he blessed God that had given, in his reverend old age, such a man to be the witness of his truth. For miserable and hard-hearted was he, whom the godliness and constant confession of so worthy, so grave, and so innocent a man would not move to acknowledge and confess his truth."(c) See also Cranmer's large and solemn Appeal from the Pope to a GeneralCouncil, delivered in open court on Feb. 14, when he was degraded: which was but ten days before the date of the writ for his burning, and fewer days before the time of this pretended Recantation. 2. The tenor and stile of the first clauses of this Recantation, are very different from the tenor and stile of the rest: the former points are such also as might, with strict truth, be signed by any Protestant or Catholic Christian; but the latter such as could be signed, with truth, by none but by a thorough papist both which differences have been already ob 4. The main parts of this pretended Recantation at least were drawn up, not by Cranmer, but by certain papists: as is not only clear by their contents, but expressly affirmed by Mr. Fox, in these words, already quoted: "The form of which Recantation, made by the friars and doctors, whereto Cranmer subscribed, was this." Nor is it all probable that the same persons drew up the first clauses of this Recantation who drew up the latter they are every way so unlike to one another. : 5. Thomas Cranmer's name in Fox is not at the end, as his own subscription; but in the beginning only; as it would naturally be in a form proposed to him. Accordingly we shall soon find, that what he agreed to was subscribed by him as his Declaration of his real sentiments: but that this was no more than the first branch of the present form. But of these observations already. 6. What first moved me to suspect this whole matter, was the obscurity, and fewness, and temper of the principal or only actors and witnesses therein, Henry Sydal and friar John de Villa Garcina. These two inconsiderable persons, or chiefly the friar (for we never afterward meet with Henry Sydal in this whole process,) were, it seems, able to persuade the archbishop, and that in a very few days time, to such a Recantation, as neither cardinal Pole, nor any of the other bishops, learned doctors or prelates, during his two years and an half's imprisonment, could do: and this with such arguments, set down in the Acts and Monuments, as were fitter to affright an ignorant and timorous woman, than to convince the very learned (c) Burnet, vol ii. p. 304. and courageous abp. Cranmer. Nor is it easily accountable, how not so much as the Dean of Christ Church, with whom he had lately lived; nor any of his canons; nor any of the heads of the university of Oxford where he was, and was so well known, should appear to have the least hand in either this Conversion of Cranmer, or in his Recantation; no not so much as to be witnesses to his signing it. All this seems to me to look very suspiciously. 7. What Cranmer really signed, was, not a large and public Recantation; but certain Bills or Papers containing only a few words, in a little leaf of paper, as Mr. Fox himself describes it. Which well agrees to the first small branch, which I suppose to have been really Cranmer's; but not so well to this intire Recantation, which is about seven times as long: especially not as made a sort of public instrument, and solemnly signed, with Cranmer's name, and attested by two witnesses, as is pretended. Nor do the number of these Bills or Papers written by Cranmer, which were several by Fox's and Cranmer's own testimonies; and no fewer than seventeen by the testimony of Sanders, at all agree with this one long instrument of Recantation, which his enemies printed and published in his name; but very well to this very short bill or paper at the beginning of it. Of which many copies might soon be written and dispersed by him: and of which he might easily write and sign two copies on the morning he was to suffer, as we are informed he did; but not so easily of the larger Recantation, as the friar pretended. 