Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 11 · Part 53 – Part 56
HVGH LATIMER.
THis constant Martyr was the sonne of one Hugh Latimer of Thirkesson, in the Countie of Leicester, a husbandman of wealthy and good estimation: he studying Diuinitie in Cambridge, at the first was zealous in the popish Religion, and so scrupelous (as hee himselfe confesseth) that being a Priest, and vsing to say Masse, hee did so obserue the Romish Decrees, that he thought he had neuer mingled enough his massing Wine with water, and hee was of the opinion that he should neuer be damned, if once he were a professed Frier, with diuers such superstitious fantasies, and in his blind zeale hee was a very enemy vntounto the professors of the Truth, and when he tooke the degree of proceeding Batcheler of Diuinitie, he made his oration against Philpot, Melancton, & his works: Then Maister Bilney, as before is said, perswaded him to forsake his former studie of the Schoole Doctors, and such fooleries, and to become a true scholler in true Diuinitie: so that where before hee was an enemy, and almost a persecutor of the Gospell of Christ, hee was now an earnest seeker after CHRIST IESUS, and became both a publike preacher, and a priuate instructer of his brethren in the Uniuersitie two yeares, but Sathan neuer sleepeth when he seeth his Kingdome decay: he raised his Children to trouble him.
Latimer in his Sermons before Christmas gaue the people certaine Cardes, out of the fift, sixt, and seuenth of Mathew: Wherevpon they might occupy the time, for the chiefe Carde he limited the Heart, as the principall thing they should serue GOD with, and thereby hee ouerthrew all hypocriticall, and externall Ceremonies, to that end he wished the Scriptures to bee read altogether in the English tongue, that the common people might thereby learne their dueties to GOD and their Neighbours: hereby hee wrought in the hearers much fruit, to the ouerthrow of Popish Superstition, and setting vp of true Religion.
The Sonday before Christmas day, in his Sermon he deliuered his Cards as aforesaid, making the heart the chiefe Carde, inuiting all men to serue the Lord with inward heart and true affection, and not with outward ceremonies, that in the seruic… of the heart consisteth true religion, and not in the outward deeds of the letter, or in the glistering shew of mens traditions, of pardons, pilgrimages, ceremonies, vowes, deuotions, voluntarie workes, and works of supererogation, foundations, oblations, the Popes supremacie: you may sée two Sermons of his to this effect in the booke at large.
Doctor Bucknam about the same time of Christmas, to deface Master Latimer, brought forth his Christmas Dice, casting to his audience Cinque and Quater, wherby to proue that it were not expedient that the Scriptures should be in English, lest the vulgar people by the occasion thereof should be brought to leaue their vocation, or to runne into some inconuenience; as the Plowman, when he heares that, No man laying his hand vntounto the Plough and looking backe, is meete for the Kingdome of heauen, might perhaps cease from his Plough: likewise the Baker, when he heareth that a little leauen corrupteth a whole lump of dough, may perchance leaue our bread vnleauened, and so our bodies shall be vnseasoned: and when the simple man heareth, If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee, may make himselfe blinde, and so fill the world full of beggers. These, with other moe, he brought to the number of fiue: yet Master Latimer, notwithstanding all his aduersaries (which were man…) together with Master Bilney, continued in Cambridge a certaine space: they vsed much to conferre and to walke together in the fields: the place of their conference was long time after called by the name of Hereticks hill.
These two did often visit the prisoners, relie…e the needy, and feed the hungry. There was a woman laide in prison for suspition of murdering her childe, she denying it, they searching into the matter found that her husband loued her not, and therefore sought to make her away. The matter was thus: her childe hauing bin sicke a whole yeare, died in haruest, then she went to hauehave her neighbours to helpe to burie it▪ but all ware at haruest; whereby she was inforced to prepare the child to buriall her selfe: her husband comming home accused her of murthering the childe.
Master Latimer thinking in his conscience that she was not guiltie, and being called to preach before King Henry the eighth, after the Sermon the King sent for him, and talked with him; at which time Master Lati…er knéeled downe and opened the whole matter to the King, and begged her pardon, which the King graunted, and gaue it him when he went home. In the meane time the woman was brought a bedde in prison, and Master Latimer was God-father, but hee told her not of the pardon, but laboured to hauehave her confesse the truth. When the time came that she looked to suffer, she greatly lamented that she should not be purified before she did suffer, thinking she should be damned if she died vnpurified. Master Bilney and Master Latimer told her that the law was made for the Iewes, and not for vsus, and how women be as well in the fauour of God before purification as after. And when they had brought her into a good way, they shewed her the Kings pardon, and let her goe. Many moe like good matters were wrought by him, but the more his vertues and good doings began to be knowne, the more his aduersaries began to spurn against him.
