almost sixtene yeares olde, to the great sorowe, but grea∣ter calamity of the whole Realme. After whose decease immediatelye it was commaunded that the Ladye Iane which was vnwilling thereunto, shoulde be proclaymed Queene. Which thing much misliked the common people: not that they did so much fauor Mary, before whom they saw the Lady Iane preferred, as for the hatred conceiued agaynst some, whom they could not fauor. Besides this, o∣ther causes there happened also of discord betwene the no∣bles and the commons the same time, for what iniuryes of commons and enclosures wrongfully holden, wyth o∣ther inordinate polinges & vncharitable dealing betwene the landlordes and tenauntes, I cannot tell. But in fyne, thus the matter fell out, that Mary hearing of the death of her brother, and shifting for her selfe, was so assisted by the Commons, that eftsoones shee preuayled. Who being esta∣blished in the possession of the realme, not long after came to London, and after she had caused first the two Fathers, the Duke of Northumberland and the Duke of Suffolke to be executed (as is aboue remembred) likewise she caused the Lady Iane being both in age tender and innocent frō this crime, after she coulde by no meanes be turned frō the constancy of her fayth, together with her husband to be be∣headed.
The rest of the nobles paying fines, were forgeuen, the Archbishop of Cant. onely excepted. Who though he desi∣red pardon by meanes of frendes, could obteine none: in so much that the Queene would not once vouchsafe to see him: For as yet the olde grudges agaynst the Archbishop for the deuorcemēt of her mother, remayned hid in the bot∣tome of her hart. Besides this diuorce, she remembred the state of religion chaunged: all whiche was reputed to the Archbishop, as the chiefe cause therof.
While these thinges were in doing, a rumor was in all mens mouthes, that the Archbishop, to curry fauour with the Queene, had promised to say a Dirige Masse after ye old custome, for the funeral of king Edward her brother. Nei∣ther wanted there some which reported that he had alrea∣dy sayd Masse at Caunterbury: which Masse in deed was sayd by D. Thornton. This rumour Cranmer thynkyng speedely to stay, gaue forth a writing in his purgation: the tenour whereof being before expressed, I need not here a∣gayne to recite.
This bill being thus written, and lying openlye in a window in his chamber, commeth in by chaunce M. Sco∣ry, Bishop then of Rochester, who after he had read & per∣vsed the same, required of the Archbishop to haue a Copy of the bill. The Archbishop when he had graūted and per∣mitted the same to M. Scory, by the occasion thereof M. Scory lending it to some frēd of his, there were diuers co∣pyes taken out thereof, and the thing published abroad a∣mong the cōmon people: in so much that euery scriueners shop almost, was occupied in writing and copying out the same, and so at length some of these copies comming to the Bishops handes, and so brought to the Counsel, and they sending it to the Commissioners, the matter was known, and so he commaunded to appeare.
Wherupon D. Cranmer at his day prefixed, appeared before the sayd Commissioners, bringing a true Inuento∣ry, as he was commaunded, of all his goodes. That done, a Bishop of the Queenes priuy counsell, being one of ye sayd Commissioners, after the Inuentory was receiued, bring∣ing in mention of the bill: My Lord (sayd he) there is a bil put forth in your name, wherein you seeme to be agreeued with setting vp the Masse agayne: we doubt not but you are sory that it is gone abroad.
To whome the Archbishop aunswered agayn, saying: as I do not deny my selfe to be the very author of that bill or letter, so much I confesse here vnto you, concerning the same bill, that I am sory that the said bill went from me in such sort as it did. For when I had written it, M. Scorye got the copy of me, and is now come abroad, and as I vn∣derstand, the City is full of it. For which I am sory, that it so passed my hands: for I had intended otherwise to haue made it in a more large and ample maner, and minded to haue set it on Paules Church doore, and on the doores of al the Churches in London, which mine owne seale ioyned thereto.
