CONTENTS. LIFE, State, and Story of Thomas Cranmer..... An Answer to a Crafty and Sophistical Cavillation devised by Stephen PAGE THE present volume contains the writings of archbishop Cranmer on the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, together with the disputations held with him at Oxford previously to his condemnation and martyrdom. The writings on the sacrament have been reprinted from the edition of A. D. 1580, and exhibit the latest and most matured corrections of the archbishop, which he is supposed to have made whilst under imprisonment previously to his death. With this later edition, that of 1551,-the original edition of his first work on the sacrament, afterwards embodied by him in his answer to Winchester,- as well as bishop Gardiner's reply to it, have been carefully collated, and care has been taken to note the various readings. The Latin edition of the first work, printed at Emden, A. d. 1557, not previously reprinted, has been added; and this has likewise undergone a careful examination, with the previous edition of the Latin translation, said by Strype to have been made by Sir John Cheke. Wherever the additional references to the works of the Fathers are found in the Emden edition, 1557, they have been noted in the margin of the body of this reprint. The Disputations held at Oxford are reprinted from the 1583 edition of Foxe's Acts and Monuments, and have been collated with an earlier edition. Thus it is hoped, that the pieces now given will be found to exhibit the last and most accurate thoughts of the archbishop, so far as they exist, arranged in a more complete form than has yet been attempted. With reference to the succeeding volume, which will contain the rest of the writings of archbishop Cranmer, the Editor has been engaged both at home and on the continent in further researches, especially relating to a correspondence on the sacraments, supposed to exist in some foreign public libraries. But after the most careful personal examination, he is enabled to state, that nothing has been found beyond the letters previously printed by Dr Jenkyns in his valuable edition of the works of the archbishop, except one brief letter written by the archbishop a short time before his martyrdom, and which was discovered at Zurich during the researches made there for the Parker Society. The biographical sketch of the archbishop, and a full account of his remains, will be given with the succeeding volume: but the memoir abridged from Foxe's Acts and Monuments, printed in the edition of A. D. 1580, is here given, to put the reader in possession of a complete copy of that work, printed in the reign of queen Elizabeth, with the exception of a few epistles which will be found in the complete series of letters. In conclusion, the Editor desires to acknowledge the valuable assistance he has derived from the previous edition of Dr Jenkyns, which has relieved him from many difficulties: nevertheless he has taken nothing from it, but has invariably examined early editions and references for himself, and has stated the result of his own researches.-He has also to acknowledge the kind loan of a copy of the first edition of the archbishop's work on the sacrament from the library of Gloucester Cathedral. May 10, 1844. THE LIFE, STATE, AND STORY, OF THE REVEREND PASTOR AND PRELATE, THOMAS CRANMER, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, MARTYR, BURNED AT OXFORD FOR THE CONFESSION OF CHRIST'S TRUE DOCTRINE. Cranmer, of Canter Doctor Cran mer made mer always king Henry. FORASMUCH as the life and estate of the most reverend father in God and worthy Thomas prelate of godly memory, Thomas Cranmer, late archbishop of Canterbury, together archbishop with the original cause and occasion of his preferment to the dignity archiepiscopal, bury. whereunto he was advanced immediately upon the death of bishop Warham, archbishop of the same, beyond all expectation, without support of money or friends, by archbishop the only well-liking of the most renowned king of famous memory, Henry the by king eighth, who with a fatherly care maintained his countenance, and defended his Doctor Craninnocent life, undermined sundry times by the manifold attempts of the horrible defended by arch-enemy of Christ and his gospel, Stephen Gardiner, and other his complices; with divers other circumstances of his most commendable conversation, charitable consideration of the poor, constant care in reformation of corrupt religion, his undaunted courage in continual defence of the same, and the perseverance therein to the loss of his life, be already described at large in the book of Acts and Look for the Monuments of Martyrs; it may seem needless to make a thorough discourse thereof in the book again at this present. Nevertheless, partly to stop the mouths of slanderous syco- and Monuphants, and partly for the ease of such as would happily be desirous, upon the view last edition, of the title of this book, to be acquainted with the life of the author, being otherwise not able to have recourse to the story at large, as also because his virtuous life and glorious death was such, as can never be commended sufficiently, I have thought it not altogether amiss to renew the remembrance thereof by certain brief notes, referring them that be desirous to know the whole to the story thereof at large. story at large, of the Acts ments, in the p. 1752. Cranmer a born. It is first therefore to