Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Letters 1 · Letter 8 – Letter 9
¶A fruitfull letter of M. Latimer, written to a certayne Gentleman.
RIght worshipfull, salutem in Domino. And now Syr I vnderstand, that you be in greate admirations at me,A letter of M. Latimer to a certayne gentleman. and take very greeuouslye my maner of writing to you, adding thereunto that you will not beare it at my hande, no not and I were the best Byshop in England. &c.
Ah Syr? I see well I may say as the common saying is: Well hauehave I fished and caught a Frog: brought litle to passe with much ado. You will not beare it with me, you say. Why syr, what wil ye do with me? You will not fight with me, I trow. It may seeme vnseemely for a Iustice of peace to be a breaker of peace. I am glad the dotyng tyme of my foolishe youth is gone and paste? What will you then doe with me, in that you say you will not beare it at my hand? What hath my hand offended you? Perchaunce you will conuent mee before some Iudge,i. God turne … to good, I refuse no iudgement. Let vsus accuse one another, that one of vsus may amend an other in the name of the Lord. Let iustice proceede in iudgement. and call mee into some court. Deus bene vertat. Equidem non recuso iudicium vllum, Accusemus inuicem, vt emendemus alius alium in nomine Domini. Fiat iustitia in iudicio. And then and there, doe best hauehave best, for club halfe peny. Or peraduenture ye will set penne to paper, and all to rattle me in a letter, wherein confuting mee you will defend your selfe and your brother agaynst mee. Nowe that woulde I see, quoth long Roben, vt dicitur vulgariter. Non potero sane non vehementer probare eiusmodi industriam: For so should both your integrityes and innocencyes best appeare, if you be able to defend both your owne procedinges, & your brothers doinges in this matter to be vpright. Et ego tum iustis rationibus victus, libenter cedam, culpam humiliter confessurus. But I thinke it will not be. But now first of all let me know what it is that ye will not beare at my hande? What hauehave I done wyth my hande?i. I cannot chuse but much alow such diligence. i. And then will I gladly geue place confessing my fault humbly, as one conquered with iust reasons. As may wel appea…e by his letter sent to the King before. What hath my hand trespassed you? Forsoothe, that canne I tell, no man better: For I hauehave charitably monished you in a secret letter, of your slipper dealing, and such like misbehauiour. O quam graue piaculum? i. What a sore matter is this? And will ye not beare so much with me? Will ye not take suche a shew of my good will towardes you, and towarde the sauing of your soule at my hand? Oh Lord God, who would hauehave thought that Mayster N. had bene so impudent, that he would not beare a godly monition for the wealth of his soule? I hauehave in vse to commit suche trespasses manye times in a yeare with your betters by two ot three degrees, both Lordes and Ladyes, of the best in the Realme, and yet hitherto I hauehave not heard that any of them hauehave sayd in theyr displeasure, that they will not beare it at my hand. Are you yet to be taught,i. To rebuke the world of sinne. what is the office, liberty, & priuiledge of a Preacher? What is it els, but euen arguere mundum de peccato, without respect of persons, quod quidem ipsum est ipsius spiritus sancti peculiare in ecclesia munus & officium,i. Which thing vndoubtedly is the peculiar office of the holy ghost in the church of God, so that it be practised by lawfull Preachers. i. vnlesse perhaps to rebuke sinne sharpely, be now to lacke all charitye, friendship, and truth. sed non nisi per Praedicatores legitimos exequendum. You could but ill beare (belike) to heare your fault openlye reproued in the Pulpit, which can not beare the same in a secret sealed vppe letter, written both frendly, charitably, and truely, nisi forte acriter reprehendere peccata, sit iam omni charitate, amicitia, veritate carere. But Mayster N. if you will geue me leaue to be playne with you, I feare me you be so plunged in worldly purchasinges, and so drowned in the manifolde dregges of this deceiueable worlde, that I weene you hauehave forgotten your Catechisme. Reade therefore agayne the opening of the firste commaundement, and then tell me whether you of me, or I of you hauehave iust cause to complayne. &c.
