Requested topics - Tudors
Before we look at these I want to
check that you know the answers
to the course’s key questions !!!!!
Religion
• What was the state of the Church on the
eve of the Reformation?
• What were the motives for religious
change?
• To what extent was England protestant
by 1540?
Wolsey & Government
• How did Wolsey rise to power?
• How successful were Wolsey’s
domestic policies?
• Was Wolsey an ‘Alter Rex’? (What was
the nature of his relationship with
Henry and who was in charge?) How far
was Henry at the centre of his
government at home?
• Why did Wolsey fall from power?
Foreign Policy
•
•
•
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What were Henry’s aims?
How successful was Henry 1509-1514?
How successful was 1514-1529?
How far did religion shape foreign
affairs 1530-1540?
Annulment
•
•
•
•
Why did Henry want an annulment?
Why couldn’t Henry get it?
1530-32: A period of drift?
How did the Acts of Parliament secure the
break with Rome and the Royal Supremacy?
• Why did Henry make the break from Rome
and establish the Royal Supremacy?
• How serious was opposition?
• Why was there so little opposition?
Dissolution of the Monasteries
•
•
•
•
Why did Henry dissolve them?
Was the dissolution pre-planned?
How were they dissolved?
What were the effects?
P of G
• What caused the Pilgrimage of Grace?
• What happened?
• How important were the local nobility
and gentry in leading and spreading the
revolt?
• Why did it fail?
• How much of a threat was it?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Wolsey’s rise to power
Early domestic policies/ Eltham ordnances
The different factions and their members
Young lion
All the different treaties in the 1520s
Key points of great matter
Cromwell, the acts of the Reformation Parliament and what they did
Thomas More _saint or sinner
Dissolution of the monasteries
Thomas Cromwell's role in the dissolution of the monasteries.
•
•
•
•
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Protest against reformation
Pilgrimage of grace.
Revolution in Government
Summary of all thematic reviews
Summary of individuals e.g. Wolsey, AB, More, Cromwell, Cranmer
and any others i have missed
Early domestic policies
Wolsey’s rise to power
• Royal Almoner
• Organises successful expedition to Tournai
in 1513
• Bishop of Tournai in 1514 and Archbishop
of York
• Cardinal and Lord Chancellor
• 1518: legate a latere
Luck or skill?
•
Wolsey pre-H8 - 1st from Oxford at 15; Henry VII’s Chaplain - 1507
•
Old councillors – H7’s men – Henry got rid of key men like Epsom and Dudley.
•
1509 - Royal Almoner
•
In 1512-13 = skill in organising an expeditionary force to invade France,
•
1514 - Bishop of Tournai and Archbishop of York
•
1515 – Cardinal + Lord Chancellor
•
1518 - Legate a latere
•
Presiding over Star Chamber and Court of Chancery
•
Expulsion of ‘minions’ in 1519 and Eltham Ordinances 1526
Justice
Historians have disagreed over
whether Wolsey bought greater
justice to the legal system or not.
• Lord Chancellor in 1515
• Head of the country’s secular legal system and directly responsible for the
legal work of both of the Royal Court
• Court of Chancery and the Court of Star Chamber. These were courts which
could be used by the King’s subjects (ordinary people) to get justice.
• Considerable amount of time and attention. Heard many cases and anyone
was able to bring their case before him in the Star Chamber. The Star
Chamber dealt with 120 cases per year under Wolsey compared with only
12 under Henry VII.
• Wolsey championed the poor against the rich.
• Common law v Civil Law = more progressive legal system.
• Quick to use the system to further his own interests and using the law as a
personal vendetta e.g. Sir Amyas Paulet.
• Caused resentment = targeted aristocratic
privileges.
• 1515 he sent the Earl of Northumberland to
Fleet Prison for contempt of the council’s
jurisdiction.
• BUT no institutional changes that would have
outlasted him.
• Left an enormous backlog of cases to be heard
in the Star Chamber by 1529 and the
administration was chaotic.
Enclosure
•
Argued = dedication to the plight of the poor.
•
Three statutes pre- Wolsey = largely ignored.
•
1517 = a national enquiry into enclosed land.
•
Many brought to court were ordered to rebuild houses that had been
destroyed and allow the land to be free for arable farming.
•
In reality enclosure continued to take place and reform was piecemeal.
•
Wolsey more = parliamentary session of 1523 = Wolsey was forced to
accept all existing enclosures.
•
Could not exert total authority over the nobility.
Finances
• Effective reform of the financial system to make it more
fair and efficient?
• Replaced = ‘fifteenths and tenths’ with ‘Tudor subsidy
(favoured by Wolsey because it was more progressive)
• 1513 and 1516 it raised £170,000 while the old system
only raised £90,000.
• In 1523 Wolsey demanded over £800,000 from
Parliament = raised £300,000. Forced to accept
concessions on enclosure.
• Fiscal policies were causing resentment
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Amicable Grants 1525
Battle of Pavia. = invade France
non-parliamentary tax
Violence = three yrs of forced loans and parliamentary
taxes
Rebellion across Suffolk and East Anglia. 10,000 men
marched on Lavenham (an important cloth-making
centre in Suffolk). The hostility was not initiated by
nobles (many actually helped to restore order) but it
showed unpopularity.
