206 OBSERVATIONS ON BISHOP BURNETT'S 
The bishop is railed at by his captious adversary for misrepresent- 
ing “ the universities, clergy, and religious,” because he charges them 
with hostility to the Reformation. But we are at a loss to discover 
much difference between his own sentiments and those of Collier on 
this point; since the latter admits that “the leading churchmen 
thought all innovations dangerous, and that the fundamentals of re- 
ligion suffer this way.” 
It would surprise those who have been accustomed to contemplate 
Bonner as the willing instrument of Mary’s cruelties to her protes- 
tant subjects, to find that he was friendly* to the Reformation when 
he took out the king’s commission for his bishopric. Collier, how- 
ever, would have us believe that Burnett disparages this passionate 
and unprincipled prelate in the following passage :—‘ Now Bonner 
began to show his nature. Hitherto he had acted another part. 
For being most extremely desirous of preferment he had complied 
with Cromwell and Cranmer, so that they had great confidence in 
him.” The name alone of Bonner is apt to call forth such revolting 
ideas of cruelty and bloodshed, if the united testimony of our histo- 
rians in the sixteenth century have not marvellously misrepresented 
him, that Collier’s notion of his ever being, in reality and in truth, 
well affected to the Reformation, is like stepping in quicksand, and as 
devoid of all foundation as another statement, which he maintained in 
opposition to Burnett, that Cromwell died a Roman catholic. That 
this opinion is not the result of careful investigation, but is taken up 
without sufficient evidence, we think, may be fully attested from the 
expressions in the prayer which, as quoted by Fox, he uttered at the 
hour of death. “I see, and know, that there is in myself no hope of 
salvation, but all my confidence, hope, and trust, is in thy merciful 
goodness. I have no merits, nor good works, which I may allege 
before thee ; of sins and evil works, alas! I see a great heap. But 
yet, through thy mercy, I trust to be inthe number of them, to whom 
thou wilt. not impute their sins; but wilt take, and accept, me for 
* He had been raised to the archdeaconry of Leicester by the former, and 
appointed the master of the faculties by the latter. And had, even during 
his residence at Paris, where he was sent to supersede Gardiner as ambassa- 
dor to the French Court, made a great show of zeal about an impression of 
an English Bible and Testament which was then preparing there.—See 
Wordsworth, Eccles. Biog. vol. ii, p. 361—364. But during this year (1539) 
“he hateth,” says an old writer, “ the new light.”Lansdowne MSS. “He 
there began to speak of the Reformation as the Lancashire parson did of the 
English communion, that it was the most devilish work that ever was de- 
vised.”_Strype’s Eccles, Mem. vol. ii, chap. 2. 