Item Syr, you sayd further that I am wonderfully abused by my neighbour. &c. How so, good Mayster N? Wherein? Or how will you proue it to be true, and when? So you sayd that he had abused you, and geuen you wrong information, but the contrary is found true by good testimony of Mayster Chamber, whiche heard aswell as you, what my neighbour sayd, and hath testified the same, both to you, and agaynst you, full like himselfe. Maister N. to forge and feine (which argueth an ill cause) that is one thing: but to proue what a man doth say, that is an other thyng. As though you were priuiledged to outface poore men & beare them in hand what you list, as may seeme to make some mayntenaunce for your naughty cause. Trust me Mayster N. I was but a very litle acquaynted with my neighbor when this matter begā: but now I hauehave found him so conformable to honesty, vpright in his dealinges, and so true in his talke, that I esteme him better, then I do some other whom I hauehave perceiued and founde otherwayes.M. Latimer flattereth no man. For I will flatter no man, nor yet claw his backe in hys folly, but esteeme all menne as I finde them, allowing what is good, and disalowing what is bad, In omnibus hominibus siue amicis siue inimicis,i. Among al mē, eyther frendes or enemyes according to Paules precept, not esteemed of the children of this world, hate you sayth he, that which is euill, and cleaue to that which is good. And let vsus not at any tyme for the fauour of men, call good euill, and euill good, as the children of this world are commonly wont to doe, as it is eueryevery where to be seene. iuxta praeceptum Paulinum, à filijs huius seculi in precio non habitum: Sitis odio, inquit, prosequentes quod malum est, adhaerentes autem ei quod bonum est: Neque bonum malum, nec malum bonum in gratiam hominum affirmemus vnquam, id quod filij huius seculi vulgo faciunt, vt est videre vbique. And nowe what maner of man doe you make me Mayster N. when you note me to bee so muche abused by so ignoraunt a man, so simple, so playne, and so farre without all wrinckles? HaueHave I liued so long in this tottering worlde, and hauehave I bene so many wayes turmoyled and tossed vp and downe, and so muche, as it were seasoned with the powder of so many experiences to and fro, to bee nowe so farre bewitched and alienated from my wyttes, as thoughe I coulde not discerne cheese from chalke, trueth from falsehoode, but that eueryevery sely soule, and base witted man might easely abuse me to what enterprise he listed at his pleasure? Well, I say not nay, but I may bee abused. But why doe you not tell we howe your brother abused me, promising before me and many moe, that he woulde stand to your awardship, and nowe doth denye it? Why do you not tell me, how those two false faythlesse wretches abused me, promising also to abide your awarde, and doth it not? Yea, why do you not tell me, how you your selfe hauehave abused me, promising me to redresse the iniury and wrong that your brother hath done to my neighbour, and hauehave not fulfilled your promise? These notable abuses bee nothing with you, but onelyonly you muste needes burthen me with my neighbours abusing me, whiche is none at all, as farreforth as euer I coulde perceiue, so GOD helpe mee in my need. For if he had abused me as you and other hauehave done, I should be soone at a point with him, for any thing further doing for him. &c.
Item Syr, you sayde further, that I shall neuer bee able to proue that either your brother, or the two tenauntes agreed to stand to your award. &c. No Syr? Mayster N. you say belike as you would hauehave it to be,Bolstring of falsehood and iniquitie. or as your brother with his adherentes hauehave persuaded you to think it to be, so inducing you to do their request to your owne shame and rebuke, if you perseuer in the same, beside the perill of your soule, for consenting at least wa…, to the mainteinance by falshood of your brothers iniquity.Brother ought not to beare with brother, to beare down right and truth, especially being a Iustice. For in that you would your awardship should take none effect, you shew your selfe nothing inclinable to the redresse of your brothers vnright dealing with an honest poore man, which hath bene readye at your request to doe you pleasure with his thinges, or els hee had neuer come into this wrangle for his owne goodes with your brother.