One Doctor Redman, of great authoritie in Cambridge, séeing the boldnesse of Master Latimer, in setting abroad the Gospell, he wrote to him earnestly, requiring him for charities sake not to stand so much in his owne conceit, nor to preferre his singular iudgement in matters of religion and controuersies, before so many learned men and the whole Catholike Church, hauing neither the word of God, nor the testimony of any authentike writer to make for you: consider you are but a man, therfore lying and vanity may quickly bleare your eyes, which doth somtime transforme it selfe into an Angell of light: suffer not the Church to take offence by the hardnes of your heart, let not the vnitie of Christs coat without seame be torne asunder, trust not in your owne wisdome.
To which he answered, it is enough for me that Christs sheepe heare no mans voyce but Christs: you hauehave no voyce of Christ against me: for my part I hauehave a heart that is readie to hearken to any voyce of Christs that you can bring me; so fare you well, and trouble me not any more from the talking with the Lord my God.
At length M. Latimer was called before the Cardinall for heresie, by the procurement of his aduersaries, where he was content to subscribe to such articles as were propounded vntounto him.
After he was appointed for one of them that laboured for the Kings supremacie, and remaining at Court, he preached often in London: after, at the sute of the Lord Cromwell, he was benef…ed at West-Kingston in Wilshire, where he was very diligent in teaching: his diligence extended also to all the countrey round about, but there also he could not escape without enemies. It so chanced that hee preaching vponupon the Uirgin Marie, he proued that Christ was her Sauiour. Certaine Popish Priests being therewith offended, drew Articles against him concerning the matter of our Ladie, of praying vntounto Saints, and of Purgatorie: to which Articles he answered in effect as followeth;
1 To reproue certaine Priests and beneficed men which giuegive so much to our Lady, as though she had not bin saued by Christ, which is the sauiour of her and of all that be or shall be saued. I did reason that either she was a sinner or no sinner; if a sinner, then she was deliuered from sinne by Christ, or if she were no sinner she was preserued from sinne by him, so he was her Sauiour which way soeuer you take it.
2 Images of Saints are called Saints: to pray to these Saints is Idolatrie. Saints in heauen doe of Charity pray for vsus, but we are not commanded to pray to them, for Christ only is a holy Mediator for them and vsus.
3 The scurfe must be taken away from pilgrimage before it be good, to wit superstition, Idolatrie, false faith, and trust in the Image, debts must be paide, restitutions made, wife and children prouided for, duety to our poore neighbours discharged, and when it is at best, be…fore it be vowed it néed not be done, for God commandeth it not.
4 I said the Aue maria was a greeting which the Angel brought from God to the Uir… in Marie, but I said it was not a prayer, as the Pater noster, which our Sauior Christ made, and bade vsus say for a prayer, not adding that we should say ten or twenty Aue Mariaes with it.
5 The torment of hell is not a materiall fire, no more then it is a materiall stinging of a worme or snake, but a metaphor signifying the paine, torment, anguish, griefe, miserie, sorrow, and heauines inexplicable and intollerable, whose nature and condition none can tell.
6 That the soules that are not in hell, are in as great ioy as soules can be, and cannot be put from eternall ioy, and suffer no paine, of charitie they pray for vsus, and hauehave no need that we should pray for them, and besides this there is no other Purgatorie. I had rather be there then in the Bishop of Londons prison, though they call the fire thereof neuer so hote, yet if the Bishop with his two fingers can put away some of the fire, and a Friers Cowle the fourth part thereof, and Scala Coeli altogether, I will neuer found Abbey, Colledge, or Chauntery for that purpose.
Prouision for Purgatorie hath brought thousands to hell, debts hauehave not beene paide, nor lands and goods euill gotten restored, poore people are suffered to perish for want, and all to builde religious houses to deliuer out of Purgatorie, and to pay for Dirges, Masses, and ringing of Bells to carrie vsus to hell withall; who can purge pilgrimage from Idolatrie, and Purgatorie from robberie, but he shall be in suspition of heresie?