8. This large Recantation, as pretended to be signed by Cranmer, and published a month or five weeks before his death, very ill agrees with what Mr. Fox relates, as happening the very morning of his execution, viz. that "Friar John, the witness to the former Recantation, brought him a Paper, with Articles; which Cranmer should openly profess in his Recantation before the people; earnestly desiring him that he would write the said Instrument, with the Articles, with his own hand; and sign it with his name." (p. 814). What occasion for all this, if they had an attested Copy of a full Recantation already printed and published, with his own hand subscribed thereto ? And stranger it is what follows in Fox, that "He did it:" And that when the friar desired that he would write another copy thereof, which should remain with him, that he did that also. 9. This is still more strange, when we remember, that it was now a month or five weeks since his former Recantation was pretended to have been made and signed by him; and that in hopes of life and preferment, which hopes were now almost all gone; and Cranmer had now prepared himself to recant any such Recantation at his death, as Mr. Fox informs us. 10. However, it is plainly incredible, that on the very morning of his execution, Cranmer should write these two copies of his large and full Recantation, and sign them with his own hand, as the sense of his own mind: and yet, "At the very same time, secretly put | by what law did the queen sign such a writ? another paper into his bosom, containing his And by what law did the mayor and bailiffs of Prayer for the stake, and his Exhortation to Oxford execute it? All ecclesiastical proceedthe people; when he designed to declare hisings against heretics still allowing of a Recanabhorrence of any thing like such a Recan- tation and doing penance, as always sufficient tation:" which yet is Mr. Fox's account in for the offender's preservation. The constant this place. This is too vile, and impious, and method, even in queen Mary's time, was this, desperate, and jesuitical to be supposed of That such heretics must either turn beforeany common Christian; much less of the most hand, or burn; but no farther. Nay, so exopen-hearted, and sincere, and upright, and tensive was this practice then, that though the religious abp. Cranmer. Whether the two pretended heretics had been obstinate until Papers that Cranmer is said to have transcribed they came to the very stake, (e) yet was there and signed with his hand, the morning of his frequently a pardon ready for them at that execution, at the earnest desire of the Spanish stake, if they would but there make a Recanfriar, contained the intire Recantation still tation. So that this signing, and sending, and extant, and only signed as a true copy of what executing the writ for the burning of Cranmer, was proposed to him, but he had never con- is little less than a demonstration that he had sented to: or, whether it were no more than never made such a Recantation as friar John the former clauses of it, which he had given pretended he had. out as his real belief, I cannot certainly determine; but suspect they were these small clauses, and no other. Although the friar, who is said to have procured these copies, and perhaps some other of the Papists also, were very willing they should be confounded. As indeed they have been most fatally confounded to this very day. 11. This Spanish friar, the principal actor in this whole tragedy, when Cranmer, at the stake, declared himself, according to his promises, to die in the catholic faith; but in a sense very different from what he expected; raged, and foamed, and was almost out of his wits, always having this in his mouth, Non fecisti? Did'st thou it not? (p. 821). As if Cranmer did not then own the making such a Recantation, as he had ascribed to him. 15. Which demonstration is still farther confirmed, by what bishop Burnet (f) found in the Council Book itself, relating to this pretended Recantation: where we have this most authentic Account; that, "on the 13th of March, (almost three weeks after the date of the Writ for burning Cranmer, as an obstinate heretic,) and eight days before he was burnt, the Privy-council were concerned when they heard Cranmer's Paper of Recantation was printed. Rydall and Copland, two printers, were required to deliver to Cawood, the queen's printer, the Books of his Recantation, to be burned by him." Now since "the doctors and prelates," as Mr. Fox was informed, “caused this Recantation to be printed:" As also that, "the queen received that Recantation very gladly" if all this had been really true, how 12. Although Mr. Fox was made to believe comes the queen's Privy-council to dislike it? that the queen knew of this full Recantation of Nay, to order the remaining copies of this ReCranmer's, and received it very gladly, and cantation itself to be delivered up to the queen's this before Feb. 24th, 1555, when she signed printer to be burnt? Had the Privy-council the Writ for his burning; as all that follow been satisfied that this Recantation was genuhim have also supposed; yet does (d) bishop ine, this procedure seems not a little absurd Burnet find it hard to believe, that such a Re- and incredible. It is much more likely that cantation could be made by him when the the Council ordered it to be burnt as a known danger was so remote; and therefore he sup-forgery; and as capable of raising a groundless poses it not done till after the Writ was finally sent down to Oxford for his burning, directly contrary to Mr. Fox, to Dr. Cole's Sermon at his burning, and to Sander's History. The reason of this difficulty is obvious: but the foundation of the difficulty is only this, that Cranmer did make that Recantation. Which I confess seems to me not a little incredible. 