Identifier: thomascranmereng02poll (find matches)
Title: Thomas Cranmer and the English reformation
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Pollard, A. F. (Albert Frederick), 1869-1948
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Publisher: Hamden, Conn., Archon Books
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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alidity of Henrys marriage withCatherine of Aragon. The oath would serve as auseful touchstone of allegiance to the verdict ofthe Pope or to that of the English Church. So,on 13 April, Fisher and More were called beforeCranmer and his colleagues at Lambeth. The formof the oath had not been prescribed by Parliament,but drawn up by the commissioners; and More,while willing to swear to the succession itself onthe ground that that was a matter within the com-petence of Parliament, objected to the oath andto the preamble of the Act because it contained adenial of Papal authority, which he maintained wasincompatible with his conscience. Fisher also re-fused, and Cranmer, who was generally on the side * Cranmer, Works^ ii., 271. * More, Works, p. 1528; Burnet, i., 256; Strype, Cranmer, i., 36- 38. 2 Mores objections to the legality of the oath prompted an Act ofParliament, passed the next session, declaring the form of oath pro-posed by the commissioners to be the one intended by Parliament.
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SIR THOMAS MORE. AFTER THE PAINTING By HOLBEIN 1535) The Royal Supremacy 8i of mercy, urged the King to accept the oath in theform in which they were willing to take it.* Hethought this would be a sufficient recognition ofHenrys authority, but the King discovered an im-plied assertion of that of the Pope. Cranmersmediation proved vain, and Fisher and More werecondemned to loss of goods and imprisonment forlife. With their subsequent execution on the chargeof maliciously trying to deprive the King of his titleof Supreme Head of the Church Cranmer had, for-tunately for his reputation, nothing to do. In the meantime Convocation, universities, andmonasteries were occupied in debating the questionwhether the Bishop of Rome had any more author-ity in England than any other foreign bishop. Inthe previous year preachers had been required toproclaim the superiority of General Councils toPopes, and it had been ordered that the Pope shouldbe officially styled plain Bishop of Rome. His au-thority

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