n his resolution of breaking
entirely with the court of Rome. There was secretly a great division
of sentiments in the minds of this assembly; and as the zeal of the
reformers had been augmented by some late successes, the resentment of
the Catholics was no less excited by their fears and losses: but the
authority of the king kept every one submissive and silent; and the new
assumed prerogative, the supremacy, with whose limits no one was fully
acquainted, restrained even the most furious movements of theological
rancor. Cromwell presided as vicar-general; and though the Catholic
party expected, that on the fall of Queen Anne, his authority would
receive a great shock, they were surprised to find him still maintain
the same credit as before. With the vicar-general concurred Cranmer the
primate, Latimer, bishop of Worcester, Shaxton of Salisbury, Hilsey of
Rochester, Fox of Hereford, Barlow of St. David's. The opposite faction
was headed by Lee, archbishop of York, Stokesley, bishop of London,
Tonstal of Durham, Gardner of Winchester, Longland of Lincoln, Sherborne
of Chichester, Nix of Norwich, and Kite of Carlisle. The former party,
by their opposition to the pope, seconded the king's ambition and love
of power: the latter party, by maintaining the ancient theological
tenets, were more conformable to his speculative principles: and both of
them had alternately the advantage of gaining on his humor, by which he
was more governed than by either of these motives.

The church in general was averse to the reformation; and the lower house
of convocation framed a list of opinions, in the whole sixty-seven,
which they pronounced erroneous, and which was a collection of
principles, some held by the ancient Lollards, others by the modern
Protestants, or Gospellers, as they were sometimes called. These
opinions they sent to the upper house to be censured; but in the
preamble of their representation, they discovered the servile spirit by
which they were governed. They said, "that they intended not to do
or speak any thing which might be unpleasant to the king, whom they
acknowledged their supreme head, and whose commands they were resolved
to obey; renouncing the pope's usurped authority, with all his laws and
inventions, now extinguished and abolished; and addicting themselves to
Almighty God and his laws, and unto the king and the laws made within
this kingdom."[*]

* Collier, vol. ii. p. 119.

The convocation came at la