Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Letters 2
❧ Letters of Doctor Tho. Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury.
¶The Archbishop of Canterburies letter to the Queenes highnesse.
IT may please your Maiestie to pardone my presumption,A writ…ng or letter of the Archb. sent to Queene Mary. that I dare be so bold to write to your highnes. But very necessitie constraineth me, that your Maiestie may know my mynde rather by myne owne writyng, then by other mens reports. So it is that vppon Wednesday beyng the 12. day of this monethmonth. I was cited to appeare at Rome, the 80. day after, there to make answer to such matters as should be obiected agaynst me vponupon the behalfe of the K. & your most excellēt maiestie, which matters ye thursday following were obiected against me by D. Martin, and D. Story, your Maiesties Proctors, before the B. of Glocester, sitting in iudgement by commissiō from Rome. But (alas) it cannot but grieue the heart of a naturall subiect, to be accused of the King and Queene of his owne realm: and specially before an outward Iudge,The king and Queene make themselues no better then subiectes complayning of their owne subiect vntounto the Pope. or by authoritie commyng from any person out of this realme? where the king and Queene as they were subiects within their own Realme, shall complaine, and require Iustice at a straungers hands agaynst their owne subiectes, beyng alreadye condemned to death by their owne lawes: As though the king and Queene could not do or hauehave iustice within their owne Realmes agaynst their own subiects, but they must seeke it at a strangers hands in a straunge land: the lyke whereof (I thinke) was neuer seene. I would hauehave wished to hauehave had some meaner aduersaries: and I thinke that death shal not grieue me much more, then to hauehave my most dread and most gracious soueraigne Lord and Lady, to whome vnderunder God I do owe all obedience, to bee myne accusers in iudgement within their owne Realme, before any stranger and outward power. But forasmuch, as in the tyme of the prince of most famous memory kyng Henry the 8. your graces father,The first cause why the Archb. would not make aunswere to the Popes delegate, is to auoyd periury. The second cause is that the Popes lawes are contrary to the Crowne and lawes of England. I was sworne neuer to consent, that the B. of Rome should hauehave or exercise any authoritie or iurisdiction in this realme of England, therfore least I should allow hys authoritie contrary to myne othe, I refused to make answer to the B. of Glocester sittyng here in iudgement by the Popes authoritie, least I should run into periurie.
An other cause why I refused the Popes authoritie, is this, that his authoritie as he claimeth it, repugneth to the crowne imperiall of this Realme, and to the lawes of the same: which eueryevery true subiect is bound to defend. First, so that the Pope sayeth, that all manner of power, as well temporall as spirituall, is geuen first to hym of God, and that the temporall power hee geueth vntounto Emperors and kyngs, to vse it vnderunder hym, but so as it be alwayes at hys commandement and becke.
But contrary to this claime, the Imperiall crowne and iurisdiction temporal of this Realme, is taken immediately from God, to be vsed vnderunder hym onelyonly, and is subiect vntounto none, but to God alone.
The othe of the King & Iustices, and the duety of Subiectes.Moreouer, to the Imperiall lawes & customes of this realme, the kyng in his Coronation, & all Iustices when they receiue their offices, be sworne, & all the whole realm is bound to defend and maintayne. But contrary hereunto, the Pope by his authoritie maketh voyde, & commandeth to blot out of our bookes, all lawes and customes beyng repugnant to his lawes, and declareth accursed al rulers and gouernours, all the makers, writers, & executors of such lawes or customes: as it appeareth by many of the Popes lawes, whereof one or two I shall reherse. In the decrees Distinct. 10. is written thus:Dist. 10. Constitutiones. Constitutiones contra Canones & decreta praesulum Romanorū vel bonos mores, nullius sunt momenti. That is, The constitutiōs or statutes enacted agaynst the Canons and decrees of the Bishops of Rome or their good customes, are of none effect. Also, Extra, Extran. De Sent…ti et reindit. Nouerit.de sententia excommunicationis, nouerit: Excommunicamus omnes haereticos vtriusque sexus, quocunque nomine censeantur, & fautores, & receptores, & defensores eorum: nec nō & qui de caetero seruari fecerint statuta edita & consuetudines, contra Ecclesiae libertatem, nisi ea de capitularibus suis intra duos menses post huiusmodi publicationem sententiae fecerint amoue…i. Item excommunicamus statutarios, & scriptores statutorum ipsorum, nec non potestates, consules, rectores, & consiliarios locorum, vbi de caetero huiusmodi statuta & consuetudines editae fuerint vel seruatae: nec non & illos qui secundum ea praesumpserint iudicare, vel in publicam formam scribere iudicata. That is to say: We excommunicate all heretikes of both sexes, what name so euer they be called by, and theyr fautors and receptors and defenders: and also them that shall hereafter cause to be obserued the statutes & customs made agaynst the libertie of the Church, except they cause the same to be put out of their recordes and chapters with in two moneths after the publication hereof. Also we excommunicate the statute makers and writers of those statutes, and all the potestates, consuls, gouernours & counsellors of places, where such statutes and customes shall be made or kept: and also those that shall presume to geue iudgement accordyng to them, or shall notifie in publike forme the matters so iudged.
