The Christians and Jews of Egypt.

destroyed. The Jews also wore black garments, and a piece of wood of a circular form, of equal weight with the Christian's cross. Finally, a sentence of banishment to Greece was pronounced against all Christians and Jews alike; but, notwithstanding the sufferings they had undergone, they could not bear the thought of leaving their native land, and implored and obtained from the Khalif a revocation of their sentence. At this time great numbers of the Copts embraced the Mohammadan faith; for they hated the Greeks of their own religion who differed from them in points of doctrine, even more than they did the Mooslims.

The whole history of the Copts is merely a succession of rebellions and persecutions. In the fourteenth century, in consequence, it is said, of their displaying too much pride, and adopting the white turban of el-Islam, they were ordered to wear blue turbans and girdles, and the Jews yellow turbans; and both sects were forbidden to ride on horses or mules. On this occasion many Copts changed their faith rather than wear the blue turban. Not many years after this the Mooslims burnt and destroyed the Christian churches, which the Copts revenged by setting fire to the mosques; whereupon the Mooslims plundered every Christian they met with.

The Copts again adopted the white turban, and the Sultan ordered that any Christian found wearing the white turban might be robbed and killed with impunity; and that all of that sect should ride only on asses, with their face to the animal's tail; and that whenever they entered a public bath they should wear a bell suspended round their necks, to give warning to the faithful. Again great numbers abjured their religion to escape persecution; and from that time the people have so diminished that there are not more than 150,000 Copts now in Egypt, or about one fourteenth of the entire population of the country. They are no longer subjected to any exactions beyond a small tribute and are exempted from military service.

The Jews of Egypt, once a flourishing community, do not number more than 5000. Disliked and despised by the Mooslims, they live together in a close and dirty quarter of Cairo. They still wear blue turbans, like the Christians; but the Jewesses go veiled, and dress, in other respects, like Mohammadan women. The Jews are so despised by the Mooslims, that when an Arab abuses his donkey he frequently ends by calling the poor animal a Jew. They used to be jostled in the streets, and beaten for merely passing on the right hand of a 'believer;' and their lives have sometimes been sacrificed to save a Mooslim. They are exempted from military service, and pay tribute like the Copts.

The prohibition against riding on horses continued up to the present century. Before the accession of Mohammad Ali, no Eastern Christian or Jew was permitted to ride on horseback. And when Ibrahim Pasha conquered Damascus, the inhabitants of that city, who are very bigoted and intolerant, complained to him that there was no longer any distinction between true believers and infidels, as the Christians were now allowed to ride on horseback. Let the Mooslims still be exalted above the Christians,' said the Pasha; 'let them ride dromedaries in the streets: depend upon it the Christians will not follow their example.' A. R.

UGH LATIMER told the story of his own parentage in a

IF sermon before King Edward VI. My father,' said he,

was a yeoman, and had no lands of his own, only he had

a farm of three or four pounds a-year at the uttermost, and hereupon he tilled so much as kept half-a-dozen men. He had a walk for 100 sheep; and my mother milked thirty kine. ... He kept me to school, or else I had not been able to have preached before the King's Majesty now.' In another sermon he says, 'My father taught me how to draw, how to lay my body in my bow, and not to draw with strength of arms, as other nations do, but with strength of body. I had my bows bought me, according to my age and strength; as I increased in them, so my bows were made bigger and bigger.' Another reminiscence of Hugh's father appears in a third sermon, where he says, 'I can remember I buckled his harness when he went to Blackheath.' It was there the Cornish rebels were defeated in 1497. The boy must have been a mere child when he buckled his father's harness, for he was born about 1490; Thurcaston, in Leicestershire, being his birthplace.

At the age of fourteen Hugh went to Cambridge, and became eventually a Fellow of Clare. He was an excellent youth, studious and religious, and until he was thirty years old a strenuous enemy of the Reformation. At that time he began, as he says, 'to smell the Word of God.' This was owing to the influence of a man named Bilney, whom Latimer calls little Bilney, that blessed Martyr of God.'

Bilney, having heard Latimer deliver an oration against Melancthon, went afterwards to him, and said, 'For God's sake, Master Latimer, hear my confession.' Latimer assented, and says, 'I learned more by Bilney's confession than I had learned before in many years.'

After this remarkable interview Latimer became an earnest preacher of the reformed doctrines. There was now less of the school doctors and more of the Bible in his sermons. 'Few,' says Becon, except the stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart, went away from his preaching without being affected with high detestation of sin, and moved unto all godliness and virtue.'

The

Pilgrimages and setting up of candles gave way-as works of goodness to such as are commanded of God. Little Bilney was often visiting sick folk and prisoners, and Latimer used to go with him to see those who were confined in the tower at Cambridge. A certain woman was there, accused of murdering her child. two friends believed there was no truth in the charge, and when Latimer went to Windsor to preach before Henry he made suit for the poor woman's life, and had the satisfaction of obtaining her pardon.

That

Latimer's plain preaching alarmed the favourers of the Roman Church, and he was soon ousted from every pulpit except one. one was in a church over which the Bishop of Ely had no authority. But his enemies accused him to Wolsey, and he had to appear before the great Cardinal. Contrary to expectation, however, Wolsey favoured Latimer, and gave him permission to preach where he liked,

4

Bishop Latimer.

so long as he was cautious. Cautious or not, he soon gave fresh offence, and the noise of the strife almost brought bluff King Hal about their ears; but quietness followed the storm, and Master Latimer was honoured in being chosen as a Commissioner to determine whether King Henry and Queen Catherine were or were not legally married. He favoured the divorce, and on the Sunday after Cambridge had pronounced her decision Latimer preached at.

