fore the present Ferdinand of Spain. We shall now give them a specimen of the manner in which, in the early days of the Reformation, our own princes were addressed from the pulpit. Latimer's style of preaching is something quite sui generis-a strange mixture of simplicity and shrewdness -natural eloquence and untaught homeliness yet all in a right sound English strain, with the religion more of the soil than of the Spirit, and in his addresses to kings or nobles, intermingling with the truest loyalty and respect, the utmost freedom of a fellow-citizen and a fellow-Christian. There is very little quaintness in this writer such as we lately exemplified from the pages of Fuller. All is here downright and plain, the language, perhaps, of a man originally low, as he so happily describes his origin in the quotation which we are now to give, but breathing in every word the native nobility of a manly and honest mind.]

OH what a plague were it, that a strange king of a strange land, and of a strange religion, should reigne over vs! Where now we be gouerned in the true religion, hee shoulde extirpe and plucke away altogether, and then plant agayne all abhomination and popery. God keepe such a king from vs! Well, the Kinges Grace hath sisters, my Lady Mary and my Lady Elizabeth, which by succession and course are inheritoures to the crowne, who, if they should marry with straungers, what should ensue? God knoweth! But God graunt (if they so doe, whereby straunge religion commeth in) that they neuer come to coursing nor succeeding! Therfore to auoyd this plague, let vs amend oure liues, and put awaye all pride, whiche dothe drowne men in this realme at these dayes, all couetousnesse wherein the magistrates and rich men of this realme are ouer whelmed, all lecherye and other excessiue vices, prouoking Gods wrath, were he not mercifull, euen to take from vs our naturall king and liege lord, yea to plague vs with a strange king for oure vnrepentaunt hart. Wherfore (if, as ye saye, yee loue the king) amend your liues, and then ye shall be a meane that God shall send him vs long to raygne ouer vs, for vndoutedly sinnes prouoke much Gods wrath. Scripture sayth, Dabo tibi regem furore meo; that is, "I will geue thee a kynge in my wrath." Now we haue a lawfull king, a godly kynge, neuerthelesse yet many euils do raigne. Long time the ministers

appoynted haue studyed to amend, and redresse all euils, long time before this great labour hathe bene aboute this matter, great crakes hathe bene made that all shoulde be wel, but when all came to all, for all theyr boastes, litle or nothing was done, in whome these wordes of Horace may well be verified, saying, Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. The mountayns swelleth up, the poore mouse is brought out: Long before thys tyme, many hath taken in hand to bryng many thynges vnto passe, but finally their woorkes came vnto small effect and profite.

Now I heare say all thinges are ended after a godly maner, or els shortly shall be. Make haste, make

haste, and let vs learne to conuert, to repent, and amend our liues. If wee doe not, I feare, I feare, least for our sinnes and vnthankfulnesse an hipocrite shall raygne oure vs. Long we haue bene seruants and in bondage, seruing the Pope in Egipt. God hath geuen vs a deliuerer, a naturall kyng. Let vs seeke no straunger of an other nation, no hipocrite whiche shall bring in agayne all papistrye, hipocri sie, and idolatrye. No diabolicall minister which shall mayntaine all deuilish workes and euil exercises. But let vs pray that God mayntayne and continue our moste excellent king here present, true inheritour of this our realm both by natiuitie, and also by the special gift and ordinaunce of God. Hee doth rectifie vs in the libertie of the Gospell, in that therefore let vs stand. State ergo in libertate, qua Christus nos liberauit. "Stand ye in the libertie, wherewith Christ hath made vs free." In Christes libertie we shall stand, if we so liue that we pro fite: if we cast away all euil fraud and deceit, with such other vices, contrary to Gods word: and in so doying wee shall not onely prolong and mayntayne our most noble kings dayes in prosperitie: but also we shall prosper our own liues to liue not onely prosperously, but also godly.

