Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Mr. Arthur Mason & Mr. (Canterbury) Cranmer

Mason, Arthur James. Thomas Cranmer.  London: Methuen Co., 1898.

It is available at: 


http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-ebook/dp/B00538MELC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376431920&sr=8-1&keywords=mason+thomas+cranmer

It is available online at:


http://books.google.com/books?id=s1ELAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=arthur+mason+thomas+cranmer&hl=en&sa=X&ei=qa8KUomVDJP54APGy4GoBg&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=arthur%20mason%20thomas%20cranmer&f=false

Another brief volume of 203 pages with digested views or reconstructions from the more serious and extensive biographies. Ergo, the volume is a handy and serviceable work for “smaller” purposes of introduction. We put this alongside Mr. (Rev. Dr.) Bromiley's serviceable work.

Mr. Mason constructs his discussion:

1. Cranmer’s Life Until the Divorce
2. Cranmer and Public Affairs Under Henry
3. Cranmer and the Reformation Under Henry
4. Cranmer under Edward VI
5. Cranmer’s Last Years

Mr. Mason quotes Lord Houghton’s statement in the preface to Recantacyons that Mr. Cranmer was “the most mysterious personage of the British Reformation.” We share the view.

Mr. Mason gives a tour of his sources:

1) The first two are highly recommended by Mr. Mason. First, H. Jenkyn’s collection in the Parker Society.

We could only find three volumes for hardcopy at:


http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Edited-Parker-Society/dp/1407702041/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1376432605&sr=8-11&keywords=cranmer+parker+society .

Cranmer, Thomas.  The Works of Thomas Cranmer, Vol. 1-3 (ed. Parker Society). No location: Hardpress Publishing, 2012.

Available at:


http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Edited-Parker-Society/dp/1407702041/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1376432605&sr=8-11&keywords=cranmer+parker+society 

A few online resources are available at: Cranmer, Thomas. Writings and Disputations, vol. 1 (1844) PDF Cranmer, Thomas. Writings and Disputations, vol. 2 (1844) PDF [Internet Archive]

2) Secondly, Narratives of the Reformation (Camden Society). No location: Ulan Press, 2012.

Mr. G.W. Bromiley, as we noted yesterday, also highly recommended this.  Of note, we believe that Ralph Morice has his biographical notes in this volume.


Available at:

http://www.amazon.com/Narratives-Reformation-Camden-Society-Britain/dp/B00ARBTSV4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376357922&sr=8-1&keywords=narratives+of+the+reformation+%28camden+society%29

3) Allegedly, there is a “biography” somewhere by Mr. Ralph Morice. We are searching. It was written at Mr. (abc) Matthew Parker’s request. Also, Mr. Morice consulted with Mr. John Foxe. It may be found at the end of John Strype’s life of Cranmer (see below). Mr. Morice was the longtime friend and trusted secretary of Mr. Cranmer throughout his time as Canterbury. Mr. Mason notes that Foxe speaks with “vivacity and picaresque force.”

4) In Mr. Mason's view, Misters (Bp.) Gilbert Burnet and (Rev.) John Strype are “most useful to the student.” Everyone cites these two must-haves/must-reads. They appear on all serious bibliographies.

5) Burnet, Gilbert.  History of the Reformation of the Church of England, 1-6 Volumes. No location: Ulan Press, 2012.

According to Mr. G.W. Bromiley, there are seven volumes.

Available at:


http://www.amazon.com/History-Reformation-Church-England-Volumes/dp/B00A9UTDQI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1375124672&sr=8-5&keywords=gilbert+burnet+history+of+reformation

They are available online at: 


http://books.google.com/books?id=q88WAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=gilbert+burnet+history+of+the+reformation&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ec32Ub7EOpPa9QS264HYBQ&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=gilbert%20burnet%20history%20of%20the%20reformation&f=false 

In 1679, Mr. Burnet says of Cranmer: “…as eminent virtues, and as few faults in him as in any prelate, that has been in the Christian Church for many ages.” 

In 1715, however, he nuances this with: “…if it had not been for Cranmer’s too feeble compliance in King Henry’s time, and the last inexcusable slip, he might well be proposed as one of the greatest patterns of history.”

6) Strype, John. Memorials of the Most Reverend Father in God Thomas Cranmer: Sometime Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. Wherein the History of the Church, and the ... Greatly Illustrated; and Many Singular Matter. No location: Ulan Press, 2012. 


Especially as we approach the memorial of the St. Bartholomew Day Massacre on 23 August 1572, we offer this note.  Mr. Strype was a descendant of a Huguenot family of immigrants to England following the Romano-French persecutions.  He took Anglican orders.   Mr. Strype probably was aware of the Laudian persecutions of the Dutch and French Reformed immigants to England.  Laud persecuted those settled congregations of Loyalist immigrants, but we digress.  Laud was a wicked Bishop.  Mr. Strype is a first-rate scholar and is in the tradition of the hero-narrative biographies.

