Mary. came to pass that this said Dr. Cranmer, by reason that the plague A. D. was in Cambridge, resorted to Waltham Abbey, to one master 1556. Cressy's house there, whose wife was of kin to the said master

Cranmer. And for that he had two sons of the said Cressy with him at Cambridge as his pupils, he rested at Waltham Cross, at the house of the said master Cressy, with the said two children, during that summer-time while the plague reigned. A.D. 1529.

In this summer-time cardinal Campeius and cardinal Wolsey,2 being in commission from the pope to hear and determine that great cause in controversy between the king and the queen, his pretended wife, dallied and delayed all the summer-time until the month of August came, in hearing the said cause in controversy debated. When August was come, the said cardinals little minding to proceed to sentence giving, took occasion to finish their commission, and not further to determine therein, pretending that it was not permitted by the laws to keep courts of ecclesiastical matters in harvest-time: which sudden stay and giving over of the said commission by both the cardinals, being unknown to the king, it so much moved him, that he, taking it as a mock at the cardinals' hands, commanded the dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk to dispatch forthwith cardinal Campeius home again to Rome; and so in haste removed himself from London to Waltham for a night or twain, while his household removed to Greenwich: by means whereof it chanced that the harbingers lodged Gardiner Dr. Stephen, secretary,3 and Dr. Foxe, almoner (who were the chief Foxe, furtherers, preferrers, and defenders on the king's behalf of the said rers of the cause) in the house of the said master Cressy, where the said Dr. Cranmer was also lodged and resident. When supper-time came, they all three doctors met together; Dr. Stephen and Dr. Foxe much marvelling of Dr. Cranmer's being there; who declared to them the cause of his there being, namely, for that the plague was in CamStephen, bridge. And as they were of old acquaintance, so the secretary and Foxe, and the almoner right well entertained Dr. Cranmer, minding to understand part of his opinion touching their great business they had in hand. And so as good occasion served, while they were at supper, they conferred with Dr. Cranmer concerning the king's cause, requesting him of his judgment and opinion what he thought therein.

Stephen

and Dr.

chief stir

king's

divorce.

Cranmer

confer together.

Cran

mer's an

the ques

tion of

divorce.

Whereto Dr. Cranmer answered, that he could say little to the swer in matter, for that he had not studied nor looked for it. Notwithstanding he said to them, that in his opinion they made more ado in the king's prosecuting the law ecclesiastical, than needed. "It were better, as I suppose," quoth Dr. Cranmer," that the question, whether a man may marry his brother's wife, or no? were decided and discussed by the divines, and by the authority of the word of God, whereby the conscience of the prince might be better satisfied and quieted, than thus from year to year by frustratory delays to prolong the time, leaving the very truth of the matter unbolted out by the word of

(1) "Cressy." "A name," says Fuller, "utterly extinct in that town (where God hath fixed my present habitation) long before the memory of any alive. But, consulting Weaver's Funeral Monuments of Waltham Church' (more truly than neatly by him composed), I find therein this epitaph:

'Here lyeth Jon and Jone Cressy,
On whose soulys Jesu hav mercy.

See Fuller's Church History, book v. page 179.-ED.

Amen.'"

(2) Of this Campeius, and discourse of his legacy, read before. [vol. v. p. 48.—ED.]
(3) Dr. Stephen Gardiner was secretary to king Henry VIII. at this time.-ED.

Mary.

vice well liked.

God. There is but one truth in it, which the Scripture will soon declare, make open and manifest, being by learned men well handled, A.D. and that may be as well done in England in the universities here, as 1556. at Rome, or elsewhere in any foreign nation, the authority whereof Cranwill compel any judge soon to come to a definitive sentence and mer's detherefore, as I take it, you might this way have made an end of this matter long since." When Dr. Cranmer had thus ended his tale, the other two well liked of his device, and wished that they had so proceeded aforetime, and thereupon conceived some matter of that device to instruct the king withal, who then was minded to send to Rome again for a new commission.