In any wise, let not such a one prepare vnto hymselfe many horses, &c. In speaking these wordes, ye shall vnderstand, that I do not intend to speake agaynst the strength, pollicie, and prouision of a kyng, but agaynst excesse, and vayne trust that kinges haue in themselues, more then the liuing God, the author of all good

nesse, and geuer of all victory. Many horses are requisite for a king, but he may not exceede in them, nor tryumph in them, more than is neede full, for the necessary affayres and defence of the realme: What meaneth it, that God hath to do with the kinges stable, but onely he would be mayster of hys horses. The scripture sayth: In altis habitat. "Hee dwelleth on hye." It followeth Humilia respicit. "Hee looketh on the low thinges," yea upon the kinges stables, and vppon all the offices in hys house. God is a great graund master of ye kinges house, and will take accompte of euery one that beareth rule therein, for the executing of their offices: whether they haue iustly and truely serued the king in their offices, or no. Yea God looketh vpon the king himselfe, if he worke wel or not. Euery king is subiect vnto God, and all other men are subiects vnto the king. In a kyng God requireth fayth, not excesse of horses. Horses for a king be good and necessarye, if they be well vsed, but horses are not to be preferred aboue poore men. I was once offended with the kinges horses, and therefore tooke occasion to speake in the presence of the kings maiestie that dead is, when Abbyes stoode. Abbeyes were ordayned for the comfort of the poore: wherefore I sayd it was not decent that the kings horses should be kept in them, (as many were at that time,) the living of poore men therby minished and taken away: But afterward a certayne noble man sayde to me: What hast thou to doe with the kinges horses? I aunswered and saide, I spake my conscience as Gods word directed me. Hee sayd, horses bee the mayntaynances and part of a kinges honour, and also of his realme, wherefore in speaking agaynst them, ye are agaynst the kinges honour. I answered, God teacheth what honour is decent for a king, and for all other men according vnto theyr vocations. God appoynteth euery king a sufficient liuing for his estate and degree both by landes and other customes. And it is lawfull for euery kynge to enioy the same goodes and possessions. But to extorte and take away the right of the poore, is agaynst the honour of the king: If you doe moue the king to doe after that manner, then you speak agaynst the honour of the king.

For I fully certifie you extortioners, violent oppressors, ingrossers of tenementes and landes, through whose couetousnesse villages decay and fall downe, the kings liege people for lacke of sustenaunce are famished and decayed. They be those whiche speake agaynst the honour of the king. God requireth in the king and all magi strates a good hart to walke directly in his wayes; and in all subiectes, in obedience due vnto a king. There fore I praye God both the king, and also we his people, may endeuour diligently to walke in his wayes, to hys great honour and our profite.

Let him not prepare vnto him selfe too many wines, &c. Although we read here that the kinges amongest the Jewes had libertie to take more wiues then one, we may not therefore attempt to walk inordinately, and to thinke that we may take also many wiues. For Christ hath forbidden this vnto vs Christians. And let vs not impute sinne vnto the Jewes because they hadde many wiues. For they hadde a dispensation so to doe. Christ limeteth vnto vs one wife only. And it is a great thing for a man to rule one wife rightly, and ordinately. For a woman is frayle and procliue vnto all euilles: a woman is a very weake vessell, and may soone deceaue a man, and bring him vnto euill. Many examples we haue in holy Scripture. Adam hadde but one wife, called Eue, and howe soone had shee brought him to consent vnto euill, and to come to destruction! Howe dyd wicked Jesabell peruert King Achabes hart from God and all godlinesse, and finally vnto destruction! It is a very harde thing for a man to rule well one woman. Therefore let oure king, what time his grace shalbe so minded to take a wife, chuse him one which is of God, that is, which is of the household of fayth. Yea let al estates be no lesse circumspect in chosing her, taking great deliberation, and then they shall not neede diuorsementes, and such mischiefes to the euill example and slaunder of our realme. And that shee be suche one as the king can finde in hys hart to loue and lead hys life in pure and chast espousage, and then shall he be the more prone and redy to aduaunce Gods glory, and to punishe and to extirp the great lechery vsed in this realme. Therfore we ought to make