Abandoned in 1525
No further attempt at taxation was attempted by Wolsey.
beginning of the end for Wolsey??
Nobility and parliament
• Did Wolsey = deliberately monopolise power?
• Parliament = met twice.
• Saw pmt as source of opposition to himself
• But pmt’s role only to give money and ratify laws.
• Privy chamber was where power lay.
• Privy chamber = threat to Wolsey? 1519 Expulsion of
Minions? Motivation?
• 1526 = ‘Eltham Ordinances’ = PC reduced from 12 to 6.
Motivation? efficient cost-cutting exercise or attempt to
monopolise power?
The Church
•
Any meaningful reform?
•
1515 = Hunne Affair = anti-clerical feeling
•
Unfairness of the Benefit of the Clergy.
•
Wolsey = key position to reform churcj
•
BUT guilty of pluralism, nepotism and absenteeism. A
•
York – 1518 - Ecclesiastical Council = discuss ways of improving the church
and the conduct and work of the clergy = no change
•
Visitations (inspections) of Monasteries in England = proposals for reform.
Alter-Rex?
Alter-Rex
Partnership
Wolsey was a master
and Henry was a
puppet.
Evidence
•Role in domestic policy
•Use of the Court of Star
Chamber
•‘Tudor Subsidy’
•Eltham Ordinances
King always made the
final decision on key
issues.
When it came to more
important matters of
foreign policy or bigger
domestic decisions the
King was at the centre of
decision making
Alter-Rex
Partnership
•Wolsey’s wealth served 1528: Henry fell out with
to further his political
Wolsey over the
power
seemingly trivial matter
of Wolsey’s appointment
of an abbess to a
•Used the trappings of
nunnery.
political success to set
himself up as the most
important man in the
Wolsey forced to make a
country next to the king. grovelling apology
Alter-Rex
Partnership
Wolsey maintained his
power through
ruthlessness.
Wolsey did consult other
nobles.
Reputation stemmed
from jealousy and the
fact that he clearly
decided on policy in
private with Henry
before presenting it
before Council.
Young Lion
France 1512
• In 1509 = Holy League = France, Spain and HRE =
attack Venice. England isolated.
• H7’s advisors – frustrated Henry – 1510 Peace Treaty
with France in 1510
• 1511 = France threatening the Papal States = Holy
League with England, Venice and Spain to drive France
out of Italy.
• Joint Anglo-Spanish invasion = let down by Ferdinand.
The Battle of Spurs 1513
• Henry more determined to invade and gain glory.
• Personally led an army of 30,000 men
• Capture of Therouanne and Tournai with little French
resistance.
• Therouranne = given to Maximillian
• Tournai = English Garrison = very expensive.
• Propaganda ‘
The Battle of Flodden 1513
• Earl of Surrey = defeated James IV.
• English = outnumbered
• James dead
The Anglo-French Treaty of 1514
• No money + Leo X + HRE and Ferdinand
treaty = French peace
• England possession of Tournai
• France agreed to pay pension areers
• Younger sister Mary = elderly Louis XII.
1515-1517 Isolation
• Francis 1 = 1515
• Duke of Albany to overthrow the Regency
in Scotland.
• Francis defeated the Swiss w
• Francis = Pope = Concordat
The Treaty of London 1518
• Hijacked Leo X’s papal plans for a western crusade
against the Turks
• England was at the heart of bringing peace to Europe.
• Prestige for Henry + end isolation
• More French Pensions, get the Duke of Albany out of
Scotland, and Mary engaged to the Dauphin
• Motivation? Wolsey’s selfish ambitions to become Papal
Legate or Pope?
The Field of the Cloth of Gold,
1520
• January 1519 Charles= HRE.
• Francis and Charles = looking for an ally?
1521: Treaty of Bruges
• England = bargaining power due to
Francis and Charles competing
• Form alliance with HRE
• August 1521 = Bruges = support HRE
1523 Siege on Boulogne and
attack on Paris
• 1523 – need to honour Bruges
• Duke of Bourbon = rebellion = threepronged assault.
• Rebellion did not occur and English troops
suffered.
1525: Diplomatic revolution. U
Turn
• Battle of Pavia (N. Italt)
• Francis chrused = hostage
• Henry tried to staje a claim but Charles
would not share.
• Amicable Grant
• U turn = Treaty of More in 1525. Henry =
give up claims to France = annual
pension.
1526: The Treaty of Cognac
• Francis released on good behaviour
• Treaty of Cognac = England, France and
Italian states against the Imperial forces in
Italy.
1527-1529: The Imperial Sack of
Rome and the Peace of Cambrai
• HRE sack of Rome and the Pope Clement
VII was taken prisoner!
• By 1528 Charles = complete control in
Italy.
• Battle of Landriano = French defeat.
• Peace of Cambrai in 1529 = treaty
between France, Spain and the Papacy.
FP 1530-1540?
• Heretical England + desire for alliance with
HRE = Anglo French alliance falling apart +
England vulnerable and isolated.
• CofA + AB deaths = Henry hopes renewed
interest in HRE alliance (1536).
• 1538 = Peace of Nice = Isolated England
• Holy Crusade = Military defences + links
with German Princes.
• White Rose = Cardinal Pole = call for Catholic
invasion of England = brutal purge of Pole’s
family.