As for Pilgrimage, you would wonder what iugling there is to get Money withall, I dwell by the way, and you would admire how they come by flockes out of the West Countrey to many Images, but cheef…ly to the blood of Hayles, and they beléeue verily it is the blood of Christs body, shed vponupon Mount Caluarie for our saluation, and that the sight of it doth certifie them out of doubt, that their sinnes are forgiuen, and they are in state of saluation. If you should common with them comming and going what faiths they hauehave, you would wonder, they cannot away with forgiuing their enemies, and reconciling themselues vntounto their Brethren, for the sight of that blood doth quite them for the time; they that did violently and miraculously plucke the blood out of Christs body, by whipping and wounding him, saw his blood, and yet were not thereby in cléere life. Christ doth suffer the Diuell to vse his craftie fashion for our probation: it were very little thanke to beléeue well, if nothing should mooue vsus to beléeue superstitiously; it was not in vaine, when Christ had taught vsus truly, that he had vsus beware of false Prophets.
These points following his Aduersaries preached, y• Christs blood is not sufficient without the blood of Martyrs, Magdalene did not know Christ to be God before his Resurrection, there can be now no Idolatry: Rome cannot be destroyed, the Pope is Lord of all the World, whatsoeuer he doth, is well done: Pater noster is to be said vntounto Saint Peter: Pater noster is but a beggerly prayer, Aue Maria is infinitly better, there must be twentie Aue Mariaes for one Pater noster, Aue Maria was before Pater noster, and shall bee after: it was not necessary that the scriptures should be written: Christ saying, he that leaueth father or mother, praueth our pilgrimage, with many moe.
Many dangerous hazards he suffered amongst the Popes friends and Gods enemies, for the Gospell sake. When there was a Proclamation set forth for the calling in of the Bible in English, and many other good bookes, he hazarded himselfe to write to King Henry the eight to disswade him therefrom, which Letter thou mayest see in the booke at large: at length by the means of Doctor Butts and of good Cromwell, he was made Bishop of Worcester and continued so a few yeares, instructing his Diocesse according to a diligent Pastor, but (as before) both in the Uniuersitie, and at his Benefiee he was tossed and turmoyled by the wicked, so in his Bishopricke some sought his trouble, insomuch that he was accused to the King for his Sermons. Thus he continued in this laborious function of a Bishop for certaine yeares, vntill the comming vp of the sixe Articles, and altering of Religion, so when he could not keepe his Bishopricke with a good conscience, of his owne free will he resigned the same: at which time Shaxton Bishop of Salesburie resigned also with him his Bishopricke. These two remained a great space vnbishopped, keeping silence vntill the time of King Edward. A little after Latimer had renounced his Bishopricke, hee was sore bruised with the fall of a tree, and comming to London for remedy, hee was troubled of the Bishops, and at length was cast into the Tower, where he continued prisoner vntill the Raigne of King Edward, then the golden mouth of this preacher, shut vp long before, was opened againe, and beginning a fresh to set forth his plough againe, and continued all the time of the said King, labouring in the Lords haruest most fruitfully: hee preached for the most part twice eueryevery Sunday to no small shame of vnpreaching prelates, which occupied great rome, to doe little good: he did most euidently prophes…e of all these kinde of plagues which after ensued: so plainely that if England euer had a Prophet, he might seeme to be one, and he did euer affirme, that the preaching of the Gospel would cost him his life, and he was certainely perswaded that Winchester was kept in the Tower, to be his death, which fell out right, for after the death of King Edward, and Queen Mary proclaimed, a Purseuant was sent down vntounto him (by the doing no doubt of Winchester) Latimer had warning thereof six houres before the Purseuant came, whereby he might hauehave …scaped, but he prepared himselfe towards his iourney before the Purse…ant came, who maruelled to sée him so prepared for his iourney, he told the Purseuant, he was a welcome guest, and be it knowne vntounto you and the whole World; that I goe as willingly to London at this present, being called of my Prince to giuegive a reckoning of my Faith and Doctrine, as euer I was to goe vntounto any place in the world: and I doubt not, but that God which hath made me worthy to preach to two most excellent Princes, so he will able me to witnesse the same to the third, either to her comfort or discomfort eternally. When the Purseuant had deliuered his Letters, he departed, affirming that hee was not commaunded to tarry for him: whereby it appeared, they would not hauehave him appeare, but rather