apart) to take some paynes to see this my cause to bee futhered accordyng to your deuise, asmuch as it maie lye in you, so that I may shortly vnderstand wherunto I may trust. MarginaliaMarke this you Papistes, which so rashly iudge the kings diuorce, and the Popes ouerthrowe to haue sprong of light causes.For this I protest before GOD and the world, that I seke not to be deuorced fr? the Queene, if by any meanes I were iustly persuaded that our matrimony were inuiolable, and not against the Lawes of God: for otherwise there was neuer cause to moue me to seeke any such extremity. Neither there was euer Prince had a more gentler, a more obedient and louing companion and wife then the Queene is, nor I neuer fantised wom? in all respectes better, if this doubt had not risen: assuryng you that for the singular vertues wherewith she is indued, besides the consideration of her noble stocke, I could bee right well contented still to remaine with her, if so it would stande with the will and pleasure of almighty God. And thus greatly commendyng her manye and singular qualities, the Kyng said: I therefore praie you with an indifferent eye, and with asmuch dexerity as lieth in you, that you for your parte do handle the matter for the dischargyng of both our consciences.

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MarginaliaD. Cr?mer excusyng & disablyng hymselfe to the King.Doct. Cranmer muche disablyng himselfe to medle in so weightie a matter, besought the kinges highnes to committe the triall and examinyng of this matter by the word of god, vnto the best learned men of both his Vniuersities Cambridge and Oxforde. You say well, said the kyng, and I am content therwith. But yet neuertheles, I wil haue you specially to write your mind therin. And so callyng the Earle of Wiltshiere to him, said: I praie you my Lord, let Doctour Cranmer haue intertainement in your house at Durham place for a tyme, to the intent he may be there quiet to accomplishe my request, and let hym lacke neither bookes, ne anye thing requisite for his study. MarginaliaD. Cranmer assigned by the king to searche the Scriptures in the cause of his diuorce.And thus after the kings departure, Doctour Cranmer went with my Lorde of Wiltshiere vnto his house, where he incontin?t wrote his minde concernyng the kings question: adding to the same besides the authorities of Scriptures: of generall Councels, and of auncient writers: also his opinion whiche was this: Marginalia
The king first giuen to vnderstand that the Pope hath no authoritie to dispence with the woorde of God.
The kinges matter remoued from the Popes Canon law, to the trial of the Scriptures.that the Bishop of Rome had no suche authoritie, as whereby he might dispence with the word of God and the Scripture. When Doctour Cr?mer had made this booke, and committed it to the kyng, the king said to hym: will you abide by this, that you haue here writt? before the bishop of Rome? That will I doe, by Gods grace, quod Doctor Cranmer, if your Maiestie doe sende mee thether. Mary quod the kyng, I will send you euen to hym in a sure Ambasage.

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And thus by meanes of D. Cranmers handlyng of this matter wyth the Kyng, not onely certane learned men were sent abroade to the most part of the vniuersities in Christendome, to dispute the question, but also the same beyng by Commission disputed by the diuines in both the vniuersities of Cambridge and Oxforde, MarginaliaThe kinges mariage found by Gods word vnlawfull.it was there concluded that no suche matrimonie was by the word of God lawfull. MarginaliaDoctour Cranmer with other sent to Rome Ambassadour to the Pope.Whereupon a solemne ambassage  

was then prepared and sent to the Bishop of Rome then beyng at Bonony, wherin went the Earle of Wiltshiere, D. Cranmer, D. Stokesley, D. Carne. D. Benet, and diuers other learned men & gentlemen. And when the tyme came that they should come before the bishop of Rome to declare the cause of their ambassage, the Bishop sitting on high in his clothe of estate, and in his rich apparel, with his sandales on his feete, offryng as it were, his foote to be kissed of the Ambassadours, MarginaliaThe English Ambassadours not hasty too kisse the Popes foote.the Earle of Wiltshiere disdainyng thereat, stoode still and made no countenaunce thereunto, so that all the rest kept them selues from that Idolatry.

