Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 2] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

¶Articles deuised by the Bishops, for M. Latymer to subscribe vnto.

I Beleeue that there is a purgatory to purge the soules of the dead after this lyfe.

That the soules in Purgatorie are holpen wyth the Masses, prayers, and almes of the liuyng.* 1.1

That the Saints do pray as Mediatours now for vs in heauen.

That they are to be honoured of vs in heauen.

That it is profitable for Christians to call vppon the Saintes, that they may pray as Mediatours for vs vnto God.

That pilgrimages and oblations done to the Sepul∣chres, and Reliques of Saints, are meritorious.

That they which haue vowed perpetual chastitie, may not marry, nor breake their vow, without the dispensati∣on of the Pope.

That the keyes of bindyng & loosing deliuered to Pe∣ter, do still remaine with the bishops of Rome, his succes∣sors, although they lyue wickedly, and are by no meanes, nor at any tyme committed to lay men.

That men may merite and deserue at Gods hand by fasting, prayer, and other good works of pitie.

That they which are forbidden of the Bishoppe to preach, as suspect persons, ought to cease vntill they haue

purged themselues before the sayde Bishops, or theyr Su∣periors, and be restored agayne.

That the fast whiche is vsed in Lent, and other fastes prescribed by the Canons, and by custome receiued of the Christians (except necessity otherwise require) and to be obserued and kept.

That God in euery one of the seuen Sacramentes ge∣ueth grace to a man, rightly receiuing the same.

That consecrations, sanctifyinges and blessinges by vse and custome receiued in the Churche, are laudable and profitable.

That it is laudable and profitable, that the venerable Images of the Crucifix and other Sayntes, should be had in the Church as a remembraunce, and to the honour and worship of Iesus Christ and his Sayntes.

That it is laudable and profitable, to decke & to clothe those Images, and to set vp burning lightes before them, to the honor of the sayd Sayntes.

To these Articles whether he did subscribe or no, it is vncertayne.* 1.2 It appeareth by his Epistle aboue written to the Byshoppe, that he durst not consent vnto them, where he writeth in these wordes: His ego nudis sententijs sub∣scribere non audeo, quia popularis superstitionis diutius dura∣turae, quoad possum, autorculus esse nolo. &c. But yet whether he was compelled afterwarde to agree, through the cruell handling of the Byshoppes, it is in doubt. By the wor∣des and the Title in Tonstalles Register prefixed before the Articles, it may seeme that he subscribed. The wordes of the Register bee these: Hugo Latimerus in sacra Theologia Bacch. in vniuersitate Cantab. coram Cant. Archiepiscopo, Io∣han. Lond. Episcopo, reliquáque concione apud Westmonst. vocatus, confessus est & recognouit fidem suam, sic sentiendo vt sequitur, in his artic. xxi. die Martij. Anno. 1531. If these wordes be true, it may bee so thought that he subscribed. And whether he so did, no great matter nor maruell, the iniquitye of the time being such, that either he must nedes so do, or els abide the Bishoppes blessing, that is, cruell sentence of death,* 1.3 which he at that time (as himselfe con∣fessed preachinge at Stamforde) was lothe to susteine for such matters as these were vnlesse it were for Articles ne∣cessary of his beliefe, by whiche his wordes I coniecture rather that he did subscribe at length, albeit it was longe before he coulde be brought so to do. Yet this by the waye is to be noted, concerning the crafty and deceitfull hand∣ling of these Bishoppes in his examinations, what subtle deuises they vsed the same time to entrappe him in theyr s••ares. The trueth of the story he sheweth forth hymselfe in a certayne Sermon preached at Stamforde. ann. 1550. October 9. his wordes be these. I was once (sayeth he) in examinatiō before fiue or sixe Bishops,* 1.4 where I had much turmoyling, euery weeke thrise: I came to examinations, and many snares and traps were layde to get something. Now God knoweth I was ignoraunt of the Lawe, but that God gaue me answere and wisedome what I should speake: it was God in deed, 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 to be examined: but nowe at this time the chamber was some∣what altered. For where as before there was wonte euer to be a fire in the chimney, now the fire was taken away, and an arras hanged ouer the chimney and the table stood nere the chimneis end.

