Latimer was educated at Christ’s College, Cambridge, where he was at first well known as a defender of the “old religion,” and afterwards, by the persuasion of his friend Thomas Bilney, became as zealous a reformer. He was more than once silenced by the University, but had powerful friends, and was introduced at court by the King’s physician, Dr. Butts, and by Cromwell, the latter of whom procured for him the living of West Kington, in Wiltshire. Here he was accused of favouring strange and novel doctrines touching the saints and purgatory, and was compelled to appear before Stokesley, Bishop of London. He escaped with some difficulty, the King himself interfering; and in 1535, after Ghinucci’s deprivation, Latimer was made Bishop of Worcester. In his diocese he laboured zealously, until the Parliament of 1539, which, by the influence of Gardiner, passed the famous Six Articles. For these Latimer would not vote, and at once resigned his see, as did Shaxton, Bishop of Salisbury. He was very shortly afterwards sent to the Tower, on a charge of having spoken against the Six Articles. He remained in prison during the last six years of Henry’s reign, but was set at liberty on the accession of Edward. He would not be reinstated in his see, however, but remained with Cranmer at Lambeth, occasionally preaching at Paul’s Cross, until the fall of the Duke of Somerset. He then retired into the country. On Mary’s accession he was apprehended by Gardiner’s order, and was sent to Oxford with Cranmer and Ridley, where he suffered Oct. 16, 1555.
The fullest and best account of Latimer will be found in Foxe, although, like the rest of the “Book of Martyrs,” it must be read with due caution. His sermons, with a life, were edited by Watkins in 1824, and with other remains, for the Parker Society, in 1844.
[A.D. 1539, resigned 1543.] JOHN BELL, Archdeacon of Gloucester. The cause of his resignation is unknown. He died in 1556, and was buried in the church of Clerkenwell, London.
[A.D. 1543, translated to York 1554.] NICHOLAS HEATH, translated from Rochester. In 1551 Bishop Heath was deprived, for non-compliance with the new order introduced under Edward VI., and was imprisoned in the Fleet until Mary’s accession. He was restored by her, and was made President of Wales and Chancellor of England after the death of Gardiner. During the imprisonment of Heath, Bishop Hooper of Gloucester held the see _in commendam_, together with his own.