It

by their Proctors, and demanded his sentence. further appears, from the record of that proceeding, that for certain just and lawful causes, lately brought under his cognizance, the Archbishop, after full investigation, and with the advice of Counsel learned in the law, pronounced the pretended marriage "always to have been without effect." It is undoubtedly a very strange and unaccountable circumstance, that these "just and lawful causes" are not specified on the face of this record; and that, to this hour, they have never been discovered'. But-whatever those causes may have been, that Cranmer approached the consideration of them with an aching heart, is nothing more than will be readily inferred, by all generous minds, from the undoubted kindliness and humanity of his temper. At the same time, it is far from impossible that he may have been partially reconciled to his most unwelcome office, by the hope that the very degradation of Anne might eventually relieve her from the penalty of death for his sentence would change her condition from that of a treason

1 Wilkin's Concil. vol. iii. pp. 803, 804.-" Though the Judges and the Court seemed abundantly satisfied in the reasons of this nullity, yet concealing the same unto themselves, they thought not fit to communicate the same treasure unto posterity: except they shut their coffers on purpose, because there was nothing in them!"-Fuller's Ch. Hist. B. v. p. 207.

It is not improbable that Anne may have been induced to allow that there were such "just and lawful causes," (whether they existed or not), as a condition of perishing by the axe instead of the flames.

able Consort, to the much less dangerous one of a fickle and unfaithful mistress. If, however, he was supported under his duty by any such expectation, the delusion speedily vanished. Having established, by this judgment, that Anne never was his wife de jure, the King nevertheless persisted in inflicting the punishment due to treason, for misdeeds alleged to have been committed by her, while she was merely his wife de facto! Under these circumstances-though he did not consign his victim to the tortures of the stake yet, he did deliver to the axe of the executioner that form of loveliness, which had so long been the desire of his eyes. And, in so doing, he has placed himself among the foremost candidates for the execration of mankind.

The King marries his third wife, Jane Seymour.

On the very day which followed the execution, he offered another atrocious insult to the commonest sensibilities of human nature, by leading Jane Seymour to the altar. This one act is a very sufficient commentary on all that went before. It shows, beyond all doubt, that his jealousy of Anne came in as opportunely to the aid of his desires, as his scruples respecting Catharine. Had he been anxious to proclaim to the world the principal cause of his late savage precipitation, he could not have more effectually accomplished his purpose, than by this audacious violation of decency'.

"After ages," as Fuller observes, "take the boldness to conceive, that the greatest guilt of Anne Boleyn was King Henry's better fancying of another; which made him mourn so passionately for her, in the embraces of a new and beautiful bride, the Lady Jane Seymour."—Ch. Hist. B. v. p. 208.

The intelligence of these events was received throughout Europe with an universal murmur of astonishment and disgust. It was enough to bring almost indelible disgrace upon the very name of the Reformation. It placed the man himself among the number of those, whose lives have shown to the world what capacities of evil are lurking in the human heart. And, lastly, it proved that of all the curses which can befall our nature, none is so bitter as that of being surrendered to its own ungoverned impulses.

CHAPTER VI.

1536-1537.

New Act for the Succession-Act for renouncing the power of the Pope-Meeting of Convocation-Debates there-The Address of Alexander Aless—Articles agreed upon-Which are unsatisfactory both to Papists and Protestants—Injunctions issued in the King's name―The Bible to be placed in Churches—Declaration of the Divines respecting Councils-Protestation of the King against the Council then summoned-The "Bishops' Book"-Cranmer's interview with an ignorant Priest who had reviled him-Reluctant obedience to the Injunctions-Cranmer's Letter to Cromwell on this subject-Matthew's Bible-Cranmer's joy at its publication-Birth of Edward VI., and death of Jane Seymour.

THE death of Anne Boleyn revived for a moment, at Rome, the hope of accommodation with the King, and but for a moment. But, though it was soon found that the breach was wholly irreparable, the Parliament, which assembled in June, presented to the world an aspect of unanimity so formidable, as to put down all hope of successful aggression. This appearance of concord, however, indicated only an uniformity of servitude. The violent collision of parties had wholly disabled the Legislature for opposition to the King; and had left them little but the power of registering all the wild sug

A new Act New Act for the Succession.

gestions of his caprice and jealousy. of Succession was accordingly passed, which limited the Crown to the issue of Jane, or any future Queen. And, that the subjects of his Majesty might be relieved from all temptation to perplex themselves with discussions on the matter, the penalties of high treason were affixed to the crime of affirming either of his first marriages to be valid, or either of his daughters legitimate! At the same time, a power was reserved to him, of declaring the succession at his pleasure, either by patent, or by will; and an opening was thus left for the descent of the Crown to either of his degraded children.

the Pope.

By the same Parliament was finally and completely extinguished the authority of the Bishop Act for renouneof Rome. The Act passed for this ing the power of purpose, imposed on all officers, Ecclesiastical or Civil, the necessity of renouncing upon oath the power of the Pope; and, with strange inconsistency, it subjected only to a Præmunire all positive acts in maintenance of that power, while it punished the refusal to abjure it with the penalties of high treason'. By this consummation, the royal prerogative was rendered complete and unassailable. Nearly the whole authority which formerly belonged to the Pope, appeared now to be transferred, in a body, to the Crown: and, guarded as it was by the severity of the law, it presented a spectacle of domina

128 Henry VIII. c. 10.