• 1539 = Act of Six Articles = u-turn to catholic
doctrine.
• BUT Lutheran embassy officials were visiting
England .
• Anne of Cleves = Italian wars resume =
Cromwell’s fall
Henry VIII and divorce issue
1. Why did Henry want an annulment?
2. What were the obstacles to Henry
securing an annulment?
3. What was the role of Wolsey?
Route 1:Terms of original
dispensation rendered it invalid
• Issue of affinity between H8 and CofA
confusing = was original marriage
consummated?
• CofA argued it was not. Therefore no issue
of affinity. So dispensation was wrong.
• Genuine problem was “public honesty”.
Route 2:
• Challenge grounds on which the original
dispensation had been issued.
• Julius had ruled a dispensation admissible
because it cemented peace between
England and Spain.
• Was political reason sufficient for setting
aside God's word.
Route 3: Did Pope have the
authority to issue dispensations?
• Leviticus ‘if a man shall take his brother’s
wife: he hath uncovered his brother’s
nakedness; they shall be childless’
• Original Hebrew says “sonless”
• Henry argued Julius II had exceeded his
powers by over-turning the word of God as
set down in the bible.
Wolsey’s strategies:
Persuading the Pope to delegate the
decision to his representative in England!
• In Dec 1527 Clement escaped from
Charles V and Henry offered to send
troops to help protect him.
• Later that year Wolsey persuaded
Clement to send a papal legate, Cardinal
Campeggio to England to try the case….
• In April 1528 Cardinal Campeggio sent
• Absentee Bishop of Salisbury
• ill and slow progress to England (oct 28),
• Under orders to delay matters = 'by the book'.
• Alternative suggestion: CofA = nunnery
• 31st March - July 1529 = court at Blackfriars.
• 18th June CofA sole appearance (show clip from
the Tudors)
• Hearing suspended (FP = Pope signed the
Treaty of Barcelona, swearing loyalty to the
Emperor).
• Clement recalled the matter to Rome.
• Catherine :- appealed directly to Rome for
a decision,
• Campeggio’s visit futile
• August 1529 = summons = hearing in
Rome.
• Factions align against Wolsey = dismissed
• In 1529 Wolsey was charged with praemunire
(acknowledge a foreign power over the crown)
• So this year was a turning point in the Great
Matter.
• Henry continued to pursue the annulment via
Rome
BUT
• he was also open to the idea of him making the
final decision on the divorce in England and
break with Rome. By 1532 it is clear his mind is
made up.
The importance of factions,
1520s
• How important were factions in this period?
• Which factions were opposed to Wolsey and
why?
(there are three)
• What is surprising about why these factions
combined against Wolsey?
• Explain the significance of the Boleyn faction’s
role in undermining Wolsey
1. The Boleyn faction:
•
Key point = what position did these
men hold with Henry’s government.
•
(King’s Privy Chamber)
•
Anne also actively created an anti Wolsey faction with other peers e.g.
Norfolk and Suffolk.
2. The Aragonese faction:
While this faction was concerned by the divorce
issue many of the members also feared for the
safety of the universal church; Catherine had the
support of leading churchmen e.g. John Fisher.
This faction was also united by the fear of the
power that Wolsey yielded. These men were
profiting from the weakening of Wolsey’s power
which the Boleyn faction had brought about.
3. The Noble faction.
This faction comprised of those nobles
who had been offended by Wolsey
through the Star Chamber.
The following Dukes ultimately allied
together with Anne.
4. Wolsey’s faction
1527
Henry decided to
seek an annulment
His
motives
THE DIVORCE
His strategy
1527-29
Wolsey in charge
October 1529
Wolsey’s fall
The Legatine
court 1529
1530 and 1532
The years of
drift?
1532-3
March 1533
April 1533
Cromwell in charge
Act of Appeals
Marriage annulled
by Cranmer
1529-32
A period of drift?
• Got rid of Wolsey
• Religious conservatives
• C of A faction
• Private formality now public dispute = conducted through
the press and the courts. Neither side could afford to
back down.
BUT
• Reformation Parliament (1529-36)
• Cromwell joined council = ‘Collectanea satis copiosa’ –
evidence against the Pope’s powers
• Major initiative = European scholars (feb-april 1530)
• Cambridge/ Oxford = anti-divorce.
But pro divorce doctors selected.
• 7 universities supported Henry.
• Theologians bribed = undermined the
initiative.
Why?
1. Public knowledge votes had been bought
2. Some scholars accepted bribes by C of A's
party too.
So years of drift????
Reformation Parliament
7 sessions = Nov 1529-36.
Anti clerical legislation passed = pressurise
Pope.
• 1531, = Cromwell knew Pope never rule in
Henry's favour.
• Give someone else the power to do it.
• Persuade Henry slowly.
• Piecemeal
• Momentum = break with Rome.
Parliament = Partner in crime.
Henry = ensure
• C of E recognised his authority over the
Pope and obeyed him.
• Pope’s influence was broken
• Establish Royal supremacy
Feb 1531, Clergy charged with praemunire
Convocation fined £118,000
Henry recognised him as protector and
Supreme head "so far as the law of Christ
allows".
Pardon of the Clergy
Supplication against the Ordinaries, March 1532.
House of Commons draft
Anti benefit of the clergy
Submission of the Clergy, 15 May 1532
Henry examine/ veto all Convocation’s legislation
Henry = review canon law.
