Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 22 · Quality 2
That a Bishop ought not to be stubberne.
Secondly it is required: That a Bishop ought not to bee stubberne. With which kinde of vice,The gentle nature of Doctour Cranmer. without great wrong thys Archbyshop in no wise oughte to be charged: whose nature was such, as none more gentle, or sooner wonne to any honest sute or purpose, specially in such things, wherin by hys woord, wryting, counsell or deede, he might gratifie either any gentle or noble manne, or doe good to anye meane person, or els relieue the needy and poore. OnelyOnly in causes pertaining to God or his Prince, no man more stoute, more constant, or more harde to be wonne: as in that part hys earnest defence in the Parliament house aboue three dayes together,Cranmer stout and constant in Gods cause. in disputing against the six articles of Gardiners deuice, can testifie. And thoughe the King would needes hauehave them vponupon some politicke consideration to goe forwarde, yet hee so handled himselfe aswell in the Parliament house, as afterwardes by wryting, so obediently and with suche humble behauioure in woordes towardes hys Prince, protesting the cause not to be his, but almighty Gods, who was the authoure of all truthe, that the King did not onelyonly well like hys defence, willing hym to departe out of the Parliament house, into the Counsaile chamber, whilest the Acte should passe and be graunted, for safegard of hys conscience, which he wyth humble protestation refused, hoping that his Maiestie in processe of time woulde reuoke them againe:D. Cranmer a stout enemy agaynst the 6. articles. but also after the Parliament was finished, the King perceiuing the zealous affection that the Archbishop bare towardes the defence of hys cause, whiche many wayes by Scriptures and manifolde authorities and reasons he had substantially confirmed and defended, sent the Lorde Cromwell, then Uicegerent, with the two dukes of Northfolke and Suffolke, and all the Lordes of the Parliament, to dine wyth hym at Lambeth: Where it was declared by the Uicegerent, and the two Dukes, that it was the Kinges pleasure, that they all shoulde in hys highnesse behalfe,Of this cōming of the L. Cromwell, and the two Dukes to the Archbishop read before. chearish, comfort and animate him, as one that for his trauaile in that Parliament, had shewed hymself both greatly learned, and also discrete and wise, and therefore they willed hym not to be discouraged for any thyng that was passed contrary to hys allegations. Hee moste humblye thancked the Kings maiestie of hys greate goodnesse towardes hym and them for all their paines, saying: I hope in God, that heereafter my allegations and authorityes shall take place to the glorye of God and the commoditie of the Realme, in the meane time I will satisfie my selfe wyth the honourable consent of your honoures, and the whole Parliament.
Heere is to be noted, that this mans stoute and godly defence of the truthe heerein, so bounde the Princes conscience, that he woulde not permitte the truth in that man to be cleane ouerthrown wyth authoritie and power, and therefore this way God woorking in the Princes minde, a playne token was declared heereby, that all thynges were not so sincerely handled in the confirmation of the sayde sixe Articles, as it oughte to hauehave beene, for else the Prince mighte hauehave hadde a iust cause to hauehave borne hys great indignation towardes the Archbishop. Let vsus pray that both the like stoutnesse maye be perceiued in all Ecclesiasticall and learned men where the truthe ought to be defended,Example for Ecclesiasticall pastors. and also the like relenting and flexibilitie maye take place in Princes and Noble menne, when they shall hauehave occasion offered them to maintaine the same, so that they vtterly ouerwhelme not the truth by selfe wil, power and authority. Now in the end this Archb. cōstancie was such towardes Gods cause, that he confirmed al hys doinges by bitter death in the fire, without respecte of anye worldly treasure or pleasure. And as touching hys stoutnesse in his Princes cause, the contrary resistaunce of the Duke of Northumberland against him prooued right wel his good minde that waye:Archbishop Cranmer in displeasure about the imploying of Chauntrey landes. which chaunced by reason that hee woulde not consent to the dissoluinge of Chaunteries, vntill the Kynge came of age, to the intent that they myghte then better serue to furnishe hys royall estate, then to hauehave so greate treasure consumed in hys nonage. Which his stonenesse ioyned with suche simplicitie, surely was thought to diuers of the Counsaile, a thing incredible, specially in such sorte to contende with him, who was so accounted in this realm, as few or none would or durst gainstande him.
So deare was to him the cause of God, and of hys Prince, that for the one he would not keepe his conscience clogged, nor for the other lurke or hide his heade. Otherwise (as it is sayde) his very enemies might easily intreat him in any cause reasonable: and such things as he graū ted, hee did without any suspition of rebroiding or meede therefore: So that hee was altogether voide of the vice of stubbernnesse, and rather culpable of ouer muche facilitie and gentlenesse.