The controversy in which he had taken part resulted', __CHAP L as is well known, in the Ten Articles, and these again found a place in the most important theological treatise of the time,―The Institution of a Christian Man'. This celebrated The farvolume, beyond question the most beautiful composition C which had as yet appeared in English prose,'-was the joint production of a Commission which included the whole episcopate, eight archdeacons, and seventeen doctors of divinity and civil law; an illustrious list, seeing that it contains the names of those who were also the translators of the Bible of 1540 and the compilers of the Prayer Book. Essentially a That Alane exercised considerable influence on the controversies of the time is evident from the language of Weston, the catholic dean of Westminster, at the disputation at Oxford: A runagate Scot did take away the worshipping of Christ in the saerament, by whose procurement that heresy was put into the last Communion Book; so much prevailed that one man's authority at that time. Latimer-Corrie, 11 278. A good account of the Institution is to be found in Mr J. H. Blunt's Reformation of the Church of Eng land, pp. 444-469. He regards it as the great dogmatical document of the Reformation,' and speaks of it as a noble endeavour on the part of the bishops to promote unity and to instruct the people in Church doctrine.' The spirit of reactionary Ultramontanism,' he observes, had not then been imported into English affairs, as it afterwards was by the provocations of Edward vi and his courtiers; nor had the spirit of Continental Protestantism as yet made its way to any extent among divines' (p. 446). Mr Perry (Hist. of the Church of England, p. 152) also characterises the work as 'a very admirable attempt to separate in a calm and reverent spirit, catholic truth from the admixture of papal error.' Dr Short, in his Hist. of the Church of England (Append. B to c. 5), gives a detailed comparison of the doctrinal teaching of the Institution and the Erudition of a Christian Man (the King's Book'), which was published six years later, with that of the M. II. Thirty-Nine Articles. So far as it deviated with respect to doctrine from the Romish Church, the Institution was mainly a reproduction of the Ten Articles. Transubstantiation was essentially still tanght. The placing of images in churches was encouraged, although it was for bidden to worship them. Justification was declared to be attained through Christ's merits conjointly with contrition, faith, and works of clarity on the part of the believer. Prayers for the dead are commended, as also are masses and exequies on their behalf; but the Roman theory of masses ad scalam coeli, as of elicacy to obtain remission from the pains of purgatory, is condemned. The most important innovation was that introduced in the definition of the Church Catholic as that which 'cannot be coarcted or restrained within the limits of any one town, city, province, region, or country, but is spread and dispersed universally throughout the whole world.' It is a matter of some dispute whether the Institution or the Erudition (published six years later) exhibits the closer approximation to Romish doctrine; Strype (Mem. 1 589) holding that the latter work shews what a good step the reformation of religion had made,' while Collier (Eccles, Hist. v 102) considers that it proves that there had been a retrograde movement towards Rome. Mr Hunt (Religious Thought in England, 1–10) considers that Strype's is the more correct view. compromise between the doctrines of Lutheranism and those of Roman Catholicism, the Institution has gained the commen lation of the majority of our Church historians rather, it would seem, from the spirit in which it was conceived than on account of the standpoint which it represents. For your present purpose it is of exceptional value as an illustratin of the spirit and theology of the school of thought predominant in the Cambridge of that day. Of the ascendancy of that party in the assembly to which the book owed its origin there can be no reasonable doubt'. Of the twentyone bishops only three,-Stokesley, Voysey, and Longlande,— can be regarded as distinctively Oxford men. Cambridge, in fact, was already identified in the eyes of the nation at large with that eclectic spirit which subsequently resulted in the position taken up by the Church of England, and in this relation exercised an influence over the state policy and religious thought of the nation throughout the century to CHAPL which the sister university could make no claim. Pactionary the und Cravor to Metcalfe as wastes. But although the influence of the Reformation was predominant, there still existed at Cambridge a considerable party who viewed with equal dislike the new learning and the new theology. Alane, as we have just seen, had been Evidence of driven from the university by their machinations, and two fin years later the same feelings found more formal expression versity. at St John's College. In that society the more reasonable and respectable conservative element was still opposing a pertinacious check to the innovating policy supported by the younger fellows. In 1537 this struggle reached a crisis, and Ftion at Dr Metcalfe, who had held the mastership ever since the of a suc year 1518, was induced under something like compulsion to retire from the post. He had been greatly esteemed by Fisher, of whose virtues and habits of thought he was no unfit representative. Roger Ascham, who was then a young Aham's student in the college, long afterwards described him as one Malfe's who was parciall to none, but indifferent to all: a master for the whole, a