Thus Henry VIII. united the two swords in his hand.—'A Mohammedan union,' says a modern historian.[99] This writer might have contented himself with calling it 'a papal union.' Whether a pope claims to be king, or a king claims to be pope, it comes to nearly the same thing. At the time when the Reformation was emancipating the long-enslaved Church, a new master was given it, and what a master! The consciences of Christians revolted against this order of things. One day—it was some time later—Cranmer was asked: 'Who is the supreme head of the Church of England?'—'Christ,' was the reply, 'as He is of the universal Church.'—'But did you not recognize the king as supreme head of the Church?'—'We recognized him as head of _all the people of England_,' answered Cranmer, 'of _churchmen_ as well as of _laymen_.'[100]—'What! not of the Church?' 'No! _Supreme head of the Church_ never had any other meaning than what I tell you.' This is explicit. If the title given Henry only signified that he was king of the clergy as well as of the laity, and that the former were under the jurisdiction of the royal courts as well as the latter, in all matters of common law, there can be nothing fairer. But how was it that Cranmer did not find as much courage in Henry's lifetime to speak according to his conscience, as when examined in 1555 by Brokes, the papal sub-delegate? An interpretative document drawn up by the government at almost the same time as the act of parliament, corroborates however the explanation made by Cranmer; it said: 'The title of supreme head of the Church gives the king no new authority: it does not signify that he can assume any spiritual power.'[101] This document declares that the words _reform abuses and heresies_, indicate the authority which the king possesses to suppress the powers which the bishop of Rome or other bishops have usurped in his realm. 'We heartily detest,' said Fulke, master of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, 'the notion that the king can do what he likes in matters of religion.'[102] Even Elizabeth refused the title of head of the Church.[103] Probably these are facts which are not generally known. [83] Bedell to Cromwell.—_State Papers_, i. p. 423. [84] _Ibid._ p. 424. [85] Father Forest of Greenwich. Bedell to Cromwell, MS. in Record Office. [86] More's _Life_, p. 218. [87] More's _Life_, p. 218. [88] 17th April, 1534. Cranmer's _Letters and Remains_, p. 286. [89] Letter from Cranmer to Cromwell.—_Ibid._ [90] _State Papers_, i. p. 432. [91] More's _Life_, p. 239. [92] Strype, _Records_, i. p. 300. [93] _State Papers_, i. p. 422. [94] 'Fu questo dolore et affanno, che lo condusse alla morte.'—Soriano. [95] 'Quem omnes mortales acerbissimo odio prosequebantur.'—_State Papers_, vii. p. 573. [96] 'I die in the catholic faith, not doubting.'—Foxe, _Acts_, v. p. 402. [97] Acts of Supremacy: 26 Henry VIII. ch. 1. See Herbert, p. 408. [98] _Ibid._ ch. 13. [99] Friedrich von Raumer: _Geschichte Europas_, ii. p. 29.