BULLETIN
SPRING 2015
BRITISH PROVINCE OF CARMELITES
OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION
49 No.1
Immitment to a Friday mass
letween the community and
Heslington church during
Ie three full time chaplains.
r ecumenically to serve the
was attended by represent
1ethodist church communi
ed to welcome Frs Fernan
~th the celebrations for the
Veek, it was another week
Teresa was celebrated with
'B in York Minster, both of
versation with Julian Filo
ite Brian Pierce OP to stop
nero lecture and it was an
) to be inspired by his talk
On Sunday, Frs Fernando
I the people another aspect
~e breadth of the Carmelite
ltinue apace. Ged has taken
;m and his gentle, friendly
rish. The community seeks
munity of three means that
ce recognise the wisdom of
More House or Acomb is
of the coming week. Com
; the Poor Clare convent in
) of the everyday ministries
equent and both Kevin and
he new CaSSoc committee
programme for the coming
. community life as we seek
er, service and community
rus in the service of God's
Kevin Melody
Foreign Carmelites and the English Reformation: Pierre Alexandre
During the Middle Ages it was common for Carmelites from other provinces to come
and visit their brethren in England. Some travelled on official business, such as the priors
general, their vicars general or other officials who came to make formal visitations or to
resolve local problems or difficulties. The greatest number of foreign visitors, though,
was younger friars coming to study philosophy and theology in the Carmelite studium
BeneraJe in London or, in a few special instances, to undertake higher studies in the uni
versities of Oxford and Cambridge. Following the suppression of the religious orders in
England during the reign of Henry VIII, the arrival of individual Carmelites from the
other parts of Europe did not completely cease, although the reasons for their coming
were different. During the 1530's, under the influence of the lord chancellor, Thomas
Cromwell, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, there was a steady
movement in the English church towards the adoption of a Reformed or Protestant pat
tern of belief. In many parts of Europe, the increasing number of adherents to the Re
formed faith was a source of concern to the Church and the state authorities. When the
established Church, supported by the state, attempted to enforce conformity to tradi
tional Catholic belief, then the result was conflict, persecution and, at times, open war
fare. England, though, with its increasingly tolerant attitude to Protestant ideas, espe
cially after the accession in 1547 of the young king, Edward VI, and its Willingness to
receive religious refugees, led to it being seen as a safe haven for Protestants fleeing from
persecution in France, the Low Countries or Germany. Throughout the 1540's the in
creasing numbers of Protestant refugees settling in England was such that they had soon
established their own separate worshipping congregations, divided usually according to
language groups, e.g. French, German and Dutch.
Mingled with those who sought refuge in England were a few ex-Carmelites who had
embraced the Protestant reform, shed their religiOUS habit and, in many cases, taken
positions as ministers or preachers in the Reformed congregations. One of the most
illustrious of the ex-Carmelites to come to England was Pierre Alexandre from northern
France. Born around 1498, Alexandre had joined the Carmelites in Arras whilst a young
boy and, after finishing his novitiate and early studies, he was sent to Paris where he
gained a doctorate in theology in 1534. After a year as regent master in Paris, Alexandre
returned to Arras where he was soon appointed the prior. It is claimed that, during his
time in office, Alexandre was responsible for rebUilding a large part of the friary. He also
gained a reputation as a great preacher so that, within a short while, he was appointed
the personal chaplain and court preacher to Queen Mary of Hungary, the sister of Em
peror Charles V who, as his regent, ruled the Low Countries.
