Change and Reaction 1536 - 1547
The Reformists and Conservative factions
The Impact of Foreign affairs on changes to the church
Aims, influence of reformist faction
The Dissolution of the Monasteries
Causes
The Pilgrimage of Grace
Consequences
Political
Religious
Social
Economic
Political
Religious
Economic
Change and Continuity in Doctrine
The King's Book and Six Articles
Liturgy, the Eucharist and the Bible
Doctrinal disputes as reflected in the Ten Articles and the Bishops' Book
The State of Church and Belief by 1547
The importance of the succession
The growing influence of the Seymour faction and Cranmer
Disagreement over doctrine and practice
relations with France and Scotland and their impact
Aims, influence of conservative faction
Members of conservative
Duke of Norfolk
Stephen Gardiner
Sir Thomas Wriothesley
Members
Thomas Cranmer
Katherine Parr
Edward Seymour
Sir William Paget
Sir Anthony Denny
Used their influence to push for increased reformist policies
The King's reaction
The King's reaction
Lutheran leaning
introduction of Bible in English
Wanted to undermine belief in salvation through good works
act of 10 articles 1536
Bishop's book
Act of six Articles 1539: re-enforced 7 sacraments + importance of mass
shown Henry's personal conservatism in matters of doctrine
Political defeat for Cromwell, Cranmer + other reformist leaders in court
Lead to Hugh Latimer (Bish of WOrcester) + Nicholas Shaxton (Salisbury) resigning their sees
Gave conservative faction encouragement that they might be able to assert their authority
Cromwell
Failed to find Henry suitable wife = Cleves fiasco
Wanted to take advantage of Henry's position to use marriage as alliance against Catholic countries
Married in January 1540 but Anne was too ugly
Meant criticism for reformist faction
Still given Earl of Essex in April 1540
Later allowed heretics in Calais to stay = criticism + arrested
Executed 28 July 1540
Cromwell's fall ended government by a single minister + relied on interplay of faction again
Not all of his placemen removed from the privy council
promoted greater emphasis on seven sacraments, belief in purgatory + salvation through good works
Used his influence to present Catherine Howard (neice)
After fall of Cromwell, conservative faction promoted marriage to Catherine Howard
Catherine Howard
lacked maturity + shrewdness of Anne Boleyn
Pawn so that Family (Norfolk) could have more influence in court
married in August 1540
Year later accused of adultery
Reformist faction used evidence of sexual behaviour w/ other men to bring her downfall
Cranmer gave details in sealed envelope to Henry during All Souls Day 1541
Evidence gained through torture was overwhelming
Catherine was executed in 1542
Fall of Cromwell + disgrace of conservative faction meant Henry could rule how he wanted
Foreign policy aims
regain control of former French territories
English Kings since Edward III had claimed to be King of France
attacking France implicated on relations w/ Scotland b/c of Auld Alliance
Establish himself as equal w/ Francis I and Charles V
gaining honour and glory through war was driving force
Maintain links w/ Netherlands
English cloth trade was dependent on Antwerp market
Part of territory belonging to Charles V (in conflict w/ Francis I)
Secure Tudor dynasty
Marriage to Catherine had been attempt to solidify anti-french alliance
Other countries
Scotland
in almost constant conflict w/ ENgland over disputed territory surrounding border
Henry claimed Suzerainty over Scotland = wanted Scottish Kings to defer to him as their superior
France's main ally
Had been marriage links e.g. Henry's sister Margaret w/ James IV
Holy Roman Empire
20 million inhabitants + a lot of land in Europe
Charles V directly linked to royal family in spain = able to use spanish wealth + textile trading in Netherlands
Ireland
Henry claimed to be King of Ireland + wanted to crush Roman Catholic church in Ireland
Most attempts to impose royal authority failed
King's lieutenants couldn't control anywhere other than area surrounding Dublin = Pale
France
Second most powerful nation in Europe + had large amount of territory after end of English occupation
extremely wealthy b/c able to collect lots of taxes
Calais
House of Valois wanted to defeat Hapsburgs
only part of France in control of English
Provided base for attacks on France but most important as centre for export of wool in Europe
Italy
series of individual states
City states: Naples, Milan, Venice, Florence very wealthy
Papal states were controlled by pope = large area
France + HRE wanted control in Italian states
Pope, France + HRE wanted England to return to Catholicism
pope called for crusade against England
England had traditionally supported HRE in Habsburg-Valois conflict (HRE VS France)
Natural allies b/c of trade links in Netherlands
When wanted annulment had turned to Francis I + encouraged to go ahead w/ marraige
For France, relationship w/ Pope was more important
Didn't need England as ally b/c of peace w/ HRE
1536 = War between France + HRE
Death of Catherine = henry didn't have to support HRE
1538 = Treaty of Nice (10 yr truce between France + HRE)
Worried Cromwell b/c now could crusade against England
Cromwell sought help from Schmalkaldic League
Stephen Gardiner negotiated alliance w/ Charles V agreed in Spring 1541
needed to break power of Rome
Most influential opposition to BwR had been expressed by abbots
Most nuns and Monks had not actively opposed break
Abbots sat in House of Lords + offered opportunity to resistance to further changes
