"Foxe's Acts and Monu

called "the Sacrament of the altar.

ments.

BAYNTON AND LATYMER.

There are few families whose fortunes during the last three centuries have been more identified with the history of Devizes than that of the Bayntons of Bromham. We first hear of them in the Norman age as knights of St. John of Jerusalem: afterwards they flourish at Falstone Castle in South Wilts; and finally they succeed to the estates of the Lords Beauchamp St. Amand at Bromham. Bromham Hall, erected in the time of Henry VIII. with the spoils of Devizes Castle and a manorial house at Corsham, and described as "nearly as large as Whitehall and a palace fit to entertain a King" cost the enormous sum (enormous for those days) of £15,000, and was environed by iron-work which cost an additional £5,000. Standing near Netherstreet, close upon the old western road which passed over Roundway hill, it became one of the usual stopping places for royalty and gentry, when on their way to the healing waters of "the Bath," and must occasionally therefore have witnessed the discussion and execution of affairs of state, and still oftener become the scene of courtgossip. As the place will again come under our notice, we need only now refer to the representative of the family who, at the period of the Reformation, here held frequent and earnest colloquy with his brother magistrates on the progress of the new opinions, and read in their hearing the solemn warnings of "the poor parson of poor Kyngton."

But though the name of Baynton is thus mixed up with that of the illustrious Latymer, Sir Edward certainly takes not rank among the pioneers of the reforming movement. He may rather be regarded as one of those who were watching, with interest the dawn of the coming day; and waiting, not without some amount of self reproach, for that fortitude which the alliance of others only could inspire.

From a zealous Papist, Hugh Latymer had recently become

.

a zealous Protestant. His former opposition to the New Testament which obtained for him when at Cambridge the appointment of Cross-bearer to the University, had given place to an equally heroic ardour for its propagation. He says in a letter to Sir Edward Baynton "I was then as obstinate a papist as any in England" "I have thought that the Pope, Christ's vicar, had been lord of all the world; so that if he should have deprived the King of his crown or you of the lordship of Bromham, it had been enough, for he could do no wrong. His chaplaincy at Court was another advance in the honours of the world: but when the true light had entered his mind, the Court had no more attractions for him than the cottage. In 1531 the King gave him the living of West Kyngton in Wilts, whither he resolved to repair and keep a constant residence. "You are deserting the fairest opportunity of making your fortune" said Dr. Butts the royal physician, "pray change your resolution." But Latymer thirsted for the simplicities of a country life. Leaving the palace therefore he sought his own modest parsonage," his spirits "reviving as he rode along, at the sights and sounds of the farm, the wood, and the green breezy field." Stanford's Latymer. 18.

During his residence here he acted the part of an itinerant preacher in all the neighbouring towns and villages. The people loved him, but the priests regarded him with insatiable malice. Every parish Church at that time says Mr. Froude had its special relics, its special images, its special something, to attract the interest of the people: the clergy to secure the offerings, invented the relics and the wonders wrought." The great exposure took place at the visitation of the religious houses: meanwhile Bishop Shaxton's inventory preserved at Salisbury may suffice for a general description of the articles exposed for public worship. "There be set forth and commended unto the ignorant people, as I myself, of certain which be already come to my hand, have perfect knowledge; stinking

boots, mucky combs, ragged rochets, rotten girdles, pyled purses, great bullock's horns, locks of hair, and filthy rags, gobbets of wood under the name of parcels of the holy cross, and such pelfry beyond estimation."

