1556.] to sign declarations of submission. 223 Accordingly, he consented to sign the following declaration: "Forasmuch as the king and queen's majesties, by consent of their parliament, have received the pope's authority within this realm, I am content to submit myself to their laws herein, and to take the pope for chief head of this church of England, so far as God's laws and the laws and customs of this realm will permit." But this was not sufficient; he was gradually induced to sign five other and stronger declarations. They are inserted in Strype's Memorials from the copies published by the Romanists themselves.* While we faithfully record this sad instance of human frailty, we may consider it as suffered to take place for a warning to others. Oh, let us beware how we tamper with any thing contrary to the word of God, and fancy that it can be reconciled with the profession of the gospel! Mary and her counsellors rejoiced at this proof of infirmity in Cranmer; but she determined not to relax from her bloody purpose. In this resolution she was strengthened by the counsels of Pole, as well as the advice of king Philip and his Spanish ecclesiastics. Accordingly the writ for Cranmer's execution was issued, and Dr. Cole was ordered to prepare a sermon for the occasion. The victim was kept ignorant of his impending fate; for they hoped that he might be induced to die with a falsehood in his mouth. On the 20th of March, Cole visited Cranmer, and asked if he adhered to the writing he had subscribed. Early the next morning he came again, and gave Cranmer some money, telling him it was to bestow upon the poor, and he was told to prepare to be present at a public serThese circumstances caused the archbishop to suspect the designs of his enemies; and having already felt some taste of the bitter pains experienced by those who have not stood firm in the faith, he quickly turned to Him whose compassions fail not, and wrote down a declaration of his faith in the truths of the gospel. The Spanish friars, who had frequently been with Cranmer during his mon. *Shortly after Cranmer's decease, Bonner published these recantations, with an account of the last speech or address delivered by Cranmer. His account of the latter is well known to be absolutely false; and there are several circumstances relative to the six forms of recant ation, which are very suspicious, so that it is very possible they were not agreed to or signed by Cranmer, at least not the whole of them, 224 Cranmer recalls these declarations, imprisonment, then came and told him it would be neces sary to repeat in public the recantation he had signed. Before noon, lord Williams of Thane, with others of the nobility and gentry, arrived with their train, according to orders from the queen. Cranmer was led by the corporation of Oxford and the Spanish Friars to St. Mary's church, where a vast multitude was assembled. The Romanists rejoiced in the hope of hearing this pillar of the Reformation openly profess his return to popery; while the Protestants also resorted thither, partly fearing these apprehensions would be realized, yet unable entirely to forego their hope, that he who had so long preached the gospel to others, would not at last himself be a cast-away. 66 As they entered the church, the friars repeated the song of Simeon, Lord, now lettest Thou thy servant depart in peace;" and conducted Cranmer to a stage placed before the pulpit. There the venerable and revered individual, who had lately been the principal subject in England, stood clothed in rags, and condemned to a shameful death! But he stood in firm reliance on his God, though deeply sorrowing in mind for his late conduct. Dr. Cole divided his sermon into three parts: 1st. The mercy of God; 2ndly, his justice; 3rdly, that the reasons for the conduct of princes are not to be enquired into! This he applied to the present case of Cranmer, openly declaring that he must die, and exhorting him to take his death patiently, reminding him of the dying thief, rejoicing in what he termed his conversion, and promising that masses should be said for the repose of his soul ! Cranmer listened to this exhortation, weeping at the untruths it contained. When the sermon was concluded, Cole exhorted him publicly to declare his faith. “I will do it," said the archbishop, "and with a good will." He then drew forth the profession of faith; and imploring forgiveness of God for his past offences, exhorted the people to obedience, and to seek after the good of their souls. He added, “And now I come to the great thing that troubleth my conscience more than anything I ever did or said in my life, and this is the setting abroad a writing contrary to the truth." Then renouncing all that he had written since his degradation, he said, "Forasmuch as my hand offended, writing contrary to my heart, my hand shall first be punished; for when I come to the fire, it shall be first burned!" 1556.] states his adherence to the truth, and is burned. 225 Cranmer then declared, " As for the pope, I refuse him as Christ's enemy and antichrist, with all his false doctrine. And as for the sacrament, I believe as I have taught in my book against the bishop of Winchester, which teacheth so true a doctrine of the sacrament, that it shall stand at the last day, before the judgment of God, where the papistical. doctrine, contrary thereto, shall be ashamed to show her face."* The by-standers gazed upon Cranmer with astonishment. The Protestants rejoiced to find him stedfast in the faith; the Romanists were filled with wrath and shame that their crafty devices had turned to their utter confusion. They accused him of falsehood and dissimulation; and when he began to speak further against popery, Cole and his fellows cried out, 66 Stop the heretic's mouth, and take him away!" They pulled him down from the stand, and led him to the stake, which was prepared at the place where Ridley and Latimer had suffered; his enemies abused him as he went along, and the preparations were soon completed. After a short prayer, Cranmer put off his clothes, and repelling the Spanish friars who continued to beset him, gave his hand to some aged men, and others that stood by. He offered it. to one Ely, who drew back, saying that it was not lawful to salute heretics! He was now chained to the stake, and the fire kindled. As the flame approached, Cranmer extended his right arm; and thrusting his hand into the flames, held it there unmoved, except once wiping his face with it, so that all might see that hand consumed before his body was touched. At length the fire surrounded him, but he continued as unmoved as the stake to which he was bound; directing his eyes toward heaven, often exclaiming, “Unworthy right hand!" and repeating the dying words of Stephen, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" till he expired.