Latimer's rooms, gave him his own reasons for good-will to the teaching
of Melancthon, and explained to him his faith as a Reformer in a way that
secured Latimer's attention. Latimer's free, vigorous mind, admitted the
new reasonings, and in his after-life he looked always upon "little
Bilney" as the man who had first opened his eyes.

With homely earnestness Latimer began soon to express his new
convictions. His zeal and purity of life had caused him to be trusted by
the University as a maintainer of old ways; he had been appointed cross-
bearer to the University, and elected one of the twelve preachers
annually appointed in obedience to a bull of Pope Alexander VI. Now
Latimer walked and worked with Bilney, visiting the sick and the
prisoners, and reasoning together of the needs of Christendom. The
Bishop of the diocese presently forbade Latimer's preaching in any of the
pulpits of the University. Robert Barnes, prior of the Augustinian
Friars at Cambridge, a man stirred to the depths by the new movement of
thought, then invited Latimer to preach in the church of the
Augustinians. Latimer was next summoned before Wolsey, whom he satisfied
so well that Wolsey overruled the Bishop's inhibition, and Latimer again
became a free preacher in Cambridge.

The influence of Latimer's preaching became every year greater; and in
December, 1529, he gave occasion to new controversy in the University by
his two Sermons on the Card, delivered in St. Edward's Church, on the
Sunday before Christmas, 1529. Card-playing was in those days an
amusement especially favoured at Christmas time. Latimer does not
express disapproval, though the Reformers generally were opposed to it.
The early statutes of St. John's College, Cambridge, forbade playing with
dice or cards by members of the college at any time except Christmas, but
excluded undergraduates even from the Christmas privilege. In these