Henry John Todd: "The Life of Archbishop Cranmer, Vol.2," Ch. 2: 1547-15...

As for the handling of Papist clerks, Dr. Cranmer was persistently lenient, e.g., a clerk of Stepney ringing bells during the homily: “The parishioners at length convened him before Cranmer, who dismissed him with lenity, and bade him offend no, more. That lenity offended the accusers, and probably gave occasion to similar disturbances, in order to the suppression of which the visitatorial articles were probably formed. There had been no law then (in 1547) by which to punish such offenders, said Cranmer to an accuser of the Stepney vicar. The dialogue, which followed, is interesting. ‘No law?’ the parishioner replied, adding, ‘If I had your Grace's authority, I would be bold enough to unvicar him, or inflict some sharp punishment upon him and such others. If it ever come to their turn, the papists', they will shew you no such favour.’ — ‘Well,’ said Cranmer, ‘If God so provide, we must abide it.’ — This, Strype observes, was the constant behaviour of the archbishop towards papists, and such as were his enemies. To these an author, nearly contemporary with the archbishop, thus alludes : ‘Did ever those papists, whose lives were saved by good bishop Cranmer's means, who were brought up, who were defended, who were advanced, who were shielded from harm and peril by him, once requite him with one drop of kindness? And yet they spake him fair in his prosperity!’ (41)."