Now by these lawes, if the Bish. of Romes authoritie which he claymeth by God, be lawfull: all your Graces lawes and customes of your Realme, being contrary to the Popes lawes be naught, and as well your Maiestie, as your Iudges, Iustices, and all other executors of the same, stand accursed amongest heretikes, which God forbid. And yet this curse can neuer be auoyded (if the Pope hauehave such power as he claimeth) vntill such tyme as the lawes and customes of this Realme (beyng contrary to his lawes) be taken away & blotted out of the law books.The Popes lawes and the lawes of England do vary how and wherei… ▪ And although there be many lawes of this Realme contrary to the lawes of Rome, yet I named but a fewe: as to conuict a Clarke before any temporall Iudge of this Realme for debt, fellony, murther, or for any other crime: which Clarkes by the Popes lawes bee so exempt frō the Kyngs lawes, that they can be no where sued, but before their ordinary.
Also the Pope by his lawes may geue all bishoprikes and benefices spiritual, which by the lawes of this realm,Cases wherin the popes lawes repugne agaynst our lawes. can be geuen but onelyonly by the kyng and other patrones of the same, except they fall into the lapse.
By the Popes lawes Ius patronatus, shall be sued only before the Ecclesiasticall Iudge: but by the lawes of the Realme, it shall be sued before the temporall Iudge.
And to be short,Prouision agaynst the popes lawes by Premunire. the lawes of this realm do agree with the Popes lawes like fire and water. And yet the Kings of this realm hauehave prouided for their lawes by the premunire: so that if any man hauehave let the execution of ye lawes of this realme by any authority from the Sea of Rome, he falleth into the premunire.
But to meete with this,The prouiso of the Pope agaynst our Premunire. the Popes hauehave prouided for their lawes by cursing. For whosoeuer letteth the Popes lawes to hauehave ful course within this realm, by the Popes power standeth accursed. So that the Popes power treadeth all the lawes and customs of this Realme vnderunder his feete, cursing all that execute them, vntil such tyme as they geue place vntounto his lawes.
But it may be sayd, that notwithstanding all ye Popes decrees,Marke this well. yet we do execute still the lawes and customes of this realme. Nay, not all quietly without interruption of the Pope. And where we do execute them, yet we do it vniustly, if the Popes power be of force, and for the same we stand excommunicate, and shall do, vntill we leaue the execution of our owne lawes and customes. Thus we bee wel reconciled to Rome, allowyng such authority, wherby the Realme standeth accursed before God, if the Pope hauehave any such authority.
These thynges (as I suppose) were not fully opened in the Parliament house, when the Popes authority was receiued agayne within this realme: for if they had, I doe not beleeue that either the kyng or Queenes Maiesty, or the noblest of this Realme, or the Commons of the same would euer hauehave consented to receiue agayne such a forraine authority, so iniurious, hurtfull, and preiudiciall as well to the crowne as to the lawes and customs and state of this Realme, as whereby they must needes acknowledge themselues to be accursed. *The Clergyes duety in the Parlament.But none coulde open this matter well but the Clergy, and such of them as had red the Popes lawes, whereby the Pope had made hymselfe as it were a God. These seeke to maintaine ye Pope, whom they desired to hauehave their chiefe head, to the intent they might hauehave as it were a kyngdome and lawes within themselues, distinct from the lawes of the crowne, and wherewith the crowne may not meddle: and so being exempted from the lawes of the Realme, might liue in this Realme lyke lordes and kings, without damage or feare of any man,The Clergy of England more addicted to the Pope then to their true alleageance to their Countrey. so that they please their high and supreme hed at Rome. For this consideration (I weene) some yt knew the truth, held their peace in the Parliament, whereas if they had done their duties to the crowne & whole realme, they should hauehave opened their mouths, declared the truth, and shewed the perils and daungers that might ensue to the crowne and realme.
And if I should agree to allow such authoritie within this Realme, whereby I must needes confesse, that your most gracious highnes, and also your realme should euer continue accursed, vntill ye shall cease from the execution of your own lawes and customs of your realme: I could not thinke myselfe true, either to your highnesse, or to this my naturall countrey, knowyng that I do know. Ignorance, I know, may excuse other men: but he that knoweth how preiudiciall and iniurious the power and authoritie which he chalengeth eueryevery where, is to the crowne, lawes, and customes of this realme, and yet wil allow the same, I cannot see in any wyse how he can keepe his due allegeaunce, fidelitie, and truth, to the crowne and state of this realme.
