History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century Volume V Part 62

[1084] Du Bellay to Montmorency. Le Grand, Preuves, p. 378, 380.

While Henry was preparing to attack the Roman church in the papal supremacy, the commons were getting ready to war against the numerous abuses with which it had covered England. "Some even thought," says Tyndale, "that this a.s.sembly would reform the church, and that the golden age would come again."[1085] But it was not from acts of parliament that the Reformation was destined to proceed, but solely from the word of G.o.d. And yet the commons, without touching upon doctrine, were going to do their duty manfully in things within the province, and the parliament of 1529 may be regarded (Lord Herbert of Cherbury observes) as the first protestant parliament of England.[1086] "The bishops require excessive fines for the probates of wills," said Tyndale's old friend, Sir Henry Guilford. "As testamentary executor to Sir William Compton I had to pay a thousand marks sterling."--"The spiritual men," said another member, "would rather see the poor orphans die of hunger than give them the lean cow, the only thing their father left them."[1087]--"Priests," said another, "have farms, tanneries, and warehouses, all over the country.

In short, the clerks take everything from their flocks, and not only give them nothing, but even deny them the word of G.o.d."

[1085] Works, i. p. 481.

[1086] It was the first step, a great and bold sally towards that Reformation. Herbert, p. 320.

[1087] Rather than give to them the silly cow, if he had but only one.

Foxe, iv. p. 611.

The clergy were in utter consternation. The power of the nation seemed to awaken in this parliament for the sole purpose of attacking the power of the priest. It was important to ward off these blows. The convocation of the province of Canterbury, a.s.sembling at Westminster on the 5th of November, thought it their duty, in self-defence, to reform the most crying abuses. It was therefore decreed, on the 12th of November, that the priests should no longer keep shops or taverns, play at dice or other forbidden games, pa.s.s the night in suspected places, be present at disreputable shows,[1088] go about with sporting dogs, or with hawks, falcons, or other birds of prey, on their fist;[1089] or, finally, hold suspicious intercourse with women.[1090]

Penalties were denounced against these various disorders; they were doubled in case of adultery; and still further increased in the case of more abominable impurities.[1091] Such were the laws rendered necessary by the manners of the clergy.

[1088] Quod non exerceant tabernas, nec ludant taxillis vel aliis ludis prohibitis; quod non pernoctent in locis suspectis quod non intersint inhonestis spectaculis, etc. Convocatio praelatorum. Wilkins, Concilia, iii. p. 717.

[1089] Canes venaticos loris ducere ac accipitres manibus. Ibid, p.

723.

[1090] Mulierum colloquia suspecta nullatenus habeant. Ibid. p. 722.

[1091] Et in caeteris carnis spurcitiis pna crescat. Ibid. p. 721.

[Sidenote: THREE BILLS OF REFORM.]

These measures did not satisfy the commons. Three bills were introduced having reference to the fees on the probate of wills, mortuaries, pluralities, non-residence, and the exercise of secular professions. "The destruction of the church is aimed at," exclaimed Bishop Fisher, when these bills were carried to the lords, "and if the church falls, the glory of the kingdom will perish. Lutheranism is making great progress amongst us, and the savage cry that has already echoed in Bohemia, _Down with the church_, is now uttered by the commons.... How does that come about? Solely from want of faith.--My lords, save your country! save the church!" Sir Thomas Audley, the speaker, with a deputation of thirty members, immediately went to Whitehall. "Sir," they said to the king, "we are accused of being without faith, and of being almost as bad as the _Turks_. We demand an apology for such offensive language." Fisher pretended that he only meant to speak of the _Bohemians_; and the commons, by no means satisfied, zealously went on with their reforms.

These the king was resolved to concede; but he determined to take advantage of them to present a bill making over to him all the money borrowed of his subjects. John Pet.i.t, one of the members for the city, boldly opposed this demand. "I do not know other persons' affairs," he said, "and I cannot give what does not belong to me. But as regards myself personally, I give without reserve all that I have lent the king." The royal bill pa.s.sed, and the satisfied Henry gave his consent to the bills of the commons. Every dispensation coming from Rome, which might be contrary to the statutes, was strictly forbidden. The bishops exclaimed that the commons were becoming schismatical; disturbances were excited by certain priests; but the clerical agitators were punished, and the people, when they heard of it, were delighted beyond measure.

