Cranmer
THOMAS, Archbishop which he gave on the question of Henry VIII.'s divorce from his first wife, Cath- VIII.'s divorce from his first wife, Caththat monarch, who employed him to vindicate the measure, and sent him, in 1530, with other envoys, to maintain his view before the Pope. His mission was fruitmany, and at Nürnberg married a niece less. On his way home, he visited Germany, and at Nürnberg married a niece less. On his way home, he visited Gerraised to the archbishopric of Cantermoted the cause of the Reformation. bury, in which office he zealously pro- Through his means the Bible was transstitutions. A few weeks after his ap- Through his means the Bible was translated and read in churches; and he great- Catharine, and confirmed the king's marpointment, he pronounced, in a court held Dunstable, the sentence of divorce of Catharine, and confirmed the king's marriage with Anne Boleyn. In 1536, when riage with Anne Boleyn. In 1536, when to promote the sentence of divorce. This and other compliances with the monarch's will insured him the gratitude of Henry, to promote the sentence of divorce. This Bishop Gardiner and others who accused CRANNOG him of heresy and faction. By Henry's will he was appointed one of the council of regency to Edward VI.; and as the young king was brought up chiefly under the archbishop's care, it enabled him to further the objects of the Reformation in a regular and consistent manner, by framing the liturgy, the homilies, articles of religion, etc. On the accession of Mary, he was committed to the Tower, along with Latimer and Ridley. In March, along 1554, they were removed to Oxford, and confined there in common prison. Latimer and Ridley bore their cruel fate with courage; but the spirit and principles of Cranmer temporarily gave way under the severity of his sufferings. He was induced, in the hope of saving his life, to sign no fewer than seven recantations; but his enemies were determined on his death. On March 21, 1556, he suffered martyrdom, as his fellow-reformers had done, opposite Baliol College. His courage returned at the end, and he died repenting that he had changed his faith.