Needed to establish independent nation state
religious houses could continue allegiance to the Pope
Centres of monastic orders located in mainland Europe + Henry had no control over these
Dissolution = less influence from external powers = more easy to establish nation state
needed to keep patronage system
where payments made/positions given to ensure support
Keeping support of nobility was critical
Still descendants of Yorkist kings who could easily make claim to the throne
Needed support of ruling class to ensure continuation of Tudor dynasty
Members of gentry supported BwR + dissolution b/c could purchase former monastic lands at lower price
Religious houses gained a lot of income = very wealthy
Valor Ecclesiasticus
surveying wealth of all religious houses
wealth could be used for Henry to establish his power in Europe
commissioners were sent out in 1535 to investigate behaviour of the monks
findings used to demonstrate that they were greedy, lazy + engaged in sexual relationships (had fathered children)
Found they were morally lax + were not fulfilling their vocations/vows of chastity
Historians challenge this and say a lot of findings were "fabricated" + commissioners were only there for a few hours
Even if all accounts of sexual misconduct true, only accounted for small amount
Enforcement
March 1536: Act passed for dissolution of smaller monasteries (300 religious house w/ income less than £200 pa)
members were given opportunity to move to larger establishments
Henry exempted 67 houses
All valuable goods moved to tower of london
1538: commissioners visited religious houses 2 offer abbots large pensions in exchange for signing over their posessions
1539: Act legalising voluntary surrender of monastic property
not all abbots did this
1536-1540 all removed
1536: dissolution met by outburst of protests
Lincolnshire rising
Commissioners visiting areas were unpopular because challenged institutions that were important to the community
Rumours started circulating + gained credibility b/c of panic + uncertainty
Concerns about confiscated treasures
Rumours = Lincolnshire rising
Nicholas Melton = Captain Cobbler led + organised it w/ 20 other men
10,000 marched to Lincoln (county town)
Then drew up articles to be presented to representative of king
4 October: attacked + killed leading official of Bishop of Lincoln
money and clothes divided amongst the crowd
King's army (led by Duke of Suffolk) w/ message that there would be no negotiation
Actions of rising were treasonable
Gentry sued for pardon + encouraged common people to disperse
Pilgrimage of Grace
in Yorkshire ppl also concerned about callenges to religion
Marched under the banner of the five wounds of CHrist
Robert Aske became leader
lawyer capable of organising companies of armed men
16 October: 10,000 led by Aske entered York
Other risings in East Riding + assemblies at Durham, Cumberland + West Moreland
Earl of Cumberland held captive in Skipton Castle during week long siege
Barnard castle yielded to pilgrims
Lord Darcy w/ Pontefract castle ceded it to rebels
made list of demands which were presented to representatives of king
By late October, rebels numbered 30,000 + had control of area north of central Lancashire + river Don in Yorshire
government initially underestimated scale of rebellion
for 3 weeks rising able to proceed unmolested
Duke of Norfolk w/ 8000 men went to disperse pilgrims at Doncaster + tried to negotiate
Truce called while petition made taken to London
6 December, Norfolk assured pilgrims he would request for parliament to discuss demands + pardon for all pilgrims (Aske thought he had won
Motives
Religious
response to events since BwR
demands
destruction of heresies
return of papal authority
restoration of monasteires
Significance of monasteries differed between groups
very important to the community
Social + economic
poor harvests in 1536 + 1535
rising prices + food shortages
Enclosure
click to edit
Liturgy
Means way in which worship is conducted
Remained unchanged after Break with Rome
Eucharist
Made greater efforts to provide teaching to the laity in parishes where clergy lacked education
Services were still in latin
in 1539 still focused on Eucharist (mass)
Saving grace of Christ's body and blood through transubstantiation still focused on
Seven sacraments still remained central to the church
Still Litany
sung procession in Latin lasting hours where laity confessed their sings + prayed to God
John Lambert
accused of heresy for denying presence of Christ in transubstantion in 1536
Henry attended the trial in 1538 + said that he believed in transubstantiation
John Lambert burnt to death + royal proclamation released to uphold idea of transubstantiaton
The Bible
1536 one of Cromwell's injunctions required each parish church to have ENglish Bible
1537: Bishop's Book a bible in English published for every parish church in England and Wales from 1538
Front cover showed Henry as Supreme head flanked by Cranmer and Cromwell
Translation favoured protestant leaning rather than catholic
Protestant leaning of translation of Bible made Henry cautious and was contentious
Lots of Catholics said that translator was misrepresenting the texts
Gardiner said it allowed ill-educated ppl to misconstrue the meaning
Henry realised that the only way he could control the direction of religious was restricting the use of the Bible
The ten articles
First attempt to give Church an identifiable set of beliefs
not an attack on Catholicism but wanted to be distinctive from it and be familiar to laity and clergy at the same time
