The Social Impact of Relgious and Economic Change under Edward

Question 1

In what way had the church changed before Edward’s reign and in what way had it remained the same?

Answer 1

Although the Church in England had been changed structurally by the royal supremacy there had been limited doctrinal changes
There were churchmen who held Protestant views such as Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, but in many areas religious beliefs had scarcely been touched

Question 2

Which direction did Edward’s religious policy move in?

Answer 2

Firmly in the direction of Protestantism
Protestant reformers very keen to return to what they saw as biblical purity and often drew parallels between their reforms and events in the bible

Question 3

What was Somerset’s view on reformation and how did this differ to Edward?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

What was one of the first pieces of legislation passed under Somerset?

Answer 4

1547 - a new Treason Act which allowed religious issues to be discussed and removed censorship. Protestant material could be brought into England legally for the first time

Question 5

What act had been passed in 1545 under Henry and what act was subsequently passed under Edward?

Answer 5

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

Question 6

What was there a spate of in London and what did this cause?

Answer 6

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

Question 7

What did Cranmer introduce in 1549?

Answer 7

The Protestant Book of Common Prayer to be used for all Church services and enforced by an Act of Uniformity - he was anxious to avoid religious tension

Question 8

What did the Act of Uniformity do?

Answer 8

Translated the traditional services into English to enhance understanding of the key texts
It was ambiguous in relation to the Eucharist (communion service) using words which might still allow the Catholic belief in transubstantiation

Question 9

What was Northumberland’s approach to religious change?

Answer 9

He favoured increasingly radical religious reforms - wanted to continue Protestant reforms initiated by Somerset and sought to plunder more of the Church’s wealth

Question 10

What were two reasons for Northumberland favouring radical reform (despite him previously have being fairly cautious in religious matters) ?

Answer 10

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

Question 11

What were two other reasons for radical reform?

Answer 11

Key continental reformers had moved to England and were influencing decisions on religious matters
Edward VI’s influence on policy-making was increasing - as a committed Protestant the king saw it as his mission to destroy idolatry (worship of idols which were images or representations of god used as an object of worship )

Question 12

What were two of the religious changed under Northumberland?

Answer 12

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 -

Question 13

What was Calvinism and Zwinglian

Answer 13

A more radical form of Protestantism put forward in Geneva by French reformer John Calvin
Zwinglian - religious ideas of Zwingli - protestant reform with more radical ideas than Luther - most important continental influence on the English Church during Edward’s reign

Question 14

What did the 1552 Book of Common prayer and new Act of Uniformity do?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

What was the final religious change made under Northumberland which confirmed the firmly protestant nature of official doctrine?

Answer 15

Cranmer’s Forty-Two Articles of Religion in 1553 which provided an official Protestant statement of doctrine and confirmed the reformed path the Church was headed under Edward (but Edward’s death meant that they were never implemented - a revised version of 39 articles adopted in Elizabeth’s reign)

Question 16

What happened to services and traditional religious practices?

Answer 16

Services became plainer and traditional religious practices declined

Question 17

What did people become less inclined to do and why?

Answer 17

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)

Question 18

How were traditional practices not entirely destroyed?

Answer 18

In 1550 radical reformer John Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester admitted that the pace of reform was hampered by an uncooperative public and that the survival of old beliefs was carried out by the speed with which traditional practices were re-adopted following the accession of the Catholic Queen Mary in 1553

Question 19

How may people have been affected by the religious changes that took place under Edward?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

What was England’s economic situation in 1547 when Edward came to the throne?

Answer 20

Poor, following Henry’s expenditure on war and inflation

Question 21

Why were unemployment levels high at Edwards accession?

Answer 21

Unemployment levels were high partly due to a growth in population at a time of increasing enclosure in the countryside and partly due to a fall in demand for English cloth exports in the 1540’s

Question 22

What steps did Somerset and Northumberland take to attempt to improve the economic situation?

Answer 22

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)

Question 23

What significant events happened in 1549?

