Lecture 8: Social Struggle During the Sixteenth Century
I. Introductory Comments / logistics—Vera from the WRC here to talk to us about the
facilities.
Last time we discussed the dissolution of the monasteries and the socio-political
ramifications of the crown taking over the lands. We looked at the readings and
discussed the possibility that there may not have been a "reality" behind the stories
about the monasteries, but there was enough popular recalcitrance to undermine them,
that the Reformation politics could succeed fairly well. The RH story was a cultural
embodiment of the way in which the monasteries were perceived—gluttonous, evil,
conniving, etc.
II. The Reformation as point of social contention—What we're going to do today is look
at the English Reformation as site for social contention of all kinds and from all layers of
society. This is an important aspect of the Reformation I think, because we need to see
it emanating not solely from the confines of Kingly Proclamation, but resonated
throughout the shires in manifestly different ways. All kinds of social issues were raised
with the reformation, from the greed of the monks and the dissolution of the monasteries,
to the enclosures of common lands, to the forced uniformity of action and prayer.
England shows itself as decidedly heterogeneous in this regard, which shows Tudor
England as fundamentally more diverse than previously imagined.
III. Sir Thomas More to The Pilgrimage of Grace
A. The Acts Written in Blood and the forced Acquiescence to Kingly Authority—
The Act of Succession of 1534 and the consequent Act of Treason in December
1534 both enforced loyalty through bloodshed. That is, Henry would not take no
for an answer (especially from More) nor would he tolerate seeming heretics. He
was trying to have it both ways and in trying to enforce the legislation he
executed ardent Roman Catholics and zealous Protestants.
B. Thomas More's Position
1. Some biographical information (c.1477 – 1535) –trained in the law
2. His literary activities and his political stance—Thomas More was
already acclaimed as a literary figure before his ascension to power as
Lord Chancellor in 1529 (after the decline of Wolsey). Thomas More
published Utopia in 1516, and the work is generally regarded as an
important element in English literary humanism. Embedded in the work is
the structure of rational government, of good government (refer to Lacey
Sayegh lecture
reformation struggle, page 2
Smith's discussion on pages 103-104). As a work of humanism, it
focused on the business of men—that humanity was responsible for
constructing not only viable, but humane governments.
3. His separation from the King—the role of Richard Rich, backstabber
extraordinaire
As I mentioned, More ascended to the position of Lord Chancellor—a
secular position that heard pleadings in the courts, etc. that was formerly
held by Cardinal Wolsey—in 1529. For a long time, he held the king's
ear, but he resigned from that position in 1532, because he could not
support Henry's justification for separating from the Church. He was
ratted out by Sir Richard Riche who was a political and religious
chameleon. He changed his shape to fit the religious proclivities
C. The Dissolution of the Monasteries and the Pilgrimage of Grace
1. Social friction in the North—the pilgrimage of Grace was a
spontaneous uprising against the dissolution of the monasteries in North
England. Troubled by the extent and ferocity of Cromwell's push to take
over the houses and redistribute the lands, many people throughout the
country opted to take politics in their own hands. Shortly before the PG,
there was an uprising in Lincolnshire which very quickly dissolved in
about two weeks. A conservative region, but housing nearly 25% of the
dissolved monasteries, Lincolnshire and York believed that Cromwell was
doing the country a disservice and taking it on a road to destruction. The
gentry who ran the affair were very quickly compelled to quash the
uprising by the Duke of Suffolk. The King wrote a reply to the insurgents
"rating them for their ignorant presumption and charging them to
disperse" which they did (Williamson 145).
2. The role of Robert Aske—Robert Aske was a barrister in London from
the area of York and led the revolt which broke out in late October 1536.
He was also involved in the failed revolt in Lincolnshire.
In all parts of the realm men's hearts much grudged with the
suppression of abbeys, and the first fruits, by reason the same
would be the destruction of the whole religion in England. And
their especial great grudge is against the lord Cromwell
Sayegh lecture
reformation struggle, page 3
This statement very clearly elaborates his distaste for the direction of the
Reformation. Aske and members of the gentry, such as Lord Darcy, took over
York and amassed an army of over 30,000. They argued that they had the right
to petition the king, and that they were not working to remove the king. While the
pilgrimage ended in a military settlement between Aske and the Duke of Norfolk,
Aske was sent to London to explain himself, and while he was away, another
uprising occurred in Cumberland and Westmoreland heading towards Yorkshire.
Many in Parliament distrusted Aske's motives, and the King declared martial law,
and under that guise initiated a massacre of rebels. At the same time, Aske was
tried in London and executed for his crimes against the state.
IV. Edward and Mary Tudor--two reigns, two dichotomous views
A. Edward, the boy-king and his religious education by Katherine Parr. His
mother was Jane Seymour who died of a botched caesarian just days after his
birth.
B. Developing a zealous Protestantism—as he was raised in the country, Edward
came into contact with a zealous Protestantism. After his father's death, it is
clear that Edward became even more "Protestant." While there remains some
debate about who developed the Act of Uniformity as he was still quite young, it
is important to note that Edward was intelligent and fully aware of his religious
views.
C. The Act of Uniformity (1549)—the act of uniformity was not fully accepted by
the population. Before the Act, there were uprisings against the acts against
enclosure in East Anglia (Suffolk and Norfolk), but it is the religious ferment in
1. the effects of the act in SW England—the instruction to accept only the
book of common prayer resulted in spontaneous uprisings in Devon and
Cornwall in the SW, which is often called the "Prayer Book Rebellion."
Your reading for today has a vignette in which the affair began over the
confiscation of a rosary, or prayer beads. While this is probably steeped
in the folklore of the region after such a violent uprising in which many of
the subjects were massacred, it is an important element in understanding
historically the extent to which people first understood the Reformation
and second accepted it.
D. Mary's Accession and the reinstitution of hardline Catholicism—When Edward
died in 1553, Lady Jane Grey ascended the throne for 9 days (we'll talk about her
Sayegh lecture
reformation struggle, page 4
in two weeks). Mary, however, bitter over the treatment of her mother, and a
staunch RC her entire life
V. Concluding Comments / discussion—next week we're going watch Man for All
Seasons and see a dramatic interpretation of some of the politics of the age. Especially
poignant will be the relationship between Sir Thomas More and Richard Rich…