a continual prayer vnto God, for to graunt our kyngs grace such a mate as may knit his hart and hers, according to Gods ordinaunce and law, and not to consider and cleaue onely to a politike matter or coniunction, for the enlarging of dominions, for surety and defence of countries, setting a part the institution and ordinaunce of God. We have now a preaty little shilling, in dede a very prety one. 1 haue but one I thinke in my purse, and the last day I had put it away almost for an old groat, and so I trust some will take them. The finesse of the siluer I cannot see. But therin is printed a fine sentence, that is, Timor Domini fons vitæ vel sapientia, "The feare of the Lord is the fountayne of life or wisedome." I would God thys sentence were alwayes printed in the hart of the king in choosing his wife, and in all his officers. For like as the feare of God is fons sapientia or vita, so the forgetting of God is fons stultitia, the fountayne of foolishness or of death, although it be neuer so politike, for vpon such politike matters death doeth ensue and followe. All their devorcementes and other like conditions to the great displeasure of Almighty God, which euils, I feare me, is much vsed at these dayes in the mariage of noble mens children, for ioyning landes to landes, possessions to possessions, neither the vertuous education, nor liuing beyng regarded, but in the infancy suche mariages bee made to the displeasure of God, and breach of espousals. Let the king therfore choose vnto him a godly wife, whereby he shall the better liue chaste, and in so liuing, all godlines shall encrease and righteousnesse be mayntayned. Notwithstanding, I knowe hereafter some will come and moue your Grace towardes wantonnes, and to the inclination of the fleshe and vayne affections. But I would your Grace should beare in memory, an history of a good king called Lewes, that trauelled towards the holy land, (which was a great matter in those dayes,) and by the way sickened, beyng long absent from his wife. And vpon thys matter the physitions did agree,—and did consult with the bishops therein, who did conclude that because of the distance of his wife (being in an other countrey) he should take a wenche. This good

king hearing their conclusion would not assent thereunto, but sayde, he had rather be sicke euen vnto the death, then he would breake his espousals: Wo worth such councellors: Bishops? nay rather bussardes.

Neuertheles if the king should haue consented to their conclusion, and accomplished the same, if he hadde not chaunced well, they would have excused the matter, as I haue heard of two that haue consulted together, and according to the aduise of his frend, the one of them wrought where the succession was not good. The other imputed a piece of reproche to hym for his such counsell geuen. He excused the matter saying: that he gaue him none other counsell, but if it had bene his cause he would haue done likewise.

So I thinke the bishops would haue excused the matter, if the king should haue reproued them for theyr counsell. I doe not read that the king did rebuke them for their counsell, but if he had, I knowe what would haue bene theyr aunswere. They would haue sayd, we geue you no worse counsell, then we would haue followed our selues, if we had bene in lyke case. Well sir, this king did well, and had the feare of God before his eyes. He would not walke in by walkes, where are many balkes. Amongest many balkinges is much stumbling, and by stumbling it chaunceth many times to fall downe to the ground. And therefore, let vs not take any by walkes, but let Gods word direct vs, let vs not walke after, nor leane to our owne iudgementes, and proceedings of our forefathers, nor seek not what they did, but what they should haue done, of which thing the scripture admonisheth vs, saying: Ne inclinemus præceptis et traditioni bus patrum neque faciamus quod videtur rectum in oculis nostris. Let vs not incline our selues vnto the preceptes and traditions of our fathers, nor let vs doe that seemeth right in our eyes." But surely, wee will not exchange our fathers doinges and traditions with scripture, but chiefly leane vnto them and to their prescription, and do that seemeth good in our owne eies. But surely that is going downe the ladder, Scula cæli, as it was made by the pope came to be a masse, but that is a false ladder to bring men to heauen. The true

ladder to bring a man to heauen is the knowledge and following of the scripture. Let the kyng therefore choose a wife which feareth God, let him not seeke a proude, wanton, and one full of rich treasures and worldly pompe.

