Episode 9
(New) Bloody Mary - Shorter listen.
Episode 9
The Artwork is Portrait of Mary by Antonis Mor. c.1554
The Music is The Lord is my light and my salvation (Psalm: 27) Anglican chant.
This is a shorter version, for a quicker read, than the original.
After Edward's death, Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed Queen on 10 July 1553 but was soon replaced by Mary Tudor, who fled to East Anglia for safety.
On 1 October 1553, Mary was crowned Mary I at Westminster Abbey, becoming the first queen to rule England in her own right.
Known as "Bloody Mary," she ordered the execution of 280 Protestants in an effort to restore Catholicism, which led to the emergence of a hidden Protestant church in London.
Notably, Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer were burned at the stake in Oxford.
Thomas Cranmer's trial began on 12 September 1555 under papal jurisdiction, and the Vestarian Controversy arose during this time, marking a key moment in the Puritans' reform campaign.
Transcript
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Series 1.
Episode 4.
Bloody Mary.
The year is:Mary Tudor, was the first Queen, to rule England in her own right.
She aimed to end the English Reformation, and restore the Church of England, to full communion with the Roman Catholic Church.
Known as "Bloody Mary", she persecuted Protestants, executing some 300 people, by burning them at the stake, in a vain attempt to re-establish Catholicism.
In the January of:Fearing the restoration of Catholicism, and the reversal of Henry VIII's reforms, Edward had previously disinherited his half-sisters, Mary Tudor and Elizabeth, in favour of his cousin, Lady Frances Grey.
February:Her life was blighted, when Henry separated from her mother, and, following the annulment of their marriage, Mary was declared an illegitimate child.
Henry's next wife, Anne, - Boleyn, gave birth to another daughter, Elizabeth.
May:This event was part of a triple wedding, which also included Lady Jane's sister, Katherine Grey, and her sister-in-law, Katherine Dudley.
Born in autumn:Lady Jane was thin and freckled, with sandy hair.
She was so short, that she needed to wear elevated shoes.
As the great-niece of Henry VIII, she was third in line to the throne, which made her a significant figure, among the nobility.
July:Fearing for her safety, Mary Tudor fled to her estates, in East Anglia.
On 9 July, from her residence in Kenninghall, Mary instructed the Privy Council to formally recognise her, as the legitimate heir to Edward's throne.
With considerable popular support, and a growing military presence on her side, Mary was in a strong position, especially as nearly all of Northumberland’s followers had abandoned him.
On 10 July, the Council unexpectedly declared Lady Jane Grey as Queen, and placed her in the Tower of London, until her coronation could take place.
Circumstances changed on 19 July, when the Privy Council of England, recognising the overwhelming public support for Mary Tudor, shifted their allegiance and declared her Queen, effectively ending Jane Grey's claim to the throne.
Reports indicated, that Jane, received the news of her dethronement with joy, and expressed a desire to return home to her family.
Despite her brief reign of just nine days, Jane was imprisoned in the Tower of London, and not allowed to return home.
On the 18th of August, Jane's father-in-law and benefactor, the Duke of Northumberland, was accused of treason, and subsequently tried at Westminster Hall.
August:In September, Parliament officially recognised Mary as Edward's rightful successor, denouncing and revoking Jane's claim to the throne, as that of a usurper.
October: Stephen Gardiner (:Educated at Trinity Hall Cambridge, he served as secretary to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, gaining experience in foreign politics, amidst King Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon.
Gardiner was known for his conservative stance, often clashing with the progressive reforms of his time, particularly with Archbishop Thomas Cranmer.
While he supported King Henry's authority to annul his marriage, he ultimately, fell short of achieving his goals, regarding the obtaining of a papal decree.
During the reign of Edward VI, Gardiner had been sidelined from the council, and even imprisoned, due to his resistance, to the many Protestant reforms.
However, upon Mary Tudor's accession, he was released, reinstated as Bishop of Winchester, and became Lord Chancellor, where he focused on the restoration of Catholicism, and legitimising Mary's birth.
