Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/180

 142 Readings in European History his heirs and successors, kings of this realm, shall be taken, accepted, and reputed the only supreme head in earth of the Church of England, called Anglica?ia Ecdesia ; and shall have and enjoy, annexed and united to the imperial crown of this realm, as well the title and style thereof, as all honors, dignities, preeminences, jurisdictions, privileges, authorities, immunities, profits, and commodities to the said dignity of the supreme head of the same Church belong- ing and appertaining ; and that our said sovereign lord, his heirs and successors, kings of this realm, shall have full power and authority from time to time to visit, repress, redress, record, order, correct, restrain, and amend all such errors, heresies, abuses, offenses, contempts, and enormities, what- soever they be, which by any manner of spiritual authority or jurisdiction ought or may lawfully be reformed, repressed, ordered, redressed, corrected, restrained, or amended, most to the pleasure of Almighty God, the increase of virtue in Christ's religion, and for the conservation of the peace, unity, and tranquillity of this realm ; any usage, foreign law, foreign authority, prescription, or any other thing or things to the contrary hereof notwithstanding. 271. Exe- Numbers of conscientious persons were now arrested Fisher and f° r declining to swear that the king's first marriage was More. (From void, and for refusing to adjure the supremacy of the pope. chronicle.) The most distinguished victims were Bishop Fisher, who had supported Catherine, and Sir Thomas More, who refused to pronounce on the matter. Accordingly : John Fisher The twenty-second day of the same month John Fisher, beheaded for bi S n p of Rochester, was beheaded, and his head set upon treason. (i 535 ). London Bridge. This bishop was of very many men lamented ; for he was reported to be a man of great learn- ing, and a man of very good life, but therein wonderfully deceived, for he maintained the pope to be supreme head of the Church, and very maliciously refused the king's title of supreme head. It was said that the pope, for that he held so manfully with him and stood so stiffly in hi? cause,