CHAPTER II. WH 1532-1553. HEN Henry VIII. came to the throne he was even violent in his attachment to the papacy. He so continued for several years after his accession. But now a change came over the spirit of the monarch's dream,' and it was destined materially to affect the future struggles of Nonconformity. About six weeks after his father's death, he had married Katharine, the widow of his elder brother Arthur, who died without issue in 1502, being influenced by the representations of his Council, 'that the same reasons which made his wise father chuse to match with Spain were in force still,' and having obtained a license from the Pope for that purpose.* For some time the validity of his marriage was at least tacitly acknowledged. At length, however, it was formally called in question, both by the court of France and by the court of Spain. The matter soon assumed a serious aspect, and in 1528 Henry set himself to procure a divorce, but the Pope hesitating to comply with his request, the King was in great perplexity, not knowing what to do. Just at this juncture, ' about the month of August,' 1529, Thomas Cranmer—then already distinguished as a theologian and a canonist in the University of Cambridge-happening to be on a visit at the house of 'one Mr. Cressie, situate in Waltham Abbey parish in Essex,' there met with Fox and Gardiner, the one the King's Lord Herbert, Life and Reign of Henry VIII.; Comp. Hist. of Eng. ii. 3. Among these councillors were Sir Henry, afterwards (April 9, 1522) Lord Marney, of Layer Marney, who was buried in the chancel of Layer Marney Church in 1523. Morant i. 406; and also Sir Thomas, afterwards Lord Darcy, of Chiche, St. Osyth. Lloyd's State Worthies, ed. 1776, i. + Lord Herbert, 98. Almoner the other his Secretary;* and they 'in design falling upon discourse of that matter,' Cranmer 'gave his own sense of the cause in words to this effect, I do think that you go not the next way to work to bring the matter unto a perfect conclusion and end, especially for the satisfaction of the troubled conscience of the King's Highness.' The result of this conversation was, that Cranmer was sent for by the King, who 'retained him and committed him unto the family of the Earl of Wiltshire and Osmond,' whose country residence was at Newhall, in the parish of Boreham.+ While Cranmer abode there a great friendship was contracted between him and that noble family, especially the chief members of it, the Countess, the Lady Ann, and the Earl himself;'‡ and, under Cranmer's direction, such steps were shortly taken as brought the question of the divorce to a decisive issue. In August, 1532, William Warham, the Archbishop of Canterbury died, and Cranmer was consecrated his successor. In May, 1533, Cranmer pronounced sentence of divorce upon Katharine. || And in the same year an Act of Parliament was past, entitled 'An Act concerning the King's Succeffion,' which enacted-"That the marriage heretofore solemnized between the King's Highness and the Lady Katharine . . . . shall be tively, clearly, and absolutely declared against the laws of Almighty God; and also accepted, as of no value nor effect, but utterly void and adnihilled; and the separation thereof made by the Edward Fox, the King's Almoner, was also Provost of King's College at the time, and afterwards became Bishop of Hereford. Wood's Ath. Ox. i. 655. Stephen Gardiner, the King's Secretary, was afterwards Bishop of Winchester. Both of them had only just returned from Rome, whither they had been sent by the King to treat with the Pope upon this very subject. Strype, Ecc. M. i. 136. In the course of the next year, Fox and Gardiner were the main instruments in defini to be prevailing upon the University of Cambridge to sanction the divorce. Wood, ib. Burnet, Hist. Ref. i. 86, ed. 1681; Strype, Men. of Archbp. Cranmer i. 5. This was Sir Thomas Bullen, the father of Anne. He was created Earl of Rochford June 18th, 1525, and Earl of Wiltshire and Osmond 8th December, 1529. Morant ii. 14. Strype, Cranmer i. 6, 7. Archbishop shall be good and effectual to all intents and purposes. So decisive a measure, of course, involved a repudiation of the papacy, which was accordingly accomplished the next year following by the paffing of an Act entitled "The King's Grace to be authorized Supreme Head.' This Act provided that— 'Albeit the King's Majefty is the Supreme Head of the Church of England, and so is recognized by the clergy of this realm in their convocations, yet, nevertheless, for corroboration thereof, . . . . be it enacted. . . . that the King, his heirs and successors . . shall be the only Supreme Head on earth of the Church of England; ... and shall have may as well the title and stile thereof, as all Honors to the said dignity. . . . belonging, and belonging, and . . . . shall have full power from time to time to visit . . all such errors which by any manner Spiritual Authority lawfully be reformed. . . . most to the pleasure of Almighty God, the increase of Virtue in Christ's religion, and for the conservation of the peace, unity, and tranquillity of this realm; .... any thing or things to the contrary hereof notwithstanding.' By this Act Evangelical Nonconformity, which hitherto had been but an ecclesiaftical offence, henceforward also became a civil crime. 