Stop or enforce any of England’s laws.
Act in Conditional Restraint of Annates, May 1532
Parliament withhold Annates from Rome,
= blackmail Pope.
Pope could not excommunicate anyone or
delay the consecration of bishops
What does the term “conditional” suggest
about this act?
Why was 1532 a turning point in
royal policy?
• Jan 1533 H8 and AB secret marriage = H8
technically a bigamist .
• March = Thomas Cranmer = AB of C
• In March a CRUCIAL act was passed! Read
the following extract. What did the act do?
Why is it “crucial” to Henry’s Great Matter?
Act in Restraint of Appeals, March 1533
• Final authority in all legal matters lay with
monarch.
• Recognised England's national
sovereignty.
• Jan 1533 H8 and AB secret marriage = H8
technically a bigamist .
• Vital for divorce to be finalised,
• Late May = hearing of the case which
Catherine refused to attend.
• 3 days of discussion; the papal dispensation
was invalid.
Act for the Submission of the Clergy, 1534
Reconfirmed earlier submission
Forbade appeals being made to the Pope.
This was for all cases.
Appeals made to the royal commissioners.
Act in Absolute Restraint of Annates, 1534.
(notice “conditional” replaced by “absolute”)
Forbade payment to Pope.
King nominate bishop. Consecrated by
Archbishop
Dispensations Act, 1534
Stopped all remaining papal payments.
First Succession Act, 1534.
• Succession rests in H8 and AB’s heirs
• Elizabeth = heir. Mary = bastard.
• All subjects = swear an oath to recognise this
and the King’s supremacy.
Act of Supremacy, 1534.
Henry is Supreme Head of the English Church.
(see original document)
Act of First Fruits and Tenths
This took old papal taxes and gave them to
the Crown instead.
Oath of Succession 1534
• “Ye shall swear to bear faith, truth, and
Obedience alonely to the king's majesty, and
to his heirs of his body of his most dear and
entirely beloved lawful wife Queen Anne,
begotten and to be begotten..”
Treason Act, 1534.
Disavowing the Oath of Succession = death.
“ any person or persons, after the first day of
February next coming, do maliciously wish, will
or desire, by words or writing, or by craft
imagine, invent, practise, or attempt any bodily
harm to be done or committed to the king's
most royal person, the queen's, or their heirs
apparent, or to deprive them or any of them of
their dignity, title, or name of their royal
estates… then every such person and persons
so offending … shall have and suffer such
pains of death and other penalties, as is limited
and accustomed in cases of high treason.”
What factors pushed or pulled Henry into his
break with Rome?
PUSH – forced him into annulling his marriage and breaking with Rome
PULL – attracted him to the annulment and breaking with Rome
• Henry’s conscience
• Henry’s desire for a male heir
• Love for AB
• Need to increase his revenue
• Desire for power
• C of A miscarriages and 3 stillborn babies
• CVs rejection in June 1515 of Henry’s proposal that Charles marry
Mary
• Ab refusal to be his mistress
• Pope taken prisoner in 1527
• Wolsey becomes legate a latere
• Wolsey replaced by More as Chancellor in Oct 1529
• William Warham replaced by Cranmer
• Collactanea Satis Copiosa in 1530
• AB pregnant in Dec 1532
Thomas More: Saint or
sinner?
Popular view of More as a man of Principle
who was willing to die for his people. Elevate
to the status of Catholic Martyrdom.
Protestant view of More as a harsh and cruel
hunter of good, honest Protestant Men. This
was asserted by Jon Foxes ‘Protestant Book
of Martyrs’ written in 1563
Saint
• Refusal to swear the Oath of Succession 1534.
• Resignation after the Submission of the Clergy
1532.
• His attempt to retire from public life and refusal
to speak publicly on the issue of the Supremacy.
• He insisted he was willing to remain the King’s
loyal servant and he would not assist his
enemies
• Cranmer and Cromwell both tried to save him
from execution and were willing to accept this
promise.
• Passionate defender of Catholic orthodoxy
- writing pamphlets against heresy,
banning unorthodox books, and even
taking responsibility when chancellor for
the interrogation of heretics.
• In total there were six heretics burned at
the stake during More's Chancellorship:
Dissolution of the Monasteries
Religious and
political need
Desire for
wealth
Causes
Smaller
monasteries
1536
Course
Larger
monasteries
1538-40
Short term
Consequences
Long term
religious
humanitarian
political
social
Why were the monasteries
dissolved?
Religious reasons
Extracts from the Henry VIII's report on Monastic Houses
(1535)
Lampley: "Mariana Wryte had given birth three times, and
Johanna Snaden, six“
Lichfield: “2 of the nuns were with child“
Whitby "Abbot Hexham took his cut at the proceeds from piracy“
Abbotsbury: “Abbot wrongfully selling timber“
Pershore: "monks drunk at mass"
Assess the state of the monasteries based on
these accounts.
Very negative comments but
were these accurate statements?
Was the reason for the dissolution
because the religious community
were not living up to their vows?
Yes……
• The evidence shows a decline in moral
standards.
• Accounts of illegitimate children and
mistresses.
No…..
• The evidence shows that most religious
houses lived up to their vows.
