Dissolution of the monasteries Flashcards
Monasticism in the 1530s
- 1530: At least 825 religious houses
- Different groups included Benedictines, Carthusians, Cistercians
- Vows of poverty, chastity and obedience
- Varying interaction with the monastic community in different places. 1537 rebellion suggests loyalty in North?
- Very wealthy, £160 000 per year from rents and tithes
Valor Ecclesiasticus 1535
- Commissioned by Cromwell
- Royal survey of all church property/wealth in England
- Revealed total income of £160 000 from rents and tithes…more than 3* the income of royal estates
- 1/4 of income per house to head of said house
Allegiance to Rome as a factor in the dissolution
-Natural step in the break from Rome
-Drive towards Protestantism, not necessary to pray for the souls of the dead or pay for nuns/monks to do so
PROBLEMATIC—->
-Allegiances to mother houses in Europe, not Rome
-Many had taken oath of Supremacy
-Henry refounded two monasteries to pray for him/family so Henry still had faith in monasteries
Abuses and decay as a factor in the dissolution
-Were not fulfilling vows of chastity, poverty and obedience
-Reports of extravegance, mistresses, homosexuality and illegitimate children
-Valor: 1/4 of income to head of houses
BUT
-Surveys from 1520s showed similar variety in standards of the monasteries
-Suggests little had changed and ‘Abuses’ were only justification for reform. Read out in parliament to encourage support, weath was true goal?
-Parliament led to believe sodomy was widespread and worse than it truly was, often solitary despite being reported as homosexual orgies
Wealth as a factor
- Need to increase crowns wealth and increase defense against invasion
- Had already cut off payments to Rome for a similar reason
- It would free him for restraints of parliament and double his income
Was the dissolution pre planned?
- Pre planned by Cromwell, as they were an easy target for the crown to increase Henry’s wealth, and this would be in keeping with Cromwell’s anti-monastical views
- Partially planned, as they only intended to dissolve the lesser monasteries(of an income of less than £200 annually), but it then became clear that the greater monasteries could be easily dissolved
- Opportunistic action, as Valor Ecclesiasticus was only intended to assess wealth of houses to work out how much each would pay to cover the 10% of income promised to Henry by the reformation parliament. Once true wealth discovered the chance was too good to miss
Dissolution of the smaller monasteries 1536
- Spring: Act for dissolution of houses with income of >£200
- Emphasis was on reform as they were ‘dens of vice’
- Greater monasteries untouched as places where ‘religion is well kept and observed’
- 300 houses targeted but 67 were given reprieve for a price
- —> Spared those who were still practicing well, suggests not entirely motivated by wealth/still cared for them?
What happened to the monks and nuns displaced by the dissolution of the lesser monasteries in 1536?
- Moved to larger houses or released from vows to work as secular clergy –> except vow of chastity
- Heads of houses granted a pension, ordinary nuns and monks given a small sum of 20/30 shillings
Court of augmentations and confiscation of property 1536
- Office set up by Cromwell to oversee confiscation of church land/property
- Land rented or sold for enrichment of the crown
- Royal commissioners sent to monasteries to confiscate movable goods to be sent to London
Causes and severity of the Pilgrimage of Grace?
-Events of October-December 1536
Linconshire rising/Cumberland rising were separate events
CAUSES:
-Dissolution of the lesser monasteries
-Socioeconomic reasons, bad harvests 1535/6
—> Possible that dissolution had a catalytic effect
Lincolnshire Rising October 1536
-Broke out at louth
-Ordinary people, not the gentry
-List of grievances sited the dissolution, high taxation and the STATUTE OF USES (Changed the way property could be left in wills, King’s right to claim land after tenant’s death)
- Parish property perceived to be under threat, they demanded Cromwell’s dismissal
END: Royal army under Duke of Suffolk immanent arrival=dispersal
Pilgrimage of Grace October-December 1536
- Rebellion in Lincolnshire sparked action further north in York
- 30 000 men under Robert Aske and support from nobility (lord Darcy) s army only 8000 strong
- Secured pontefract castle from Lord Darcy oct 21
- Sang ballads in favor of monasteries, swore oath contradicting the dissolution, and had a banner of the 5 wounds of Christ (religious grievances)
- Manifestos at York: remove evil councilors, restore old faith and protect the monasteries, free parliament in North
Why was the Pilgrimage of Grace a serious threat?
- Largest numerical uprising of Tudor period. 30 000>8000 from Duke of Norfolk
- Organised men with military experience fighting the scots, probably would have defeated royal troops
- –> Genuine threat to the crown. Eustace Chapuys wrote to Charles appealing for armed support
Why did the Pilgrimage of Grace fail?
-Leaders did not want to overthrow Henry, only reform and thus they wanted to negotiate
-Henry told Norfolk to buy for time and agree to their demands, Aske believed they were in no position to deny them what they wanted
-December 1536, if the rebels dispersed….
(i) Pardon (Henry’s position was weak)
(ii) Northern Parliament, until it was elected dissolution was suspended
(iii) Collection of 1534 subsidy would be ceased
—-> Apparent victory, but later rebellion in Cumberland gave Henry excuse to retaliate, rebels fail to take Carlisle
>Norfolk declared martial law in Carlisle, 74 hanged on spot
> Ringleaders from pilgrimage arrested/interrogated
>Aske/Lords Percy, Darcy, Hussey, all executed early 1537
Surrender of the greater houses (1538-40)
- Wake of Pilgrimage of Grace, greater monasteries implicated, confiscated and heads executed. Others saw what was coming and surrendered. Others started to lease out land/sell property to secure financial future
- –> Cromwell writes to heads of these houses and promises that a general suppression was not planned. Threatened to move forwards if selling land/property continued
- 1538: Cromwell’s commissioners invite surrender, appealing as large pension offered. Those who resisted were forced to resign and replaced with someone more sympathetic. End came quickly as it took them by surprise
- 1539: Act of parliament ratifies surrenders, fait accompli
- Those monasteries who refused to surrender were seized after heads had been targeted. Ie Abbot of Glastonbury executed for robbery of own Abbey
- Richard Layton/Thomas Leigh asked to suppress or alter remaining houses in 1539. Minimal resistance in light of so few houses remaining and harsh punishments faced