troubled

Now the next day, when the king removed to Greenwich, like as The king he took himself not well handled by the cardinals in thus deferring about the his cause, so his mind being unquieted, and desirous of an end of his divorce. long and tedious suit, he called unto him these his two principal doers in his said cause, namely, the said Dr. Stephen and Dr. Foxe, saying unto them, "What now my masters," quoth the king, “shall we do in this infinite cause of mine? I see by it there must be a new commission procured from Rome; and when we shall have an end, God knoweth, and not I."

mer's de

re

When the king had said somewhat his mind herein, the almoner, Dr. Foxe, said unto the king again, "We trust that there shall be better ways devised for your majesty, than to make travel so far as to Rome any more in your highness's cause, which by chance was put into our heads this other night being at Waltham. The king being very desirous to understand his meaning, said, "Who hath Crantaken in hand to instruct you by any better or shorter way to pro- vice to ceed in our said cause ?" Then said Dr. Foxe, "It chanced us to the king. be lodged at Waltham in master Cressy's house this other night, your highness being there, where we met with an old acquaintance of ours, named Dr. Cranmer, with whom having conference concerning your highness's cause, he thought that the next way were, first to instruct and quiet your majesty's conscience by trying your highness's question out by the authority of the word of God, and thereupon to proceed to a final sentence." With this report the secretary was not content with the almoner, for that he did not utter this device as of their own invention.' And when the secretary would have seemed by colourable words to make it appear to the king, that they of themselves had devised that means; the king then said, "Where is this Dr. Cranmer? Is he still at Waltham ?" They answered, that they left him there. Marry," said the king, "I will surely speak with him, and therefore let him be sent for out of hand. I perceive," quoth the king, "that that man hath the sow by the right ear: and if I had known this device but two years ago, it had been in my way a great piece of money, and had also rid me out of much disquietness." Whereupon Dr. Cranmer was sent for, and being removed from Cranmer Waltham to Cambridge, and so towards his friends in Nottingham-sent for to shire, a post went for him. But when he came to London, he began Seeketh to quarrel with these two his acquaintances, that he, by their means, loth to was thus troubled and brought thither to be cumbered in a matter, come wherein he had nothing at all travailed in study; and therefore most presence.

(1) Note the glorious head of Dr. Stephen Gardiner.

king.

excuses:

unto his

Mary. instantly entreated them, that they would make his excuse in such A.D. sort, that he might be despatched away from coming in the king's 1556. presence. They promised, and took the matter upon them so to do,

if by any means they might compass it. But all was in vain; for the more they began to excuse Dr. Cranmer's absence, the more the king chid with them, for that they brought him not out of hand to Cranmer his presence; so that, no excuse serving, he was fain undelayedly to come to the court unto the king, whom the gentle prince benignly king. accepting, demanded his name, and said unto him, "Were you not tween the at Waltham such a time, in the company of my secretary and my king and almoner ?" Dr. Cranmer affirming the same, the king said again,

brought

to the

Talk be

him.

in con

"Had you not conference with them concerning our matter of divorce now in question after this sort ?" repeating the manner and order thereof. "That is right true, if it please your highness," quoth Dr. Cranmer. "Well," said the king, "I well perceive that you The king have the right scope of this matter. You must understand," quoth troubled the king, "that I have been long troubled in conscience; and now science. I perceive that by this means I might have been long ago relieved one way or other from the same, if we had this way proceeded. And therefore, master doctor, I pray you, and nevertheless because you are a subject, I charge and command you (all your other business and affairs set apart), to take some pains to see this my cause to be furthered according to your device, as much as it may lie in you, so that I may shortly understand whereunto I may trust. For this I protest before God and the world, that I seek not to be divorced from the queen, if by any means I might justly be persuaded that this our matrimony were inviolable, and not against the laws of God; for otherwise there was never cause to move me to seek any such extremity neither was there ever prince had a more gentle, a more obedient and loving companion and wife than the queen is, nor did I ever fancy woman in all respects better, if this doubt had not risen; assuring you that for the singular virtues wherewith she is endued, besides the consideration of her noble stock, I could be right well contented still to remain with her, if so it would stand with the will and pleasure of Almighty God." And thus, greatly commending her many and singular qualities, the king said, "I therefore pray you with an indifferent eye, and with as much dexterity as lieth in you, that you for your part do handle the matter for the discharging of both our consciences." Dr. Cranmer, much disabling himself to meddle in so weighty a abling matter, besought the king's highness to commit the trial and examinhimself to ing of this matter by the word of God, unto the best learned men of the king. both his universities, Cambridge and Oxford. "You say well," said

