MarginaliaAn. 1556. March.and after he had allured them, by all meanes did cherish them.

It were to long to repete all thinges, that in long order were then pronounced. The summe of this tripartite declamatiō was, that he sayd Gods mercy was so tempered with hys iustice, that he did not altogether requyre punishment accordyng to the merites of offenders, nor yet sometymes suffred the same altogether to goe vnpunished, yea though they had repented. As in Dauid, who when hee was bidden chuse of three kyndes of punishment which he would, and hee had chosen pestilence for three daies: the Lord forgaue him halfe the time, but did not release all: MarginaliaIf Cole gaue this iudgemēt vpō Cranmer when he had repēted, what iudgement is then to be geuē of Cole which alwayes hath perdured in errour, and neuer yet repented.And that the same thing came to passe in him also, to whom although pardon and reconciliation was due according to the Canons, seing he repented from his errors: yet ther were causes why the Queene and the Counsell at this tyme iudged hym to death: of which, lest he should maruell to much, he should heare some.

[Back to Top]

First, that being a traitour, he had dissolued the lawfull matrimony betwene the kyng her father and mother: besides the driuing out of the Popes authoritye, whyle he was Metropolitane.

MarginaliaIf all heretikes in England should be burned, where shoulde Doctour Cole haue bene ere now.Secondly, that he had bene an hereticke, from whō as from an authour and onely fountayne, all hereticall doctrine and schismaticall opinions that so many yeres haue preuayled in England, dyd first ryse and spryng: of which he had not bene a secrete fauourer onely, but also a most earnest defender euen to the end of his life, sowing them abroad by writings and arguments, priuately and openly, not wythout great ruine and decay of the catholicke church.

[Back to Top]

And further, it seemed meete, according to the law of equality,MarginaliaLex nō æqualitatis, sed iniquitatis. that as the death of the Duke of Northumberland of late, made euen with Thomas More Chaūcellour that dyed for the church, so there shoulde be one that should make euen with Fisher of Rochester: and because that Ridley, Hoper, Ferrar, were not able to make euen with that man, it seemed meete, that Cranmer should bee ioyned to them to fill vp thys part of equalitye.

[Back to Top]

Beside these, there were other iust and weightye causes, which seemed to the Queene and the Counsell, which was not meete at that tyme to be opened to the common people.

After thys, turning hys tale to the hearers, he bad al men beware by thys mans example, that among men nothing is so high,MarginaliaNo state in this earth so hye nor so suer, but it may fall. that can promise it selfe safetye on the earth, and that Gods vengeaunce is equally stretched agaynst all men, and spareth none: therfore they should beware and learne to feare their Prince. And seing the Queenes maiesty would not spare so notable a man as this, much lesse in the lyke cause shee woulde spare other men, that no man shoulde thinke to make thereby any defence of hys errour, eyther in riches or any kynde of authority. They had now an example to teach them all, by whose calamitie euerye man myght consider hys own fortune: who from the top of dignitie, none beyng more honorable then hee in the whole realme, and next the kyng, was fallen into so great misery, as they might now see, being a man of so high degree, somtime one of the chiefest Prelats in the church and an Archbishop, the chiefe of the Coūsell, the second person in the realme of long tyme, a man thought in greatest assurance, hauing a kyng on hys side: notwithstanding all hys authoritye and defence to bee debased from high estate, to a low degree, of a Counsellour to become a caitiffe, and to be set in so wretched a state, that the poorest wretch woulde not chaunge condition wyth hym: briefly so heaped with misery on all sides, that neyther was left in hym any hope of better fortune, nor place for worse.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaDoct. Cole encourageth the Archb. to take hys death patiently.The latter part of hys sermon  

hee conuerted to the Archbishop: whō he comforted and encouraged to take hys death well, by many places of scripture, as wyth

these and such lyke: bidding him not mistrust, but he should incōtinently receiue that þ^e theefe dyd, to whom CHRIST sayd: Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso. i.  

