Marginalia1556. March.licenceth them to procede vnto their degree: and again by whose disalowaunce the vniuersity also reiecteth them for a tyme to proceede vntill they bee better furnished with more knowledge.

MarginaliaDoctour Cranmer publike examiner in Cābridge, of them that were to procedeNow, Doct. Cranmer euer much fauouring the knowledge of the scripture, would neuer admit any to proceede in Diuinity, vnlesse they were substantially seene in the story of the Bible: by meanes whereof certayne Fryers and other religious persons, who were principally brought vp in þ^e study of schole autors with out regard had to the autority of scriptures, were commonly reiected by hym, so that he was greatly for that his seuere examination of þ^e religious sort, much hated and had in great indignation:MarginaliaFriers in hatred with D. Cranmer. and yet it came to passe in þ^e end that dyuers of thē being thus cōpelled to study the scriptures, became afterwardes very well learned and well affected, in so much, that when they proceded Doctours of Diuinitie, could not ouermuch extoll and commend Master DoctorCranmers goodnes towards them, who had for a tyme put them backe, to aspyre vnto better knowledge and perfectiō. MarginaliaDoctour Barret.Amongst whom D. Barret a white Fryer who afterwards dwelt at Norwich was after that sorte handled, giuing him no lesse commendation for his happy reiecting of him for a better amendment. Thus much I repete that our apish and popish sort of ignoraunt priestes may well vnderstand that this his exercise, kynd of lyfe, and vocation was not altogether Hostelerlyke.  

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Well, to go forwardes: Like as he was neither in fame vnknowen, nor in knowledge obscure, so was hee greatly solicited by Doct. Capon, to haue ben one of the felowes in the foundation of Cardinall Wolseys Colledge in Oxford: which he vtterly refused not without daunger of indignation. MarginaliaDoctour Cranmer appoynted to be fellow of the Cardinals college in Oxford refused.Notwithstādyng foreseyng that which after chaunced, to the vtter confusiō of many well affected learned men there without cōsideration (because mans glory was there more sought for, then gods) he stode to the daunger of the sayd indignation, which chaunced more prosperously vnto hym within few yeares after, then he looked for. For whiles he thus continued in Cābridge. MarginaliaQuestion of the Kinges diuorce with Katherine Dowager.The great and weightie cause of kyng Henry the viij. his diuorce with the Lady Katherine dowager of Spayne, came into question, which beyng many wayes by the space of ij. or iij. yeares amongest the Canonistes, Ciuilians, and other learned men diuersly disputed and debated, it came to passe that this sayd Doct. Cranmer by reason that þ^e plague was in Cambridge, resorted to Waltham Abbey to one M. Cresses house there, whose wife was of kynne to the sayd M. Cranmer.  

And for that he had ij. sonnes of the sayd Cressey with him at Cambridge as his pupilles, he rested at Waltham Crosse at the house of the sayd M. Cressey, with the sayd ij. children, during that somer tyme whiles the plague reigned.

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MarginaliaOf this Campeius and discourse of his legacy, read before pag. 1193.In this somer tyme Cardinall Campeius and Cardinall Wolsey, beyng in Commission from the Pope to here and determine that great cause in controuersie betwen the Kyng and the Queene his pretended wife, dalied and delaied all that somer time vntill the moneth of August came in hearyng the sayd cause in controuersie debated. When August was come, the sayd Cardinals litle mynding to procede to sentence giuyng, tooke occasion to finishe their Commission, and not further to determine therin, pretendyng not to be permitted by the lawes to keepe Courtes of Ecclesiasticall matters in haruest tyme. Which sodeine stay and giuyng ouer of the sayd Commission by both the Cardinalls beyng vnknowen to the kyng, it so much moued him that he takyng it as a mocke at the Cardinals handes, commaunded the Dukes of Northfolke and Suffolke to dispath forthwith Cardinal Campeius home again to Rome, and so in hast remoued him selfe from Londō to Waltham for a night or twaine whiles his houshold remoued to Grenewich: by meanes whereof it chaunced that the harbengers lodged Doct. Stephens

