John Styrpe: "Memorials of the Most Reverent Father in God, Thomas Cranm...

1.     Cranmer's Embassies. Anno 1530. Strype seems to conflate and not distinguish the 1530 and 1532 embassies clearly? He is employed in embassies. As for the 1530 trip, Cranmer, the Earl of Wiltshire, Dr. Lee (AB-elect of York), Dr. Stokesley (Bp-elect of London), Drs. (of law) Trigonel, Karn, and Benet are off to the pope to dispute the matrimonial issue. Cranmer’s arguments are two-fold: “I. That no man, jure divino, could, or ought to marry his brother's wife. and II. That the bishop of Rome by no means ought to dispense to the contrary” 16). It is to be noted that Cranmer was in Rome for several months but failed. It also should be noted that Imperial agents were also in Rome making their case for Charles V. Offers him a dispute in favor of the king's cause. Cranmer sense of it all: “That his success there at Rome was but little: and that they dared not to attempt to know any man's mind, because of the pope, who had said, that friars should not discuss his power. And added, that he looked for little favor in that court, but to have the pope and all his cardinals declare against them” (17). Earl of Wiltshire is sending correspondence to Henry about Cranmer’s effect, demeanor and value to Henry. Then, the confusion from Strype with a “commissional letters of the king to him [Cranmer?] wherein he was stiled Consiliarius regius et ad Caesarem orator.” Putting the apparent conflation by Strype to the side, Dr. Cranmer is off to the Emperor. Cornelius Agrippa gained by Cranmer to the king's cause, but is jailed for siding with Cranmer. Dr. Cranmer meets the Rev. Osiander in Nuremberg, often visiting him in his study; a friendship is created; Dr. Cranmer marries his or his wife’s niece, Margarete. Strype’s view is that Margarete goes to England in 1534. ??. No documentation, just the claim. Also, Dr. Cranmer engages on the commercial issue of traffic between England and the Emperor’s Low Countries. Treats with the emperor about the contract of traffic; and about sending supplies against the Turk. Sends the king the news in those parts notably, on the conflict with the Turks to the southeast. Emperor Charles V issues a proclamation for a “general council, and a reformation to be had in Germany, for the controversies of the faith” (21).