Marginalia1556. March.of this Action or Session, with the Orations, discourses, and articles commenced agaynst the Archbishop of Cant. also with the reasons and answeres of the sayd Archbishop to their obiections and interrogatoryes. Touchyng which his aunsweares, for somuch as they being recited by report of a papist (as is aforesayd) seeme to be not indifferently handled,  

MarginaliaThe aunsweres of the Archb. not indifferently reported. it shall therefore not greatly be out of our matter, as ye haue heard the Orations of Bishop Brokes, with the reasons & talke of the other Commissioners, amplified and set forth at large on the one side, so now in repetyng the wordes and aunsweares of the other parte, to declare and set foorth somewhat more amply and effectually, what speach the said Archbishop vsed for hym selfe in the same Action, by the faythful relation and testimonie of certaine other, who were likewise there present, and doo thus reporte the effect of the Archbishops words, answering to the first Oration of bishop Brokes, in maner as foloweth.

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MarginaliaA more full aunswere of the Archb. to Bishop Brokes oration.MY Lord, you haue very learnedly and eloquently in your Oration put me in remembraunce of many thynges touchyng my selfe, wherein I doo not meane to spende the tyme in answearyng of them. I acknowledge Gods goodnes to me in all his gyftes, and thanke hym as hartily for this state wherein I finde my selfe nowe, as euer I dyd for the tyme of my prosperitie: and it is not the losse of my promotions that greeueth me. The greatest griefe I haue at this tyme, is, and one of the greatest that euer I had in all my lyfe, to see the Kyng and Queenes Maiesties by their Proctours here to become my accusers,MarginaliaQ. Mary accuseth the Archb. for taking her owne part against a forren powe. and that in their owne Realme and Countrey, before a forreyne power. If I haue transgressed the lawes of the Land, their maiesties haue sufficient authoritie and power both from God, and by the ordinaunce of the Realme to punishe me, whereunto I both haue and at all tymes shalbe content to submyt my selfe.

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MarginaliaThe lawes of the realme and of the pope are contrary.Alas, what hath the Pope to doo in Englande? whose iurisdiction is so farre different from the iurisdiction of this Realme, that it is impossible to be true to the one, and true to the other. The Lawes also are so diuers, that whosoeuer sweareth to both, must needes incurre periury in the one. Whiche as often as I remember, euen for the loue that I beare to her grace, I can not be but hartily sory to thinke vppon it, how that her highnes the day of her coronation, at which tyme shee tooke a solemne oth to obserue al the lawes and liberties of this Realme of England, at the same tyme also tooke an othe to the Bishop of Rome, and promised to mainteyne that See. The state of England being so repugnant to the supremacie of the Pope, it was impossible but shee must needes be forsworne in the one.MarginaliaNo man can be true both to the realme and to the Pope together. Wherin if her grace had bene faythfully aduertised by her Counsaile, then surely shee would neuer haue done it.

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MarginaliaThe contrarietie betwene the lawes of this realme, and of the pope discribed.The Lawes of this Realme are, that the kyng of England is the supreme and sole gouernour of al his countreys and dominions: and that he holdeth his crowne and Scepter of hym selfe, by the auncient lawes, customes, and descentes of the kynges of the Realme, and of none other. The Pope sayth that all Emperours and kynges holde their Crownes and Regalities of hym, and that he may depose them when he lyst: which is high treason for any man to affirme and thinke, being borne within the kynges dominions.

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The Lawes of Englande are, that all Bishoppes and Priestes offendyng in cases of Felonie or Treason, are to be iudged and tryed by the Lawes and Customes of the Realme. The Popes Lawes are, that the secular power can not iudge the spiritual power, and that they are not vnder their iurisdiction: whiche robbeth the kyng of the one part of his people.

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The Lawes also of Englande are, that whosoeuer hyndereth the execution or proceeding of the Lawes of England for any other forreine Lawes, Ecclesiastical or Temporall, incurreth the daunger of a Premunire. MarginaliaKinges and Princes can not vse their owne lawes in their dominions for the Pope.The Popes Lawes are, that who soeuer hyndereth the proceedynges or executions of his Lawes, for any other Lawes of any other kyng or countrey, both the Prince hym selfe, his Coūsayle, all his Officers, Scribes, Clerkes, and whosoeuer geue consent or ayde to the makyng or executyng of any such lawes, standeth accursed. A heauy case (if his curse were any thyng worth) that the Kyng and Queene can not vse their owne Lawes, but they and al theirs must stand accursed. MarginaliaCause why the Archb. would not admit the Pope.These thynges and many more examples he alledged, whiche (he sayde) styrred hym that he coulde not geue his consent to the receiuyng of such an enemie into the Realme, so subuertyng the dignitie & auncient liberties of the same.

