A.D. First, they set forth how acceptable it would be both to the king Mary. and queen, and especially how gainful to him, and for his soul's health the same should be. They added moreover, how the council and the 1556. noble men bare him good will. They put him in hope, that he should not only have his life, but also be restored to his ancient dignity, saying, it was but a small matter, and so easy that they required him to do, only that he would subscribe to a few words with his own hand; which if he did, there should be nothing in the realm that the queen. would not easily grant him, whether he would have riches or dignity; or else if he had rather live a private life in quiet rest, in whatsoever place he listed, without all public ministry, only that he would set his name in two words to a little leaf of paper. But if he refused, there was no hope of health and pardon; for the queen was so purposed, that she would have Cranmer a catholic, or else no Cranmer at all. Therefore he should choose whether he thought it better to end his life shortly in the flames and fire-brands now ready to be kindled, than with much honour to prolong his life, until the course of nature did call him; for there was no middle way. Moreover, they exhorted him that he would look to his wealth, his estimation and quietness, saying, that he was not so old, but that many years yet remained in this his so lusty age; and if he would not do it in respect of the queen, yet he should do it for respect of his life, and not suffer that other men should be more careful for his health, than he was himself; saying, that this was agreeable to his notable learning and virtues, which, being adjoined with his life, would be profitable both to himself and to many others; but, being extinct by death, should be fruitful to no man: that he should take good heed that he went not too far; yet there was time enough to restore all things safe, and nothing wanted, if he wanted not to himself. Therefore they would him to lay hold upon the occasion of his health, while it was offered, lest if he would now refuse it while it was offered, he might hereafter seek it, when he could not have it. Finally, If the desire of life did nothing move him, yet he should remember that to die is grievous in all ages, and especially in these his years and flower of dignity it were more grievous; but to die in the fire and such torments, is most grievous of all. With these and like provocations, these fair flatterers ceased not to solicit and urge him, using all means they could to draw him to their side; whose force his manly constancy did a great while resist. But at last, when The archthey made no end of calling and crying upon him, the archbishop, bishop being overcome, whether through their importunity, or by his own recant. imbecility, or of what mind I cannot tell, at length gave his hand. content to moving him to time. It might be supposed that it was done for the hope of life, and Causes better days to come: but, as we may since perceive by the letter of his sent to a lawyer, the most cause why he desired his time to be give with delayed, was that he would make an end of Marcus Antonius, which he had already begun. But howsoever it was, plain it was, to be against his conscience. *But' so it pleaseth God, that so great virtues of course, to occur in the days of queen Mary! Villa Garcia was however, notwithstanding this A. D. Mary in this archbishop should not be had in too much admiration of us without some blemish, or else that the falsehood of the popish gene1556. ration, by this means, might be made more evident, or else to minish the confidence of our own strength, that in him should appear an example of man's weak imbecility. The form of which recantation made by the friars and doctors, whereto he subscribed, was this: The Copy and Words of Cranmer's Recantation,' sent abroad by the Papists. I, Thomas Cranmer, late archbishop of Canterbury, do renounce, abhor, and detest all manner of heresies and errors of Luther and Zuinglius, and all other teachings which be contrary to sound and true doctrine. And I believe most constantly in my heart, and with my mouth I confess, one holy and catholic church visible, without the which there is no salvation; and thereof I acknowledge the bishop of Rome to be supreme head in earth, whom I acknowledge to be the highest bishop and pope, and Christ's vicar, unto whom all christian people ought to be subject. And as concerning the sacraments, I believe and worship in the sacrament of the altar the very body and blood of Christ, being contained most truly under the forms of bread and wine; the bread through the mighty power of God being turned into the body of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and the wine into his blood. And in the other six sacraments also, like as in this, I believe and hold as the universal church holdeth, and the church of Rome judgeth and determineth. Furthermore, I believe that there is a place of purgatory, where souls departed be punished for a time, for whom the church doth godly and wholesomely pray, like as it doth honour saints and make prayers to them. Finally, in all things I profess, that I do not otherwise believe, than the catholic church and church of Rome holdeth and teacheth: I am sorry that ever I held or thought otherwise. And I beseech Almighty God, that of his mercy he will vouchsafe to forgive me, whatsoever I have offended against God or his church; and also I desire and beseech all christian people to pray for me. And all such as have been deceived either by mine example or doctrine, I require them by the blood of Jesus Christ, that they will return to the unity of the church, that we may be all of one mind, without schism or division. And to conclude, as I submit myself to the catholic church of Christ, and to the supreme head thereof, so I submit myself unto the most excellent majesties of Philip and Mary, king and queen of this realm of England, etc., and to all other their laws and ordinances, being ready always as a faithful subject ever to obey them. And God is my witness, that I have not done this for favour or fear of any person, but willingly, and of mine own mind, as well to the discharge of mine own conscience, as to the instruction of others. This recantation of the archbishop was not so soon conceived, but the doctors and prelates without delay caused the same to be imprinted, and set abroad in all men's hands; whereunto, for better credit, first was added the name of Thomas Cranmer, with a solemn subscription; then followed the witnesses of this recantation, Henry Sydal, and friar John de Villa Garcia. All this while Cranmer was in (1) Strype observes, "There were several recanting writings, to which Cranmer subscribed one after another: for after the unhappy bishop, by over-persuasion, wrote one paper with his subscription set to it," etc. "that would not serve, but another was required as explanatory of that." "Nor could he escape so, but still a fourth and a fifth paper of recantation was demanded."