Ah Mayster N. what maner of man do you shew your selfe to be? or what maner of conscience do you shew your selfe to hauehave? For first, as touching your brother, you know right well, that Sir Thomas Cokin with a Letter of his owne hand writing, hath witnessed vntounto your brothers agreement, which letter he sent to me vnsealed, and I shewed the same to my neighbour and other mo ere I sealed it, and perchaunce hauehave a copye of the same yet to shewe. With what conscience then can you say that I shall neuer be able to prooue it? Shall not three men vponupon theyr othes make a sufficient proofe trow you? vel ipso dicente Domino:i. The Lord himselfe saying: in the mouth of two or three. &c. i. Corrupte tenantes. i. But God is yet aliue, which seeth all, and iudgeth iustly. Were not here a good sor…e of Iustices, trow you? in ore duorum vel trium. &c. Yea, you thinke it true I dare saye, in your conscience, if you hauehave any conscience, though I were in my graue, and so vnable to proue any thing. And as for the two tenauntes, they bee as they be, and I trust to see them handled according as they be: for there be three men yet aliue that dare sweare vponupon a booke, that they both did agree. But what should we looke for at such mens handes, when you your selfe play the part you do? Verum viuit adhuc Deus, qui videt omnia & iudicat iustè. &c.
Item Syr, you sayd yet further, that the Iustices of peace in the countrey thinke you verye vnnaturall, in taking part with me before your brother. &c. Ah Mayster N. what a sentence is this to come out of your mouth? For partaking is one thing? and ministring of iustice is an other thing: and a worthy minister of iustice will bee no Partaker, but one indifferent betweene party and partye. And did I require you to take my parte, I praye you? No, I required you to minister iustice betweene your brother and mine neighbour without anye partaking with either other. But what maner of Iustices bee they I praye you, whiche would so fayne hauehave you to take parte naturally with your Brother, when you ought and shoulde reforme and amende your brother? as you your selfe know, no man better. What? Iustices? no Iuggelers you might more worthely call such as they be, then Iustices. Be they those Iustices whiche call you vnnaturall,Iustices turned to Iugglers. for that you will not take your brothers part agaynst all right & conscience, whom you had picked out & appoynted to hauehave the final hearing and determining of my neighbours cause after your substantiall and fine award making? Verely I thinke no lesse. Forsooth he is much beholding to you, & I also for his sake. Is that the wholesome coūsell that you hauehave to geue your poore neighbours in theyr need? In deed you shew your selfe a worthy Iuggler: Oh, I would hauehave sayd a Iusticier, among other of your iuggling and partaking Iustices. Deum bonum, what is this worlde?Partaking Iustices. i. O good God. Mary Syr my neighbour had sponne a fayre thred, if your partaking Iustices through your good counsell had had his matter in ordering and finishing. I pray God saue mee and all my frendes, with all Gods flocke, from the whole felowship of your so naturall and partaking Iustices. Amen.
Lord God, who would hauehave thought that there had beene so many partaking Iustices, that is to say, vniust Iustices in Warwickshire, if Maister N. himselfe one of the same order (but altogether out of order) and therefore knoweth it best, had not told vsus the tale? but these call you (you saye) verye vnnaturall. &c. And why not rather (I pray you) to much naturall? For we reade de natura duplici, integra & corrupta. Illa erat iusticiae plena:i. Of a double nature, sound & corrupte. That was full of Iustice. This vnlesse it be restored, abideth alwayes vniust, bringing forth the fruites of wickednes one after an other. i. Of which sorte we hauehave fewer amongest vsus, then I would. i. To vicinity of bloud. haec nisi reparata semper manet iniusta, iniusticiae fructus alios post alios paritura: so that he that will not helpe his brother hauing a iust cause in his neede, may be iustly called vnnaturall, as not doing iuxta instinctu naturae, siue integre, siue reparate. i. According to the instinct of nature either as it was at the beginning, or as it was restored. But hee that will take his brothers parte agaynst right, as to ratifie his brothers wrong deceiuing, he is too muche naturall, tanquam sequens ingenium siue inclinationem naturae corruptae, contra voluntatem Dei. i. As one folowing the disposition and inclination of corrupt nature agaynst the wil of God: and so to be naturall maye seeme to bee cater cosin or cosin germane with, to be diabolicall.