Windsor. The King praised the sermon, and gave the preacher five pounds.

Latimer was next sent, with eleven other Cambridge divines, to confer with an equal number of Oxford doctors on various important subjects. The majority of these learned ones wished the rcading of the Bible to be prohibited. In this wish Latimer did not concur. He was one of three or four out of that two dozen divines who

pleaded for the liberty of reading God's Word,' and for its going forth into English.'

Latimer after this became a Royal Chaplain. In a sermon of his, written some years afterwards, he tells how a great man taught him to behave at Court. The great man said, 'You must beware that you contrary not the King: let him have his sayings; follow him— go with him.' Marry!' answered the honest Chaplain, out upon this counsel! Shall I say as he says? A prince must be turned; not violently but he must be won by a little and a little. He must have his duty told him.'

:

6

Pursuing this straightforward course, Latimer told Henry that Abbeys were ordained for the comfort of the poor, and it was not decent to keep the king's horses in them. Soon after,' says Latimer, 'a certain nobleman said to me, "What hast thou to do with the king's horses?" I answered and said, "I spake my conscience as God's Word directed me. On another occasion he was accused before the King of using seditious language in a sermon. What say you to that, sir?' asked the terrible Henry (the accuser standing by). Latimer turned to his accuser, and said: Sir, what sort of preaching would you appoint me to preach before the King? Would you have me say nothing concerning the King in the King's sermon? Have you any commission to appoint me what I shall preach?' Then he turned to the King and said: 'I never thought myself worthy, nor did I ever sue to be a preacher before your Grace; but I was called to it, and would be willing to give way to my betters, if you like me not; and if it be your pleasure to allow them for preachers, I could be content to bear their books after them. But if your Grace allow me for a preacher, I desire you give me leave to discharge my conscience, and to frame my doctrine according to my audience. I had been a very dolt to have preached so at the borders of your realm as I preach before your Grace.'

After spending some time at Court, Latimer retired to West Kington, in Wiltshire, where he instructed, not only his own flock, but the neighbouring villages also. It was not long ere he raised up enemies, and was by them cited to appear before the Bishop of London. It was the depth of winter, and Latimer tried, but in vain, to evade the summons. He was required to subscribe his name to fifteen articles, which contain those doctrines then called in question: such as purgatory, masses for the dead, saint worship, relics, &c. Latimer would not subscribe his name, and therefore he was excommunicated and imprisoned for a time. He only gained his absolution and liberty at the King's request, and his own promise to submit himself to the will of the Convocation thenceforth.

But he was soon in trouble again. Preaching at Bristol he was heard by a priest named Brown, and soon after various dangerous doctrines were imputed to him-such as these: Our Lady was a sinner; saints are not to be honoured; there is no fire in hell; no purgatory after this life, &c. But Latimer had now a powerful friend in Archbishop Cranmer, who so greatly valued his judgment as to license every divine of Latimer's approval. We are not, therefore, much surprised when we hear of his elevation to a Bishopric

-that of Worcester.

Bishop Latimer.

He was the same man in lawn sleeves as out of them, and again irritated Convocation by urging on the Church the need of reformation. He proved himself a zealous Bishop-a teaching, visiting, reforming Bishop. But he resigned his see, when he had held it nearly four years, because he would not consent to the Act of Six Articles. In fact, he so strongly opposed that measure, that not only his resignation, but a prison was the result. He was first confined in the house of Dr. Samson, and then, after period of liberty, he was thrown into the Tower. There he remained until the accession of Edward VI. in January 1547, when the golden mouth of this preacher, long shut up, was opened again.'

All King Edward's days he preached twice every Sunday, for the most part though he was advanced in years, and 'a sore bruised man,' by the fall of a tree upon him. He was to be found every morning at two o'clock preparing his sermons-those sermons which his prophetic eye saw would cost him his life.

Many were the evils touched by the finger of this bold and faithful preacher. Fully did he do what he advised other ministers to do. Out with your swords,' said he, 'and strike at the root. Stand not ticking and toying at the branches, but strike at the root! Fear not these giants of England, these great men of power, these oppressors of the poor!'

Latimer was specially severe on unjust judges, and often spoke of the skin of that unrighteous judge which Cambyses laid in the seat of judgment, that all who decided causes afterwards night, as they sat upon it, remember to be just. He also aimed his blows at dumb Bishops, and strawberry clergymen,* and rack-rent landlords, and patrons who sold their livings, or reserved a portion of the income, and so defrauded the Rector or Vicar. He found fault with the walking about and chattering that were so common in church-time. He took the part of the poor ploughman, who was equal (as he told King Edward) to the greatest prince; he exposed the hollowness of many religious professors. Some,' said he, are card-gospellers, some are pot-gospellers, and some buckle the Gospel and the world together, and set God and devil at one table.' He showed up those who came to church for what they could get. If the crier made proclamation that any one who went to the Communion should have a testoon, all the town would be there.'

Blessing

In another mood he exposed the follies of superstition. is not wagging of fingers. The devil is not afraid of holy water. Our great Sibyll (the image of our Lady at Worcester) has been the devil's instruments to bring many (I fear) to eternal fire. Now she herself, with her old sister of Walsingham, her young sister of Ipswich, with their other two sisters of Doncaster and Penrice, would make a jolly muster in Smithfield: they would not be all day in burning.'

Surely the system which encouraged pilgrimages to these images needed reformation. And they who attacked such absurdities surely

* Strawberry clergymen were such as visited their country parishes only in fine weather.