An other cause I alledged, why I could not allow the authoritie of the Pope,… which is this: That by his autoritie he subuerteth not onelyonly the lawes of this realme, but also the lawes of God: so that whosoeuer be vnderunder hys authority, he suffreth them not to be vnderunder Christes religion purely, as Christ did commaund. And for one example I brought foorth, that wheras by gods lawes all christian people bee bounden diligently to learne his worde, that they may know how to beleeue and liue accordingly, for that purpose he ordeined holydayes, when they ought, leauyng apart al other businesse to geue themselues wholy to know and serue God.… Therefore Gods will & commandement is, that when the people be gathered together that Ministers should vse such language as the people may vnderstand and take profite thereby, or els hold their peace. For as an harpe or lute, if it geue no certaine sounde that men may know what is striken, who can dance after it? for all the sound is in vayne: so is it vayne & profiteth nothyng, sayth almighty God by the mouth of S. Paule, if the priest speake to the people in a language which they know not: For els he may profite hymselfe, but profiteth not the people, saith S. Paul. But herein I was answered thus: that Saint Paule spake onelyonly of preachyng, that the preacher should speake in a tong which the people did know, or els his preaching auaileth nothing, but if the preaching auaileth nothing, beyng spoken in a language which the people vnderstand not, how should any other seruice auaile them, beyng spoken in the same language? And yet that S. Paule ment not onelyonly of preachyng, it appeareth plainly by his owne words. For he speaking by name expressely of praying, singyng, and thanking of God, and of all other thynges which the priestes say in the Churches, whereunto the people say, Amen, whiche they vse not in preaching, but in other diuine seruice: that whether the Priests reherse the wonderfull workes of God, or ye great benefites of God vntounto mankynd aboue al other cretures, or geue thanks vntounto God, or make open professiō of their fayth, or humble confession of their sinnes, with earnest request of mercy and forgeuenes, or make sute or request vntounto God for any thing: then all the people vnderstāding what the priests say, might geue their mynds and voyces with them, and say Amen, that is to say, allowe what the priests say, that the rehearsall of Gods vniuersall workes and benefites, the geuyng of thanks, the professiō of fayth, the confession of sinnes, and the requests and petitions of the Priests & of the people, might ascend vp into the eares of God altogether, and be as a sweete sauour, odour, and incense in hys nose: and thus was it vsed many C. yeres after Christes Ascension. But the aforesayd things cannot be done when the priests speake to the people in a lāguage not known, and so they (or their clarke in their name) say Amen, but they cannot tel whereunto. Where as S. Paul sayth: How can the people say Amen to thy well saying, when they vnderstand not what thou sayest? And thus was s. Paul vnderstood of all interpreters, both the Greekes and Latines, old and new, schoole authors and others that I hauehave red, vntill aboue 30. yeres past. At which tyme one Eckius with other of his sort, began to deuise a new expositiō, vnderstandyng S. Paul of preachyng onelyonly.…
But when a good number of the best learned men reputed within this realme, some fauouryng the olde, some the new learnyng, as they terme it, where in deede, that which they call the old, is the new, and that which they cal the new, is in deed the olde, but when a great number of such learned men of both sortes, were gathered together at Windsor, for the reformation of the seruice of the Church: it was agreed by both without controuersie (not one saying contrary) that the seruice of the church ought to bee in the mother tongue, and that S. Paule in the 14. chap. to the Corinth. was so to be vnderstood. And so is S. Paule to be vnderstood in the Ciuill law, more then a 1000. yeres past, where Iustinianus a most godly Emperour, in a Syn…e writeth on this manner: Iubemus vt omnes Episcopi pariter & presbyteri non tacito modo, sed clara voce, quae a fideli populo exaudiatur, sacram oblationem & preces in sacro Baptismate adhibitas celebrent, quo maiori exinde deuotione in depromendis Domini Dei laudibus audientium animi afficiantur. Ita enim & Diuus Paulus docet in Epistola ad Corinth. Si solummodo benedicat spiritus, quomodo is qui priuati locum tenet, dicet ad gratiarum actionem tuam, Amen. quandoquidem quid dicas non videt, Tu quidem pulchre gratias agis, alter autem non aedificatur. That is to say: We commaund that all bishops and priests celebrate the holy oblation and prayers vsed in holy Baptisme, not after a stil close maner, but with a cleare lowd voyce, that they may be plainly heard of the faithfull people, so as the hearers mynds may be lifted vp thereby with the greater deuotion, in vttering the prayses of the Lord God. For so Paule teacheth also in the Epistle to the Corrinthians: If the spirit doe onelyonly blesse (or say well) how shall he that occupieth the place of a priuate person, say Amen, to thy thanksgiuing? for he perceiueth not what thou sayest. Thou doest geue thanks well, but the other is not edified. And not onelyonly the Ciuill law and all other writers a thousand and fiue hundreth yeres continually together hauehave expounded S. Paul not of preching onelyonly, but of other seruice sayd in the Churche: but also reason geueth the same, that if men be commaunded to heare any thyng, it must bee spoken in a language whiche the hearers vnderstand, or els (as S. Paule sayth) what auayleth it to heare? So that the Pope geuyng a contrary Commaundement, that the people commyng to the Churche, shall heare they wotte not what,The Pope commaundeth both agaynst God & naturall reason. and shall aunswer they know not whereunto, taketh vponupon him to commaund, not onelyonly agaynst reason, but also directly against God.
And agayne I sayde, where as our Sauioure Christ ordeined the Sacrament of hys most precious bodye and bloud,The Sacramēt ought to be receaued in both kindes of all Christians. Ex Theophilo Alexandrino. to be receiued of all christian people vnderunder ye forms of bread and wyne, and sayd of the cuppe: Drinke ye all of this: the Pope geueth a cleane contrary commandement, that no laye men shall drinke of the cuppe of their saluation: as though the cup of saluation by the bloud of Christ, perteyned not to lay men. And where as Theophilus Alexandrinus (whose workes S. Hierome did translate about 11. hundred yeares past) sayeth: That if Christ had ben crucified for the deuils, his cuppe should not be denied them: yet the Pope denieth the cuppe of Christ to Ch…istian people, for whome Christ was crucified. So that if I should obey the Pope in these thyngs, I must needes disobey my Sauiour Christ.
