Marginalia1556. March.cina.  

All this while Cranmer was in no certaine assuraūce of his life, although the same was faithfully promised to him by the Doctours: but after that they had their purpose, the rest they committed to all aduenture, as became men of that Religion to do.

MarginaliaThe Queenes hart set against Cranmer.The Queene hauyng now gotten a tyme to reuēge her old grief, receaued his recantation very gladly: but of her purpose to put him to death, she would nothyng relent.  

MarginaliaCranmer in a miserable case.Now was Cranmers cause in a miserable takyng, who neither inwardly had any quietnes in his owne conscience, nor yet outwardly any helpe in hys aduersaries. Besides this, on the one side was prayse, on the other side scorne, on both sides daunger, so that neither he could dye honestly, nor yet vnhonestly lyue: And whereas he sought profite, he fell into double disprofite, that neither with good mē he could auoyd secret shame, not yet with euill mē the note of dissimulation.

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In the meane tyme while these thinges were a doyng (as I sayd) in the prison among the Doctours: MarginaliaThe Queene conferreth with Doct. Cole about Cranmers burning.the Queene takyng secrete counsell, how to dispatch Cranmer out of the way (who as yet knew nothing of her secret hate, and looked for nothyng lesse then death) appointed D. Cole, and secretly gaue him in cōmaundement, that agaynst the 21. of March, he should prepare a funerall Sermon for Cranmers burnyng, and so instructing hym orderly and diligently of her will & pleasure in that behalfe, sendeth him away.

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MarginaliaL. Williams of Tame, L. Shandoys, Syr Tho. Bryges, Syr Iohn Browne appoynted to be at Cranmers execution.Soone after, the Lord Williams of Tame, and the Lord Shandoys Sir Thomas Bridges and Sir Iohn Browne were sent for, with other worshipful men and Iustices, commaunded in the Queenes name, to be at Oxford at the same day, with their seruaūtes & retinue, lest Cranmers death should raise there any tumult.

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Cole the Doctour hauyng his lesson geuen hym before, and charged by her commaundement, returned to Oxford ready to play his part, who as the day of execution drew nere, euen the day before came into the prison to Cranmer, to try whether he abode in the Catholicke fayth wherein before he had left hym. To whom, when Cranmer had aunswered, that by Gods grace he would dayly be more confirmed in the Catholicke faith: Cole departing for that time, the next day folowyng repaired to the Archbishop agayne, geuyng no signfication as yet of his death that was prepared: And therefore in the mornyng, which was the 21. day of March appointed for Cranmers executiō, the said Cole cōmyng to hym asked, if he had any money. To whom when he aūswered that he had none, he deliuered to him 15. crownes to geue the poore to whom he would: and so exhortyng him so much as hee could to constancy in fayth, departed thence about his busines, as to hys Sermon appertained.

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By this partly, and other lyke arguments, the Archbishop began more and more to surmise what they went about. Then, because the day was not farre past, and the Lords and knightes that were loked for, were not yet come, there came to hym the spanish Fryer, witnes of hys recantation, bringing a paper wyth articles, which Cranmer should openly professe in hys recantation before the people, MarginaliaCranmer writeth & subscribeth the Articles with his owne hand.earnestly desyring that he would wryte the sayd instrument with the articles with his own hand, and signe it with his name: which whē he had done, the said Frier desired that he would wryte an other copy therof which should remaine with him, and that he did also.  

But yet the Archbyshop being not ignoraunt wherunto their secrete deuises tended, and thinking that the tyme was at hand, in which he could not longer dissemble the profession of his faith with CHRISTES people, hee put secretely in his bosome his prayer with his exhortatiō, writtē in an other paper, which he mynded to recite to þ^e people before he should make the last profession of his fayth, fearing lest if they had heard the confession of his fayth first, they would not afterward haue suffered hym to exhort the people.

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Soone after, about. ix. of the clocke, the Lord Willi-

ams, Sir Thomas Bridges, Sir Iohn Browne, and the other Iustices with certayne other noble men, that were sent of the Queenes counsell, came to Oxforde wyth a great trayne of wayting men. Also of the other multitude on euery syde (as is woont in such a matter) was made a great concourse and greater expectation. For first of all they that were of the Popes side, were in great hope that day to heare something of Cranmer that should stablish the vanity of their opinion: the other part which were endued w^t a better mynde, could not yet doubt, that he which by cōtinuall study and labour, for so many yeres had set forth the doctrine of the Gospell, either would or coulde nowe in the last Act of his lyfe forsake hys part. Briefly, as euery mans will enclyned, eyther to this part or to that, so according to the diuersitie of their desyres, euery man wished and hoped for. And yet because in an vncertayne thing the certaynty could be knowen of none what would be the end: all their mynds were hanging betwene hope and doubt. So that the greater the expectation was in so doubtfull a matter, the more was the multitude that were gathered thether to heare and behold.

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In thys so great frequence and expectation, Cranmer at length commeth from the prison Bocardo, vnto S. Maries church (because it was a foule and a rainy day) the chiefe church in the Vniuersity, in this order. The Mayor went before, next him the Aldermen in their place and degree: MarginaliaD. Cranmer brought to Doct. Coles Sermon.after them was Cranmer brought, betwene two Fryers, which mombling to and fro certayne Psalmes in the streets, aunswered one an other vntill they came to the Church doore, and there they began the song of Simeon, Nunc dimittis: and entring into the church, the Psalmesaying Friers brought him to his standing, and there left him. There was a stage set vp ouer agaynst the Pulpit, of a meane height from the ground, MarginaliaCranmer set vp vpon a stage.where Cranmer had his standing, waytyng vntyll Cole made hym ready to hys Sermon.

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The lamentable case and sight of that man gaue a sorowfull spectacle to all Christen eies that beheld him. He þ^t late was Archbishop, Metropolitane, & Primate of England, and the kynges priuy Counsellour, being now in a bare and ragged gowne, and ill fauoredly clothed, with an old square cap, exposed to þ^e contempt of all men, dyd admonishe men not onely of his owne calamity, but also of their state and fortune. For who would not pity his case, and bewayle his fortune, and might not feare his own chaunce, to see such a Prelate, so graue a Coūsellour, & of so long continued honour, after so many dignities, in hys old yeares to be depryued of hys estate, adiudged to dye, and in so paynfull a death to end hys lyfe, & now presently frō such fresh ornamentes, to descend to such vyle & ragged apparell?  

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In thys habite when hee had stoode agood space vppon the stage, turning to a piller neare adioining thereunto, hee lifted vp his handes to heauen, and prayed vnto God once or twise: till at the length Doctour Cole comming into the Pulpit, and beginnyng hys Sermon, entred first into mencion of Tobias and Zachary. Whō after that he had praised in the beginning of hys Sermon for their pereseuerance in þ^e true worshipping of God, he then deuyded hys whole Sermon into three partesMarginaliaDoct. Coles sermon duiuded into three partes. (according to the solemne custome of the scholes) entending to speake first of the mercy of God, secondly of hys iustice to be shewed: and last of all, how the Princes secretes are not to be opened. MarginaliaThe summe and effect of Doct. Coles Sermon at Oxford.And proceeding a little from the beginning, he toke occasion by and by to turne his tale to Cranmer, and wyth many hote wordes reproued hym, that once hee being endued wyth the fauour and feeling of holesome and catholicke doctrine, fell into the contrary opinion of pernicions errour, which he had not onely defended by writinges and all his power: but also allured other men to do the lyke, with great liberalitie of giftes, as it were, appoynting rewardes for errour:

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