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282 YORK.
conferences took place. The Germans made the
Augsburg Confession their basis. It is divided into
two parts— confession of faith and condemnation of
what they deemed abuses. As to articles of faith,
there seemed some possibility of agreement. When
they came to discuss the abuses, it was clear that no
unity of action was likely to result. Communion in
one kind only, private masses, and the celibacy of
the clergy, were strenuously opposed by the German
divines. Henry was as strenuous in maintaining
them. Cranmer's views were much in accordance
with those which were advocated by the foreigners,
but he was powerfully opposed by Gardiner and
Tunstall. The king wrote an answer, with the assistance
of the latter, to the German envoys, clearly
showing that as regarded both ritual and dogma,
his sympathies were with the " Old Religion," not
with the " New," and the negotiations came to an
end.
This was probably the most adverse circumstance
which occurred in this reign, as regarded the progress
of the Reformation. It was a decided triumph
for the men of the Old Learning, and it soon culminated
in the passing of a cruel and barbarous statute,
called the ''Six Articles," enacted "for the abolishing
of diversity of opinions." They assert (i) that after
consecration no bread and wine remain in the Eucharist;
(2) that communion in both kinds was not
necessary ; (3) that no priest be allowed to marry
(4) that vows of chastity are binding by God's law
(5) that private masses are necessary; and (6) that
auricular confession is both expedient and obligatory.