Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 6 · Part 32
The History of THOMAS CROMVVELL, Earle of Essex.
THomas Cromwell became the most secret and deare Councelor vntounto the King, after he was made Earle of Essex: He alone through the singular dext…ritie of his wit and Councell brought to passe that which no Prince or King throughout all Europe, dare or can bring to passe: For whereas Brittany was most superstitious of all Nations: he brake off and repressed all the poli…ies and malice of the Fr…ers, Mon…es and Religions, and subuerted there houses throughout all the Realme; and brought the Arch-bishops, and Bishops; yea Cranmer and the Bishop of Winchester to an Order, though he were the Kings chiefe Councelor, preuenting th…ir enterprises and complaints, specially in those things which tended to the decay of good men, which fauoured the Gospell, vntounto whom Cromwell was euer a shield against the pestiferous enterprises of Winchester, betwéen… whom there was continuall emulation both being great with the King; one much feared, th' other beloued; but Winchester séemed such a man to be borne onelyonly for the destruction of the good, and Cromwell by thy Diuine prouidence appointed a help to preserue many, it were to tedious to declare how many good men through this mans help hauehave béen reléeued; whereof a great n…mber beeing depriued of their patron by his fall perished, and many yet aliue which are witnes of these things: Iehu, the sharpe punisher of superstitious Idolatry was not much vnlike this man.
For this purpose this man seemed to be raised vp of God, to subuert the dens of sloth and idlenes, where if they had remained, the Pope could not be excluded out of England; for there was an incredible number of Monasteri…s in England: There riches and possessions were so great, that they vpbraided euen vntounto Kings and No…les beggery: and there houses were no lesse sumptuous, which for the most part were plucked down to the ground, and their reuenues and substance the King partly conuerted vntounto his own Coffers, and partly distributed amongst his Nobilitie; but many repr…hend the subuersion of these Abbies & say they might hauehave béen conuerted to other good vses which indéed would hauehave béen good and godly, if in this Kingdome there should bee continually a succession of good Princes: but if it should happen to be a King of a contrarie Religion, it would hauehave been otherwise, as we may see by the example of Quéene Mary: If the Monasteries had been left standing vntill her superstitious daies, they should hauehave been restored againe, and filled with Monkes and Fryers. For if the goods and possessions of the religious, being in the hands of the Dukes and Nobility, could scarce withstand the Quéenes power, how should the meaner sort hauehave retained them. Wherefore no doubt Gods great prouidence did f…resée these things in this man: Wherevpon as often as he sent any man to suppresse any Monastery, hee would charge them that they should subuert their houses from there foundation.
When the Pope was abolish…d out of England, and that there was diuers tumults about Religion, and it séemed good to the King to appoint a Conuo…ation to which Cromwell came, and found all the Bishop… attending his comming, and all did obeysance vntounto him, as to their Uicar generall; and he saluted them eueryevery one in their degrée, and sate downe in the highest place. Then Cromwell in the name of the King, spake words to this effect.
The King thankes you …o: your diligence, the cause why he hath willed you to assemble, is that you should estab…sh certaine controuersies touching the state of Faith, and Christian Religion, which are now in controuersi…, not onelyonly in this Realme: but also amongst all other Nations of the world, for he willeth not that there should be any publike change in this Realme of Religion, except by the consent of you and the whole Parliament, wherein you may easily perceiue his profound wisedom & great leue towards you: Wherfore he desireth you in Christs name, that leauing blindnes, contentions▪ you would discusse those things amongst you which pertaine to religion; and the Church hauing onelyonly respect vntounto the Scriptures, neither will he any longer suffer the Scriptures to be wrested by any one of you; neither to be oppressed with the Popes Decrées, or authoritie of the Doctors or Councels; neither will he allow any Doctrine grounded onelyonly vponupon Antiquitie and Custome, hauing no other foundation in Scriptures, such as you call vnwritten verities, you owe this duety chiefely to Christ; and next of necessitie vntounto the Church, and yet you shall not be vnrewarded at the Kings hands if he perceíue you do your duty as you ought in establishing concord in the Church: The which to bring to passe the onelyonly methode is to discusse all things according to the Canons of Gods word: wherevnto the Kings Maiestie doth exhort you, and hartily desire you: the Bishops gaue thankes vntounto the King for his zeale vntounto the Church, and his exhortation worthy so Christian a Prince.
Then Bonner Bishop of London, the most earnest Champion for the Pope, defended the vnwritten verities, and maintained the seuen Sacraments of the Church, and others resisted him: Touching whose Arguments because there is no great matter in them, I refer thee to the Booke at large, where also thou maist sée the number of Idols in England, to which in great deuotion they vse to goe on pilgrimage vntounto.
At length he was apprehended and committed to the Tower, and then hee was attainted by Parliament for heresie, for supporting Barnes and Clarke hereticks and many others; And by his authoritie and Letters rescued them, and deliuered them out of prison, and for evulgating a great number of Bookes, containing heresie: and caused Bookes to be translated into English, comprising matter against the Sacrament of the Altar, & for commending the Bookes after, and that he should speake words against the King, which they would neuer suffer him to answere vntounto, which were not likely to be true, in that the King so shortly after his death, wished to hauehave his Cromwell aliue againe; by reason of which Act of Parliament, the Noble Lord Cromwell was oppressed with his enemies, and condemned in the Tower: He was beheaded vponupon Tower Hill, where he patiently suffered the stroke of the Axe by a Butcherly miser, which very vngodlily performed the office.