A History of the Reformation in the 16th
Century
Book 19 - The English New Testament
and the court of Rome
History
Of The Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book
19, Chapter 1
The church and state should not be mixed together.
They have separate functions and are intrinsically different.
Though they have a God-given task, they remain different
identities. Though they are
diverse, the church has need of the state, and vice versa.
The church does not execute the sword, but needs the state to do
so. The state does not
produce Christians but functions best when it is most “evangelical.”
Henry VIII obviously played a part in the history of the
Reformation of England; the history is not Henry VIII.
He was simply a character in the play.
God is the Father of the reformation, and Henry remained as a
pawn. Some believed
Henry’s fiascoes concerning his amusements, trial, divorce, and the
like remain as the hallmark of the English Reformation, but this is far
from true. Tyndale’s New
Testament marked the beginning of a real reformation and the end of
popery in the country as the dominating influence.
The New Testament was crossing into England in 1525.
Who would distribute it among the people?
Thomas Garret, a sound evangelical, and former priest, preached
the good news of Christ and desired to see it strewn across the land.
He offered his house to the merchants and kept a close watch over
the library until it was distributed.
What Erasmus had given the people in Greek in 1517, so Tyndale
gave the people in English in 1526.
As the New Testament was distributed, people began reading, and
in reading king Henry was given his copy.
A reply was needed, for Henry was not ready for this
providentially. Wolsey
desired to confiscate them and Thomas More wrote against the use of
them.
History
Of The Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book
19, Chapter 2
Wolsey saw the danger the New Testament in English would cause
the papacy, and he desired to stop its distribution.
As a good starting point London, Oxford and Cambridge were to be
searched, and the New Testament impounded and burnt.
Orders were issued to this end and on February 3, 1526 this work
commenced.
The search started by checking Monmouth’s and Garret’s homes
looking for evidence. Garret was counseled that he should leave the area and change
his name because of his involvement in hiding the New Testaments.
Dalaber, a friend of Garret, after tending to his safety, hid his
own works concerning many of the reformers.
Unfortunately Garret came back, not desiring to hide, and
Wolsey’s men arrested him in his bed. Dalaber was not privy to Garret’s arrest and began thinking
through the night how he in fact may be convicted by helping Garret
escape. All through the
night, both he and his other Oxford friends were anxiously wondering
what the outcome of the day would be.
Wolsey set a ploy to capture the young students.
He promised them glory and gave them a dungeon to sleep in
instead. Among the captors
were Fryth, Clark, and Sumner. They
were cast into a cellar that Wolsey had under his college where he kept
fish. It was dank, dark and
smelled awful even affecting the youth’s weakened state. One by one
they were brought out and charged, and only three were given freedom,
the rest were condemned. They
carried their books to a burning fire and were compelled to throw them
in under duress and then led back to prison.
History
Of The Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book
19, Chapter 3
Wolsey turned to Cambridge, the home of Latimer, Barnes, Bilney,
and Stafford. The search
began on Monday February 5th, when Gibson, Wolsey’s
sergeant, arrived. The next
day, while these friends were talking, Barnes was arrested, and later
the rest, for having New Testaments.
They were held in a chosen location in the school where they
could not escape. Word was
given to others at the school and the books that they needed to condemn
these men were taken from the school and hid.
Gibson had received expressed order to burning the books and
their owners, but where there were no books, there could be no arrests.
They had to let the men go except for Barnes who had a New
Testament.
Gibson brought Barnes to Wolsey.
They traveled three days and reached the cardinal’s home.
Wolsey interrogated him, and he said that he taught nothing but
the Scriptures. Barnes took
the opportunity to preach to Wolsey one on one.
Wolsey then said that if he had twenty doctors who would vouch
for him that he was not preaching heresy than he would let him go.
He said that would be impossible, for there were only a few
doctors of his caliber. Wolsey
then said that he was left no choice but to burn him alive for heresy
the next day. He and three
others were martyred the next day at St. Paul’s churchyard.
Barnes was not martyred yet for his faith for he escaped a number
of times from the hands of the persecutors.
However, others were not so fortunate.
The youth held in Wolsey’s cellar were kept there for six
months and returned to Oxford. They
were already too far gone and died within the week.
History
Of The Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book
19, Chapter 4
Luther wrote to Henry and incensed his anger towards the reformer
to greater heights. Luther accused him of taking counsel against the Lord, which
of course was the truth, but Henry hated to hear this thinking he was
upholding the truth in the papacy.
Upon counsel by Thomas More, Henry wrote back.
The letter was from the king of England to the king of
heretics and it was widely distributed.
It
was not enough just to write letters to heretics.
Wolsey wanted them burnt and called Latimer before him.
His learning and “presence of mind” allowed him to be
released. Bilney was also
called and ordered not to preach Luther’s doctrines.
Bilney said he would, because all he wanted to preach were the
doctrines of Jesus Christ. Garret
was called but seized with horror.
