18.03.2019 Views

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

  • No tags were found...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

entire union <strong>of</strong> Christendom. The project had <strong>the</strong><br />

full approval <strong>of</strong> Edward VI, who <strong>of</strong>fered his capital<br />

as <strong>the</strong> place <strong>in</strong> which to hold this congress.<br />

Cranmer hailed <strong>the</strong> assembl<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> so many men <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>fluence and power on an errand like this. Not less<br />

warmly had Melancthon entered <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> idea, and<br />

corresponded with Cranmer <strong>in</strong> prosecution <strong>of</strong> it. It<br />

had <strong>the</strong> high sanction <strong>of</strong> Calv<strong>in</strong>, than whom <strong>the</strong>re<br />

was no one <strong>in</strong> all Christendom who more earnestly<br />

longed to see <strong>the</strong> breaches ill <strong>the</strong> Reformed ranks<br />

closed, or who was less disposed to view with an<br />

approv<strong>in</strong>g eye, or lend a help<strong>in</strong>g hand to schemes<br />

merely visionary. His letters to Cranmer on <strong>the</strong><br />

subject still rema<strong>in</strong>, <strong>in</strong> which he pleads that, though<br />

he might well be excused a personal attendance on<br />

<strong>the</strong> ground <strong>of</strong> his "<strong>in</strong>significance," he was<br />

never<strong>the</strong>less will<strong>in</strong>g to undergo any amount <strong>of</strong> "toil<br />

and trouble," if <strong>the</strong>reby he might fur<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong><br />

object.[3]<br />

This Protestant convention never assembled.<br />

The difficulties <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> way <strong>of</strong> its meet<strong>in</strong>g were <strong>the</strong>n<br />

immense; nor was <strong>the</strong> prospect <strong>of</strong> arriv<strong>in</strong>g at <strong>the</strong><br />

desired concord so certa<strong>in</strong> as to encourage men to<br />

253

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!