ARCHBISHOP CRANMER.

Born 1489, died aged 67, 1556.

When once the soul has shaken off these (fears of death); when it is once able to look through a grave, and see beyond, it finds a vast immensity of being opening itself more and more before it, and the ineffable light and beauty thereof shining more and more into it.-J. SMITH, fol. 135.

A ZEALOUS promoter of the Reformation, and the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury. The first step which he took to bring about the Refor‐ mation was, to procure the Convocation to petition the king, that the Bible might be translated into English when published, and recommended by royal authority, he dispersed it as much as possible. He forwarded the dissolution of monasteries, one of the greatest obstacles to a reformation. He crowned Edward the Sixth; caused the Homilies to be composed, and, through his means, the Book of Common Prayer was finished and settled by Act of Parliament, as were the Articles of the Church of England. On the accession of Mary, he was committed to the Tower, and a commission sent from Rome for his trial. 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, and as evil favouredly made as one might lightly see, and a townsman's cap on his head; and so delivered him to the secular

power. Cranmer at the length cometh from the prison + Bocardo unto Saint Mary's Church, because it was a foul and rainy day, the chief Church in the University in this order. The mayor went before, next him the aldermen in their place and degree, after them was Cranmer brought between two friars, which, mumbling to and fro certain psalms in the street, answered one another until they came to the Church door, and there they began the song of Simeon," Nunc dimittis," and entering into Church, the psalm-singing friars brought him to his standing, and there left him. There was a stage set over against the pulpit of a mean height from the ground, where Cranmer had his standing, waiting until Cole made him ready to his sermon.

The lamentable case and sight of that man gave

He then lived in gentle confinement for some time afterwards, but to save himself from a certain and cruel death signed his recantation. Thus with St. Peter he denied his religion, and with St. Peter made the best atonement for this sin. Both sealing their contrition with their tears, and blood. "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall."

This Bocardo, to which reference has been made as a prison, was also the north gate, and was taken down according to the 11th act of his late Majesty in 1771. Bocardo was memorable for the dungeon called the Bishops' Hole, in which Cranmer, Latimer, and Ridley were confined in the reign of Mary. The identical door of this dungeon was purchased by Mr. Alderman Fletcher, who has presented it very lately to the committee of the new gaol, Oxford, where it is now to be seen with a suitable inscription.

a sorrowful spectacle to all Christian eyes that beheld him. He that late was Archbishop, Metropolitan, and Primate of all England, and the King's privy counsellor, being now in a bare and ragged gown, and ill-favouredly clothed with an old square cap, exposed to the contempt of all men, did admonish men not only of his own calamity, but also of their state and fortune. Cranmer in all this mean time, with what great grief of mind he stood, hearing this sermon, the outward shews of his body and countenance did better express than any man can declare: one while lifting up his hands and eyes unto heaven, and then again for shame letting them down to the earth. A man might have seen the very image and shape of perfect sorrow lively in him expressed. More than twenty several times the tears gushed out abundantly, dropping down marvellously from his fatherly face. They which were present do testify, that they never saw in any child more tears than brast out from him at that time, all the sermon while, but especially when he recited his prayer before the people. It is marvellous what commiseration and pity moved all men's hearts, that beheld so heavy a countenance, and such abundance of tears, in an old man of so reverend a dignity .

A sermon was then preached by Cole, who promised Cranmer that after his death there should be dirges and masses for him in all the Churches of Oxford.

+ Burst.

The sermon ended, Cole called on Cranmer to read his re

When he came to the place, opposite Balliol College, Oxford, where the holy bishops and martyrs of God, Hugh Latimer and Ridley, were burnt before him, for the confessing of the truth, kneeling down he prayed to God, and not long tarrying in his prayers, putting off his garments, he prepared himself to his death. His linen was made long down to his feet. His feet were bare; likewise his head, when both his caps were off, was so bare that one hair could not be seen upon it. His beard was long and thick, covering his face with marvellous gravity. Then was an iron chain tied about Cranmer, whom, when they perceived to be more stedfast than that he could be moved from his sentence, they commanded the fire to be set unto him. And when the wood was kindled, and the fire began to burn near him, stretching out his arm, he put his right hand into the flame, which he held so stedfast and immoveable, saving that once with the same hand he wiped his face, that all men might see his hand burned before his body was touched. His body did so abide the burning of the flame, with such constancy and stedfastness, that standing always in one place, without moving his body, he seemed to move no more than the stake to which he was bound; his eyes were lifted up unto heaven, and oftentimes he repeated "this unworthy right hand," so long as his voice

cantation openly. Cranmer having prayed, instead of recanting, to the surprise of all present, openly denounced the Church of Rome, the Pope, and their errors.

would suffer him; and using often the words of Stephen, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," in the greatness of the flame he gave up the ghost *.

Fox's Acts, &c. t

+ John Fox.] It has been the interest, and with it the endeavour of the Roman Catholics and their adherents, to throw discredit on the testimony of this venerable martyrologist. Infidels perhaps are not the only class of men who persuade themselves into a disbelief of that evidence which it is not their interest to receive. If in his exile at Basil, Fox had kept up but little communication with his fellow-countrymen at home and abroad; if he had published his narratives any considerable distance of time after these events, the statements of which the Roman Catholics would disbelieve; if there had been fewer facilities in obtaining information upon the subject of Marian deaths, for which the most public characters and the most public places of execution were selected, and which were on those occasions surrounded by multitudes of eye witnesses; and if all the outlines of his history had not been confirmed by the testimony of cotemporary and successive authors-the motives of those who attempt to lessen his authority would be less questionable than they now appear. In reply, it may be asserted, that he details cruelties which are improbable; we answer, this argument might have had its force if the later testimony of their own records and officers of the Inquisition in Spain, and other places, had not revealed the secrets of the prison-house. After reading these, who can affirm the cruelties related by Fox are improbable or untrue, because unnecessary? Is there any thing prophetical in these words of Grindal's letter to Fox?" Boni de te benè loquentur, mali malè. Satis est laudari à laudatis viris."