diligence was so great, his preaching so mighty, the manner of his teaching so zealous, that there, in like sort, he could not escape without enemies. He was cited to appear before William Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury, and John Stokesley, Bishop of London, Jan. 29, A.D. 1531. He was greatly molested, and detained a long space from his cure at home, being called thrice every week before the said bishops, to make answer for his preaching. At length, much grieved with their troublesome unquietness, which neither would preach themselves, nor yet suffer him to preach and do his duty, he writeth to the archbishop, excusing his infirmity, whereby he could not appear at their commandment, expostulating with them for detaining him from his duty-doing, and that for no just cause, but only for preaching the truth against the certain vain abuses crept into religion.
The story he showeth forth himself in a certain sermon preached at Stamford, Oct. 9, A.D. 1550: ‘I was once,’ saith he, ‘in examination before five or six bishops, where I had much turmoiling. Every week thrice I came to examinations, and many snares and traps were laid to get something. Now God knoweth I was ignorant of the law, but God gave me answer and wisdom what I should speak. It was God indeed: for else I had never escaped them. At the last I was brought forth to be examined into a chamber hanged with arras, where I was wont to be examined: but now, at this time, the chamber was somewhat altered. For whereas before there was wont ever to be a fire in the chimney, now the fire was taken away, and an arras hanged over the chimney, and the table stood near the chimney’s end.
‘There was amongst the bishops that examined me one with whom I had been very familiar, and took him for my great friend, an aged man, and he sat next the table’s end. Then, amongst all other questions he put forth one, a very subtle and crafty one, and such a one indeed, as I could not think so great danger in. And when I should made answer, “I pray you, Master Latimer,” said one, “speak out; I am very thick of hearing, and here be many that sit far off.” I marvelled at this, that I was bidden speak out, and began to misdeem, and gave an ear to the chimney; and, sir, there I heard a pen walking in the chimney behind the cloth. They had appointed one there to write all mine answers, for they made sure that I should not start from them: there was no starting from them. God was my good Lord, and gave me answer; I could never else have escaped it.’
The question to him there and then objected was this: ‘Whether he thought in his conscience that he hath been suspected of heresy.’ This was a captious question. There was no holding of peace would serve; for that was to grant himself faulty. To answer it was every way full of danger; but God, which alway giveth in need what to answer, helped him. Albeit what was his answer, he doth not express.
King Henry the Eighth with much favour embraced Master Latimer, and with his power delivered him out of the crooked claws of his enemies. Moreover, through the procurement partly of Dr Buts, partly of good Cromwell, he advanced him to the dignity of Bishop of Worcester, who so continued a few years, instructing his diocese, according to the duty of a diligent and vigilant pastor, with wholesome doctrine and example of perfect conversation duly agreeing to the same.
It were a long matter to stand particularly upon such things as might here be brought to the commendation of his pains; as study, readiness, and continual carefulness in teaching, preaching, exhorting, visiting, correcting, and reforming, either as his ability could serve, or else the time would bear. But the days then were so dangerous and variable, that he could not in all things do that he would. Yet what he might do, that he performed to the uttermost of his strength, so that although he could not utterly extinguish all the sparkling relics of old superstition, yet he so wrought, that though they could not be taken away, yet they should be used with as little hurt, and with as much profit, as might be. As for example, when it could not be avoided but holy water and holy bread must needs be received, he so instructed them of his diocese that in receiving thereof superstition should be excluded, charging the ministers in delivering the holy water and the holy bread, to say these words following:
Words spoken to the People in giving them Holy Water.
Remember your promise in baptism;
Christ His mercy and blood-shedding:
By Whose most holy sprinkling,
Of all your sins you have free pardoning.
What to say in giving Holy Bread.
Of Christ’s body this is a token,
Which on the cross for your sins was broken.
Wherefore of your sins you must be forsakers,
If of Christ’s death ye will be partakers.