† The Spanish friar, John, wondering at this fortitude, ran to lord Williams and said that the archbishop died in great *In the account already noticed as published by his enemies, Bonner had the effrontery to represent Cranmer as saying, "Renouncing all those books, and whatsoever in them is contained, I say and believe that our Saviour Christ Jesus is really and substantially contained in the olessed sacrament of the altar, under the forms of bread and wine!" The charges for burning Cranmer are thus recorded in the book already mentioned: for an hundred wood fagots 6s. 8d.; for an hundred and half of furze fagots 3s. 4d.; for the carriage of them 8d.; to two labourers 1s. 4d. 226 Cardinal Pole appointed archbishop desperation. His lordship knew better and rebuked the folly of the friar by a smile! When the ashes were removed, Cranmer's heart was found entire and unconsumed. What an excellent subject for a Romish miracle, had he died a papist! Burnet observes," Would not that church have blazoned it abroad, as a proof that his heart continued true, though his hand had erred?" Thus died Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, far more worthy of the title of a saint than his predecessor, Thomas à Becket. The death he suffered had long been set before him as the probable end of his course. Henry the eighth changed Cranmer's coat of arms, directing him to bear three pelicans, feeding their young with their blood; telling him, as it is said, that he was likely to suffer in like manner "if he stood to his tackling." The very next day after the burning of Cranmer, cardinal Pole was appointed archbishop of Canterbury; upon which some one, that night, wrote upon the gates of Lambeth palace, "Hast thou killed, and taken possession?" It was a deed similar to that of Ahab. Pole had long directed the affairs of the English church, both as legate from the pope, and as the chief ecclesiastical authority in the land; but while Cranmer lived, he did not receive the title of primate. On Sunday the 22nd of March, the cardinal was consecrated archbishop, in the church belonging to the Franciscan friars at Greenwich. He took the oath of obedience to the pope, in the presence of queen Mary, who gave him large additional revenues, that he might be better able to maintain the pomp and state of a Romish legate and prelate, In the latter end of this year, Pole was also appointed chancellor of the university of Oxford; and the two Spanish friars Soto and Garcia were nominated professors of divinity. New commissions were this year issued against those who were styled" devilish and clamorous" heretics; and visitations of many of the dioceses were ordered.* On this occasion, one of the canons of Canterbury preached from Gen. xxxvii. 14. " Go and see if all be well with the flocks, * Strype relates some particulars respecting the visitation of the diocese of Lincoln, which show the strictness with which people were called to account for mere words. It presents an affecting view of the deplorable ignorance in which the lower class of people were kept, by the want of spiritual instructors, and also proves the great immorality which then prevailed! 1556.] Agnes Potten and Joan Trunchfield. 227 and bring me word again." Among many superstitious and trifling observances commanded to be enquired into in each parish, orders were given to examine whether the names of Thomas à Becket, and of "our lord the pope, be restored to former honour," and whether they had a rood (or image of Christ on the cross) in the church, of decent stature, with Mary and John, and the image of the patron (saint) of the church.* the These proceedings were not uncalled for. It is true that the chief reformers were burned, or driven to foreign countries, but many protestants yet survived; goodliest of the cedars had been felled, yet much underwood still remained,—the feller was gone up against God's: heritage, and he not only cut down the choicest of the trees, but sought to destroy the tender saplings, which sprang up on every side. The female sex, at this time were especially called " to glorify God in the fires." Two were burned at Ipswich. These were, AGNES POTTEN and JOAN TRUNCHFIELD. The sacrament of the altar was made the test of their obe-> dience to the church of Rome. Their constancy at the stake was remarkable; when ready for the fire, they repeated many passages of scripture, earnestly exhorting the people to cleave to the word of God, and not to follow the superstitious ordinances and inventions of the Romish autichrist. Joan Trunchfield, while in prison, appeared less zealous for the truth than her companion, but when brought to the stake, out of weakness she was made strong, and, if possible, exceeded her companion in hope and joyful expectation. A few days before the death of Cranmer, JOHN Spicer, *This injunction, that the rood should be "of decent stature," was not always unnecessary. At Cockeram, (Cockermouth,) the priest and churchwardens engaged with a carver to supply them with one of these idols, but disliking his workmanship, they refused to pay for it when done. He summoned them before the mayor of Lancaster, who enquired the reason why they refused payment. "Sir," said they," the rood we had formerly, was a well-favoured man, but this gapes and grins in such a manner that our children are afraid to look at him!" The mayor, who was secretly a favourer of the gospel, thought the image quite good enough for the purpose intended, and ordered them to pay the money and go home; adding, "if they did not think it would serve for a god, he recommended them to clap a pair of horns upon its head, and it would make an excellent devil." This was early in the queen's reign, or master mayor would doubtless have fallen under the notice of the inquisitors. t |