Sir what form of preaching would you appoint me to preach before a king? Would you have me for to preach nothing as concerning a King, in the Kings sermon? ⟨image 48⟩Have you any commission to a point me what I shall preach? Besides this, I asked him divers other questions, and he would make no answer to none of them all. He had nothing to say. Then I turned me to the King, and submitted my self to his Grace and said I never thought my self worthy, nor I never sued to be a preacher before your Grace,1 but I was called to it, & would be will lyng (if you mislike me) to give place to my betters. For I grunt there be a great many more worthy of the room than I am. And if it be your graces pleasure so to allow them for preachers, I could be content to bear their books after them. But if your Grace allow me for a preacher ⟨image 48⟩I would desire your grace to give me leave to discharge my conscience. Give me leave to frame my doctrine according to mine audience. I had been a very dolt to have preached so,2 at the borders of your realm, as I preach before your grace. And I thank almighty God, which hath all ways been remedy, that my sayings were well accepted of the king, for like a gracious Lord he turned into another communication. It is even as the scripture sayeth. Cor Regis in manu domini, the Lorde directed thē kings hart. Certain of my friends came to me with tears in their eyes, and told me they looked I should have been in the tower the same night. Thus have I ever more been burdened ⟨image 49⟩with the word of sedition. I have offended God grievously, transgressing his law, and but for his remedy and his mercy, I would not look to be saved. As for sedition, for ought that I know, me thinks, I should not need Christ, if I might so say.3 But if I be clear in any thing, I am clear in this. So far as I know mine own heart, there is no man further from sedition then I, which I have declared in all my doings, and yet it hath been ever laid to me. An other time, when I gave over mine office, I should have received a certain duty that they call a Pentecostal it came to the sum of fifty and five pound, I sent my commissary ⟨image 49⟩to gather it, but he could not be suffered.4 For it was said a sedition should rise upon it. Thus they burdened me ever with sedition. So this gentleman cometh up now with sedition. And wot ye what?
Syr what forme of preachinge woulde you appoynt me to preache before a kynge? Wold you haue me for to preache nothynge as concernynge a Kynge, in the Kynges sermō? ⟨image 48⟩Haue you any commission to a poynt me what I shall preach? Besydes thys, I asked hym dyuers other questions, and he wold make no answere to none of them all. He had nothynge to say. Then I turned me to the Kyng, and submitted my selfe to hys Grace and sayed I neuer thoughte my selfe worthy, nor I neuer sued to be a preacher before youre Grace,1 but I was called to it, & would be wyl lyng (if you mislyke me) to geue place to my betters. For I grūt ther be a great many more worthy of the roume thē I am. And if it be your graces pleasure so to allowe thē for preachers, I could be contēt to bere their bokes after theym. But if your Grace allowe me for a preacher ⟨image 48⟩I woulde desyre your grace to geue me leaue to discharge my cōciēce. Geue me leaue to frame my doctrine accordyng to myne audiēce. I had byne a very dolt to haue preached so,2 at the borders of your realm, as I preach before your grace. And I thāke almyghtye God, whych hath al wayes byne remedy, that my sayinges were well accepted of the kynge, for lyke a gracious Lord he turned into a nother communicacyon. It is euen as the scripture sayeth. Cor Regis in manu domini, the Lorde dyrected thē kinges hart. Certaine of my frendes came to me wyth teares in their eyes, and tolde me they loked I should haue bene in the tower the same nyghte. Thus haue I euer more bene burdened ⟨image 49⟩wyth the worde of sedition. I haue offended God greuouslye, transgressyng hys law, and but for his remedy and his mercye, I woulde not loke to be saued. As for sedicion, for oughte that I knowe, me thynkes, I shoulde not nede Christe, if I myght so say.3 But if I be cleare in anye thynge, I am cleare in thys. So farre as I knowe myne owne herte, there is no man further from sedicion then I, whyche I haue declared in all my doynges, and yet it hath bene euer layed to me. An othher tyme, when I gaue ouer myne offyce, I should haue receyued a certayne dutye that they call a Pentecostall it came to the summe of fyftye and fyue pound, I sent my commissarye ⟨image 49⟩
- 1His answer to the kingHis aunswer to the kynge
- 2In preaching we must have respect to the place and to the personsIn preaching we must haue respecte to the place and to the personnes
- 3M. Latimer was ever void of sedition and yet still charged and burdened there with.M. Latimer was euer voide of sedicion and yet styl charged and burdened ther with.
- 4How. M. Latimer his pen tecostal was detained and upon what skill.How. M. Latimer hys pē tecostal was deteined and vppon what skyll.