• Accounts of good works being done in the
community
• Corruption was used as an excuse to
close the monasteries not as the driving
reason.
• But the Valor Ecclesiasticus (see later
notes) provided the ammunition to
convince parliament the situation was bad
and so justify the dissolution.
Political reasons
Allegiance to Rome
• It has been argued that many monasteries
owed their allegiance to the Pope first and
the crown second.
• Therefore dissolving them is a logical
step…………
• Many protestant historians have argued
that monasteries were outdated. The new
religion did not require monks to pray for
their soul or to sell indulgences.
However…….
(what problems
can you see
with this
statement?)
• Not all houses owned allegiance to the Pope but
to mother houses instead.
• What about those houses set up and funded by
the crown?
• What about those houses that had taken the
Oath of Supremacy?
It has been argued that protestant historians have
placed too heavy an emphasis on this political
reason in order to fit into how the English
Reformation occurred.
Desire for wealth
• Henry dissolved the monasteries for
financial gain.
• Worried about a foreign invasion Henry
wanted to increase England’s defences.
• Henry had already started taking “church
funds” with the 1534 Act of First Fruits and
Tenths.
Were the monasteries dissolved
for financial gain or reform?
Discuss this question.
What do historians think?
There are more detailed notes on the shared
area under “Randall notes on diss of mon.”
I have included an overview.
a) The Early Sectarian Controversy
• 300 years after Henry’s death Catholics argued
that the dissolution had nothing to do with
religion but rather greed and wickedness
• In a report written by the Emperor's ambassador,
Eustace Chapuys, Cromwell is said to have
risen to favour by promising Henry that he would
make him the richest king in Christendom.
• They use the Pilgrimage of Grace as evidence of
popular support for the monasteries.
• The Protestants argued that by the 1530s
the monasteries were generally corrupt
places.
b) The Later Sectarian Controversy
• Not until the mid 19th century that a less
emotional examination of the evidence
occurred.
• However there were enough facts on both
sides of the argument to prolong the
debate.
c) Modern Interpretations
• Since WW2 a general consensus has emerged.
• Wealth was the main motivation.
• No popular demand for the destruction of the religious
houses,
• They were not in a terminal state of collapse
• They posed no political or religious threat to the king or
his policies.
Top down historians
• Elton and Scarisbrick
• Evidence to support “greed” as motive.
• Henry behind each step of dissolution yet
accepted none of the doctrinaire reasons
advanced by Protestants to justify his actions.
“Bottom up” historians
• Dickens
• These historians argue there was very little
popular opposition to the continued existence of
the religious houses
• A modest reform programme would have
eliminated most shortcomings.
• Public opinion was just on the supportive side of
neutral
Religious and
political need
Desire for
wealth
Causes
Smaller
monasteries
1536
Course
Larger
monasteries
1538-40
Short term
Consequences
Long term
religious
humanitarian
political
social
1535: Valor Ecclesiasticus
(church valuation)
• Commissioners were sent out to survey and value all
benefices, including religious houses and Oxford and
Cambridge colleges.
• The initial reason was to work out how much each house
would have to pay to meet the 10% promised to Henry
under the First Fruit and Tenths act.
• The result of their efforts is known as the Valor
Ecclesiasticus.
• Total income revealed as £160,000 + per annum. 3 x+
Royal income.
• Owned 1/3rd of landed property
• Wealth was from rents, tithes and pilgrimages.
Visitations
• Mainly two of Cromwell's trusted 'servants'
Thomas Legh and Richard Layton.
• Very able, hard working, ambitious and
unscrupulous characters.
• These men had a lists of questions to ask
at each house and sets of instructions
(injunctions) to issue the monks and nuns
they 'visited‘.
• In a short period of time they drew up a list
of comperta (transgressions admitted by
monks and nuns)
• “Bottom up” historians such as Dickens have
argued that the comperta must be treated with
extreme caution.
• It is clear that the visitors carried out their orders
to 'dig up as much dirt as possible' with
efficiency and enthusiasm.
• They do not suggest that they fabricated
evidence, there is no doubt that they were
prepared to mislead quite outrageously.
• This can be shown both from internal evidence
in their reports and from external evidence that
has been unearthed relating to a few of the
confessions included in the comperta.
• 181 cases of 'sodomy' gave rise to claims of widespread
homosexual practices.
• But the visitors' definition of sodomy was unusual
• In 169 cases they are described as 'solitary vice‘. So not
sodomy but probably masturbation.
• There were 38 confessions by nuns that they had had
children. In once case this was probably before the nun
took her vow of chastity. This opens the possibility that
many of the other confessions related to similarly ancient
falls from grace.
• Many houses complained about the
bullying tactics of Legh and Layton
• Their reputation was poor that in the
Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536 they called on
the “evil councillors” to receive “special
punishment”.
Was the dissolution pre-planned?
1.
Cromwell had a master plan ~ from 1530 always had a
financial and religious motive.
2.
Only after V.E that dissolution was this course of action
decided (so reactive). Supported by the fact that
Cromwell had not been prepared with what to do with
the evidence discovered.
3.
Only after V.E was dissolution decided and then it was
only for smaller monasteries. Only in 1538 after Henry
saw how easy it was did the greater houses fall.
