II A.D. 1521 a sermon contra Lutherum, Lutherianos, fautoresque eorum, CHAP contra opera eorum et libros, et contra inducentes eadem opera in regnum; and then to have a proclamation to give notice that every person having any works of Luther or of his fautor's making by a limited day, to bring them in sub pœna excommunicationis majoris, and that day limited, to fulminate the sentence against the contrary doers, and that if, after that day, any such works be known, or found with any person, the same to be convicted by abjuration; and if they will contumaciter persist in their contumacy, then to pursue them by the law ad ignem, as against an heretic. And that ye purpose over this to bind the said merchants and stationers King in recognizances never to bring into this realm any such thinks books, scrolls, or writings; which your godly purpose His lers fear Highness marvellously well alloweth, and doth much hold fines more with that recognizance, for that some, and most part, will communi. more fear that than excommunication. And His Grace thinks cation my Lord of Rochester to be the most meet to make that sermon afore you, both propter auctoritatem, gravitatem, et doctrinam persona. His Highness is as good and gracious in this quarrel of God as can be thought, wished, or desired, and for the furtherance of this godly purpose as fervent in this cause of Christ His Church, and maintenance of the same as ever noble prince was." Now, it might seem at first as if all this was really said by direction of Wolsey. But it is clear that Longland (whose severity against the real heretics he had in his own diocese had been very conspicuous) was, in reality, trying to urge on both the King and Wolsey. "I declared unto him (he goes on to say) what high power and name he hath obtained by his notable work made against Luther, and in what estimation he is in throughout Christendom, and that now in this suppression of Luther, his adherents and disciples should get much more laud, praise, and honour, and immortal name, besides booksel than ex II CIIAP the honour and wealth of his realm, and high merit of his so . . . he is most gracious toward and ready A.D. 1521 in this cause of God. your Grace shall well perceive when ye shall speak with him." But Longland was evidently far from certain that Wolsey would endorse all his fervent speeches and engagements, for he goes on to give him an earnest exhortation that he will carry on the proposed work. "It may please your Grace of your merciful goodness, among all these great affairs to remember this matter to His Highness, to animate him in this cause of Christ, of Christ and His Church, for the depression of the enemies of God. The world is marvellously bent against [severity]. . . and it is the King's Grace and you that must remedy the same. God hath sent your Grace amongst us The King's contro Luther to advance His honour and maintain His Church and Faith, for whom we all are most bound to pray, and for your most noble prosperous estate long to endure."2 Luther's principal, or at least his most voluminous versy with works were written during the quarter of a century which followed. Up to the date of this letter he had written a few trenchant pamphlets and the volume to which Henry VIII. had replied, "The Babylonish Captivity of the Church." It was this book, no doubt, which the King and Longland were anxious to suppress, and it had been brought into so much notoriety by having a king for its opponent that large numbers had in the nature of things found their way into England, every one being 2 Ellis' Orig. Letters, I. i. 151. The editor of "Original Letters" follows Anthony Wood in giving this letter to the year 1523, but the proposed proclamation is plainly that which was issued on May 14, 1521. The letter was written on January 5th. II curious to see what the arch-heretic had written to CHAP deserve the notice of so exalted an antagonist. For although the King's book was not yet published to A.D. 1521 the world at large, its existence was perfectly well known, especially at the universities, and it was printed by Pynson in the early part of 1521. It was impossible for Wolsey to have resisted an appeal in which the King's literary and theological honour was so much concerned; and although he probably knew too much of the world to suppose that opinions could be suppressed by making them more notorious, yet he could have had no objection to condemn a book like the "Babylonish Captivity," which is full of most reckless and irreverent statements respecting the Sacraments. Nor could he have any respect, nor ought he to have had any, for the vile and ribald tracts which were beginning to be circulated by the rising Puritans, and which were the works of Luther's "fautors," referred to by the Bishop of Lincoln. On May 14, 1521, Wolsey Lutheran therefore issued a commission or proclamation admonishing