In hardcopy, it is available at: 


http://www.amazon.com/Memorials-Reverend-Father-Thomas-Cranmer/dp/B009PU77G6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375124947&sr=8-1&keywords=John+strype+cranmer

It is available online at: 

http://books.google.com/books?id=eA5IYYMsOA8C&pg=PA533&dq=john+strype+cranmer&hl=en&sa=X&ei=t9P2UYv4B4ma9gTLm4CQAg&ved=0CFIQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=john%20strype%20cranmer&f=false

7) Todd, Henry John. Archbishop Cranmer, 2 Volumes. Ulan Press, 2010.

Available in hardcopy at:


http://www.amazon.com/The-Life-Archbishop-Cranmer-Volume/dp/1147103828/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1375125644&sr=8-5&keywords=todd+archbishop+cranmer

It is available online at:

http://books.google.com/books?id=zmkmGlnvbNgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=john+henry+todd+archbishop+cranmer&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NND2UZ2vL4Pc9QSI2YBg&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=john%20henry%20todd%20archbishop%20cranmer&f=false

Todd, Henry John. A Reply to Dr. [J.] Lingard's Vindication of His History of England, As Far As Respects Archbishop Cranmer.  Ulan Press, 2012.


Lingard is in the Romano-English strain and refrain of the villain-narrative; an anti-Reformation Englishman.

Available in hardcopy at: 


http://www.amazon.com/Lingards-Vindication-History-Respects-Archbishop/dp/B00AP6SVG4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375125644&sr=8-1&keywords=todd+archbishop+cranmer

It is available online at: 

http://books.google.com/books?id=IrrkAJHRGagC&printsec=frontcover&dq=john+henry+todd+archbishop+cranmer&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NND2UZ2vL4Pc9QSI2YBg&ved=0CDsQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=john%20henry%20todd%20archbishop%20cranmer&f=false

9) Todd, Henry John. A Vindication of the Most Reverend Thomas Cranmer, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: And Therewith of the Reformation in England, Against Some of the ... the Rev. Dr. Milner, and Charles Butler.  Ulan, 2010. 


Available in hardcopy at: 

http://www.amazon.com/Vindication-Reverend-Cranmer-Archbishop-Canterbury/dp/B009P5NHS8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1375125644&sr=8-3&keywords=todd+archbishop+cranmer 

It is available online at:

http://books.google.com/books?id=JVALAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=john+henry+todd+archbishop+cranmer&hl=en&sa=X&ei=vdD2UZ6IF4OE8gSB-ICYBQ&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=john%20henry%20todd%20archbishop%20cranmer&f=false

10) Hook. "Life of Cranmer." We were unable to locate this.

11) Mr. Mason speaks glowingly of Mr. (Rev.) Richard Watson Dixon’s work. We read his volume on Elizabeth and he is full and scholarly.


Mr. Mason favorably quotes Mr. Dixon: “…because the more deeply Cranmer’s character and career are studied, the more attractive they make themselves to be.”

Dixon, Richard Watson. History of the Church of England: From the Aboltion of the Roman Jurisdiction, Vols. 1-6. No location: Ulan, 2012.

Available at:


http://www.amazon.com/History-Church-England-Abolition-Jurisdiction/dp/B00A7NWP62/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376434679&sr=8-1&keywords=richard+watson+dixon+history+of+the+church+of+england

We located one online at: 


http://books.google.com/books?id=x1MdBR593-0C&pg=PP8&dq=r.w.dixon+history+of+the+church+of+england&hl=en&sa=X&ei=S7kKUrOFGK354APkgIHYCg&ved=0CDIQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=r.w.dixon%20history%20of%20the%20church%20of%20england&f=false .

A small taste of these delicious volumes by Mr. Dixon are suggested by the preface of the online version:

“THE First Volume contains the period from the Fall of Wolsey to the end of the Pilgrimage of Grace. It gives for the first time the whole history of the struggle between the King, aided by the Parliament, and the Clergy, which ended with the submission of the latter. It contains the various acts by which the Roman jurisdiction was ended: the fullest account of the troubles of More, Fisher, Houghton, and others under the new acts of Supreme Head and verbal treason. The examination of the evidence on which the religious houses are commonly believed to have been condemned, the first part of the Monastic Suppression, and the Pilgrimage of Grace, are among the chief contents of this volume: and of the whole work it is a principal feature to afford a sufficient treatment of the various visitations, injunctions, articles, and formularies that appeared in the course of the Reformation.”

“The Second Volume continues and concludes, from the former volume, the history of the Monastic Suppression, an event which has never before been treated in a consecutive manner. It exhibits fully, for the first time, the various negotiations between Henry and the Protestants; and for ihe first time divides by their years and assigns to their causes the religious persecutions of Henry's later years. It embraces the Irish Reformation, and the affairs of Scotland and of the Continent, as they affected England: it gives a full account of the compilation of the Third English Confession, which it compares with the Second: it traces the Liturgic Reformation to the point at which it arrived within the period. The volume is furnished with an Index to the two first volumes.”

Cranmer, indeed, the "Mystery Man."

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