Again read Randall notes for more in depth discussion
1536: Dissolution of the lesser
Monasteries (Act of Suppression)
• Dissolved if income less than £200 a year
• Pension offered to heads of the houses.
• Other members of the house could transfer to a larger
house
or
• be freed of their vows of poverty and obedience BUT
NOT chastity.
• 300 houses affected
• 67 given royal permission to remain open.
Argued that another 10 houses also survived but
the evidence has been lost. This survival cost a
year’s income. Henry earned c£13,500 for
saving 67 (or £15,500 = 77)
• These houses survived as they had contacts in
Henry’s government who could “put in a good
word for them”.
• In order to ensure that the religious houses could not
hide their “treasures” the commissioners moved quickly
• Unsurprisingly these “treasures” were taken and the land
rented or auctioned off.
• The local population also took their share. Bricks, fences
etc were taken….
• 1536 Court of Augmentations set up and overseen by
Richard Rich (why is this name familiar?)
(We will look at the populations reaction later)
So what was happening with
the larger monasteries?
• Monasteries involved in the pilgrimage of
Grace were punished (see later notes)
• The abbot was accused of treason,
executed and the house and possessions
confiscated.
• Those houses that escaped this treatment
were dealt with in a piece meal fashion
(different to 1536)
• The houses were transferred into the
King’s hands as “free gifts”
• Those houses that were aggressive were
noted and passed over. The
commissioners initially focused on those
who had been cowed into submission.
1539: Dissolution of the greater
monasteries
• Why pass the 1539 act then?
This was to cover the King’s back and to
ensure that no religious house could start a
dispute about the legality of the King’s
actions
What happened to those houses that
opposed the King?
• They were accused of spurious charges
and executed.
• The main charge used was hiding valuable
items away from Henry.
• Some houses were destroyed.
• In less than 5 years 800+ monasteries had
been dissolved.
Religious and
political need
Desire for
wealth
Causes
Smaller
monasteries
1536
Course
Larger
monasteries
1538-40
Short term
Consequences
Long term
religious
humanitarian
political
social
Historians and the short term
impact of the dissolution (read
Randall for more detailed
discussion)
Catholic writers:
• Dissolution views as “vandalism” which had religious,
humanitarian and cultural effects.
• Remember the Catholic historians believed the
church was strong during this time. So the dissolution
was a religious destruction.
• It was 'cultural' vandalism unsurprisingly because of
the destruction of medieval art, statues and buildings.
• It was a humanitarian because of the what the
monks, nuns etc suffered having been kicked out
their religious house. Also what about those people
who had relied on these houses for charity and work.
Protestant historians thought
the opposite!!!
Modern historians
• Today historians realise that the extent to which there
was “religious” vandalism depends on the writers
religious view point.
• They argue that it is difficult to objective assess the
religious impact of the dissolutions.
• Modern historians view the dissolutions as having little
affect on religion at these time when compared to the
other policies being implemented in the Reformation.
Cultural Vandalism”?
• Similarly this is a subjective issue to!
• The sight of ruined monasteries. The knowledge
of medieval texts being destroyed, of iconoclasm
and items being melted still prompts criticism.
Rightly so!
• But what if they derelict and ugly?????
• Despite these acts religious houses did survive!
A humanitarian crisis?
• The idea of monks and nuns being abandoned
to the harsh Tudor world is another strong image
of the dissolution. How could these unworldly
people survive?
• This topic has
elicited the most
research.
• 6500 monks and friars found other jobs within the
Church.
• Pensions were given
• The 2000 nuns affected did not do as well. Why?
• They were not allowed to marry nor were they eligible for
priestly posts.
• Some went back home to their families others lived at
subsistence level,
• Lay servants of the monasteries would have been able to
find employment with the new owners.
• The end of charity is often blamed for the
increase in poverty at this time.
• Yet, the VE shows that c2% of the house’s
income was given as charity.
• What about the affect of inflation,
population increases (there is no
contraception and the catholic tenant is to
reproduce…)?
Long term impact?
Social impact ?
The fact that some “inferior” people
(merchants etc) bought some of the land
meant that the number of “country
gentlemen” increased by several thousand
before the end of the century (these men
would want more power => CM????)
Impact of Crown?
• King’s normal income doubled as he leased out
land.
• King became less reliant on the parliament for
grants (it is argued that if Henry had not
squandered this money then subsequent
monarchs would not have been reliant on the
parliament and so this would not have led to
conflict between the two i.e. English Civil War.
So how serious was the
Pilgrimage of Grace?
Umbrella term for 3 uprising but
only Oct – Dec 1536 should be
called the PoG
• Direct reaction to the proposed dissolution
of the smaller monasteries
• Socio-economic motivations too.
• North = the most conservative area in
religious outlook.
Lincolnshire Rising
Oct 1536
• Caused by – commissions for the dissolution of the
smaller monasteries, tax collections, economic
situation etc
• October = At Louth – commissioner for dissolution was
seized = uprising
• Local church funds paid for initial force = swelled to
c40,000
• Shoemaker Nicholas Melton became "Captain
Cobbler" the leader of a rebellion
• Spiritual leader was Kendall, the vicar of Louth.
