Lappeal at his Degradation
Foxe’s Acts BEFORE DOCTOR THURLBY AND DOCTOR BONER COMING WITH ments pp: COMMISSION Fa. Lond. THE l4ru DAY OF FEBRUARY 3.]
The tenor of the Appeal of the archbishop of Canterbury from the Pope to the next
General Council
Challenge or IN the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Apol of (ne First, my plain protestation made, that I intend to speak nothing against one holy, Popetoa catholic, and apostolical church, or the authority thereof, (the which authority I have in func. great reverence, and to whom my mind is in all things to obey,) and if any thing peradventure, either by slipperiness of tongue, or by indignation of abuses, or else by the
[[! Vid. Strype’s Mem. of Abp. Cranmer, Vol. I. tary. Being pronounced contumacious, he was senp.24. Ed. Oxon. 1840.] tenced by the pope to be degraded and delivered [? “Cranmer received a citation on the 7th of over to the secular magistrate.” Jenkyns. ] September, 1555, to appear at Rome within eighty [3 Dr Jenkyns suggests that Cranmer was prodays. Such appearance was of course impossible, bably assisted by a lawyer in drawing up this apas he was closely imprisoned at Oxford. But the peal. Vol. IV. p. 121, See also the Letter to a cause proceeded, as if his absence had been volun- Lawyer.)]
provocation of mine adversaries, be spoken or done otherwise than well, or not with such reverence as becometh me, I am most ready to amend it.
Although the bishop of Rome (whom they call pope) beareth the room of Christ in earth, and hath authority of God, yet by that power or authority he is not become unsinnable, neither hath he received that power to destroy, but to edify the congregation. The pope Therefore, if he shall command any thing that is not right to be done, he ought to take it oh patiently and in good part, in case he be not therein obeyed. And he must not be inks obeyed, if he command any thing against the precepts of God: no, rather he may lawfully reo be resisted, even as Paul withstood Peter. And if he be aided by help of princes, deceived perchance by false suggestion, or with evil counsel, cannot be resisted, but the remedies of withstanding him be taken away; there is nevertheless one remedy of Remedy appealing, (which no prince can take away,) uttered by the very law of nature: forso- appe ne much as it is a certain defence, which is meet for every body by the law of God, of Gonand nature, and of nan. RATS And whereas the laws do permit a man to appeal, not only from the griefs and injuries done, but also from such as shall be done hereafter, or threatened to be done, insomuch that the inferior cannot make laws of not appealing to a superior power; The inferior. iE.. cannot forbid and since it is openly enough confessed, that a holy general council, lawfully gathered to appeal together in the Holy Ghost, and representing the holy catholic church, is above the alui pope, especially in matters concerning faith, that he cannot make decrees that men tune shall not appeal from him to a general council: therefore I, Thomas Cranmer, the rope archbishop of Canterbury, or in time past ruler of the metropolitical church? of Canterbury, doctor in divinity, do say and publish before you, the public notary and witnesses here present, with mind and intent to challenge and appeal from the persons and griefs underneath written, and to proffer myself in place and time convenient and meet, to prove the articles that follow. And I openly confess, that I would lawfully have published them before this day, if I might have had either liberty to come abroad myself, or licence of a notary and witnesses. But further than I am able to do, I know well, is not required of the laws.
1. First, I say and publish, that James, by the mercy of God priest, called car- T Si dinal of the pit’, and of the title of our lady in the way of the church of Rome, appeal. judge and commissary specially deputed of our most holy lord the pope, (as he affirmed,) que Erst caused me to be cited to Rome, there to appear eighty days? after the citation served To m on me, to make answer to certain articles touching the peril of my state and life. {arrears And whereas I was kept in prison with most strait ward, so that I could in no wise Pea fast be suffered to go to Rome, nor to come out of prison, and in so grievous causes con- he could cerning state and life no man is bound to send a proctor; and, though I would never so fain send my proctor, yet by reason of poverty I am not able, (for all that ever I had, wherewith I should bear my proctors costs and charges, is quite taken from me;) nevertheless the most reverend cardinal aforesaid doth sore threaten me, that Note with whether I shall appear or not, he will nevertheless yet proceed in judgment against S id me. Wherein I feel myself so grieved, that nothing can be imagined more mischievous PEU or further from reason. proceed 2. Secondly, the reverend father James Brokes, by the mercy of God bishop The second of Gloucester, judge and under-deputy (as he affirmed) of the most reverend cardinal, ^ — caused me to be cited at Oxford, (where I was then kept in prison,) to answer to certain articles concerning the danger of my state and life. And when I, being un- The archlearned and ignorant in the laws, desired counsel of the learned in the law, that ig τος thing was most unrighteously denied me, contrary to the equity of all laws both of nd God and man. Wherein again I feel me most wrongfully grieved.
