Learning was at a very low ebb in both the Universities in the year 1526. Cambridge was now the feat and afylum of ignorance, bigotry and fuperftition, and every reformed opinion. and person they perfecuted with an inveterate hatred and cruel zeal. Mafter Latimer had by this time, through his daily and indefatigable fearching of the fcriptures of the Old and New Testament, made himself a most compleat master of all the arguments proper to confute the then reigning errors of the church of Rome, and he fat himself about expofing of them in the most public manner he poffibly could. About Christmas this year, it fell to his lot to preach the Advent fermons before the University of Cambridge in the church of St Edward, probably in the morning, and in the church of St Austin in the afternoon of the fame day. In which course of fermons, fays Fox and others, he gave the people certain cards out of the fifth, fixth and seventh chapters of St Matthew, whereupon they might not only then, but ever after employ their time: He chofe the Heart for his triumph, or trump, fhewing thereby that with their hearts they ought to ferve God. It was at this time, he took an opportunity to inveigh fharply and wittily against most, if not all, the lucrative doctrines of the church of Rome. He spoke largely against the abominable fuperftition and idle ufage of faying mass in an unknown tongue, and gave the most solid reasons why the fcriptures of the Old and New Teftament fhould be tranflated into English, printed, and put into the hands of the most illiterate. This he handled fo well,

and managed with fo much prudence, that it had greatly its defired effect, to wit, the overthrow of Popery, and fetting up of perfect religion. And without vanity it may be faid, that we greatly owe to Mafter Latimer the inestimable bleffing we of this day enjoy, the reading of the Bible in our own tongue.

1527. These fermons made a great ftir in the University, and they became the general fubject of public and private difcourfe not only in Cambridge, but the fame thereof reached London, Oxford, and the most distant parts of the kingdom. Infomuch, fays Fox, that Satan began to feel himself and his kingdom fhaken indeed, and therefore thought it high time to look about him, and mufter together his men of arms, or advocates. The first who attacked Latimer was Doctor Buckenham, then prior of the Black Friars in Cambridge. This he did in the church of St Edward in the beginning of January this year. And as Latimer had at this feafon brought forth his cards, Buckenham thought proper alfo to bring forth his dice in allufion and in answer thereto. He undertook to prove to his audience, that it was not expedient the Scriptures should be in English. This affertion he endeavoured to fupport from five places out of the New Testament, which he called his Cinque, and also out of the four most celebrated Doctors and Fathers of the antient church, which he called this quater. By which his cinque quater he fuggefted, that if the ploughman should read this expreffion in the gofpel," No man that layeth his hand on the plough, and looking

"back

"back is meet for the kingdom of God," would cease from his hard labour; the baker in like manner, finding, that a little leaven will corrupt a large lump of dough, will peradventure leave our bread unleavened. A third reading, "If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and "caft it from thee," may be induced, in obedience thereto to pluck out his eye, and fo the world will be filled with beggars. Thus did the prior trifle in a folemn manner. Latimer was prefent all the fermon; and promised the next funday to refute Buckenham's arguments.

Accordingly, the time being come, the whole Univerfity, together with the most eminent people in the town came to hear Latimer preach in answer to the doughty reasons of the faid prior. Buckenham himself attended, and fat underneath the pulpit. Our reformer first with great clearnefs and vivacity repeated the prior's nine reasons why the fcriptures fhould not be translated into English, five of which were taken out of the New Teftament, and four out of the Fathers, and then he fat himfelf to refute them, which he did with so much cafe, pleasure and humour as greatly delighted the audience, and fat his antagonist in a most ridiculous light. He affirmed that there was no fuch fear and danger for the Scriptures to be in English as the friar pretended, and that it was highly unlikely and improbable that Englifhmen would ever make fuch ufes of them which he had fo fillily fuggefted. He concluded with obferving, that a metaphorical way of fpeaking and reafoning was in use in every

nation and language, and generally understood; and to bring the matter home, he ufed the following metaphor, as it were by way of inference, and alluding to Buckenham himself. When, fays he, they paint a fox preaching out of a friar's coul, no one can be fo mad to take this to be a fox that preacheth, but well enough know the meaning of the matter, which is to paint out unto us what hypocrify, craft and diffimulation lieth hid many times in thefe friar's couls. Of all which deceits, crafts and diffimulations he begged of his audience to beware. The end, was, that prior Buckenham was fo dashed and confounded with this fermon, that he never after publicly preached againft our Martyr.

Thus did Latimer gain a compleat victory over this bigot; but as he was by the Papists generally efteemed a great dunce, they therefore foon after prevailed on one Venetus, a learned and fage foreigner to undertake the refutation of Latimer's arguments. They handled the fubject in a grave, ferious and fcholastic manner. Venetus it feems was beat out of the field, and obliged to retreat from Cambridge, or in other words, Latimer, by the force of his arguments fhut Buckenham up in his monaftry, and drove Venetus from the University.

The enemies of Mr Latimer and of the Reformation finding it impoffible to filence him by any power they were poffeffed of, reforted to London, and there, through the intereft of their friends prevailed at length on Cardinal Wolfey, who was then Legate of the Holy See, and therefore the firft ecclefiaftic in this kingdom,

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to cite Latimer and Bilney before him as being Heretics. On this occafion, Wolfey called a meeting of all the Bishops Divines and Canonifts about London. The Cardinal did not

hear them himself, but referred the matter to Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury; Tonftal, Bishop of London, and others. Tonstal perfuaded Bilney to recant, who thereupon had the favour to bear his faggot, and fo to be difmiffed. Latimer it feems, at this time alfo, following the example of Bilney, fubfcribed certain articles coinciding with the doctrines of the church of Rome, devised by the Bishops for him By these articles was too plainly fet forth the grofs idolatry and blind fuperftition of this time, and fhewed the great need there was for a reformation.

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Latimer and Bilney having thus, for the fent, appeased the fury and cruelty of their perfecutors, returned to Cambridge, where they were kindly received by their friends. Bilney, after he had spent fome time at Cambridge, and repented of what he had done, namely, that he had denied the Proteftant faith, left the University, and went into Norfolk the place of his nativity, and there he relapsed, and became more zealous for the caufe of the Reformation than he had been before. Whereupon the Bishop of Norwich caufed him to be apprehended and caft into the goal in that city, and tried for heresy.

On the nineteenth of Auguft 1531, Bilney was brought to the ftake, and burnt for herefy, in the city of Norwich. Master Latimer