This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. And out of S. Paule he armed hym agaynst the terrour of the fire, by this: Dominus fidelis est, non sinet vos tentari vltra quàm ferre potestis. i.  

Latin/Greek Translations     Close

Cole, citing I Corinthians, 10. (9.) 13.

Foxe text Latin

Dominus fidelis est, non sinet vos tentari vltra quam ferre potestis.

Foxe text translation

The Lord is faithfull which wyll not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength.

Actual text of I Corinthians 10. (9.) 13. (Vulgate)

fidelis autem Deus qui non patietur vos temptari super id quod potestis.

[Here Cole (or Foxe) is either using a Latin bible other than the Vulgate or is translating directly into Latin from the Greek text.]

Marginalia1. Cor. 10.The Lord is faithfull which wyll not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength, by the example of the three children, to whom God made the flame to seeme like a pleasant dew, adding also þ^e reioysing of S. Andrew in hys crosse, the pacience of S. Laurence on the fire, assuring him, that God, if hee called on hym, and to such as dye in hys fayth, either would abate the fury of the flame, or geue hym strength to abyde it.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaDoct. Cole reioyseth in the Archbishops conuersion, but that reioysing lasted not long.He glorified God much in his conuersion, because it appeared to be onely hys worke, declaring what trauel and conference had bene wyth him to conuert him, and all preuayled not tyll that it pleased God of hys mercy to reclaime hym, and call hym home. In discoursing of which place, he much commended Cranmer, and qualified hys former doinges, thus tempering hys iudgement and talke of hym, that whyle the tyme (sayd he) he flowed in riches and honour, he was vnworthy of hys lyfe: and now that he might not liue, he was vnworthy of death. But lest he should cary with him no cōfort, he would diligently labour (he sayd) & also he did promise in þ^e name of all þ^e Priestes that were present, MarginaliaDiriges and Masses promised for Cranmers soule.that immediately after hys death, there should bee Diriges, Masses, and funerals executed for hym in all the churches of Oxford for the succour of hys soule.

[Back to Top]

Cranmer in all this meane tyme  

with what great grief of minde he stoode hearing this sermō, þ^e outward shewes of his body & countenaunce did better expresse, then any mā cā declare: one while lifting vp his hands and eyes vnto heauen, and then agayne for shame letting them down to the earth. A man might haue seene the very image and shape of perfite sorrowe lyuely in hym expressed. More then twenty seuerall tymes the teares gushed out aboundantly,MarginaliaThe teares of the Archb. dropped downe marueilously from hys fatherly face. They which wer present doe testify, that they neuer saw in any childe more teares, then brast out from hym at that tyme, al the sermon whyle: but specially when he recited hys prayer before the people. It is marueilous what commiseration and pity moued all mens harts, that beheld so heauy a countenaunce and such aboundance of teares in an old man of so reuerend dignity.

[Back to Top]

Cole after he had ended his sermon, called backe the people that were ready to depart, to prayers. Brethren (sayd hee) lest any man should doubt of this mans earnest conuersion and repentaunce, you shall heare hym speake before you, MarginaliaCranmer required to declare his fayth.and therefore I pray you Master Cranmer, that you wyll now performe that you promised not long ago, namely that you would openly expresse the true and vndoubted profession of your fayth, that you may take away all suspicion from men, and that all men may vnderstand that you are a catholicke in deede. MarginaliaCranmer willing to declare his fayth.I wyll do it (sayd the Archbishop) and wyth a good wyll: who by and by rising vp, and putting of his cap, began to speake thus vnto the people.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe wordes of the Archb. to the people.I desire you welbeloued brethren in the Lord, that you will pray to God for me, to forgeue me my sinnes, which aboue all men both in number and greatnes, I haue committed: but among all the rest, there is one offence which of all at this tyme doth vexe and trouble me, wherof in processe of my talke you shall heare more in his proper place, and then puttyng his hand into his bosome, he drew forth hys Prayer, which he recited to the people in this sense.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe prayer of the Archb.GOod Christen people, my dearely beloued brethren & sisters in CHRIST, I besech you most hartely to