VIII.

A. D.

to all manner of people of the whole world for evermore. In which doubtless Henry both the voice of nature and God's commandment agreeing in one, have forbidden that which is contrary and diverse from the one and from the other. And amongst these, since there is commandment that a man shall not marry 1534. his brother's wife, what could the king's excellent majesty do, otherwise than he did, by the whole consent of the people, and judgment of his church; that is, to be divorced from unlawful marriage, and use lawful and permitted copulation? and obeying (as meet it was) conformably unto the commandment, cast off her, whom neither law nor right permitted him to retain, and take him to chaste and lawful marriage? Wherein although the sentence of God's word (whereunto all things ought to stoop) might have sufficed, yet his majesty was content to have the assisting consents of the most notable grave men, and the censures of the most famous universities of the whole world; and all to the intent that men should see he did both what he might do, and ought to do uprightly; seeing the best learned and most worthy men have subscribed unto it; showing therein such obedience as God's word requireth of every good and godly man; so as it may be said, that both he obeyed God, and obeyed him truly of which obedience, forasmuch as I am purposed to speak, I could not pass this thing over with silence, whereof occasion so commodiously was offered me to speak.

a Luther.

an, in his

Moreover, the said Gardiner, in the beforenamed book "De vera Gardiner, Obedientia," what constancy he pretendeth, what arguments he inferreth, how earnestly and pithily he disputeth on the king's side, book De against the usurped state of the bishop of Rome's authority, by the dientia. words of his book it may appear: whereof a brief collection here followeth.

Reasons of Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, against the Pope's

Supremacy.

the

In the process of his aforesaid book, he, alleging the old distinction of the The papists, wherein they give to the prince the regiment of things temporal, and sword of to the church that of things spiritual, comparing the one to the greater light, church, the other to the lesser light, he confuteth and derideth the same distinction, how far it declaring the sword of the church to extend no further than to teaching and extendexcommunication, and referreth all pre-eminence to the sword of the prince; alleging for this the second Psalm And now you kings be wise, and be learned ye that judge the earth,' &c.

1

·

Also the example of Solomon, who, being a king according to his father's appointment, ordained the offices of the priests in their ministries, and Levites in their order, that they might give thanks, and minister before the priests, after the order of every day, and porters in their divisions, gate by gate."

And speaking more of the said Solomon, he saith: For so commanded the man of God; neither did the priests nor Levites omit any thing of all that he had commanded,' &c.3

Beside this, he allegeth also the example of king Hezekiah. He allegeth moreover the example and fact of Justinian, who made laws touching the faith, bishops, clerks, heretics, and such others.

Aaron (saith he) obeyed Moses: Solomon gave sentence upon Abiathar the high priest.

Alexander the king, in the Maccabees, writeth thus to Jonathan: 'Now we have made thee this day the high-priest of thy people,' &c. So did Demetrius to Simon.

Then, coming to the words of Christ spoken to Peter, 'Thou art Peter,' &c. upon which words the pope pretendeth to build all his authority: To this he answereth, that if Christ, by those words, had limited to Peter any such special state or pre-eminency above all princes, then were it not true that is written, Capit Jesus docere et facere; forasmuch as the words of Christ should then (2) 2 Kings xxviii. (3) Exod. xxxii. (4) I Kings xxii. (6) 1 Mac. xiv. (7) Matt. xvi.

(1, P. ii.

(5) 1 Mac. x.

eth.

Henry be contrary to his own facts and example, who, in all his life, never either VIII. usurped to himself any such domination above princes (showing himself rather A. D. subject unto princes), nor yet did ever permit in his apostles any such example of ambition to be seen; but rather rebuked them for seeking any manner of majority amongst them.

1534.

The

king's

title ap

Gardiner.

And where he reasoneth of the king's style and title, being called king of style and England and of France, defender of the faith, lord of Ireland, and supreme head in earth of the church of England immediately under Christ, &c., thus proved by he addeth his mind and censure, saying, that he seeth no cause in this title, why any man should be offended, that the king is called head of the church of England, rather than of the realm of England; and addeth his reason thereunto saying, 'If the prince and king of England be the head of his kingdom, that is, of all Englishmen that be his subjects, is there any cause why the same English subjects should not be subject to the same head likewise in this respect, because they are christians; that is to say, for the title of godliness? as though that God, who is the cause of all obedience, should now be the cause of rebellion?'

The king

the head

of the

At length thus he concludeth with an exclamation saying, 'To say,' saith he, 'that a king is the head of the kingdom, and not of the church, what an absurd and a foolish saying is this!'

