III. Anno 1554.

BOOK of these demands would be allowed him: which he in a letter complained of to the council. For indeed, as Cranmer plainly apprehended, the design now was not to look impartially into the truth or falsehood of these doctrines, but to gain glory to themselves, and to have a shew for the resolution that was before taken up of condemning them all three.

Cranmer disputes again.

The same week, on Thursday, Harpsfield disputed for the degree of bachelor of divinity: and, among other opponents, Cranmer was called forth for one by Dr. Weston. Where, first taking notice of Weston's opposing Harpsfield out of the Scripture against a corporal presence, (which was Harpsfield's question,) but whereas he left the sense of the Scripture to the catholick church, as judge, Cranmer told him, "He was much mistaken, especially because that, "under the name of church, he appointed such judges as "had corruptly judged, and contrary to the sense of the

Scriptures. He wondered also (he said) why Weston "attributed so little to the reading of Scriptures, and "conferring of places, seeing Scripture doth so much com"mend the same, in those very places which himself had "alleged. And as to his opinion of these questions, he "said, they had neither ground of the word of God, nor "the primitive church. Nay, and that the schools have spoken diversely of them, and do not agree among them"selves." And, having prefaced all this, he began his disputation with Harpsfield, by asking him some questions: as, how Christ's body was in the sacrament, according to his mind and determination? And whether he had the quantity and qualities, form, figure, and such-like properties, of bodies? And when there was great declining to answer this; and some affirmed one thing, and some another; Harpsfield said, they were vain questions, and not fit to spend time about; and added, that "Christ was there 338" as it pleased him to be there." Cranmer to that said, "He would be best contented with that answer, if their appointing of the carnal presence had not driven him of necessity to have inquired, for disputation-sake, how they placed him there, sithence they would have a natural body." Then some denied it to be quantum; some said,

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X.

it was quantitativum; and some affirmed, that it had CHAP. modum quanti: and some denying it, Dr. Weston then stood up, and said, it was corpus quantum, sed non per Anno 1554. modum quanti. A very grave decision of the point!

Then Cranmer asked, "Whether good and bad men do "eat the body in the sacrament; and then, how long "Christ tarried in the eater?" Harpsfield said, "They were "curious questions, unmeet to be asked." Cranmer replied, "He took them out of their schools, and schoolmen, "which they themselves did most use." Then he asked, "How far he went into the body, and how long he abode in "the body?" With these questions Cranmer puzzled them most heavily for which way soever they answered, there would follow absurdities and inextricable difficulties. In conclusion, Dr. Weston gave him this compliment; "That "his wonderful gentle behaviour and modesty was worthy "much commendation: giving him most hearty thanks in "his own name, and in the name of all his brethren." At which all the doctors put off their caps.

pists' inde

of the dis

On Wednesday, as soon as Latimer, who came up last, The Pahad ended his disputation, the Papists cried Victoria, ap-cent maplauding themselves loudly, as though they had vindi-nagement cated their cause most strenuously and satisfactorily against putation. Cranmer and his two fellows. And so Weston had the confidence to tell them to their faces. Though to him that reads the whole disputation, and considereth the arguments on both sides impartially, there will appear no such matter: allowing for all the hissings and noises, confused talk and taunts, that were bestowed upon these very reverend and good men. Whereof Ridley said, in reference to his dispu- In his Pretation, "That he never in all his life saw or heard any Account of "thing carried more vainly and tumultuously; and that he his Dispute. "could not have thought, that there could have been

"found among Englishmen any persons, honoured with degrees in learning, that willingly could allow of such va"nities, more fit for the stage than the schools." He added, "That, when he studied at Paris, he remembered "what clamours were used in the Sorbon, where popery chiefly reigned; but that that was a kind of modesty in "comparison of this thrasonical ostentation. Whence he

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face to his

BOOK
III.

Anno 1553.

tants glad

"concluded very truly, that they sought not for the sincere “truth in this conference, and for nothing but vainglory." But the professors of the Gospel, on the other hand, were The Protes as glad of this dispute, wherein these three chief fathers of of this dis- the church had so boldly and gallantly stood in the defence of the truth, and maintained the true doctrine of the sacrament so well. And Dr. Rowland Taylor, in prison elsewhere at this time for Christ's sake, wrote them a congratulatory letter in the name of the rest. Which is as followeth:

putation.

339

Dr. Taylor

to the three

putations.

