The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, Hugh Latimer
HVGH LATIMER
The Life of Hugh Latimer, who dyed Ano Christi 1555.
HUgh Latimer, His Birth and Education.born at Thirkesson in the County of Leicester, being of a prompt and sharp wit, was by his parents brought up in learning, and at the age of fourteene he went to Cambridge, He went to Cambridge.where, after he had profited in other studies, he gave himself to the study of School-Divinity, Commenced Batchelor in Divinity, and was a very zealous Papist,A zealous Papist. made an Oration against Philip Melancthon: Railed against Master Stafford; Divinity-Lecturer, and willed the Scholars in no wise to believe him. He was so zealous in his Popish Religion, and therewith so scrupilous, that being a Priest, and using to say Mass, he was so servile an observer of the Romish Decrees, that he thought he had never sufficiently mixed his Massing-wine with water, and that he should never be damned if once he were a professed Frier, He used to carry the Crosse before the Procession.
Master Thomas Bilney, Mr Bilny's prudent charity.seeing Mr. Latimer to have a zeal in his wayes (although without knowledge) was stricken with a brotherly pitty towards him, thinking by what meanes he might best win this ignorantly zealous brother to the true knowledge of Christ▪ And thereupon going to his study, he desired him to hear him make a Confession of his Faith, which Latimer consenting to, was so touched thereby,His conversion. that he gave over School Divinity, and studied more Orthodox Divines. So that whereas before he was an enemy, and almost a persecutor of Christ, he was now a zealous seeker after him; changing his old manner of cavilling and railing, into diligent conferring with Mr. Bilney and others. And asked Mr. Stafford forgivenesse before he died.
Being thus wonne to Christ, he was not satisfied with his own conversion, but pittying the misery of others, he became a powerfull publick Preacher; and an instructor of many in private also;Sathans malice. whereupon the Devill raised up many Doctors and Fryers against him, and the Bishop of Ely forbade him to preach, Anno Christi 1529: yet he continued three years preaching with much applause;The fruit of grace. yea the Bishop himself hearing him upon a time, commended him, and wished that he had the like gifts himself. He used often to visit the Prisoners,His Charity. to relieve the needy, and feed the hungry. Amongst the Adversaries which the Devill raised against him, one was Doctor …edman, who wrote to him to divert him from the Truth:His Letter to Dr. Redman. To which he mad… this short answer; Reverend Mr. Redman, It's enough for me that Christs sh…ep hear no mans voice but Christs; and as for you, you have no voice of Christ against me; whereas for my part I have an heart ready to hearken to any voice of Christ that you can produce. Thus fare you well, and trouble me no more from talking with the Lord my God. But shortly after, complaint was made against him to the Cardinal, who sent for him; but by the meanes of Dr. buts the Kings Physitian, a favourer of good men, he was chosen into the number of those which laboured in the cause of the Kings Supremacy;Gods providence. whereupon he went to the Court, and lodged in Doctor Buts his chamber, preaching many times in London. At last being weary of the Court by the Lord Cromwel's means he had a living given him in Wiltshire, whither he presently removed; The place was called West-Kingstone, He goes into Wiltshire.near Sarum, where with much diligence he instructed his flock, and preached zealously many times abroad in the Country.Popish mali…e Whereupon some Popish Priests drew up Articles against him; and he was much molested by the Bishop of London, and Warham, Archbish…p of Canterburie, by whom he was cited to appear before him, and the Bishop of London. These malicious persons detained him for a long space from his cure at home, calling him three times every week before them, which much troubled him, seeing they would neither preach themselves, nor suffer him to doe his duty:He writes to the Archbish. Hereupon hee wrote to the Archbishop, expostulating with him, for so detaining him from his charge, and that for no just cause, but onelyonly for preaching the truth against sundry abuses which were crept into the Church. Yet this nothing prevailed till the King rescued him out of their hands, and at the request of the Lord Cromwell made him Bishop of Worcester. He is made bishop of Worcester.In which place he busily employed himself in instructing his flock▪ and giving them a good example by his holy life. He spent all his time in study, teaching,A good bishop. preaching, exhorting, visiting, correcting, and reforming to the utmost of his power, and as the times could bear▪ and though he could not utterly extinguish the reliques of Popery, yet he so wrought that they should be used with as little hurt, and with as much profit as might be. Yet neither there was he quiet; for one of great place accused him to the King for preaching Sedition,Sathans malice. but the King rested satisfi'd with his answer.
