Actes and Monuments

by John Foxe

The Life, State, and Martyrdom of the Reverend Pastor and Prelate, Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury

As concerning the life and estate of Thomas Cranmer, late archbishop of Canterbury, it is first to be noted and considered that the same Thomas Cranmer, coming of an ancient parentage, from the conquest to be deducted, was born in a village called Aslacton, in Nottinghamshire.

Being from his infancy kept at school, and brought up not without much good civility, he came in process of time unto the university of Cambridge; and there prospering in right good knowledge amongst the better sort of students, was chosen fellow of Jesus college in Cambridge. It was at that time, when all good authors and fine writers being neglected, filthy barbarousness was embraced in all schools and universities. The names and numbers of liberal arts did only remain, the arts themselves were clean lost; and divinity was fallen into the state, that being laden with articles and distinctions, it served rather for the gain of a few than for the edification of many. At length the tongues and other good learning began, by little and little, to spring up again, and the books of Faber and Erasmus began to be much occupied and had in good estimation, with a number of good authors besides: in whom the said Cranmer took no small pleasure. At length, when Martin Luther was risen up, the more bright and happy days of God's knowledge did waken men's minds to truth; at which time, he being about thirty years old, gave his whole mind to discuss matters of religion.

So Cranmer, being master of arts, and fellow of Jesus college, it chanced that he married a gentleman's daughter, by which he lost his fellowship, and became a reader in Buckingham college. In order that he might with the more diligence apply himself to his office of reading, he placed his wife at an inn, in Cambridge, the mistress of which was a relation of hers. On account of his frequent visits he was much noticed by some popish merchants: on this arose the slanderous noise and report against him, after he was preferred to the archbishopric of Canterbury. He continued reader in Buckingham college till his wife died in child birth. After this the masters and fellows of Jesus college, desirous of their old companion, for his eminent learning, chose him again fellow of the same college. Remaining at his study, he became in a few years reader of the divinity lecture, and in such estimation was he held by the whole university, that when doctor of divinity, he was commonly appointed to examine such as yearly proceed in commencement, either bachelors or doctors, and by whose approbation the whole university licensed them to proceed unto their degree, or by whose non-approbation the university retained them until they were better furnished with knowledge and qualified for advancement.

Dr. Cranmer, ever favouring the knowledge of the scripture, would not permit any to proceed in divinity, unless they were substantially versed in the history of the Bible: by which certain friars and other religious persons, who were principally brought up in the study of school-authors, without regard to the authority of the scriptures, were commonly rejected by him, so that he was greatly hated; yet it came to pass in the end, that many of them, thus compelled to study the scriptures, became afterwards very learned; insomuch, that when they became doctors of divinity, they could not too much extol Cranmer's goodness towards them, who for a time had put them back, to initiate them in better knowledge. His merit soon spreading abroad, he was much solicited by Dr. Capon, to be one of the fellows in the foundation of Cardinal Wolsey's college in Oxford, which he refused, not without danger of offending. While he continued in Cambridge, the important cause of Henry's divorce with the lady Katherine came into question; which being many ways, for the space of two or three years amongst the canonists, civilians, and other learned men, diversely disputed and debated, it came to pass that Dr. Cranmer, on account of the plague being in Cambridge, resorted to Waltham-Abbey, to the house of Mr. Cressey, whose wife was his relation, and whose two sons he brought with him from Cambridge, they being his pupils.

