HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

  ( CHAPTER  2 )  -  { PT.  31 } - At the time when the latter had made up his mind to set Roman at defiance, he knew how important it was for him to sacrifice his own personal predilections, for the sake of having a man of Cranmer's pliability as Archbishop of Canterbury, and head of the clergy in England. On the 30th March, 1533, Cranmer was consecrated archbishop, and took the usual oath of obedience and loyalty to the Pope; but immediately before the ceremony, he registered a formal protest that he considered the oath a mere form, and that we wished to hold himself free to provide for the reformation of the Church in England. [ 25 ]  Such a step indicates clearly enough the character of the first archbishop of the Reformation in England. To prepare the way for the sentence that might be published at any moment by the Pope a bill was introduced forbidding appeals to Rome under penalty of Praemunire, and declaring that all matrimonial suits should be deci...

  ( CHAPTER  2 )  -  { PT.  30 } - [ 23 ]  Fortunately for Henry at this moment Warham, the aged Archbishop of Canterbury, who was a stout defender of the Holy See, [ 24 ]  passed away ( Aug.  1532 ). The king determined to secure the appointment of an archbishop upon whom he could rely for the accomplishment of his designs, and accordingly Thomas Cranmer was selected and presented to Rome. After much hesitation, and merely as the lesser of two evils, his appointment was confirmed. Thomas Cranmer was born in Nottingham, and educated in Cambridge. He married early in life, but his wife having died within a few months, he determined to the holy orders. His suggestion to submit the validity of Henry's marriage to the judgment of the universities, coming as it did at a time when Henry was at his wits end, showed him to be a man of resource whose services should be secured by the court. He was appointed accordingly chaplain to Anne Boleyn's father, and...

( CHAPTER  2 )  -  { PT.  29 } - [ 21 ]  The pop, however, refused to yield to such intimidation. When news arrived at Rome that Henry had sent away Catharine from court, the question of excommunication was considered, but as the excommunication of a king was likely to be fraught with such serious consequences for the English Church, Clement VII. hesitated to publish it in the hope that Henry might see the error of his ways. The trial was delayed from time to time until 1532 the Pope addressed a strong letter to the king, warning him under threat of excommunication to put away Boleyn, and not to attempt to divorce Catharine or to marry another until a decision had been given in Rome.   [ 22 ]  By this time the king had given up all hope of securing the approval of Rome for the step he contemplated. Even in England and divorce from Catharine found much opposition from both clergy and Iaity. Sir Thomas More and many of the nobles were on the side of...