"cause of complaint was not forthwith remov "ed, he certainly would himself lay the whole "affair before the King." This Latimer certainly would have done, (as he was then going to London on the following occafion) if he had not been prevented, by their making the poor man that reftitution and fatisfaction he required.

As Latimer was the champion of the doctrine of the King's Supremacy, he was, about this time, fent for to London, in order to reclaim one Forrest, an Observant Friar, who had denied the King's Supremacy, and also the Gofpel. Latimer did all that lay in his power, and ftudied every way he could imagine to cause the Friar to recant; for, it seems, Henry had, till he denied his Supremacy, a very great refpect for him. However Forrest, could not by any arguments or perfuafions be induced to recant, and therefore the day came when he was to be put to death in Smithfield. The Lords of the Council came thither, on the day, to offer Forrest his pardon, if he would abjure. Latimer alfo, on this occafion preached a fermon, wherein he endeavoured to confute his errors, and begged of him to recant; but he continued ftill in his former opinions. He was hanged to the ftake with a great chain about his middle, and fo was burnt.

About this time Latimer, together with eighteen other Bishops, all that were then in England drew up and figned a declaration against the Pope's ecclefiaftical jurifdiction, which concludes with these words: "That the people ought to "be inftructed, that Chrift did expreffly for

"bid his Apostles or their fucceffors to take to "themselves the power of the fword, or the

authority of Kings; and that if the Bishop "of Rome, or any other Bishop, affumed "fuch power, he was a tyrant and an ufur"( per of other mens rights, and a fubverter "of the kingdom of Chrift."

Soon after another declaration was drawn up and figned by our Bifhop and feven others, to fhew," That by the commiffion which "Chrift gave to churchmen, they were only "minifters of his gofpel, to inftruct the people "in the purity of the faith: but that by other

places of fcripture, the authority of christian "Princes, over all their fubjects, as well Bishops "and Priests, as others, was also clear. And "that the Bifhops and Priests have charge of "fouls within their cures; power to admi"nister facraments, and to teach the word of "God: To the which word of God, chriftian "Princes acknowledge themselves fubject; and "that in cafe the Bifhops be negligent, it is the "christian Prince's office to fee them do their duty."

This year alfo the priory of Great Malverne (now written Malverin Major in Ecton) in Worcesterfhire was fuppreffed. At the fuppreffion, Latimer with an earnest defire recommended to Cromwell, who was the King's Vicar-general, that that house might stand, not in monkery, but fo as to be converted to preaching, study and prayer. And the good Prior was willing to compound for his house by a prefent of five hundred marks to the King, and of two hundred to Cromwell. He is commended

mended for being an old worthy man, a good houfe-keeper, and one that daily fed many poor people. To this Latimer adds, his farther defire and recommendation to the Vicar-general, Alas, my good Lord! fhall we not fee two or "three in every fhire, changed to fuch remedy." He wished, but in vain; the monafteries were diffolved, and the money mifapplied. Indeed Cranmer and Latimer wanted their lands and riches to be applied to found seminaries in every cathedral, for the training up youth for the miniftry, under the eye and tuition of every Bishop, to be transplanted into the feveral cures in each diocese, as occafion ferved.

1539. Our Bishop, at the beginning of this year was at his diocefe, but was early in the fpring called up to town, to preach the Lent fermons before the King, and to attend the houfe. He was noted for rebuking vice in all, and especially in great men, and he used his wonted freedom in fpeaking his mind, even before the King himself. The court was at this time abominably corrupt, and no one had

the

courage among all the Bishops, befides Latimer, to reprove the reigning vices and enormities. He did it plainly and honeftly with a fincere heart, not fearing any ill confequence. Hereupon the Bishop of Winchester, as it is fuppofed, accufed him to the King of making ufe of feveral feditious expreffions in his fermons, which he called a libel against the King and miniftry, and tended to alienate the people from the Prince. The King called upon Latimer to vindicate himfelf, which he

e

did

did thus without the leaft concern; " I never "thought myself, great Sir, worthy, nor did "I ever fue to preach before your Grace; but "I was called to it, and would be willing, if

you miflike me, to give place to my betters; "for I grant there be a great many more

worthy of the room than I an. And if it "be your Grace's pleasure 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 defire you to "give me leave to difcharge my confcience, " and to frame my doctrine according to my "audience. I had been a very dolt indeed, "to have preached fo at the borders of your "realm, as I preach before your Grace." The magnanimity and plainnefs of this answer at once baffled Winchefter's malice, and the King difmiffed Latimer with a finile.

The parliament met the twenty-eighth of April, and on the fifth of May following, the Lord Cromwell, and two Archbishops, and the Bishops of Worcester, Ely, Durham, Bath and Wells, Carlisle and Bangor, were appointed a committee to draw up certain articles to be a ftandard of thinking, and thereby to eftablish an uniformity of opinion throughout the realm. But this committee being compofed of men quite oppofite in religious fentiments, one to another, no agreement could be had, nor was likely ever to obtain. Whereupon, the Duke of Norfolk, according to the premeditated plan, told the house, that the committee had been confulting for twelve days paft, and was come to no conclufion, he therefore de

fired

fired to offer the following articles, which he (and the Popish party) had drawn up to be examined by a committee of the whole houfe, viz.

I. That in the facrament of the altar, after the confecration, their remained no fubftance of bread and wine, but the natural body and blood of Chrift. II. That vows of chastity ought to be obferved. III. That the ufe of private maffes fhould be continued. IV. That communion in both kinds was not neceffary. V. That Priefts might not marry. VI. That auricular confeffion fhould be retained in the Church. These articles, notwithstanding the oppofition they met with from the Proteftant party, and especially from Cromwell, Cranmer and Latimer, foon paffed the house, and was made into a law, which obtained the denomi❤ nation of the act of the Six Articles.

Bishop Latimer was among those who took great offence against this act; and as he did not vote for it in the houfe, he thought it wrong to hold the epifcopal office in a church where fuch abfurd terms of communion were required. Wherefore, on the last day of seffions when the houfe was diffolved, he refigned his Bishopric; and coming from the parliament-house to his own, he threw off his robes, and leaping up, he declared to his domeftics, that he thought himself lighter than ever he had found himself before.

In the discharge of his epifcopal duty, we are told by the hiftorians of this time, that he was remarkably and exemplarily zealous. He was a right Bishop,aPaul,aTimothy,aTitus, andas fuch