I feare me we hauehave to many Iustices that be to much naturall to theyr owne perishment both body and soule. For worthy Iustices, hauing euer the feare and dread of God before their eies (quales sunt pauciores apud nos, quàm vellem) will hauehave no respect at all in theyr iudgementes and proceedinges, ad propinquitatem sanguinis, but altogether ad dignitatem & aequitatem causae, vt quod iustum est semper iudicent intuitu Dei, non quod iniustum est intuitu hominum: of whiche number I pray God make you one. Amen. Iustus est (sayth Iohn) qui facit iusticiam. At, qui facit peccatum (id quod facit, quisquis iniuste facit in gratiam & fauorem vllius hominis) ex diabolo est. i. He is iust that doth iustice. But he that sinneth (as they all do whiche doe vniustly for fauour and pleasure of men) is of the deuill (saith he) which once all our pataking and vnnatural iustices be with all their partialitie and naturalitie. Quare dignum & iustum est, that as many as be such Iustices, iuste priuentur munere, & amplius quoque plectantur pro sui quisque facinoris quantitate,… & … of … and … also be … a…ording to the … of their … wealth, which t…ouble vsus, when they … to …elpe vsus, … this … Vexation … vnderstanding, … good, O …ord, that thou h…m…e… me. 1. After this …, bind … Asses with …ri…le and s…a…le, … they approch not … vntounto thee. vt vel sic tandem abscindantur, tanquam nati in incommodum reipub. nostrae, qui nos conturbant cum adiuuare debeant, Amen.
Quare seponite iustitiam, & sequimini naturam, as your naturals and diabolicales woulde hauehave you to doe, that is, euen as iust as Germaines lippes, which came not together by nine mile, Vt Vulgo dicunt &c.
Item Sir, finally and last of all you added these wordes following? Well (quod you) let maister Latimer take heede howe hee medleth with my brother, for he is like to finde as crabbed and as froward a peece of him, as euer he found in his life. &c. Ah sir? and is your brother such a one as you speake of in deede? mercyfull GOD, what a commendation is this for one brother to geue an other? Est ne eiusmodi gloriatio tua mi amice? And were it not possible, trowe you to make hym better? It is written: Vexatio dat intellectum. And againe, Bonum mihi Domine quòd humiliasti me. At least waye I may pray to God for hym as Dauid did for such like, ad hunc modum: Chamo & freno maxillas eorum constringe qui non approximant at te. In the mean season I would I had neuer knowne neither of you both: for so shoulde I hauehave bene without this inward sorrow of my heart, to see suche vntowardnes of you both to godlinesse: for I can not be but heauy harted, to see such men so wickedly minded. Well, let vsus ponder a little better your woordes, where you saye, I shall finde him as crabbed and as frowarde a peece &c. Marke well your owne wordes. For by the tenour of the same it plainly appeareth, that you confesse your brothers cause wherein he so stiffely standeth, to be vniust and verye nought. For hee that standeth so stiffly in a good quarrell and a iuste cause, as manye good men hauehave done, is called a fast man, a constaunt a trustye man. But he that is so obstable and vntractable in wickednesse and wronge doing, is commonly called a crabbed and froward peece, as you name your brother to be.