13. The very Writ for burning Cranmer gives no power to burn him; but as 'pertinaciously holding and defending' bis heretical opinions. Which seems to be authentic evidence that the court knew nothing of that large and full Recantation, the friar pretended he had signed in his presence, before the date of that writ for his execution. 14. Had this Recantation been known to be genuine at that time, and made before the going out of the writ for burning Cranmer, (d) Burnet, vol. ii. p. 300, $34, 399. VOL. I. compassion and indignation in the people; when they should believe Cranmer was become a thorough Roman Catholic, and yet was to be burnt as an obstinate Protestant Heretic. 16. Dr. Cole, in his Funeral Sermon, though he supposes that Cranmer was become a Catholic, and would own himself to die in the Catholic Faith, as he had declared in the first clauses of this Paper; which there is little reason to doubt but he did really write, and really sign; yet does he not pretend he had made any such full and particular Recantation hitherto. Nay, on the contrary, he then charges him with "having been not a secret favourer only; but also a most earnest defender of heretical opinions, even to the end of his life." Nor (e) See Burnet, vol. ii. p. 302, 303. 307, 308. 312. 314. 318. 328. 331. 333. 337. 347. 364, 365. (f) Burnet, vol. iii. p. 249. does the great and uncertain expectation of both Protestants and Papists what religion he would declare himself to be of at his death allow us to suppose he had so long ago, and that very morning also, signed such an intire Recan tation. 17. There is still extant a Letter of Cardinal Pole's to Cranmer, of which you have some account in bishop Burnet, which if it were sent to him, as some think, (g) a very little while before his Execution,' as he informs us, is sufficient evidence that then the Cardinal neither knew nor expected the least Recantation from him. 18. We have not the least evidence, that I know of, that any of the Protestant Confessors or Martyrs in queen Mary's reign did acknowledge that Cranmer ever had made such a Recantation. They still reckon him as one, nay usually as the principal of their glorious Martyrs, upon all occasions. As do the papists also still reckon him among the notorious heretics. Of all which we have many instances later than his death, and still without the least intimation that he had ever made such a Recantation in any of them. Which intire silence in both parties is no small evidence that it was not then believed he had made that real Recantation, which the Spanish Frier pretended. conceal it from him, when he went to see him? Nay, Why did he, upon Cranmer's owning he had no money, present him then, and not till then, with fifteen crowns, to give to the poor to whom he would, when he was just going to die? Why did the Spanish friar attempt to get two copies of a Recantation under Cranmer's hand the very same morning? And all this without any intimation that he was to die immediately? Why was he left destitute, without mercy, or so much as one friend to support or advise him, or to be a faithful witness what was then said or done by him? And why did some of the Papists, particularly this Dr. Cole, cry out, as soon as they perceived Cranmer had declared himself a Protestant, Stop the heretic's mouth, and take him away: as this History informs us? I think we have great reason to suspect that all this barbarity and haste and hurry for a sudden execution was intended to conceal somewhat which was not fit to be made public: and that it was done on purpose that sincere and honest Cranmer's pretended Recantation, might still be believed to be real: and that the poor man might have no opportunity to clear his innocence any farther in this matter. And indeed, one would almost wonder that Mr. Fox did not himself suspect this fraud and forgery; since he informs us that "the Papists secretly and slightly suborned certain men, which when they could not expugn him by arguments and disputation, should by intreaty, and fair promises, or any other means allure him to Re cantation. That the wily Papists flocked about him, with threatening, flattering, intreating, and promising, and all other means, especially Henry Sydal, and Friar John, a Spaniard de Villa Garcina, to the end to drive him to the uttermost of their possibility from his former Sentence to Recantation." (p. 811). 