Excusing

and dis

by the

king to

the king, “and I am content therewith. But yet nevertheless, I will Assigned have you specially to write your mind therein." And so calling the earl of Wiltshire to him, said, "I pray you, my lord, let Dr. Cransearch the mer have entertainment in your house at Durham-place for a time, tures, in to the intent he may be there quiet to accomplish my request, and of his di let him lack neither books, nor any thing requisite for his study. And thus, after the king's departure, Dr. Cranmer went with my lord of Wiltshire unto his house, wherein he incontinently wrote his

Scrip

the cause

vorce.

(1) Mark this you papists, which so rashly judge the king's divorce and the pope's overthrow to have sprung of light causes.

The pope

mind concerning the king's question; adding to the same, besides Mary. the authorities of the Scriptures, of general councils, and of ancient A.D. writers, also his opinion, which was this: That the bishop of Rome 1556. had no such authority, as whereby he might dispense with the word of God and the Scripture. When Dr. Cranmer had made this book, hath no and committed it to the king, the king said to him, "Will you to disabide by this that you have here written before the bishop of Rome?" pense "That will I do by God's grace," quoth Dr. Cranmer, "if your word of majesty do send me thither." "Marry," quoth the king, "I will send you even to him in a sure ambassage."

authority

with the

God.

king's

lawful.

with

And thus by means of Dr. Cranmer's handling of this matter with The the king, not only certain learned men were sent abroad to the most marriage part of the universities in Christendom, to dispute the question, but found unalso the same being by commission disputed by the divines in both the universities of Cambridge and Oxford, it was there concluded, Cranmer that no such matrimony was by the word of God lawful. Where- others upon a solemn ambassage was then prepared and sent to the bishop Rome of Rome, then being at Bologna, wherein went the earl of Wiltshire, ambassaDr. Cranmer, Dr. Stokesley, Dr. Carne, Dr. Bennet, and divers the pope. other learned men and gentlemen. A.D. 1530.

sent to

dors to

dors not

kiss the

nerly dog,

presum

foot!

to

And when the time came that they should come before the bishop English of Rome to declare the cause of their ambassage, the bishop, sitting ambassaon high in his cloth of estate and in his rich apparel, with his sandals hasty to on his feet, offering as it were his foot to be kissed of the ambas- pope's sadors; the earl of Wiltshire, disdaining thereat, stood still, and foot. made no countenance thereunto, so that all the rest kept themselves from that idolatry. Howbeit, one thing is not here to be omitted, as a prognosticate of our separation from the see of Rome, which then chanced by a spaniel of the earl of Wiltshire. For he, having there a great spaniel which came out of England with him, stood directly between the earl and the bishop of Rome, when the said bishop Unmanhad advanced forth his foot to be kissed. Now whether the spaniel perceived the bishop's foot of another nature than it ought to be, in the and so taking it to be some kind of repast—or whether it was the pope's will of God to show some token by a dog unto the bishop of his inordinate pride, that his feet were more meet to be bitten of dogs, than kissed of christian men-the spaniel (I say), when the bishop extended his foot to be kissed, no man regarding the same, straightway (as though he had been of purpose appointed thereunto) went directly to the pope's feet, and not only kissed the same unmannerly with his mouth, but, as some plainly reported and affirmed, took fast with his mouth the great toe of the pope, so that in haste he pulled in his glorious feet from the spaniel whereat our men smiling in their sleeves, what they thought, God knoweth. But in fine, the pontifical bishop after that, sought no more at that present for kissing his feet, but without any further ceremony gave ear to the ambassadors what they had to say; who, entering there before the Arguing bishop, offered on the king's behalf to be defended, that no man that the "jure divino," could or ought to marry his brother's wife, and that no power the bishop of Rome by no means ought to dispense to the contrary. pense Divers promises were made, and sundry days appointed, wherein the with question should have been disputed; and when our part was ready word.

