would be sufficient to show that, at that time, Henry was effectually fortified against much more powerful reasons than the wit or eloquence of Pole could produce against him!

His second mis

tinent.

The second mission of Cranmer to the Continent, 1531. like the former, was doubtless chiefly sion to the Con- with a view to the object that was nearest to the King's heart. It gave him an opportunity of attending the Emperor's court, and of trying his power of argument upon the imperialists. There is reason to believe that, in some few instances, he was successful. In one he most certainly prevailed, though with disastrous effect upon the fortunes of his proselyte. The renowned Cornelius Agrippa, at that time one of the Emperor's council, declared himself satisfied that the marriage was a nullity; an avowal, for which his exasperated master threw him into prison. It was probably in the course of this mission that Cranmer personally consulted several of the most illustrious reforming divines. Erasmus, as we have already seen, declined any open declaration of his sentiments. Ecolampadius was in favour of the divorce; Bucer was opposed to it. The sentiments of Melancthon have not been clearly ascertained; but Luther openly proclaimed it to be his opinion, that the separation would be a greater enormity than the marriage: and such appears to have been the more prevalent impression throughout Protestant Germany. It was felt to be monstrous that the match should be called in question after such a lapse of years.

His second marriage.

It was during his residence in Germany, that Cranmer became acquainted with the celebrated Osiander, then pastor of Nuremberg; an intimacy which soon furnished the ambassador with an opportunity of proclaiming himself almost, if not altogether, a Protestant, by his disregard of one of the most essential rules of the Romish discipline. He had now been long a widower: and, having formed an attachment to the niece of his friend, he was united to her early in the following year. By this step he virtually abjured the right either of Pope or Council to impose on the Clergy any obligation to celibacy; and asserted, that the liberty of Christian ministers, in this respect, had not been abridged by the law of God or the canons of the Primitive Church. His connexion with Osiander was, how

1532.

ever, productive of little advantage to the cause of his royal master. The German divine, indeed, fully embraced the views of Cranmer on this subject, and actually composed a work on incestuous marriages, in which he maintained the justice of the divorce. But the book was speedily suppressed by the command of Charles, whose vigilance was sleepless with regard to that momentous question. The rest of Cranmer's time on the continent was occupied with various other matters of general diplomacy, of no weighty importance, and attended with no very decisive results. He was employed in negociations respecting the traffic between England and the Low Countries, and the contingent to be furnished by the

King towards the war against the Turk: he furnished Henry with various intelligence respecting the state of Continental affairs; and dispatched to him a copy of the Emperor's proclamation for a General Council. And, lastly, he went on a secret mission to the Elector Frederic, Duke of Saxony; in the course of which, he ventured to intimate, that not only his master, but the French King, were ready to assist the cause of the Protestant Confederates. This declaration has been considered as somewhat precipitate, since it tended to compromise the peace which then existed between the Emperor and England'. Whether he exceeded his instructions in this particular, is not known. But it is certain that his activity and zeal in the prosecution of the grand purpose for which he was dispatched, were abundantly sufficient to secure for him the continued confidence and approbation of his Sovereign. There can be little doubt that all the services of his Ambassador were considered by Henry as purely subordinate and subsidiary to that one overpowering interest.

1 Strype's Cranmer, c. iii.

CHAPTER III.

1532, 1533.

The King resolves to raise Cranmer to the Primacy-Cranmer's reluctance to accept it-He consents to take it with a Protest against submission to the Pope-Is consecrated 30th March, 1533-Makes his protestation publicly-His conduct in this respect considered-The King secretly marries Anne Boleyn— The marriage not performed by Cranmer-Cranmer pronounces the nullity of the King's marriage with Catherine—The marriage with Anne Boleyn repeated in public-Cranmer's notice of Frith's martyrdom-The King's determination to appeal to a General Council-The Papal sentence pronouncing the marriage with Anne Boleyn void-The abortive attempt of the French King to effect a reconciliation between Henry and the Pope.

WHILE these negociations were in progress, nearly the whole of Protestant Germany was

1532.

ringing with an outcry against the scandal of degrading an illustrious Princess, and exemplary woman, from the throne and the bed which she had occupied, without impeachment, for twenty years. But Henry was, now, too deeply

committed to retreat in obedience to the most vehement expressions of public feeling or opinion. The disgrace and injury inflicted on the Queen-the generous sympathies of an indignant people-the prevalent suspicion that he was impelled by passion,

But

rather than by conscience, to the dissolution of his marriage—all seem to have been lost sight of, in the urgency of his impatience to be delivered from his yoke. The steadiness of his resolution was confirmed by his reliance on the character of his Ambassador. That Cranmer was profoundly sincere in his persuasion that the King's marriage with Catherine was incestuous, there is not the slightest reason to question. It is true, that the office which he was at this time discharging, relative the great matrimonial suit, was not of his own seeking. His appointment to it was the result of accidents beyond his control. when once he was engaged in the cause, he devoted to it all the resources of his industry and learning. He was acting simply as the envoy and representative of his Sovereign, conformably to the almost immemorial custom which, for want of laymen sufficiently accomplished, had generally consigned the functions of diplomacy to canonists and churchmen. He was labouring to bring to a prosperous issue a question in which he conceived the peace and honour of the King to be deeply involved; a question, too, which, in its remoter influence, he considered as vitally important to the religion and the happiness of his country. His thoughts had long been fixed on the standard of reformation which had been reared on the Continent of Europe. Originally, indeed, his own mind had been awakened by the study of the Scriptures, and by the best models of secular literature. But every day he lived, and, more especially, every hour he passed at Rome,-strengthened his conviction, that nothing

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