19. Cranmer himself, as Mr. Fox was informed, when at the stake he sorely repented of some small "bills, or papers, or writing which he had sent abroad, which he owns he had written with his hand, contrary to truth which he thought with his heart, and wrote for fear of death, and to save his life, if it might be, since his Degradation, wherein he had written many things untrue," (p. 820,) yet did he, at the same time, almost directly deny that he had ever made this real Recantation, charged upon him by the Spanish friar. For Mr. Fox assures us, that when at that time his enemies N. B. This Recantation may well be supceased not to object unto him his falshood and posed only a pretended one, and a forgery of dissimulation, because, after all, he died a zeathe papists. For this was not the first time lous Protestant, he answered to that accusa- that Cranmer was scandalized in this manner. tion, in the words already set down. "Ah! We find that bishop Bonner (i) himself believmy masters, quoth he, Do not you take it so. ed he was become very humble at the beginAlways, since I lived hitherto, I have been aning of queen Mary's reign, and ready to subhater of falshood, and a lover of simplicity; and never before this time have I dissembled." Which very ill agrees with what the Friar pretended, that he had continued in the grossest hypocrisy and falshood for four or five weeks together, ever since he made that intire Recan tation. 20. If there were not here some knavery or forgery in the case, why was not the queen's resolution (h) to have him burnt notified to him a few days, or however several hours, before he was to die? Why was Dr. Cole who had been before appointed to preach his Funeral Sermon on March 21st, obliged to keep the day silent? Why did the same Dr. Cole, the very morning Cranmer was to die, still (g) Burnet, vol. iii. p. 244. mit himself in all things,' without any real foundation. We find also, about the same time, the report was so current that he had himself consented to set up the mass at Canterbury, and that he had undertaken to sing mass before the queen (k), that he was obliged to vindicate himself in a public paper, still extant. Nay the main parts of this Recantation before us may possibly be as old as these early rumours. For Sanders affirms us that (1) Cranmer feigned himself a catholic, and signed his retractation seventeen times with his own hand, before his condemnation. Whereas in this form he owns himself to be late archbishop of Canterbury only: which he (i) Burnet, vol. ii. p. 248. (k) Burnet, vol. ii. p. 249. (1) Ibid, p. 399. | mer's own hand:' But that it was ever proved to be such, he saith not. Nor do I easily believe Cranmer would ever sign such a gross, and tedious, and wild Recantation as this is. would never have allowed till after Feb. 14th, 1555-6, when he was degraded: as all the other evidence already produced does also assure us. They who have a mind to compare One popish forgery with another, may look in Mr. Fox, and there find such another Recantation, ascribed to the famous lord Cobham, in the days of Henry 5th (m). Ouly with this difference, that the lord Cobham's Recantation seems never to have been so much as seen by him which we cannot certainly say of this ascribed to abp. Cranmer; though both, I suppose, equally spurious and jesuitical forge ries. : It is not here quite unworthy of our remark, that Cranmer's peculiar punishment of burning his right hand, before the rest of his body; that right hand which wrote the several Bills or Papers whereby he gave occasion to the report that he had made a real and intire Recantation; seems more accountable on the supposition that it was rather the many Bills or Papers he had incautiously written or transcribed with his right hand; than any one or two full Recantations, to which he had wickedly consented with his mind, which occasioned that unusual experiment or signal of detestation. And if any suppose that the consumption, first of his right hand, and then of the rest of his body by the fire, while yet his heart, as all agree, remained unburnt, was extraordinary, and providential; the natural consequence of it is, that while his right hand was, after a sort, guilty, in writing; yet was not his heart, the emblem of his mind, properly guilty in consenting to any ungodly Recantation. WILL. WHISTON. Lyndon, Rutland, Oct. 27, 1732. POSTSCRIPT. THIS was written by me before the date already set down. Nor have I altered any thing which I then wrote; but print it now exactly according to the original