HUGH FATIMER, One of martyrs illuftrious reformers and martyrs of this country, was born at Thurcafton, in the county of Leicefter, about the year 1470. His father, a yeoman of good reputation, rented a fmall farm, on fuch an advantageous leafe, that, in thofe frugal times, he was enabled to maintain a large fa mily, fix daughters and a fon *. Being placed in a grammar-fchool, he made fuch an extraordinary proficiency in his ftudies, that it was determined to educate him for the church. He was fent, accordingly, to Cambridge, where, at the ufual time, he took the degrees in arts; and, entering into prieft's orders, he behaved with remarkable zeal in defence of popery, the established religion. He was violent against the opinions, which had lately appeared in England; heard the teachers of them with high indignation, and inveighed publicly and privately againft the reformers. If any read lectures in the schools, Mr. Latimer was fure to be there to drive out the fcholars; and, when he commenced bachelor of divinity, he gave an open teftimony of his diflike to their proceedings, in an oration against Melancthon, whom he treated most severely for his impious innovations in religion. His zeal was fo much taken notice of in the univerfity, that he was elected cross-bearer in all public proceffions; an employment, which he accepted with reverence, and difcharged with folemnity. Among thofe who favoured the re

fcripturas in English. The Proteftant party, nevertheless, of which Bilney and Latimer were the heads, continued to gain ground; and great was the alarm of the orthodox clergy; of which fort were the heads of colleges, and the fenior part of the univerity. Frequent convocations were held, tutors were admonished to have a strict eye over their pupils, and academical cenfures of all kinds were inflicted. But academical cenfures were found infufficient. Latimer continted to preach, and herefy to fpread. The heads of the popifh party applied to the bishop of Ely, as their diocefan; but that prelate was not a man for their purpofe; he was a papift indeed, but moderate. He came, however, to Cambridge, examined the flate of religion, and, at their intreaty, preached against the heretics, and filenced Latimer. But he would do nothing farther, and this gave no check to the reformers: for there happened, at this time, to be a proteftant prior in Cambridge, Dr. Barnes, of the Auftin-friars; who, having a monaftery exempt from epifcopal jurif diction, and, being a great admirer of Latimer, boldly licenfed him to preach there. Hither his party folfowed him; and the late oppofition having greatly excited the curiofity of the people, the friars' chapel was foon incapable of containing the crowds that attended. Among others, it is remarkable that my lord of Ely was often one of his hearers, and had the ingenuity to declare, that Mr. Latimer was one of the best preachers he had ever heard.

The principal perfons concerned, at this time, in ecclefiaftical affairs, were cardinal Wolfey, Warham archbishop of Canterbury, and Tunttal bishop of London; and as Henry VIII was now in expectation of having the bufinefs of his divorce ended in a regular way at Rome, he was 'careful to obferve ail forms of civility with the pope. The cardinal, therefore, created a court, confifting of bilhops and canonifts, to put the laws

in execution against herefy. Of this court Tunftal was made prefident; and Bilney, Latimer, and others, were called before him. Bilney was confidered as the herefiarch, and againft him, chiefly, the rigour of the court was levelled. They fucceeded fo far, that he was prevailed upon to recant: accordingly he bore his faggot, and was difmiffed. As for Mr. Latimer, and the reft, they had easier terms: Tunttal (a mild and benevolent man) omitted no opportunities of thewing mercy; and the heretics, upon their difmiflion, returned to Cambridge, where they were received with open arms by their friends. Amid this mutual joy, Bilney alone feemed unaffected; he thunned the fight of his acquaintance, and received their congratulations with confufion and blufhes. In short, he was ftruck with remorfe for what he had done, grew melancholy, and, after leading an afcetic life for three years, refolved to expiate his abjuration by death. In this refolution he went to Norfolk, the place of his nativity; and, preaching publicly against popery, he was apprehended by order of the bishop of Norwich, and,' after lying a while in the county gaol, was executed in that city.

His fufferings, far from fuppreffing the reformation at Cambridge, inspired the leaders of it with new courage. Latimer began now to exert himself more ftrenuoutly, and fucceeded to that credit with his party, which Bilney had fo long fupported. Among ether inftances of his zeal and refolution, one was very remarkable: he had the courage to write to the king against a proclamation then published, forbidding the ufe of the Bible in Englifh. He had preached before his majefty once or twice at Windfor, and had been noticed by him in a more affable manner than that monarch ufually indulged toward his fubjects. But, whatever hopes of preferment his fovereign's favour might have excited, he chofe to put all to the hazard, rather than omit what he thought his

notice had been given, and all people were pleased: when fuddenly there came out an order from the bishop, prohibiting any one to preach there without licence. The clergy of the place waited upon Latimer, informed him of the bishop's order; and, knowing he had no fuch licence, were extremely forry that they were thus deprived of the pleasure of hearing him. Latimer received their compliment with a fmile; for he had been apprized of the affair, and knew that thefe very perfons had written to the bifhop against him. Their oppofition became afterward more public and avowed; the pulpits were used to Spread their invectives against him; and fuch liberties were taken with his character, that he thought it neceffary to justify himself. Accordingly, he called upon his maligners to accufe him before the mayor of Briflol; and, with all men of candour, he was juftified; for when the parties were convened, and the accufers produced, nothing appeared against him; but the whole accufation was left to reit upon the uncertain evidence of hearfay information.

His enemies, however, were not thus filenced. The party againft him became daily ftronger, and more inflamed. It confifted, in general, of the country priefts in thofe parts, headed by fome divines of more eminence. These perfons, after mature deliberation, drew up articles againft him, extracted chiefly from his fermons; in which he was charged with Speaking lightly of the worship of faints; with faying there was no material fire in hell; and that he would rather be in purgatory than in Lollard's tower. This charge being laid before Stokesley bishop of London, that prelate cited Latimer to appear before him; and, when he appealed to his own ordinary, a citation was obtained out of the archbishop's court, where Stokesley and other bishops were commiffioned to examine him. An archiepifcopal citation brought him at once to a compliance His

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friends would have had him fly for it; but their perfuafions were in vain. He fet out for London in the depth of winter, and under a feyere fit of the ftone and colic; but he was more diftreffed at the thoughts of leaving his parish expofed to the popish clergy, who would not fail to undo in his abfence what he had hitherto done. On his arrival at London, he found a court of bifhops and canonifts ready to receive him; where, instead of being examined, as he expected, about his fermons, a paper was put into his hands, which he was ordered to fubfcribe, declaring his belief in the efficacy of maffes for the fouls in gatory, of prayers to the dead faints, of pilgrimages to their fepulchres and relics, the pope's power to forgive fins, the doctrine of merit, the feven facraments, and the worship of images; and, when he refufed to fign it, the archbishop with a frown begged he would confider what he did. intend not, fays he, Mr. Latimer, to be hard upon you; we difmifs you' for the prefent; take a copy of the articles, examine them carefully; and God grant that, at our next meeting, we may find each other in a better temper. The next and feveral fuc-, ceeding meetings the fame fcene was acted over again. He continued inflexible, and they continued to distress him. Three times every week they regularly fent for him, with a view either to draw fomething from him by captious queftions, or to teaze him at length into compliance.

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Thus the bishops continued their perfecution, till their schemes were fruftrated by an unexpected hand: for the king, being informed, most probably by lord Cromwell's mea,, of Latimer's ill ufage, interpofed in his behalf, and refcued him out of their hands. A figure of fo much fimplicity, and fuch an apoftol c appearance as his, at court, did not fail to strike Aun Boleyn; who mentioned him to her friends, as a perfon, in her opinion, well qualified to forward the reformation, the principles of