deceased, aged about forty-five years, to the extraordinary loss of that university, and the grief of all pious men that wished well to religion; and, which was most to be lamented, before he had given any specimen of his learning and abilities in England; though he had already given many to the world, all shewing what a master he 198 was in Hebrew and Rabbinical learning. His published

labours of this nature, (all within the space of six years), No XLIV. may be seen in the Appendix: which I have placed there for the preserving the memory of that learned professor, which our university of Cambridge was once honoured with.

The archbishop sends money to Fagius' widow.

Bucer laments his loss.

The good archbishop, troubled at the sudden death of this learned man, from whom he had promised himself some great good to accrue to the university, sent a letter, November the last, unto his sorrowful companion Bucer, desiring him, among other things, as from him, to comfort Fagius' widow, and to let her know, that he had sent her by the carrier seven and twenty pounds, which was part of the stipend due out of the exchequer to her husband: which although it were not yet paid into Cranmer's hands, yet he thought good to send her the money so soon, that it might be some alleviation of her present sorrow. There were fifty pounds due for his readings, reckoning from Lady-day last, when his pension began; but three pounds were disbursed for charges in taking out the patent, and twenty pounds the archbishop had sent him beforez.

Bucer above all lamented the loss of his mate, and wrote a sorrowful letter" ad fratres et symmystas," to his brethren and fellow-ministers in Germany upon this subject. And in a letter to P. Martyr, then at Oxon, he not only complained of this heavy loss, but, as if himself were like to

z [The letter of archbishop Cranmer to Martin Bucer will be

found in the Appendix to this volume.]

follow him, of several things that made him uneasy at Cambridge, where he was now placed; as, of the want of a convenient house, of a body impatient of cold, which the time of the year made him begin to feel, need of necessaries: that the letters patents were not yet signed, [for his salary], and the slow and uncertain payment of his pension. But Cranmer, out of that high respect he had for him, was not wanting in his diligence in due time to make all easy to him; and to have so useful and grave a man well provided for. But the next year, the last day of February, he followed his companion to the other world but not before he had made himself and his learning known to the university; which, to qualify him to moderate at the public disputations at the Commencement, had given him the degree of doctor, as a peculiar honour done him, without the common rites and forms ordinarily used in those cases. Yet he chose to do his exercises, responding the first day of the Commencement, and opposing the second, with great learning, and no less satisfaction to the university.

P. Martyr

challenged

CHAPTER XIV.

PETER MARTYR DISPUTES IN OXFORD, BEING CHALLENGED
THEREUNTO.

THE papists in both universities were resolved to try the metal and learning of their new professors; being exceedingly nettled at their coming, and offended at their readings.

Those of P. Martyr at Oxon highly provoked many in publicly to that university, that could not endure to hear the old error a disputa- of the corporeal presence opposed. And of such there were 199 not a few, and especially the heads of the colleges; the

tion.

Vit. Mart. per Simler.

elder sort being more stiff and prejudiced to their old ways and opinions. This doctrine of the sacrament was first obscured, and afterwards depraved: and so this error being entertained, became a door for the letting in a flood of superstition and idolatry into the church. This Martyr well knew, and therefore with wonderful pains endeavoured to vindicate the truth of the eucharist from error and corruption". And this procured him many enemies here. For they could not endure him: and first raised up among the people slanders against him; as though he impugned the doctrine of the ancients, and shook the laudable ceremonies of the church, and profaned the sacrament of the altar, and in effect trampled it under his feet. And this noise being a little stilled, not long after, the day before he was to read publicly, they set up bills in English upon all the doors of the churches, that on such a day there should be a public disputation about the presence of Christ

a [See Collier's Eccl. Hist. vol. v. pp. 334-341. ed. Lond. 1840, 4. Burnet's Hist. of Reformat.

vol. ii. pp. 217-220. ed. Oxon. 1829.]

in the sacrament, Martyr knowing nothing of it, though he was designed to be the disputant. The day being come, the schools were filled with great numbers of such who favoured the papists: and these were instructed to be ready to make loud clamours and tumults, and to proceed to blows, if need were. The students also and the townsmen flocked together at the noise of this dispute, to see the event, and to make a party, according as they stood affected. When the day was come, notwithstanding his friends persuaded him not to adventure himself to read that day, lest he might incur some danger, he went and did his duty. For he said, "he would not be wanting to his office, nor neglect the place the king had intrusted him with; and that there were many, that came questionless to hear his lectures, whom he would not disappoint." As he, with his friends accompanying him, went to his reading, a servant of Richard Smith, D. D. whom we have before spoke of", the chief in this plot, met him, and delivered him a letter from his master, wherein he challenged him to a dispute that day".

b[See vol. i. p. 178, n. 2, and above, p. 77. et sqq.]

c

["Itaque sub exitumn Novembris anni 1547, permissu senatus Argentina, ubi jam quinquennium docuerat, in Angliam discessit, comitante eum Bernardino Ochino, qui et ipse quoque ab eodem archiepiscopo vocatus fuerat. Cum autem aliquandiu eos archiepiscopus secum detinuisset, et omnibus humanitatis officiis prosecutus esset, Martyr jussu regis sacris literis interpretandis Oxonii præfectus est. In ea Academia primum enarravit epistolam D. Pauli ad Corinthios priorem, eo quod in ea tractentur varia et mul

tiplicia capita quæ ad nostrorum temporum controversias faciunt, sic ut hujus epistolæ doctrina si commode dextreque adhibita fuerit, omnibus vitiis quibus ecclesiæ sinceritas corrupta est, mederi possit: et omnes abusus atque superstitiones papisticas convincere. Pontificii quorum adhuc Oxonii magnus erat numerus, initio quidem utcunque patienter ferebant Martyrem docentem, et quidam etiam lectiones ejus frequentabant, et se illius eruditionem admirari præ se ferebant: alii vero ac præcipue collegiorum præsides, suos arcebant a lectionibus, nihil tamen movebant ulterius. Verum

His answer hereunto.

Being come to the chair, he gently told his adversaries, in a modest speech to them, "that he refused not to dispute, but that at that time he came to read, and not