copy. What I am now to add, is with relation to the accounts of this matter given us by Mr. Strype, in his Memorials of Archbishop Cranmer, p. 383, 389, and in the 3d vol. of his Ecclesiastical Memorials, p. 232, 238, which I had not seen when I wrote the foregoing Paper. Which two Memorials seem to me to afford farther grounds for the same suspicion. For we may thence observe; 1. That of the five other copies of Cranmer's Recantations, given us by Mr. Strype, four of them are very short, and so very like the first branch of the Recantation before us: and might generally be of Cranmer's own drawing up, and might be signed by him as like the other, not much against his own opinion; yet very capable of a popish sense also. But the last is not only very long, but very different from all the rest; and indeed very like the grossest forgery. Yet does Mr. Strype assure us, in his Ecclesiastical Memorials, That this was said to be written and subscribed by Cran (m) See p. 249. of the present volume. 66 2. What Recantation Cranmer owned at the stake, and repented of, was not the signing one or two large open Recantations; but, as we have seen already, and as an honest Roman catholic there present gives the Account to be set down presently, Setting forth writings contrary to the truth. Things written with his hand contrary to the truth. All such Bills which he had written or signed with his own hand contrary to the truth, since his degradation: Wherein he had written many things untrue." Which small bills excellently well agree with the five suspicious small bills, set down by Mr. Fox and Mr. Strype, said by Mr. Fox to contain only a few words, in a little leaf of paper,' but very ill with one or two other pretended full and large and express Recantations of the protestant religion. And what makes this somewhat the more probable is this; that he immediately adds, at the stake, a retractation of the worst thing in all those little bills: when he says, that "as for the pope be refused him, as Christ's enemy, and Antichrist, with all his false doctrine? (n)" Whose supremacy yet, as owned by king, queen, and parliament at least, if not farther, he had owned and submitted himself to in more than one of those five short bills before mentioned. Which are all I suppose that he ever signed. 3. The very publishers of those four other short Bills or Recantations own, that one of them, which yet was not worded worse than the rest, nor was properly any Recantation of the protestant religion at all, was soon after retracted by himself again, and recalled: which plainly proves, that when Cranmer was trying by certain of these Concessions or Papers like some sort of Recantations, whether he could save his life, without renouncing the protestant religion, his conscience was so tender, that he retracted one of those small and modest Concessions or Retractatious again: and that it was almost impossible for him at the same time to sign either of those long and horrible Recantations that his enemies published for him. 4. Mr. Strype himself, who believed that Cranmer did thus several times openly recant the protestant religion, confesses that the papists did print a forged Account of what Cranmer spake at his Execution, and compares in two columns, "What he was to have spoken, and what the papists gave out (in a print falsely) he did speak; and what he spake indeed; As was by hundreds of witnesses present notoriously known (0). That they published in print these writings of the archbishop, bearing this title. "Ail the subscriptions and recantations of Thomas Cranmer, late archbishop of Canterbury, truly set forth both in Latin and (n) Mem, of Cranmer, p. 388. and bewailed his fortune, and feared not his own chance, to see so noble a prelate, so grave a counsellor, of so long-continued honour, after so many dignities, in his old years to be deprived of his estate, adjudged to die, and in so painful a death to end his life. I have no delight to increase it. Alas, it is too much of itself, that ever so heavy a case should betide to man, and man to deserve it. English; agreeably to the originals, and sub- | think there was none that pitied not his case, scribed with his own hand. Visum & Examinatum per Reverendum Patrem & Dominum D. Edmundum Episcop. Londinensem." And adds, that this profligate bishop Bonner, to serve an end, prostituted his faith and credit, by testifying a thing so notoriously known to be quite otherwise, in relation to the archbishop's last speech before mentioned." He also adds, at the conclusion of the first column, that "this grievous lie is said to be printed at Lon- "But to come to the matter: on Saturday don, by Cawood, the queen's printer: Cum