MarginaliaAn. 1556. March.eyes fixed vpon CHRIST, can not greatly passe on this lyfe, knowyng that he may be sure to haue CHRIST stand by him, in the presence of his father in heauen.

MarginaliaThe Sacrament.And as touchyng the Sacramēt, I sayd: For as much as the whole matter standeth in the vnderstandyng of these wordes of CHRIST: This is my body: This is my bloud: I sayd that CHRIST in these wordes made demonstration of the bread and wyne, and spake figuratiuely, callyng bread his body, and wyne his bloud, because he ordained them to be Sacramentes of his body and bloud. MarginaliaA double errour of the Papistes in the wordes of the Sacramēt.And where the Papistes say in those two pointes contrary vnto me, that CHRIST called not bread his body, but a substaunce vncertaine, nor spake figuratiuely: Herein I sayd, I would be iudged by the old Church, and which doctrine could be proued the elder, that I would stand vnto.MarginaliaCranmer standeth to be iudged by the olde church. And forasmuch as I haue alledged in my booke many old authours, both Greekes and Latines, which about a thousand yeares after CHRIST continually taught as I do: if they could bryng forth but one old author, that sayth in these two points as they say, I offered vj. or vij. yeares ago, and do offer yet still, that I will geue place vnto them.

But when I bryng forth any author that saith in most playne termes, as I do, yet sayth the other parte, that the authors ment not so: as who should say, that the authors spake one thyng and ment cleane contrary. And vpon the other part when they can not find any one author, that sayth in wordes, as they say: yet say they, that the authours ment as they say. MarginaliaThe Papistes not able to bring forth one old author aboue a thousand yeares, to make with the sacrament.Now, whether I or they speake more to the purpose herein, I referre me to the iudgement of all indifferent heares: yea the old Church of Rome aboue a thousand yeares togethers, neither beleued nor vsed the Sacramēt, as the Church of Rome hath done of late yeares.

For in the begynnyng, the Church of Rome taught a pure and a sound doctrine of the Sacrament. But after that the Church of Rome fell into a new doctrine of transubstantiation: MarginaliaWith the substaunce the vse also chaunged of the Sacrament.with the doctrine they chaunged the vse of the Sacrament, contrary to that CHRIST commaunded, and the old Church of Rome vsed aboue a thousand yeares. And yet to deface the old, they say that the new is the old: wherin for my part I am content to stand to the triall. But their doctrine is so fonde and vncomfortable, that I maruaile that any mā would allowe it, if he knew what it is. But what soeuer they beare þ^e people in hand, that which they write in their bookes hath neither truth nor comfort.

MarginaliaThe Papistes make Christ two bodyes.MarginaliaNeither truth nor comfort in the Popes doctrine of the Sacrament.MarginaliaMarke the errours of the Papistes in their doctrine of the Sacrament.For by their doctrine, of one body of CHRIST is made two bodyes: one natural, hauing distaunce of members, with forme and proportion of mans perfite body, & this body is in heauen: but the body of CHRIST in the Sacrament, by their owne doctrine, must needes be a monstrous body, hauyng neither distaunce of members, nor forme, fashion or proportiō of a mans naturall body. And such a body is in the Sacramēt (teach they) and goeth in to the mouth with the forme of bread, and entreth no farther then the forme of bread goeth, nor tarieth no longer then the forme of bread is by naturall heat in digestyng: So that when the forme of bread is digested, that body of CHRIST is gone. And for asmuch as euill men be as long in digestyng as good men, the body of CHRIST (by their doctrine) entreth as farre, and tarieth as long in wicked men, as in godly men. And what comfort can be herein to any Christiā man, to receaue CHRISTES vnshapen body, and it to enter no farther then the stomacke, and to depart by and by, as soone as the bread is consumed?

MarginaliaThe Protestantes doctrine of the Sacrament more cōfortable, then the doctrine of the Papistes.It semeth to me a more sounde and comfortable doctrine, that CHRIST hath but one body, & that hath forme & fashion of a mās true body: which body spiritually entreth into þ^e whole mā, body & soule: and though þ^e sacramēt be cōsumed, yet whole CHRIST remaineth, & feedeth the receauer vnto eternal life, if he continue in godlines, and neuer departeth, vntil the receauer forsake him. And as for the wicked, they haue not CHRIST within them at all, who can not bee where Belial is. And this is my fayth, and (as me seemeth) a sound doctrine, according to Gods word, and sufficient for a Christian to beleue in that matter. And if it can be shewed vnto me, that the Popes authority is not preiudiciall to the things before mencioned, or that my doctrine in the sacrament is erroneous (which I thinke cannot be shewed) then I was neuer nor will be so peruerse, to stand wylfully in myne own opinion, but I shall wyth all humility submit my selfe vnto the Pope, not onely to kysse hys feete, but an other part also.