-" and lastly a sixth," etc. On the morning of Cranmer's martyrdom, the friars brought him yet a seventh declaration to subscribe, which he rejected with firmness, and made that declaration and prayer given at pages 87 and 88. Notwithstanding which, Bonner had the audacity to print this last recantation, with the other six, as though the archbishop had really subscribed to it also. They bore this title: "All the Subscriptions and Recantations of Thomas Cranmer, late Archbishop of Canterbury, truly set forth in Latin and English, agreeable to the Originals, and subscribed with his own hand. Visum et examinatum per reverendum patrum et dominum, D. Edmundum Episcop. Londinensum." See Strype's Memorials under Mary. chap. xxx. See more in the Rev. II. Soames, upon Cranmer's Recantation. Mr. Southey differs from Strype, and says, in his "Book of the Church," vol. ii. p. 220, "The probability is that Cranmer signed an equivocal Recantation, and that the other papers, five in number," etc, "were fabricated by Bonner's direction."-ED. Mary. A. D. The uncertain assurance of his life, although the same was faithfully promised to him by the doctors; but after that they had their purpose, the rest they committed to all adventure, as became men of that religion 1556. to do. The queen, having now gotten a time to revenge her old grief, received his recantation very gladly; but of her purpose to put queen's him to death, she would nothing relent. Now was Cranmer's cause in a miserable taking, who neither inwardly Cranmer had any quietness in his own conscience, nor yet outwardly any help in his adversaries. Besides this, on the one side was praise, on the other side scorn, on both sides danger, so that neither he could die honestly, nor yet unhonestly live. And whereas he sought profit, he fell into double disprofit, that neither with good men he could avoid secret shame, nor yet with evil men the note of dissimulation. heart set against Cranmer. in a miserable case. confer Cole In the mean time, while these things were adoing (as I said) in the The prison amongst the doctors, the queen, taking secret counsel how to queen dispatch Cranmer out of the way (who as yet knew nothing of her reth with secret hate, and looked for nothing less, than death), appointed Dr. about Cole, and secretly gave him in commandment, that against the 21st mer's of March, he should prepare a funeral sermon for Cranmer's burning; burning. and, so instructing him orderly and diligently of her will and pleasure in that behalf, sendeth him away. Cran appointed be at Soon after, the lord Williams of Thame, and the lord Chandos, sir Who were Thomas Bridges, and sir John Brown, were sent for, with other wor- to shipful men and justices, commanded in the queen's name to be at Oxford at the same day, with their servants and retinue, lest Cranmer's death should raise there any tumult. Cole the doctor having this lesson given him before, and charged by her commandment, returned to Oxford, ready to play his part; who, as the day of execution drew near, even the day before, came into the prison to Cranmer, to try whether he abode in the catholic faith wherein before he had left him. To whom, when Cranmer had answered, that by God's grace he would daily be more confirmed in the catholic faith; Cole, departing for that time, the next day following repaired to the archbishop again, giving no signification as yet of his death that was prepared. And therefore in the morning, which was the 21st day of March appointed for Cranmer's execution, the said Cole, coming to him, asked if he had any money; to whom when he answered that he had none, he delivered him fifteen crowns to give to the poor to whom he would: and so exhorting him so much as he could to constancy in faith, departed thence about his business, as to his sermon appertained. his execution. writeth, the arti his own By this partly, and other like arguments, the archbishop began Cranmer more and more to surmise what they went about. Then because the and subday was not far past, and the lords and knights that were looked for scribeth were not yet come, there came to him the Spanish friar, witness of cles with his recantation, bringing a paper with articles, which Cranmer should hand. 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: which when he had done, the said friar desired that he would write another copy thereof which should remain with him; and that he did also. But yet the arch Mary. bishop being not ignorant whereunto their secret devices tended, and A.D. thinking that the time was at hand in which he could no longer dis1556. semble the profession of his faith with Christ's people, he put secretly Cranmer at Cole's sermon. in his bosom his prayer with his exhortation written in another paper, which he minded to recite to the people, before he should make the last profession of his faith, fearing lest, if they had heard the confession of his faith first, they would not afterward have suffered him to exhort the people. Soon after, about nine of the clock, the lord Williams, sir Thomas Bridges, sir John Brown, and the other justices, with certain other noblemen that were sent of the queen's council, came to Oxford with a great train of waiting men. Also of the other multitude on every side (as is wont in such a matter) was made a great concourse, and greater expectation. For first of all, they that were of the pope's side were in great hope that day to hear something of Cranmer that should stablish the vanity of their opinion: the other part, which were endued with a better mind, could not yet doubt, that he who by continual study and labour for so many years, had set forth the doctrine of the gospel, either would or