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Howbeit, one thing is not here to be omitted, as a prognosticate of our seperation from the sea of Rome, whiche then chaunced by a Spaniell of the Earle of Wiltshiere. For he hauing there a great spaniel which came out of England with him, stode directly betwene the Earle and the Bishop of Rome. When the said bishop had aduaunced forth his foote to bee kissed, MarginaliaThe vnmanerly nature of a Dogge presumyng to kisse the Popes fote.nowe whether the Spaniell perceaued the Bishops foote of an other nature then it ought to be, and so takyng it to be some kynde of repast, or whether it was the will of God to shewe some token by the Dog vnto the Bishop of his inordinate pride, that his feete were more meete to be bitten of Dogges, then kyssed of Christen men: the Spaniell (I say) when the Bishoppe extended his foote to bee kiste, no man regarding the same, straight waye (as though hee had beene of purpose appoincted thereunto) went directly to the Popes feete, and not

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onely kissed the same vnmanerly, but as some plainly reported and affirmed, tooke faste with his mouth the great Toe of the Pope, so that in hast he pulled in his glorious feete from the Spaniell. Whereat our men smilyng in their sleeues, what they thought, God knoweth. But in fine the p?tificall bishop after that sought no more at that present for kissyng of his feete, but without any further ceremony gaue eare to the Ambassadours, what they had to say.

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MarginaliaArguing to the Popes face, that contrary to the word of God he had no power to dispense.Who entryng there before the bishop, offered on the kinges behalfe to be defended, that no man Iure diuino coulde or ought to marry his brothers wife, and that the Bishop of Rome by no meanes ought to dispence to the contrary. Diuers promises were made, and sundry daies appointed, wherein the question should haue bene disputed, and when our part was readie to aunswere, no man there appeared to dispute in that behalf. So in the ende the Bishop makyng to our Ambassadours good countenaunce, MarginaliaDoctour Cranmer made the Popes Penitenciary.and gratifiyng D. Cranmer with the office of the Penitenciariship, dismissed them vndisputed withall.

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Wherupon the Earle of Wiltshire and other Commissioners, sauing D. Cranmer, returned home againe into England. MarginaliaDoctor Cranmer Ambassadour to the Emperour.And forthwith D Cranmer went to the Emperour beyng in his iourney towardes Vienna in expedition against the Turke, there to aunswere suche learned men of the Emperours counsaill, as would or could say any thing to the contrary part. MarginaliaConference betwene Bishop Cranmer and Cornelius Agrippa.Where amongest the rest at the same tyme, was Cornelius Agrippa an high officer in the Emperours court, who hauyng priuate conference with Doctour 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 the perswasion of Agrippa, all other learned menne there were muche discouraged: In so much that after Doct. Cranmer was returned into Englande, Agrippa fell into such displeasure with the Emperour, as some men thought, that because of the hinderyng and discouragyng so muche the contrary part, he was committed to prison, where he for sorrow ended his life, 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 concernyng the saide question, who verye ambiguouslye heretofore conceiuyng 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 concernyng the inualiditie of the bishop of Romes authoritie, Bishop Warrham then Archbishop of Canterbury departed this transitory life, wherby that dignity then beyng in the kynges gift and disposition, was immediatly giu? to Doctour Cranmer as worthy for his trauaile, of suche a promotion.MarginaliaDoctour Cranmer made Archbishop of Cant. Thus muche touchyng the preferment of D. Cranmer vnto his dignitie, and by what meanes he atchiued vnto the same: not by flattery, not by bribes, nor by none other vnlawfull meanes: whiche thing I haue more at large discoursed, to stop the railyng mouthes of suche, who being th?selues obscure and vnlearned, shame not so to detracte a learned man moste ignominiously with the surname of an Hostler, whom for his godly zeale vnto sincere religion they ought with much humilitie to haue had in regard and reputation.

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Now as concernyng his behauiour  

and trade of life towardes God and the world, beyng now entered into his said dignitie, and for so muche as the Apostle S. Paule writyng to two Bishops, Timothy and Titus,Marginalia1.Timoth. 3. Titus 1. setteth out vnto vs a perfect description of a true Bishop, with all the properties and conditions belonging to the same, vnto the whiche exemplar it shalbe hard in these straunge dayes to finde the Image of anye Bishop correspondent: yet for example sake let vs take this Archbishop of C?terbury, and trie hym by the rule thereof, to see either how nere he commeth to the description of Saint Paule, or els how farre of he swarueth from the common course of other in his tyme, of his calling. MarginaliaThe rule of a true Bishop.The rule of Saint Paule is to be found, first, 1. Timoth. 3. also in his Epistle to Titus. cap. 1. in these wordes.

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A Bishoppe muste be faultles, as becommeth the Minister of GOD: Not sturbburne, not angry, no drunkarde, no fighter, not geuen to filthy luker: but