Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/39

 indeed are his words: but that what goeth before and followeth after shews in what sense Calvin took the word supreme.' 'At this day, (saith Calvin) where Poperie continueth, how many are there who load the King with all the right and power they can, that there should be no disputing of religion, but this autboritie should rest in the King alone, to appoint at his pleasure what he list, and that to stand without contradiction. They that first so highly advanced King Henry of England were inconsiderate, they gave him supreme power of all things, and that was it which always wounded me.' Then says the Bp. to the Jesuits, succeede your words and withall a particular exemplification howe Steven Gardiner alleaged and constred the King's stile in Germanie. 'That jugler who after was Chancellor, I mean the Bishop of Winchester when he was at Rentzburge neither would stand to reason the matter, nor greatly cared for any testimonies of the scriptures, but said it was at the King's discretion to abrogate that which was in use, and appoint new: that the King might forbid priests marriage, might bar the people from the cup in the Lord's Supper, might determine this or that in his kingdome. And why? Forsooth the King had supreme power. This sacrilege hath taken hold on us, in Germanie whiles princes thinke they cannot reigne, excepte they abolish all the authority of the church, and be themselves supreme judges as well in doctrine as in all spiritual regiment.'