father to every one in that college. There was none,' he goes on to say, 'so poore, if he had either wil to goodnes, or wit to learning, that could lacke being there, or should depart from thence for any need. I am witnes myself, that mony many tymes was brought into yong mens studies by strangers whom they knew not'. It was however well known that Metcalfe was distrusted by the new chan, cellor and the court, for although he had yielded to the recent innovations with both temper and tact, he was sup posed to regard them with secret dislike and to be still a Catholic at heart. Under these circumstances the interests of the college may have seemed to call for his removal, 1 Ascham, Scholemaster (ed. Mayor), p. 160. It is very observable that Dr Day, who succeeded him in the mastership here and was removed from hence to King's College, was afterwards obliged to abdicate his pro vostship to make room for Check, and that Sir John Cheek after a few years' enjoyment did ablicate (i.c. unwillingly resigned) that prefer. but nothing could well be more impolitic than the subsequent conduct of the society. They proceeded to petition Cromwell for full liberty to elect a new master, 'giving him,' according to Baker, 'strong hopes that all should be transacted to his satisfaction. Cromwell gavo a formal sent to this petition, although at the same time the college received a significant intimation that Dr Day, one of the royal chaplains and public orator in the university, would be no unfit person for their choice. We must look upon it as a last and fruitless effort to assert their inde pendence that the majority of the voters elected Dr Nicholas Wilson, formerly master of Michaelhouse, who was not only a staunch opponent of the theory of the royal supremacy but had recently been a state prisoner on a charge of misprision of treason. Fortunately Wilson had the prudence and good sense to decline the perilous honour, and the college, awaking somewhat tardily to the rashness of its conduct, thereupon proceeded to elect Dr Day. The anger of the chancellor, however, was not lightly expressed, and it needed no slight contrition and all the united eloquence of Fox and the new master to avert from the society the royal displeasure and the Consequences of its indiscretion'. The suppression of the smaller monasteries in 1536 and the consequent uprising of the northern counties, though doubtless watched with intense interest both at Oxford and Cambridge, had but slightly affected the actual condition of the two universities. But now the tide of revolution rolled cer, and the visitation of the larger monasteries, followed by their ultimate surrender in 1537 and 1538, both touched the interests and affected the character of academic life very nearly. The work was directed by Cromwell with his usual Consummate sagacity. While the most influential of the nobility and gentry were bribed into acquiescence by the promise or the actual bestowal of the richest abbey lands, the scholar and the churchman were induced to keep silence Eating Baker-Mayor, p. 105. See, h to the same effect, Fuller. Frickett and Wright, p. 227. 1 Baker-Mayor, p. 110. by the hope of seeing new and splendid homes of learning CHAP. 1. endowed from the monastic spoils. Just as the confiscation of the estates of the alien priories under Henry v had given birth to Eton and King's College,-as that of the lands of the smaller monasteries under Wolsey had resulted in the foundation of Cardinal College and the grammar school at Ipswich, so, it was imagined, the final abolition of the monasteries would prove to the universities a yet more splendid gain. Latimer. confidential dent of in the At this period the activity of Latimer is astonishing, and Activity of probably no one individual in those days, Cromwell alone excepted, attracted to himself a larger share of the nation's interest and sympathy. We trace him at the university, He the where he was Cromwell's most trusted agent and corre- correspon spondent, now furnishing letters of introduction to fellows Cromwell of St John's about to solicit freedom to elect a master of university. their own choice', or intimating that 'disaffection' (such as had been shewn in the matter of Wilson's election) is not yet altogether banished from that society',-now entreating Cromwell to remember poor Clare Hall,' at that time groaning under Crayford's despotic rule,-now suggesting that he should, from time to time, send for the masters of the different colleges and inspect the statutes, dismissing the former and altering the latter whenever he might see cause'. We see him in his own diocese issuing injunctions to his clergy to procure for themselves copies of the Institution, and to the monasteries to provide themselves with English bibles and testaments and with schoolmasters who could teach grammar. We find him, again, at Paul's Cross, sounding His high and clear the koy-note to which the pulpits throughout inst the England were enjoined to attune their exhortations. When 1 15 July, 1537. For these two fellows of St John's College, Cambridge, do come to your lordship in the name of the whole college, to the intent to shew your lordship the tenor of their statute as touching the election of a new master,' etc. (Latimer-Corrie, 11 378). With reference, evidently, to the election of Metcalfe's successor. Sep. 6, 1537. As for S. John's college, I can say no more but that all factions and affections be not yet exiled out of Cambridge: and yet, my good lord, extend your goodness thereunto, forasmuch as you be their chancellor, that in your time they be not trodden under foot.' Ibid. 1 3-2. Ibid. 11 378. vectives monasteries |