III a speech, which he has left to posterity among the CHAP MSS. of Corpus Christi College, but he appears not to have been very happy during the one Sunday AD. 1530 afternoon that he spent at Court: and the King evidently supposed that he, at least, had given his support unwillingly, although Gardiner had marked mination King his name with the favourable "A." Of the manner The deterin which he was received, and of his impressions sent to the respecting the Court, he has left also an amusing account, in a letter which he wrote to Dr. Edmonds, vicar of Alborne, in Wiltshire : bridge is as follows:-"Nos Universitas studentium Academiæ Cantabrigiensis, omnibus infra scripta lecturis auditurisve salutem. Cum occasione causae Matrimonialis, inter Invictissimum et Potentissimum Principem et Dominum nostrum Henricum octavum Dei gratia Anglia Franciæque Regem, Fidei Defensorem, ac Dominum Hiberniæ, et Illustrissimam Dominam Catharinam Reginam controversæ de illa quæstione nostra rogaretur sententia videlicet, An sit jure Divino et naturali prohibitum, ne Frater ducat in uxorem Relictam fratris mortui sine liberis? Nos de ea re deliberaturi more solito convenientes; atque communicatis consiliis, matura consultatione tractantes quo modo, quo ordine ad investigationem veritatis certius procederetur, ac omnium tandem suffragiis, selectis quibusdam ex doctissimis Sacræ Theologiæ Professoribus, Bachalauriis, ac aliis Magistris ea cura demandata, ut scrutatis diligentissime Sacræ Scripturæ locis, illisque collatis referrent ac renunciarent, quid ipsi dictæ quæstioni respondendum putarent. Quoniam auditis, perpensis, ac post publicam super dicta quæstione disputationem matura deliberatione discussis hiis, quæ in quæstione prædicta alterutram partem statuere et convellere possint; Illa nobis probabiliora, validiora, veriora, etiam et certiora, ac genuinum et syncerum Sacræ Scripturæ intellectum præ se ferentia, Interpretum etiam sententiis magis consona visa sunt, quæ confirmant et probant, jure divino et naturali prohibitum esse, ne Frater uxorem fratris mortui sine liberis accipiat in conjugem Illis igitur persuasi, et in unam opinionem convenientes, ad quæstionem prædictam ita respondendum decrevimus, et in hiis scriptis, nomine totius universitatis respondemus, ac pro conclusione nobis solidissimis rationibus et validissimis argumentis comprobata affirmamus, quod ducere uxorem fratris mortui sine liberis, cognitam à priori viro per carnalem copulam, nobis Christianis hodie est prohibitum Jure Divino ac naturali. Atque in fidem et testimonium hujusmodi nostræ responsionis et affirmationis, hiis Literis sigillum nostrum commune curavimus apponi. Datum in congregatione nostra Cantabrigiæ, die nono Martii Anno Domini Millesimo quingentesimo vicesimo nono." Lamb's Corpus Christi Documents, p. 21. CHAP III My duty remembered, I heartily commend me unto you, and I let you understand that Dominica Secundas at afternoon I A.D. 1530 came to Windsor, and also to part of Mr. Latimer's sermon: and after the end of the same I spake with Mr. Secretary and Dr. Buck- also with Mr. Provost; and so after Evensong I delivered our master be- letters in the Chamber of Presence, all the court beholding. fore the King casms The King with Mr. Secretary did there read them, but not the letters of determination, notwithstanding that I did there also deliver them, with a proposition. His Highness gave me there great thanks, and talked with me a good while. He much lauded our wisdoms and good conveyance in the matter, with the great quietness in the same. He shewed me also what he had in his hands for our university, according unto that that Mr Secretary did express unto us, &c. So he departed. But by and by, he greatly praised Mr. Latimer's Sermon, and in so praising said on this wise, This displeaseth greatly, Mr. Vicechancellor yonder. Yon same, said he unto Royal sar. the Duke of Norfolk, is Mr. Vicechancellor of Cambridge, and so pointed unto me. Then he spake secretly unto the Duke, which after the King's departure came unto me, and welcomed me, saying amongst other things, that the King would speak with me on the next day. And here is the first act. On the next day, I waited until it was dinner time; and so at the last Dr. Butts came unto me, and brought a reward, twenty Nobles for me, and five Marks for the younger Proctor, which was with me; saying that I should take that for a resolute answer, and that I might depart from the Court, when I would. Then came Mr. Provost, and when I had shewed him of our answer, he said, I should speak with the King at A second after Dinner for all that, and so brought me into a privy place, interview where as he would have me to wait at after Dinner. I came thither and he both, and by one of the clock, the King entered in. It was in a Gallery. There were Mr. Secretary, Mr. Provost, Mr. Latimer, Mr. Proctor, and I, and no more: The King there talked with us, until five of the clock. I assure you, he was scarce contented with Mr. Secretary and Mr. Provost, that this was not also determined, An Papa possit dispensare, &c. I made the best, and confirmed the same that Second Sunday in Lent. CHAP they had shewed his Grace before, and how it would never have been so obtained. He opened his mind, saying, that he III would have it determined after Easter, and of the same we A.D. 1530 counsailed a while. "I pray you therefore study for us, for our business is not