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

• 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?

• 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.

• 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 to further his political power

•Used the trappings of political success to set himself up as the most important man in the country next to the king.

1528: Henry fell out with Wolsey over the seemingly trivial matter of Wolsey’s appointment of an abbess to a nunnery.

Wolsey forced to make a 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 = three-pronged 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

TH

E D

IVO

RC

E1527

Henry decided to seek an annulment

1527-29

Wolsey in charge

1530 and 1532

The years of drift?

1532-3

Cromwell in charge

His motives

His strategy

The Legatine court 1529

October 1529

Wolsey’s fall

March 1533

Act of Appeals

April 1533

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, 1534Stopped 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 RomePULL – 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

Causes

Course

Consequences

Religious and political need

Desire for wealth

Smaller monasteries

1536

Larger monasteries

1538-40

Short term 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

Causes

Course

Consequences

Religious and political need

Desire for wealth

Smaller monasteries

1536

Larger monasteries

1538-40

Short term 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.

• 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

1539: Dissolution of the greater monasteries

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.

Causes

Course

Consequences

Religious and political need

Desire for wealth

Smaller monasteries

1536

Larger monasteries

1538-40

Short term 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.

• 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.

Cumberland rising1537

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?

The Henrician Reformation was motivated by political, personal and financial reasons rather than religious.

Window: Stand here if you agree with the statement. Make sure you can justify your position.

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 v• Cranmer

• Cromwell

• AB via patronage (will look at her fall from power in 1536 later)

Conservatives• Stephen Gardiner

(Bishop and politician)

• 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\1532-1540\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 disorder- following 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, 1539Why 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) When are the high points of Protestant Reform?

2) Is there a consistent trend in religious policy?

3) What turning points can you discern?

4) 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)