November:When Mary ascended to the throne, Vermigli found himself in a difficult position, due to his stated opposition to the Catholic Church.
As a result, he was placed under house arrest for six months, facing the threat of capital punishment.
September:On the same day, after bidding farewell to Vermigli, Cranmer was escorted from the Star Chamber, to join Latimer and Ridley in the Tower prison.
Following Cranmer's advice, Vermigli now asked permission to leave England, and his request was granted.
d in Strasbourg at the end of:Jane Dudley, known as Lady Jane Grey, was brought before the court, and charged with high treason, along with her husband, Guildford Dudley, two of his brothers, and the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer.
The charges against Cranmer, were supported by false witnesses, who claimed that he had authored and disseminated, heretical writings.
November:The commission was chaired, by Sir Thomas White and Thomas Howard, the 3rd Duke of Norfolk.
Jane Dudley, was convicted of high treason, for having unlawfully assumed the title and authority of the monarch, as evidenced, by several documents she had signed, as, "Jane the Queen".
Her sentence, was, "to be burned alive on Tower Hill, or beheaded, as the Queen pleases".
In England, burning was the traditional punishment, for treason committed by women.
Queen Mary, initially showed leniency toward Jane, deciding to spare her life.
However, discovering that Jane's father, had backed Wyatt's rebellion against Mary's marriage to Philip II of Spain, Jane came to be viewed, as a potential threat to the Crown.
Tower Hill, located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, surrounds the Tower of London and rises to 48 feet (14.5 meters).
Known for public executions from the late 14th to mid-18th century, it extends on both sides of the Roman built, London Wall.
High-profile traitors, criminals, and innocent Catholics and Protestants, were all executed in this location.
The year is: February:His remains, were brought back to the Tower Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, which could be seen from the quarters of Lady Jane Grey.
Soon after, Lady Jane was taken to Tower Green, an area inside the Tower grounds, where she too was executed.
Both Jane Grey, and Guildford Dudley, were laid to rest in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, located on the northern side of Tower Green.
Built in:Among those interred here, are three English queens: Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Jane Grey, all of whom faced execution in the 16th century, and were laid to rest without memorials.
At the time of his execution, Guildford was only 19 years old, and Jane, was even younger, at 17.
Just eleven days later, on 23 February, Jane's father, the Duke of Suffolk, was executed by order of the Crown.
These executions, did little to improve Queen Mary’s or her government’s standing, with the public.
Five months later, the Scottish reformer John Knox, referred to the couple, as Innocents, stating, "Neither laws nor witnesses, could prove they done anything wrong".
After executing Jane Grey, and the other rebels, Queen Mary, was to turn her attention, to the leaders of the Reformation.
March:Mary Tudor, was the first queen to rule England, as a monarch.
Her reign was marked, by her efforts to halt the English Reformation, and restore the Church of England to full communion, with the Roman Catholic Church.
As a result of her policies, approximately one thousand English Protestants, known as the Marian exiles, fled England, to escape potential imprisonment and execution.
The term "Marian" originates from the medieval era, when the name Mary was widely used.
After initially facing hostility in German Lutheran regions, the exiles were able to establish English Protestant congregations, in towns such as Wesel, Frankfurt, and Strasbourg, as well as in Swiss cities, like Zurich Basel and Geneva.
While in exile, they immersed themselves in the practices and philosophies of prominent Calvinist congregations, particularly those based in Geneva.
Many of them expressed a strong desire, to incorporate these concepts into England, if they ever returned.
The Marian underground.
During Queen Mary's reign, a secret Protestant Church was established in London, serving as a precursor to the Underground Church, which came to prominence, during Queen Elizabeth's reign.
The movement emerged, in response to the Queen's decision to restore the Catholic Church, as the official religion of England and Wales, along with her efforts to persecute Protestants.
Initially, the assembly met in private homes and inns, with only 20 members; however, the number of participants eventually grew to over 200.
Sadly, some members, like Deacon Cuthbert Symson and Margaret Mearing, were executed alongside John Rough.