And further, adding further for example the subjection of the servant and is as well wife: If the servant,' saith he, 'be subject to his master, or wife to her husband, being infidels, doth their conversion afterwards, or the name of church as Christians, make them less subjects than they were before? As religion therefore doth not alter the authority of the master over the servant, nor of the huskingdom. band over the wife; 'no more,' saith he, 'doth it between the prince and subject.'

of his

A rule of the law.

Paul, making no exception or distinction of subjection, save only of that which belongeth to God, willeth all men to obey their princes; and what princes? Those princes who bear the sword. And although we are bound by the Scripture to obey our bishops and spiritual pastors of the church, yet that obedience diminisheth nothing the chief and head authority that ought to be given to the prince, no more than the obedience of the servant to his master, or of the wife to her husband, exempteth them from subjection due to their superior powers.'

And herewithal he inferreth a principle of the law: divers jurisdictions," saith he, 'proceeding from one person, do not mar nor hinder themselves, but rather do confirm and fortify one another.'

Again, whereas the bishop of Rome, under the name of Peter, doth appropriate to himself the highest place in the church, for that he is the successor of Peter; thereunto he answereth in one word, but in that one word he answereth Winches- enough, and to the full: I would,' saith he, he were; for so in very deed he ter's wish might well exceed and pass all kings and princes, if not in pre-eminency of pope were dignity, yet in admiration and excellency of virtue: in which kind of superiority the Lord Christ would his apostles and ministers to go before all kings and emperors in the whole world."

that the

Peter's

successor.

After this, in prosecuting the argument1 of Peter's confession, he argueth thus and saith, that as flesh and blood did not reveal to Peter that confession, so neither was that prerogative given to the flesh and blood of Peter, but to the better part, that is, to the spirit of Peter; which is to mean in respect of the spiritual confession of Peter, and not in respect of any carnal place or person, &c.

Item, If the scholar ought not to be above the master, how then could either Peter take that upon him, which Christ his master so constantly did refuse; or how can the bishop of Rome now claim that by succession, whereof no example is to be found either in the head, or his predecessor before him? for so we read in Eusebius, both of Peter, James, and John, that they did arrogate no such primacy unto them, but were content that James, surnamed Justus, should be primacy, the bishop of the apostles.

Prima

tus or

what ti signifieth.

And as for the name and signification of the word 'primatus,' i. e. primacy, if it be taken for the first nomination, or the first place given, so he granteth

(1) The argument: The prerogative was given to him who confessed. Flesh and blood in Peter did not confess Christ: ergo, the prerogative was not given to the flesh and blood of Peter.

that Peter had the preferment of the first name and place in the order of the Henry apostles. But it followeth not, that with this primacy he had also a kingdom VIII. given. And though he were bid of the Lord to confirm his brethren, yet was he not bid to exercise an empery upon his brethren: for so were they not his brethren, but his subjects.

A. D.

1534.

First,

name of

That Peter was 'primus,' that is, first or chief in the number of those who Primus confessed Christ, it is not to be denied; for first he confessed, first he taught the primatus. Jews, first he stood in defence of the verity, and was the first and chief pro- primacy locutor among them. But yet that maketh not, that he should therefore vindi- is the cate a general primacy and rule over all other states, and potestates of the world, virtue, no more than Apelles, because he is noted the first and chief of all painters, and not therefore ought to bear rule over all painters; or because the university of Paris is nominated for the first and chief of other universities, shall therefore the French king, and all other princes in their public administration, wherein they are set of God, become subjects and underlings to that university?

Thus, after many other reasons and persuasions contained in said book De Obedientia (for I do but superficially skim over the top only of his probations and arguments), finally, in the end of his probation, he concludeth the whole sum of his mind in this effect; first, he denieth that the bishop of Rome had ever any such extern jurisdiction assigned to him absolutely from God, to reign over kings and princes: for the peroration whereof he hath alleged sufficiently, as he saith, the examples and doings of Christ himself, who ought to be to us all a sufficient document.

And as concerning the term of Primacy,' albeit it be used sometimes by the fathers, yet the matter, being well considered and rightly expounded, maketh nothing for the large dominion of the bishop of Rome, which now he doth usurp.

Also as for the prerogatives granted unto Peter, by the which prerogatives our Saviour would crown his own gifts given unto him, crowning not the flesh and blood of Peter, but the marvellous testimony of his confession, all this maketh nothing for the pope's purpose.

of power.

Peter.

Likewise as concerning the focal succession of Peter, the pope hath nothing Succesthereby to claim. If he will be successor of Peter, he must succeed him in sion of faith, doctrine, and conditions; and in so doing, he neither will seek, nor yet shall need to seek, for honour, but shall be honoured of all good men, according as a good man should be; and that much more than he being a good man would require.

