Protestantism in England From the Times of Henry VIII - James Aitken Wylie

servants, and who was affectionately regarded and
faithfully served by the archbishop in return, must
have had some sterling qualities in him. These two
men were very unlike, but it was their dissimilarity,
we are disposed to think, that kept them together. It
was the simplicity and transparency of the
archbishop that enabled the heart of the king fully
to confide in him; and it was the strength, or shall
we say it, the tyranny of Henry that led the
somewhat timid and weak Reformer to lean upon
and work along with the monarch. Doubtless,
Cranmer's insight taught him that the first necessity
of England was a strong throne; and that, seeing
both Church and State had been demoralized by the
setting up of the Pope's authority in the country,
neither order nor liberty was possible in England
till that foreign usurpation was put down, and the
king made supreme over all persons and causes.
This consideration, doubtless, made him accept the
"Headship" of Henry as an interim arrangement,
although he might not approve of it as a final
settlement. Certain it is that the cooperation
maintained between the pure and single-minded
primate, and the headstrong and blood-stained
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