He shall not multiply vnto himselfe too much golde and siluer. Is there too muche thynke you for a kyng? God doth allow much vnto a kyng, and it is expedient that he shoulde haue muche, for he hath great expences, and many occasions to spend much for the defence and suretie of his realmes and subiectes. And necessary it is that the king haue a treasure alwayes in a readynes for that, and such other affayres, as be dayly in his hands. The which treasure, if it be not sufficient, he may lawfully and wyth a safe conscience take taxis of hys subiectes. For it were not meet, the treasure shoulde be in the subiectes purses when the money should be occupyed, nor it were not best for themselues: for the lacke thereof might cause both it, and all the rest that they haue, shoulde not long be theyrs. And so for a necessary and expedient occasion, it is warranted by Gods word to take of the subiectes. But if their be sufficient treasures, and burdening of subiectes to be for a vayne thinge, so that he will require thus muche, or so muche of hys subiectes, (which perchaunce are in great necessity, and penury) Then this couetous intent, and the request thereof is to much, which God forbiddeth the king here in this place of scripture to haue. But who shall see this to much, or to tell the kinge of this to muche. Thinke you any of the kinges priuye chamber? No. For feare of losse of fauour. Shall anye of his sworne chaplaynes? No. They be of the closet, and keepe close suche matters. But the king himselfe must see this to muche, and that shall hee doe by no meanes with the corporall eyes. Wherefore he must haue a payre of spectacles, which shall haue two cleare sightes in them, that is, that one is fayth, not a seasonable fayth, which shall last but a while, but a fayth which is continuing in God. The second cleare sight is charitie, which is feruent toward his Christen brother. By them two, must the king see euer when hee hath to muche. But fewe

VOL. V.

there be that vseth these spectacles, the more is their damnation. Not without cause Chrisostome with admiration sayth, Miror si aliquis rectorum potest saluari: "I maruell if anye ruler can be saued." Whiche wordes he speaketh not of an impossi❤ bilitie, but of a great difficulty: for that their charge is marueilous great, and that none aboute them dare shewe them the truth of the thing how it goeth. Well then, if God will not alowe a kyng to much; whether wil he allow a subiect to much? No, That he will not: Whether haue anye men here in England to muche? I doubt most rich men haue to muche, for without too muche we can get nothing. As for example, the phisition. If the poore man be diseased, he can haue no helpe without to much; and of the lawyer, the poore man can get no councell, expedition, nor helpe in this matter, except hee geue him to muche. At marchaunts handes, no kinde of ware can be had, except we geue for it to muche. You landlordes, you rentraysers, I may saye you steplordes, you vnnaturall lordes, you haue for your possessions yearely to muche. For that here before went for xx. or xl. pound by yeare, (whiche is an honest portion to bee had gratis in one lordshippe, of an other mans sweate and labour,) now is it let for 1. or an c. pound by yeare. Of this too much commeth this monsterous and protentuous dearth made by man, notwithstanding God doth sende vs plentifullye the fruites of the earth inercifully, contrary vnto oure desertes. Notwithstanding to much, whiche these rich men haue, causeth such dearth, that poore men (whiche liue of their labour) cannot with the sweate of their face haue a liuing, all kynde of victuales is so deare, pigges, geese, capons, chikens, egges, &c. These thinges with other are so vnreasonable enhaunsed. And I thinke verely, that if this continue, we shall at length be constrayned to pay for a pigge a pounde. I will tell you my fordes and maysters, this is not for the kinges honour: yet some will saye, knowest thou what belongeth vnto the kinges honour better then we? I aunswer, that ye true honor of a king, is most perfectly mentioned and paynted forth in the scriptures, of which, if it be ignoraunt, for lack of time that ye cannot read it, albeit,