:

pope had

to dis

God's

Mary. to answer, no man there appeared to dispute in that behalf.

A. D.

So in

the end, the bishop, making to our ambassadors good countenance, 1556. and gratifying Dr. Cranmer with the office of the penitentiaryship, dismissed them undisputed withal.

made the

niten

tiary.

ambassa

Conference between

Cranmer Whereupon the earl of Wiltshire, and the other commissioners, pope's pe- saving Dr. Cranmer, returned home again into England. And forthwith Dr. Cranmer went to the emperor (being in his journey towards Cranmer Vienna, in expedition against the Turk), there to answer such learned dor to the men of the emperor's council, as would or could say any thing to the emperor. contrary part. Where amongst the rest, at the same time was Cornelius Agrippa,' a high officer in the emperor's court, who having Cranmer private conference with Dr. Cranmer in the question, was so fully and resolved and satisfied in the matter, that afterwards there was never Agrippa. disputation openly offered to Dr. Cranmer in that behalf. through the persuasion of Agrippa, all other learned men there were much discouraged : insomuch that after Dr. Cranmer was returned into England, Agrippa fell into such displeasure with the emperor, as some men thought, that because of the hindering and discouraging so much the contrary part, he was committed to prison, where he for sorrow ended his life, as it was reported.

Cranmer

made arch

For

In the mean

space, while the emperor returned home from Vienna through Germany, Dr. Cranmer in that voyage had conference with divers learned men of Germany concerning the said question, who, very ambiguously heretofore conceiving the cause, were fully resolved and satisfied by him.

This matter thus prospering on Dr. Cranmer's behalf, as well touching the king's question, as concerning the invalidity of the bishop of Rome's authority, bishop Warham, then archbishop of Canterbury, departed this transitory life,2 whereby that dignity then being in the king's gift and disposition, was immediately given to Dr. Cranmer, as worthy for his travail of such a promotion. Thus much touching the preferment of Dr. Cranmer unto his dignity, and by bishop of what means he achieved unto the same (not by flattery, nor by Canter- bribes, nor by any other unlawful means); which thing I have more at large discoursed, to stop the railing mouths of such, who, being themselves obscure and unlearned, shame not to detract so learned a man most ignominiously with the surname of an hosteler, whom for his godly zeal unto sincere religion they ought with much humility to have had in regard and reputation.

bury,

The question of

the pope's

supremacy,

*Not long after, as one occasion bringeth in another; so upon this question of the marriage riseth another question of the pope's authority; in so much that in the parliament it was doubted of the primacy of the church of Rome. And here the new archbishop was not a little helped by his old collections and notes, which he used in moved. studying: for all the weight of the business was chiefly laid on his shoulders. He therefore alone received, and answered, and confuted,

what occasion

first

(1)) Henry Cornelius Agrippa, of the family of Nettesheim, was born in 1486. As he was a man of an inconstant disposition, he was never fixed in any settled employment, being occupied sometimes in the wars, and sometimes in delivering lectures in divinity. His treatise "De Vanitate Scientiarum."-a dissertation in which he undertakes to prove that there is nothing more pernicious to man's salvation than the arts and sciences-excited much enmity against him. After a chequered and unsettled life, he died at Grenoble in 1535. See Dupin, cent. 16, b. iii. p. 401. Bayle has noticed the facts which connect his name with Cranmer's history in his "Dictionary," article "Agrippa," Note O.-ED. (2) August 23, 1532.-ED.

(3) March 20, 1530.--Ed.

(4) See the First Edition, 1563; pp. 1471-1473.-ED.