could now in the last act of his life forsake his part. Briefly, as every man's will inclined either to this part or to that, so, according to the diversity of their desires, every man wished and hoped for. And yet because in an uncertain thing the certainty could be known of none what would be the end; all their minds were hanging between hope and doubt. So that the greater the expectation was in so doubtful a matter, the more was the multitude, that was gathered thither to hear and behold. In this so great frequency and expectation, Cranmer at length cometh from the prison of Bocardo unto St. Mary's church (the chief church in the university), because it was a foul and rainy day, in this order: the mayor went before; next him the aldermen in their place and degree; after them was Cranmer brought between two friars, who, mumbling to and fro certain psalms in the streets, answered one another until they came to the church door, and there they began the song of Simeon, "Nunc dimittis," and entering into the church, the Cranmer psalm-saying friars brought him to his standing, and there left him. upon There was a stage set over against the pulpit, of a mean height from a stage. the ground, where Cranmer had his standing, waiting until Cole made him ready to his sermon. set up The lamentable case and sight of that man gave a sorrowful spectacle to all christian eyes that beheld him. He that late was archbishop, metropolitan, and primate of England, and the king's privy councillor, being now in a bare and ragged gown, and ill favouredly clothed, with an old square cap, exposed to the contempt of all men, did admonish men not only of his own calamity, but also of their state and fortune. For who would not pity his case, and bewail his fortune, and might not fear his own chance, to see such a prelate, so grave a councillor, and 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, and now presently from such fresh ornaments, to descend to such vile and ragged apparel? In this habit, when he had stood a good space upon the stage, turning to a pillar near adjoining thereunto, he lifted up his hands to sermon divided heaven, and prayed unto God once or twice, till at the length Dr. Cole Mary. coming into the pulpit, and beginning his sermon, entered first into A.D. mention of Tobias and Zachary. Whom after he had praised in the 1556. beginning of his sermon for their perseverance in the true worshipping cole's of God, he then divided his whole sermon into three parts (according to the solemn custom of the schools), intending to speak, first, of the into three mercy of God: secondly, of his justice to be showed: and last of all, parts. how the prince's secrets are not to be opened. And proceeding a little from the beginning, he took occasion by and by to turn his tale to Cranmer, and with many hot words reproved him, that once he, being indued with the favour and feeling of wholesome and catholic doctrine, fell into the contrary opinion of pernicious error; which he had not only defended by writings, and all his power, but also allured other men to do the like, with great liberality of gifts, as it were appointing rewards for error; and after he had allured them, by all means did cherish them. The Sum and Effect of Dr. Cole's Sermon at Oxford. It were too long to repeat all things, that in long order were pronounced. The sum of his tripartite declamation was, that he said God's mercy was so tempered with his justice, that he did not altogether require punishment according to the merits of offenders, nor yet sometimes suffered the same altogether to go unpunished, yea though they had repented. As in David, who when he was bidden choose of three kinds of punishment which he would, and he had chosen pestilence for three days; the Lord forgave him half the time, but did not release all : and that the same thing came to pass in him also, to whom although pardon and reconciliation was due according to the canons, seeing he repented him of his errors, yet there were causes why the queen and the council at this time judged him to death: of which, lest he should marvel too much, he should hear some. First, that being a traitor, he had dissolved the lawful matrimony between the king her father, and [her] mother; besides the driving out of the pope's authority, while he was metropolitan. Secondly, that he had been a heretic, from whom, as from an author and only fountain, all heretical doctrine and schismatical opinions that so many years have prevailed in England did first rise and spring; of which he had not been a secret favourer only, but also a most earnest defender even to the end of his life, sowing them abroad by writings and arguments, privately and openly, not without great ruin and decay of the catholic church. And further, it seemed meet, according to the law of equality, that as the death of the duke of Northumberland of late, made even with Thomas More chancellor, that died for the church, so there should be one that should make even with Fisher of Rochester; and because that Ridley, Hooper, Ferrar, were not able to make even with that man, it seemed meet that Cranmer should be joined to them to fill up their part of equality.3 Besides these there were other just and weighty causes, which seemed to the queen and council, which were not meet at that time to be opened to the common people. earth so but it After this, turning his tale to the hearers, he bade all men beware by this No state man's example, that among men nothing is so high, that can promise itself in this safety on the earth, and that God's vengeance is equally stretched against all high nor men, and spareth none: therefore they should beware and learn to fear their so sure, prince. And seeing the queen's majesty would not spare so notable a man as this, much less in the like cause she would spare other men; that no man should think to make thereby any defence of his error, either in riches or any kind of authority. They had now an example to teach them all, by whose calamity every man might consider his own fortune; who, from the top of (1) If Cole gave this judgment upon Cranmer when he had repented, what judgment is then to be given of Cole, who always perdured in error, and never yet repented. (2) If all heretics in England should be burned, where should Dr. Cole have been ere now? (3) Lex non æqualitatis sed iniquitatis. may fall. |