GARDINER, STEPHEN, Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chan cellor of England, although he was called by another name, was believed to be the illegitimate son of Dr. Woodvil, bishop of Salisbury, who being brother to Elizabeth, Edward IVth's queen, was also related to Henry VIII. He was born at Bury St. Edmunds in 1483. His studies at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, were directed not only to Latin and Greek, but also to civil and canon law, and it was partly his skill in this latter branch of learning that led to his future great ness. When master of Trinity Hall, through his intimacy with the Duke of Norfolk, he became acquainted with Wolsey, who afterwards made him his secretary, and in this capacity he was brought under the notice of the king, with whom he rapidly ingratiated himself. An office of trust was soon committed to his charge. Dr. Stephens (as Gardiner at this time was usually called) was sent to Italy in 1527, to procure the pope's consent to the divorce of Catherine of Aragon, and no better proof can be given of his high favour with Henry than the fact that from Rome he wrote a letter to the kiug so private that even Cardinal Wolsey was not to see it (Burnet's 'Reformation,' where the letter is given). Though he failed in the object for which he was sent to Rome, he rendered services at this court both to the bishop of Norwich (who afterwards rewarded him with the archdeaconry of Norfolk), and to Wolsey by promoting his interests as a candidate for the papal throne. He was recalled from Rome to manage the process for the divorce in England; and because he was esteemed the greatest canonist of his time, the king would commence no proceedings until he returned. After his arrival he was made secretary of state, and having in the spring of 1531 been further advanced to the arch deaconry of Leicester, was installed bishop of Winchester in the following November. We pass over his embassies to France and Germany in order to speak more fully of his opposition to all such measures as were intended to procure a religious reformation in ' England. Gardiner was attached to the doctrines and forms of the Roman Catholic church; he was believed to hIve already reconciled himself to the pope, with whom he had had differences while urging the divorce; and he had no sooner returned to England than he urged the king to punish the sacramentaries (persons who denied the cor poral presence of Christ in the eucharist) and to turn a deaf ear to the proposals of the reformers. It was impolitic, he said, to offend the pope, not only on account of the power of the holy see itself, but because the emperor would break off all commerce with him if he went to extremities against the Roman Catholic religion.
His advice was partially taken, the innovations of the reformers were obstructed, and Lambert and others were condemned and exe cuted for their heretical opinions. " He was opposed," says Burnet, "to all reformation :" both the free use of the Scriptures and their translation into English he considered to be highly objectionable ; to the disuse of confession and the omission of certain sacraments he was equally averse; and he was altogether opposed to the measures of Cranmer and his associates. He had certainly endeavoured to dis suade the king from listening to Cranmer's proposals for furthering the Reformation. In the promotion of the act of the six articles (1533), and in the subsequent enforcement of its provisions, the extent of his hostility to the reformation was most evidently displayed. The decline of Cromwell's power tended greatly to increase his authority and influence. Both these crafty statesmen had at the same time been servants to Cardinal Wolsey, the one as his secretary, the other as his solicitor ; and both had risen through Wolsey's patronage : but as they had espoused opposite parties, their friendship was at an end, and Uardiner'e jealousy of the vicar-general was without bounds. When circumstances [Ceomwetr,, Thomas] weakened the king's con fidence in the bishop's unpopular rival, he craftily assisted in his downfall, and prepared to occupy his place in the good graces of the king : the fate of Cromwell was soon scaled; a fallen favourite has few friends, and crimes were soon proved which ensured hie execution (1540). It now became Gardiner's object to use all means to obtain the favour of the king. The disgust of Henry at his new queen, Anne of Cleves, was so rapidly conceived that he had scarcely married her before he began to talk of a divorce. There was no just ground whatsoever for such a separation; nevertheless Gardiner, though an accurate lawyer, promoted the king's suit. The divorce was pro cured, but Henry, though well aware of the assistance' that Gardiner had rendered to his cause, did not wholly trust him. A perception of his excessive cunning appears to have estranged his confidence. The abilities of Gardiner were undeniable; he had also a powerful party at his eide : nevertheless he could only obstruct and hinder, not wholly set aside, the measures of his opponents. The king befriended Gardiner but he never ceased to befriend Cranmer also.