There was amongest these Bishoppes that examined me, one with whom I haue bene very familier, and tooke him for my great frend, an aged man, and he sate nexte the table end.

Then amongest all other questions he put forth one, a very subtle and crafty one, and such a one in deed, as I could 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 fitte farre of. I maruelled at this, that I was biddē speak out, and began to misdeme, and gaue an eare to the chim∣ney: and syr, there I heard a penne walking in the chim∣ney behinde the cloth. They had appoynted one there to write all mine answeres: for they made sure, that I should not starte from them: there was no startinge from them, God was my good Lord, and gaue me aunswere, I could neuer elles haue scaped it. The question to him there and then obiected, was this: whether he thoughte in his con∣science, that he hath bene suspected of heresye. This was a captious question.* 1.5 There was no holding of peace would serue, for that was to graunt himselfe faulty. To answere, it was euery way full of daunger. But GOD which al∣waye geueth in neede what to aunswere, helped him, or elles (as he confesseth himselfe) he had neuer escaped theyr bloudy handes. Albeit what was his answere, he doth not there expresse. And thus hitherto you haue heard declared the manifolde troubles of this godly preacher in the time not onely of his being in the Uniuersitye, but especially at his benefice, as partly by his owne wordes aboue men∣tioned, and partly by his owne letters hereafter folowing may better appeare.

In these so harde and daungerous straites, and suche snares of the bishops, hard it had bene for him and unpos∣sible to haue escaped and continued so long, had not the al∣mighty helping hand of the highest, as he styrred him vp, so haue preserued him through the fauoure and power of his Prince: who with muche fauour embraced him,* 1.6 and with his mere power sometime rescued and deliuered him out of the crooked clawes of his enemies. Moreouer, at length also, through the procurement, partly of Doctour Buttes, partly of good Cromwell, (whose story ye had before) he aduaunced him to the degree and dignity of a Bishop, making him the bishop of Worcester,* 1.7 which so cō∣tinued a fewe yeares, instructing his Dioces, according to the duty of a diligent and vigilant Pastor with wholesome doctrine and example▪ of perfecte conuersation duly agree∣ing to the same. It were a long matter to stand particular∣ly vpon such things as might here be brought to the com∣mendation of his paynes, as study, readines and continu∣all carefulnes in teaching, preaching, exhorting, visiting,* 1.8 correcting and reforming, either as his ability could serue, or els the time woulde beare. But the dayes then were so daungerous and variable, that he could not in all thinges do that he would? yet what he might doe, that he perfour∣med to the vttermost of his strength, so that althoughe hee could not vtterly extinguish al the sparkling relicks of old superstition, yet he so wrought,* 1.9 that though they could not be taken away, yet they should be vsed with as little hurt, & with as much profite as might be. As (for exāple) in this thing, as in diuers other it did appeare, that whē it coulde not be auoyded, but holy water & holy bread must nedes be receiued, yet he so prepared and instructed them of hys Dioces, with such informations and lessons, that in recei∣uing therof superstition shoulde be excluded, and some re∣membrance taken thereby, teaching and charging the Mi∣nisters of his Dioces, in deliuering the holy bread and ho∣ly water, to say these wordes folowing.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Articles propounded to W. Lati∣mer to sub∣scribe vnto▪
• * 1.2

  M. Latimer whether he 〈…〉〈…〉, it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.3

  The crafty handling of the Bishops 〈◊〉〈◊〉 exami∣ning M. Latimer.
• * 1.4

  Ex verbis Latimeri.
• * 1.5

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 & ••••ptious question put to M. Lati∣mer by the ••ishops.
• * 1.6

  M. Latimer res∣cued by the king.
• * 1.7

  Maister Latimer aduaunced to the Bishoprick•• of Worcester by the king.
• * 1.8

  The pastorall diligence of M▪ Latimer in his dioces.
• * 1.9

  The time vnsta∣ble for B. Lati∣mer to worke in.