"ed by God expressly: adding, that for this God should CHAP. "demand of them a strict reckoning. And to teach them,

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XVIII.

"that other works, which they do of their own devotion, Anno 1538, are not to be so highly esteemed as the other: and that "for the not doing them, God will not ask any account. "That no friar have any cure or service in their churches, "unless he were dispensed withal and licensed by the ordinary. That they admit no young person to the sacrament, who never received it before, unless such person openly in the church, after mass upon a holy-day, say "the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Command"ments. That they twice a quarter declare the bands of matrimony, and the danger of using their bodies, but with "such persons as they might by the law of God; and that "no privy contracts be made, as they would avoid the ex"treme peril of the laws of the realm."

No diocesan bishop consecrated this year.

Bishops Suffragans.

consecrat

ed.

Robert Bishop of St. Asaph recommended to the King Bishops John Bradley, Abbot of the monastery of Milton, of the order of St. Benedict, or William Pelles, both bachelors of divinity, to the dignity of suffragan within the diocese [province rather] of Canterbury, mentioning no particular see. The Bishop of Bath and Wells also recommended two Cranm. Regist. to the King, out of which to nominate a suffragan to some see within the province of Canterbury, viz. William Finch, late Prior of Bremar, and Richard Walshe, Prior of the hospital of St. John Baptist of Bridgewater.

Finch.

April the 7th, William Finch was nominated by the William King to the Archbishop to be consecrated for Suffragan of Taunton; and then consecrated in the chapel of St. Mary's, in the conventual church of the Friars Preachers, London, by John Bishop of Rochester, by virtue of letters commissional from the Archbishop, Robert Bishop of St. Asaph, and William Suffragan of Colchester, assisting. And, March the 23d, John Bradley was consecrated Suffragan John Bradley. of Shaftsbury, in the chancel of the parish-church of St. John Baptist in Southampton, by John Bishop of Bangor, by the letters commissional of Thomas Archbishop of

BOOK Canterbury, John Ipolitanen. and Thomas Suffragan of I. Marleborough, assisting.

Anno 1538.

CHAP. XIX.

bishop

makes Nic. Wotton

commis

Craum.

Regist.

The Act of Six Articles.

The Arch- THIS year, October the 6th, I meet with a commission, ad facultates, granted from the Archbishop to a famous man, Nicholas Wotton, LL. D. a man of great learning, sary of his and made use of by the King afterwards in divers embassies, Faculties. and a privy counsellor to King Henry, and his three children successively Princes of the realm, and Dean of Canterbury 72 and York. This commission was in pursuance of a late act of parliament, to this tenor; that in whatsoever cases, not prohibited by divine right, in which the Bishop of Rome, or Roman see, heretofore accustomed to dispense, and also in all other cases in which the Bishop or see of Rome accustomed not to dispense, if so be they were not forbid by divine right; in these cases the Archbishop had power granted him to dispense. In this office he constituted Wotton his commissary or deputy for the term of his natural life. He succeeded Edmund Boner, Master of the ArchbiAth. Oxon. shop's Faculties, now preferred to the bishopric of Hereford. p. 124. So that Cranmer took notice of the merits of this man, who was so much made use of afterwards in the church and state; and was of that great esteem and reputation, that he was thought on, in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, for Archbishop of Canterbury. In the year 1528, he was doctor of laws, and the Bishop of London's official. In the year 1540, he was resident for the King in the Duke of Cleves' court; and had been employed in the match between the King and the Lady Ann of that house the year before; and perhaps this might be the first time he was sent abroad in the King's business.

Anno 1539.

In the year 1539, the king took occasion to be displeased with the Archbishop and the other bishops of the new learning,

XIX.

and some

shops.

Life of

inter Foxii

MSS.

as they then termed them, because they could not be brought CHAP. to give their consent in the parliament that the King should have all the monasteries suppressed to his own sole use. Anno 1539. The King They were willing he should have all the lands as his an- offended cestors gave to any of them; but the residue they would with the have had bestowed upon hospitals, grammar-schools for Archbishop bringing up of youth in virtue and good learning, with other Biother things profitable in the commonwealth. The King was hereunto stirred by the crafty insinuations of the Bi- Craum. shop of Winchester, and other old dissembling papists. And as an effect of this displeasure, as it was thought, in the parliament this year, he made the terrible bloody act of the six Articles: whereby none were suffered to speak a word against the doctrine of transubstantiation upon pain of being burnt to death as an heretic, and to forfeit all his lands and goods, as in case of treason. And moreover, it was made felony, and forfeiture of lands and goods, to defend the communion in both kinds, marriage in a priest, or in any man or woman that had vowed chastity: or to say any thing against the necessity of private masses and auricular confession. Which articles were plainly enough designed against any that should dare to open their mouths against these Romish errors, and especially to impose silence, and that on pain of death, upon many honest preachers that were now risen up, and used to speak freely against these abuses; and as a good means to keep the poor people still securely in their old ignorance and superstition.