CHAPTER XV.

The last hour--More's Fanaticism--Debates in Convocation--Royal Proclamation--The Bishop of Norwich--Sentences condemned--Latimer's Opposition--The New Testament burnt--The Persecution begins--Hitton--Bayfield--Tonstall and Packington--Bayfield arrested--The Rector Patmore--Lollards' Tower--Tyndale and Patmore--a Musician--Freese the Painter--Placards and Martyrdom of Bennet--Thomas More and John Pet.i.t--Bilney.

The moment when Henry aimed his first blows at Rome was also that in which he began to shed the blood of the disciples of the gospel.

Although ready to throw off the authority of the pope, he would not recognise the authority of Christ: obedience to the Scriptures is, however, the very soul of the Reformation.

[Sidenote: JOY OF THE BELIEVERS.]

The king's contest with Rome had filled the friends of Scripture with hope. The artisans and tradesmen, particularly those who lived near the sea, were almost wholly won over to the gospel. "The king is one of us," they used to boast; "he wishes his subjects to read the New Testament. Our faith, which is the true one, will circulate through the kingdom, and by Michaelmas next those who believe as we do will be more numerous than those of a contrary opinion. We are ready, if needs be; to die in the struggle."[1092] This was indeed to be the fate of many.

[1092] The bishop of Norwich to Primate Warham, 14th May 1530, Cotton MSS. Cleopatra. E. v. folio 360; Bible Annals. i. p. 256.

[Sidenote: ALARM OF THE CLERGY--THE BISHOP'S DEMAND.]

Language such as this aroused the clergy: "The last hour has come,"

said Stokesley, who had been raised to the See of London after Tonstall's translation to Durham; "if we would not have Luther's heresy pervade the whole of England, we must hasten to throw it in the sea." Henry was fully disposed to do so; but as he was not on very good terms with the clergy, a man was wanted to serve as mediator between him and the bishops. He was soon found.

Sir Thomas More's n.o.ble understanding was then pa.s.sing from ascetic practices to fanaticism, and the humanist turning into an inquisitor.

In his opinion, the burning of heretics was just and necessary.[1093]

He has even been reproached with binding evangelical Christians to a tree in his garden, which he called "the tree of truth," and of having flogged them with his own hand.[1094] More has declared that he never gave "stripe nor stroke, nor so much as a fillip on the forehead," to any of his religious adversaries;[1095] and we willingly credit his denial. All must be pleased to think that if the author of the _Utopia_ was a severe judge, the hand which held one of the most famous pens of the sixteenth century never discharged the duties of an executioner.

[1093] More's Works; A Dialogue concerning Heresies, p. 274.

[1094] Strype's Mem. vol. i. p. 315; Foxe, iv. p. 638.

[1095] Apology. ch. x.x.xvi, p. 901, 904.

The bishops led the attack. "We must clear the Lord's field of the thorns which choke it," said the archbishop of Canterbury to Convocation on the 29th of November 1529; immediately after which the bishop of Bath read to his colleagues the list of books that he desired to have condemned. There were a number of works by Tyndale, Luther, Melancthon, Zwingle, colampadius, Pomera.n.u.s, Brentius, Bucer, Jonas, Francis Lambert, Fryth, and Fish.[1096] The Bible in particular was set down. "It is impossible to translate the Scripture into English," said one of the prelates.[1097]--"It is not lawful for the laity to read it in their mother tongue," said another.--"If you tolerate the Bible," added a third, "you will make us all heretics."--"By circulating the Scriptures," exclaimed several, "you will raise up the nation against the king." Sir T. More laid the bishops' pet.i.tion before the king, and some time after, Henry gave orders by proclamation, that "no one should preach, or write any book, or keep any school without his bishop's license;--that no one should keep any heretical book in his house;--that the bishops should detain the offenders in prison at their discretion, and then proceed to the execution of the guilty;--and, finally, that the chancellor, the justices of the peace, and other magistrates, should aid and a.s.sist the bishops."[1098] Such was the cruel proclamation of Henry VIII, "the _father_ of the English Reformation."

