How far was the church in need of reform in the 1520's

Question 1

Points to this essay

Answer 1

1) Church Leaders
2) Local Level
(Impact of Luteranism and Lollardy)
3) Religious Institutions
4) Religious Doctrine in Church

Question 2

Church Leaders and Clergy

- Evidence for Church abuse

Answer 2

Wolsey - Pluralism, Celibacy and Absenteeism

• -> Archbishop of York + Bishop of Lincoln, didnt visit York until after his fall
• -> Fathered a daughter and a son - Lucrative church livings

Thomas Magnus = held more than ten different titles eg. vicar of Kendal and canon of Windsor

Criticism within the clergy: 1511 John Colet - Dean of St. Paul - Sermon: Clergy ambitious and greedy

Question 3

Church Leaders and Clergy

- Counter evidence for Church abuse

Answer 3

Wolsey’s Reforms
1519: Visited 60+ religious houses and Cathedral Chapters - issued new constitutions for Augustinian Cannons
Cardinal College in Oxford Opened - BUT funded by dissolving 20 smaller monasteries

Absent bishops usually on state business and appointed suffragans as deputies

Most clergy well respected at local level
Little evidence or reports of clerical misconducts
Relations between priests and parishioners usually harmonious

Question 4

Local Level

• Any evidence for Abuse in rural parish churches
• Any evidence for Abuse in urban areas

Answer 4

Particularly in rural areas - church calendar supported agricultural activities e.g. rogationtide festival
Centre of community social lives - church ales
Rural parish priests (often with a limited education) seemed able to fill their roll
Archbishop Warham’s visitation of 260 parish churchs in Kent in 1511-12 - only 4 priests ‘ignorant’

South east and London - some evidence of disquiet over the payment of tithes (Hunne Case)
1514: London merchant accused of being a Lollard found dead in a church cell.
Clergyman and two gaolers accused but never brought to trial - Hunne’s body burned as a heretic despite not being convicted
Accusations of corruptino in Church protecting its own members

Possibly used by Church as an example of anti-clericalism, but no riots or protests on Hunne’s behalf at time
BUT: Exceptions rather than rule

Educated and literate bought large amounts of literature
The Primer went through 78 editions 1501-30
Spititual support and encouragement

Question 5

Local level - Impact of Lollardy and Lutheranism

- Evidence for support

Answer 5

Luther: Sever attacks on the Church after Luthers 95 thesis
BUT: little evidence for support in ENG, only a small group of Cambridge scholars

Lollardy: some support but largely confided around Chiltern Hill
BUT: no national organisation/ agreed faith // more of a fringe group

Question 6

Religious Institutions
Religious Orders
Religious Guilds

Answer 6

Religious Orders
Several monasteries and numeries experienced falling numbers

Parish churches and chapels - Large number built 1490-1529 w. Significant public donations = left in parishioners’ wills for furnishing parish churches
- A fall in number of new abbeys, priories, and friaries built compared to previous centuries

Religious Gulids
Less enthusiastic support for them in south-east
BUT In several areas: Numerous, active, prosperous, left money by large % in wills
eg. 57% of money in Devon and Cornish wills went to religious guilds 1520-9

Question 7

Religious Doctrine in Church
Sacraments
Images

Answer 7

Sacriments and Rituals
Limited opposition confined to south-east
BUT - Largely popular - high attendance rate
Willingly contributed considerable amounts for ceremony equipment

Images - Some criticism of pilgramages
BUT: Still widely used until 1530s (Elizabeth’s reign)
Parishioners contributed towards their purchase