Articles

bishop. 73

But before this act passed, marvellous great struggling The six there was on both parts, for and against it. But the side of opposed by the favourers of the Gospel at this time was the weaker, the the ArchKing now inclining more to the other party, for the reason abovesaid, and for other causes: wherein I refer the reader to the conjectures of the Lord Herbert. The bishops dis- Life of puted long in the house, some for it, and some against it. King The Archbishop disputed earnestly three days against it, 512. using divers arguments to dissuade passing the act: which were so remarkable for the learning and weight of them, that the King required a copy of them. And though he was resolved not to alter his purpose of having this act made, yet he was not offended with the Archbishop's free

Henry, p.

BOOK dom, as knowing the sincerity of the man.

Even those in I. the house that dissented from him were greatly taken with Anno 1539. the gravity, eloquence, and learning he then shewed, and

The argu

particularly the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk: who told him so at his table soon after; being sent by the King to him to comfort him under his dejection for this act, with Crumwel, and many other Lords. The papist writers say he opposed it because himself was a married man, and so it would touch him close: but it is plain that there were other of these six Articles which he utterly disliked; and especially he abhorred the rigorous penalty of the act. But hereupon he privately sent away his wife into Germany among her friends. On this side also were, beside the Archbishop, the bishops of Ely, Sarum, Worcester, Rochester, and St. David's: York, Durham, Winchester, and Carlile went vigorously the other way. Against the former the King himself argued, with his learning, out of the Scriptures; and would by all means prove these Articles thence. The parliament men said little against this bill, but seemed all unanimous for it: neither did the Lord Chancellor Audley, no, nor the Lord Privy Seal, Crumwel, speak against it: the reason being, no question, because they saw the King so resolved upon it. Nay, it came to be a flying report that the Archbishop of Canterbury himself, and all the bishops, except Sarum, consented. But this is not likely that Cranmer, who had so openly and zealously opposed it, should be so soon changed, and brought to comply with it. Nay, at the very same time it passed, he stayed and protested against it, though the King desired him to go out, since he could not consent to it. Worcester also as well as Sarum, was committed to prison: and he, as well as the other, resigned up his bishopric upon the act.

In the foresaid disputation in the parliament-house, the ments the Archbishop behaved himself with such humble modesty, Archbishop and obedience in word towards his Prince; protesting the

made use

of at this time lost.

cause not to be his, but God's; that neither his enterprise was misliked of the King, and his allegations and reasons were so strong, that they could not be refuted. Great pity it is, that these arguments of the Archbishop are lost; which I suppose they are irrecoverably, because Fox, that lived so

XIX.

near those times, and so elaborate a searcher after such CHAP. papers, could not meet with them; and all that he could do, was to wish that they were extant to be seen and read. Anno 1539. However I will make my conjecture here, that I am apt to think that one of the main matters insisted on by him at this time was against the cruel penalty annexed to these Articles. For I find in one of the Archbishop's manuscript volumes, now in Benet College library, there is in this very year a discourse in Latin upon this subject, Num in hære-74 ticos jure Magistratui gravius animadvertere liceat: Decisio Urbani Rhegii, Interprete Jacobo Gisleno. Anno 1539. Which book I suppose he might at this juncture have read over, and made use of.

message to

the Lords.

The Dukes and Lords of parliament, that, as above was The King's said, came over to Lambeth to visit and dine with him, by the Archthe King's command, used words to him to this tenor; bishop by "The King's pleasure is, that we should in his behalf "cherish and comfort you, as one that for your travail in "the late parliament declared yourself both greatly learn"ed, and also discreet and wise: and therefore, my Lord, "be not discouraged for any thing that passed there contrary "to your allegations." The Archbishop replied, " In the first "place, my Lords, I heartily thank the King's highness for "his singular good affection towards me, and you all, for 'your pains. And I hope in God, that hereafter my al"legations and authorities shall take place, to the glory of "God, and commodity of the realm." Every of the Lords brought forth his sentence in commendation of him, to shew what good-will both the King and they bare to him. One of them entered into a comparison between the said Archbishop and Cardinal Wolsey, preferring the Archbishop before him for his mild and gentle nature; whereas, he said, the Cardinal was a stubborn and churlish prelate, that could never abide any nobleman. The Lord Crumwel, as Cran- MS. Lift mer's secretary relates, who himself heard the words, " You, of Cran"my Lord," said he, "were born in an happy hour I suppose; c.C.C.C "for do or say what you will, the King will always take it "well at your hands. And I must needs confess, that in "some things I have complained of you to his Majesty; "but all in vain, for he will never give credit against you,

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mer, in