It is to be thought that he would have brought more things else to pass, if the time then had answered to his desire; for he was not ignorant how the institution of holy water and holy bread not only had no ground in Scripture, but also how full of profane exorcisms and conjurations they were, contrary to the rule and learning of the Gospel.
As before, both in the University and at his benefice, he was tost and turmoiled by wicked and evil-disposed persons, so in his bishopric also, he was not clear and void of some that sought his trouble. One especially there was, and that no small person, which accused him to the King for his sermons. The story, because he himself showeth in a sermon of his before King Edward, I thought therefore to use his own words, which be these:
‘In the King’s days that dead is, many of us were called together before him, to say our minds in certain matters. One accuseth me that I had preached seditious doctrine. The King turned to me, and said, “What say you to that, sir?”
‘Then I kneeled down, and turned me first to my accuser, and required him. “Sir, what form of preaching would you appoint me to preach before a King? Would you have me for to preach nothing as concerning a King in the King’s sermon? have you any commission to appoint me, what I shall preach?” Besides this, I asked him divers other questions, and he would make no answer to none of them all: he had nothing to say.
‘Then I turned me to the King, and submitted myself to his grace, and said, “I never thought myself worthy, nor I never sued, to be a 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 so 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 your grace to give me leave to discharge my conscience.”
‘And I thank Almighty God (Which hath always been my remedy), that my sayings were well accepted of the King. Certain of my friends came to me with tears in their eyes, and told me they looked I should have been in the Tower the same night.’
Thus he continued in this laborious function of a bishop the space of certain years, till the coming in of the Six Articles. Then, being distressed through the straitness of time, so that either he must lose the quiet of a good conscience, or else forsake his bishopric, he did of his own free accord resign his pastorship. At what time he first put off his rochet in his chamber among his friends, suddenly he gave a skip on the floor for joy, feeling his shoulder so light. Howbeit, troubles and labours followed him wheresoever he went. For a little after he had renounced his bishopric, he was sore bruised and almost slain with the fall of a tree. Then, coming up to London for remedy, he was molested of the bishops, whereby he was again in no little danger; and at length was cast into the Tower, where he remained prisoner, till the time that blessed King Edward entered his crown, by means whereof the golden mouth of this preacher, long shut up before, was now opened again.
Beginning afresh to set forth his plough he laboured in the Lord’s harvest most fruitfully, discharging his talent as well in divers places of this realm, as before the King at the court. In the same place of the inward garden, which was before applied to lascivious and courtly pastimes, there he dispensed the fruitful Word of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, preaching there before the King and his whole court, to the edification of many. In this his painful travail he occupied himself all King Edward’s days, preaching for the most part every Sunday twice. Though a sore bruised man by the fall of a tree, and above sixty-seven years of age, he took little ease and care of sparing himself. Every morning, winter and summer, about two of the clock, he was at his book most diligently.
Master Latimer ever affirmed that the preaching of the Gospel would cost him his life, to the which he cheerfully prepared himself. After the death of King Edward, not long after Queen Mary was proclaimed, a pursuivant was sent down into the country, to call him up, of whose coming, although Master Latimer lacked no forewarning, yet so far off was it that he thought to escape, that he prepared himself towards his journey before the said pursuivant came to his house. When the pursuivant marvelled, he said unto him—‘My friend, you be a welcome messenger to me. And be it known unto you, and to all the world, that I go as willingly to London at this present, called to render a reckoning of my doctrine, as ever I was at any place in the world. I doubt not but that God, as He hath made me worthy to preach His Word before two excellent princes, so will He able me to witness the same unto the third, either to her comfort, or discomfort eternally.’
When the pursuivant had delivered his letters he departed, affirming that he had commandment not to tarry for him; by whose sudden departure it was manifest that they would not have him appear, but rather to have fled out of the realm. They knew that his constancy should deface them in their popery, and confirm the godly in the truth.
