Henry VIII: Wolsey & Church Reform

Question 1

List Wolsey’s various religious roles

Answer 1

• Due to Henry’s recommendation Pope Leo X made Wolsey:
• Bishop of Lincoln (Feb 1514)
• Archbishop of York (Sep 1514)
• Cardinal (1515)
• Bishop of Durham (1523)
• Papal Legate, first as temporary position
• Legatus a latere in 1524
• Bishop of Winchester (1529)
• Abbot of St Albans

Question 2

What is a Papal Legate?

Answer 2

• Someone appointed by the Pope to act on his behalf in a particular country, usually for a specified purpose on a limited timescale

Question 3

What is a Legatus a latere?

Answer 3

• Papal Legate but with additional powers, meaning he could act on behalf of the Pope

Question 4

How important was Church reform to Wolsey?

Answer 4

• Reformation was underway in Europe
• Wolsey did not see reforms as major aspect of his work

Question 5

List the things Wolsey did in relation to religion

Answer 5

• Monitored monasteries
• Promoted religious learning
• Opposed spread of Protestant heresy in England
• Gathered many religious titles

Question 6

How did Wolsey streamline monasticism?

Answer 6

• As Papal Legate, Wolsey could:
- Instruct English bishops to carry out their duties more thoroughly
- Order inspections of quality of religious life in monasteries
- As a result, over 24 religious houses were dissolved

• In 1528, Wolsey drew more plans
- Closed monasteries with fewer than 6 inmates
- Combining monasteries with under 12

• Removed 8 unsuitable heads of monasteries

Question 7

What was the purpose of dissolving/amalgamating monasteries?

Answer 7

• Made monasticism more efficient
• Money gained from closing monasteries should be used to improve religious education - instructions from Pope
• Not an attack on Catholicism or monastic life, but set basis for Cromwell

Question 8

How did Wolsey promote religious learning?

Answer 8

• Wolsey fell from power before establishing the plans below
- Planned to fund a school in Ipswich
- Planned to establish Cardinal College in Oxford

Question 9

What was Wolsey’s purpose for promoting learning?

Answer 9

• Wolsey wanted to improve quality of clergy, maybe to tackle anti-clericalism
• Money gained from dissolving monasteries had to be used on education by instruction of Pope

Question 10

How did Wolsey oppose Protestant heresy?

Answer 10

• Encouraged Henry to publicly oppose new ideas of Martin Luther
- Led to public burnings of Lutheran text
- Started in May 1521, when Wolsey was personally present, holding an unfinished manuscript of Henry VIII’s book against Luther
- Henry rewarded title ‘Defender of the Faith’ by Pope for book

• Arrests
- Those suspected of Protestant sympathies were arrested and punished
- Mostly from universities
- No one executed until 1530 after Wolsey’s fall

Question 11

Why did Wolsey take such a stand against Protestant heresy?

Answer 11

• He was Papal Legate and a cardinal representing the Catholic Church

Question 12

Why did Wolsey receive criticism for his many religious titles?

Answer 12

• Wolsey gained several posts that gave him good income
- Bishop of Durham (1523)
- Bishop of Winchester (1529)
- Abbot of St Albans, one of wealthiest monasteries in England

• Absence
- Wolsey couldn’t fulfil all of these roles, but still gained income
- Guilty of twin vices of absenteeism and plurality (holding more than one office at a time)

Question 13

Why was Wolsey a source of anti-clericalism?

Answer 13

• Wolsey was wealthy and grand
• Wolsey had many titles but did not carry out all of his duties
• Wolsey had 2 illegitimate children
• Wolsey lived openly with his mistress until 1519