St John's College I.20 (James 316)
Reginald Pole, Refutation of the views of Thomas Cranmer. Latin, 1555
Reginald Pole (1500-58), Archbishop of Canterbury: 'Reginaldi Poli Cardinalis Legati Apostolici epistola ad Thomam Crammerum, qui Archiepiscopalem sedem Cantuariensis ecclesiae tenens, novam de Sacramento eucharistiae doctrinam contra perpetuum Catholicae ecclesiae consensum professus est, ac tradidit, qua epistola eum nec magistrum tanti mysterii, neque discipulum idoneum esse posse; simulque unde hic eius error manarit, ostendit; et ad poenitentiam hortatur'. Dated 'Ex aula Regia apud S. Jacobum vi Idus Octobr. MDLV'. Beg.: 'Omnis, qui recedit, et non permanet in doctrina Christi, Deum non habet'. This letter was written by order of the Queen. See Diarmaid MacCulloch, Thomas Cranmer: a life (Oxford, 1996). According to Cowie the original is 'preserved in the Royal Library at Paris, MS V.10213, p. 43. It was translated into French by M. Le Grand and appears in Cardinal Quirini's Collection of the author's letters, part 5, p. 238.' The present copy is clearly contemporary.
230x165 mm. 74+iii (blank) fos. On fo. iiiv in Thomas Baker's hand: 'Liber olim Ornatiss: viri Thomae Wagstaff', and 'Tho: Baker dedit Coll: Jo: Socius ejectus'. At fo. 1r the monogram TM (?), and in Baker's hand: 'This letter or letters by the cover (containing a confirmation from Cardinal Pole (aucte' aplica') of Sir Thomas Tresham to be Prior of the Order of St John Jerusalem etc.) seem to have been the Cardinal's own copy. The instrument is dated Kal. Decembris Anno Domini 1557 Pont: Pauli Papae Quarti, tertio: and agrees well enough with the time of Sir Tho: Tresham's being constituted Prior by the Queen (viz. Q. Mary) Nov: 20: 1557. See the Parchment Cover. It is only a first or foule Draught, as appears by the Interlineations etc. upon the cover. He was then Cardinall Sanctae Mariae in Cosmedin etc.' College bookplate (eighteenth century) at fo. 1v.
Single hand, fifteen lines to a page, a few corrections. Paper. Original vellum binding as described above, wanting former ties top and bottom.