Interview of tion. Their account of the matter is delivered in language which intimates not the faintest doubt of her antenuptial misconduct, and very little respecting that which is supposed to have followed her marriage. The same account is strongly confirmed by her examination before the primate, in which she distinctly admits her criminal intimacy with one of her alleged paramours.† And, lastly, a letter of Cranmer to the king has very recently been brought to light, which also reports that she made an unreserved acknowledgment of her guilt. From this document it would appear, that he had been despatched to the Tower with a promise of Cranmer with mercy. He found Catherine in such frantic the queen. agitation, that he was fain to open his interview at once, with the gracious message of his majesty. The effect of this communication is thus described by him: "After I had declared your grace's mercy extended unto her, she held up her hands and gave most humble thanks unto your majesty, who had showed unto her more grace and mercy than she herself thought meet to sue for, or could have hoped of." And again she exclaimed, "Alas! my lord, that I am now alive. The fear of death grieved me not so much before, as doth now the remembrance of the king's goodness. The more I consider the greatness of his mercy, the more I do sorrow in my heart that I should so misorder myself against his majesty." The letter then proceeds to state, that she persisted in denying any precontract with her paramour Derham: and it adds, that after Cranmer's departure, she began to "excuse and temper" her *Herb. p. 532-535, ed. 1683. It has been stated that Catherine was the victim of "a plot, woven by the industry of the reformers, who were her enemies;" and it is, moreover, insinuated that she and her confidante, Lady Rochfort, "were both sacrificed to the manes of Anne Boleyn."— (Ling. Hist. Eng. vol. vi. p. 407-410.) Not a fragment of proof has been produced in support of either of these suppositions: and all the testimony we actually possess is directly at variance with them. Burnet, vol. iii. Ree. No. 72. confessions, and to affirm that her commerce with Derham was the effect of his importunity, amounting almost to violence, rather than of her own "free will and consent."* After all this, it must require more than usual hardihood to persist in talking of "a plot woven by the industry of the reformers," in order to secure a victim, which they might "sacrifice to the manes of Anne Boleyn." It may not, however, be quite so easy a task to defend the king as to vindicate his Protestant counsellors. If the "grace and mercy" above alluded to amounted to a promise of life, the queen was inhumanly deceived by him. The only indulgence she experienced was a respite of two or three months. On the 13th of February she was dragged to execution; and thus therine Howard. another deep stain of blood was dropped upon the page of Henry's domestic history. Execution of Ca * This letter is dated November. It is printed from the original MS. in the State Paper office, in Todd's Cran. vol. i. p. 316. † Ling. See note (*,) preceding page. CHAPTER IX. 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 mitigating the Six Articles -Gostwick's attack on Cranmer-Alteration of Cranmer's Armorial Device English Litany-Cranmer's attempts at more effectual Reformation 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 and Government. 1542. Attempts of the lish In spite of the recent defeats sustained by the Romish party, the struggle between the ancient and the reformed principles was still continued with unabated obstinacy; so that the primate was compelled to stand incessantly on the watch. In the course of the last year, papists for a revi- a new edition of the English Bible had sion of the Eng been published by authority, under the superintendence of Tonstal and Heath: but, nevertheless, the clamour of the Romanists was urgent for a fresh revision; and Gardiner, more particularly, insisted on a retention, in the Latin form, of a number of words and phrases, the genuine sense and majesty of which, as he contended, the English tongue was incapable of representing.* was therefore proposed to the convocation, that the bishops should divide between them the task of a complete revisal. The primate saw the danger of this insidious suggestion; and he diverted it, by It * Wilk. Conc. vol. iii. p. 861; where a list may be found of the Latin words upon which Gardiner had set his heart. moving that the business should be confided to the universities. He was unshaken by the groundless objection that those learned bodies were then in no condition to undertake so arduous an office; and he silenced all further opposition to his own measure, by obtaining the concurrence of the king. The project, however, seems to have fallen to the ground: and the only advantage derived from the victory was the preservation of the sacred text from the unfaithful handling of Romish_theology:* In the course of another twelvemonth, indeed, the antiscripturists obtained a calamitous triumph. The king by that time was so wearied and perplexed by the spirit of dissension which was still abroad, that he began almost to repent of his liberality, and seemed disposed to suppress all writings on religious subjects, without distinction: and in this mood, probably, it was that he consented to the prohibition of Tindal's English Bible, and to an order for obliterating all prologues and annotations from every existing copy. The perusal of Scripture, it is true, was not wholly forbidden; but it was permitted under a variety of capricious and arbitrary limitations. The indulgence was confined to noblemen and gentlemen, who might read it to their families, within the precincts of their gardens, or their orchards; to merchants, who were permitted to peruse it alone and privately; and to women, who, if of noble or of gentle blood, might enjoy the same solitary privilege. Imprisonment, and subsequently corporal punishment, was to be the lot of every artificer or husbandman who should be detected in this forbidden occupation; and these vexatious restrictions continued unmitigated for the remainder of Henry's life. Notwithstanding the repeated proclamations and *Or, in the language of Fuller, the saving it from the policy of Gardiner, who, being unable to extinguish the light, was for putting it into a dark lantern. And see Collier, ii. p. 185. VOL. I.-R injunctions which had been issued for the abolition of superstitious practices, the exertions of the primate were still incessantly required for their effectual suppression. In the autumn of the preceding year, he had prevailed upon the king to issue à letter for the more general destruction of shrines, and other "monuments of miracles ;"* and early in this year he called the attention of the convocation to the wax candles, and the silken habits, and other costly trumpery, which were still lavished on the images of saints; and insisted that these relics of idolatrous vanity should be rigorously extirpated. He also endeavoured to procure a correction of the ritual, and the purification of the service-book from a miscellaneous collection of legendary trifles, and more especially from all mention of the Bishop of Rome. These proposals, however, slept in the reluctant and sluggish ears of the clergy; and nothing of much importance could be achieved for these purposes during the present reign.f One memorable improvement, indeed, was at this Bible appointed time introduced into the public worship. the minister in It was ordered, that a chapter out of the church. Bible should be read in English, by the minister, after the Te Deum and the Magnificat respectively, and so on till the whole of the book should be read through, in regular succession: but no attempt at commentary on the sacred text was allowed to accompany this exercise.‡ Portions of the to be read by The compendious nature of this narrative makes it necessary here, as in some other places, to pass over several of the lighter labours of the archbishop; such, for instance, as his visitation of All Souls' College, Oxford; which had contracted an evil name for luxurious habits, and neglect of dis *Strype, Cranm, b. i. c. 23. Ibid. Eccl. Mem. vol. i. c. 50; Coll. vol. ii. 185. |