Marginalia1556. March.Wherupon the Earle of Wiltshiere and other Cōmissioners, sauing D. Cranmer, returned home againe into England. MarginaliaDoctor Cranmer ambassadour to the Emperour.And forthwith D Cranmer went to the Emperour beyng in hys iourney towardes Vienna in expedition agaynst the Turke, there to aunswer such learned mē of the Emperours counsail, as would or could say any thing to the contrary part. Where, amongest the rest at the same tyme, was Cornelius Aggrippa an hygh Officer in the Emperours court, MarginaliaConference betwene B. Cranmer & Cornelius Agrippa.who hauyng priuate conference with D. Cranmer in the question, was so fully resolued and satisfied in the matter, that afterwardes there was neuer disputation openly offered to D. Cranmer in that behalfe. For thorow þ^e perswasion of Aggrippa, all other learned men there were much discouraged: In so much that after D. Cranmer was returned into England, Aggrippa fell into such displeasure wyth the Emperour, as some men thought, that because of the hyndering and discouraging so much the contrary part, he was committed to pryson, where he for sorrow ended hys lyfe, as it was reported.  

In the meane space while the Emperour returned home from Vienna through Germany, D. Cranmer in that viage had conference with diuers learned men of Germany concerning the said questiō, who very ambiguously heretofore cōceiuing the cause, were fully resolued and satisfied by hym.

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This matter thus prosperyng on Doct. Cranmers behalfe, aswell touchyng the kynges question, as cōcernyng the inualiditie of the Byshop of Romes authoritie, Bishop Warrham then Archbishop of Canterbury departed this transitory life: MarginaliaDoctour Cranmer made Archbishop of Cant.wherby that dignitie then beyng in the kynges gift and disposition, was immediatly giuē to D. Cranmer as worthy for his trauaile, of such a promotion. Thus much touchyng þ^e preferment of Doct. Cranmer vnto his dignitie, & by what meanes he atchieued vnto þ^e same: not by flattery, not by bribes, nor by none other vnlawfull meanes: which thyng I haue more at large discoursed, to stoppe the raylyng mouthes of such, who beyng themselues obscure and vnlearned, shame not so to detract a learned man most ignominiously with the surname of an hostler, whō for his godly zeale vnto sincere religiō they ought with much humilitie to haue had in regard & reputatiō.

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Now as concerning his behauiour  

and trade of life towardes God and the world, beyng now entered into his sayd dignitie, and for somuch as the Apostle S. Paule writyng to ij. Bishops, Timoth. and Titus, Marginalia1. Timo. 3. Tit. 1.setteth out vnto vs a perfect description of a true Bishop, with all the properties and conditions belōgyng to the same, vnto the which exemplar it shalbe hard in these straunge dayes to find the image of any Bishop correspondent: yet for example sake let vs take this Archbyshop of Cant. and trye him by the rule therof, to see either how nere he commeth to the descriptiō of S. Paul, or els how farre of he swarueth froom the cōmon course of other in his tyme, of his callyng. MarginaliaThe rule of a true Bishop.The rule of S. Paul is to be found, first. I. Timot. 3. also in his Epistle to Titus. cap. 1. in these wordes.

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A Byshop must bee faultles, as becommeth þ^e Minister of God: Not stubburne, not angry, no drunkard, no fighter, not geuen to filthy luker: but harberous, one that loueth goodnes, sober minded, righteous, holy, temperate, and such as cleaueth vnto the true worde and doctrine, that he may be hable to exhort. &c.

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Vnto this rule and touchstone, to lay now the lyfe and conuersation of this Archbyshop, we will first begynne with that which is thus written: MarginaliaA minister must be fautles.A Byshop must bee fautles as becommeth the Minister of God. Lyke as no man is without sinne, and euery man caryeth with hym his especiall vice and fault: so yet neuertheles, the Apostle meaneth, that the Byshop and minister must be fautles in cōparison of the cōmon cōueration

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of mē of the world, which seeme more licētiously to liue at their owne liberties and pleasures, then the Byshop or Minister ought to do, hauyng small regard vnto good example giuyng: which a Byshop and Minister most carefully ought to consider, lest by his dissolute lyfe, the worde of God be sclaundered & euill spoken of. Which thyng to auoyd, and the better to accomplish this precept of the Apostle, this worthy man euermore gaue hym selfe to continuall study, not breakyng that order that he in the Vniursitie commonly vsed: MarginaliaThe order of D. Cranmers study.that is, by v. of the clocke in the mornyng at his booke and so consumyng that tyme in study and prayer vntill ix. of the clocke, he thē applied him selfe (if the Princes affaires did not cal him away) vntill dynner tyme, to heare suters, and to dispatch such matters as appertained vnto his speciall cure & charge, committing his temporall affaires both of his houshold and other foraine busines, vnto his Officers. So that such thynges were neuer impedimentes neither to his study nor to his pastorall charge, which principally consisted in reformation of corrupt Religion, & in setting forth of true and sincere doctrine. For the most part alwayes beyng in Commission, hee associated hym selfe with learned men for siftyng and boultyng out of one matter or other for the cōmoditie & profite of the Church of England. By meanes wherof, & what for his priuate study, he was neuer idle: besides that, he accōpted it an idle point to bestow one houre or twaine of the day in ouer reading such works & bookes as daily came frō beyond þ^e Seas.

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After dinner, if any suters were attendant, he would very diligētly heare them, and dispatch thē in such sort as euery man commended his lenitie and gentilnes, although the case required that some whiles diuers of them were committed by him to prison. And hauyng no suters after dynner, for an houre or therabout he would play at the Chestes, or behold such as could play. That done, thē agayn to his ordinary study, at þ^e which cōmonly he for þ^e most part stode, & seldome sat: & there cōtinuing vntill v. of the clocke, bestowed that houre in hearyng the cōmon prayer, and walking or vsing some honest pastyme vntill supper tyme. MarginaliaThe temperate dyet of D. Cranmer.At supper, if he had no appetite (as many times he wold not sup) yet would he sit down at þ^e table hauing his ordinary prouision of his messe furnished with expedient cōpany, he wearing on his hands his gloues, because he would (as it were) thereby weane himselfe from eating of meate: but yet keeping the company with such fruitfull talke as did repast and much delyght the hearers: so that by this meanes hospitalitie was well furnished, and the almes chest well mainteined for the reliefe of the poore. After supper hee woulde consume one houre at the least, in walking or some other honest pastyme: and then again vntill. ix. of the clocke, at one kynde of study or other: So that no houre of the day was spent in vayne, but the same was so bestowed as tended to the glory of God, the seruice of the Prince, or to the commodity of the Church. Which his well bestowing of his time procured to hym most happely a good report of all men, to be in respect of other mens conuersation faultles, as it became the minister of God.

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That a Byshop ought not to be stubburne.

Secondly it is requyred: that a Byshop ought not to bee stubburne. With which kind of vice without great wrong this Archbishop in no wise ought to be charged: whose nature was such, MarginaliaThe gentle nature of D. Cranmer.as none more gentle, or soner wonne to any honest sute or purpose, specially in such things wherin by his word, writing, counsel, or deede, he might gratify eyther any gentle or noble man, or do good to any meane person, or els relieue the needy and poore. Onely in causes pertayning to God or hys Prince, MarginaliaCranmer stout & constāt in Gods cause.no man more stoute, more constant, or more hard to be woonne: as in that part his earnest defence in the Parlament house aboue three dayes togther in disputing against the. vj. articles of Gardiners deuise,

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