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that your counsayle be neuer so politike, yet it is not for the kings honour. What his honor meaneth ye cannot tell. It is ye kinges honour that his subiectes be led in the true religion. That all hys prelates and clergye be set about theyr worke in preaching and studying, and not to be interrupted from theyr charge. Also it is the kinges honour that the common wealth be aduaunced, that the dearthe of these foresayd thinges be prouided for, and the commodities of thys realme so employed, as it may be to the setting of his subiects on worke, and keeping them from idlenesse. And herein resteth the kinges honour and his office. So doyng, his accompt before God shall be allowed, and rewarded. Furthermore, if the kinges honour (as some men saye) standeth in the great multitude of people, then these grasiers, inclosers, and rent-rearers, are hindrers of the kinges honor. For where as haue bene a great many householders and inhabitauntes, there is now but a shepheard and his dogge, so they hinder the kinges honor most of all. My lordes and maysters, I say also, that all such proceedinges which are agaynst the kinges honour (as I haue a part declared before) and as farre as I can perceyue, doe intend playnely, to make the yeomandry slauery, and the clergy shauery. For suche workes are all singuler, priuate wealth and commodity. We of the clergy had to much, but that is taken away, and now we haue to little. But for mine owne part, I haue no cause to complayne, for I thanke God and the king I haue sufficient. And God is my judge I came not to craue of any man any thing, but I know them that haue too litle. There lyeth a great matter by these appropriations, great reformation is to be had in them. I know where is a great market towne with diuers hamelets and inhabitants, where doe rise yearely of their labours to the value of fifty pounde, and the vicar that serueth (being so great a cure) hath but xij. or xiiij. markes by yeare, so that of this pension he is not able to buy him bookes, nor geue his neighbor drinke, all the great gayne goeth an other way.

My father was a yeoman, and had no landes of his own, onely he had a farme of iij or iiij. pound by yeare at the vttermost, and hereupon he tilled

so much as kepte halfe a dozen men. He had walke for an hundred sheepe, and my mother milked xxx. kine. He was able, and did finde the king a harnes, with himselfe and his horse, while he came to the place that he should receiue the kinges wages. I can remember, that I buckled his harnes, when he went to Blackheath field. He kept me to schole, or els I had not bene able to haue preached before the kinges maiesty now. He maryed my sisters with fiue pound or xx. nobles a piece, so that he brought them vp in the godlines and feare of God. He kept hospitality for his poore neighbours. And some almes he gaue to the poore, and all this did he of the sayd farme. Where he that now hath it, payeth xvi. pound by the yeare or more, and is not able to doe anye thing for his prince, for himself, nor for his children, or geue a cup of drinke to the poore.

Thus all the enhaunsing and rearing goeth to your priuate commodity and wealth. So that where ye hadde a single too much, you haue that; and since the same, ye haue enhaunced the rent, and so haue encreased an other to much: so nowe ye haue double to much, which is too much. But let the preacher preach till his tongue be worne to the stumpes, nothing is amended. We have good statutes made for the common wealth as touching commoners, and enclosers, many meetinges and sessions, but in the end of the matter, there commeth nothing forth. Well, well, this one thing will I say vnto you, from whence it commeth I knowe, euen from the deuill, I know his intent in it. For if ye bring it to passe, that the yeomanry be not able to put their sonnes to schole (as in deed vniuersities do wondrously decay already) and that they be not able to marrye their daughters to the auoyding of whoredome, I say ye plucke saluation from the people, and vtterly destroy the realme. For by yeomens sonnes, the fayth of Christ is, and hath bene maintained chiefly: is this realme taught by riche mens sonnes? No, no. Read the Chronicles: ye shall find sometime noble mens sonnes, which haue bene vnpreaching bishops and prelates, but ye shall finde none of them learned men: but verely, they that shoulde looke to the redresse of these thinges, be the greatest agaynst them. In this