At the age of 37, Queen Mary, now turned her attention to securing a marriage, and producing an heir, to guarantee a Catholic succession to the throne.
Her goal was to prevent the Protestant Elizabeth, who was the next in line, from succeeding her.
Mary aimed to restore Catholicism in England, and sought to marry Philip II, the eldest son of Charles V, the King of Spain.
This possible marriage was not well-received by the English population.
Gardiner and his supporters, opposed it out of a sense of patriotism, while Protestants were concerned, that the return of Catholicism ,and the possibility of a Spanish king, might result in the Inquisition, targeting Protestant heretics.
Additionally, many people in England, had a vested interest in the prosperity of the Protestant Church, particularly because they had acquired church lands and funds, after Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries.
In: July:Philip did not speak English, so they communicated in a mixture of Spanish, French, and Latin.
He had no romantic feelings for Mary; instead, he pursued the marriage for political and strategic gain.
His aide, Ruy Gómez de Silva, wrote to a correspondent in Brussels, that the marriage was concluded, "for no fleshly consideration", but to remedy the disorders of England, and to preserve Spanish control of the Low Countries.
ayer", had been introduced in:Compiled by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, it aimed to replace the Roman Rite, with a Protestant liturgy.
The Catholic Mass, the principal act of medieval worship, would now be substituted with an English Communion Service.
This prayer book, significantly influenced the theology of the Church of England, steering it in a more Lutheran direction.
nd Book of Common Prayer", in:When Mary ascended to the throne, she reinstated Catholicism, and withdrew the formal recognition, of Edward's Book of Common Prayer.
Edward Grindal, born around:This hamlet, was the birthplace of two archbishops during Queen Elizabeth's reign: Edmund Grindal, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Edwin Sandys, Archbishop of York.
arned his Bachelor of Arts in: Ordained as a deacon in: May:Afterward, he chose to relocate to Strasbourg, as one of the Marian exiles.
In: Born around:In English history, a yeoman is traditionally recognised as a landowner, representing a social class that served as a bridge between the gentry and the working class.
When Mary Tudor became Queen, Cartwright's college tutor, Thomas Lever, who would later become a Marian exile, chose to resign, rather than compromise his faith.
wright, however, waited until: Clare College, founded in: Hall, it became Clare Hall in: it women as undergraduates in: The year is: In May: Born around: Archbishop of Canterbury from: September:During interrogation, he admitted to the facts presented to him, but denied treachery or heresy.
On 4 December, the Papal Court found him guilty, resulting in his removal as Archbishop, and thereby allowing English authorities, to decide his punishment.
The trials of the Protestant bishops Latimer and Ridley, followed soon after.
October:Stripped and tied together, they faced execution, while Cranmer was forced to watch.
Latimer, famously encouraged Ridley with, "We shall this day, light such a candle, by God's grace in England, as I trust shall never be put out".
A cross in Broad Street Oxford, marks the spot of their execution.
The Vestment or Vestarian Controversy, arose during the English Reformation, due to concerns, regarding vestments and clerical attire.
versy, which occurred between: nointing, as specified in the:However, he chose not to comply with these instructions.
After consulting with Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr, he eventually reached a compromise with the Privy Council, no doubt influenced by the threat of dire consequences.
Vermigli, whilst recognising Hooper's desire, to remove elaborate garments from the Church, did not believe, that the Church, explicitly prohibited them.
sion, to conform, in February: March: eved to have been born around:He served as the Anglican Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester, and became a prominent Protestant reformer, advocating for the English Reformation.
Due to various circumstances, Hooper often relocated to Europe.
his return to England in May:When the Catholic Queen Mary, ascended to the throne, Hooper emerged, as a champion of the more radical factions of Protestantism.
During Mary's reign, which marked a return to Catholicism, Hooper associated himself with extreme Protestant groups, while facing increased criticism from his fellow bishops.
In December: September: In:One new regulation she enacted, was the re-establishment of clerical celibacy, which led to the removal of John Hooper from his position, after he refused to abandon his marriage.
Subsequently, Edmund Bonner, the Bishop of London, further stripped Hooper of all his official roles.