Wherefore knowing so well youre brothers cause to bee so naughtie, why hauehave you not endeuoured youre selfe, as a worthy Iustice, to reforme him accordingly, as I required you, and you promised me to do, now almost twelue monthes agoe, if not altogether? Summa Summarum, Maister N. if you will not come of shortly, and apply your selfe thereunto more effectually hereafter then you hauehave done heretofore, be you well assured therof, I shall detecte you to all the friendes that I hauehave in Englande, both hye and lowe, as well his crabbednes and frowardnes, as your colourable supportation of the same, that I trust I shalbe able therby, either to bring you both to some goodnes, or at least waye, I shall so warne my friendes and all honest heartes to beware of your ilnes, that they shall take either no hurte at all, or at least waye, least harme by you through mine aduertisemente, in that,… will not such … cause, …yther wil communicate with other mens … dete…ble pride. …. knowing you perfectly, they may the better auoide and shunne youre companie. You shall not staye me maister N. no though you would geue me all the landes and goodes you hauehave as riche as you are noted to bee. Ego nolo tam iustam causam derelinquere, ego nolo peccatis alienis in hac parte communicare. For whether it be per detestabilem, superbiam, whether per abominabilem auaritiam, or by both two linked to gether, it is no small iniquitie to keep any one poore mā so long frō his right and duetie so stiffe neckedly and obstinately, or whether yee will crabbedly and frowardly. And what is it then anye manner of wayes to consent to the same? You know I trowe, Mayster N. furtum quid sit: nempe quouismodo auferre vel retinere alienam …em inuito Domino, vt quidam definiunt. Si fur sit qui sic palam facit, quis erit qui facientem probat, tutatur, propugnat, vel quibuscunque ambagibus suffulcit? id est. What thefte is, that is, to take or deteyne by any maner of way,…. What is to oppresse & to defraud your brother in his …. …. The sinne is not forgeuen, except the thing be restored agayne, that i… taken away. an other mans good against his will that is the owner, as some define it. If he be a theef that so doth openly, what shall he be that approueth hym whiche is the doer, defendeth, mayntayneth, and supporteth him by any maner of colour? Consider with your selfe good maister N quid sit opprimere & fraudare in negotio fratrem, and what followeth thereof. It is truely sayde, non tollitur peccatum, nisi restituatur obl…tum. No restitution, no saluation▪ which is as well to bee vnderstand, de rebus per fraudes, technas, & dolos, as de rebus per manifestum furtum & latrocinium partis. Wherefore let not your brother mayster N. by cauillation continue in the Deuils possession. I will doe the best I can, and wrestle with the Deuill omnibꝰ viribus, to deliuer you both frō him. I will leaue no one stone vnmoued, to hauehave both you and your brother saued. There is neither Archbishoppe nor Byshoppe, nor yet any learned man either in Vniuersities or elswhere, that I am acquaynted withal that shall not write vntounto you, and in theyr writing by their learning confute you. There is no Godly man of Lawe in this realme that I am acquaynted withall, but they shall write vntounto you, and confute you by the law. There is neither Lord nor Lady, nor yet anye noble personage in this Realme, that I am acquaynted withall, but they shall write vntounto you, and Godlye threaten you with their authoritie.
I will doe all this: yea,i. Of thinges gottē by fraude, guile, & deceite, as of thinges gotten by open theft and robbery. Godly threates of M. Latimer to saue the soule of his friend. and kneele vppon both my knees before the kinges maiestie, and all his honourable Counsaile, with most humble petition for youre reformation, rather then the Deuill shall possesse you still, to you …inall damnation. So that I doe not dispayre, but verely trust, one way or other, to plucke bothe you, and also your crabbed brother, as crabbed as you saye hee is, out of the Deuilles clawes, maugre the Deuilles heart.
These premisses well considered, looke vppon it, good maister N. that wee hauehave no farther adoe: Gods plague is presentlye vppon vsus: therefore let vsus now dilligently looke about vsus, and in no wise defend, but willingly reknowledge, and amend what soeuer hath bene amisse. These were the capitall poyntes of youre talke (as I was informed) after you had perused that my nipping and vnpleasaunt letter: and I thought good to make you some aunswere to them, if perchaunce I might so moue you, the rather to call your selfe to some better remembrance, and so more earnestly apply your selfe, to accomplish and performe what you hauehave begunne and promised to doe, namely the thing it selfe being of suche sorte, as apparantly tendeth both to your worship, and also to Gods high pleasure.
