who partially
sympathized with the Protestants, struggled against the bill in the
lords: the commons were "all of one opinion," and Henry himself acted as
spokesman on the side of the articles. In London alone five hundred
Protestants were indicted under the new act. Latimer and Shaxton were
imprisoned, and the former forced into a resignation of his see. Cranmer
himself was only saved by Henry's personal favor. But the first burst
of triumph was no sooner spent than the hand of Cromwell made itself
felt. Though his opinions remained those of the New Learning and
differed little from the general sentiment which found itself
represented in the act, he leaned instinctively to the one party which
did not long for his fall. His wish was to restrain the Protestant
excesses, but he had no mind to ruin the Protestants. In a little time
therefore the bishops were quietly released. The London indictments were
quashed. The magistrates were checked in their enforcement of the law,
while a general pardon cleared the prisons of the heretics who had been
arrested under its provisions.

A few months after the enactment of the Six Articles we find from a
Protestant letter that persecution had wholly ceased, "the Word is
powerfully preached and books of every kind may safely be exposed for
sale." Never indeed had Cromwell shown such greatness as in his last
struggle against fate. "Beknaved" by the King, whose confidence in him
waned as he discerned the full meaning of the religious changes which
Cromwell had brought about, met too by a growing opposition in the
council as his favor declined, the temper of the man remained
indomitable as ever. He stood absolutely alone. Wolsey, hated as he had
been by the nobles, had been supported by the Church; but churchmen
hated Cromwell with an even fiercer hate than the nobles themselves. His
only friends were the Protestants, and their friendship was more fatal
than the hatred of his foes. But he showed no signs of fear or of
halting in the course he had entered on. So long as Henry supported him,
however reluctant his support might be, he was more than a match for his
foes.

He was strong enough to expel his chief opponent, Bishop Gardiner of
Winchester, from the royal council. He met the hostility of the nobles
with a threat which marked his power. "If the lords would handle him so,
he would give them such a breakfast as never was made in England, and
that the proudest of them should know."