ceived the first notice. Ridley began the conference thus:

Ridley. The time is now come; we are now called upon either to deny our faith, or to fuffer death in the defence of it. You are an old foldier of Chrift, and have frequently withstood the fear of death, whereas I am raw in the service, and unexperienced, I beg therefore you would furnish me with proper arguments that I may be prepared to refute my adverfaries.

Latimer. You treat me, now, Sir, as I remember Master Pilney ufed to do, who when he wanted to ach me, would always do it under colo being tight himself. As to the prefent cafe, I am duermined to give the Commiffioners little or no trouble. I shall only lay before them a plain and brief account of my faith; for I know any thing more will be to no purpose. They tell us it fhall be a free difputation, but I am well affured their grand argument will be, "We have a law, and by "our law ye ought to die."

At Ridley's earnest request they both entred into a long conference relating to the differences between the doctrines of the Papists and Proteftants, which being ended, Ridley was ftrengthened greatly in the Reformed principles, and expreffed himself in the manner following. Ridley. Thus you fee, good father (for fo he always termed Latimer) how I would prepare myself for my adverfary; and how I would learn by practice to be expert in those weapons, which I fhall be presently obliged to wield.-I will therefore watch in the caufe of Chrift, and in the defence of our religion, whereon

g

whereon depend all my hopes of immortality. I will always go armed with thefe fcripture weapons, and be ever ready to receive a watchful foe; I will awake, and take the cross of Christ upon my shoulders, and follow my Captain, who by his own blood hath hallowed the way that leadeth to God. Thus have I opened my mind freely to you; and methinks I fee you just going to lift up your eyes towards heaven, in your accustomed prophetical manner thus to fpeak: "Truft not, my fon, truft not, I fay, my fon, to these word-weapons, but remember what our Lord fays: " It shall be given you "in that fame hour what you fhall fpeak." Pray for me, O father, pray for me, that I may throw my whole care upon God; and truft in him only in my diftreffes."

may

Latimer. Of my prayers you may be well affured, nor do I doubt but I fhall have yours in return, and indeed prayer and patience fhould be our great refources. For myself, had I the learning of St. Paul, I fhould think it ill laid out upon an elaborate defence, yet our cafe admits of comfort; our enemies can do no more than God permits; and God is faithful, who will not fuffer us to be tempted above our ftrength. Be at a point with them, ftand to that, and let them fay and do what they please. To use many words would be in vain; yet it is requifite to give a reasonable account of your faith, if they will quietly hear you. For other things, in a wicked judgment-hall, a man may keep filence after the example of Christ. As for their fophiftry, you know falfhood may often be difplayed in the colours

of

upon your This is the Poor Shax

of truth; but above all be guard against the fear of death. great argument you must oppose. ton, it is to be feared this argument had the greatest weight in his recantation. But let us be ftedfaft, and immoveable; affuring ourfelves, that we cannot be more happy, than by being fuch Philippians, as not only believe in Christ, but dare fuffer for his fake." Thus ended the conference between thefe two true difciples of Jefus Chrift, and eminent Reformers of this age.

On the fixteenth of April, Doctor Ridley, who had been taken out of prifon and lodged at the house of Alderman Irith, and Hugh Latimer, who also had been taken out of prison and lodged at the houfe of another Alderman of Oxford, on the feventh, together with Archbishop Cranmer, who had remained still in Bocardo, were all feverally brought before the Commiffioners, who had feated themselves in great order, pomp and fhew, before the high altar in the church of St. Mary's, to the number of thirty-three, in order to dispute on the following articles or queftions about the prefence, fubftance and facrifice of the facrament.

Article I. Whether the natural body of Christ be really in the facrament, after the words fpoken by the Prieft, or no?

Art. II. Whether in the facrament, after the words of confecration, any other substance do remain, than the fubftance of the body and blood of Chrift?

Art. II. Whether the mafs be a facrifice propitiatory for the fins of the quick and dead ? g 2

On

;

On thefe articles Archb fhop Cranmer was brought from prifon in Oxford and examined and then in like manner Doctor Ridley, Bishop of London, was brought from Alderman Irifh's house in the town to St. Mary's church and examined, whofe examinations the reader will find in Fox at large, to which we shall at prefent refer him, as that only relates to our subject at prefent which concerns Mafter Latimer.

On the eighteenth, by eight of the clock in the morning, Mafter Hugh Latimer, fometime Bishop of Worcester, fays Mr. Fox, was brought from the houfe wherein he was lodged in Oxford, to dispute on the aforefiid articles. This difputation was chiefly managed between Doctor Wefton, the Prolocutor of the Convocation, Mr. Smith of Oriel College, Doctor Cartwright, and Mr. Harpsfield; but we shall take notice here only of what paffed between Doctor Wefton the Frolocutor, and Mafter Latimer the prifoner.

Wefton. "Men and brethren, we are come together the third day by the help of God, to vanquish the ftrength of the arguments, and difperfed opinions of adverfaries against the truth of the real prefence of our Lord's body in the facrament. And therefore, you father Latimer, if you have any thing to answer, I do admonish that you anfwer in fhort and few words; and I defire it may be in Latin.

Latimer. I pay pou, good mafter Prolocutor, do not exact that of me, which is not in me: I have not these twenty years much ufed the Latin tongue.

Wefton

Wefton. Take your cafe, father, you may fpeak in English.

Latimer. I thank you, Sir, I am well. Let me here protest my faith, for I am not able to difpute; and afterwards do your pleasure with

me.

As to the first Article, I protest against it, because it is fet forth with certain new-found and obfcure terms, and not according to fcripture. However, though I cannot answer without great peril; yet I prefume to fay, that in the celebration of the Lord's Supper, there is no other prefence of Chrift required than a fpiritual prefence; and as we thereby abide in Chrift, and Christ in us, to the obtaining of eternal life, if we perfevere. And this fame prefence may be called moft fitly a real prefence, that is, a prefence not feigned, but a true and faithful prefence. Which thing I here rehearse, left fome fycophant or fcorner fhould fuppofe me, with the Anabaptists, to make nothing else of the facrament, but a bare and naked fign. As for that which is feigned of many concerning their corporal prefence, I for my part take it for a papistical invention; therefore think it utterly to be rejected.

As to the fecond Article, I dare be bold to fay, that it hath no ground in God's word, but is a thing invented by man; and therefore to be taken as fond and falfe; and the mother and nurfe of error. It were good for my Lords and Masters of the tranfubftantiation, to take heed left they confpire with the Neftorians, for I do not fee how they can avoid it.

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