He fell to his knees and the cardinal saw his fear and released
him.
The
adversaries for the Reformation continued to search for the New
Testaments that were circulating through England.
But this work to find and confiscate all these books was beyond
the ability of the priests all through the country.
As they were searching, they found a newly printed
New Testament, smaller in size and more easily hidden. Christopher Eyndhoven of Antwerp printed it.
Wolsey sent Hackett to have this man punished.
He was arrested but allowed leave due to a lack of evidence and
time to prosecute him properly.
Though
1526 was a difficult year of trial for many in England, and many died,
the Reformation advanced as a result of this New Testament work being
distributed among the people, and allowing them to read it for
themselves.
History
Of The Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book
19, Chapter 5
Wolsey
was angry that he did not secure the papacy.
He detested Charles V for his adversity in the attempt.
To place a wedge between England and the empire, Wolsey pressed
Henry to give up his wife, this seemed impossible since even Erasmus
said that the royal family was the epitome of all families living
happily together. Henry repulsed the idea for he loved Catherine.
Wolsey would not give up so quickly.
The
attack upon Henry and his marriage began in 1526.
Longland and Wolsey plotted this, but Wolsey was forced to take
the reigns. Catherine had
not delivered and the throne was at jeopardy.
Henry needed to have a son or the throne would be lost.
Henry was pressed to meet with Wolsey and Longland to judge the
matter. Henry consented to
hear them. Wolsey suggested
marrying Margaret, Francis 1st’s sister, but she had
already married just soon after to Henry d’Albret king of Navarrer.
Henry did decide to contemplate the idea of divorce.
This matter needed to be looked into in detail before any hasty
move was made. In fear he
opened the Bible to “He shall be childless” and became afraid.
He thought that taking a younger wife may be the solution in
order to have as much possibility of having a son as could be humanly
executed.
During
all this commotion, Catherine suspected nothing.
She had lost her children to death, and her heart weighed heavy
for her husband. But she
was unaware that Henry had fallen knee deep into a horrible plot to
divorce her. However, she
heard the news by rumors and confronted Henry.
Henry comforted her with superficial promises.
Now, Catherine desired the emperor to be informed of this
treachery.
History
Of The Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book
19, Chapter 6
Anne Boleyn returned with Sir Thomas More to the court and was
assigned to Catherine as one of her maids of honor.
Wolsey disliked her and her family, and was angered at the
thought of her being at the court.
Because of the tension with Wolsey she could not remain at court
and left to tend Margaret of Valois.
Margaret had obtained a holy
Book
that she began to read (possibly the work by William Tyndale on
Christianity) and was consoled by it.
Later she returned to England for good, and began to become more
acquainted with Henry VIII.
While the court of Henry was in commotion, rumor had it that
Thomas Cromwell, one of many Englishmen, stormed Rome and took the city
by assault with the imperialist soldiers.
He read the New Testament daily and vowed, after reading the
Bible and seeing the abuses at Rome, to be a tool in the hand of God to
destroy popery. On
returning to England, he entered the Cardinal’s house.
The captive Pope and cardinals in Rome wrote Wolsey and he
declared a fast for the safe release of the Pope.
Henry was taken by their problem of divorcing Catherine and
obtaining an heir. Stories
of Anne Boleyn captivated him. He
sent for her but she repelled his advances many times, though with
respect. Henry was angry,
not accustomed to being ill treated in getting his way. Anne would not return to the court even when summoned by him.
Henry wrote her a letter, and Anne replied making known that she
did not want to dishonor herself or anyone else by coming to him while
he was married. Finally she
came, after pressure from the king, and he asked her to marry him, but
she refused. Wolsey found
out that the king had her in mind and remained speechless before him.
History
Of The Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book
19, Chapter 7
Even though he was persecuted, Bilney continued to preach the
free grace of Christ. He would preach in the church, and then with his friend
Arthur, he would go into the towns and preach among the people.
He preached among the Franciscans who hardly knew their bibles,
and detested his preaching. Twice
they pulled him out of his pulpit and brought him to London under
arrest.
Arthur did not hide after Bilney was arrested, but continued to
visit the towns and to preach. The
priests were horrified at the doctrines that Arthur was preaching and
threw him into the same prison as Bilney.
They were again interrogated by Wolsey and then led back to
prison. Tonstall questioned
Wolsey that he could be mistaken in his judgment of Bilney.
It was the New Testament of Erasmus that converted the man.
Tonstall was given leave to examine him, and gave him the
ultimatum that he should rejoin the Catholic Church or suffer the
consequences. Bilney
retired to the next room think about this by the command of Tonstall.
Later, Bilney came in and Tonstall thought he would recant.
He did not, and Tonstall gave him more time to reconsider.
Even Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII looked on with amazement at the
proceedings. Bilney then
did the unthinkable and denied the faith to save his life. He was so horror stricken about this sin that all he could
think about was the wrath of the Lamb upon him.