'vale' of

his 'ulti

mum

And thus Stephen Winchester, taking his leave, and bidding the pope fare- Gardiner well, endeth with a friendly exhortation, willing him to be wise and circumspect, taketh his and not to strive stubbornly against the truth. The light of the gospel,' saith the pope, he, so spreadeth his beams in all men's eyes, that the works of the gospel be but not known, the mysteries of Christ's doctrine are opened; both learned and unlearned, men and women, being Englishmen born, do see and perceive, that vale.' they have nothing to do with Rome, or with the bishop of Rome, but that every prince, in his own dominion, is to be taken and accepted as a vicar of God, and vicegerent of Christ in his own bounds. And therefore, seeing this order is taken of God, and one in the church should bear the office of teaching, another should bear the office of ruling (which office is only limited to princes), he exhorteth him to consider the truth, and to follow the same, wherein consisteth our true and special obedience, &c.

fices of

ruling.

To this book of Stephen Winchester, De Obedientia, we will The of adjoin, for good fellowship, the Preface also of Edmund Bonner, teach archdeacon then of Leicester, prefixed before the same; to the intent ing, and that the reader, seeing the judgments of these men as they were then, and again the sudden mutation afterwards of the said parties to the contrary opinion, may learn thereby what vain glory and pomp of this world can work in the frail nature of man, where God's grace lacketh to sustain. The preface of Bonner, before the said book of Winchester, De Obedientia, proceedeth thus in effect, as followeth :

Henry

VI. The Preface of Edmund Bonner, Archdeacon of Leicester, prefixed before Stephen Gardiner's book, De Vera Obedientia.

A. D. 1534.

Queen
Anne.

The doc

trine of

the gos

pel.

Forasmuch as some there be, no doubt (as the judgments of men be always variable), who think the controversy which is between the king's royal majesty and the bishop of Rome, consisteth in this point, for that his majesty hath taken the most excellent and most virtuous lady Anne to wife, which in very deed is far otherwise, and nothing so: to the intent, therefore, that all true hearty favourers of the gospel of Christ, who hate not, but love the truth, may the more fully understand the chief point of the controversy, and because they shall not be ignorant what is the whole voice and resolute determination of the best andgreatest learned bishops, with all the nobles and commons of England, not only in that cause of matrimony, but also in defending the doctrine of the gospel: here shall be published the oration of the bishop of Winchester (a man excellently learned in all kind of learning), entitled ' De vera Obedientia'; that is, Concerning True Obedience. But as touching this bishop's worthy praises, there shall be nothing spoken of me at this time, not only because they are infinite,' but because they are far better known to all Christendom, than becometh me here to make rehearsal. And as for the oration itself (which as it is most learned, so is it most elegant), to what purpose should I make any The con- words of it, seeing it praiseth itself enough, and seeing good wine needeth no tavern-bush to utter it? But yet in this oration, whosoever thou art, most gentle reader! thou shalt, besides other inatters, see it notably and learnedly handled, of what importance, and how invincible the power and excellency of God's truth is, which as it may now and then be pressed of the enemies, so it cannot possibly be oppressed and darkened after such sort but it showeth itself again at length more glorious and more welcome. Thou shalt see also touching obedience, that it is subject to truth, and what is to be judged true obedience. Besides this, of men's traditions, which for the most part be most repugnant against the truth of God's law. And there, by the way, he speaketh of the The king's king's said highness's marriage, which, by the ripe judgment, authority, and marriage privilege of the most and principal universities of the world, and then with the consent of the whole church of England, he contracted with the most excellent and most noble lady, queen Anne. After that, touching the king's majesty's Supreme title, as pertaining to the supreme head of the church of England. Last of all, The of the false pretensed supremacy of the bishop of Rome in the realm of England most justly abrogated: and how all other bishops, being fellow-like to him in pretensed their function, yea and in some points above him within their own provinces, were beforetime bound to the king by their oath.

tents of

Winches

ter's book.

with queen Anne.

pope's

supre

macy.

