Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 22 · Recantation 2
The copie and woordes of Cranmers recantation.
I Thomas Cranmer late Archbish. of Canterburie, doe renounce, abhorre,The coppy of Cranmers recantation s…ars ed abroad by the Papistes. and detest all maner of heresies and errors of Luther and Zwinglius, and all other teachings which be contrarye to sounde and true doctrines. And I beleeue most constantly in my heart, and wyth my mouth I confesse one holy and Catholicke Church visible, wythout the which there is no saluation, and thereof I knowledge the Bishop of Rome to be supreame heade in earth, whom I knowledge to be the highest Byshop and Pope, & Christes vicare, vntounto whome all Christen people ought to be subiect.
And as concerning the Sacramentes, I beleeue and worship in the Sacrament of the altar, the very body and bloude of Christe, being contained most truely vnderunder the formes of bread and wine, the bread through the mightye power of God being turned into the body of our sauioure Iesus Christ, and the wine into his bloud.
And in the other 6. sacraments also (like as in thys) I beleeue and hold as the vniuersal church holdeth, and the church of Rome iudgeth and determineth.
Furthermore, I beleeue that there is a place of purgatorie, where Soules departed be punished for a tyme, for whome the church doth godly and wholsomely pray, lyke as it doth honor Saints and make praiers to them.
Finally in all things I professe, yt I doe not otherwise beleeue, then the catholicke Church, & the church of Rome holdeth & teacheth. I am sory that euer I held or thought otherwise. And I beseech almighty God, that of hys mercy he wil vouchsafe to forgeue me, whatsoeuer I hauehave offended against God or his church, and also I desire & beseeche all Christian people to pray for me.
And all such as hauehave bene deceiued either by myne example or doctrine, I require them by the bloude of Iesus Christ, that they will returne to the vnitie of the churche, yt we may be all of one mind, without schisme or diuision.
And to conclude, I submit my selfe to the Catholicke church of Christ, and to the supreme head therof, so I submit my selfe vntounto the moste excellent maiesties of Phillip and Mary, King & Queene of this Realme of England. &c. and to all their lawes and ordinances, being ready alwaies as a faithfull subiecte euer to obey them. And God is my witnes that I hauehave not done this for fauor or feare of any person, but willingly and of mine owne minde, as well to the discharge of mine owne conscience, as to the struction of other.
This recantation of the Archb. was not so soone conceiued, but the Doctors & Prelates wythout delay caused the same to be imprinted and set abroad in all mēs hands. Whereunto for better credite, first was added the name of Thom. Cranmer, with a solemne subscription, then folowed the witnesses of this recantation, Henry Sydal, and Frier Iohn De Villa Garcina. All this while Cran. was in no certaine assuraunce of his life, although the same was faithfully promised to him by the doctours: but after that they had their purpose, the rest they committed to all aduenture, as became men of that religion to doe.
The Queene hauing nowe gotten a time to reuenge her old grieef, receiued his recantation very gladly:The Queene… hart set agaynst Cranmer. Cranmer in a miserable case. but of her purpose to put him to death, she would nothing relēt.
Now was Crāmers cause in a miserable taking, who neither inwardly had any quietnes in his owne cōscience, nor yet outwardly any helpe in his aduersaries.
Besides this, on the one side was praise, on the other side scorne, on both sides daunger, so that neither he could die honestly, nor yet vnhonestly liue: And where as hee sought profite, hee fell into double disprofite, that neyther with good men he could auoid secrete shame, nor yet with euill men the note of dissimulation.
In the meane time, while these things were a doyng (as I said) in the prison among the doctours: the Queene taking secrete Counsel,The Queen… conferreth with D. Cole about Cranmers burning L. Williams of Tame, L. Shandoys, Syr Tho. Bri…e…, Syr Iohn Browne, appoynted to be at Cranmers execution. howe to dispatch Cranmer out of the way (who as yet knew nothing of her secrete hate, and looked for nothing lesse then death) apoynted D. Cole, and secretely gaue him in commandement, that against the 21. of March, he should prepare a funerall sermon for Cranmers burning, & so instructing him orderly and diligently of her wil & pleasure in that behalfe, sendeth him away.