13
1
In 1540 Charles V visited the Low Countries in person and, whilst there, led a renewed
offensive against the Protestant heresy. In October of that year, he published a formal
decree against those who held heretical beliefs. Alexandre himself came under suspicion
of holding some Reformed doctrines and his position was not helped by the fact that he
was involved, early in 1541, in the publication of an edition of 45 psalms translated into
French verse by Clement Marot and others (these psalms were later adopted by Calvin
for use in the Protestant liturgy). After an inconclusive exchange of views with Pierre de Soto, the Dominican confessor to Charles V, during which Alexandre maintained that his
views were not heretical but that he was simply following "the word of God", judgement
on Alexandre's opinions was referred to a commission of inquisitors. The commission
began its work on 2 February 1544, examining Alexandre's sermons and his other writ
ings and appealing for witnesses to come and give evidence before them. On his return
to Brussels on 1 October, the emperor issued an order for the arrest of Alexandre but,
warned by a friend, probably sent by the queen, Alexandre fled to Germany. In his ab
sence, a formal sentence was passed on him on 2 January 1545 which involved him being
degraded from the priesthood, expelled &om the Carmelite Order and excommunicat
ed. His writings, which included some volumes of sermons, were publicly burnt in the church of Sainte- Gudule in Brussels.
Arriving in Strasbourg Alexandre was welcomed by the Elector Palatine Frederick II and
he was soon appointed to lecture on the epistles of St Paul in Heidelberg. It was here
that Alexandre made the acquaintance of Jean Calvin himself and the two became friends, although Calvin is reported to have said that the "hardiesse" (Le. strictness) of
Alexandre's teaching was a surprise to him. In 1548, the outbreak of the Schmalkaldic War brought an end to Alexandre's teaching duties but fortunately for him, in England,
the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, was taking advantage of the increasing
freedom being granted to Protestant beliefs under Edward VI and begun to invite promi
nent Protestant theologians from Europe to come and help in reforming the Anglican
Church. One of those invited by Cranmer was Peter Martyr, a &iend of Alexandre, and
it was through Peter Martyr that Alexandre himself received an invitation to come and
work for the archbishop. Alexandre arrived in England early in October 1548 and took up residence in Lambeth Palace, where he served as one of Cranmer's private secretar
ies. One of the tasks which he undertook was to research the writings of the Church
Fathers in order to fmd quotations and extracts &om their writings which would lend support to the beliefs of the Reformers. Seven of his notebooks containing quotations on
such topics as Purgatory, the Eucharist and the authority of Holy Scripture, etc. have been preserved in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, Corpus Christi College, Cam
bridge and the British Library.
In order to prOVide Alexandre with a reasonable income, Cranmer installed him as the
rector of All Saints' Church, Lombard Street, and as a canon of Canterbury Cathedral.
This latter appointment led to Alexandre being asked to give several courses of lectures
in the cathedral (in Latin). In 1552 he gave a series of lectures on Purgatory and these
14
were followed by
the following year with other Reform
and he was one of 1
to come to Englanc
Following the acce tion in England un,
London in Septerr
stripped of his livil
sion in March 155~
try and sought refu
the Calvinist congr
whilst they arrange
the opportunity to nots (French Prote
minister. During hi
a controversy with beliefs. The disagr' the magistrate and
on 1 May 1555, AI
ing and justifying another letter to (
fended Calvin's ow
Once back in Stras
there he remained
preaching made hir he had begun to ha
that some people v
"the pope of Genev
during this time tho
future Bishop of L two men became fi
When news of the
dre saw the opport
Bishop of London i
was quickly re-app' and as a non-reside London in some di
vin to send them sc Alexandre helped t
st there, led a renewed
, he published a formal
If came under suspicion
Iped by the fact that he
5 psalms translated into
,ater adopted by Calvin
of views with Pierre de
,dre maintained that his
lrd of God", judgement
;itors. The commission
,ons and his other writ
re them. On his return
rrest of Alexandre but,
to Germany. In his ab
~ich involved h@ being
ler and excommunicat
re publicly bw-nt in the
'alatine Frederick II and
-1eidelberg. It was here
, and the two became
esse" (i.e. strictness) of
~ak of the Schmalkaldic
~ly for him, in England,
antage of the increasing
Ibegun to invite promi
reforming the Anglican
'iend of Alexandre, and
invitation to come and
)ctober 154-8 and took
Imer's private secretar
writings of the Church
ings which would lend
ontaining quotations on
.ly Scripture, etc. have
Christi College, Cam
ler installed h@ as the
Canterbury Cathedral.
