Even if he had himself desired to shield his minister, it is not easy to see that he could have prevented his being brought to trial, or, if tried, could have prevented his conviction, in the face of an exasperated parliament, a furious clergy, and a clamorous people. That he permitted the council to proceed by attainder, in preference to the ordinary forms, must be attributed to the share which he, too, experienced in the general anger. [Sidenote: Cranmer declares his confidence in Cromwell's integrity.] Only one person had the courage or the wish to speak for Cromwell. Cranmer, the first to come forward on behalf of Anne Boleyn, ventured, first and alone, to throw a doubt on the treason of the Privy Seal. "I heard yesterday, in your Grace's council," he wrote to the king, "that the Earl of Essex is a traitor; yet who cannot be sorrowful and amazed that he should be a traitor against your Majesty--he whose surety was only by your Majesty--he who loved your Majesty, as I ever thought, no less than God--he who studied always to set forwards whatsoever was your Majesty's will and pleasure--he that cared for no man's displeasure to serve your Majesty--he that was such a servant, in my judgment, in wisdom, diligence, faithfulness, and experience as no prince in this realm ever had--he that was so vigilant to preserve your Majesty from all treasons, that few could be so secretly conceived but he detected the same in the beginning!--I loved him as my friend, for so I took him to be; but I chiefly loved him for the love which I thought I saw him bear ever towards your Grace, singularly above all others. But now, if he be a traitor, I am sorry that ever I loved or trusted him; and I am very glad that his treason is discovered in time; but yet, again, I am very sorrowful; for who shall your Grace trust hereafter, if you may not trust him? Alas! I lament your Grace's chance herein. I wot not whom your Grace may trust."[585] [Sidenote: But inasmuch as he had broken the law openly and repeatedly,] [Sidenote: And inasmuch as the law in a free country is the only guide to the magistrate, his condemnation was inevitable.]