Arthur had also done the same.
The New Testament was still circulating, and though the
distributors were often persecuted, a copy even made it to the court
through the priests and Anne Boleyn read it.
History
Of The Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book
19, Chapter 8
Henry VIII desired the approval of the priests and of the Pope to
divorce Catherine and a to marry Anne.
Of all men he most desired the consent of Sir Thomas More.
Henry appealed to the Bible and Sir Thomas More would not answer
him and told him he should consult the doctors of the church for his
answer. As a result Henry
ordered Warham to assemble the most learned doctors to inquire into
this. To pass the
responsibility on the learned doctors appealed to the universities.
Henry told Wolsey to declare the divorce.
This placed him in a precarious position on both fronts.
On the one hand he could lose his position by one act of the
Queen, on the other he could lose the Pope’s throne forever by
disagreeing with the Pope. Wolsey
told Henry that the Pope must come to a decision on this.
Charles V also struggled with whole he was to unite.
Would he unite with Henry who wanted to divorcer his wife, or the
Pope, who would discourage this and place him on bad terms with Henry?
Charles decided to run from Henry which meant he had to place the
Pope back on his throne and out of prison.
The same day Clement received a letter from the king by
messenger, he was restored by Charles to the throne of popery.
Henry was exceedingly agitated in his court, while Clement was in
utter joy to be back upon the throne.
Henry decided to petition an audience with him through Gregory De
Casale, and told him that at whatever cost he is to procure an audience
with the Pope. No matter
how much it cost, he was to throw money at him in order to have this
special meeting to decide the future of the Kingdom for Henry and annul
this marriage with Catherine.
History
Of The Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book
19, Chapter 9
At the same time Knight and De Casale were appearing on behalf of
Henry to the Pope, Luther and Tyndale had just published two books.
Luther published Parable of the Wicked Mammon, and Tyndale
had published the Obedience of a Christian Man.
Both works demonstrate the Catholic Church and the Pope as
Antichrist, double-faced and malicious.
Henry then requested of the Pope a cardinal more suited to the
task to come to London and deal with these affairs in a comprehensive
manner. The Pope loved that
idea for that absolved him in many ways of making an immediate decision.
Henry wanted someone who would make a real answer, unlike the run
around that Wolsey was now giving him.
At this same time Catherine was up in arms about having this
divorce and desired to make her petitions known as having been abused by
Henry in this matter of divorce.
History
Of The Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book
19, Chapter 10
Henry was exceedingly vexed at the manner the Pope handled this
situation and passed the responsibility to some else.
Henry believed the Pope did not have his best interests in mind
and put him off. An envoy arrived with Gambara.
Henry consulted with Wolsey and asked him what should be done
next. Wolsey said that the
only way Henry could make Clement follow his desire is to take down
Charles V. Henry declared
hostility against the Emperor as a result.
This was looking a favorable for Wolsey.
Charles had robbed him of the tiara of the Pope, so Wolsey would
now rob him of the crown altogether.
Henry was then instructed by Wolsey to tell the Pope and then he
would protect him against the king, and at the same time, he wrote to
the cardinals telling them that if they backed him they would be
handsomely rewarded.
Gardiner, the secretary of the court, was sent to Clement with
Henry’s letters. Clement
retired to his room to think all this through.
To give Henry a divorce would step on the honor of the Queen,
Catherine, as well as begin a war with Charles.
Clement met again the next day with Gardiner and Gardiner spoke
to him with more and more imperatives on the king’s behalf.
The Pope was stalling Gardiner as much as possible, and Gardiner
tried every means to gain a solid, positive answer for Henry.
Gardiner told Clement that he was not dealing with the king well,
and he would answer for it. A
sealed letter was written to Wolsey on behalf of Clement giving him
power to dissolve the marriage.
History
Of The Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book
19, Chapter 11
Fox returned from Rome carrying the letter.
The Pope, he said, had given this letter to affirm the annulment
the moment the commissioners here pronounce the divorce.
Henry was pleased with this.
Fox was to report to Wolsey and update him on these proceedings.
Wolsey was upset that the whole deal fell on him alone to
execute. And Henry, based
on this news, called in Anne to become officially engaged to her.
Wolsey read the document the next day and found the loophole that
stated the Pope could retract his view on all this at any time –
something Gardiner missed and Fox did not relay to Henry.
Wolsey then had the document rewritten with large words in order
to bind the Pope to his decision. At
the same time in Italy, Gardiner met with Campeggio and entreated him to
pronounce the divorce in London. But
Henry in coming to a knowledge of all this, simply thought the Pope was
trying to entangle him in some way.
Henry thought through the implication of the Pope’s action and
decided to move along a different line of thought.
The Pope had not really given him the positive answer he looked
for. Would there be, then,
the possibility of changing the players?
Henry could break off from the Roman Church and have his own
church by which he remained king and priest.
This would in fact take a turn for the better, but was this the
best course to take?
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