Marginalia1555. October.uises they vsed the same tyme to entrap him in their snares. The story he sheweth forth hym selfe in a certeine Sermon preached at Stamford an. 1550. Octob. 9. his wordes be these.  

MarginaliaEx verbis Latimeri.I was once (sayth he) in examination before fiue or sixe Byshops, where I had much tormoilyng: euery weeke thrise I came to examinatiōs, and many snares and trappes were layd to get some thing. Now God knoweth I was ignorant of the law, but that God gaue me aunswere and wisedome what I should speake: It was God in deede, for els I had neuer escaped them. At the last I was brought forth to be examined into a chamber hanged with arras, where I was wont too be examined: but now at this tyme the Chamber was somwhat altered. For where as before there was wont euer to be a fire in the chimney, now the fire was taken away, and an arras hanged ouer the chimney, and the table stode neare the chimneys end.

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There was amongest these Byshops that examined me, one with whom I haue bene very familiar, and tooke hym for my great frend, an aged man, and he sat next the table end.

Then amōgest all other questions he put forth one, a very subtill and crafty one, and such a one in dede, as I coulde not thinke so great daunger in. And when I should make aunswere, I pray you M. Latimer sayd one, speake out, I am very thicke of hearing, and here be many that sit farre of. I maruayled at this, that I was bidden speake out, and beganne to misdeme, and gaue an eare to the chymney: and sir, there I heard a penne walking in the chimney behynd the cloth. They had appoynted one there to write all myne aunswers: for they made sure that I should not start from them: there was no starting from them. God was my good Lord, and gaue me aunswere, I could neuer els haue scaped it. The question to him there and then obiected, was this: MarginaliaA subtile and captious question put to Master Latymer by the Bishops.whether he thought in his conscience, that hee hath bene suspected of heresy. This was a captious question. There was no holding of peace would serue, for that was to graunt him selfe faultie. To aunswere, it was euery way ful of daunger. But God which alway geueth in neede what to aunswere, helped hym, or els (as he confesseth him self) hee had neuer escaped their bloudy handes. Albeit what was his answere, he doth not there expresse. And thus hitherto you haue heard declared the manifold troubles of this godly preacher in the tyme not only of his being in the Vniuersity, but especially at his benefice, as partly by his owne wordes aboue mencioned, and partly by his owne letters hereafter folowing may better appeare.

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In these so hard and daungerous straites, and such snares of the Bishops, hard it had bene for him and impossible to haue escaped and continued so long, had not the almighty helping hand of the highest, as he styrred hym vp, so haue preserued hym through þ^e fauour & power of hys Prince: MarginaliaMaster Latymer rescued by the king.who with much fauour embraced hym, and wyth his mere power sometime rescued and delyuered hym out of the crooked clawes of his enemies. Moreouer, at length also, through the procurement, partly of D. Buttes, partly of good Cromwell, (whose story ye had before) he auaūced him to þ^e degree & dignity of a Bishop, MarginaliaMaster Latymer aduaunced to the Bishopricke of Worcester by the king.making him the bishop of Worcester, which so continued a few yeares, instructing his dioces accordyng to the duty of a diligent and vigilant Pastor wyth wholsome doctrine and example of perfect conuersation duly agreing to the same. It were a long matter to stand particularly vpon such thinges as myght here be brought to the commendation of hys paynes, MarginaliaThe pastorall diligence of Master Latymer in his dioces.as study, readynes & continuall carefulnes in teaching, preaching, exhorting, visiting, correcting and reforming, eyther as hys ability could serue, or els the tyme would beare. But the daies then were so daungerous and variable, that he could not in all thinges do that he would: yet what he myght do, that he perfourmed to the vttermost of hys strength, so that although

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he could not vtterly extinguish al the sparkling relickes of old superstition, yet he so wrought, that though they could not be taken away, yet they should be vsed wyth as litle hurt, and with as much profit as might be.MarginaliaThe time vnstable for B. Latimer to worke in. As (for example) in this thing, as in diuers other it did appeare, that when it could not be auoyded, but holy water and holy bread must needes be receaued, yet hee so prepared and instructed them of hys dioces, with such informations and lessons, that in receauing thereof superstition should be excluded, and some remembraunce taken thereby, teaching and charging the Ministers of hys Dioces, in deliueryng the holy bread and holy water, to say these wordes following.

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MarginaliaWordes vsed in Byshop Latimers dioces in geuing holy water.Remember your promyse in Baptisme,
CHRIST hys mercy and bloud sheedyng,
By whose most holy sprinkelyng,
Of all your sinnes you haue free pardonyng.

MarginaliaWords vsed in geuing holy bread.Of CHRISTES body thys is a token,
Which on the crosse for your sinnes was broken,
Wherefore of your sinnes you must be forsakers,
If of CHRISTES death you wyll be partakers.

MarginaliaThe behauiour of Byshop Latymer in his office.By this it may be considered what the diligent care of thys Byshop was in doing the duety of a faythfull Pastour among his flocke. And moreouer it is to bee thought that he would haue brought more thinges els to passe, if the tyme then had aunswered to his desyre: for he was not ignorant, how the institution of holy water and holy bread, not onely had no groūd in scripture, but also how full of prophane exorcismes and coniurations they were, contrary to the rule & learning of the Gospell. Thus this good man behaued him selfe in his dioces: but, as before, both in the vniuersity, and at his benifice he was tost and tormoiled by wicked and euill disposed persons, MarginaliaThe troubles of Master Latymer in his Bishopricke.so in his Bishopricke also hee was not all cleare and voyde of some that sought his trouble. As among many other euill willers, one especially there was, and that no small person, which accused him then to the King for his Sermons. The story, because he sheweth him self in a Sermon of his before King Edward, I thought therefore to vse his owne wordes, which be these.

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MarginaliaEx verbis Latimeri, pro concione.In the Kings dayes that dead is, a great many of vs were called together before him, to say our mindes in certain matters. In the end, one kneeleth downe and accuseth me of sedition & that I had preached seditious doctrine.MarginaliaB. Latymer accused to K. Henry for his preaching. A heauy salutation, and a hard poynt of such a mans doing, as if I should name, ye would not thinke it. The King turned to me and sayd: What say you to that syr?

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Then I kneeled downe, and turned me first to my accuser, & requyred him: MarginaliaM. Latymer answereth his accuser.Syr what forme of preaching would you appoynt me? in preaching before a King would you haue mee preach nothing as concerning a King in the Kinges Sermon? haue you any commission to appoint me what I shall preach? Besides thys I asked him diuers other questions, and hee woulde make me none aunswere to any of them all: he had nothing to say.

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Then I turned me to the King, and submitted my selfe to his grace, and sayd: MarginaliaThe words of B. Latymer to the king.I neuer thought my selfe worthy, nor I neuer sued to be a preacher before your grace, but I was called to it, and would be willing (if you mislike mee) to geue place to my betters: for I graunt there bee a great many, more worthy of the roome then I am. And if it be your graces pleasure so to allowe them for preachers, I could be content to beare their bookes after them. But if your grace alow me for a preacher, I would desyre your grace to geue me leaue to discharge my conscience, geue me leaue to frame my

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