Stephen Gardiner, an English Roman Catholic prelate, born at Bury St. Edmund's in 1483, died Nov. 12, 1555. He was educated at Cambridge, became secretary of Wolsey, and was soon in high favor with Henry VIII. In 1527 he was sent to Italy to procure the pope's consent to the divorce of Queen Catharine. His mission proved unsuccessful, but while at Rome he rendered important services to Wolsey. On his return he was intrusted with the conduct of the divorce case, and successively made secretary of state and (in November, 1531) bishop of Winchester. He endeavored to convince the king of the impolicy of breaking with the pope, and of the propriety of punishing those who denied the bodily presence of Christ in the eucharist. The downfall of Cromwell, who had succeeded Wolsey as favorite, added for a time to the influence and power of Gardiner. But the king began at length to lean toward the reformers, and the refusal of Henry to permit the arrest of Catharine Parr for religious contumacy demonstrated the decline of Gardiner's power.

On the accession of Edward VI., Gardiner, refusing to approve of the articles and injunctions issued by the new council, was committed first to the Fleet prison, and then, after a short release and new provocation, to the tower, where he was confined till the reign of Mary, when he was restored to liberty and raised to still greater power than ever, being made lord chancellor. The Protestant persecution which took place during his administration has been generally ascribed by Protestant writers to his counsel, but, according to Lingard,more from conjecture and prejudice than from real information." He is said to have exclaimed on his deathbed: Erravi cum Petro, seel non flevi cum Petro ("I have erred with Peter, but I have not wept with Peter").