ity lecturer in Cambridge.

Mr. Thomas Bilney, moved by a brotherly pity towards Mr. Latimer, begged
to wait upon him in his study, and to explain to him the groundwork of
his (Mr. Bilney's) faith. This blessed interview effected his
conversion: the persecutor of Christ became his zealous advocate, and
before Dr. Stafford died he became reconciled to him.

Once converted, he became eager for the conversion of others, and
commenced public preacher, and private instructer in the university. His
sermons were so pointed against the absurdity of praying in the Latin
tongue, and withholding the oracles of salvation from the people who
were to be saved by belief in them, that he drew upon himself the pulpit
animadversions of several of the resident friars and heads of houses,
whom he subsequently silenced by his severe criticisms and eloquent
arguments. This was at Christmas, 1529. At length Dr. West preached
against Mr. Latimer at Barwell Abbey, and prohibited him from preaching
again in the churches of the university, notwithstanding which, he
continued during three years to advocate openly the cause of Christ, and
even his enemies confessed the power of those talents he possessed. Mr.
Bilney remained here some time with Mr. Latimer, and thus the place
where they frequently walked together obtained the name of Heretics'
Hill.

Mr. Latimer at this time traced out the innocence of a poor woman,
accused by her husband of the murder of her child. Having preached
before king Henry VIII. at Windsor, he obtained the unfortunate mother's
pardon. This, with many other benevolent acts, served only to excite the
spleen of his adversaries. He was summoned before Cardinal Wolsey for
heresy, but being a strenuous supporter of the king's supremacy, in
opposition to the pope's, by favour of lord Cromwell and Dr. Buts, (the
king's physician,) he obtained the living of West Kingston, in
Wiltshire. For his sermons here against purgatory, the immaculacy of the
Virgin, and the worship of images, he was cited to appear before Warham,
archbishop of Canterbury, and John, bishop of London. He was required to
subscribe certain articles, expressive of his conformity to the
accustomed usages; and there is reason to think, after repeated weekly
examinations, that he did subscribe, as they did not seem to involve any
important article of belief. Guided by Providence, he escaped the subtle
nets of his persecutors, and at length, through the powerful fri