Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 13 · Account
¶Here beginneth the lyfe, actes, and doynges of maister Hugh Latimer, the famous Preacher and worthy Martyr of Christ and his Gospel.
NOw consequently after the lyfe of B. Ridley,The story of M. Hugh Latimer Martyr. with other his letters, whiche partly we hauehave expressed, partly we hauehave differred to our later appendix, followeth lykewyse the lyfe and doynges of the worthy champion, and olde practised souldiour of Christe M. Hugh Latimer, of whose actes and long trauayles euen from his fyrst yeares and tender age, to beginne here to entreate: fyrst, he was the son of one Hugh Latimer, of Thirkesson in the Countie of Leicester, a housebandman of right good estimation: with whom also he was brought vp vntyll he was of the age of fower yeares or thereabout. At which tyme his Parentes (hauyng hym as then left for their onelyonly sonne, with sixe other daughters) seeyng his ready, prompte, and sharpe witte, purposed to trayne him vp in erudition, and knowledge of good literature: wherein he so profited in his youth,M. Latimer first set to schoole. at the common Scholes of his owne countrey, that at the age of xiiij. yeares, he was sent to the Uniuersitie of Cambridge. Where after some continuaunce of exercises in other thynges,M. Latimer sent to Cambridge. he gaue hym selfe to the studie of such schole Diuinitie, as ye ignoraunce of that age did suffer.
Zelous he was then in the Popyshe Religion,M. Latimer a long tyme was a zealous and superstitious Papist. and therewith so scrupulous (as hym selfe confessed) that beyng a Priest, and vsyng to say Masse, he was so seruile an obseruer of the Romishe Decrees, that he had thought he had neuer sufficiently mingled his Massing wine with water: and moreouer, that he shoulde neuer be damned, if he were once a professed Frier, with diuers suche superstitious fantasies. And in this blinde zeale he was a very enemie to the professours of Christes Gospell: as both his Oration made when he proceeded Bachlour of Diuinitie, agaynst Philip Melancthon,M. Latimer declamed in Cambridge agaynst Melancthon. and also his other workes did playnely declare. But especially his Popyshe zeale coulde in no case abyde in those dayes good Maister Stafford, reader of the Diuinitie Lectures in Cambridge, moste spitefully raylyng agaynst hym, and willyng the youth of Cambridge, in no wyse to beleeue hym.
Notwithstandyng suche was the goodnesse and mercifull purpose of God, that when he saw his good tyme, by the whiche waye hee thought to hauehave vtterly defaced the professours of the Gospell and true Church of Christ, he was at lengthe hym selfe by a member of the same, pretily caught in the blessed nette of Gods woorde. For M. Thomas Bilney (whose storye is before described) beyng at that tyme a tryer out of Sathans subtilties, and a secrete ouerthrower of Antichristes kyngdome,Latymer conuerted by M. Bilney. seeyng M. Latimer to hauehave a zeale in his waies (although without knowledge) was striken with a brotherly pittie towardes hym, & bethought by what meanes he might best winne this zelous ignoraunt brother, to the true knowledge of Christe. Wherefore, after a shorte tyme, he came to M. Latimers study, and desired him to here him make his confession. Which thing he willingly graunted: by hearyng whereof, he was (through the good spirte of God) so touched, that hereuppon he forsooke his former studying of the schole Doctors, and other suche fopperies, and became a earnest student of true Diuinitie, as he hym selfe, aswell in his conference with M. Ridley, as also in his fyrst sermon made vponupon the Pater noster, doth confesse. So that whereas before he was an enemy, and almost a persecutor of Christe, he was now a zelous seeker after h…m, chaunging his old maner of cauilling and rayling, into a diligent kind of conferring, both with M. Bilney and others,R…ad M. L…timers owne conf…sion in his first Sermon vponupon the Pater Noster. M. Latimer a Papis… turned to a zealous Christian. & came also to M. Stafford before he dyed, and desired him to forgeue him.
After this his winning to Christ, he was not satisfied with his owne conuersion onelyonly, but like a true Disciple of the blessed Samaritane, pitied the misery of others, and therefore became both a publike Preacher, and also a priuate Instructer to the rest of his brethren within the Uniuersitie, by the space of 3. yeres, spending his tyme partly in the Latin tongue among the learned, & partly amongst the simple people in his naturall and vulgar language. Howbeit,M. Latimer be…commeth a Preacher in Cambridge. as Satan neuer slepeth when he seeth his kingdome to begin to decay, so likewyse now seeyng that this worthy member of Christ would be a shreud shaker therof he raued vp his impious impes to molest & trouble him.
Amongest these there was an Augustine Frier, who tooke occasion vponupon certaine Sermons that M. Latimer made about Christenmas 152…. aswell in the church of S. Edward,Enemyes styrred in Cambridge agaynst M. Latimer. as also in S. Augustins, within the Uniuersitie in Cambridge, to inuey against him, for that M. Latimer in the sayde Sermons (alludyng to the common vsage of the season) gaue the people certaine cardes out of the 5.6.7. Chapiters of S. Matthewe, whereupon they might, not onelyonly then,M. Latimers Pre…ching of the Cardes in Cambridge. but alwayes els occupy their tyme. For the chiefe triumph in the cardes he limitted the Hart as the principall thing that they shoulde serue God with all: wherby he quite ouerthrew all hypocriticall and externall ceremonies, not tending to the necessarie furtheraunce of Gods holy word and Sacramentes. For the better atteyneng hereof, he wished the Scriptures to be in Englysh, wherby the common people might the better learne their dueties, aswell to God, as their neighbours.
The handling of this matter was so apt for the tyme, and so pleasantly applyed of him, that not only it declared a singuler towardnesse of witte in the Preacher, but also wrought in the hearers much fruite, to the ouerthrowe of Popish superstition, and setting vp of perfect Religion.
This was vponupon the Sundaye before Christenmas day, on which day commyng to the Church, and causyng the Bell to be tolled to a Sermon, he entered into ye Pulpit, takyng for his text the wordes of the Gospell aforesayd, red in the Church that day: Tu quis es. &c. In deliueryng the whiche cardes (as is abouesayd) he made the Harte to be triumph, exhortyng and inuityng all men thereby to serue the Lord with inwarde hart and true affection, and not with outward ceremonies: adding moreouer to the prayse of that triumph, that though it were neuer so small, yet it woulde make vp the best cote carde beside in the bunch,The difference betweene true & false religion. yea though it were ye kyng of Clubs. &c. meanyng thereby, how the Lorde would be worshipped and serued in simplicitie of the harte and veritie, wherein consisteth true Christian Religion, and not in the outward deedes of the letter onelyonly, or in the glisteryng shewe of mans traditions, or pardons, pilgrimages, ceremonies, vowes, deuotions, voluntarie workes, and workes of supererogation, foundations, oblations, the Popes supremacie. &c. so that all these either were nedeles, where the other is present: or els were of small estimation, in comparison of the other.
The tenour and effect of these his Sermons, so far as they could come to our handes, here foloweth.