But I was aunswered hereunto (as commonly the Papistes doe aunswere) that vnderunder the forme of breade is whole Christes fleshe and bloud:The excuse of the Papistes why they take away the cup. so that whosoeuer receyueth the forme of bread, receiueth as wel Christs bloud as hys flesh. Let it be so, yet in the forme of bread onelye, Christes bloud is not drunken, but eaten: nor is receyued in the cuppe in the forme of wyne, as Christ commanded, but eaten with the fleshe vnderunder the forme of breade. And moreouer, the bread is not the Sacrament of hys bloude, but of hys flesh onelyonly: nor the cup is not the Sacrament of hys flesh, but of his bloud onelyonly. And so the Pope keepeth from all lay persons, the sacrament of their redemption by Christes bloud, which Christ commaundeth to be geuen vntounto them.
And furthermore, Christ ordeyned the Sacrament in two kyndes, the one seperated from the other, to be a representation of hys death, where hys bloude was separated from hys fleshe, which is not represented in one kynd alone: So that the lay people receyue not the whole Sacrament, whereby Christes death is represented as hee commaunded.
Moreouer, as the Pope taketh vponupon hym to geue the temporal sword by royall and Imperial power, to kings and princes, so doth he likewyse take vponupon hym to depose them from their Imperiall states, if they be disobedient to hym,Misorder in the Pope in assoyling the disobediēce of Subiects toward their Princes. and commandeth the subiects to disobey their princes, assoyling the subiectes as wel of their obedience, as of their lawfull othes made vntounto their true kings and princes, directly contrary to gods commandement, who commandeth all subiects to obey their kyngs, or their rulers vnderunder them.
One Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople, in the tyme of S. Gregory claymed superioritie aboue all other Bishops. To whom S. Gregory writeth, that therin he did iniury to his three brethren, which were equall with hym, that is to say, the B. of Rome, the B. of Alexandria, and of Antiochia: which three were Patriarchall seas, as wel as Constantinople, and were brethren one to an other. But (sayth S. Gregory) If any one shall exalt hymselfe aboue all the rest, to be the vniuersall bishop,Note the saying of Gregory. the same passeth in pride. But now the B. of Rome exalteth himselfe, not only aboue all kings and Emperours, and aboue al ye whole world, taking vponupon hym to geue and take away,The deuill and the Pope are lyke. to set vp and put downe, as he shall thinke good. And as the deuill hauyng no such authoritie, yet tooke vponupon him to giuegive vntounto Christ all the kyngdomes of the world, if he would fall downe and worship hym. In like maner the Pope taketh vponupon him to geue Empires and kyngdomes being none of his, t… such as will fall downe and worship hym, and kisse his feete.
And moreouer, his Lawyers and glosers so flatter him that they fayne he may commaund Emperors and kyngs to hold his stirrop when he lighteth vppon his horse,Emperours and kinges made the Popes footmen. and to be his footemen: and that, if any Emperour and kyng geue him any thyng, they geue him nothing but that is his owne, and that he may dispense agaynst Gods worde, against both the old and new Testament, agaynst s. Pauls Epistles, and agaynst the gospell. And furthermore, what so euer he doth, although he draw innumerable peoply by heapes with himselfe into hell, yet may no mortal mā reprooue hym, because he beyng iudge of all men, may bee iudged of no man.The Pope is Antichrist that is, Christes enemy. And thus he litteth in the Temple of God, as he were a God, & nameth himself Gods Uicar, & yet he dispenseth agaynst God. If this be not to play Antichrists part, I cannot tel what is Antichrist, which is no more to say but Christes enemy and aduersary: who shall sit in the temple of God,True markes pro…i…g that the Pope is Antichrist. aduancing himselfe aboue all other, yet by hypocrisie and fayned religion, shall subuert the true religion of Christ, and vnderunder pretence and colour of christian religion, shall worke against Christ, and therfore hath the name of Antichrist. Now if any man lift him selfe higher then the Pope hath done, who lifteth himselfe aboue al the world, or can be more aduersary to Christ, thē to dispense against gods lawes, and where Christ hath geuen any commandement, to command directly the cōtrary, that man must needes be taken for Antichrist. But vntil the tyme that such a person may be found, men may easily coniecture where to find Antichrist.
Wherfore, seyng the Pope thus, to ouerthrowe both Gods lawes and mans lawes, taketh vponupon him to make Emperors and kings to be vassals and subiects vntounto him especially, the crowne of this realme, with the lawes and customes of the same. I see no meane how I may consent to admit this vsurped power within this realme, contrary to myne othe,Note this conclusion. myne obedience to Gods law, mine allegeance and dutie to your Maiesty, and my louelove and affection to this realme.