[1096] See the catalogue in Wilkins, Concilia, p. 713 to 720. Wilkins is of opinion (p. 717, note) that this doc.u.ment belongs to the year 1529. There are, however, some portions of these statuta which have evident reference to the year following.

[1097] Tyndale's Works, i, p. 1.

[1098] Foxe, iv. pp. 677, 678.

The clergy were not yet satisfied. The blind and octogenarian bishop of Norwich, being more ardent than the youngest of his priests, recommenced his complaints. "My diocese is _acc.u.mbered_ with such as read the Bible," said he to the archbishop of Canterbury, "and there is not a clerk from Cambridge but _savoureth of the frying-pan_. If this continues any time, they will undo us all. We must have greater authority to punish them than we have."

Consequently, on the 24th of May 1530, More, Warham, Tonstall, and Gardiner, having been admitted into St. Edward's chamber at Westminster, to make a report to the king concerning heresy, they proposed forbidding, in the most positive manner, the New Testament and certain other books in which the following doctrines were taught: "That Christ has shed his blood for our iniquities, as a sacrifice to the Father.--Faith only doth justify us.--Faith without good works is no little or weak faith, it is no faith.--Labouring in good works to come to heaven, thou dost shame Christ's blood."[1099]

[1099] Wilkins, Concilia, iii. pp. 728-731.

[Sidenote: LATIMER SEEKS CHRIST'S VOICE.]

Whilst nearly every one in the audience-chamber supported the prayer of the pet.i.tion, there were three or four doctors who kept silence. At last one of them, it was Latimer, opposed the proposition. Bilney's friend was more decided than ever to listen to no other voice than G.o.d's. "Christ's sheep hear no man's voice but Christ's," he answered Dr. Redman, who had called upon him to submit to the church; "trouble me no more from the talking with the Lord my G.o.d."[1100] The church, in Latimer's opinion, presumed to set up its own voice in the place of Christ's, and the Reformation did the contrary; this was his abridgement of the controversy. Being called upon to preach during Christmas tide, he had censured his hearers because they celebrated that festival by playing at cards, like mere worldlings, and then proceeded to lay before their eyes Christ's _cards_, that is to say, his laws.[1101] Being placed on the Cambridge commission to examine into the question of the king's marriage, he had conciliated the esteem of Henry's deputy, Doctor b.u.t.ts, the court physician, who had presented him to his master, by whose orders he preached at Windsor.

[1100] Latimer's Remains, p. 297.

[1101] Latimer's Sermons p. 8.

Henry felt disposed at first to yield something to Latimer. "Many of my subjects," said he to the prelates a.s.sembled in St. Edward's hall, "think that it is my duty to cause the Scriptures to be translated and given to the people." The discussion immediately began between the two parties;[1102] and Latimer concluded by asking "that the Bible should be permitted to circulate freely in English."[1103]--"But the most part overcame the better," he tells us.[1104] Henry declared that the teaching of the priests was sufficient for the people, and was content to add, "that he would give the Bible to his subjects when they renounced the arrogant pretension of interpreting it according to their own fancies."--"Shun these books," cried the priests from the pulpit, "detest them, keep them not in your hands, deliver them up to your superiors.[1105] Or, if you do not, your prince, who has received from G.o.d the sword of justice, will use it to punish you." Rome had every reason to be satisfied with Henry VIII. Tonstall, who still kept under lock and key the Testaments purchased at Antwerp through Packington's a.s.sistance, had them carried to St. Paul's Churchyard, where they were publicly burnt. The spectators retired shaking the head, and saying: "The teaching of the priests and of Scriptures must be in contradiction to each other, since the priests destroy them."

Latimer did more: "You have promised us the word of G.o.d," he wrote courageously to the king, "perform your promise now rather than to-morrow! The day is at hand when you shall give an account of your office, and of the blood that hath been shed with your sword."[1106]

Latimer well knew that by such language he hazarded his life; but that he was ready to sacrifice, as he tells us himself.[1107]

[1102] Wilkins, Concilia, iii. p. 736.

[1103] Latimer's Remains, p. 305.

[1104] Ibid.

[1105] Wilkins, Concilia, iii. p.736.

[1106] Latimer's Remains, p. 308.

[1107] I had rather suffer extreme punishment. Ibid. p. 298.