Christian argument, convincing his auditory, among whom was his royal master, that he `rejoiced to exclaim with the Apostle, "Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed." In the disputation too," he behaved himself with such humble modesty, and with such obedience in words towards his prince, protesting the cause not to be his, but the cause of Almighty God," that the king "did not mislike his enterprise," and "well liked his zealous defence." Henry knew that all he spoke was sincere he considered him as a man of probity, who had the courage to defend what he understood to be true; and of his arguments, "which could not well be refuted, " (to use the expression of Fox,) he required a copy. To the eloquence and ability of the archbishop on this occasion, the applause of those, who differed from him in the debate, was also rendered. His opposition has been attributed by Romish writers, solely to the fact of his being married but there were other of the Articles to which he could not assent, and especially he abhorred the rigorous penalty of the Act. With the same resolution, when afterwards a conspiracy was formed against him at the "suggestion, it

m

has been thought, of Gardiner, and his obedience to the Act was questioned, he told the king that he was still of the same opinion he had declared himself when the Bill was passing; but that he had done nothing against the Act. The king then putting on an air of pleasantry, demanded whether his chamber would stand the test of the Articles; and the archbishop replied, that he had sent his wife to her friends in Germany. The answer, without evasion or reserve, pleased the king; who then told the archbishop, "Pthat the severity of the Act was not levelled against him, and, at the same time, assured him of his future favour." Dr. Lingard, however, informs us, that, struck with dismay at the passing of the Act," the archbishop wrote to the king an apology for his presumption in having opposed the opinion of his majesty;" and presently, we shall see, "that he came over to the opinion of the head of the church!" It is thus that another Romish writer relates, that Cranmer "went all the lengths of the court in the Six Articles-Act," having just before said that "he had taken a wife in Germany, and shewn his inclinations by opposing this Act!" Dr. Lingard further asserts, 2." that it is not true that Cranmer's oppo

1 Hist. of Eng. 2d ed. vol. vi. p. 386.

Eccl. Hist. by the writer assuming the name of Dod.

s Vindic. p. 8.

sition was continued to the very last. It ceased on the second day. On the first the archbishop, and several other prelates, spoke with energy and resolution, but the next morning the house was honoured with the presence of Henry: the royal theologian supported the Articles with irresistible eloquence, and Cranmer came over to the opinion of the head of the church."

That Cranmer disputed against the Articles three days together, is the assertion of Fox, Lord Herbert, Burnet, and Collier. t Nor could he be prevailed upon," Burnet adds, "though the king pressed him to it, to abstain from coming to the parliament while that Act was passing. He came and opposed it to the last; and even after the law was made, he wrote a book for the king's use against these Articles."

u

But that "" " Cranmer came over to the opinion of the king, is proved," Dr. Lingard continues, by the following letter, written at the time by one of the lords who was present.

66

"Notwithstanding my lord of Canterbury, my lord of Ely, my lord of Salisbury, my lords of Worcester, Rochester, and St. Davyes, defended the contrary a long time, yet finally his highness confounded them all with godlie learning. York, Durham, Winchester, London,

Chichester, Norwich, and Carlisle, have shewed themselves honest and well learned men.

We

of the temporalty have been all of one opinion : and my lord chancellor and lord privy seal (Audeley and Cromwell,) as good as we can devise. My lord of Canterbury, and all his bishops have given their opinions, and have come in to us, save Salisbury, who yet continueth a lewd fool. Cleop. E. v. p. 128.

"On this letter Mr. Todd makes the following remarks. 1. Dr. Lingard has not noticed that this letter was copied from the manuscript by the accurate Strype, and printed by him in the appendix to his life of Cranmer.' Had Mr. Todd compared the two copies, he might have spared this remark. Strype's copy is very inaccurate: mine is correct, and taken, not from that of Strype, but from the original in the British Museum. I did not indeed preserve the orthography of the original, which I regret. The word goodlie is a typographical error for godlie."

It is proper that what precedes the passage, which has been cited by Dr. Lingard from the fragment of an anonymous letter, should here be given. I will copy it, word for word, for the benefit of every reader, without regarding the often perplexing ancient spelling. “And also news here: I assure you never prince shewed himself so wise a man, so well learned,

.

and so catholic, as the king hath done in this parliament. With my pen I cannot express his marvellous goodness, which is come to such effect, that we shall have an act of parliament so spiritual, that I think none shall dare say in the blessed sacrament doth remain either bread or wine after the consecration; nor that a priest may have a wife; nor that it is necessary to receive our maker sub utraque specie; nor that private masses should not be used, as they have been; nor that it is not necessary to have auricular confession. And notwithstanding my lord of Canterbury, &c." Then it follows, as Dr. Lingard has copied the words; who after reflecting upon the inaccuracy of Strype, and displaying the superfine minuteness of his own copying in converting the goodly in his History into godly here, leaves us to marvel at the achievement, shorn at least of one of its merits, since the original letter reads, "his Highness confounded them all [not with goodlie, or godlie, but] with Goddes (God's) learning!" And thus, indeed, Strype has printed it; yes, and * Burnet too. Dr. Lingard compliments my eye as experienced in the detection of verbal niceties ;" I thank him; and though I could point out another or two in the few lines so pompously

* Hist. Ref. vol. iii. Records, No. 66, B. III. P. III.

See before, p. 76.