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And as for the matter of Heresie and Schisme, wherwith he was charged, he protested and called GOD to

witnes, that he knewe none that he mainteyned. But if that were an heresie, to deny the Popes authoritie, and the Religion whiche the See of Rome hath published to the worlde these latter yeares, then all the auncient Fathers of the Primitiue Churche, the Apostles, and Christe hym selfe taught heresie: and he desired all them present to beare hym witnesse, MarginaliaThe Popes religion most erroneous.that he tooke the traditions and Religion of that vsurpyng Prelate to be moste erroneous, false, and against the doctrine of the whole Scripture: which he had oftentymes well proued by writyng, and the Authour of þ^e same be to very Antichrist, MarginaliaAll markes of Antichrist most concurre in the Pope.so often preached of by the Apostles and Prophetes, in whom dyd most euidently concurre al signes and tokens whereby he was paynted to the world to be knowen.

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For it was moste euident that he had aduaunced hym selfe aboue all Emperours and kinges of the world, whom he affirmeth to hold their states and Empires of hym, as of their chiefe, and to be at his commaundement to depose and erect at his good wyl and pleasure: MarginaliaThe Popes pride and intollerable tyranny.and that the stories make mention of his intollerable and insolent pride and tyrannie, vsed ouer them in suche sort, as no kyng woulde haue vsed to his Christian subiectes, nor yet a good maister to his seruaunts, MarginaliaOf this treading of the Emperours necke, read before pag. 207.settyng his feete in the Emperours necke, affirmyng þ^t to be verified in hym, which was spoken only of our Saueour Iesus Christ, in these wordes: Super Aspidem & Basiliscum ambulabis, & conculcabis Leonem & Draconē.  

Other some he had made to hold his styrrops: others he had displaced and remoued from their Empires and seates royal: and not content herewithal, more insolent then Lucifer, hath occupyed not only the highest place in this world, aboue Kinges and Princes,MarginaliaMarkes of Antichrist. but hath further presumed to sit in þ^e seate of almighty God, which only he reserued to him selfe, whiche is the conscience of man: and for to keepe the possession thereof, he hath promised forgeuenes of sinnes totiens quotiens.

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He hath brought in Gods of his owne framyng, and inuented a newe Religion, ful of gaine and lucre, quite contrary to the doctrine of the holy Scripture, onely for the mainteynyng of his kingdome, displacing Christ from his glory, and holdyng his people in a miserable seruitude of blyndenes, to the losse of a great number of soules, which God at the latter day shal exact at his hand: boastyng many tymes in his Canons and Decrees, MarginaliaThe Pope dispenseth agaynst the new and the olde Testament.that he can dispense Contra Petrum, contra Paulum, contra vetus & nouum Testamentum:  

and that he, Plenitudine potestatis, tantū potest quantum Deus. That is, Against Peter, againste Paul, againste the olde and newe Testament: and of the fulnes of power may do as muche as God. O Lord, who euer hearde suche blasphemie? MarginaliaIf any can go before the Pope in pride, let him be called Antichrist.If there be any man that can aduaunce hym selfe aboue hym, let hym be iudged Antichrist.

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This enemie of GOD and of our Redemption, is so euidently paynted out in the Scriptures by suche manifest signes and tokens, whiche all so clearely appeare in hym, that excepte a man wyll shut vp his eyes and hart agaynst the lyght, he can not but knowe hym: and therefore for my parte, I wyll neuer geue my consent to the receyuyng of hym into this Churche of Englande. And you my Lorde, and the rest that sit here in Commission, consider well and examine your owne consciences: you haue sworne agaynste hym, you are learned, & can iudge of the truth. I pray God you be not wilfully blynde. As for me, I haue herein discharged myne owne conscience towarde the worlde, and I wyll write also my mynde to her grace touchyng this matter. The copie of whiche letter sent to the Queene, ye shall finde after in the end of his story.

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While he in this sorte made his aunsweare, ye hearde before howe Doctour Storye and Martin diuers tymes interrupted hym with blasphemous talke, and woulde fayne haue had the Bishop of Glocester to put hym to silence: who notwithstandyng dyd not, but suffered hym to ende his tale at full. After this ye heard also howe they proceeded to examine hym of diuers articles, whereof the chiefe was: That at the tyme of his creatyng Archbish. of Canterbury, he was sworne to the Pope, and had his institutiō and induction from hym, and promised to mainteyn then the authoritie of that See: and therfore was periured: wherefore he should rather sticke to his first othe, and returne to his old folde agayne, then to continue obstinately in an othe forced in the tyme of schisme.

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MarginaliaHis answeres to their Articles.To that he aunsweared, sauyng his protestation, (whiche terme he vsed before all his aunsweares) that at such tyme as Archb. Warrham dyed, he was Embassador in Germanie for the king, who sent for hym therupō home, & hauyng intelligēce by some of his frendes (who wer neare about the kyng) how he meant to bestow the same Bishoprike vpon hym, MarginaliaHow Cranmer was made Archb. agaynst his will.and therefore counselled hym in that case to make haste home, he feelyng in hym selfe a greate inhabilitie to suche a promotion, and very sory to leaue his study,

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