The cause why the Archb. spake and wrote thus.This that I hauehave spoken against the power & authoritie of the Pope, I hauehave not spokē (I take God to record and iudge) for any malice I owe to the Popes personne, whom I know not, but I shall pray to God to geue hym grace, that he may seeke aboue al things to promoote gods honour and glory, and not to follow the trade of hys predecessors in these latter dayes.
Nor I hauehave not spoken it for feare of punishment, and to auoyd the same (thinkyng it rather an occasion to aggrauate them to diminish my trouble): but I hauehave spokē it for my most bounden duty to the crown, liberties, laws & customs of this realm of England, but most specially to discharge my conscience in vttering the truth to gods glory, casting away all feare by the comfort which I hauehave in Christ, who sayth: Feare not them that kil the body, and cannot kill the soule, Math. 10.but feare hym that can cast both body & soule into hell fire. He that for feare to loose this lyfe, wyll forsake the truth, shal loose the euerlasting lyfe: And he that for the truthes sake will spend his lyfe, shall find euerlasting life. And Christ promiseth to stande fast with them before hys father, which wil stand fast with hym here. Which comfort is so great, that whosoeuer hath his eies fixed vpō Christ, cannot greatly passe on this lyfe, knowyng that he may be sure to hauehave Christ stand by hym in the presence of his father in heauen.
And as touchyng the sacrament, I sayd: For as much as the whole matter standeth in the vnderstāding of these words of Christ:The Sacrament. This is my body, This is my bloud. I sayde yt Christ in these wordes made demonstration of the bread & wyne, and spake figuratiuely, callyng bread his body, and wyne his bloud,A double error of … Papist…s in the … of the sacr…mēt, Cranmer … to the iu…ged by the old Church. because he ordeyned them to bee Sacraments of his body and bloud. And where the papistes say in those two points contrary vntounto me, that Christ called not bread his body, but a substaunce vncertaine, nor spake figuratiuely. Herein I sayd I would be iudged by the old church, and which doctrine could be prooued the elder, that I would stand vntounto. And forasmuch as I hauehave alledged in my booke many old authors, both Greekes and Latines, which aboue a thousand yeres after Christ continuallye, taught as I do: if they could bring forth but one olde author, that sayth in these two points as they say, I offred 6. or 7. yeres ago,The Papistes not able to bring forth one olde author aboue a thousand yeares, to make with the Sacrament. & doe offer yet still, that I will geue place vntounto them.
But when I bring forth any author that saith in most plain termes as I do, yet saith the other part, that the authors ment not so: as who should say, that the Authours spake one thing & ment cleane contrary. And vponupon the other part when they cannot find any one Author that saith in words as they say: yet say they that the authors mente as they say. Now, whether I or they speake more to the purpose herein, I referre me to the iudgement of all indifferent hearers: yea the old church of Rome aboue a thousand yeres togethers, neither beleued nor vsed the Sacrament, as the church of Rome hath done of late yeres.
For in the beginning, the church of Rome taught a pure & a sound doctrine of the sacrament.With the substance the vse also changed of the Sacrament. But after yt the church of Rome fell into a newe doctrine of transubstantiation: with the doctrine they chaunged the vse of the Sacrament contrary to that Christ commanded, and the old church of Rome vsed aboue a thousand yeres. And yet to deface the old, they say that the new is the old: wherein for my part I am content to stand to the triall. But their doctrine is so fond and vncomfortable, that I meruaile that anye man would allowe it, if he knewe what it is. But howsoeuer they beare the people in hande, that which they write in their bookes, hath neither truth nor comfort.
For by their doctrine, of one body of Christ is made ij. bodies: one naturall, hauyng distance of members,The Papists make Christ 2. bodyes. Neyther truth nor comfort in the Popes doctrine of the Sacrament. Marke the errours of the Papists in their doctrine of the Sacrament. wyth forme and proportion of mans perfite body, and this body is in heauen: but the body of Christ in the Sacrament▪ by their owne doctrine, must needes be a monstruous body, hauyng neither distaunce of members nor forme, fashion or proportion of a mans naturall body. And such a bodye is in the Sacrament (teach they) and goeth into ye mouth with the forme of bread, & entreth no further thē the forme of bread goeth, nor tarieth no longer then ye forme of bread is by naturall heat in digesting. So that when the forme of bread is digested, that body of Christ is gone. And for as much as euill men be as long in digesting as good mē ▪ the body of Christ (by their doctrine) entreth as farre, and tarieth as long in wicked men as in godly mē. And what comfort can be herein to any christen man, to receiue Christes vnshapen body, and it to enter no further then the stomacke, and to depart by & by as soone as the bread is consumed?
It semeth to me a more sound & comfortable doctrine,The Protestantes doctrine of the Sacrament more comfortable, then the doctrine of the Papistes. that Christ hath but one body and that hath forme and fashion of a mās true body: which body spiritually entreth into the whole man body and soule: & though the Sacrament be consumed, yet whole Christ remayneth, & feedeth the receiuer vntounto eternall lyfe, if he continue in godlynes, and neuer departeth vntill the receiuer forsake hym. And as for the wicked they hauehave not Christ within them at all, who cannot be where Beliall is. And this is my faith, and (as me semeth) a sound doctrine, according to gods word & sufficient for a christen to beleeue in that matter. And if it can be shewed vntounto me, that the Popes authority is not preiudicial to the thyngs before mentioned, or that my doctrine in the sacrament is erroneous (which I thinke can not be shewed) then I was neuer nor will be so peruerse to stand wilfully in myne owne opinion, but I shall with all humilitie submit my selfe vntounto the Pope, not onelyonly to kisse his feete, but another part also.An other respecte why the Archb. refused B. Brookes to be his iudge.
