Breadth 1: Changes in governance at the centre - The relationship between the church and the state

Question 1

What important powers had parliament developed by the Tudor period?

Answer 1

Parliament had the sole right to grant taxation and to pass laws. Not involved in day to day gov.

Question 2

What power did the king have to restrict?

Answer 2

Could veto any laws passed by parliament. Could summon and dismiss parliament at will. Summoned when wanted tax.

Question 3

How was parliament organised?

Answer 3

Two chambers - unelected House of Lords (hereditary peers and bishops) and House of Commons (MPs) Each country had 2MPs, some towns had 1

Question 4

What were the voting qualifications and how were laws passed?

Answer 4

Had to own property that generated 40 shillings per year to vote. Little competition for MP positions. Bills had to be heard in HOL and HOC for it to be passed

Question 5

What tensions arose overtime between parliament and the crown?

Answer 5

Over taxation, finance, religion and royal succession.

Question 6

In what circumstances was Henry VII forced to call parliament?

Answer 6

Periodically due to needs for grants of tax to fund wars for defence of the country from invasion

Question 7

How often did Henry VII call parliament?

Answer 7

Prefered not to have ambitious foreign policy so infrequently called parliament. 7 times in his reign. Last meeting in 1504 due to England at peace

Question 8

What example is there of parliament challenging Henry VII’s right to taxation?

Answer 8

1504 wouldn’t grant full sum he needed and he was forced to accept a smaller sum in taxation than he originally asked for. These happened in medieval times e.g. as early 14th century parliament had the right. to challenge

Question 9

How did Henry VII’s first parliament enhance his claim to be king?

Answer 9

Acknowledged his right to the throne and passed acts of attainder to convict his enemies at the Battle of Bosworth. However, careful not to use parliament only to make his claim secure: never any suggestion that parliament had power to grant him his claim to the throne.

Question 10

How often did parliament meet in early years of Henry VIII’s reign?

Answer 10

• Only 4 times between 1509-1529
• I twas mainly focused on granting taxation to Henry VIII’s wars, because unlike his father, he wanted to prove himself on international stage with wars against traditional enemies, France and Scotland. When wars going well e.g. 1513 not hard to persuade. However, 1517 most of international gains were lost so parliament became less keen to grant increasing money

Question 11

Examples of parliament blocking Henry and Wolsey’s plans?

Answer 11

• 1523 Wolsey’s taxation request denied as it already totalled £260,000. He was met with a stubborn silence
• MPs were landowners so feared taxation

Question 12

What changed the relationship between the church and state in 1529?

Answer 12

When Henry wanted an annulment from his marriage with Catherine

Question 13

How was the church structured prior to 1529?

Answer 13

Enormously powerful - grew in wealth and influence. Pope was head of the church, appointed senior churchmen - cardinals, archbishops and bishops reflecting views of monarch

Question 14

What role did the church play in local communities pre 1529?

Answer 14

Children baptised into church and went through conformation of Christian faith. Performed marriages and funerals. Key source of charity, cared for sick and elderly

Question 15

What did the church teach pre 1529?

Answer 15

That heaven, hell and purgatory were real places. Preached that souls could be cleansed through good works, confessing sins, praying and going on pilgrimages

Question 16

How often did people have to go to church and what would happen if they didn’t?

Answer 16

Had to go to church regularly. Services were in latin. Monitored and sensored ideas, would prosecute heretics. Being guilty of heresey = burnt at stae.

Question 17

How could the church be a route to power?

Answer 17

Offered opportunities to learn to read and write and go to uni. TW began as a butcher but recieved church education and became chief minister of Henry VIII

Question 18

How widespread was anticlericalism before 1529?

Answer 18

People believed the church should be poor, priests were supposed to be humble, criticised corruption, exploitation of people’s fear of the fate of their souls. Seen as out of touch.

Question 19

What evidence is there that the church was popular before 1529?

Answer 19

• Wealthiest in society left money in their will to pay for priests to pray for their souls
• Vast landed estates, biggest landowner
• Held traditions and festivals
• People continued to make contributions to the church

Question 20

What caused tensions between the church and the state prior to 1529?

Answer 20

Power and priviledges of the church. Especially when challenging the power of the monarch e.g sanctuary, benefit of the clergy. Ability of papacy to intervene in affairs.

Question 21

Why did Henry VII need church support?

Answer 21

• Usurper
• Chuch support = god’s support
• Careful to uphold traditional privileges

Question 22

What tensions arose between Henry VII and the church?