Soone after, the Lord Williams of Tame, & the Lorde Shandoys, syr Thom. Bridges, and syr Iohn Browne were sent for, with other woorshipfull men and Iustices, commanded in the Queenes name, to be at Oxford at the same day, wyth their seruauntes and retinue, least Cranmers death should raise there any tumult.
Cole the Doctor hauing this lesson geuen hym before, and charged by her commandement, returned to Oxford, ready to play hys part, who as the day of execution drewe neare, euen the day before came into ye prison to Cranmer, to try whether he abode in the catholicke faith wherin before he had left him. To whom, when Cranmer had aunsweared, that by Gods grace he would daily be more confirmed in the catholicke faith: Cole departing for ye tyme, the next day following repaired to the Archb. agayne, geuing no signification as yet of hys death that was prepared: And therefore in the morning, which was the 21. day of Marche appoynted for Cranmers execution, the sayde Cole comming to hym, asked if he hadde any money. To whome when he answeared that he had none, he deliuered hym 15. crownes to geue the poore to whome hee woulde: and so exhorting him so muche as hee coulde to constancie in Faith, departed thence aboute hys businesse, as to hys Sermon appertained.
By this partly, and other like Argumentes, the Archbishop began more and more to surmise what they went about. Then, because the day was not farre past, and the Lordes and Knightes that were looked for,Cranmer writeth and subscribeth the articles with his owne hand. were not yet come, there came to him the Spanish frier, witnes of hys recantation, bringing a paper with articles, which Cranmer shoulde openly professe in hys recantation before the people, earnestly desiring him that hee woulde wryte the sayd instrument with the articles wt his owne hande, and signe it wt his name: which when he had done, the said frier desired yt he would wryte an other copy thereof, which should remaine with him, and that he did also. But yet the Archbishop being not ignoraunt whereunto theyr secreat deuises tended, and thinking that the time was at hande, in which he could no longer dissemble the profession of his faith with Christes people, he put secretely in hys bosome his Prayer with his exhortation, wrytten in an other paper, which he minded to recite to ye people before he should make the last profession of hys faith, fearing least if they had heard the confession of his faith first, they woulde not afterward hauehave suffered hym to exhort the people.
Soone after, about 9. of the clocke, the Lord Williams, Syr Thomas Bridges, syr Iohn Browne, and the other Iustices wyth certaine other noble men, that were sent of the Queenes counsell, came to Oxford wt a great traine of wayting men. Also of the other multitude on euerye side, (as is wōt in such a matter) was made a great concourse and greater expectation. For first of all, they that were of the Popes side, were in great hope that day to heare somthing of Cranmer that should stablish the vanitye of their opinion: the other parte which were endued with a better minde, coulde not yet doubte, that he which by continuall studie and labour, for so many yeres had set foorth the doctrine of the gospel, either would or could nowe in the last Acte of hys life forsake his part. Briefly, as eueryevery mannes wil enclined, eyther to this part or to that, so accordyng to the diuersitie of their desires, eueryevery mā wished and hoped for. And yet because in an vncertaine thing the certaintye could be knowen of none what would be the end: al theyr mindes were hanging betwene hope and doubt. So that the greater the expectation was in so doubtfull a matter, the more was the multitude that were gathered thether to heare and beholde.
In this so great frequence and expectation, Cranmer at length commeth from the prison Bocardo, vntounto s. Maries churche (because it was a foule and a rainy daye) the chiefe church in the vniuersity, in this order. The Mayor went before,D. Cranmer brought to D. Coles Sermon. next him the Aldermen in their place and degree: after them was Cranmer brought betwene two friers, which mumbling to and froe certaine Psalmes in the streetes, aunsweared one an other vntill they came to the Church doore, and there they began the songe of Simeon, Nunc Dimittis, and entering into the Churche,Cran… set … a stag…. the Psalme saying Friers brought hym to his standing, and there left him. There was a stage set vp ouer against the pulpit, of a meane height from the ground, where Cranmer hadde hys standing, wayting vntill Cole made him ready to his Sermone.