But be thou most surely persuaded of this, good reader! that the bishop of Rome, if there were no cause else but only this marriage, would easily content himself, especially having some good morsel or other given him to chew upon.? But when he seeth so mighty a king, being a right virtuous and a great learned prince, so sincerely and so heartily favour the gospel of Christ, and perceiveth the yearly and great prey (yea so large a prey, that it came to as much almost as all the king's revenues) snapped out of his hands, and that he can no longer exercise his tyranny in the king's majesty's realm (alas, heretofore too cruel and bitter3), nor make laws, as he hath done many, to the contumely and reproach of the majesty of God, which is evident that he hath done in time past, under the title of the Catholic church, and the authority of Peter and Paul (when not withstanding he was a very ravening wolf, dressed in sheep's clothing, calling himself the servant of servants), to the great damage of the christian commonwealth-here, here began all the mischief; hereof rose these discords, these deadly malices, and so great and terrible bustling: for if it were not thus, could any man believe that this Jupiter of Olympus (who falsely hath arrogated unto himself an absolute power without controlment) would have wrought so diligently, by all means possible, to stir up all other kings and princes so traitorn oasainst this so good and godly, and so true a gospel-like prince, as he (1) See how these clawbacks can cling together in truth and in falsehood; and all to fashion themselves to the world, and the time present.

(2) Bonner knew well what morsel would best please his father of Rome, and that money and bribes would soon stop his mouth.

(3) Seeing thou knowest the pope to be such a cruel tyrant, why then wouldst thou, against thy knowledge, become his slaughterman?

VIII.

A. D.

1531.

hath done? Neither let it move thee, gentle reader! that Winchester did not Henry before now apply to this opinion: for he himself, in this oration, showeth the cause why he did it not. And if he had said never a word, yet thou knowest well what a witty part it is for a man to suspend his judgment, and not to be too rash in giving of sentence. It is an old-said saw; Mary Magdalen profited us less in her quick belief that Christ was risen, than Thomas that was longer in doubt.' A man may rightly call him Fabius, that with his advised taking of leisure restored the matter. Albeit I speak not this as though Winchester had not bolted out this matter secretly with himself beforehand Win(for he without doubt tried it out long ago); but that running fair and softly, chester he would first, with his painful study, pluck the matter out of the dark (although against of itself it was clear enough, but by reason of sundry opinions it was lapped up the pope in darkness), and then did he debate it wittily to and fro; and so, at last, after with long and great deliberation had in the matter, because there is no better coun- judg sellor than leisure and time, he would resolutely, with his learned and con- ment. summate judgment, confirm it.

writeth

advised

write

Thou shouldest, gentle reader, esteem his censure and authority to be of more weighty credence, inasmuch as the matter was not rashly, and at all adventures, but with judgment (as thou seest), and with wisdom examined and discussed. And this is no new example, to be against the tyranny of the bishop of Rome, seeing that not only this man, but many men oftentimes, yea and right great learned men afore now, have done the same even in writing; No new whereby they both painted him out in his right colours, and made his sleights, matter to falsehood, frauds, and deceitful wiles, openly known to the world. Therefore, against if thou at any time heretofore have doubted either of true obedience, or of the the king's majesty's marriage or title, or else of the bishop of Rome's false pre- Rome tended supremacy, as, if thou hadst a good smelling nose, and a sound judgment, I think thou didst not: yet, having read this oration (which, if thou favour the truth, and hate the tyranny of the bishop of Rome, and his satanical fraudulent falsehood, shall doubtless wonderfully content thee), forsake thine error, and acknowledge the truth now freely offered thee at length, considering with thyself that it is better late so to do, than never to repent.

Fare thou heartily well, most gentle reader; and not only love this most valiant king of England and of France, who undoubtedly was by the providence of God born to defend the gospel, but also honour him and serve him most obediently. As for this Winchester, who was long ago, without doubt, reputed among the greatest learned men, give him thy good word, with highest commendation.

The end of bishop Bonner's prologue.

bishop of

constant

Gardiner

ner.

What man reading and advising this book of Winchester, De The inVera Obedientia, with Bonner's preface before the same, would ever mutabihave thought any alteration could so work in man's heart, to make lity of these men thus to turn the cat in the pan, as they say, and to start so and Bonsuddenly from the truth so manifestly known, so pithily proved, so vehemently defended, and (as it seemed) so faithfully subscribed? If they dissembled all this that they wrote, subscribed, and sware unto, what perjury most execrable was it before God and man! If they meant good faith, and spake then as they thought, what pestilent blindness is this so suddenly fallen upon them, to make that false now, which was true before; or that to be now true, which before was false ! Thus to say and unsay, and then to say again, to do and undo, and, as a man would say, to play fast or loose with truth; truly a man may say is not the doing of a man who is in any case to be trusted, whatsoever he doth or saith. But here a man may see what man is of himself, when God's good humble Spirit lacketh to be his guide.

Furthermore, to add unto them the judgment also and arguments of Tonstal, bishop of Durham, let us see how he agreeth with them, or rather much exceedeth them, in his sermon made before king