MarginaliaAn. 1555. October.shall please you to write your aunswere, you shall haue penne, inke, and paper, and bookes such as you shall require: but if you write any thyng sauyng your aunsweres to these Articles, we will not receiue it: and so he chargyng the Maior
Edmund Irish; Ridley was being held in Irish's custody.
MarginaliaM. Latimer appeareth before the deputies.NOw after M. Ridley was cōmitted to þe Maior, then the Bishop of Lincolne commaunded the Bailyffes to bryng in the other prisoner, who eftsoones as he was placed, sayd to the Lords:
Lat. My Lordes, if I appeare agayne, I pray you not to send for me vntyll you are ready. For I am an old man, and it is great hurt to myne old age to tary so long gasing vpon the cold walles.
Throughout his examination, Latimer is clearly trying to present himself as a feeble old man, being persecuted by the authorities. Latimer was old, but the evidence suggests that he was far from overawed and was able to mount a vigorous defence. It was very different, however, from Ridley's defence, which relied on the bishop's theological knowledge and skill in argument. Latimer relied on his skills in informal agument and self-dramatisation.
[Back to Top]Linc. M. Latimer, I am sory you were brought so soone, although it is the Bailiffes fault, and not myne: but it shall be amended.
Then M. Latymer bowed hys knee downe to the ground, holding hys hat in hys hand, MarginaliaThe order of M. Latymers apparell.hauing a kerchef on hys head, and and vpon it a nightcap or two, and a great cap (such as townes men vse, with two broad flaps to butten vnder the chin) wearing an old thryd bare Bristow fryse gowne
A gown of light cloth, with a pattern worked into the fabric.
Latimer's biographer has argued that the martyr's 'eccentricities of dress and behavior' were symptoms 'of mental and nervous collapse' (Alan G. Chester, Hugh Latimer, Apostle to the English [Philadelphia, 1954], p. 209). However, Latimer's skill in turning the tables on his interrogators suggests that there was nothing wrong with Latimer's mental processes. Suggestively, Latimer wore the same costume at his execution and it had the effect of generating sympathy for theformer bishop.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe oration of Lincolne to M. Latymer.Linc. M. Latimer, you shall vnderstand that I and my Lordes here haue a Cōmission from my Lord Cardinall Poles grace Legate a latere to thys realme of England, from our most reuerend father in God the Popes holynes, to examine you vpon certayne opinions and assertions of yours, which you as well here openly in disputations in the yeare of our Lord. 1554. as at sundry and diuers other times did affirme, maintayne, and obstinately defend. In the which commission be especially two pointes: the one which we must desire you is, that if you shall now recant, reuoke, and disanull these your errours, and together wyth all this realme, yea all the world confesse the truth, wee vpon due repentaunce of your part should receiue you, recōcile you, acknowledge you no lenger a strayed sheepe, but adioyne you agayne to the vnitie of CHRISTES church, from the which you in the tyme of schisme fell: So that it is no new place to the which I exhort you: I desire you but to returne thether frō whence you went.
[Back to Top]Consider M. Latymer, that without the vnity of the church is no saluation, and in the church can be no errour.MarginaliaBut thys church then standeth vpon the truth of Gods word, and not vpon the fantasie of man. Therefore what should stay you to confesse that which all the Realme confesseth, to forsake that which the King and Queene their Maiesties haue renoūced, & all the realme recanted: it was a common errour, & it is now of all confessed: it shall bee no more shame to you, then it was to vs all. Consider M. Latymer, that wythin these. xx. yeares thys Realme also wyth all the world confessed one church, acknowledged in CHRISTES church an head, and MarginaliaWhat the first occasion of this was, and what were the manifold misdemeanours of þe Pope, read before pag. 1220. 1224. 1458.by what meanes and for what occasion it cut of it selfe from the rest of Christianitie, it renounced that which in all tymes and ages was confessed, it is well knowen, and might bee nowe declared vpon what good foundation the sea of Rome was forsaken, saue that wee must spare them that are dead,MarginaliaHow you spared the dead, your owne actes can beare witnes. to whom the rehearsall would be obprobrious: it is no vsurped power as it hath bene termed, but MarginaliaThe Popes authority.founded vpon Peter by CHRIST, a sure foundation, a perfect builder, as by diuers places as well of the aunciēt fathers as the expresse word of God, may be proued.
[Back to Top]With that M. Latymer, which before leaned his head to hys hand, began somewhat to remoue hys cap and
kerchef from hys eares.
The Bishop proceeded saying: for CHRIST spake expresly to Peter saying, Marginaliaποιμαίνειν, signifieth to feede or to rule.pasce oues meas,
Latimer is quoting John 21: 16-17 in the Vulgate, but the phrase 'rege oves meas,' crucial to Latimer's argument, does not appear in the Bible. pasce oues meas, & rege oues meas [As1563,except imperativeregefor futurereges] Not translated. feed my sheep and guide my sheep [Cf. above, page 1916, column 1, line 24.] Rex a regendo Not translated. king by ruling filius perditionis a lost childe [et revelatus fuerit homo peccati] filius perditionis.
MarginaliaPersuasions vsed to Master Latymer to returne to the vnity of the Popes church.Therfore M. Latimer, for Gods loue consider your estate, remember you are a learned man, you haue taken degrees in the schoole, borne the office of a Bishop, remember you are an old man, spare your body, accelerate not your death, & especially remēber your soules health, quiet of your conscience, consider that if you should dye in this state, you shall be a stinkyng sacrifice to God: MarginaliaReasons to persuade the flesh, but not to satisfy conscience.for it is the cause that maketh the Martyr, and not the death: consider that if you die in this state, you dye without grace, for without the Church can be no saluation. Let not vayne glory haue the vpper hād, humiliate your selfe, captiuate your vnderstandyng, subdue your reason, submit your selfe to the determination of the church, doe not force vs to doe all that we may do, let vs rest in that part which we most hartely desire, and I, for my part (then the bishop put of hys cap) againe with all my hart exhort you.
[Back to Top]After the Bishop had somwhat paused, then master Latimer lyft vp hys head (for before hee leaned on his elbow) and asked whether hys Lordshyp had sayd:
I.e., had finished.
Lat. Then wyll your Lordship geue mee leaue to speake a word or two?
Linc. Yea M. Latimer, so that you vse a modest kind of talke, without rayling or tauntes.
Lat. I besech your Lordship, licence me to sit down.
MarginaliaMaster Latymer hath leaue to sitte downe.Linc. At your pleasure M. Latimer, take as much ease as you wyll.
MarginaliaAnswere of Master Latymer to the B. of Lincolne.Lat. Your Lordship gently exhorted me in many woordes, to come to the vnity of the church. I confesse (my Lord) a catholicke Church, spread throughout all the world, in the which no man may erre, without the which vnity of the church no man can be saued: but I know perfectly by Gods word that thys church is in
[Back to Top]