During this summer, cardinals Campeius and Wolsey, being in commission from the pope, to hear and determine the great cause in controversy between the king and queen, delayed until the month of August in hearing the cause debated. When August was come, the cardinals little caring to proceed to give sentence, took occasion to finish their commission, and to determine no further therein, pretending that it was not permitted by the laws to keep courts of ecclesiastical matters in harvest time. This sudden interruption so much enraged the king, that taking it as a mock at the cardinals' hands, he commanded the dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk to dispatch immediately to Rome cardinal Campeius: and in haste removed himself to Waltham for a night or two, while his household removed to Greenwich: by which means it happened that the harbingers, Dr. Stephen Gardiner, secretary, and Dr. Foxe, almoner, came to lodge in the house of Mr. Cressey, where Dr. Cranmer resided. When supper-time came, the three doctors met together; Gardiner and Foxe were very much surprised at Cranmer being there. He declared the cause, namely, because the plague was in Cambridge: and as they were old acquaintance, the secretary and the almoner very well entertained Dr. Cranmer, intending to learn his opinion concerning the great business they had in hand. And as this occasion served, while they were at supper, they conferred with Dr. Cranmer concerning the king's cause, requesting him to give his opinion of it.

Cranmer answered, That he could say little to the matter, as he had not studied not looked for it. Notwithstanding, in his opinion they made more ado in prosecuting the ecclesiastical law than needed. It were better, he thought, that the question; Whether a man may marry his brother's wife, or no? were 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 unnecessary delays, to prolong the time, leaving the very truth of the matter unsettled. There was but one truth in it, which the scripture will soon make manifest, being by learned men well handled, and that may be as well done in England in the universities here, as at Rome, or elsewhere in any foreign nation, the authority whereof will soon compel any judge to come to definitive sentence: and therefore as he took it, they might that way have made an end of the matter long since. When Dr. Cranmer had thus ended his tale, the other two liked well his device and wished they had proceeded so before, and thereupon conceived some matter of council to instruct the king with, who was then thinking to send to Rome again for a new commission.

Now the next day, when the king removed to Greenwich, recollecting in himself, how he had been used by the cardinals, in thus deferring his cause, his mind was very uneasy, and desirous to see an end of this long and tedious suit, he called unto him the two principal managers of his cause, Gardiner and Foxe, who related their conference with Dr. Cranmer, and told the king the plan he had suggested for a more speedy termination of the affair. The king accordingly sent for Dr. Cranmer, approved and adopted his scheme, received him into favour, and advanced him, on the death of archbishop Warham, to the see of Canterbury, anno 1530.

Although the said Cranmer was now exalted to so great dignity and honour, still was he compassed about by mighty enemies, and by many crafty trains impugned; yet, through God's mighty providence working in the king's heart to favour him, he rubbed out all king Henry's time; and under the government and protection of his son king Edward (to whom Cranmer was godfather) his state was rather more advanced. Afterward, this king Edward falling sick, and perceiving that his death was at hand, and knowing that his sister Mary was wholly wedded unto popish religion, bequeathed the succession of the realm to the lady Jane Grey, by consent of all his council and lawyers. When all the nobles of the realm, states and judges, had subscribed to this testament, they sent for the archbishop, and required that he also would subscribe. Cranmer refused at the first; but after that he had spake with the king, and when they all agreed that by law of the realm it might be so, with much ado he subscribed. Well, not long after this king Edward died, AD. 1553, being almost sixteen years of age, to the great sorrow but greater calamity of the whole realm.

At the oppression of the good lord Cromwell, in king Henry's time, it was fully determined that Cranmer also should be committed to prison; but he privily obtaining speech of the king, there upon his knees declared his innocence in the matter of which he was accused; and the king delivered him his signet, saying, "Go thy ways! if thou deceive me, I will never trust thy bald pate again while I live." And thus he escaped that present danger. Here also may be noted the saying which is constantly affirmed of divers persons, that the said archbishop, with the lord Wriothesley, saved the life of queen Mary, the king being determined to have off her head for certain causes of stubbornness; whereupon the king afterward said that Cranmer made intercession for her, which would his destruction, and would trouble them all.