'eral courses of lectures
on Purgatory and these
were followed by a second series On Churrn discipline and excommunication. In July
the following year he gave a third series of lectures on marriage. Alexandre's contacts
with other Reformed ministers on the continent was also put to good use by Cranmer
and he was one of those who wrote to Martin Bucer in 154-9 and helped to persuade him to come to England.
FollOWing the accession of the Catholic Queen Mary in August 1553, the religiOUS situa
tion in England underwent a dramatic change. Cranmer was committed to the Tower of
London in September and his foreign proteges lost their protector. Alexandre was
stripped of his liVings and summoned to appear before the new Ecclesiastical Commis
sion in Marrn 1554-. In the event, he and his new wife made a rapid exit from the coun
try and sought refuge in Strasbourg. Once there, he was offered the post of minister to
the Calvinist congregation but the town authorities asked him to wait for a short period
whilst they arranged for the dismissal of the minister currently in office. Alexandre took
the opportunity to visit MontbeIiard in south-eastern France where many of the Hugue
nots (French Protestants) had taken refuge and where one of his friends was the chief
minister. During his short stay there, Alexandre, as a strict Calvinist, became involved in
a controversy with the French Protestants who were closer to Martin Luther in their
beliefs. The disagreement grew to such intensity that Alexandre was asked to leave by
the magistrate and he moved on to Geneva and then Lausanne. It was in Lausanne that,
on 1 May 1555, Alexandre wrote a long letter to Count George of MontbeIiard explain
ing and justifying the position he had taken up. Shortly afterwards, Alexandre wrote
another letter to Calvin in Geneva explaining what had happened and how he had de
fended Calvin's own teachings.
Once back in Strasbourg, Alexandre was appointed minister there on 27 July 1555 and
there he remained for four years. However, his intemperate views expressed in his
preammg made him many enemies. Also, Alexandre religiOUS views were changing and
he had begun to have doubts about Calvin's view of predestination with its implication
that some people were predestined to be evil. In 1558, he went so far as to call Calvin
"the pope of Geneva" and this was one of the factors which hastened his dismissal. It was
during this time that Alexandre proVided lodgings in his house for Edmund Grindal, the
future Bishop of London (and later Archbishop of York and then Canterbury) and the
two men became firm friends.
When news of the death of Mary Tudor arrived and the accession of Elizabeth, Alexan
dre saw the opportunity to return to England. His friend Grindal had been consecrated
Bishop of London in December, and Alexandre was back in the city in March 1560. He
was quickly re-appointed to his old preferments, rector of All Hallows, Lombard Street,
and as a non-resident canon of Canterbury. Alexandre found the French congregation in
London in some disarray. They were without a minister - although they had asked Cal
vin to send them someone - and without a rnurch to meet in. Through his old contacts,
Alexandre helped them in their negotiations with the Queen to recover their old meet
15
ing place in St Anthony's church in Threadneedle Street. This was restored to them on 7
April 1560 and he accepted an invitation to become their preacher until the new minis
ter arrived.
The new minister, sent by Calvin, was a Frenchman named Nicholas des Gallars, who
arrived in June 1560. As a close confidant of Calvin, Des Gallars held to the strict Cal
vinistic view on matters of faith and he soon clashed with Alexandre's now more liberal
approach. Bishop Grindal, representing the English ecclesiastical authority, attempted to
mediate between the two men but without success. Des Gallars would not accept Alex
andre as his assistant, protesting that ifhe was appointed then he, Des Gallars, would not
be able to hide certain facts which he had learned about Alexandre. On the other side,
Alexandre, supported by a number of the church elders, felt that he had been put on one
side since the arrival of Des Gallars and his contribution ignored. The quarrel grew more
vociferous and in December 1560, Alexandre wrote a formal ApoloBia to Grindal justify
ing his actions and his attitude. On 31 December 1560, the bishop invited both parties to
dinner and managed to effect a formal reconciliation. This did not last long and in July
1561, Alexandre was said to be preaching against Des Gallars from the pulpit; Alexandre
and his followers then withdrew from communion with Des Gallars and his supporters.
