THE

CHURCH HISTORY OF BRITAIN,

FROM

THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST

UNTIL

THE YEAR MDCXLVIII.

ENDEAVOURED

BY THOMAS FULLER, D.D.,

PREBENDARY OF SARUM, &c. &c.

AUTHOR OF "THE WORTHIES OF ENGLAND," "THE HISTORY OF THE HOLY
WAR," "PISGAH-SIGHT OF PALESTINE," "ABEL REDIVIVUS," &c. &c.

THIRD EDITION,

CONTAINING THE LAST CORRECTIONS OF THE AUTHOR.

WITH A PREFACE AND NOTES

BY JAMES NICHOLS,

EDITOR OF FULLER'S "HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE,"
"HOLY AND PROFANE STATE," &c.

IN THREE VOLUMES

VOL. II.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR THOMAS TEGG, 73, CHEAPSIDE.

ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL.

NEW YORK

LONDON:

FRINTED BY JAMES NICHOLS,

HOXTON-SQUARE.

CONTENTS.

-

BOOK V.

SECTION I. CENTURY XVI.

A. D. 1501-1529. 17 HENRY VII. TO 21 HENRY VIII.

Poor professors still preserved by God's providence-Some burned, some

branded, for the profession of the truth-The cruel killing of Thomas

Chase-The pope and king Henry VII. share the money for pardons

betwixt them-Henry VIII. succeedeth his father-He marrieth the

relict of his brother Arthur-Abjured Lollards wear faggots-Sweeting

and Brewster burned-Richard Hunn murdered in Lollards' Tower-

Cardinal Bainbrigg, why poisoned at Rome-The founding of Corpus-

Christi-College, in Oxford-Hugh Oldham's bounty-The death of

dean Colet, founder of Paul's school. The Mercers made overseers

thereof, out of provident prescience-William Lilly first schoolmaster.

His grammar often printed, and privileged by authority; since amended

by many-King Henry writes against Luther: styled by the pope

"Defender of the Faith." His jester's reply-Wolsey's unlimited power

and pride. He was the first confounder of Abbeys; a precedent quickly

followed-Wolsey a royal harbinger. His vast design, why unknown.

An over-tart sarcasm; a second somewhat milder. Three names to one

college-The pride of the cardinal humbled by others-Persecution in

the cardinal's College. Christ-Church a colony of Cambridgemen.

Wolsey's pride in his servants-Wolsey turns his waiting into revenge.

The scruple of the king's marriage. The king willingly embraceth the

motion-The pope a captive. The character of Campegius-A match-

less sight. Queen Catherine's speech. The sting in her speech-

Fisher's short plea-The pleas of the king's counsel. Secrets sub
sigillo thalami. A shrewd retortion-An end in vain expected-Love-

letters of king Henry kept in the Vatican-No haste to end the king's

cause at Rome-King and queen both offended with Wolsey-Wolsey

looks two ways in this design. Pages 5-23.

SECTION II.

A. D. 1530-1533. 22 ΤΟ 25 HENRY VIII.

Wolsey accused in parliament, and well defended by Mr. Cromwell his ser-

vant; prosecuted by his enemies, and removed to York. Large means

allowed him. He states it at York. Arrested of treason, and dieth-

Wolsey's credulity befooled with a dubious prophecy-The king

deluded with delays at Rome-Dr. Cranmer comes to Waltham; is

employed by the king to the pope-Marriage with brothers' wives

twice forbidden in scripture-This proved to be a law of nature-The

objection to the contrary answered-God's laws indispensable with by

the pope-Carnal knowledge not material in this controversy-No

Christian utility inconsistent with honesty-Armies of writers pro

and con in this point-Cranmer accompanies others in an embassy to

Rome-Foreign universities determine for the king--The bold declara-

tion of the university of Bononia-The recusancy of other universities

-Cranmer travelleth into Germany-The clergy, caught in a premu-

nire, acknowledge the king supreme head of the church; confirmed by

Act of Parliament-The death of archbishop Warham-Cranmer, sent

for, and, unwilling, accepteth the archbishopric-A preparative to

Cranmer's just defence-Cranmer lawfully consecrated-His double

marriage no bar unto him. Bishops married in the primitive times-

Cranmer took not the like oath with his predecessors. The copy of

his protestation-No cavil, but a just charge-A happy match in the

event-A rebel's weapon, ill-used against a loyal subject-The grand

cavil answered-Violent no just depriving-God send valour at last-

Remember not what God hath forgotten-An appeal to any indifferent

-Cranmer divorceth king Henry, who marrieth a lady, and A Bullen

-The imposture of Elizabeth Barton. Fisher and More befooled by

her forgery-Bishop Fisher imprisoned for refusing the oath of supre-

macy-The convocation of York denies the king's supremacy. Edward

Lee, archbishop of York, a furious papist. King Henry's answer to

York convocation-A causeless cavil. The cavil retorted. Pages

24-42.

SECTION III.

A. D. 1533-1535. 25 TO 27 HENRY VIII.

The clergy bind themselves to the king-A fourfold sort of convocations.

Kings acted in church-matters before the Conquest-Of the second

sort of convocations-Of the third sort of convocations. The form of

ancient writs of convocations. Observations thereon-The last sort of

convocations-The author's submission. A vulgar error-The martyr-

dom of John Fryth-Bishop Fisher's letter for new clothes and a

confessor-His often examinations of four principal particulars.

Taketh offence at the preface of the statute-Archbishop Cranmer's
politic charity-Fisher's concealing Barton's forgeries, waved; yet how
indicted, why condemned-Papists unjustly charge us for schismatics
-Three essentials in Reformation-The gross errors in popery-The
impossibility of a free general council--The power of a national church

well improved-Objection to the contrary, and three answers-Second

objection of the Romanists; the answer. Third objection; the answer.

The moderation of the reformers. The conclusion of the contest-

The pope's revenues out of England, greatest under king Henry III.-

Pope's profit by sale of trinkets, by his annates, by appeals, by king

Athelwulph's pension, by his dispensations, by indulgences, by lega-

tine levies, by mortuaries, by pardons, by Peter-pence, to what they

amounted, by pilgrimages, by tenths-All cannot be truly counted-

Polydore Virgil, collector of the English Peter-pence, be-laurelleth the

choir of Wells: a malefactor to posterity for burning mss. Two-edged

verses-How papal power in England was cantoned. God first had

his share; Christ, his due; the Holy Spirit, his portion-The king

assumes his share, and passes over part to the archbishop of Canter-

bury, to the representative clergy, and to every English layman.

Pages 42-58.

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