to hauehave fled out of the Realme: they knew his constancy would deface them in Popery, and confirme the godly in the truth. When he came through Smithfield, he said merrily, Smithfield bad long groned for him: after he had béene before the Councell, hee was sent to the Tower, and from thence he was transported to Oxford, with Cramer Arch-bishop of Canterbury, and Ridley Bishop of London, there to dispute, as before is said: Of the order of the disputations, and bow they were condemned, thou maist sée before, where they continued vntill this time in continual prayer, godly conference and writing. Latimer sometimes continued so long knéeling at prayer, that hee was not able to arise without helpe: three thinges especially he prayed for in his Prayers: First, as God hath appointed him to preach his Word, so hee would giuegive him grace to stand to the same vntill his death: Secondly, that God would restore his Gospel vntounto England againe once more: which once more hee inculcated oftentimes into the eares of the LORD, as if he had spoken vntounto him face to face: Thirdly, hee prayed for the preseruation of Queene ELIZABETH, then but Lady ELIZABETH, whom with …eares he still named, desiring God to make hee a comforter to this comfortles Realme, the Lord most graciously granted al these things which he requested.
The twentith day of September, a Commission was sent from the Cardinall to the Bishops of Lincolne, Glocester, and Bristow, to examine Doctor Ridley, and Maister Latimer, vponupon the points they were condemned for at Oxford: and if they would not recant there opinions, to disgrade them, &c. The first point was whether the reall presence of Christ was in the Sacrament: D. Ridley first appeared before them; when the Commission was read, he standing bare-headed, assoon as he heard the Cardinall named, and the Popes Holines: he put on his cap, the Bishop of Lincolne reprehended him for it, and told him if he would not of himselfe put off his cap another should doe it for him: He answered, that it was not done for any contumacy that he bare vntounto their own persons, nor for any derogation of the Cardinall in that he was borne of the Bloud Royall, & was indued with much le…rning & excellent vertues …ut in that he is Legate to the Pope, (and with that he put on his cap) whose vsurped supremacie I vtterly renounce, which I will not onelyonly denounce in words, but in gesture, be…auiour, and all my doings expresse the same: wherevpon by the commandement of the Bishop of Lincoln his cap was taken off: he appeared twice, and thus he did at both times, their answeres were both to one effect in substance.
First they made their protestation, that notwithstanding their answers, it should not be taken thereby that they would acknowledge any authority of the Pope, but that they answered as subiects to the king and Queene: to the first point they did confesse that in the sacrament, by spirit and grace, is the very body and bloud of Christ, because that eueryevery man receiuing bodily the bread and wine in the Sacrament, spiritually receiue the body and bloud of Christ, and thereby is partaker of the merits of his passion, but they denied the naturall body and bloud of Christ to be really in the outward sacrament.
The second question was, whether after consecration of the sacrament of the Altar there did remain any substance of bread and wine: to that they answered, there was such a change in the bread and wine, as no man but God can make, being the bread had that dignity to exhibit Christs body, yet the bread is still bread, and the wine still wine, for the change is not in the nature but in the dignity, because that which was common bread hath the dignitie to exhibit Christs body, for now it is an holy bread sanctified by Gods word.
The third question was, whether the masse were a liuely and propitiatorie sacrifice for them aliue, and for them that be dead: this article they denied to be true, because Christ made one perfect sacrifice for the whole world; neither can the Priests offer vp Christ againe for the sinnes of man; neither is there any propitiation for our sins, but his Crosse only. And because neither for feare nor flatterie they could be made to recant, at their second sitting they were condemned, disgraded, and deliuered to the secular power.
Upon the North-side of the towne of Oxford, in the ditch, ouer against Baliol Colledge, the place of execution was appointed, Doctor Ridley came vntounto the stake in a faire black gowne, such as he was wont to weare when he was Bishop, with a tippet of sables about his neck; M. Latimer came in a poore frize frock, in one they might behold the honor they sometimes had, in the other the calamitie whereunto they were now descended: after Doctor Ridley had prayed, seeing the chéerfulnes of M. Latimer he ran vntounto him, imbraced him, and kissed him, saying, be of good heart brother, for God will either asswage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen vsus to abide it.