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Secretary,  

and Doct. Foxe Almosiner MarginaliaStephen Gardiner and Doctour Foxe, chiefe furtherers of the kings diuorce.(who were the chief furtherers, preferrers and defendours on the kings behalfe of the sayd cause) in the house of the sayd M. Cressey, where the sayd Doctor Cranmer was also lodged and resident. When supper tyme came they all three Doctours mette togethers, Doct. Stephens and Doct. Foxe much maruailyng of Doct. Cranmers beyng there. Who declared to thē the cause of his there beyng, namely for that the plague was in Cambridge. MarginaliaD. Stephens, D. Fox, D. Cram mer, conferring together in the kinges cause.And as they were of old acquaintaunce, so þ^e Secretary & the Almosiner right well enterteined D. Cranmer, mynding to vnderstand part of his opiniō touching their great busines they had in hād. And so as good occasion serued, whiles they were at supper, they conferred with Doct. Cranmer concernyng the kyngs cause, requestyng him of his opinion what he thought therein.

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Wherto Doct. Cranmer aunswered,MarginaliaD. Cranmers answere in the question of the kings diuorce. that he could say litle to the matter, for that he had not studied nor looked for it. Notwithstanding he sayd to them, that in his opinion they made more ado in prosecutyng the lawes Ecclesiasticall, then needed. It were better as I suppose (quoth Doct. Cranmer) that the questiō, whether a man may mary his brothers wife or no, were decided and discussed by þ^e Diuines, and by the authoritie of the word of God, whereby the conscience of the Prince might be better satisfied and quieted, thē thus from yeare to yeare by frustratory delayes to prolong the tyme, leauyng the very truth of the matter vnbulted out by the word of God. There is but one truth in it, which the Scripture will soone declare, make open, & manifest being by learned men well handled, & that may be aswel done in England in þ^e Vniuersities here, as at Rome or els where in any foreine nation, the authoritie wherof will compell any Iudge soone to come to a diffinitiue sentence: and therfore as I take it, you might this way haue made an end of this matter long sithens. When Doct. Cranmer had thus ended hys tale, MarginaliaD. Cranmers deuise well liked of.the other two well liked of his deuise, and wished that they had so proceded afore tyme, and thereupon cōceiued some matter of that deuise to instruct the king withall, who then was minded to send to Rome again for a new Commission.

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Now the next day whē the kyng remoued to Grenewich, lyke as hee tooke hymselfe not well handled by the Cardinalls in thus differryng his cause, so his mynde beyng vnquieted and desirous of an end of hys long & tedious sute,MarginaliaThe king troubled about the cause of his diuorce. he called to him this his ij. principall doers of his sayd cause, namely the said Doct. Stephens and Doct. Foxe, saying vnto them: What now my masters (quoth the kyng) shall we do in this infinite cause of mine? I see by it there must be a new Commission procured from Rome, and when we shall haue an ende God knoweth and not I. When þ^e kyng had sayd somewhat his mynde herein, the Almosiner Doctor Foxe sayd vnto the kyng agayne: we trust that there shalbe better wayes diuised for your Maiesty, then to make trauaile so farre as to Rome any more in your highnes cause, which by chaunce was put into our heades this other night beyng at Waltham. The kyng beyng very desirous to vnderstand his meanyng, sayd: Who hath taken in hand to instruct you by any better or shorter way to procede in our sayd cause? Then sayd Doct. Foxe: It chaunced vs to be lodged at Walthan in M. Cresseys house this other night, your hyghnes being there, where we mette with an old acquaintaūce of ours named Doct. Cranmer, with whom hauyng conference concerning your highnes cause, MarginaliaD. Cranmers deuise reported to the king.he thought that the next way were, first to instruct and quyet your Maiesties conscience by tryng your highnes question out by þ^e authoritie of þ^e word of God, & therupō to procede to a finall sentēce. With this report the Secretary was not content with þ^e Almosiner, for þ^t he dyd not vtter this deuise as of their owne inuention. MarginaliaNote the glorious head of D. Stephens.And when the Secretary would haue seemed by colorable wordes

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