3. And when I refused the said bishop of Gloucester to be my judge, for most The third just causes, which I then declared; he nevertheless went on still, and made process against me, contrary to the rule of the laws of appealing, which say, “A judge Ta paints trary to law.
[[^ Other editions read, if he being aided.” ] [ὁ Vide Proceedings before Brokes, p. 212, n. 3.]
[[> Metropolical church, Ed. 1583. [7 Other editions read, fourscore days.” ] 15 [ CRANMER, 11.]
that is refused ought not to proceed in the cause, but to leave off” And when he had required of me answers to certain articles, I refused to make him any answer: I said I would yet gladly make answer to the most renowned king’s and queen’s deputies or attornies then present, with this condition notwithstanding, that mine answer should be extrajudicial; and that was permitted me. And with this my protestation made and admitted, I made answer, but mine answer was sudden and unprovided for; and therefore I desired to have a copy of mine answers, that I might The papists put to, take away, change, and amend them: and this was also permitted me. Never-their pro- ^ theless, contrary to his promise made unto me, no respect had to my protestation, nor mise. licence given to amend mine answer, the said reverend father, bishop of Gloucester, (as I hear,) commanded mine answers to be enacted contrary to the equity of the law. In which thing again I feel me much grieved. The fourth 4. Furthermore, I could not, for many causes, admit the bishop of Rome’s usurped m eio authority in this realm, nor consent to it: first, my solemn oath letting me, which d I made in the time of king Henry the eighth, of most famous memory’, according S nos ag. to the laws of England. Secondly, because I knew the authority of the bishop of authority. — Rome, which he usurpeth, to be against the crown, customs, and laws of this realm The pepe of England; insomuch that neither the king can be crowned in this realm without cannot be — the most grievous crime of perjury, nor may bishops enjoy their bishopricks, nor judgii dh ments be used” according to the laws and customs of this realm, except by the bishop ot of Rome’s authority be accursed both the king and queen, the judges, writers, and executers of the laws and customs, with all that consent to them. Finally, the whole realm shall be accursed. The fifth 5. Moreover, that heinous and usurped authority of the bishop of Rome, through Inconve- reservations of the bishopricks, provisions, annuates, dispensations, pardons, appellations, this realm i» bulls, and other cursed merchandise of Rome, was wont exceedingly to spoil and hoses ag. consume the riches and substance of this realm; all which things? should follow again nt. by recognising and receiving of that usurped authority, unto the unmeasurable loss of this realm. The sth 6. Finally, it is most evident, by that usurped authority, not only the crown of England to be under yoke, the laws and customs of this realm to be thrown down and trodden under foot; but also the most holy decrees of councils, together with the precepts both of the gospel and of God.