Another cause why I refused to take the B. of Glocester for my iudge, was the respect of his owne person, beyng more then once periured. First, for that hee being diuers tymes sworne neuer to consent that the B. of Rome should hauehave any iurisdiction within this Realme, but to take the kyng and his successors for supreme heds of this realme, as by Gods lawes they be: contrary to that lawfull othe, the sayd B. sate then in iudgement by authoritie from Rome, wherein he was periured and not worthy to sit as a Iudge.
The 2. periury was,Double periury in B. Brookes. that he tooke his bishoprike both of the Queenes maiesty & of the Pope, making to eche of them a solemn oth: which othes be so contrary, yt the one must needs be periured. And furthermore in swearyng to the Pope, to maintain his lawes, decrees, constitutions, ordinances, reseruatiōs, and prouisions, he declareth him selfe an enemy to the Imperiall crowne, and to the lawes and state of this realme, whereby he declared himselfe not worthy to sit as a iudge within this realme. And for these considerations I refused to take him for my iudge.
¶This was written in another Letter to the Queene.
I Learned by Doctour Martin,A peece of an other letter to the Queene. Contradiction in the Queenes othes, sworne both to the Realme, & to the Pope in one day. that at the day of your Maiesties Coronation, you tooke an othe of obedience to the Pope of Rome, and the same tyme you tooke an other othe to this realm, to mayntayne the lawes, liberties, and customes of the same. And if your Maiestie dyd make an othe to the Pope, I thinke it was accordyng to the other othes which he vseth to minister to Princes: which is to be obedient to hym, to defend his person, to maintayne his authoritie, honor, lawes, lands and priuiledges. And if it be so (which I know not but by report) then I beseeche your Maiesty to looke vponupon your othe made to the crowne and Realme, and to expend and weigh the two othes together, to see howe they do agree, and then do as your graces conscience shall geue you: For I am surely perswaded, that willingly your Maiestie will not offend, nor do agaynst your conscience for nothyng.
But I feare me that there be contradictions in your othes, & that those which should hauehave informed your grace thoroughly, did not their dueties therein. And if your Maiesty ponder the two othes diligently, I thinke you shall perceiue you were deceiued: and then your highnesse may vse the matter as God shall put in your hart. Furthermore, I am kept here from company of learned men, from bookes, from counsaile, from pen and inke, sauing at this tyme to write vntounto your Maiestie, which all were necessary for a man beyng in my case. Wherefore I beseech your Maiestie▪ that I may hauehave such of these as may stand with your Maiesties pleasure. And as for my appearāce at Rome, if your Maiestie wil geue me leaue, I will appeare there. And I trust that God shal put in my mouth to defend his truth there, as well as here. But I referre it wholy to your Maiesties pleasure.
¶Another Letter of the Archbishop to D. Martin, and D. Story.
I HaueHave me commended vntounto you. And as I promised, I hauehave sent my letters vntounto the Queenes Maiestie vnsigned,… praying you to signe them and deliuer them with all speede. I might hauehave sent them by the Carier sooner, but not surer. But hearyng M. Bailiffe say, that he would goe to the Court on Friday, I thought hym a meete Messenger to send my letters by. For better is later and surer, thē sooner and neuer to bee deliuered. Yet one thyng I hauehave written to the Queenes Maiestie inclosed & sealed: which I require you may be so deliuered without delay, and not bee opened vntill it bee deliuered vntounto her Graces owne handes. I hauehave written all that I remember I sayd, except that which I spake agaynst the Bishop of Gloucesters owne person, which I thought not meete to wryte. And in some places I hauehave written more then I sayde, which I would hauehave answered to the Bish. if you would hauehave suffred me.
You promised I should see myne aunswere to the 16. Articles, that I might correct, amend, and chaunge them where I thought good, which your promise you kept not. And myne aunswer was not made vponupon my othe, nor repeated nor made in Iudicio, …but Extra iudicium, as I protested: nor to the Bish. of Gloucester as Iudge, but to you the Kyngs and Queenes Proctors, I trust you deale sincerely with me without fraud or craft, and vse me as you would wish to be vsed in lyke case yourselues. Remember that, Qua mensura mensi fueritis, eadem remetietur vobis. i. What measure you meate, the same shall be measured to you agayne. Thus fare you well, and God send you his spirit to induce you into truth.
Ye heard before how the Archb. Doct. Cranmer in the month of Febr. was cited vp to Rome, and in the monethmonth of March next followyng, was degraded by the B. of Ely, and B. Boner. In tyme of which his degradation, he put vp his Appellation.
In this his Appellation, because he needed the helpe of some good and godly Lawier, he writeth to a certain frend of his, about the same: The copy of which letter in Latin is before expressed in the old booke of Acts, there to be red, pag. 1492. The English of the same I thought here to insert, as vnderunder ensueth.
