ald Pole# (1556-1558) a near connection of Henry VIII. then
succeeded. He was born in Worcestershire and was educated by the
Carthusians at Shene and at Magdalen College, Oxford. He was early
advanced to the Deanery of Exeter and other preferments. On leaving Oxford
he visited the universities of France and Italy and returned to England in
1525. Henry attempted in vain to secure Pole's support on the divorce
question, and on the appearance of his book, "Pro Unitate Ecclesiastica,"
he was sent for by the king, and when he refused to come, an act of
attainder was passed against him. In 1537 Pole was induced to accept a
cardinal's hat. It is said that he was most unwilling to do so on the
ground that he contemplated marrying the Princess Mary and seating himself
on the English throne. He took an active part in promoting the Pilgrimage
of Grace and the second rising in 1541. He remained in Italy until the
death of Edward VI. On the accession of Mary he returned to England as
papal legate after the question of his marriage with Mary had been again
discussed and set aside through the influence of the Emperor Charles V. On
Cranmer's execution Pole was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury. As
legate he absolved the Parliament and made a solemn entry into London. For
the next three years Pole was in sole management of the ecclesiastical
affairs of England, and was consenting to the persecutions which disgraced
the reign of Mary. He was at one time deprived of his legatine authority by
Pope Paul IV. who had wished for the elevation of Gardiner to the primacy.
The archbishop submitted to the pope and was again appointed legate shortly
before his death which occurred about the same time as that of Mary. He
was buried in the corona at Canterbury, where his tomb yet remains. He was
the last Archbishop of Canterbury to be buried in his own cathedral, until
the recent interment of Dr. Benson.

#Matthew Parker# (1559-1575) was born of an old Norfolk family and educated
at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Wolsey invited him to become a
fellow of Christ Church, his new foundation at Oxford, but this he
declined. After various other offices he was appointed to the Deanery of
Lincoln by Edward VI. On the accession of Mary he was deprived of all his
offices as a married priest, and lived privately until the accession of
Elizabeth, who made him archbishop. He was duly elected by the new Chapter
of Canterbury, and held his post during a most d