February:Just days before his execution, Sir Anthony Kingston, who had previously been offended by Hooper’s reprimands concerning his sins, came to visit him.
He urged Hooper to put his safety first, and encouraged him to reconsider his position.
February:As the hour approached, soldiers arrived, to escort him to face his fate.
When they arrived, Hooper assured them calmly, “I am no traitor; I would have faced the stake alone, troubling none of you".
Upon arriving at the execution site, Hooper gazed at the crowd gathered to witness his death, many of whom were former members of his congregation.
Kneeling in prayer, and under orders not to speak, he was offered a stool by a soldier.
On that stool, lay Hooper's pardon from Queen Mary.
The crown was presenting him with a choice: accept the pardon and live, or reject it and face death.
When he saw the pardon, Hooper exclaimed, “If you love my soul, take it away.”
After that, the soldiers securely bound him to the stake.
John Foxes Book of Martyrs, describes Hooper’s execution, noting, that, "the executioners used green branches to carry out the horrific execution, making three attempts over 45 minutes".
During Queen Victoria's reign, a monument to Bishop Hooper was erected in Saint Mary's Square, Gloucester.
This monument is located near the site of his execution, where he was burned at the stake, making him a Protestant martyr.
The memorial, features a sculpture of Hooper in his bishop's vestments, holding a book under his left arm, while blessing the gathered crowd with his right.
A plaque on the monument reads:
“Gloria soli Deo, for the witness of Jesus and the Word of God, not accepting deliverance”.
February: The year is: Between January and February:In four separate recantations, he acknowledged the authority of the King and Queen, and accepted the Pope, as the true leader of the Church.
Initially held at Bocardo Prison, and later transferred to the residence of the Dean of Christchurch, he debated doctrine with a Dominican monk.
However, on 14 February, he was stripped of his Holy Orders and returned to Bocardo Prison.
Dissatisfied with Cranmer's minimal concessions, Bishop Edmund Bonner, issued a writ on 24 February, for his execution on 7 March.
Two days after the writ was announced, Cranmer issued a fifth recantation.
In this final document, Cranmer renounced all doctrines of Luther and Zwingli, fully embracing Catholic theology, including the supremacy of the Pope, and the concept of transubstantiation.
He asserted, that salvation was impossible for those outside the Catholic Church, and expressed his joy in returning to the Catholic faith.
Cranmer, now sought and received sacramental absolution, and was permitted to partake in the Holy Eucharist.
As a result, his execution was delayed, and on 18 March, the now-broken Cranmer, submitted one last denunciation of his previous beliefs, and admitted to his transgressions.
Despite a specific legal provision stating, that heretics who retract their views should be spared, Mary remained firm in her decision to enforce his sentence.
She condemned his sins and obstinacy against God and her Grace, as too severe for either leniency or mercy to intervene, instructing the officials, to carry out his execution.
March:After starting with a prayer, Cranmer then deviated from his prepared speech, renouncing all his previous recantations.
He was quickly taken down from the pulpit, and brought to the site in Oxford, where Latimer and Ridley had been executed, six months earlier.
Upon arrival, he denounced the Pope as an enemy of Christ, referring to him, as the Antichrist.
In keeping with his vow of self-punishment, for signing his retractions, he thrust his right hand into the flames before, any other part of his body.
His final words were, "Lord Jesus, accept my spirit, I glimpse the heavens parting, with Jesus stationed at God's right hand".
In the sixteenth century, St. Michael-at-the-Northgate Church, in Cornmarket, marked the northern limit of Oxford.
A trench, often used for the disposal of rubbish, flanked the city's fortifications in that area.
Beyond this trench, there was an area of uncultivated land, now known as Broad Street.
The three Protestant martyrs of Oxford, Ridley, Latimer, and finally Cranmer, were executed, at the stake in this location.
In Oxford, there is a granite cross, on Broad Street near Balliol College, which marks the site, where Latimer and Ridley were burned at the stake, followed by Cranmer a few months later.
It serves as a lasting reminder of this tragic event.
