offered by the king at the suit of the lord Cromwell and Doctor Butts, was glad thereof, seeking by that means to be rid out of the court, wherewith in no case he could agree, and so having a grant of the benefice, contrary to the mind of Doctor Butts, he would needs depart and be resident at the same.

This benefice was in Wiltshire, under the diocese of Sarum, the name of which town was called West Kingston, where this good preacher did exercise himself with much diligence of teaching to instruct his flock, and not only to them his diligence extended, but also to all the country about. In fine, his diligence was so great, his preaching so mighty, the manner of his teaching so zealous, that there in like sort he could not escape, without enemies. So true it is, that St. Paul foretelleth us, "Whosoever will live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution." It so chanced, that where as he, preaching upon the blessed Virgin, Christ's mother (whom we call our lady), had thereupon declared his mind, referring and reducing all honour only to Christ, our only Saviour, certain popish priests, being therewith offended, sought and wrought much trouble against him, drawing out articles and impositions, which they untruly, unjustly, falsely, and uncharitably imputed unto him.

The chief impugners and molestors of him, besides these country priests, were Dr. Powell, of Salisbury, Dr. Wilson, some time of Cambridge, Master Hubberdin, and Dr. Sherwood. Of whom some preached against him, some also did write against him, insomuch that by their procurement he was cited up and called to appear before W. Warham, archbishop of Canterbury, and John Stokesley bishop of London. Jan. 29, Anno 1531.

A long and vexatious prosecution followed, during which the malice of his adversaries raged much.

But their schemes were frustrated through the influence of the lord Cromwell with the king.

Yet this by the way is to be noted, concerning the crafty and deceitful handling of these bishops in his examinations, what subtle devices they used at the same time to entrap him in their snares. The truth of the story he shewed forth himself, in a cer-tain sermon, preached at Stamford, 1550, Oct. 9: his words be these, "I was once (saith he) in examination before five or six bishops, where I had much turmoiling; every week thrice I came to examinations, and many snares and traps were laid to get something. Now, God knoweth I was ignorant of the law, but that God gave me answer and wisdom what I should speak. It was God indeed, for else I had never escaped them. At the last I was brought forth to be examined into a chamber hung with arras, where I was wont to be examined, but now at this time the chamber was somewhat altered. For whereas before there was wont ever to be a fire in the chimney, now the fire was taken away, and an arras hanged over the chimney, and the table stood near the chimney's end.

"There was amongst these bishops that examined me, one with whom I had been very familiar, and took him for my great friend, an aged man, and he sat next the table's end.

"Then amongst all other questions he put forth one, a very subtle and crafty one, and such a one indeed, as I could not think so great a danger in. And when I should make answer, I pray you, Master 'Latimer,' said one, speak out, I am very thick of hearing, and here be many that sit far off. T marvelled at this, that I was bidden to speak out, and began to misdeem, and give an ear to the chimney; and, sir, there I heard a pen moving in the chimney behind the cloth. They had appointed one

there to write all mine answers, for they made sure that I should not start from them. There was no starting from them, God was my good Lord, and gave me answer, I could never else have escaped it." The question to him there and then objected, was this, whether he thought in his conscience that he had been suspected of heresy. This was a captious question. There was no holding of peace would serve, for that was to grant himself faulty. To an swer it, was every way full of danger. But God, which alway giveth in need what to answer, helped. him, or else (as he confessed himself) he had never escaped their bloody hands. Albeit, what was his answer, he doth not there express. And thus hitherto you have heard declared the manifold troubles of this godly preacher, in the time not only of his being in the university, but especially at his benefice.

In these so hard and dangerous straits, and such snares of the bishops, hard had it been for him, and impossible to have escaped and continued so long, had not the almighty helping hand of the Highest, as he stirred him up, so preserved him, through the favour and power of his prince, who with much favour embraced him, and with his mere power sometime rescued and delivered him out of the crooked claws of his enemies. Moreover, at length also, through the procurement partly of Dr. Butts, partly of good Cromwell (whose story ye heard before), he advanced him to the dignity and degree of a bishop, making him the bishop of Worcester, which so continued a few years instructing his diocese, according to the duty of a diligent and vigilant pastor, with wholesome doctrine and example of perfect conversation duly agreeing to the same.

It were long a matter to stand particularly upon such things as might here be brought to the commendation of his pains, as study, readiness, and

continual carefulness in teaching, preaching, exhorting, visiting, correcting, and reforming, either, as his ability could serve, or else the time would bear. But the days then were so dangerous and variable, that he could not in all things do that he would, yet what he might do, that he performed to the uttermost of his strength, so that although he could not utterly extinguish all the sparkling relics of old superstition, yet he so wrought, that, though they could not be taken away, yet they should be used with as little hurt and with as much profit as might be.

As (for example) in this thing, and in divers other it did appear, that when it could not be avoided, but holy water and holy bread must needs be received, yet he so prepared and instructed them of his diocese with such informations and lessons, that in receiving thereof superstition should be excluded and some remembrance taken, thereby, teaching and charging the ministers of his diocese, in delivering the holy water and the holy bread, to say these words following:

Words spoken to the People in giving them holy
Water.

Remember your promise in baptism,
Christ is mercy and blood shedding,
By whose most holy sprinkling
Of all

your sins you have free pardoning.

What to say in giving holy Bredd.

Of Christ's body this is a token,

Which on the cross for our sins was broken;
Wherefore of your sins you must be forsakers,
If of Christ's death ye will be partakers.

By this it may be considered what the diligent care of this bishop was in doing the duty of a faithful

pastor among his flock. And, moreover, it is to be thought that he would have brought more things else to pass, if the time then had answered to his desire, for he was not ignorant how the institution of holy water and holy bread not only had no ground in Scripture, but also how full of profane exorcisms and conjurations they were, contrary to the rule and learning of the Gospel. Thus this good man behaved himself in his diocese, but (as before) both in the university, and at his benefice, he was tossed and turmoiled by wicked and evil-disposed persons, so in his bishopric also he was not all clear and void of some, that sought his trouble. As among many other evil willers, one especially there was, and that no small person, which accused him then to the king for his sermons. The story, because he himself sheweth in a sermon of his before king Edward, I thought therefore to use his own words, which be these:

"In the king's days that is dead, a great many of us were called together. before him, to say our minds in certain matters. In the end, one kneeled down and accused me of sedition, and that I had preached seditious doctrine. A heavy salutation, and a hard point of such a man's doing, as if I should name, ye would not think. The king turned to me and said, • What say you to that, sir?'

"Then I kneeled down, and turned me first to my accuser and required of him: Sir, what form of preaching would you appoint me in preaching before 'a king? Would you have me preach nothing as con'cerning a king in the king's sermon? Have you any 'commission to appoint me what I shall preach ?" Besides this I asked him divers other questions, and he would make me no answer to any of them all, he had nothing to say.

"Then I turned me to the king, and submitted 'myself to his grace, and said, 'I never thought myself