Answer 22

• Henry VII overrode sanctuary laws to arrest Humphrey Stafford who plotted to rebel in 1486
• Tightend laws of who could access benefit of the clergy

Question 23

What examples are there of anti clericalism in parliament pre 1529?

Answer 23

• 1512 - Act to limit the benefit of the clergy - seen as a continuation from Henry VII
• Hunne affair - rich london merchant accused of heresy - church claimed he committed suicide but was murdered

Question 24

What evidence is there that there were good relations between the church and the state in Henry VIII’s reign?

Answer 24

Henry regarded himself as a loyal Catholic. Published ‘Defence of Seven Sacraments’ as an attack against Luther. TW = clergy 1511-1529 - good relations to secure good post

Question 25

How did the church help Thomas Wolsey demonstrating good church and state relations prior to 1529?

Answer 25

TW promoted to 2nd highest position - Archbishop of York 1514, became cardinal in 1515 - most powerful in Europe - could appoint/become next Pope

Question 26

How did Wolsey use his power granted by the church and how did it lead to his fall?

Answer 26

Closed 30 monasteries in 1524-29 and used money to create a school in Ipswich and Oxford in his name. Obliged to arrange annulment of marriage - fell from power as loyalties split

Question 27

What was the background to the Act of Supremacy 1534?

Answer 27

• Challenged legality of marriage to Catherine
• Only 1 daughter - Mary - Cath couldn’t have kids
• Thought it was a punishment from God
• Pope denied annulment

Question 28

How did Thomas Cromwell use parliament to break papal control prior to 1534?

Answer 28

• Act in Conditional Restraint of Annates 1532: temporary stop to payments to Rome and was the first step to the path that was to lead them complete rejection of Rome
• Submission of the Clergy 1533 - not allowed to call convocation or pass canons (church laws)
• Act in Restraint of Appeals 1533 - stopped legal cases going to Rome

Question 29

What was Cromwell’s solution to the divorce crisis?

Answer 29

1534 Act of Supremacy confirmed Henry as head of the church so made first marriage invalid - Act of Succession 1534

Question 30

How was 1534 Act of Supremacy a turning point in the relationship between the church and the state?

Answer 30

• Paved way for Treason Act - speaking against king or supremacy
• All English subjects obeyed Henry
• Reinforced royal power
• Appointed TC to Vicegerent fo the Spirituals 1535
• BOC and sanctuary abolished

Question 31

How did relations between the church and state change between 1534 and 1558?

Answer 31

• Commissioners sent to assess moral, spiritual and financial state of monasteries in 1535.
• Act of Parliament to dissolve smaller monasteries 1536 (income less than £200 p/a)
• Last monasteries dissolved 1540

Question 32

What did Henry do with the former monastic lands?

Answer 32

Acquired £1.3 million and sold to families of nobility - Cecil and Spencer families.

Question 33

After the dissolution, how did Henry further damage church and state relations?

Answer 33

Act of 10 Articles (1536) defined new doctrine. Sacraments reduced from 7 to 3. Act of 6 Articles (1539) reinforced celebacy for priests and transubstantiation

Question 34

What happened after Thomas Cromwell was executed in 1540?

Answer 34

Move to Catholic doctrine - 1543 publication of king’s book - emphasised masses for the dead. Edward VI changed it to reformist.

Question 35

How did religious doctrine change in Edward’s reign up to 1549?

Answer 35

Reformer faith - 1549 Act of Uniformity introduced Thomas Cramner’s book of Common Prayer

Question 36

What changes were made to doctrine 1549 - 1552?

Answer 36

1549 Act of Uniformity - Cranmer produced a more protestant version - New English Common Book Of Prayer -
By 1549 - Liturgy, an appearance of the English parish church was fundamentally different from that of 1547

by 1552, Cranmer had produced a more protestant version of the the book of common prayer. Replaced the Catholic stone alter with a wooden table, and told clergy to wear plain surplice not traditional decorate vestment. It also moved away from the idea of real presence, made possible through idea of transubstantiation

The 1552 changes to doctrine in 42 Articles pave way for 39 Articles under Eliz

Question 37

What problems did Mary face in her attempt to restore Catholicism?

Answer 37

• Thought return would be popular
• Protestants unhappy - rebellion led by Thomas Wyatt
• Couldn’t demand monastic land as legally sold to new owners - let them keep it = happy
• Repealed AOS with Act of Parliament 1554
• Unable to make lasting impression

Question 38

What problems did Elizabeth face in determining her religious settlement and dealing with gender issues?