His evangelising zeal led Latymer on one occasion to penetrate even the diocese of the Bishop of London. This he had the King's authority for doing, by virtue of a commission which Cambridge University granted to twelve preachers yearly: but it did not shield him from the Bishop's wrath. Whilst a citation to appear in London was hanging over his head, he wrote thus to his patronising friend Sir Edward Baynton of Bromham, ". Meseems it were more

comely for my lord of London, if it were comely in me to say so, to be a preacher himself, having so great a cure as he hath; than to be a disquieter and troubler of preachers and to preach nothing at all himself. If it would please his lordship to take so great labour and pains at any time as to come preach in my little bishoprick of West Kyngton, whether I were present or absent myself, I would thank his lordship heartily, and think myself greatly bounden to him nor yet I would dispute, contend, or demand, by what authority or where he had authority so to do, as long as his predication were fruitful and to the edification of my parishioners." Further on, evidently anticipating the worst, he says, "that but for the Almighty hand which had sustained him, the Ocean-sea should ere this have divided him from my lord of London. "Pardon me" he concludes, "that I write no more distinctly,

for my head is so out of frame that it would be too painful for me to write it again. And if I be not prevented shortly, I intend to make merry with my parishioners this Christmas, for all the sorrow; lest perchance I never return to them again: and I have heard say that a doe is as good in winter as a buck in summer.”

Baynton, who evidently was in the habit of discussing among his associates the tendency of the Reformer's doctrines,

yet had not the courage to adopt them, regrets, in his reply to Latymer, that he could not yet see his way to their reception, seeing that they "broke the chain of Christian charity, which required one faith and one baptism;" but if people would accept the new doctrine in some honest number, then he might be induced to give credence himself.

Another long rejoinder and faithful expostulation follows from Latymer to Baynton. He stoutly maintains, in opposition to the knight and his friends, that a Christian congregation was something more than an assembly of baptised people; and he closes with an illustration to which his honest indignation cannot forbear giving a touch of sarcasm, "Jesu, mercy, what a world is this, that I should be put to so great labour and pains besides great costs above my power, for preaching of a poor simple sermon! But I trow, our Saviour Christ said true, Oportet pati et sic intrare: tam periculosum est in Christo piè vivere velle. Yea, in a Christian congregation. God make us all Christians after the right fashion. Amen." He adds, that he was about to transcribe this long letter in order to render it more legible, when he was suddenly interrupted by a man from my lord of Farley, with a citation to appear in London; so the letter must go as it is. This was the messenger of Sir Walter Hungerford of Farley castle, who served the writ, which had been dated from Salisbury 10th of January, 1532.

As "man is immortal till his work be done" Latymer did not pass, as his enemies hoped, direct from the parsonage of Kyngton to the fiery stake; but we may not in this place follow him any further through his intermediate career of Bishop, Court-preacher, and Confessor, beyond observing that he outlived by many years his amiable friend and correspondent the knight of Bromham. Sir Edward is supposed to have died in France in 1544 while in attendance on his royal master at the Court of Francis 1. He had long ere this risen high in Henry's favour and been nominated vice-cham

berlain to three of his queens. His influence was also put into requisition by the King, and assiduously though unsuccesfully exercised, to win over Henry's kinsman the Cardinal Pole, in the matter of the divorce; but the churchman remained inflexible.

MARTYRDOM OF MAUNDRELL, SPICER, AND COBERLEY.

John Maundrell son of a farmer named Robert Maundrell of Rowde was brought up to the same occupation; and subsequently removing to Bulkington in the parish of Keevil, lived there in good repute with his wife and children. Soon after the publication of Tyndall's Translation of the Bible, Maundrell had the happiness to hear it frequently read and to become the recipient of its saving truths. Though himself unable to read, he procured a copy of the New Testament, which now became his bosom companion and was produced on every occasion when a better scholar could be induced to read or an audience to listen. By this means he soon committed the greater portion of the volume to memory, and discovered that the paradoxes of the Romanists had no foundation in Holy Scripture. Greater freedom of speech was at that time allowed than afterwards became the rule in Mary's reign; nevertheless it startled some of his neighbours and offended others to hear him on divers occasions speaking with contempt of the consecration of Bread and Wine, and other such like ceremonies. About this time, Doctors Trigonion and Lee, in the execution of their office as Visitors of Abbeys, came into Wilts; and sitting in conclave in the neighbouring Abbey-church of Edington, received the accusations which Maundrell's enemies laid to his charge. On this the first fiery trial of his faith he appears to have acknowledged himself in error, for he consented to do penance for the same by perambulating the market of Devizes clad in a white sheet and bearing a candle in his hand. But being mercifully