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"RIGHT reverend fathers in the Lord, I wish you to fathers af- enjoy continually God's grace and peace through Jesus ter their dis-Christ. Christ. And God be praised again for this your most "excellent promotion, which ye are called unto at this present; that is, that ye are counted worthy to be allowed "amongst the number of Christ's records and witnesses. England hath had but a few learned bishops that would "stick to Christ ad ignem inclusive. Once again I thank "God heartily in Christ for your most happy onset, most "valiant proceeding, most constant suffering of all such "infamies, hissings, clappings, taunts, open rebukes, loss of living and liberty, for the defence of God's cause, truth, "and glory. I cannot utter with pen how I rejoice in my "heart for you three such captains in the foreward, under "Christ's cross, banner, or standard, in such a cause and “skirmish: when not only one or two of our dear Re"deemer's strong holds are besieged, but all his chief castles, "ordained for our safeguard, are traitorously impugned. "This your enterprize, in the sight of all that be in heaven, "and of all God's people in earth, is most pleasant to be"hold. This is another manner of nobility, than to be in "the forefront in worldly warfares. For God's sake, pray "for us, for we fail not daily to pray for We are "stronger and stronger in the Lord, his name be praised; "and we doubt not, but ye be so in Christ's own sweet "school. Heaven is all, and wholly of our side. Therefore "Gaudete in Domino semper, et iterum gaudete, et exultate: Rejoice always in the Lord, and again rejoice and be glad.

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you.

"Your assured in Christ, Rowland Taylor."

X.

Ridley pens

putation.

Ridley, knowing their tricks, and suspecting they would CHAP. publish his disputation unfairly, and to their own advantage, prudently took his pen, and gave an account of it with the Anno 1554. greatest exactness, as he could recover it in his memory. the relation He was promised by the Prolocutor, that he should have a of his disview of the dispute, as it was taken by the notaries, that he might supply and amend, and alter, as he should see any error or mistake in the notes. He promised him likewise, and that in the face and hearing of the rest of the commissioners, and the whole schools, that he should have a time and place allowed him, wherein he might produce what he had more to say, for the confirmation of his answers. But nothing was performed. Ridley never found language more ready to him, nor such a presence of mind in any business he had to do, as he had in this disputation: which he took particular notice of, and thanked God for. Of this relation, as he himself had penned it, he wrote to Grindal, then at Frankford, “That except he had "that he gathered himself after his disputation done, he "could not think that he had it truly; but if he had that, "then he had therewithal the whole manner, after the "which he was used in that disputation."

sends the

up to the

This whole disputation between these three excellent The University men, and the Oxford divines, was, under the seal of the University, and the subscription of notaries, exhibited into disputations the house of Convocation by Hugh Weston, and some Convocalawyers. This John Fox had found some years after, writ tion. in the register of a certain church in London. Whereupon, 340 for the sight hereof, he applied himself to Dr. Incent, that had been actuary: but he put him off, telling him the writings were in Boner's hand, or in the custody of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and that he had them not; probably not being minded they should come to light. Fox, when his pains succeeded not, wrote to the Archbishop and the Bishop of London, Parker and Grindal, about 1567, acquainting them with this; and desired their assistance: and the rather, because perhaps there might have been other things met with there, not unworthy knowledge, under the same seal. And so he left the Archbishop and Bishop to consult as they thought fit for the finding out these writings of the disputations.

BOOK

pies of these

disputations.

Fox, by his diligence, procured many and divers copies III. of them. Which I have seen; and that which he printed in Anno 1554. his Acts and Monuments, was, I suppose, from a copy which Varions co- he reckoned the largest and truest. Ridley apprehended there would many copies of these disputations fly about, (as there were,) whereby they might be wronged. Therefore, to prevent misrepresenting, as I said before, he wrote a brief account of what he had said at his disputation. This, whether he writ it in English or Latin originally, I cannot tell; I suppose in Latin; as it was lately, in the year 1688, published at Oxon. Among Fox's manuscripts I meet with a better copy than that, which, by comparing both, I find faulty in many things: besides Ridley's epilogue to the reader, which is there placed as a preface before the book, the true place being at the end of it.

condemned

CHAP. XI.

Cranmer condemned for an Heretick.

Cranmer WITHIN two days after these disputations were ended, for heresy. that is, on Friday April 20, Cranmer, with his two fellows, were brought again to St. Mary's, before the commissioners. Weston dissuaded them from their opinions; and asked them, whether they would subscribe? and required them to answer directly and peremptorily: and told the Archbishop that he was overcome in disputation, with more words to that purpose. To whom the Archbishop boldly replied, “That "whereas Weston said, that he had answered and opposed, "and could neither maintain his own error, nor impugn the "truth; he said, all that was false: for he was not suf"fered to oppose as he would, nor could answer as he was required, unless he would have brawled with them, and

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ever four or five interrupting him." Latimer and Ridley, being asked what they would do, said, they would stand to that which they had said. Then, being called together, sentence was read over them, that they were no members of the church; and therefore they were condemned as here