Cranmer's friends recommended his immediate flight ; but in con sideration of the high office that be held, he rejected their advice. In the beginning of August he was summoned before the council, and ordered to confine himself to his palace: on the 27th he was again brought before the same tribunal ; and in September, together with Latimer and Ridley, was committed to the Tower. During his con finement to the palace, in refutation of some reports that the primate would come over to the Roman Catholics, he wrof,Via declaration against the mass. This was not published, but by some means, respecting which there ie a difference of opinion (Todd, voL ii.; Burnet, vol. it), copies were obtained of it which reached the council, and were openly read in Chas/wide. Iu the Star-chamber Cranmer avowed the writing, and his intention of affixing it to every church-door in London. The council committed him not only for treason against the succession of the queen, but for perseverance in "disquieting the state." The queen did not oppoeo the committal In March 1554 Cranmer was removed, in company with his fellow prisoners, Bishops Latimer and Ridley, to the prison of Bocardo at Oxford, where was renewed tho controversy respecting the Lord's Supper, which, by the queen's desire, was named the subject for discussion.
On the 13th of April, the persons sent by the convocation to dispute appeared in the university, and Cranmer, who was first called before theta, after examining the questions set before him (Burnet, voL IL), entered into argument upon them. After him reasoned Latimer end Ridley, amidst much shouting, hissing, confusion, and insult. On the Intb the discussion was revived; and on the 2Sth they were again brought to St. Ilsry's, where it was declared, that unless they would turn, they were obstinate heretics, and no longer members of the church. Cranmer then replied. " From this your judgment and seutenco I appeal to the just judgment, of the Almighty, trusting to be present with Iline in Heaven, for whose presence In the alter I am thus condemned i" and having thus spoken he was removed again to his prison.
lie had some days before sent a petition to the council and the praying pardon for his offences towards her, but the bearer to whom he had lutrusted the papers broke them open, and it is not known that they reached their destination. However this may be, the council cleaned that the charge of treason should be withdrawn, and the proceedings for heresy followed up, that the pains of fire, and not the axe, might be the manner of his death.
It was now disoovered that the tribunal before which Cranmer had been tried was not competent to decide the aim, and that the sentence was illegal. The pope therefore issued a fresh commission, and on the 12th of Septeenber 1555 the yorineste was again examined by Broken, the bishop of Gloucester, and two civilians, Martin and Story. After some dissuasion, lastest* articles of accusation were produced, touch ing which eight whames wen examined, and then the case closed. It is remarkable that, previous to these proceedings, Cnnmer was summoned to appear within eighty days before the pope at Rome : this must have been a mere fiction of papal law, not intended for him to obey, as indeed it was impossible for any reasoner to do. Not long after Crenmer was sent back to prison, he heard of the execution of Ridley and Is/Rinser, and after a few more weeks had passed, he received from Cardinal Pole an answer to two letters that lie had written to the queen during the interval between the last proceedings at Oxford and the day that these bishops were brought to the stake. It appears from these letters that the primate's adherence to Protestant principle', was still unshaken. On tho 20t6 of November the eighty days had elapsed, and ou the 4th of December be was excommunicated and deprived of his bishopric. A letter fromsthe pope (Paul IV.), bearing date the 14th of November, affirming him to be contuma cious, because "he took no tire to appear" at Rome when cited, and declaring him guilty of heresy and other enormities, filially commanded his execution. On the /4th of February, in obedience to this mandate, Craumer was degraded. It was within a few days after this that the fortitude of a mind which had hitherto been firm gave way Tinder the pressure of misery and the close prospect of a torturing death.
The love of life overcame his firmness : be forsook his principles, and wrote a recantation of his faith. By whose exertions his resolution TM shaken we cannot ascertain; but this unworthy sacrifice of opinion served only to render his enemies triumphant: whatever had been their promises, the recantation was of no avail towards tho preservation of his life. On the 20th of March, the eve of his execu tion, he was visited by Dr. Cole, the provost of Eton College, who had been ordered by the queen to attend him. During this interview Cranmer gave answer that he remained firm in the Catholic faith as he had recently professed it, an answer that has by some been con sidered equivocal. After Cole had left, him, Garcina entered tho prison, and requested him to transcribe a recantation, to be delivered by him at the stake, which the prisoner consented to do. On the following day he was led to St,. Mary'. church, where, after an exhorta tion had been read by Dr. Cole, and Cranmer had finished his private devotions, he solemnly addressed the people, openly professing his faith, and at length declaring, "Now I come to the great thing that troubleth my conscience more than any other thing that I ever said or did in my life; and that is the setting abroad of writings contrary to the truth which I thought in my heart, and writ for fear of death, and to save my life, if it might be; and that is all such bills which I have written or signed with mine own hand since my degradation, wherein I have written many things untrue. And forasmuch as my hand offended in writing contrary to my heart, therefore my hand shall first ba punished. For if I may come to the fire, it shall be first burned. And as for the pope, 1 refuse him as Christ's enemy, and antichrist, with all his false doctrine." The whole assembly was astonished at this speech; they had suppoeed that ho would have confirmed and not retracted his recantation. Ho was then hurried away to the stake, where he stood motionless, holding up his right hand, and exclaiming, until his utterance was stifled, " This unworthy hand ! Lord Jesus receive my spirit 1" Cranmer's diligence and application were unusual : he was deeply reed in theology and canon law, aud was familiar with I lebrew, Greek, and Latin, as well as French, German, and Italian, which he acquired during his travels; the copiousness of his commonplace books gavo weight to his opinion, and readiness to his power of argument. His reservation respecting the oaths which ho swore when appointed archbishop, his subserviency to Henry VIII. in anuulling hie mar riages, his share in the condemnation of some heretics, his conduct at tho diegmeing of Bonner and Gardiner, and the went of courage which made him recent after his condemnation, are great blots uu his character. But though his conduct on these occasions was marked by dishonesty, intemperanco, and want of firmness, these were rather impulses than habitual and characterietio vices, for it cannot be denied that Crnnmer was sincere, mild, and moderate, and for the most part a firm men : nor is it to be forgotten that persecution was the policy of all religious parties at this period. Ile had moreover the virtue of constancy to his friends, a very rare quality in the times in which ha lived; and never relaxed his friendship towards Auuo Boleyn, Cromwell, or Somerset in their adversity. The affability of his manners, and the gentleness of his temper, made him beloved by tunny friends and men of learning, to whom lie also extended a liberal hospitality ; so that his protracted imprisonment and cruel death was one of the most unpopular measures of Mary's government. A com plete collection of the extant works of Cranmer has been published at Oxford by Dr. Jenkyue, and the Parker Society has published various inedited writings under the title of 'Remains of Archbishop Cranmer.' (Strype, ,Mentoriols of Cranmer; Fox, Acts and Mon.; Burnet, //W. /Worm; Gilpin, Todd, and Le Bas, Lira of Cranmer; and the general histories of the period.)