When in times past, the Sun of righteousness being risen in the world, christian religion by the preaching of the apostles began to be spread very far abroad and to flourish, insomuch that their sound went out into all the world; innumerable people, which walked in darkness, saw a great light; God’s glory, every where published, did flourish; the only cark and care of the ministers of the church was purely and The primi. sincerely to preach Christ, the people, to embrace and follow Christ’s doctrine. Then the chureh the church of Rome, as it were lady of the world, both was, and also was counted Zn d worthily, the mother of other churches; forasmuch as then she first begat to Christ, Fore nourished with the food of pure doctrine, did help them with their riches, succoured the oppressed, and was a sanctuary for the miserable, she rejoiced with them that rejoiced, and wept with them that wept. Then, by the examples of the bishops of Rome, riches were despised, worldly glory and pomp was trodden under foot, pleasures and riot nothing regarded. Then this frail and uncertain life, being full of all miseries, was laughed to scorn, whiles, through the example of Romish martyrs, men did every The church where press forward to the life to come. But afterward, the ungraciousness of damnable how and ambition never satisfied, avarice, and the horrible enormity of vices, had corrupted and began to taken the see of Rome; there followed every where almost the deformities of all churches, Defonmitios growing out of kind, into the manners of the church, their mother, leaving their former of Saal innocency and purity, and slipping into foul and heinous usages. S κει erro ee D ede EE
[[! In the time of most famous memory of king [3 Which all things, Ed. 1583. ] Henry the eighth, Ed. 1583.] [ Other editions read, «afterward when the un- [^ Other editions read, judgments to be used.”] graciousness.]]
E - For the foresaid and many other griefs and abuses, (which I intend to prove, and do proffer myself in time convenient to prove hereafter,) since reformation of the above-mentioned abuses is not to be looked for of the bishop of Rome; neither can I hope, by reason of his wicked abuses and usurped authority, to have him an equal judge in his own cause; therefore I do challenge and appeal in these writings from the pope, having no good counsel, and from the above-named pretences, commissions, and judges, from their citations, processes, and from all other things that have or shall follow thereupon, and from every one of them, and from all their sentences, censures, pains, and punishments of cursing, suspension, and interdicting, and from all others whatsoever their denouncings and declarations (as they pretend) of schism, of heresy, adultery, deprivation, degrading?, by them or by any of them in any manner wise attempted, done, and set forward, to be attempted, to be done, and to be set forward hereafter, (saving always their honours and reverences) as unequal and unrighteous, more tyrannical and violent, and from every grief to come, which shall happen to me, as well for myself as for all and every one that cleaveth to me, or will hereafter be on my side, unto a free general council, that shall hereafter lawfully be, and in a sure place, to the which place I, or a proctor deputed by me, may freely and with safety come, and to him or them to whom a man may by the law, privilege, custom, or otherwise challenge and appeal.
And touching my doctrine of the sacrament, and other my doctrine, of what kind soever it be, I protest that it was never my mind to write, speak, or understand any thing contrary to the most holy word of God, or else against the holy catholic church of Christ; but purely and simply to imitate and teach those things only, which I had learned of the sacred scripture, and of the holy catholic church of Christ from the beginning, and also according to the exposition of the most holy and learned fathers and martyrs of the church.
And if any thing hath peradventure chanced otherwise than I thought, I may err; but heretic I cannot be, forasmuch as I am ready in all things to follow the judgment of the most sacred word of God and of the holy catholic church, desiring none other thing than meekly and gently to be taught, if any where (which God forbid!) I have swerved from the truth.
And I protest and openly confess, that in all my doctrine and preaching, both of the sacrament and of other my doctrine, whatsoever it be, not only I mean and judge those things as the catholic church and the most holy fathers of old, with one accord, have meant and judged; but also I would gladly use the same words that they used, and not use any other words, but to set my hand to all and singular their speeches, phrases, ways, and forms of speech, which they do use in their treatises upon the sacrament, and to keep still their interpretation. But in this thing I only am accused for an heretic, because I allow not the doctrine lately brought in of the sacrament, and because I consent not to words not accustomed in scripture, and unknown to the ancient fathers, but newly invented and brought in by men, and belonging to the destruction of souls, and overthrowing of the pure and old religion. Given, &c.
This appeal being put up to the bishop of Ely, he said, My lord, our commission is to proceed against you omni appellatione remota, and therefore we cannot admit 1t.” ’
[[^ Disgrading, Ed. 1583.] [5 Other editions read, “most tyrannical.”] 15—2]
[[ The account which follows in Foxe of the before his death, will be found in the first volume of]
[Prayer, Exhortation and Confession of Dr Cranmer this edition, pp. xxiii—xxix.]
Letters: Of
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