be noted and considered, that the same Thomas Cranmer Thomas coming of ancient parentage, from the conquest to be deducted, and continuing sithens gentleman in the name and family of a gentleman, was born in a village called Arselacton in Nottinghamshire. Of whose said name and family there remaineth at these days one manor and mansion-house in Lincolnshire, called Cranmer Hall, &c. sometimes of heritage of the said stock and family. Who being from his infancy kept at school, and brought up, not without much good civility, came in process of time unto the university of Cambridge, and there prospering in right good knowledge amongst coming to the better sort of students, was chosen fellow of Jesus college in Cambridge. And Thomas Cranso being master of art, and fellow of the same college, it chanced him to marry a Jesus College. gentleman's daughter, by means whereof he lost and gave over his fellowship there, and became the reader in Buckingham college; and for that he would with more diligence apply that his office of reading, placed his said wife in an inn, called the ThomasCranmer first Cambridge. mer fellow of mer, after the wife, chosen into Jesus College. Dolphin, in Cambridge, the wife of the house being of affinity unto her. By means' of whose abode in that inn, and his often repair unto her, arose a certain slanderous report, after he was preferred to be archbishop of Canterbury, bruited abroad by the malicious disdain of certain sycophantical papists, that he was but an hosteler, and altogether devoid of learning; which how falsely was forged upon him, may easily Thomas Cran- appear hereby, that the masters and fellows of Jesus college, noting the virtuous decease of his disposition of the man, and the great travail he took, notwithstanding his marriage, again fellow whiles he continued reader in Buckingham college, immediately upon the death of his wife (who not long after their enter marriage was in childbed surprised by death) received him into their fellowship again; where he so behaved himself, that in few Thomas Cran- years after he became the reader of the divinity lecture in the same college, and in reader and such special estimation and reputation with the whole university, that being doctor of divinity, he was commonly appointed one of the heads (which are two or three Doctor Cran- of the chiefest learned men) to examine such as yearly profess, in commencement, either Cambridge of bachelors or doctors of divinity, by whose approbation the whole university licenseth were to pro- them to proceed unto their degree; and again, by whose disallowance the university also rejecteth them for a time to proceed, until they be better furnished with more knowledge. mer made doctor of divinity in Jesus College. mer public examiner in them that ceed. Friars in hatred with mer. Now doctor Cranmer, ever much favouring the knowledge of the scripture, would never admit any to proceed in divinity, unless they were substantially seen in the story of the bible: by means whereof certain friars and other religious persons, who doctor Cran- were principally brought up in the study of school-authors, without regard had to the authority of scriptures, were commonly rejected by him; so that he was greatly for that his severe examination of the religious sort much hated and had in great indignation: and yet it came to pass in the end, that divers of them, being thus compelled to study the scriptures, became afterwards very well learned and well affected; insomuch that, when they proceeded doctors of divinity, they could not overmuch extol and commend master doctor Cranmer's goodness towards them, who had for a time put them back to aspire unto better knowledge and perfection. Amongst whom docDoctor Bar- tor Barret, a white friar, who afterwards dwelt at Norwich, was after that sort handled, giving him no less commendation for his happy rejecting of him for a better amendment. Thus much I repeat, that our apish and popish sort of ignorant priests may well understand that this his exercise, kind of life, and vocation was not altogether hostelerlike. ret. Doctor Cranmer, solicited I omit here how Cardinal Wolsey, after the foundation of his college in Oxford, to be fellow hearing the fame of his learning, used all means possible to place him in the same; of the Cardi in Oxford, refused it. the king's divorce with Catharine nal's college which he refused with great danger of indignation, contenting himself with his former fellowship in Cambridge: until, upon occasion of the plague being in Cambridge, he resorted to Waltham Abbey, and sojourned with one M. Cressey there, whose wife was doctor Cranmer's niece, and two of her children his pupils in Cambridge. During Question of this time the great and weighty cause of king Henry the eighth his divorce with the lady Catharine, dowager of Spain, was in question. Wherein two cardinals, Campeius and Wolsey, were appointed in commission from the pope to hear and determine the controversy between the king and the queen; who by many dilatories, dallying, and delaying, the whole summer, until the month of August, taking occasion to finish their commission, so moved the patience of the king, that in all haste he removed from London to Waltham for a night or twain, whiles the dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk dispatched cardinal Campeius home again to Rome. By means whereof it dowager. [By reason, Foxe. Ed. 1583.] |