The lamentable case and sight of that man gaue a sorrowfull spectacle to al Christian eyes that beheld him. He that late was Archbishop, Metropolitane, and Primate of England, and the Kings priuy Councellor, being now in a bare and ragged gowne, and ill fauouredly cloathed, wyth an olde square cappe, exposed to the contempt of all men, did admonish men not onelyonly of his owne calamitie, but also of theyr state and fortune. For who woulde not pitie hys case, and bewaile his fortune, & might not feare his owne chaunce, to see such a Prelate, so graue a Councellour, and of so long continued honoure, after so manye dignities, in hys olde yeares to be depriued of his estate, adiudged to die, and in so painefull a death to end his life, and now presently from such fresh ornaments, to discende to such vile and ragged apparell?
In this habite, when hee had stoode a good space vponupon the stage, tourning to a piller neare adioyning thereunto, he lifted vppe hys handes to heauen, & prayed vntounto God once or twise: till at the length D. Cole comming into the pulpit, and beginning his sermon,D. Coles Sermon diuided into 3. partes. entred first into mention of Tobias and Zacharie. Whome after that he hadde praised in the beginning of hys sermon for their perseueraunce in the true woorshipping of God, he then deuided his whole sermon into 3. partes (according to the solemne custome of the Schooles) entending to speake firste of the mercy of God, secondly of his Iustice to be shewed: and last of all, howe the Princes secretes are not to be opened. And proceeding a little from the beginning,The summe and effect of D. Coles Sermon at Oxford. he tooke occasion by and by to tourne his tale to Cranmer, and wyth many hote woordes reprooued him, that once he being endued with the fauour and feeling of wholesome and Catholicke doctrine, fell into the contrary opinion of pernicious error, which he had not only defended by wrytings and all hys power: but also allured other men to doe the like, wyth great liberalitye of giftes, as it were, appoynting rewardes for errour: and after hee had allured them, by all meanes did chearish them.
It were too long to repeat all things, that in long order were there pronounced. The summe of this tripart…e declamation was, that he saide Gods mercy was so tempered wt his iustice, that he did not altogether require punishment according to the merites of offenders, nor yet sometimes suffered the same altogither to go vnpunished, yea though they had repented. As in Dauid, who whē he was bidden chuse of 3. kindes of punishments which hee would, and he had chosen pestilence for 3. dayes:If Cole gaue this iudgement vponupon Cranmer when he had repented, what iudgment is thē to be geuen of Cole which alwayes pe…dured in error and neuer yet repented. If all her… tickes in England, should be burned, where should D. Cole hauehave bene ere now. Lex non aequalitatis sed iniquitatis. the Lord forgaue him halfe the tyme, but did not release all: And that the same thing came to passe in him also, to whom although pardon & reconciliation was due according to the Canons, seeing hee repented from his errours, yet there were causes why the Queene and the Coūcel at this time iudged hym to death: of which, least he should maruell too much, he should heare some.
First that being a traytor, he had dissolued the lawfull matrimonie betweene the Kinge her father and mother: besides the driuing oute of the Popes authoritye, while he was Metropolitane.
Secondly, that he had ben an heretike, from whom as from an author and onelyonly fountaine, all heretical doctrine & schismaticall opinions that so many yeres hauehave preuailed in Englande, did first rise and spring: of which hee had not bene a secrete fauorer only, but also a most earnest defender euen to the ende of his life, sowing them abroad by wrytings and argumēts, priuately and openly, notwithout great ruine and decay of the catholicke church.
And further, it seemed meete, according to the lawe of equalitie, that as the death of the Duke of Northumb. of late, made euen wyth Thomas More Chauncellour that dyed for the Churche, so there shoulde be one that shoulde make euen wt Fisher of Rochester: and because that Ridley, Hooper, Ferrar, were not able to make euē wyth that man, it seemed meete, that Cranmer shoulde be ioyned to them to fill vp this part of equalitie.
Besides these, there were other iust and weighty causes, which seemed to the Queene and the Councel, whych was not meete at that time to bee opened to the common people.
