-Cathedral Church of Canterbury restored to the state of a Deanery and Chapter-Cranmer's benevolent views respecting Canterbury Grammar School-Information brought to Cranmer of the unfaithful- ness of the Queen, Catherine Howard-Communicated by him to the King-Interview of Cranmer with the Queen-Her Execution... 162 Attempts of the Papists for a revision of the English Bible-Portions of the Bible appointed to be read by the Minister in Church-Reformation in Scotland-Certain Questions proposed to the English Divines by the King-Cranmer's answer to them-The "King's Book"-Cranmer's visitation of his Diocess-The King marries Catherine Parr-Abortive conspiracy for the ruin of Cranmer-Act for initigating the Six Articles -Gostwick's attack on Cranmer-Alteration of Cranmer's Armorial Device-English Litany-Cranmer's attempts at more effectual Refor- mation defeated-Another fruitless Plot against Cranmer--Cranmer falsely accused of mean housekeeping, by Seymour-Orders for the removal of Images which had been used superstitiously-English Prayers partially allowed-Anne Askew-Cranmer not concerned in her persecution-Death of Henry VIII.--Reflections on his Character Unsettled State of Religion-Commission during pleasure issued to the Bishops-Cranmer's Address to Edward VI. at his Coronation-Per- secution under the Six Articles terminated-Activity of Gardiner in defence of Saint-worship, &c.-A Visitation of the whole Kingdom resolved upon-Preparation of Homilies-Translation of the Para- phrase of Erasmus-Continued opposition of Gardiner-His Disputes with Crannier on the Homilies and Paraphrase--Opposition of Bonner -Cranmer's Influence predominant in the Convocation-An Act for the Sacrament in both kinds-Repeal of the Six Articles, and other per- secuting Statutes-Religious Dissensions-Various Orders of Council respecting them--Images abolished-Ten Questions submitted to the Bishops respecting the Mass-The Answers of Cranmer and other Bishops-Steps towards converting the Mass into a Communion Ser- vice--Disorders and Outrages attending the first Introduction of these Changes-Bill for giving the Chapels and Chantries to the King- Cranmer joins the Papists in their opposition to it-Cranmer's Arti- Transubstantiation-The English Liturgy--Aversion of the Romanists for the New Service-book-The Rebellion of Devonshire and Corn- wall-Cranmer's Answer to the Rebels--Bonner's opposition to the recent changes-His Degradation and Imprisonment-Variety of per- nicious doctrines--Burning of Joan Bocher-Cranmer's share in it- THE LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP CRANMER. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. The principles of Wiclif repressed for a time, but not extinguished-Persecution of Lollardism in the reign of Henry VIII-Bilney-The cases of Keyser and Werner, in the reign of Edward IV., adverted to-The abbot of Winchelcomb's Book on the Immunities of the Clergy-Discussions of his doctrine-Declaration of Henry VIII. against Ecclesiastica! Jurisdiction in temporal matters-The murder of Hunne-Views of Wolsey respecting the Reformation of the Clergy-His project for the abolition of the Monastic system-The King's Book against Luther -Notice of his Marriage with his Brother's Widow-His scruplesHis application to the Pope for the Dissolution of his Marriage-Delay and chicanery of the Court of Rome-Anne Boleyn-The Convocation compelled to a partial recognition of the King's Ecclesiastical Supremacy-Questions agitated respecting the power and jurisdiction of the Clergy-General state of feeling and opinion relative to Reformation. THE seeds of religious reformation, which had been prodigally scattered by Wiclif and The principles of his followers, took deep root in the hearts for a time, but Wiclif repressed of the people of England. No efforts, in- not extinguished. deed, were spared by the Romish hierarchy to trample them down: and, for considerably more than a century after his death, their exertions were, to outward appearance, abundantly successful. During VOL. I.-B that period, the statutes of Richard II. and of Henry IV. did their hateful office. The truth was trodden beneath the feet of the ecclesiastical and civil power. But the life was never crushed out of it; and it sprang up, at last, with a vigour, that proved both the favourable nature of the soil, and the imperishable hardiness of the plant. Lollardism in ry VIII. The persecution, which had continued to depress the public mind, from the accession of Henry IV. to Persecution of the death of Henry VII., underwent no the reign of Hen- relaxation during the earlier period of the reign of Henry VIII. The fierceness with which it occasionally raged (until the great question of the royal divorce burst in, to divide and weaken the dominant church) is amply testified by the episcopal registers of those times. The accession of Henry was in April, 1509: and both that and several succeeding years were remarkable for the rigorous proceedings of Bishop Fitzjames against the heretics of London diocess. Similar severities were inflicted by Archbishop Warham in the diocess of Canterbury.* And these cruelties, it should be observed, were thought necessary some years before the incursion of the new doctrines from Germany. It was not till September, 1517, that Luther published at Wittemberg his Ninety-five Propositions against the Extortion of the Papal Questors: and some interval would unavoidably elapse, before the impulse which agitated the continent of Europe could powerfully communicate itself to the mind of England. All the individuals, therefore, who suffered, or were terrified into abjuration, both before that period and for some time after it, must have derived their convictions from the perusal of the Scriptures, in the version of Wiclif, and from the numerous tracts of the great Reformer and his followers, which no vigilance of inquisition had been able entirely to suppress. * Foxe; Burnet, b. i. p. 27-30, ed. 1679. |