CRANTZ
558
CREAGH
the Melanethon of our EngUsh Refonnaiioii. The greatest defect of his character) want of firmness, which has mined many a man of genius and learning, by a peculiar combination of drcmnstanoes, secured his adyancement and goided him to fortone. His mind possessed great acnteness ; he could generally perceive what was best, althoagh, had vigorous action been re- quired of him, he would have fiuled to do justice to the clearness of his views. Such a mind is common enough. Fortunately for the useftilness of Cranmer, the time required of him litde more than to follow his bent and be moderate. He was surrounded by vehe- ment and excited spirits, who required all the restraint of his temperate and quiet character. And these very traits of his have impressed upon the Church which he moulded, and upon the public office which he, as primate, had the chief share in drawing up,'* a sort of compromising and uncertain character, "which has never been lost It is through Cranmer's infin- enoe that the Church of England at the present day is capable of sheltering at once the High and Low Chnrehman, the UniversaHst and the Calvinist." His cruel death was one of the most unpopular measures of Mary's government. — See Strype, Memoriais of Cranmer (Oxford, 1840, 2 vols. 8vo ; also 1868, by Barnes, 2 vols. 12mo, and 1864 [EceL HitL 8oe,'], 4 vols. 8vo) ; Todd, Life o/Orcmmer (Lend. 1881, 2 vols. 8vo) ; Le Bas, Life of Cranmer (Lend. 1888, 2 vols. 12mo; N. T. 18mo) ; Burnet, Hitt, Reformation (pas- shn) ; Gilpin, jL(/6 of Cranmer; Eng. CjfdoptBdia (which has been freely used in the preparation of this article). Cranmer's writings are still it value for theology as wen as for Church history. A ftill list of them is given by Jenkins, Eemaint of Ahp. Cranmer, eoQected and arranffed (Oxf. 1883, 4 vols. 8vo). The '' Parker Society" has republished Cranmer's WrUmffe on the LonTs Sttf^ (Camb. 1844, imp. 8vo), and his Mieoel- Umeoue Writinff8 and Letters (Camb. 1846, imp. 8vo).
Crantz. See Kkaittz.
Crasatis (Greecized Kpaoaoc), folly M. Licinius Cbassvs, sumamed Dives Q^the Rich"), one of the membera of the first Roman triumvirate, was bom about B.C. 105, and after various civil and military engagements, on the triumviral coalition started, B.C. 55, as governor of the consular province of Syria (where he succeeded Gabinius, Josephus, Ant, xiv, 8, 4), on a campaign against the Parthians. On his way he stopped at Jerusalem (according to Josephus, War, i, 8, 8, although the statement is confirmed by no other historian of the times, and this city lay off his route) and plundered the Temple, as he did likewise that of the goddess Derceto at Hierapolis, in Syria (Strabo xvi, in fin.). In&tuated by this sacrilege (Prideaux, Connection, pt. ii), he proceeded on liis cam- paign, which ended in his defeat, capture, and death (Dio Cass, xl, 27). Plutarch wrote a life of Crassus. —Smith, Diet, of Class. Biog, s. v.
Cra'tds (Kpdn^c; Vulg. translates praiaius est), governor of the Cyprians (6 M rCtv K.), who was left in charge of the "castle" (t% (kpoir<$X«iic) of Jeru- Mlem (?) during the absence of Sostratus, in the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes (2 Mace iv, 29).— Smith,
8.V.
Crato von Crafftheim (Krc^jft), Johahsbs, a prominent representative of Protestantism in Aus- tria, was bom at Breslau Nov. 22, 1619. At the Uni- ^rsity of Wittenberg, to which he went in 1684, he lived for six years in the house of Luther, and while there collected the material for the TabkUaOc qf Lu- ^^t which was subsequently published by his ftiend Anriikber. He became also intimate with Melanc- ^n, whose theological views he, on the whole, adopt- ^ Upon the advice of Luther, he left the study of theology, on account of his feeble health, ibr that of jnedicine. In 1560 he was appointed city physician m his native city, Breslau. His successful practice.
especially during the prevalence of the plague in 1568, and a number of able works, procured him a great reputation and an appointment as imperial private physician (1560), which position he retained during the reign of the emperors Ferdinand, Maximilian II, and Rudolph II. He lived at the imperial court of Austria from 1568 to 1681, was made an imperial coun- cillor, and a nobleman under the name of Crato of Crafftheim, and received from the emperor Maximilian II, who was favorable to Protestantinn, the privileges of a Comes Palati$ws, and many other proofs of favor. At the court of Austria he was one of the most zealous and influential representatives of ProtestantiBm, and took a leading part in the regulation of the affairs of the Protestant Church. Being at first a moderate Lutheran of the Melancthonian school, and an earnest opponent of the exclusive system of Fladus, he grad- ually embraced the views of the *' Reformed" Church, with many prominent men of which he was intimately acquainted. After the death of Maximilian (1576), the influence of the Jesuits for a short time occasioned his dismissal fhmi the court, but in 1578 he was re- called. In 1581, tired of court lifiB, he withdrew of his own accord. In 1588 he returned to Breslau, where he exercised a great influence upon the courts of Ueg- nitz, Brieg, and Ohlau. He died Oct. 19, 1586. See Gillet, Crato ffon Crqfftkeim nnd seine Freunde (Frank! 1860, 2 vols.); Herzog, Real-Encyldop. xix, 868.