• Marched to Lincoln and wrote a set of
articles to Henry in London
Demands =
• end of the Ten Articles
• an end to the dissolution,
• an end to taxes in peacetime,
• a purge of heretics in government,
• and the repeal of the Statue of Uses
• Ended October 10th 1536
• Henry sent word for the occupiers to disperse or
face the forces of Charles Brandon (Duke of
Suffolk)
• Leaders knew if they kept on then it would be
treason + faced a stronger military force
• Took King’s offer to consider their demands if
they went home = they did.
Consequences =
• Over next 12 months Kendall and most of the
other local ringleaders executed
• Inspiration for more widespread Pilgrimage of
Grace.
• What conclusions can we draw from this?
POG
3 phases (Nick fellows)
1. Oct = Mobilisation
2. Nov = Truce arranged
3. Dec = General pardon
Phase 1: Mobilisation
• S. Yorkshire
• 8th October (Lincolnshire still going –
inspiration/similarities?)
• Leadership = lawyer Robert Aske – leading Yorkshire
family = intelligent, skilled in debating, organisational
skills
• 30,000 men marched on York
• Henry’s men still in Lincolnshire dealing with aftermath of
uprising there.
Phase 1: Mobilisation
• Name
• Banner = 5 wounds of Christ
• Sang religious songs
• ALL swore an oath (What conclusions can be
drawn from this oath?)
• Funded by donations – some from church
• 21st October - Pontefract Castle surrendered by
Lord Darcy.
• Organised and experienced from fighting the
Scots
• BUT leaders wanted to negotiate and only used
show of force to bring Henry to the table.
• 27th October = met with D of Norfolk =
discussions.
Phase 2 + 3: Truce
• Henry rejected rebel’s demands = said too
vague.
• Promised a pardon to all but ringleaders.
• Aske = 24 articles given to Norfolk who
assured rebels that the King would look
into them.
Aske - Manifesto
• Remove evil councillors
• Restoration of old faith
• Protection of monasteries.
• Also called for a free parliament in the north to
discuss political and religious issues.
• Aske reached agreement with D of Norfolk on 6th Dec 1536
(end of P o G)
• stopped 1534 subsidy.
• Parliament = free election in York.
• Doncaster – peaceful dispersal given a free and general
pardon (showed Henry’s weakness),
• Rebels dispersed
• Aske = London and given gifts and praise by Henry.
• Believed Henry’s word = he played for time as knew
outnumbered.
Role on nobility?
• Importance = Argued areas where the nobles rebelled so
did the commoners. Where the nobles remained loyalty
to Henry – so did that area.
• Elton = Involved in a plot by conservative faction. Moved
from London to north where they thought it would come
to fruition more successfully.
• Guy = nobles and gentry joined as hated Cromwell. But
while element of conspiracy most nobles surprised by
revolt in Lincolnshire – so pre-planned by nobles but
fuse lit by ordinary – only mass participation and
commitment to cause explains speed with which it
spread.
Cumberland rising
1537
• Henry’s promises had not been kept = disillusionment of
the common people
• Jan 1537 – Sir Bigod = commons uprising = aim to
capture Hull and Scarborough = failed.
• Rebels defeated at Carlisle = martial law = gentry
leaders executed.
• Scale of uprising was small BUT Henry’s chance for
revenge – Darcy, Hussey, Aske and other Pog leaders.
But this is not a continuation of PoG – Indeed
DIFFERENT leaders.
How much of a threat?
• Aim = not to challenge the crown but to
pressurise the government into changing it’s
policy and personnel
• Michael Bush = threat = size of their armies +
Norfolk initially agreed to demands.
• Well organised and showed signs of advance.
How protestant was England
by 1540?
Window: Stand here if you agree with the statement. Make sure you can
justify your position.
The Henrician
Reformation was
motivated by political,
personal and financial
reasons rather than
religious.
Door: Stand here if you disagree with the statement. Make sure you can
justify your position.
If you look back at your notes you will see
that the English church changed a lot
between 1532 – 4.
Yet how far had England actually become
Protestant?
Was there a move to
Protestantism 1534-9?
Yes
• English church different to
other Catholic churches.
• The Pope was removed from
the head of the Church.
No
• Papal influence had been
destroyed but there was no
new reform. Henry would not
be influenced towards
Lutheranism.
• Lack of popular support so
grassroots worship remained
Catholic
• Evangelicals were restricted to
the south and were small in
number.
However the key men in power were
evangelicals. However, there was still a
conservative faction in court.
Evangelicals
• Cranmer
v
• Cromwell
Conservatives
• Stephen Gardiner
(Bishop and
politician)
• AB via patronage (will
look at her fall from
power in 1536 later)
• Thomas Howard
(Uncle to AB and
Catherine Howard)
Just like a country needs a constitution a
church needs to make clear is doctrinal
position.
So what would the new Church of England’s
religious position be?
Ten Articles, 1536
This next activity is tricky but have a go!
You have 2 handouts. One shows you the difference
between the Catholic and Protestant religion.
..\..\Worksheet\Reformation & Supremacy\15321540\Catholicism v Protestantism http.doc
The other has the “Ten Articles.”
Your task is to use the first handout to work out which parts
of the Ten Articles is catholic and which protestant.
Not all the articles will be coloured
• Since March 1536 Cranmer had instigated
an important preaching campaign.
• Reformers wanted to take a firm stance
against purgatory and images, but
conservatives still fought a rearguard
action in Convocation
• Hence the Ten Articles were a compromise
intended to reach unity.
