Editing Thomas Cranmer (section)

==Under the vicegerency (1535–1538)==
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[[File:Cromwell,Thomas(1EEssex)01.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Thomas Cromwell]] was the vicegerent acting as the main agent for the king over spiritual matters. Portrait by [[Hans Holbein the Younger|Hans Holbein]], 1532–1533.]]

Cranmer was not immediately accepted by the bishops within his province. When he attempted a [[canonical visitation]], he had to avoid locations where a resident conservative bishop might make an embarrassing personal challenge to his authority. In 1535, Cranmer had difficult encounters with several bishops, [[John Stokesley]], [[John Longland]], and Stephen Gardiner among others. They objected to Cranmer's power and title and argued that the [[Act of Supremacy]] did not define his role. This prompted [[Thomas Cromwell]], the King's chief minister, to activate and to take the office of the [[vicegerent]],<ref>{{Harvnb|MacCulloch|1996|pp=91–92, 133}}</ref> the deputy supreme head of ecclesiastical affairs. He created another set of institutions that gave a clear structure to the royal supremacy. Hence, the archbishop was eclipsed by Vicegerent Cromwell in regard to the King's spiritual jurisdiction.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ayris|2002|pp=81–86}}; {{Harvnb|Ayris|1993a|pp=125–130}}</ref> There is no evidence that Cranmer resented his position as junior partner.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ridley|1962|pp=91–92}}</ref> Although he was an exceptional scholar, he lacked the political ability to outface even clerical opponents. Those tasks were left to Cromwell.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacCulloch|1996|pp=127–135}}</ref>

On 29 January 1536, when Anne miscarried a son, the King began to reflect again on the biblical prohibitions that had haunted him during his marriage with Catherine of Aragon.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacCulloch|1996|p=149}}</ref> Shortly after the miscarriage, the King started to take an interest in [[Jane Seymour]]. By 24 April, he had commissioned Cromwell to prepare the case for a divorce.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacCulloch|1996|p=154}}; {{Harvnb|Schofield|2008|p=119}}</ref> Unaware of these plans, Cranmer had continued to write letters to Cromwell on minor matters up to 22 April. Anne was sent to the [[Tower of London]] on 2 May, and Cranmer was urgently summoned by Cromwell. On the very next day, Cranmer wrote a letter to the King expressing his doubts about the Queen's guilt, highlighting his own esteem for Anne. After it was delivered, Cranmer was resigned to the fact that the end of Anne's marriage was inevitable.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ridley|1962|pp=100–104}}; {{Harvnb|MacCulloch|1996|pp=157–158}}</ref> On 16 May, he saw Anne in the Tower and heard her confession and the following day, he pronounced the marriage null and void. Two days later, Anne was executed; Cranmer was one of the few who publicly mourned her death.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacCulloch|1996|pp=149–159}}</ref>

The vicegerency brought the pace of reforms under the control of the King. A balance was instituted between the conservatives and the reformers and this was seen in the ''[[Ten Articles]]'', the first attempt at defining the beliefs of the Henrician Church. The articles had a two-part structure. The first five articles showed the influence of the reformers by recognising only three of the [[Sacraments of the Catholic Church|former seven]] [[sacraments]]: baptism, eucharist, and [[penance]]. The last five articles concerned the roles of [[Religious images|images]], [[Veneration|saints]], [[Ritual|rites]] and ceremonies, and [[purgatory]], and they reflected the views of the traditionalists. Two early drafts of the document have been preserved and show different teams of theologians at work. The competition between the conservatives and reformers is revealed in rival editorial corrections made by Cranmer and [[Cuthbert Tunstall]], the [[bishop of Durham]]. The end product had something that pleased and annoyed both sides of the debate.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacCulloch|1996|pp=160–166}}</ref> By 11 July, Cranmer, Cromwell, and the [[Convocation of the English Clergy|Convocation]], the general assembly of the clergy, had subscribed to the ''Ten Articles''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ridley|1962|pp=113–115}}</ref>

In late 1536, the north of England was convulsed in a series of uprisings collectively known as the [[Pilgrimage of Grace]], the most serious opposition to Henry's policies. Cromwell and Cranmer were the primary targets of the protesters' fury. Cromwell and the King worked furiously to quell the rebellion, while Cranmer kept a low profile.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ridley|1962|pp=115–118}}; {{Harvnb|MacCulloch|1996|pp=169–172}}</ref> After it was clear that Henry's regime was safe, the government took the initiative to remedy the evident inadequacy of the ''Ten Articles''. The outcome after months of debate was ''[[The Institution of a Christian Man]]'' informally known from the first issue as the Bishops' Book. The book was initially proposed in February 1537 in the first vicegerential synod, ordered by Cromwell, for the whole Church. Cromwell opened the proceedings, but as the synod progressed, Cranmer and Foxe took on the chairmanship and the co-ordination. Foxe did most of the final editing and the book was published in late September.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ridley|1962|pp=118–123}}; {{Harvnb|MacCulloch|1996|pp=185–196, 205}}</ref>

Even after publication, the book's status remained vague because the King had not given his full support to it. In a draft letter, Henry noted that he had not read the book, but supported its printing. His attention was most likely occupied by the pregnancy of Jane Seymour and the birth of the male heir, [[Edward VI of England|Edward]], that Henry had sought for so long. Jane died shortly after giving birth and her funeral was held on 12 November. That month Henry started to work on the Bishops' Book; his amendments were sent to Cranmer, Sampson, and others for comment. Cranmer's responses to the King were far more confrontational than his colleagues' and he wrote at much greater length.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ridley|1962|pp=123–125}}</ref> They reveal unambiguous statements supporting reformed theology such as justification by faith or ''[[sola fide]]'' (faith alone) and [[predestination]]. His words did not convince the King. A new statement of faith was delayed until 1543 with the publication of the King's Book.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacCulloch|1996|pp=205–213}}</ref>

In 1538, the King and Cromwell arranged with Lutheran princes to have detailed discussions on forming a political and religious alliance. Henry had been seeking a new embassy from the [[Schmalkaldic League]] since mid-1537. The Lutherans were delighted by this and they sent a joint delegation from various German cities, including a colleague of Martin Luther's, [[Friedrich Myconius]]. The delegates arrived in England on 27 May 1538. After initial meetings with the King, Cromwell, and Cranmer, discussions on theological differences were transferred to [[Lambeth Palace]] under Cranmer's chairmanship. Progress on an agreement was slow partly owing to Cromwell being too busy to help expedite the proceedings and partly because the negotiating team on the English side was evenly balanced between conservatives and reformers. The talks dragged on with the Germans becoming weary despite the Archbishop's strenuous efforts. The negotiations were fatally neutralised by an appointee of the King. Cranmer's colleague, Edward Foxe, who sat on Henry's [[Privy Council of England|Privy Council]], had died earlier in the year. The King chose as his replacement Cranmer's conservative rival, [[Cuthbert Tunstall]], who was told to stay near Henry to give advice. On 5 August, when the German delegates sent a letter to the King regarding three items that particularly worried them (compulsory clerical celibacy, the withholding of the chalice from the laity, and the maintenance of [[Sine populo|private masses]] for the dead), Tunstall was able to intervene for the King and to influence the decision. The result was a thorough dismissal by the King of many of the Germans' chief concerns. Although Cranmer begged the Germans to continue with the negotiations, using the argument "to consider the many thousands of souls in England" at stake, they left on 1 October without any substantial achievements.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ridley|1962|pp=161–165}}; {{Harvnb|MacCulloch|1996|pp=213–221}}</ref>