¶A Letter of Doctour Cranmar Archbishop, to a Lawyer, for the drawyng out of hys Appeale.
THe law of nature requireth of all men, that so farre forth as it may be done without offence to God,… eueryevery one should seke to defend and preserue his owne lyfe. Which thyng, when I about three daies ago bethought my selfe of, and therewithall remembred how that Martin Luther appealed in his tyme frō Pope Leo the x. to a generall Councell (lest I should seeme rashly and vnaduisedly to cast away my selfe) I determined to apeale in like sort to some lawfull and free generall Councell. But seeyng the order and forme of an Appeale pertaineth to the Lawyers, wherof I my selfe am ignorant, and seyng that Luthers Appeale commeth not to my hand: I purposed to breake my mynd in this mater to some faithfull friend and skilfull in the law, whose helpe I myght vse in this behalfe, and you onelyonly among other came to my remembraunce as a man most meete in this Vniuersitie for my purpose. But this is a matter that requireth great silence, so that no man know of it before it be done. It is so that I am summoned to make myne aunswer at Rome, the xvj. day of this monethmonth: before the which day I thinke it good, after sentence pronounced, to make myne Appeale But whether I should first Appeale from the Iudge Delegate to the Pope, and so afterward to the generall Councell, or els leauyng the Pope, I should appeale immediately to the Councell, herein I stande in neede of your counsaile.
Many causes there bee for the which I thinke good to appeale. First, because I am by an othe bound, neuer to consent to the receiuyng of the B. of Romes authoritie into this realme. Besides this, where as I vtterly refused to make answer to the Articles obiected vntounto me by the B. of Glocester, appointed by the Pope to be my Iudge, yet I was content to aunswer Martin and Story, with this Protestation, that myne aunswer should not bee taken as made before a Iudge, nor yet in place of iudgemēt, but as pertainyng nothyng to iudgement at all: and moreouer, after I had made myne answer, I required to hauehave a copy of the same, that I might either by addyng thereunto, or by alteryng or takyng from it, correct and amend it as I thought good. The which though both the Bish. of Glocester, and also the King & Quenes Proctours promised me, yet hauehave they altogether broken promise with me, and hauehave not permitted me to correct my said answers accordyng to my request, and yet notwithstandyng hauehave (as I vnderstand) registred the same as Actes formally done in place of iudgement.
Finally, forasmuch as all this my trouble commeth vponupon my departyng from the B.▪of Rome, and from the Popish religion, so that now the quarell is betwixt the Pope hymselfe and me, and no man can be a lawfull and indifferent iudge in his owne cause: it seemeth (me thinke) good reason, that I should be suffered to appeale to some generall Councell in this matter: specially seeyng the law of nature (as they say) denieth no man, the remedy of appeale in such cases.
Now, since it is very requisite that this matter should be kept as close as may be, if perhaps for lacke of perfect skill herein you shall hauehave neede of further aduise: then I beseech you euen for the fidelitie and louelove you beare to me in Christ, that you will open to no creature alyue, whose the case is. And forasmuch as the tyme is now at hand, and the matter requireth great expedition, let me obtaine this much of you, I beseech you, that laying aside all other your studies and businesse for the tyme, you will apply this my matter onelyonly, till you hauehave brought it to passe. The chiefest cause in very deede (to tell you the truth) of this myne Appeale is,This Constantinus was Stephen Gardiner, as constant in deede as a Wethercocke: who thus named himselfe, writing agaynst this good Archbish. that I might gayne tyme (if it shall so please God) to lyue vntill I hauehave finished myne aunswer against Marcus Antonius Constantius, which I hauehave now in hand. But if the aduersaries of the truth will not admit myne Appeale (as I feare they will not) Gods will be done: I passe not vponupon it, so that GOD may therein be glorified, bee it by my lyfe, or by my death. For it is much better for me to dye in Christes quarell and to raigne with hym, then here to be shutte vppe, and kept in the prysonne of this body, vnlesse it were to continue yet still a while in this warrefare, for the commoditie and profite of my brethren, and to the further aduauncing of Gods glory: to whom be all glory for euermore. Amen.
There is also yet an other cause why I thinke good to Appeale, that where as I am cited to go to Rome to answer there for my selfe, I am notwithstanding kept here fast in prison, that I can not there appeare at the tyme appoynted. And moreouer, forasmuch as the state I stand in is a matter of lyfe and death, so that I hauehave great neede of learned counsaile for my defence in this behalfe: yet when I made my earnest request for the same, all manner of counsaile, and helpe of Proctors, Aduocates and Lawyers was vtterly denyed me.
Your louyng friend, Tho. Cranmer.
¶Another Letter of D. Cranmer Archbishop, to Maistresse Wilkinson, exhortyng her to flie in the tyme of persecution.
