In May, 1643, appeared the ^'^ King's Book" which was, in fact, little more than a new edition of the IntU- tution of a Ckrittian Man^ altered in some points by the papal party ; it received its name from the preface, which was written in Henry's name. The clergy be- ing hostile to this book, Cnmmer, at a visitation of his diocese, in submission to the king's supremacy, forbade them from preaching against any portions of it, how- ever they or he himself might dissent fh)m them. In 1644 Cranmer carried through Parliament a bill to mit- igate the severity of the '* Six Articles." He also as- sisted in compiling an improved English Litany, essen- tially similar to that which is now in use. Difficul- ties, however, were increasing around him. The duke of Norfolk and other members of the privy council ac- cused him of spreading heresies through tiie land, and Henry caused Sir Anthony Denny to cany a message to Cranmer, who rose from his b^ to attend upon the king at Whitehall. The council assembled next day, and summoned the primate. Sentence of imprison- ment was passed upon him, but, to their confusion, he produced the signet of the king, from whose hands he had received it the night before. The council did not venture to proceed further.
King Henry died 27th January, 1647. Cranmer was named one of the regents of the kingdom. On the ac- cession of Edward, all things indeed betokened a fur- ther extension of the Reformation. A visitation was immediately set on foot ; twelve homilies, four of which are ascribed to Cranmer, were drawn up, and ordered to be placed in every church, with the translation of Erasmus's paraphrase of the N. T., for the instruction of the people. Gardiner continued to oppose the Reformation, but Cranmer's influence prevailed ; and when he produced in convocation an ordinance that the laity as well as the clergy should receive the sac- rament in both kinds, the proposition passed unani- mously, and soon after obtained the sanction of the Legislature. In 1648 he revived the proposal for sub- stituting a communion office for the mass, and a ser- vice was firamed in time to be circulated to the clergy for their use at the following Easter. A translation of a catechism, written in German and Latin by Justus Jonas, was published by the archbishop, entitied 6'rafi- mer's CaUckism. In the month of May a commis- sion of twelve divines, with Cranmer at their head, was appointed for the compilation of an English lit- urgy. See Common Prater; Liturgy. On the condemnation of Lord Seymour (1649), Cranmer sign- ed the warrant for his execution, notwithstanding the canon law that no churchman should meddle in mat- ters of blood. Bonner, bishop of London, was now
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degrtded hy commiBsionen, of whom Cranmer *#•« one. An addition was made to the ritual in the shape of a formulary for ordination, and other steps were taken by the primate in order to diffuse a better knowl- edge of the creed of the Protestants. At Lambeth he received the most eminent foreign divines, Martin Bu- cer, Fagius, Peter Martyr, and several more. Cranmer was greatly troubled at the discussions respecting the substitution of tables for altars in the churches. In July, 1550, Hooper was made bishop of Gloucester, and soon after Cranmer received from him a refusal to wear the episcopal habits. Cranmer, upon consid- eration, determined to oppose Hooper, and, in case he persisted, to remove him from his bishopric Hoop- er adopted some of the usual habits. The bishop of Chichester would not obey the order respecting the removal of altars, and the primate consequently de- prived him of his see.. Bishop Grardiner, who had now been in prison nearly two years, was deprived of his bishopric and sent back to the Tower. The conduct of Cranmer in the cases of Bonner and Gardiner was a great exception to his usual moderation. Gardiner, during his imprisonment, occupied himself in answer- ing a treatise published by Cranmer, entitied the De- fence of the True Doctrine of the Sacrament. This controversy was carried on by the archbishop until the end of his life. A revision of the " Service-book" of 1548 was commenced by Cranmer, with the assistance of Ridley and Cox, Peter Martyr and Bucer. The un- dertaking was checked in 1551 by the death ot Bucer. The bishops being now (1551) for the most part di- vines favorable to the Reformation, the compilation of articles for the greater uniformity of faith was un- dertaken by them at the suggestion of the king. This labor so filled the hands of Cranmer, that his time was nearly always occupied by one or other of the great duties that he had imposed upon himself; scarcely could he attend the trial of bishop Tonstal. The bishop was deprived of his see, a sentence which was so contrary to Cranmer's opinion, that, with Lord Stourton, a Roman Catholic, he protested against it. It was not till 1552 that Cranmer gave up all hope of an agreement among all the churches that had with- drawn from the papid supremacy, and for which he had entered into correspondence with Calvin, Melanc- thon, and other divines of the Continent The " Ser- vice-book*' was completed, and the Book of Common Prayer adopted by Parliament in the spring of 1552. In May, 1553, Edward issued a mandate that the cler- gy should subscribe to the Forty-two Articles upon which the divines had agreed, but he died soon after- wards.