Born 1489.—Died 1556.—Henry VII.—Henry VIII.—Edward VI.—Mary.

Born at Aslacton, in Nottinghamshire, was a tutor at Cambridge, and was made at one bound Archbishop of Canterbury. He owed his rise to his clever suggestions for enabling Henry VIII. to divorce Queen Katherine, and became the favourite of Anne Boleyn in consequence. As Primate he sanctioned three divorces of Henry VIII. He drew up the Book of Common Prayer. He perished at the stake at Oxford in 1550, under Mary, after signing several recantations which he finally repudiated, and died with firmness.