Answer 38

• Female - seen as unfit to rule
• Embodiment of break with Rome
• Educated by reformers but couldn’t be too protestant
• Origional AOS dismantled
• Had to reestablish royal supremacy

Question 39

What problems did Elizabeth face in determining her religious settlement through parliament, particularly in House of Lords?

Answer 39

Had to use parliament to recognise her settlement. HOL - 1/2 catholic appointed by Mary. Became supreme govenor - got oath of loyalty from all officials

Question 40

Why was the bill of uniformity so contentious and how was this eventually passed?

Answer 40

More protestant than Catholics wanted. Reimposed 1552 Prayer book - fine of 12d if didn’t attend church. 2 sentences added from 1549 prayer book. Ambiguous about real presence. Bill only passed 21:18 votes

Question 41

How did Elizabeth enforce her settlement?

Answer 41

New oath of supremacy. All ut 1 of Mary’s bishops refused and were deprived of their posts. Appointed protestants in their place- Matthew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury. 300/8000 clergy refused

Question 42

How was Elizabeth’s religious settlement challenged 1559 1563

Answer 42

• She was determined to accept no changes to the initial 1559 settlement, which contained no guidance on the doctrine of the new church > she preferred to leave such matters to the Convocation, but was still prepared to intervene and assert royal authority
• in 1563, Convocation met to discuss 42 articles under Edward; they were to become the 39. Same meeting group known as Puritans tried do more reform. Under pressure Convocation passed the 29 article which denied real presence in the Communion. Unacceptable to both Catholics and moderate protestants so Liz step in. Overall, originally just 38 articles. Something would never happen before the break with Rome!!

Question 43

How did the clergy feel about the 1559 settlement?

Answer 43

• More radical clergy refused to conform about clothing - Parket enforced rules through Book of Advertisements
• 37 resigned in protest

Question 44

How did puritans try to influence Elizabeth’s settlement?

Answer 44

Local groups set up prophesyings - meeting where puritans encouraged better education through bible study and puritan clergy practicing the preaching of sermons

Question 45

How did Elizabeth react to puritans?

Answer 45

Archbishop of Canterbury ordered to suppress prophesyings but was too sympathetic - placed on house arrest in 1557

Question 46

How did puritans use parliament to influence the settlement?

Answer 46

• Elizabeth believed her 1559 settlement as definitive and needing no further change.
• It did not help that some Purtians e.g. Edmund Grindal, held positions of high power within the Church of England AND SEE THEIR POWER FOR FURTHER CHANGE
• Some more radical clergy refused to conform to settlement rules of vestments
• In 1566, she ordered Parker the Archbishop of Canterbury to enforce the rules and 37 London clergy resigned in protest. Also Grindal
• Further Puritan challenges came via parliament i.e. get themselves elected as MPs and used privilege to introduce bills that changed original 1559 settlement e.g. 1571 Strickland attempted introduce bill that change prayer book. + 1587 Cope and Wentworth attempted remove structure Church of England that had an emphasise on hierarchy > sent to Tower

Question 47

What act was put in place to stop puritan challenge?

Answer 47

Act against Seditious Secretaries passed in 1593 stated anyone who refused to attend CofE had to leave country and any exiles who returned with be executed > shows parliament scared, but also reduced Puritan activity

Question 48

When did Elizabeth’s relationship with parliament come under strain?

Answer 48

When she went to war with Spain. Had to ask for tax. Also used royal prerogative to give monopolies to highest bidder - Walter Raleigh liscenced taverns

Question 49

Elizabeths relationship with parliament after 1559?

Answer 49

• parliament met frequently before 1585. However it did come under a strain in 1585 as England went to war with Spain with conflict lasting till 1604. As a result she called parliament more frequently for tax > new impetus for confidence + development of parliament
• Parliament was concerned with monopolies in the 1590s and her high tax. Complaints about royal prerogative to do monopolies. Monopolies was an easy way to reward her courtiers and raise ready money e.g. Raleigh had monopolies in Tin, playing cards and licensing taverns.
• Some MPs wanted to introduce parliamentary bill, but eventually persuaded to petition
• Parliament in 1601 legal trained and a lot (197) present in 1597. A mob burst into parliament > Elizabeth met with. delegation of 140 MPs where she gave ‘golden speech’