Then Doctor Smith began his Sermon vponupon 1. Co. 13. If I giuegive my body to the fire to be burned, and hauehave not charity, I shall gaine nothing thereby: wherein he alledged that neither the holinesse of the person, nor the manner of the death, but the goodnes of the cause made a martyr; this he pr…ued by the example of Iudas and many others, which then might be counted righteous because they desperatly sundred their liues from their bodies (as he feared these men that stood before him would do) and still he cried vntounto the people to beware of them, for they were hereticks & died out of the Church: at last he exhorted them to recant and come home again vntounto the Church, & saue their liues and soules, which else were condemned. They would hauehave answered him, but some ran to them & stopt their mouthes with their hands, & would not suffer them to speak. Then Doctor Ridley said, Heauenly father, I giuegive thée most hearty thanks that thou hast called me to be a professor of thée, euen vntounto death: I beséech thée be mercifull to this Realme of England, and deliuer the same from all her enemies. When the fire was kindled he cried, Into thy hands I commit my spirit, Lord receiue my spirit, crying often, Lord, Lord receiue my spirit: M. Latimer crying as vehemently on the other side, O Father of heauen receiue my soule. Latimer died quickly, but Ridley was long a … by reason of the bad making of the fire, yet he remained constant to the end.
The death of Stephen Gardner.
IN Nouember, the next monethmonth after the burning of Ridley and Latimer, in which monethmonth the Quéen died: thrée years after, Stephen Gardner a man hated of God1555 and good men, ended his wretched life. He was borne in Berry in Suffolk, and brought vp in Oxford: his wit, capacity, and memory were excellent if they had bin well applied: he was high-minded, flattering his own conceit too much towards his superiours; he was politick and pleasant, to his inferiors fierce; against his equals stout and enuious if they any thing withstood him in iudgment: it was constantly reported that the nayles of his toes were crooked and sharp downward like the clawes of a beast: his death happened so opportunely that England hath a great cause therefore to praise God, not so much for the great hurt it had done in times past, in peruerting his Princes, in bringing in the sixe Articles, in murthering GODS Saints, and in defacing Christs most true Religion, but especially for that he had thought to hauehave murthered our noble and religious Quéene Elizabeth; for hee was the cause of all her danger: and if it bee certaine which we hauehave heard that a Writ came downe from certaine of the Councell to the Tower where the Lady Elizabeth was, for her execution: it is sure this vile wily Winchester was the only Dedalus and framer of that Ingine; but M. Brigs Lieutenant of the Tower certified the Quéen of the matter, and there by preuented Achitophels bloudy deuices, as Bonner, Storie, Thornton, Harpsfield, Downing, with others, were occupied in putting the branches to death; so Gardner bent his deuices in assaying the root, in casting such a plot to build vp his Poperie, as he thought it should stand for euer: whether he died with his tongue swolne out of his mouth, as Arundell Bishop of Canterburie did, or whether he stunke before he died, as Cardinall Wolsey did, who after he had vsed coniuration before, so after he had poysoned himselfe by the way; at his buriall he was so heauie that they let him fall, and he gaue such a sauor that they could not abide him, with such a suddaine tempest about him, that all the Torches went out, and could beare no light, or whether he died in dispaire, I referre all this vntounto their reports, of whom I heard it. A great doer about Winchester reported that the Bishop of Chichester comming vntounto Gardner, began to comfort him with Gods promises, and with frée Iustification in the bloud of Christ: he said, what, my Lord, will you open that gap now, then farewell altogether? to me and such other you may speake it, but open this window to the people, and then farewell altogether.
Iohn Web Gentleman, George Roper, and George Parke.
THese were condemned by the Bishop of Douer,1555 and Harpsfield, for de…ying the reall presence in the sacrament of the Altar, and were burned in one fire at Canterburie, abiding most patiently their torments, and counting themselues blessed that they were worthy to suffer for the Gospell.
William Wiseman and Iames Gore.
THis Wiseman died in Lollards Tower, being there for religion: the holy Catholike Church cast him out into the fields, and commaunded that no man should burie him▪ according as their deuout manner is to all that die in that sort, whom they account not worthy of buriall, but to be cast to dogges and birds, yet good men buried him in the night.
Iames Gore being in the prison at Colchester for the truth of Gods word, died much about this time.