yet at an end, An Papa potest dispensare cum Jure Divino, &c. Much other communication we had, which were too long here to recite. Thus his Highness departed, casting a little holy water of the court: and I shortly after took my leave of Mr. Secretary and Mr. Provost, with whom I did not drink, nor yet was bidden: and on the morrow departed from thence, thinking more than I did say, and being glad that I was out of the Court, where many men as I did both hear and perceive, did wonder on me. And here shall be an end for this time of this fable. "All the world almost crieth out of Cambridge for this The Uniact, and specially on me, but I must bear it as well as I may versity generally I have lost a benefice by it, which I should have had within censured this ten days. For there hath one fallen in Mr. Throckmorton's gift, which he hath faithfully promised unto me many a time, but now his mind is turned and alienate from me. If ye go to the Court after Easter, I pray you have me in remembrance there as ye shall think best. But of this no more. Mr. Latimer preacheth still, Quod æmuli ejus graviter ferunt. I am informed that Oxford hath now elected certain persons to determine the King's question. I hear say also that Mr. Provost was here in great jeopardy. Other tidings I have none at this time, but that all the company be in good health, and heartily saluteth you. And thus fare you heartily well. At Cambridge, in Crastino Dominica Palmarum. Your own to his power, "WILLIAM BUCKMASTER. The King willed me to send unto you, and to give you word of his pleasure in the said question." "9 From this letter it would appear that the King required another "determination" to be obtained, but there is no record of any further steps being taken on the question at Cambridge. • Lamb's Corpus Christi Documents, p. 23. CHAP submitted with a let the King ter from At the other University there was much more difficulty in obtaining a satisfactory verdict. Oxford, A.D. 1530 especially young Oxford, was giving, in fact, as much trouble as it could, and made a bold struggle for freedom and the rights of conscience. Warham, who Question was chancellor of the University, had laid before it, to Oxford by direction of the King, the same question which had been submitted to the rest; but so little was done in the matter, that Dr. Bell, and Longland, the King's confessor, and Bishop of Lincoln (in which diocese Oxford was then included), were sent up there with a letter from Henry himself. This epistle stated, that having "consulted many and substantial well-learned men within our realm and without, for certain considerations our conscience moving," he thought it convenient "to feel the minds" of those who were erudite in the faculty of divinity at Oxford. Much was said about the virtue of not leaning to "wilful and sinister opinions," and about the filial duty that was owing by the University to so good a King, and how great things might be hoped for the University from his favour. All this was, of course, intended to bias the minds of members. of convocation: but, in addition, a significant warning enjoining was added,-" In case you do not uprightly according to Divine learning hand yourselves herein, ye may be assured that we, not without great cause, shall so quickly and sharply look to your unnatural misdemeanour herein, that it shall not be to your quietness and ease hereafter." It was also added, that those who accommodated themselves to the mere truth, as it became true subjects to do, should be "esteemed and set forth," while those who saw truth without this qualifying medium, should be "neglected and little set by." all to vote as he wished them III only con Such a letter was calculated to produce a definite CHAP result. There were some who were likely to be influenced by the gratitude which remembers the A.D. 1530 past many more by the gratitude which looks forward to the future. Among the doctors of divinity of mature standing, there was a clear filial majority A minority for the King. Expectant bishops and deans were formable all ready to vote in the sunshine: and those who walked boldly to the shady side of the convocation house, were all either divines with inconvenient consciences, or those troublesome masters of arts who would persist in thinking for themselves. It being evident that there was so large a majority for truth which was of the "unnatural misdemeanour" kind, it was thought better for the convocation to break up without coming to a vote. This led the King to write once more to his "trusty and well-beloved," but not very docile, University. In this second The King epistle he calls the malcontents the "youth" of the youthful University, and charges them with contentious factions and manner, daily combining together, neither regarding their duty to us their Sovereign Lord, nor yet conforming themselves to the opinions and orders of the virtuous, wise, sage, and profound learned men of that University." These youths, the masters of arts, were wilfully striking upon the opinion to have a great number of regents and nonregents associated in convocation with the divines, and the King regards it as an unheard of thing, that men of right small learning should thus stay their seniors, "Which as we think should be no small dishonour to our University there, but most especially to you the Seniors and Rulers of the same, assuring you that this their unnatural scolds M.A.'s |