Thus loe with a madde head, but yet a good will, after longe scribling, I wotte not well what (but I knowe you can reade it, and comprehende it well enough) I bid you most hartily to fare in the Lord, with good health, and long life to Gods pleasure, Amen. From Baxsterley the xv of Iuly.
During the time that the said M. Latimer was prisoner in Oxford, we read not of much that he did wryte, besides his conference with Doctor Ridley, and his protestation at the time of hys disputation. Otherwise of letters, we finde very fewe or none, that he did write to his friendes abroad, saue onelyonly these few lynes, whiche hee wrote to one maistres Wilkinson of Londō, a godly matron, and an exile afterwarde for the Gospels sake. Who so long as she remayned in England, was a singular patronesse to the good saynctes of God, and learned Byshoppes, as to mayster Hooper, to the Byshop of Hereford, to Mayster Couerdale, M. Latimer, Doctor Cramner with many other. The copy and effect of which hys letter to Maystres Wilkinson here followeth.
¶A letter sent to maystres Wilkinson of London widowe, from mayster Hugh Latimer out of Bocardo in Oxford.
IF the gifte of a pot of a cold water, shall not bee in obliuion with God, how can God forget your manifolde & bountifull giftes, when he shall say to you: I was in pryson and you visited me. God graunt vsus all to do and suffer while we be here, as may be to hys will and pleasure. Amen.
Yours in Bocardo Hugh Latimer.
Touching the memorable actes and doynges of thys worthye man, among many other this is not to bee neglected, what a bold enterprise he attempted, in sendyng to kyng Henry a present, the maner whereof is this. There was then, and yet remayneth still, an old custome receaued from the old Romaynes, that vponupon Newyeares day being the first day of Ianuary, eueryevery Bishoppe with some handsome Newyeares gifte, shoulde gratify the king:M. Latimers Newyeares gift sent to K. Henry. and so they did, some with golde, some with siluer, some with a purse full of money, and some one thing, some an other: but maister Latimer being bishoppe of Worcester then, among the rest presented a new Testament, for his Newyeares gifte: with a napkyn hauing this posie aboute it: Fornicatores & adulteros iudicabit Dominus.
And thus hast thou gentle reader, the whole life, both of maister Ridley, & of mayster Latimer, two worthy doers in the churche of Christ, seuerally and by themselues sette foorthe, and descrybed with all theyr doynges, writinges, disputations, sufferinges, their paynefull trauayles, faythfull preachinges,B. Ridley, and M. Latimer brought forth to examination▪ studyous seruice in Christes Churche, their patiente imprisonmente, and constaunt fortitude in that whiche they had taught, with all other their proceedinges from time to time, synce theyr first springinge yeares, to thys present tyme and MonethMonth of Queene Mary,October. 1. beyng the MonethMonth of October. Anno. 1555. In the whiche MonethMonth they were bothe brought foorth together, to theyr finall examination and execution. Wherfore, as we hauehave heretofore declared, both theyr liues seuerallye, and distinctlye one from the other, so nowe ioyntly to couple them bothe together, as they were together both ioyned in one society of cause and Martyrdome, we will by the grace of Chryst prosecute the rest that remayneth, concerning their latter examination, disgrading, and constant suffering, with the order and maner, also of the Commissioners, which were Mayster White Byshop of Lincolne,M. White B. of Lincolne M. Brokes B. of Glocester the Popes deputies. Mayster Brookes Bishop of Glocester, with others: and what were theyr wordes, theyr obiections, theyr Orations there vsed, and what againe were the aunsweres of these men to the same as in the processe here followeth to be seene.