Once again, Grindal managed to effect a reconciliation and when Des Gallars was called
away in August to attend the Colloquy of Poissy in France, Alexandre acted as his locum
tenens during his absence.
Sadly, follOWing the return of Des Gallars at the end of 1561 , the conflict erupted again.
Many members of the congregation had returned to France and the remainder were
divided between the partisans of the strict Geneva discipline represented by Des Gallars
and those follOWing Alexandre, who resented the rigorous approach - especially in the
practice of fraternal correction. Alexandre was against "fraternal corrections" and re
fused to accept the judgment of the Consistory. Finally, he accused the deacons of
"malversations" but they were cleared after an inquiry by 12 arbitrators. Des Gallars
then called on the congregation to choose between himself and Alexandre. Alexandre,
realising that the verdict would go against him, did not wait for their decision and re
Signed in February 1562, leaVing London thereafter. Where he spent his last few months
is unknown but he is reported to have died of gout shortly before II January 1563.
Clearly, Pierre Alexandre was a very talented, highly intelligent individual who pos
sessed great talents. He was described by a later writer as "the marvel of Arras". Howev
er, his rise to fame in Arras, his participation in court life and his friendship with the
regent, Queen Mary of Hungary, led him towards a different future outside the Order.
His study of the Bible opened him to the Protestant Reform with its emphasis on the
authority of "Scripture alone". His unfortunate experience with the rigid imperial ap
proach to any sign of heresy and the terrible punishment which awaited anyone convict
ed of heretical beliefs caused him to flee the Low Countries and his choice of Strasbourg
as a place of refuge led to his friendship with John Calvin and a future as a convinced
Calvinist. It can J
sincere belief in I
scripture in Strasb
and the years spe
there was a chanc
pared for Cranme
Alexandre's retur
age - he was in h fortunes. He foun
doctrine of prede:
coming involved i
him to oppose no
was not an easy m
congregations in 1 with members of
sal.
His final return t
benefices and his
have guaranteed s
due to his inabilit)
16
;tored to them on 7
mtil the new minis-
is des Gallars, who
Id to the strict Cal
.s now more liberal
mity, attempted to
ld not accept Alex
: Gallars, would not
On the other side,
,ad been put on one
quarrel grew more
a to Grindal justify
rited both parties to
1St long and in July
e pulpit; Alexandre
and his supporters.
s Gallars was called
'e acted as his locum
lflict erupted again.
le remainder were
lted by Des Gallars
- especially in the
)rrections" and re
;ed the deacons of
:ators. Des Gallars
(andre. Alexandre,
ir decision and re
his last few months
anuary 1563.
ldividual who pos
of Arras". Howev
friendship with the
outside the Order.
ts emphaSiS on the
rigid imperial ap
ed anyone convict
110ice of Strasbourg
ure as a convinced
Calvinist. It can not be doubted that Alexandre's adoption of Calvinism arose from a
sincere belief in the rightness of what he was dOing. After his initial period teaching
scripture in Strasbourg, Alexandre's happiest period began with his invitation to England
and the years spent working with Thomas Cranmer. He foumd himself respected and
there was a chance for him to use his scholarship both in the theological papers he pre
pared for Cranmer and the lectures he gave in Canterbury .
Alexandre's return to the continent on the accession of Mary Tudor and his increasing
age - he was in his mid-fifties when he left - marked the beginning of a decline in his
fortunes. He foumd resistance to his strict Calvinist theology, espeCially in regard to the
doctrine of predestination. Like many of the early Reformers, he was not averse to be
coming involved in arguments over the true way to follow Christ. His Calvinism caused
him to oppose not only Catholics but also Lutherans, Anabaptists and many others. He
was not an easy man to get along with and his periods as a minister serving the Reformed
congregations in France and Germany nearly always led to disagreements and quarrels
with members of his congregations. These usually ended with his resignation or dismis
sal.
His final return to England umder Queen Elizabeth enabled him to regain his former
benefices and his financial security. His friendship with the Bishop of London should
have guaranteed some respected and umtroubled last years but sadly this was not to be
due to his inability to come to any sort of working agreement with Des Gallars.
Richard Copsey
17