Thus Master Latimer coming up to London, through Smithfield (where merrily he said that Smithfield had long groaned for him), was brought before the council, where he patiently bore all the mocks and taunts given him by the scornful papists. He was cast into the Tower, where he, being assisted with the heavenly grace of Christ, sustained imprisonment a long time, notwithstanding the cruel and unmerciful handling of the lordly papists, which thought then their kingdom would never fall; he showed himself not only patient, but also cheerful in and above all that which they could or would work against him. Yea, such a valiant spirit the Lord gave him, that he was able not only to despise the terribleness of prisons and torments, but also to laugh to scorn the doings of his enemies.
When the lieutenant’s man upon a time came to him, the aged father, kept without fire in the frosty winter, and well nigh starved with cold, merrily bade the man tell his master, that if he did not look the better to him, perchance he would deceive him. The lieutenant of the Tower, hearing this, bethought himself of these words, and fearing lest that indeed he thought to make some escape, began to look more straitly to his prisoner, and so coming to him, chargeth him with his words. ‘Yea, master lieutenant, so I said,’ quoth he, ‘for you look, I think, that I should burn; but except you let me have some fire, I am like to deceive your expectation, for I am like here to starve for cold.’
Many such like answers and reasons, merry, but savoury, coming not from a vain mind, but from a constant and quiet reason, proceeded from that man, declaring a firm and stable heart, little passing of all this great blustering of their terrible threats, but rather deriding the same.
Thus Master Latimer, passing a long time in the Tower, from thence was transported to Oxford, with Dr Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Master Ridley, Bishop of London, there to dispute upon articles sent down from Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester. The said Latimer, with his fellow-prisoners, was condemned, and committed again to prison, and there they continued from the month of April, to the month of October; where they were most godly occupied, either with brotherly conference, or with fervent prayer, or with fruitful writing. Albeit Master Latimer, by reason of the feebleness of his age, wrote least of them all; yet oftentimes so long he continued kneeling in prayer that he was not able to rise without help. These were three principal matters he prayed for.
First, that as God had appointed him to be a preacher of His Word, so also He would give him grace to stand to his doctrine until his death, that he might give his heart blood for the same.
Secondly, that God of His mercy would restore His Gospel to England once again; and these words ‘once again, once again,’ he did so beat into the ears of the Lord God, as though he had seen God before him, and spoken to Him face to face.
The third matter was, to pray for the preservation of the Queen’s Majesty that now is, at that time the Princess Elizabeth, whom even with tears he desired God to make a comfort to His comfortless realm of England.
The Lord most graciously did grant all those his requests.
First, concerning his constancy, even in the most extremity the Lord graciously assisted him. For when he stood at the stake without Bocardo-gate at Oxford, and the tormentors about to set the fire to him, and to the learned and godly Bishop, Master Ridley, he lifted up his eyes towards heaven with an amiable and comfortable countenance, saying these words, ‘God is faithful, Which doth not suffer us to be tempted above our strength.’
How mercifully the Lord heard his second request in restoring His Gospel once again unto this realm these present days can bear record. And what, then shall England say now for her defence, which being so mercifully visited and refreshed with the Word of God, so slenderly and unthankfully considereth either her own misery past, or the great benefit of God now present? The Lord be merciful unto us.
Again, concerning his third request, it seemeth likewise most effectuously granted, to the great praise of God, the furtherance of His Gospel, and to the unspeakable comfort of this realm. When all was so desperate that the enemies mightily flourished and triumphed; when God’s Word was banished, Spaniards received, and no place left for Christ’s servants to cover their heads, suddenly the Lord called to remembrance His mercy, and, forgetting our former iniquity, made an end of all these miseries. Queen Elizabeth was appointed and anointed, for whom this grey-headed father so earnestly prayed in his imprisonment: through whose true, natural and imperial crown, the brightness of God’s Word was set up again to confound the dark and false-vizored kingdom of Antichrist, the true temple of Christ re-edified, and the captivity of sorrowful Christians released.
(A detailed account of the trial, condemnation, and martyrdom of Bishop Latimer and Bishop Ridley, begins on page 295.)