'About St. Paul's day' (25th of Jan.), 1533, rather more than three months before his formal divorce from Katherine, Henry married Anne Bullen. The marriage took place in private, and it should appear that the ceremony was performed by Dr. Rowland Lee, who was then Rector of Ashdon, in this county, one of the King's chaplains, also Vicar of St. Sepulchre's in the City of London, and who was afterwards (Ap. 1534) consecrated Bishop of Lichfield. 25 Henry VIII. c. 22; 26 Hen. c. i. It hath been reported throughout a great part of the realm that I married her; which was plainly false, for I myself knew not thereof a fortnight after it was done.' Abp. Cranmer's works, Parker Society, ii., letter xiv. p. 226, and appen While this marriage was dix. Lord Herbert, p. 161. For Lee see Newcourt ii. 16, i. 533; Wood, Fasti. i. 38. Lee was succeeded at Ashdon by George his brother, who had been Rector of South Shoebury, 1526, and Rector of Woodford, 1529. Newcourt ii. 130, 680; Cooper, Ath. Cant. i. 324. being celebrated, John Frith, the friend of William Tyndale, was lying a prisoner in the Tower of London. He had been apprehended the preceding year on Milton shore,' in the parish of Prittlewell, whither he had fled in the vain hope of escaping to the Continent.* He was burnt at Smithfield on the 4th of July, 1533: When he was tied unto the stake, then it sufficiently appeared with what constancy and courage he suffered death; for when the faggots and fire were put unto him he willingly embraced the same; thereby declaring with what uprightness of mind he suffered his death for Chrift's sake.' + So long as Anne retained her influence over him, Henry's supremacy was in the main so exercised as greatly to encourage the hopes of the gospellers.' The sufferings they had hitherto endured were suspended. During her lifetime as Queen,' says Fox, we read of no great persecution, nor any abjurations to have been made in the Church of England, save only that the regifters of London make mention of certain Dutchmen convented for Anabaptists, of whom ten were put to death in sundry places of the realm in 1535, and other ten repented and were saved.'‡ In a few months after the passing of the Act of Supremacy, Convocation petitioned the King that he would vouchsafe to decree that the Scriptures should be tranflated into the vulgar tongue by some honest and learned men to be nominated by him, and that they should be delivered unto the people according to their learning;' and it is probable that measures were taken for complying with their request. In 1536 there was issued a book of Articles, of which it is but just to say, with Strype,- We ⚫ Anderson's Annals of the Eng. Bible, i. 343. Milton is said to have been anciently a diftinct parish, and had a church or chapel of ease, of which the remains were visible not long ago (1768) at low water mark.' Morant i. 296. + Fox v. 15. Followers of such men as Thomas Munzer, Jan Matthys, Jan Bockel son and other fanatics in Germany and Holland; men whose recent doings, and especially in the city of Munster, had not only outraged all religion, but also all humanity. Ranke's Hist. of the Ref. iii. 558, ed. 1847; Mosheim, Eccl. Hist. iii. 58, ed. New York, 1839. Strype's Cranmer i. 34. Saffron Walden, Littlehury, Bulvan, Laingdon. 17 find, indeed, many popish errors here mixed with Evangelical truths. . . . let not any be offended herewith, but let him rather take notice what a great deal of Gospel doctrine here came to light; and not only so, but was owned and propounded by authority to be believed and practised.'* On the 19th of May in this year the ill-fated Anne was beheaded on Tower Hill, and the next day afterwards, Henry was married to Jane Seymour. Before the close of the year, the old persecuting spirit had again broken out, and among others that were now in trouble was William Barlow, Bishop of St. David's, who 'was charged with four articles of false doctrine, preached by him in a sermon at St. David's,' which were, 'That two or three meeting together in God's name, though they were.weavers and cobblers, was the true Church of God; that it is expedient to confess only to God; that there was no purgatory; . . and that a learned layman might be as good a bishop as any of them, if he was called thereunto by the King.' + In 1537 appeared the Bishop's book,' entitled, The Godly and Pious Institution of a Christian Man.' Among others who affisted Cranmer in its preparation, were William Barlow, Richard Wolleman, Vicar of Saffron Walden; John Skypp, Vicar of Thaxted; William May, Rector of Littlebury; John Baker, probably the Rector of Bulvan of that name and date; and Thomas Barrett, the successor of John Tunstal in the Rectory of Laingdon-cum-Basildon. ‡ In the same year a complete translation of the Scriptures into English was issued by authority; and in 1538 it was 'divulged and exposed to common sale, and appointed to be had in every church.' The King also published a declaration, which was commanded to be 'read by all curates' in their several churches, permitting and enjoining the public use of it. || As * Strype, Cranmer i. 63. † Strype, Ecc. Mem. i. 443; Burnet, Ref. i. 305; Fuller, Church Hist. ii. 79, ed. 1842; Barlow, ante p. 6. Strype, Cranmer i. 77; Newcourt i. 161; ii. 582, 384, 107, 356; Wool man Cooper, Ath. Cant. i. 63, 531; Strype, ib. i. 109; May, ib. i. 207, 553. Strype, Cranmer i. 90; Ap. xxiii. See also Fox v. 165. The date of these injunctions is evidently wrong. C |