Although we have no authority but Leti, for the authenticity of this letter, a remarkable production for a girl of thirteen, it cannot be denied that there is a striking resemblance between the shrewdness displayed therein, and the clever fencing in which Elizabeth afterwards so greatly excelled. Before long, the writer was an inmate of the Queen’s household, and an adept in that “dissimulation” which she recommended to Mary. The Admiral, already repenting his hasty marriage, was carrying on an intrigue with Elizabeth, whom Katharine one day surprised in his arms; and there were rumours of still greater familiarities. The unhappy Queen died soon after in childbed, and an inquiry into the nature of Elizabeth’s relations with the Admiral revealed a sink of depravity and corruption. But self-defence was an art in which Elizabeth excelled, and in the characteristic words of Mrs. Ashley, her governess, “She would not cough out more matter than it suited her purpose to confess”.[259]
Meanwhile, so great was the enmity between the Protector and his brother, each seeking to supplant the other with the King, that Edward could scarcely be expected to retain a spark of natural affection for either. Somerset, bent on the Admiral’s ruin, accused him of a design for upsetting the Government, and caused him to be attainted for high treason, without bringing the least particle of real evidence against him. There is something repulsive in the succinct manner in which the whole affair of his uncle’s attainder and execution is disposed of in the young King’s Journal: “Also the Lord Sudley, Admiral of England was condemned to death, and died in the March ensuing”.[260]
But these were days when human life was held cheap, and not only did Somerset sign the warrant for his brother’s execution, but Cranmer, who, as a Churchman, was prohibited by Canon law from all participation in judgments of blood, did not refrain from setting his sign manual to the deed.[261] Latimer preached the funeral sermon, which, in his anxiety to curry favour with the Council, became a further indictment. “Whether he be saved or no, I leave it to God,” said the Bishop of Worcester, “but surely he was a wicked man, and the realm is well rid of him.”[262]
The Protector did not long enjoy his triumph over his brother. His assumption of the supreme power in the State was an eyesore to others besides the Admiral. The Earl of Warwick soon proved a redoubtable adversary and rival in the Council, and accused him of arbitrary and tyrannical abuse of his authority.
Edward, who sometimes smarted under the despotic control of his uncle, was not unwilling to be released therefrom, and was easily persuaded to sign a writ for his committal to the Tower. The arrest of the most powerful advocate of the new doctrines appeared to the reformers to threaten the existence of all that they had worked for with so much success, and it was felt that the decisive moment had arrived, for striking a final blow for the total abolition of the old faith.
Henry’s last years had been marked by a strong reaction in its favour. This reaction had set in with Cromwell’s waning influence, had not a little to do with the Chief Secretary’s disgrace, and had continued till his own death, at which time he was more Catholic than he had ever been since his youth. In his anxiety to guard against the introduction of Genevan heresies into England, he revived the statute against Lollardy, and the Protestants were burned for propagating the new opinions. Stringent measures were adopted to prevent the importation of books concerning religion from the continent, and in his last will, Henry put his belief in the Mass on record, by ordering that it should be offered daily, “perpetually while the world shall endure,” for the repose of his soul. Edward VI. had been crowned according to ancient Catholic rites, so far as the religious part of the ceremonies was concerned, although several departures from precedent were made as regarded the administration of the oath. High Mass concluded the ceremony. But in two years, vast changes had come about, mainly through Somerset’s influence, and a circular letter had been sent to the clergy, informing them of the King’s intention to proceed with the reformation of the Church of England. They were commanded to deliver up all books containing any portion of the service of the Mass, that such might be burnt, or destroyed publicly. An act was passed ordering that “all books, manuals, legends, pics, grailes, primers in Latin and English, journals, ordinals or other books or writings whatsoever, heretofore used for service of the Church, written or printed in the English or Latin tongue, other than such as shall be set forth of the King’s Majesty, shall be by authority of this present act, clearly and utterly abolished, extinguished and forbidden for ever to be used or kept in this realm, or elsewhere within any of the King’s dominions”.[263]
It was further enacted, that all images already taken out of the churches and chapels should be utterly defaced and destroyed by the mayor, bailiff, constable or churchwardens within three months, under the penalty of ten shillings for the first default, four pounds for the second, and imprisonment during the King’s pleasure for the third.[264]
Those bishops who resisted the new laws were sent to the Tower, among them were Heath, Day and Gardiner, who denounced as illegal all ecclesiastical changes made during the King’s minority. Cranmer had long since joined the Protestant party, and it was observed in 1549 that “this year the Archbishop of Canterbury did eat meat openly in Lent in the hall of Lambeth, the like of which was never seen since England was a christian country”. But the proceedings of the Council were marked by singular inconsistency, for although most of the changes tended towards a shaking off of old beliefs, freedom of conscience was by no means allowed. The statute De Heresia was again called into play, and a woman was tried, condemned and burned for denying the Incarnation of our Lord. On the 2nd May 1549, Edward wrote in his Diary, “Joan Bocher, otherwise called Joan of Kent, was burnt for holding that Christ was not incarnate of the Virgin Mary, being condemned the year before, but kept in hope of conversion, and the 30 of April, the bishop of London, and the bishop of Ely were to persuade her. But she withstood them, and reviled the preacher that preached at her death.” The three bishops, Hooper, Latimer and Ridley followed Cranmer’s lead, and distinguished themselves in the cause of the Reformation.[265] But the people rose in protest, a revolt that was everywhere stamped out in blood. Cranmer’s Book of Common Prayer superseded the Missal and Breviary, and an order of the Privy Council provided that from thenceforth, “no printer should print or put into vent any English book but such as should first be examined by Mr. Secretary Petre, Mr. Secretary Smith, and Mr. Cecil, or the one of them, and allowed by the same, under pain of imprisonment”.[266]
The triumph of the Reformation all along the line was celebrated by the pardon and release of Somerset, on his subscribing a document consisting of twenty-nine charges brought against him, in which he was made to confess his presumption, negligence and incapacity.