After king Edward's decease immediately it was commanded that the lady Jane should be proclaimed queen; but Mary, hearing of the death of her brother, was established in the possession of the realm by the assistance of the commons as ye heard before. This queen Mary, coming to London, caused the duke of Northumberland and the duke of Suffolk to be executed, and likewise the lady Jane, together with her husband. The rest of the nobles, paying fines, were forgiven, the archbishop of Canterbury only excepted; for as yet the old grudge against Cranmer, for the divorcement of her mother, remained hid in the bottom of her heart; and besides she remembered the state of religion changed, the cause whereof was imputed to him.

Not long after Cranmer was condemned of treason, and committed to the Tower; and when the queen could not honestly deny him his pardon, seeing all the rest were discharged, she released to him his action of treason, and accused him only of heresy. Thus stood the cause of Cranmer, till at length it was determined by the queen and the council that he should be removed from the Tower to Oxford, there to dispute with the doctors and divines, to whom word was sent privily to prepare themselves. After these said disputations were finished in Oxford, between the doctors of both universities, and the three worthy bishops, Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer, ye heard then how sentence condemnatory was ministered against them by Dr. Weston and others of the university; whereby they were judged to be heretics, and so committed to the mayor and sheriffs of Oxford. But forasmuch as the sentence given against them was void in law, (for, at that time, the authority of the pope was not yet received into the land,) therefore was a new commission sent from Rome, and a new process framed for the conviction of these reverend and learned men aforesaid.

At the coming down of the said commissioners, which was upon Thursday the 12th of September, 1555, there was erected a solemn scaffold in the east end of the church of St. Mary, over against the high altar, with cloth of state very richly and sumptuously adorned, for bishop Brooks was pope's legate, apparelled in pontificalibus, representing the pope's person. On the right hand beneath him sat Dr. Martin, and on the left hand Dr. Storey, the king and queen's commissioners, which were both doctors of the civil law; and underneath them other doctors, scribes, and pharisees also, with the pope's collector, and a rabblement of such other like.

And thus these bishops being placed in their pontificalibus, the bishop of Canterbury was sent for to come before them. He came forth of the prison to the church of St. Mary, set round with bills and glaves for fear he should start away, being clothed in a fair black gown, with his hood on both shoulders, such as doctors of divinity in the university use to wear, and in his hand a white staff. After he was come into the church, and did see them sit in their pontificalibus, he did not put off his cap to any of them, but stood still till that he was called. And anon one of the proctors for the pope, or else his doctor, called, "Thomas archbishop of Canterbury! appear here, and make answer to that shall be laid to thy charge; that is to say, for blasphemy, incontinency, and heresy; and make answer here to the bishop of Gloucester, representing the pope's person!"

Upon this, Cranmer being brought more near unto the scaffold, where the foresaid bishop sat, he first well viewed the place of judgment, and spying where the king and queen's majesties' proctors were, putting off his cap, he (first humbly bowing his knee to the ground) made reverence to the one, and after to the other. That done, beholding the bishop in the face, he put on his bonnet again; making no manner of token of obedience towards him at all: whereat the bishop, being offended, said that it might beseem him right well, weighing the authority he did represent, to do his duty unto him. Whereunto Dr. Cranmer answered, that he had once taken a solemn oath, never to consent to the admitting of the bishop of Rome's authority into this realm of England again; that he had done it advisedly, and meant by God's grace to keep it; and therefore would commit nothing either by sign or token which might argue his consent to the receiving of the same; and so he desired the said bishop to judge of him. He did it, he said, not for any contempt to his person, which he could have been content to have honoured as well as any of the others, if his commission had come from as good an authority as theirs. When, after many means used, they perceived that the archbishop would not move his bonnet, the bishop of Gloucester proceeded with studied eloquence and painted art in his oration; and after he had finished, Dr. Martin took the matter in hand. After that Dr. Martin had ended his oration, the archbishop said, "My lord, I do not acknowledge this session of yours, nor yet you, my mislawful judge; neither would I have appeared this day before you, but that I was brought hither as a prisoner. And therefore I openly here renounce you as my judge, protesting that my meaning is not to make any answer, as in a lawful judgment, (for then would I be silent,) but only for that I am bound in conscience to answer every man of that hope which I have in Jesus Christ, by the counsel of St. Peter; and lest by my silence many of those who are weak, here present, might be offended. And so I desire that my answers may be accepted as extra judicialia." When he had ended his protestation he said, "Shall I then make answer?" To whom Dr. Martin answered, "As you think good; no man shall let you." And here the archbishop, kneeling down on both knees towards the west, said first the Lord's Prayer; then rising up, he reciteth the articles of the creed; which done he entereth on his profession of faith.