Another cause why I refused to take the Bishop of Glocester for my Iudge, was the respect of his own per-

son, being more then once periured: MarginaliaAn other respect, why the Archb. refused B. Brokes to be his iudge.Fyrst, for that he being diuers times sworne neuer to cōsent that the bishop of Rome should haue any iurisdictiō within this realme, but to take the king & his successours for supreme heads of this realme, as by Gods lawes they be: contrary to that lawfull oth, the sayd bishop sat then in iudgemēt by authoritie from Rome: wherein he was periured, and not worthy to sit as a Iudge.

MarginaliaDouble periury of B. Brokes.The second periury was, that he tooke his bishopricke both of the Quenes maiestie and of the Pope, making to ech of them a solemne oth: Which othes bee so contrary, that the one must needes be periured. And furthermore in swearyng to the Pope, to maintayne hys lawes, decrees, constitutions, ordinances, reseruations, and prouisions, he declareth him selfe an enemye to the imperiall crowne, & to þ^e lawes and state of this realme: wherebye hee declared him selfe not worthye to sit as a Iudge within this Realme. And for these considerations I refused to take him for my iudge.

This was written in an other letter to the Queene.  

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This letter was first printed during Mary's reign in The copy of certain letterssent to the quene... (Emden: 1556?), STC 5999. This letter was reprinted in every edition of the Acts and Monuments and in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 15-16. BL, Lansdowne 389, fos. 222v-223r and ECL 260, fo. 265v are copies of this letter.

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MarginaliaA peece of an other letter to þ^e Queene.I Learned by D. Martyn, that at the daye of your Maiesties coronation, you tooke an othe of obedience to the Pope of Rome, and the same tyme you tooke an other othe to this realme, to maintayne the lawes, liberties, and customes of the same. And if your maiesty did make an othe to the Pope, I thinke it was according to the other othes, which he vseth to minister to Princes: which is to be obedient to him, to defend his person, to mayntayne his authority, honour, lawes, landes, and priuilegies. MarginaliaContradictiō in þ^e Queenes othes, sworne both to the Realme, and to the pope in one day.And if it be so (which I know not, but by report) then I besech your Maiestye to looke vppon your oth made to the crowne & realme, & to expend & weigh the ij. othes together, to see how they do agree, & then to do as your graces conscience shall geue you: For I am surely perswaded, that willingly your maiesty wil not offēd, nor do against your conscience for nothing.

But I feare me that there be contradictions in your othes, and that those which shoulde haue informed your grace throughly, did not their duties therin. And if your Maiesty ponder the two othes diligently, I thinke you shall perceiue you were deceiued: and then your hyghnes may vse the matter as God shall put in your hart. Furthermore, I am kept here from company of learned men, from bookes, from counsail, from pen and inke, sauing at this tyme to write vnto your Maiesty: which all were necessary for a man being in my case. Wherefore I besech your Maiesty, that I may haue such of these as may stand wyth your Maiesties pleasure. And as for mine appearance at Rome, if your Maiesty wil geue me leaue, I wyll appeare there. And I trust that God shall put in my mouth to defēd his truth there, aswel as here. But I referre it wholy to your Maiesties pleasure.

¶ An other letter of the Archbishop to D. Martyn, and D. Story.  

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This letter is printed in every edition of the Acts and Monuments but not in Letters of the Martyrs. BL, Lansdowne 389, fo. 223r-v and ECL 260, fo. 265v are copies of this letter.

MarginaliaHis letter to Doctor Martyn, and Doct. Story.J Haue me commended vnto you. And as I promised, I haue sent my letters vnto the Quenes maiesty vnsigned: praying you to signe them and delyuer them with all speede. I might haue sent them by the Caryer sooner, but not surer. But hearing master Bailiffe say, that he would go to the court on Friday, I thought him a meete Messenger to send my letters by. For better is later and surer, then sooner and neuer to bee deliuered. Yet one thing I haue written to the Queenes maiestye inclosed and sealed: which I requyre you, may be so deliuered without delay, and not be opened vntill it be deliuered vnto her graces own hands. I haue written all that I remember I sayd, except that which I spake agaynst the bishop of Glocesters own person: which I thought not meete to write. And in some places I haue written more then I sayd, which I would haue aunswered to the bishop, if you would haue suffered me.

You promised I should see myne aunswer to the. xvj. articles, that I might correct, amend and chaunge them where I thought good, which your promise you kept not. And myne aunswer was not made vpon mine oth, not repeated nor made in Iudicio, but Extra iudicium,MarginaliaCranmers answers before B. Brokes extra iudiciall. as I protested: nor to the bishop of Glocester as Iudge, but to you the kings and Queenes Proctors. I trust you deale sincerely with me without fraud or craft, and vse me as you would wysh to bee vsed in lyke case your selues. Remember that, Qua mensura mensi fueritis, eadem remetietur vobis. i.  

Latin/Greek Translations     Close

Cranmer, citing St. Mark, 4. 24.

Foxe text Latin

Qua mensura mensi fueritis, eadem remetietur vobis.

Foxe text translation

What measure you meat, the same shall be measured to you agayne.

Actual text of St. Mark, 4. 24. (Vulgate)

[in] qua mensura mensi fueritis remetietur vobis [et adicietur vobis].

[Accurate citation.]