After this, turning his tale to ye hearers, he bad al men beware by this mās example, that amōg men nothing is so high, yt can promise it selfe safetie on the earth, and that Gods vengeance is equally stretched against al men▪ and spareth none: therfore they should beware & learne to fear their Prince. And seeing ye Queenes maiestie woulde not spare so notable a man as this, much lesse in the like cause she would spare other men, that no man should thinke to make thereby anye defence of his errour, either in richesse or any kinde of authoritie.… They had nowe an example to teache them all, by whose calamity eueryevery man might consider hys owne fortune: who from the toppe of dignitie, none being more honorable then he in the whole realme, and next the King, was faln into so great miserie, as they myght nowe see, being a man of so high degree, sometime one of the chiefest Prelates in the Church, and an Archbishop, the chiefe of the Counsell, the seconde persone in the Realme of long time, a man thought in greatest assurāce, hauing a King on his side: notwythstanding all hys authority and defence to be debaced frō high estate, to a lowe degree, of a Counsellour to become a caitiffe, and to be set in so wretched a state, that the poorest wretche woulde not chaunge condition with hym: briefly so heaped wyth misery on all sides, that neyther was left in hym any hope of better fortune, nor place for worse.
The latter parte of hys Sermone, he conuerted to the Archbishoppe: whome hee comforted and encouraged to take hys death wel,… by many places of Scripture, as with these and suche like: bidding hym not mistruste, but hee shoulde incontinently receyue that the the…e did, to whom Christe sayde: Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso. That is. Thys day thou shalt be wyth mee in Paradise. And out of S. Paule hee a…ued hym against the terrour of the fire, by this: Dominus fidelis est, non sinet vos tentari vltra quàm ferre potestis. That is.…. Cor. 10. The Lorde is faithfull, which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue youre strengthe, by the example of the three children, to whome God made the flame to seeme lyke a pleasaunt dewe, adding also the reioysing of S. Andrewe in hys crosse, the pacience of S. Laurence on the fire, assuring hym, that God, if he called on hym, and to such as die in hys faith, eyther woulde abate the furie of the flame, or geue hym strength to abide it.
…Hee glorifyed God muche in hys conuersion, because it appeared to be onelyonly his woorke, declaring what trauell and conference had beene with hym to conuert hym, and all preuailed not, till that it pleased God of hys mercye to reclaime hym, and call hym home. In discour…ynge of whych place, he muche commended Cranmer, and qualified hys former doynges, thus tempering his iudgement and talke of hym, that while the time (sayde he) he slowed in richesse and honour, he was vnwoorthy of his life: and nowe that he myght not liue, he was vnwoorthy of death. But least he shoulde carie with him no comfort,… he would diligently labour (he sayde) and also he did promise in the name of all the Priests that were present, that immediately after hys death, there shoulde be Diriges, Masses, and funerals executed for hym in all the Churches of Oxforde for the succour of hys soule.
Cranmer in all thys meane tyme, wyth what greate griefe of minde hee stoode hearing thys Sermon, the outwarde shewes of hys bodye and countenaunce did better expresse, then any man can declare: one while lifting vppe hys handes and eyes vntounto heauen, and then agayne for shame letting them downe to the earth. A manne myghte hauehave seene the verye image and shape of perfecte sorrowe liuely in hym expressed. More then twentie seuerall times the teares gushed out aboundantly, dropped downe marueilously from hys Fatherly face.… They whych were present, doe testifie that they neuer sawe in any chylde more teares, then brast oute from hym at that time, all the Sermone while: but specially when he recited hys Prayer before the people. It is marueilous what commiseration and pitye mooued all mennes hearts, that behelde so heauie a countenaunce, and suche aboundance of teares in an olde man of so reuerende dignitie.
Cole after he had ended his Sermon, called backe the people that were ready to departe, to prayers. Brethren (sayde he) least any man should doubt of thys mans earnest conuersion and repentaunce,… you shall heare hym speake before you, and therefore I pray you master Cranmer, that you will now perfourme that you promised not long agoe: namely, that you woulde openly expresse the true and vndoubted profession of your faith, that you may take away all suspition from men, and that all men may vnderstand that you are a Catholicke in deede.… I wil doe it (sayde the Archbyshop) and wyth a good will: who by and by rising vppe, and putting of hys cappe, beganne to speake thus vntounto the people.
I desire you well beloued brethren in the Lorde, that you will praye to God for mee,… to forgeeue me my sinnes, whyche aboue all menne, both in noumber and greatnesse, I hauehave committed: But among all the rest, there is one offence, which of all at thys time doth vexe and trouble me, wherof in processe of my talk you shall heare more in hys proper place, and then putting hys hande into hys bosome, hee drewe foorth his Prayer, which hee recited to the people in thys sense.