Toward the close of the session, Dr. Martin demanded of Dr. Cranmer, who was supreme head of the church of England? "Marry," quoth my lord of Canterbury, "Christ is head of this member, as he is of the whole body of the universal church." "Why," quoth Dr. Martin, "you made king Henry the eighth supreme head of the church." "Yea," said the archbishop, "of all the people of England, as well ecclesiastical as temporal." "And not of the church?" said Martin. "No," said he; "for Christ only is the head of his church, and of the faith and religion of the same. The king is head and governor of his people, which are the visible church." "What," quoth Martin, "you never durst tell the king so." "Yes, that I durst," quoth he; "and in the publication of his style, wherein he was named supreme head of the church, there was never other thing meant." A number of other fond and foolish objections were made, with repetition whereof I thought not to trouble the reader.

After that they had received his answers to all their objections, they cited him to appear at Rome within fourscore days, to make there his personal answers; which he said, if the king and queen would send him, he would be content to do. And so thence he was carried to prison again, where he continually remained, notwithstanding that he was commanded to appear at Rome. Furthermore, though the said archbishop was detained in strait prison, so that he could not appear, (as was notorious both in England and also in the Romish court,) yet in the end of the said fourscore days was that worthy martyr decreed "contumax," that is, sturdily, frowardly, and wilfully absent, and in pain of the same his absence condemned and put to death.

And as touching the said executory letters of the pope sent to the king and queen, by virtue of that commission, the bishop of Ely, and Bonner bishop of London, were assigned by the king and queen to proceed in the execution thereof upon the 14th day of February. These two coming to Oxford upon St. Valentine's day, as the pope's delegates with a new commission from Rome, by the virtue thereof commanded the archbishop aforesaid to come before them, in the choir of Christ's church, before the high altar; where they sitting (according to their manner) in their pontificalibus, first began to read their commission, the which came from the pope, "plenitudine potestatis;" supplying all manner of defects in law or process committed in dealing with the archbishop, and giving them full authority to proceed to deprivation and degradation of him, and so upon excommunication to deliver him up to the secular power, "omni appellatione remota." When the commission was read they proceeded thereupon to his degradation; and when they would have taken his crosier-staff out of his hand, he held it fast, and refused to deliver the same; and withal, imitating the example of Martin Luther, pulled an appeal out of his left sleeve, which he there and then delivered unto them, saying, "I appeal to the next general council; and herein I have comprehended my cause and form of it, which I desire to be admitted;" and prayed divers of the standers by, by name to be witnesses, and especially master Curtop.

This appeal being put up to Thirleby the bishop of Ely, he said, "My lord, our commission is to proceed against you, 'omni appellatione remota,' and therefore we cannot admit it. But," he added, "if it may be admitted, it shall," and so received it of him. Then began he to persuade earnestly with the archbishop to consider his state, promising to become a suitor to the king and queen for him. Afterward, they proceeded with his degradations; and whilst they were thus doing Cranmer said, "All this needed not; I had myself done with this gear long ago." Last of all they stripped him out of his gown into his jacket, and put upon him a poor yeoman-beadle's gown, full bare and nearly worn, a townsman's cap on his head, and so delivered him to the secular power.

Continuation of Cranmer's Testimony and Matryrdom