first into difficulty in 1525. He was preaching before the
university, when the Bishop of Ely came into the church, being curious
to hear him. He paused till the bishop was seated; and when he
recommenced, he changed his subject, and drew an ideal picture of a
prelate as a prelate ought to be; the features of which, though he did
not say so, were strikingly unlike those of his auditor. The bishop
complained to Wolsey, who sent for Latimer, and inquired what he had
said. Latimer repeated the substance of his sermon; and other
conversation then followed, which showed Wolsey very clearly the nature
of the person with whom he was speaking. No eye saw more rapidly than
the cardinal's the difference between a true man and an impostor; and he
replied to the Bishop of Ely's accusations by granting the offender a
licence to preach in any church in England. "If the Bishop of Ely cannot
abide such doctrine as you have here repeated," he said, "you shall
preach it to his beard, let him say what he will."[117]

[Sidenote: Practical character of Latimer's mind, which protected him
from speculative difficulties.]

Thus fortified, Latimer pursued his way, careless of the university
authorities, and probably defiant of them. He was still orthodox in
points of theoretic belief. His mind was practical rather than
speculative, and he was slow in arriving at conclusions which had no
immediate bearing upon action. No charge could be fastened upon him,
definitely criminal; and he was too strong to be crushed by that
compendious tyranny which treated as an act of heresy the exposure of
imposture or delinquency.

[Sidenote: On Wolsey's fall, he is appointed royal chaplain.]

[Sidenote: Latimer addresses Henry in behalf of the Protestants.]

On Wolsey's fall, however, he would have certainly been silenced: if he
had fallen into the hands of Sir Thomas More, he would have perhaps
been prematurely sacrificed. But, fortunately, he found a fresh
protector in the king. Henry heard of him, sent for him, and, with
instinctive recognition of his character, appointed him one of the royal
chaplains. He now left Cambridge and removed to Windsor, but only to
treat his royal patron as freely as he had treated the Cambridge
doctors,--not with any absence of respect, for he was most respectful,
but with that highest respect which dares to speak unwelcome truth where
the truth seems to be forgotten. He was made chaplain in 1530--during
the new persecution