At which wordes when they sawe the constantnesse of the man, they dismissed him, affirming they had no more at that present to say vnto him, but that shortly he shoulde heare further. The sayd Bishop declared afterward to one of Doctour Cranmers frendes, that notwithstanding his atteinder of treason, the Queenes determination at that tyme was, that Cranmer shoulde onely haue bene depri∣ued of his Archbishopricke, and haue had a sufficient ly∣uing assigned hym, vpon his exhibiting of a true Inuen∣tory, with commaundement to keepe his house withoute medling in matters of Religion. But how that was true, I haue not to say. This is certaine, that not lōg after this, he was sent vnto the Tower, and soone after condemned of Treason. Notwithstanding, the Queene when shee coulde not honestly denye him his pardon, seeyng all the rest were discharged, and specially seeing he last of all o∣ther subscribed to Kyng Edwardes request, and that a∣gaynst his owne will, released to him his action of Trea∣son, and accused him onely of heresy: which liked the Arch∣bishop right well, and came to passe as he wished, because the cause was not nowe his owne, but Christes, not the Queenes, but the churches. Thus stood the cause of Cran∣mer, till at length it was determined by the Queene and the Councell, that he should be remoued from the Tower where he was prisoner, to Oxforde, there to dispute wyth the Doctours and Diuines. And priuily word was sent before to them of Oxford to prepare themselues, and make them ready to dispute. And although the Queene and the bishops had concluded before what should become of him, yet it pleased them that the matter should be debated with argumentes, that vnder some honest shew of disputation, the murther of the man might bee couered. Neither coulde theyr hasty speed of reuengemēt abide any long delay: and therfore in all hast he was caried to Oxford.
What this disputation was, and how it was handled, what were the questions, and reasons on both sides, and also touching his condemnation by the Uniuersitye and the Prolocutour, because sufficiently it hath bene declared we minde nowe therefore to proceede to his finall iudge∣ment and order of condemnation, which was the xij. day of September an. 1556. and seauen dayes before the con∣demnation of Bishoppe Ridley and Mayster Latimer, as is aboue foretouched. The storye whereof here followeth, faythfullye collected by the reporte and narration (com∣myng by chaunce to our handes) of one who being both present thereat, and also a deuoute Fauourer of the Sea and faction of Rome canne lacke no credite (I trowe) with suche, which seeke what they can to discredite what so euer maketh not with theyr phantasied Religion of Rome.
After the disputations done and finished in Oxford be∣twene the Doctors of both Uniuersityes & the three wor∣thy Bishops D. Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer, he heard then howe sentence condemnatory immediatlye vpon the same was ministred agaynst them by D. Weston & other of the Uniuersitye: whereby they were iudged to be here∣tickes, & so committed to the Maior and Sheriffes of Ox∣ford. But forasmuch as the sentence geuē them, was voyd in law (for at that time the authority of the Pope was not yet receiued into the land) therfore was a new commission sent from Rome, and a new processe framed for the cōuic∣tion of these reuerend and godly learned mē aforesayd. In which commission first was Doct. Iames Brookes Bi∣shop of Glocester the Popes Subdelegate, wt D. Martin and D. Story Commissioners in the king & queenes be∣halfe, for the execution of the same. Of the which 3 Cōmis∣sioners aboue named, as touching D. Martin, this by the way is to be vnderstand, that although he was vsed for an instrument of the Popes side, to serue a turne (whose book also is extant agaynst the lawfull mariage of Priestes) yet notwithstāding neither was he so bitter an enemy in this persecution, as other Commissioners were, and also in this time of Queene Elizabeth, were diuers other Doc∣tors of the Arches refused to be sworne agaynst the Pope, he denied not the othe: and yet notwithstanding not a to∣gether here to be excused. But to the purpose of this sto∣ry. Wherof first it shall be requisite to declare the circum∣staunce, and the whole state of the matter, as in a generall description, before we come to theyr Orations, according as in a percell of a certain letter touching the same, it came to our handes.
In primis, here is to be vnderstande, that the commyng downe of the foresayde Commissioners, which was vpon Thursday, the xij. of September, an. 1555. in the church of S. Mary, and in the East end of the sayd church at the hie aultar, was erected a solemne Scaffold for bishop Brokes aforesayde, representing the Popes person, ten foote high. The seat was made that he might sit vnder the Sacramēt of the aultar. And on the righte hand of the Popes Dele∣gate beneath him sate Doctour Martin, and on the lefte hand sate Doctour Story the kynge and Queenes Com∣missioners, which were both Doctours of the Ciuill law, and vnderneth them other Doctours, Scribes and Pha∣riseis also, with the Popes Collectour and a rablement of such other like.
And thus these Byshops being placed in theyr Ponti∣ficalibus, ye B. of Canterbury was sent for to come before thē. He hauing intelligence of them that were there, thus