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Henry VIII.'s Book, “Assertio Septem Sacramentorum,” and the Royal Title of “Defender of the Faith.”

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2009

J. Mainwaring Brown Esq.
J. Mainwaring Brown Esq.
Affiliation:
Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
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Extract

The titles which have been borne by English sovereigns, in common with those of many other exalted personages, were formerly more remarkable for the splendour of their sound or the curiosities of their historical associations than for the accuracy with which they expressed the rights and powers which belonged to, or were even claimed by, their possessors. The kings of England called themselves kings of Scotland when their whole territory beyond the border consisted of the town of Berwick. They were called Lords of Ireland in times when no English soldier could venture beyond the Pale. They claimed the dignity of King of France when they had not held a foot of French ground for a century; and finally, ever since the time of Henry VIII., they have been styled “Defenders of the Faith”—a title which, taken in its original meaning, declares them to be the defenders of a branch of the Christian faith of which they are the hereditary arch-opponents.

Type
Research Article
Information
Transactions of the Royal Historical Society , Volume 8 , December 1880 , pp. 243 - 261
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Historical Society 1880

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References

page 245 note * “Posteris tuis relinquere illisque viam ostendere ut,” &c. , Rymer Com. xiii., p. 756Google Scholar, edit. 1712.

page 246 note * Titulum ilium et cognomen Fidei Defensoris … approbamiis confirmamus tibique perpetuum et proprium deputamus. , Rymer, tom. xiv., p. 14Google Scholar.

page 247 note * 35 Hen. VIII., c. 3.

page 248 note * 1 & 2 Phil. & Mar., c. 8.

page 248 note † It is well known what general indignation was expressed when some florins were struck with the initials F. D. omitted.

page 249 note * , Brewer's “Letters and Papers of the Reign of Henry VIII.,” vol. ii., No. 4, 257Google Scholar.

page 250 note * , Brewer's “Letters and Papers of Reign of Henry VIII.,” vol. iii., No. 1, 233Google Scholar.

page 250 note † , Brewer's “Letters and Papers of Reign of Henry VIII.,” vol. iii., No. 1, 297Google Scholar.

page 250 note ‡ J Cott. MSS., Vitell., b. iv., p. 116.

page 250 note § Brewer, vol. iii., No. 1, 510.

page 251 note * Constitutional History, vol. i., page 59 [note], 7th edition.

page 251 note † Jortin's Life of Erasmus, vol. i., 486.

page 251 note ‡ Mr. Ellis's Letters, Second Series.

page 253 note * French edition of “Assertio,” 1857, Introduction.

page 253 note † Lord Herbert of Cherbury's “History of Henry VIII.,”; fol. 85.

page 255 note * “Archseologia,” vol. xxiii.

page 256 note * , Fisher's “Defensio,” edit 1562, pages 14, 83, 84Google Scholar.

page 257 note * Roper's Life of More, edit. 1731, p. 77.

page 258 note * There is no index to the first edition, though there are marginal notes. Probably Mr. Bruce only saw a later edition, but the presumption is against his guess.

page 259 note * Roper's Life of More. Appendix, No. V.

page 259 note † Roper, p. 77, edit. 1731.