• The Ten Articles were vague and did not establish
a protestant religion.
• However they were ambiguous enough to allow
Protestants to read their doctrine in the articles.
• The fact that only 3 of the sacraments were
included was radical for the time.
• Newcombe “these essentially orthodox articles left
the door open to Protestant interpretation.”
• Cromwell’s injunctions in August 1536
enforced the Ten Articles.
• Moderate stand against images in churches
and limited holy days.
Pendrill = the injunctions did more than the Ten
Articles in changing how people worshipped.
• Changed how people worshipped
• Emphasised using the bible written in English
However
• Many parishes continued their traditional
practices
• Many people could not afford or read the bible.
1536 Dissolution of lesser
Monasteries
See previous notes
1537: Institution of a Christian Man
•
Bishop’s Book
•
This tried to deal with some of the ambiguity e.g.
what should happen to the remaining 4
sacraments?
•
Reinstatement of the other 4 sacraments
reflected the demands of conservative bishops
after a series of acrimonious disputes, but
objections of Cranmer meant they were deemed
of lesser importance than the 3 others and
justified as such.
• Cranmer and Cromwell’s additions did not please Henry who made
additions which undermined them- i.e. faith and works stressed.
• Restoration of some elements of conservative orthodoxy.
• Argued by Haig that this reflected Henry’s fear of internal disorderfollowing the Pilgrimage of Grace, and his own rather hesitant
stance on religious reform.
• Elton argued 'Though the Bishops' Book singled out the
three sacraments acknowledged in 1536 as those solely
instituted by Christ and therefore superior, it accepted all
seven and thereby marked, if not a retreat, at least a
failure to advance further towards the Lutheran position'
- Elton, p274
• Henry refused to sanction this book. Too far from his
Catholic ideology? Was it too radical?
1538 Dissolution of greater
Monasteries.
See previous notes
1537-8 Matthew Bible
• First official English translation
• Cromwell put his weight and money
behind it…..
The 1538 Injunctions
• October 1537 Jane Seymour died so diplomatic
activity to find Henry a wife.
• May 1538 = Envoys arrived from Schmalkaldic
League (=League of German Protestant Princes)
came to discuss new set of articles.
• However Henry refused to contemplate the
doctrinal concessions they demanded - despite
the fact that England was still isolated and an
Imperial- French alliance looked a possibility (see
foreign policy notes later).
The 1538 Injunctions
• Cromwell made further attacks on conservative
religion e.g. a friar was burned for the heresy of
papalism in May, new sermons were preached.
• In September Cromwell published his more radical
Injunctions e.g.
• attacks against pilgrimages, relics and shrines.
Famous shrine of Thomas Becket destroyed;
• an English Bible was to be placed in every Church
- the so called Great Bible. All churches to buy
Matthew’s Bible - price dropped - few rural
parishes did buy it
But at the same time….
• Nov 1538. Henry issued a proclamation in
which he launched an attack on
Anabaptists and sacramentarians (denied
the real presence in the sacrament) and
outlawed clerical marriage.
• Nov 1538 – Henry presided over the trial
of John Lambert, who was burned as a
sacramentarian.
The aim of the Six Articles was to settle disputes
over religious dogma.
•
The articles affirmed belief in
1. transubstantiation,
2. communion in one kind only,
3. monastic vows,
4. celibacy of the clergy,
5. private masses,
6. auricular confession
Those who rejected transubstantiation were to be
burned at the stake
1539: Six Articles
“bloody whip with six strings”
Look at the worksheet on the Six Articles.
1. At the bottom of the page write the articles out
in modern English.
2. How is this Article different from the 10
Articles?
Why was reform halted?
The halting of reform, 1539
Why was reform halted?
Was it because of
1. Not as supportive of evangelical reform as Cromwell.
2. Threat of Catholic invasion was receding by 1539
3. Henry was trying to appease the Catholic powers,
4. he was nervous about the direction reforms were taking,
5. Advance of conservative personnel at Court. March 1539 - After 3
years in France, Gardiner returned to England; July 1540 - Henry
marries Catherine Howard and the Norfolk faction brought to the
fore
Overview
Mark in the important
events. Then judge the
extent to which each
event was
Catholic/Protestant and
give them a score.
1)
2)
3)
4)
When are the high points of Protestant Reform?
Is there a consistent trend in religious policy?
What turning points can you discern?
Is there any point at which the Reformation can
be seen to be irreversible?
Source A
• The state of this our kingdom is as follows: the ceremonies are still
tolerated, but explanations of them are added. These things are
retained for the sake of preventing any disturbances, and are ordered
to be kept up until the King himself shall either remove or alter them.
Nothing has yet been settled respecting the marriage of the clergy.
The mass is not asserted to be a sacrifice, but only a representation of
Christ's passion. All images that are objects of worship are removed.
There is a report that we are to have a war with the French, Italians,
Spaniards and the Scots. When this was reported to the King, he said
that he should not sleep at all the worse for it; and on the day after he
declared to his Privy Councillors that he now found himself moved in
his conscience to promote the word of God more than he had ever
done before.
• Letter from a group of English Protestants writing to their friends in
Protestant Zurich in 1539
• Study Source A what does this source suggest as the reasons for the
passing of the Six Articles in June 1539? (10)