all persons, ecclesiastical or secular, to bring in to their bishop or his commissary, all pamphlets and books written by Luther or his supporters, whether in Latin, English, or German. This "commission" first recites the Pope's bull of June 19, 1520, condemning the errors of Luther and sequestrating his writings, and then states that it has been Wolsey had declined to act on this bull, alleging that it did not give him power to burn Lutheran books in England. This led the Pope, through Cardinal Medici, to send another copy of the bull, requesting Wolsey to publish it in England. He also sends a copy F of Luther's book, declaring that books pro hibited II Wolsey's rity CHAP issued with the consent and by the express will and commandment of the King, as also after consultation A.D. 1521 with the Archbishop of Canterbury and some other venerable prelates. It seems as if Wolsey had taken particular care to throw the responsibility of but not by an act of which he did not wholly approve on the sole autho- shoulders of the Pope, the King, and the elder bishops, and to make it plain that he exercised his legatine authority ministerially, rather than of his own will, in using it on this occasion. However, the bishops were to require all publishers, stationers, and booksellers, as well as all other persons, to bring in the prohibited books and pamphlets by the 1st of August, and when thus collected they were to be sent up to the Cardinal himself. A list of forty-two Lutheran errors, condemned by the Pope, was also set forth at the end of the document; and was ordered to be set up on the doors of churches for the sake of publicity. The subsequent sermon, suggested by Longland, was preached at Paul's Cross, by Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, the prelate designated by the King, and the collected books were Heretical burned with great ceremony. For the account of Books what took place at St. Paul's, we are indebted to St. Paul's Foxe, who gives it in his "story of Dr. Barnes and others;" and one may, perhaps, believe that he has not very much misrepresented the facts. burned at with great "In the morning they were all ready, by their hour apceremony pointed, in Paul's Church, the Church being so full that no man could get in. The Cardinal had a scaffold made on the top of the stairs," that is on the space above the altar-steps, 4 Old St. Paul's was 230 feet longer than the present building, or about half as large again as York Minster, which is the cathe dral of largest area that we now possess in England. The crowding of such a building shows how great an excitement existed. gown "for himself, with six-and-thirty abbots, mitred priors, and CHAP bishops; and he, in his whole pomp, mitred (which Barnes II spake against), sat there enthronised, his chaplains and spir- A.D. 1521 itual doctors in gowns of damask and satin, and he himself in purple; even like a bloody antichrist. And there was a new Foxe's idea pulpit erected on the top of the stairs also, for the Bishop of of a scarlet Rochester to preach against Luther and Dr. Barnes; and great baskets full of books standing before them within the rails, which were commanded after the great fire was made before the rood of Northen, there to be burned; and these heretics" [Dr. Barnes and four others]," after the sermon, to go thrice about the fire, and to cast in their faggots. Now, while the sermon was a doing, Dr. Barnes and the Still-yard men were commanded to kneel down, and ask forgiveness of God, of the Catholic Church, and of the Cardinal's Grace: and after that, he was commanded at the end of the sermon to declare that he was more charitably handled than he deserved or was worthy; his heresies were so horrible and so detestable. And once again, he kneeled down on his knees, desiring of the people forgiveness, and to pray for him. And so the Cardinal departed under a canopy, with all his mitred men with him, till he came to the second gate of Paul's; and then he took his mule, and the mitred men came back again. Then these poor men, being commanded to come down from the stage (whereon the sweepers use to stand when they sweep the Church), the bishops sat them down again, and commanded the Knight Marshal, and the Warden of the Fleet, with their company, to carry them about the fire. And so they were brought to the bishops, and there, for absolution, kneeled down; where Rochester stood up and The here declared unto the people how many days of pardon and for- tics sent giveness of sins they had, for being at that sermon: and harmed there did he assoil Dr. Barnes with the others, and showed the people that they were received into the Church again.”* Dr. Barnes was a mere fanatic, and Foxe has done him an honour which was not intended for him by the preacher, in coupling him. with Luther. Foxe, v. 418, Ed. 1838. Bishop Fisher's sermon was translated into away un |