At New-years-tide the Bishops us'd to present the King with a New-years gift,His faithful boldness. and Bishop Latimer, amongst the rest, presented him with the New Testament, wrapped up in a Napkin, with this Posie about it, Fornicatores, & adulteros judicabit Dominus: Whereof the King was very guilty.Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge. But the six Articles coming out, and he seeing that he could not retain his Office with a good conscience, of his own accord he resigned his Bishoprick:He resignes his Bishoprick. And when he put off his Rochet in his chamber amongst his friends, he gave a skip in the floor for joy,Note. feeling his shoulders lighter, and being (as he said) discharged of so heavy a burthen. This was Anno Christi 1539, after which he betooke himself again to his mean Parsonage at West-Kingston in VViltshire, not farre from Bristow: Yet by the malice of certain Popish Priests who slandered his Doctrine, he was much endangered;He is againe troubled and freed by the King. whereupon he had recourse to Mr. Ralph Morrice, who was Doctor Cranmers right hand, by whose intreatie the Archbishop so prevailed with the King for him, that for the present he was freed out of his troubles; yet neither then would the Bishops suffer him to be quiet,His imprisonment in the Tower. till he was layd up in the Tower, where he remained till Edward the sixth's Reign. At which time being restored to his liberty, he continued a faithfull and painfull preacher all that Kings dayes;His painfulnes in his Ministry. preaching twice every Sabbath, though 67 yeares of age. He rose to his Study Winter, and Summer, at two a clock in the morning.His studiousnes He evidently fore-saw, and fore-told a…l those plagues which England afterwards felt under Queen Mary; His prophesiesand fore-told concerning himself, that his preaching of the Gospel would cost him his life;Steph. Gardiner and that Winchester was kept in the Tower for the same purpose, which afterwards proved so.He is sent for. In the beginning of Queen Maries Reign he was sent for up by a Pursuivant, whereof he had notice six houres before he came to his house,Fligh… refused. yet instead of flying, he prepared himself for his journey. And when the Pursuivant came,His Courage. he said to him; My friend, you are welcome; I goe as willingly to London to give an account of my Faith, as ever I went to any place in the world; and I doubt not but as God hath made me worthy formerly to preach his Word before two excellent Princes, so he will enable me to bear witnesse to the Truth b…fore the third, either to her eternal comfort, or discomfort. The Pursuivant having delivered his Letter,He is tempted. told him, that he was commanded not to stay for him, and so immediately departed: His Adversaries hopine that he would have fled; but Latimer hasted after to London, A prediction.and as he rode through Smithfield, he said, that Smithfield had groaned for him a long time. Coming before the Council,Comf…rt in affliction. after many mocks and scornes, he was …ent to the Tower, where the Lord gave him such a valiant spirit, that he did not onelyonly bear the terriblenesse of imprisonment,His imprisonment. but derided and laughed to scorn the doings of his enemies. This aged Father being kept in the cold winter without a fire, bade the Lieutenant's man to tell his Master, That if he did not look better to him, perchance he would dec…i…e him. The Lieutenant, thinking that he intend…d to make an escape, charged him with his words; to whom he answered, You think I shall burn, but except you let mee have a fire, I shall deceive your expectation; for I am here like to starve with cold. Thus he continued a long time in the Tower, with as much patience as a man in his case could possibly doe; and at last from thence he was carried to Oxford, with Cranmer and Ridley where t…ey spent their time in brotherly conference,He is sent to Oxford. fervent prayer, and fruitfull writing. Yea, many time he continued so long in fervent prayer that he was not able to get up without help. Three things be more especially prayed for:
1.His fervent prayers. That as God had appointed him to be a Preacher of his Word, so that he would give him grace to stand to his Doctrine, that hee might give his hearts-blood for the same.
2. That God of his mercy would restore his Gospel to England once againe, once againe, which he often inculcated in his prayer,Prayer▪ and that with so much ardour, as though he had seen God before him, and spoken to him face to face.
3. That the Lord would preserve Queen Elizabeth, and make her a comfort to this comfortle…s Realm of England, The lord most graciously answering all those his requests. At last he was condemned, and with Doctor Ridley was carried to be burned. When he came to the stake, he lift up his eyes with an amiable and comfortable countenance, saying, Fidelis est Deus, &c, God is faithfull, who will not suffer us to to be tempted above that which we are able, &c. When the fire was brought, he said to Doctor Ridley, Be of good comfort Brother, and play the man, He encourageth Dr. Ridleywe shall this day light such a candle by Gods grace in England, as I trust shall never be put out. When hee was stripped into his shroud, he seemed a very comply person to all that were present: And whereas in his cloaths he appeared a withered, and crooked, silly old man, he now stood bolt-upright, as comly a Father as one might likely behold. As he was burning, his blood ranne out of his heart in such abundance,A special providence. as if all the blood in his body had been gathered thither, to the great astonishment of the beholders, according to his former request, That he might be so happy as to shed his hearts-blood for the Truth. When the fire was first kindled, he cried, O father of heaven receive my soul: His death.And so receiving the flame, and, as it were embracing it, having stroaked his face with his hands, and bathed them a little in the fire, he soon died with very little pain, or none at all, Anno Christi 1555.
In a Letter to King Henry the eighth, In a Letter to King Hen. 8.he thus concludes Wherefore, gracious King, remember your self, have pitty upon your soul, and think that the day is even at hand when you shall give an account for your Office, and of the blood that hath been shed with your sword: In the which day that your Grace m… stand stedfast, and may have your Quietus est sealed with the blood of our Saviour Christ, which will onelyonly serve at that day, is my daily prayer, &c.