THe true comforter in all distresse,An other letter of the Archb. to Mistres Wilkinson. is only God through his sonne Iesus Christ, and whosoeuer hath him, hath company enough, although he were in a wildernesse all alone: and he that hath xx. thousand in his companye, if God be absent, is in a miserable wildernesse and desolation. In hym is all comfort, & without hym is none. Wherfore I beseech you seeke your dwellyng there as you may truly and rightly serue God, and dwell in hym, and hauehave him euer dwellyng in you. What can be so heauy a burden as an vnquiet conscience, to be in such a place as a mā can not be suffred to serue God in Christs religion? If you be loth to depart from your kin and friends, remember that Christ calleth them hys mother,Math 3. sisters and brothers that do hys fathers will. Where we finde therefore God truely honoured accordyng to his will, there we can lacke neyther friend nor kinne.
If you be loth to depart for slandering of gods word, remember that Christ when his houre was not yet come,Iohn. 4. departed out of his countrty into Samaria, to auoyde the malice of the Scribes and Pharisies: and commaunded his Apostles that if they were pursued in one place, they should flie to another. And was not Paule let downe by a basket out at a window, to auoyd the persecution of Aretas?Math. 5. And what wisedome and pollicy he vsed from tyme to tyme to escape the malice of his enemies, the Actes of the Apostles doe declare.2. Cor. 12. And after the same sort dyd the other Apostles, albeit, when it came to such a pointe, that they could no longer escape danger of the persecutours of gods true religion, then they shewed themselues, yt their flying before came not of feare, but of godly wisdom to do more good: & that they would not rashly without vrgent necessitie, offer themselues to death, which had bene but a temptation of God. Yea, when they were apprehended & could no longer auoyd, then they stoode boldly to the profession of Christ: then they shewed how little they passed of death: how much they feared God more then mē: how much they loued and preferred the eternall lyfe to come, aboue this short and miserable lyfe.
Wherfore I exhort you as well by Christes commandement, as by the example of hym and his Apostles, to withdraw your selfe from the malice of yours & gods enemies, into some place where God is most purely serued: which is no slaunderyng of the truth, but a preseruyng of your selfe to God and the truth, and to the societie & comfort of Christes little flocke. And that you will doe, doe it with speede, least by your owne folly you fall into the persecutors hands. And the Lord send his holy spirite to lead and guide you where so euer you goe, and all that be godly, will say, Amen.
¶Unto these former letters of D. Cranmer Archbishop, written by hym vntounto others, it seemeth to me not much out of place to annexe withall a certaine Letter also of Doc. Taylor written to hym and his fellow prisoners: the tenor of which letter here followeth.
¶To my deare fathers and brethren, Doctor Cranmer, Doctor Ridley, and Doctor Latimer prisoners in Oxford for the faithful testimony of Gods holy worde.
RIght reuerend fathers in the Lord, I wish you to enioy continually Gods grace and peace through Iesus Christ:A letter written to D. Cranmer & his fellowe…, by D. Taylour. & God be praysed againe, for this your most excellent promotiō which ye are called vntounto at this present, that is, that ye are counted worthy to be allowed amongst the number of Christes recordes and witnesses. England hath had but a few learned Bishops that would sticke to Christ ad ignem inclusiuè. Once againe I thanke God hartily in Christ for your most happy onset, most valiaunt proceeding,Many professe God ad ignem exclusiue, that is, in wordes & outward profession: but few sticke to him ad ignem inclusiuè, that is, in deede, and in suffering for his sake. most constant suffryng of all such infamies, hissings, clappyngs, tauntes, open rebukes, losse of liuyng and liberty, for the defence of Gods cause, truth, and glory. I cannot vtter with pen how I reioyce in my hart for you three such captaines in the foreward vnderunder Christs crosse, banner or standerd in such a cause and skirmish, when, not onelyonly one or two of our deare redemers strongholds are besieged, but all his chiefe castles ordeyned for our safegard, are traiterously impugned. This your enterprise in the sight of all that be in heauen, and of all Gods people in earth, is most pleasaunt to behold. This is another maner of nobilitie, then to be in the forefront in worldly warrefares. For Gods sake pray for vsus, for we fayle not daily to pray for you. We are stronger and stronger in the Lord, hys name be praysed, and we doubt not but ye be so in Christes owne sweet schoole. Heauen is all & wholy of our side: therefore Gaudete in domino semper, & iterum gaudete & exultate. i. Reioyce alwayes in the Lord: and agayne, reioyce and be glad.
Your assured in Christ, Rowland Taylour.
¶De Tho. Cranmeri Archiepiscopi qui carcere detinebatur palinodia.
Te Cranmere, grauis sontem prope fecerat error,
Sed reuocas lubricos ad meliora pedes.
Te docuit lapsus magis vt vestigia firmes,
Atque magis Christo consociere tuo:
Vt que tuae melius studeas haerescere causae,
Sic mala non rarò causa fuere boni.
Et benè successit, nam ficta & adultera turba
Illudens alijs, luditur arte pari.
Nempè pia sic est frustatus fraude papismus:
Et cessit summo gloria tota Deo.
¶In mortem D. Cranmeri, Cant. Archiepiscopi.
Infortunatè est foelix, qui numine laeso,
Cuiusuis gaudet commoditate boni.
Infoelix ille est verò feliciter, orbi
Inuisus quisquis tristia fata subit.
Hoc Cranmere probas, vitae praesentis amore
Dum quaeris sanct…m dissimulare fidem.
Et dum consilijs tandem melioribus vsus,
Praeponis vitae funera saeua tuae.