Edward Flashcards
What was Somerset’s view on reformation and how did this differ to Edward?
Somerset was a moderate reformer who appears to have been a late convert to P, welcoming religious radicals like John Hooper into the house whereas Edward had been brought up to favour more radical views
Religious change under Somerset = cautious
What was one of the first pieces of legislation passed under Somerset?
When?
1547 - a new Treason Act:
Allowed religious issues to be discussed and removed censorship.
Protestant material could be brought into England legally for the first time
What act had been passed in 1545 under Henry and what act was subsequently passed under Edward?
An act had been passed in 1545 to dissolve the chantries
Subsequent act passed in 1547 to end the practice of masses for the souls of the dead
What was there a spate of in London and what did this cause?
Iconoclasm (the breaking of images and action of attacking or assertively rejecting cherished beliefs and institutions or established values and practices) leading to widespread destruction so the Injunctions of 1538 against pilgrimages and other traditional catholic practices were reissued in 1547
What did Cranmer introduce in 1549?
The Protestant Book of Common Prayer.
Enforced by an Act of Uniformity
What did the Act of Uniformity do?
Translated the traditional services into English
It used words which might still allow the Catholic belief in transubstantiation
What was Northumberland’s approach to religious change?
He favoured increasingly radical religious reforms.
He sought to plunder more of the Church’s wealth
What were two reasons for Northumberland favouring radical reform (despite him previously have being fairly cautious in religious matters) ?
Cranmer was becoming more radical (as seen from his new Book of Common Prayer of 1552)
More radical senior clergy (e.g. Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London and John Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester) were becoming more influential
What had influenced radical reform?
What did Edward see it as his mission to do?
Key continental reformers had moved to England and were influencing decisions on religious matters.
Edward VI saw it as his mission to destroy idolatry (worship of idols which were images or representations of god used as an object of worship - Like Josiah)
What were two of the religious changed under Northumberland?
The removal of alters and reforms to Church services, combining Lutheran and Calvinist elements.
The 1552 Book of Common Prayer (replacing that of 1549) accompanied by another Act of Uniformity -
What did the 1552 Book of Common prayer and new Act of Uniformity do?
Removed remaining conservative ceremonies
Gave Protestant form to the baptism, confirmation, burial and communion services (removing the ambiguity of the 1549 prayer book)
Banned traditional vestments (clergymen’s clothes) introducing simpler replacements
Restricted church music
What was the final religious change made under Northumberland which confirmed the firmly protestant nature of official doctrine?
Cranmer’s Forty-Two Articles of Religion in 1553 (a revised version of 39 articles adopted in Elizabeth’s reign)
What did people become less inclined to do and why?
Leave money to their parish church, possible due to religious reasons but more likely on the basis that their legacy was likely to be confiscated. (The Church was slowly losing its wealth as land was taken from bishops and church property was seized)
How may people have been affected by the religious changes that took place under Edward?
The loss of charitable function of monasteries and chantries including care for the sick and elderly, and the provision of education would have effected many communities
What was England’s economic situation in 1547 when Edward came to the throne?
Poor, following Henry’s expenditure on war and inflation
Why were unemployment levels high at Edwards accession?
Growth in population at a time of increasing enclosure in the countryside
Fall in demand for English cloth exports in the 1540’s
What steps did Somerset and Northumberland take to attempt to improve the economic situation?
Somerset’s proclamation against enclosure and tax on sheep (which only harmed small farmers) and continued debasement of the coinage (which while it produced £537,000 to finance war against S’land it also produced further inflation and added to social distress and a poor harvest in 1548 added to the inflationary pressures)
Northumberland’s commission to investigate and improve royal finance administration under the influence of Walter Mildmay (although this took time to take effect - most of the benefits in the reign of Mary)
What significant events happened in 1549?
The Western Rebellion in Devon and Cornwall and major rebellions in East Anglia - especially Kett’s rebellion in Norfolk
What were the main causes of the Western Rebellion in June/July?
Religious grievances- also known as the Prayer book rebellion (the catalyst being the new book of common prayer) - but the rebels had had little chance to experience the new prayer book and actual religious grievances ran deeper- wanted to reverse the religious reforms which were destroying the way in which people had experienced religion - traditional rituals of the church and churches role in the community had gone
The sheep tax (peasant labourers resented it as the imposition of an uncaring government in London hitting local farmers) - made worse by its implementation by insensitive local officials
Distrust between rural labourers and landowners
Prayer book - bible in English disliked by Cornish Catholics, eucharist had been changed and disapproved of plain vestments
What was the outcomes for the rebels of the western rebellion?
The rebels besieged Exeter but were defeated by Lord Russell’s troops in August
At first a pardon was offered but rebels refused and drew up demands.
2500 rebels killed by Norfolk’s forces in Devon
What was Kett’s rebellion motivated by?
Hatred of local government officials.
Resentment of enclosure / resentment by landowners of the Norfolk four- course agriculture system.
Local frustration about the maladministration of the Howards.
Little evidence of conservative religious tendencies
Who led the Kett’s rebellion and when?
What city did they capture?
In July 1549 rebels led by tanner Robert Kett (who was initially attacked before agreeing to end enclosure of his estates and lead the rebels) captured Norwich on 22nd of July
12th July - 1600 rebels camped at Mousehold Heath just outside Norwich where Kett not only maintained order/ discipline - also able to negotiate with the civic authorities in Norwich
How did Somerset respond to Kett’s rebellion?
Following the failure of the earl of Northampton to recapture Norwich…
…he Sent an army under the leadership of John Dudley (earl of Northumberland/Earl of Warwick)
The rebellion was brutally supressed and Kett was convicted of high treason and hanged
What were other risings in the same year motivated by?
Inflation and high food prices
Religious grievances
Resentment of taxation
Did the rebels present any danger to the Somerset?
5 YES, 2 NO
NO) Most died out quickly either due to insufficient support or through prompt action from the local nobility and gentry.
NO) Rebels made no attempt to march on London.
YES) They did contribute to Somerset’s downfall.
YES) Somerset underestimated seriousness of western.
YES) Response to Kett’s was slow
YES) Kett’s captured Norwich
YES) Western sieged Exeter
How did Northumberland attempt to rectify the situation in England (1 foreign 1 social and 1 financial)
By ending the wars
Reorganising financial administration.
Passing a new Poor law in 1552.
Who opposed the moderates?
Reformers such a Hugh Latimer, court preacher 1547-50, wanted complete change in religious doctrine and thinking
More militant and less comprehensive approach to reform gained pace under Northumberland (partly due to strained relationship with Cranmer) as Northumberland patronised Bishop John Hooper (and came under his influence - Cranmer found Hooper divisive) and the reforms of 1552 and 1553 suggested that the more radical protestant movement was gaining ground.
However Edward VI’s death destroyed both contending groups
