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
Effect of the dissolution of the monasteries: Culture
- Cultural vandalism
- Many buildings left in ruins
- Libraries, stained glass windows, all lost
- Monasteries converted to Cathedrals and secular churches
Impact of dissolution on local population
-Ended monastic charity (alms and shelter)=increasing poverty
—> Only 2% of wealth distributed to population, more likely causes were inflation/pressure on lands
Monks/Nuns:
-8000 holy men/women displaced, all but 1500 found work
-Given sum/pension proportionate to their standing in their religious house
-More of a landowning class following re-distribution of wealth
Impact of the dissolution on the crown
Reform was minimal: 6 new dioceses, new cathedral schools, grammar schools re endowed (permanent source of income), Trinity college set up
Monetary gain:
- Leasing out land for permanent source of income
- Only after Cromwell’s death were 2/3 of all land sold in 1543-47