last, being the 21st of March, was his day apprivilegio, ann. 1556." And at the conclu- pointed to die. And because the morning was sion of the second column he adds likewise, much rainy, the Sermon appointed by Mr. Dr. that "Cranmer would have spoken of the sa- Cole to be made at the Stake, was made in St. crament, and of the papacy: but that they bad Mary's Church. Whither Dr. Cranmer was Stop his mouth and pull him down." If brought by the mayor and aldermen, and my here be not great reason to suspect fraud and lord Williams. With whom came divers genknavery in this whole matter, I am much mis- tlemen of the shire, sir T. A. Bridges, sir John taken. See the like tricking and roguery Browne, and others. Where was prepared about a Recantation used by the papists, to over against the pulpit, an high place for him, that learned and excellent person Angelus Me- that all the people might see him. And when rula; till at length they were going to burn he had ascended it, he kneeled down and prayhim in his old age; but that he fell down dead ed, weeping tenderly: which moved a great at the stake, before the fire was kindled. Of number to tears, that had conceived an assured which we have a full Account in Gerard hope of his Conversion and Repentance. Brandt's History of the Reformation, in the Low Countries. Which is also well worth the perusal of the inquisitive reader upon this occasion.-Nor have I published this Paper, which is very remote from my general course of study and enquiries, as pretending at all to demonstrative evidence; but to strong reasons for suspicion and in order to set more proper persons upon farther researches: being still desirous that what is really true and right may be known by and prevail with all manWILL. WHISTON. kind. London, March 3, 1735-6. MR. STRYPE'S ACCOUNT OF ARCHBISHOP CRANMER'S DEATH. Memorials, p. 384. MR. STRYPE having printed a remarkable Account of Cranmer's Death, in the words of a certain grave person unknown, as he stiles him, but a papist, who was an eye and ear witness, and related these matters, as it seems, very justly, in a Letter from Oxon to his Friend, I shall here re-print it verbatim. And recommend it to the Christian reader's serious perusal and consideration. "But that I know for our great friendship, and long-continued love, you look even of duty, that I should signify to you of the truth of such things as here chanceth among us: I would not at this time have written to you the unfortunate end, and doubtful tragedy of T. C. late bishop of Canterbury: because I little pleasure take in beholding such heavy sights. And when they are once overpassed, I like not to rehearse them again; being but a renewing of my woe, and doubling my grief. For al though his former life, and wretched end, deserves a greater misery (if any greater might have chanced, than chanced unto him) yet setting aside his offences to God and his country, and beholding the man without his faults, I "Then Mr. Cole began his Sermon. The sum whereof was this. First, He declared causes, why it was expedient, that he should suffer, notwithstanding his reconciliation. The chief are these, One was, for that he had been a great cause of all this alteration in this realm of England. And when the matter of the Divorce, between king Henry 8th, and queen Catherine (p), was commenced in the court of Rome, he having nothing to do with it, set upon it, as judge, which was the entry to all the inconveniencies that followed. Yet in that he excused him, that he thought he did it not certain Learned Men. Another was, that he of malice, but by the persuasions and advice of had been the great setter forth of all this Heresy received into the Church in this last time; had written in it, bad disputed, had continued it, even to the last hour: and that it had never been seen in this realm, (but in the time of Schism) that any man continuing so long, bath been pardoned; and that it was not to be remitted for example-sake. Other causes he alledged, but these were the chief, why it was not thought good to pardon him. Other causes beside, he said, moved the queen, and the council thereto, which were not meet and convenient for every one to understand them. "The second Part touched the audience, how they should consider this thing: That they should hereby take example to fear God: and that there was no power against the Lord: having before their eyes a man of so high degree, sometime one of the chiefest prelates of the Church, an archbishop, the chief of the council, the second peer in the realm of long time: a man, as might be thought, in greatest assurance, a king of his side; notwithstanding all his authority and defence to be debased (P) See No. 28. |