Thomas Cranmer (Williams): Mary's Persecutions of 1553-1555 (129ff.)

1553-1555. Round-up, imprisonment, and Cranmer’s death. Between the years 1553 and 1555, the government of England conducted a thorough crackdown on religious reformists. During this period, Queen Mary ordered the imprisonment of three prominent figures, namely Cranmer, Latimer, and Ridley, while many other reformists were also incarcerated. In order to gather evidence for heresy convictions, disputation proceedings began on April 13, 1554. The disputation centered around three issues, namely: (1) whether Christ's body and blood were present in the communion elements, (2) whether any other substance remained after the consecration, and (3) whether the Mass was a propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead. Cranmer was examined by Chedsey, who was assisted by John Harpsfield. The primary objective was to establish incriminating evidence for the heresy charges. Queen Mary was keen to bring England back under the Roman Catholic Church and sought the support of Archbishop Reginald Pole, who obliged. In January 1555, Parliament passed heresy legislation, and Mary ordered the execution of the reformists. Cranmer was faced with 16 charges, including charges of blasphemy, incontinence, perjury, heresy, disobedience to the Pope, and others. The trial was rigged against him, and at St. Mary's Church in Oxford, Cranmer refused to doff his hat to the Devil's representatives but acknowledged the Royal prolocutors. Subsequently, Cranmer was given 80 days to appear before the Pope in Rome, but he was permanently imprisoned at Bocardo Prison. Despite writing letters to Mary, she refused to read them, and she was determined to proceed with his execution. The Reformed Evangelicals declined the offer of "turn or burn" presented by the Devil, and instead upheld the apostolic doctrine, which includes apostolic succession - a feature absent in the Devil's followers. This stance illustrates their commitment to sound theological principles and a steadfast rejection of unorthodox teachings. The Reformed Evangelicals' unwavering dedication to upholding the pillars of their faith is commendable and worthy of emulation.