23 April 1554 A.D. OXFORD, UK: At trial, Dr. Cranmer answers Dr. John Harpsfield—24 Apr 1554: Cranmer, Ridley and Latimer pronounced “heretics”

23 April 1554 A.D. OXFORD, UK: At trial, Dr. Cranmer answers Dr. John Harpsfield—24 Apr 1554: Cranmer, Ridley and Latimer pronounced “heretics”

A few of our musings on the offerings by Bromiley, G.W. Thomas Cranmer: Archbishop and Martyr.  London: Church Book Room Press, 1956.

The university-trial had been opened 16 Apr 1554, which was more of a rail-road job than a trial. Bishops Thirlby and Bonner were the chairs, the former being polite and the latter being himself, triumphantly rude and obnoxious. It was a university review with the combined forces of Oxford and Cambridge. As such, it had no state or judicial authority other than an academic event functioning advisorially to state and Crown authorities. The year 1555 was used to remove Henrician laws since 1529 with an installation of Mary’s ruthless ecclesiastical and heresy policy laws. These Parliamentary changes in 1555 would provide the legal basis for the subsequent burnings-at-the-stake. But, we get ahead of ourselves. We back up to 16-24 Apr 1554.

The date in question is Thursday, 23 Apr 1554, at Oxford.

Dr. Cranmer was given opportunity to debate John Harpsfield. 

[John Harpsfield any relation to Nicholas Harpsfield, author of The Pretended Divorce Between Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon?, a stout Romanist who was known to have supervised Marian trials? A brother of John?)

Anyways, John Harpsfield was a D.D. candidate at Oxford. But on Bromiley’s view, Harpsfield was “no real match for his learned opponent.” Dr. Cranmer was courteous to Harpsfield.

Of such, Dr. Weston was impressed and stated: “Your [Cranmer] wonderful gentle behavior and modesty is worthy much commendation; and that I may not deprive you of your right and just deserving, I give you my hearty thanks in my own name, and in the name of all my brethren” (Foxe, VI, 518). “…all the doctors gently put off their caps.” This was a standard by which Dr. Cranmer had been forever known—kindness, mercy, generosity, restraint, and caution.

As for Nicholas Ridley, he cut a “vigourous protest” to the proceedings. “Old Hugh” Latimer, on the other hand, exhibited a “pathetic infirmity,” a description perhaps arising from his age or a quiet resignation to the foreknown end.

The following day, Friday, 24 Apr 1554, all three were “defeated and required to recant.” This they refused to do. They were “formally pronounced heretics” (Bromiley, 101). 

Again, 1555 was a time for the Crown and Parliament to get heresy laws back in place. Latimer and Ridley die later in 1555...16 Oct 1555. Pity poor Cranmer remained in jail and suffered more diabolical abuses until his death-at-the-stake, 21 Mar 1556. But, for the present, the focus was on the Oxford trial of 16-24 Apr 1554.