attempt to resolve dispute over doctrine and ceremony
passed in July
very ambiguous statement of beliefs
didn't name all seven sacraments
Could be seen as favouring reformist view of christianity
What was in it
Only sacraments were: Baptism, Penance and Eucharist = others lost
body and blood of Christ really present in elelments of the Eucharist
Justification: sinner would be saved through faith but good workds were necessary
liaty should not pray to images
saints can't answer prayers
all rituals to be removed other than those considered devotion
Not very lutheran
The Bishop's book
Cromwell called together number of bishops to resolve doctrinal and liturgical issues + determine canon law
Published in 1537
result of this was Bishop's book
much more lutheran in its views
salvation by faith was emphasised
no mention of transubtantiation
Henry disapproved of Bishop's book But authorised its usage
revoked it 3 years later
Six articles
passed in 1539
reasons
Lambert case showed how far doctrinal deviation amongst laity had gone
Pope had excommunicated Henry
Pope had called Charles V and Francis I to mount crusade on England
These meant Henry had to stop theological experimentation
Outcome of committee set up to discuss religion
Act in defense against heresy
Main points
upeld Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation
upheld private mass
upheld auricular confession
forbade clergy from marrying
vows of chastity were binding under divine law
to show foreign powers that he was still Catholic
King's book
5 may 1543: revision of Bishop's book issued
Emphasised importance of creed and seven sacraments
traditional bishops e.g. Gardiner were supportive of the book
These bishops were blamed by evangelical reformers
Doctrine
Far more openly conservative
reaffiremed traditional beliefs such as masses for the dead
rejected lutheran views of justification by faith alone and freedom of the Will
Conservative faction's way of getting less reformist policy focussed on two people
Catherine Parr
Henry's last wife
Thomas Cranmer
Archbishop of Canterbury
Fearful of their influence
Rumoured to want to introduce greater emphasis on word of God and salvation by faith
tired to undermine their power by linking them w/ radical reformers such as Anne Askew who Henry regarded as a heretic
Influenced by Erasmus
Duke of Norfolk saw him as major obstacle
Tried to undermine Henry's trust in him by linking Cranmer t othe BRepbendarie's Plot
Henry gave Cranmer his own personal ring to demonstrate his trust in Cranmer
Cranmer headed the investigation on this
Dissolution of the Monasteries + sale of church land = had more money to focus on foreign conquest
Aims
Wanted to acquire territory and prestige in France
Establish his superiority in territorial and military terms in Scotland
Get James V to break w/ Rome
Auld Alliance
meant that he had to defeat scotland before France so Scots wouldn't attack
James V
Henry's nephew
Cold relationship
had given sanction to rebels of pilgrimage of Grace
1541: James didn't attend meeting in York that Henry had arranged
Attack on Scotland
October 1542: led by Duke of Norfolk
Not very well planned but to show superiority through burning property, attacking ppl and stealing things
Month later: scot army of 200,000 fought English at Solway moss
English victory even though outnumbered
After attack James V died and left baby heir Mary
regent was pro english
Was chance that Edward would marry Mary
Treaty of Greenwich in July 1543
Confirmed marriage of Edward to Mary
However by 1544 Auld Alliance reestablished + pro french regent in place
Treaty of Grenwich repudiated
1544 attack on France
Reason
Henry made treaty w/ Charles V in 1543 so would attack Paris with him
Aims
Habsburg-Valois truce was broken so Henry saw an opportunity
Henry wanted to at least have the right of payment of French pension
Problems
had to move at pace that Henry could travel = slow
Charles V had no intention of launching attack on Paris
Henry soon also abandoned these plans
Henry decided to take Boulogne instead
Boulogne
successfully occupied Boulogne
Very expensive
Charles angry that Henry had abandoned him so made peace with France
France launched attack on Isle of Wight
Had to make treaty of Camp June 1546
Henry would have control of Boulogne for 8 years
French would start paying pensions again
After Boulogne
Earl of Surrey (heir to Duke of Norfolk) became captain of Boulogne
Surrey launched attack on key French fortress 7 Jan 1546
Was unsuccessful
Henry heard of failure + demoted him
Earl of Surrey was replaced w/ Lord Hertford, Edward Seymour
Downfall of Howards
1546: Earl of Surrey produced new coat of arms including reference to Edward the Confessor
showed that he thought he had claim to throne
Was warrant enough for enemies to attack
Earl of Surrey and Duke of Norfolk taken to Tower of London
26 January 1547: Earl of Surrey executed
Death of Henry VIII following day meant Norfolk not executed
Edward would succeed to the throne as a minor
Henry didn't want regent b/c suspicious that they would establish a separate power structure at court that would be difficult for Edward to deal with when he came of age
Edward Seymour was leader of those left to rule for Edward
Speech at parliament in 1547
Legacy of Henry had to be protected
Church of England and Doctrine was to be preserved
Disputes had be be resolved b/c consequence could be civil war
clear doctrine and liturgy
Catholic doctrine w/ emphasis on Eurcharist
Removed superstition
VERY important that separate from Rome