Answer 23

The Western Rebellion in Devon and Cornwall and major rebellions in East Anglia - especially Kett’s rebellion in Norfolk

Question 24

What were the main causes of the Western Rebellion in June/July?

Answer 24

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

Question 25

What was the outcomes of the western rebellion?

Answer 25

The rebels besieged (surrounding in hoping to capture) Exeter but were defeated by Lord Russell’s troops in August and the revolt was supressed - Russell’s forces included foreign mercenaries to defeat rebels on 4th august
At first a pardon was offered but rebels refused and drew up demands
2500 rebels killed by Norfolk’s forces in Devon

Question 26

What was Kett’s rebellion motivated by?

Answer 26

Hatred of local government officials
Resentment of enclosure / resentment by landowners of the Norfolk foldcourse system
Local frustration about the maladministration of the Howards
Little evidence of conservative religious tendencies as rebels at Norwich had services conducted according to the Book of CP but in common with the western rebels was a sense of class antagonism

Question 27

Who led the Kett’s rebellion and when?

Answer 27

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

Question 28

What was Somerset forced to do in response to Kett’s rebellion?

Answer 28

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?) - some took royal pardon but some fought and died
The rebellion was brutally supressed and Kett was convicted of high treason and hanged

Question 29

What were other risings in the same year motivated by?

Answer 29

Inflation and high food prices
Religious grievances
Resentment of taxation

Question 30

Were the rebellions dangerous?

Answer 30

Although they presented some danger, as Somerset was preoccupied in his dealings with France and Scotland, most died out quickly, either due to insufficient support or through prompt action from the local nobility and gentry. However, they did contribute to Somerset’s downfall
Rebels made no attempt to march on London but Somerset underestimated seriousness of western
Response to Kett’s was slow

Question 31

How did Northumberland attempt to rectify the situation?

Answer 31

By ending the wars, reorganising financial administration and passing a new Poor law in 1552 - this created a ‘collector of aims’ in each parish, responsible for a register of those eligible for poor relief

Question 32

What did the reign of Edward witness a contest between?

Answer 32

Two reforming traditions; traditional Christian humanism (in the tradition of Erasmus) and a more radical approach to Protestantism (inspired by Calvinist teachings) with both sides publishing tracts using the new printing press

Question 33

Who was Stephen Gardiner and William Cecil

Answer 33

He had come from the tradition of Christian Humanism (its influences were also seen in much of Cranmer’s work despite his thinking being more radical)
Cecil (important in (Northumberland’s administration)encouraged humanist scholars at Cambridge and the humanist- influenced reformers Martyr and Bucer were invited to work in England (Bucer was appointed Professor of Divinity at Cambridge)

Question 34

Who opposed the moderates?

Answer 34

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

Question 35

What does evangelical mean?

Answer 35

Term used in this context to describe anyone who favoured further religious reform - those opposed to further religious reform are described as conservatives

Question 36

What were the two aims of the Book of Common Prayer?

Answer 36

It established a single form for service for within the church of England and it translated the services into English to enhance understanding of the key texts
It included an ambiguous eucharist declaration which the Catholic Bishop Gardiner (a prisoner in the tower) thought it could still imply the acceptance of transubstantiation

Question 37

Despite sometimes cautious policy under Somerset what was adopted in some other areas?

Answer 37

A more radical approach (despite reluctance of public opinion to embrace religious reform) - Somerset’s period of power experienced a sustained attack on popular religious practice, especially in London

Question 38

How significant was Protestantism in the beginning of Edward’s reign?

Answer 38

Convinced Protestants were in a small minority - estimated 20% in London were
Leaders of London Protestantism were vocal and well placed among Somerset’s supporters e.g. Ridley
Kent, Essex and Bristol - examples of other places with entrenched protestant minorities - elsewhere = virtually non-existent
Catholicism remained strong in the north + midland counties and the far south-west

Question 39

What were four religious changes that took place under Somerset and their reasons?

Answer 39

Feb 1547 -Denunciation of images in London (reflected radical attitudes among church men e.g. Ridley)
July 1547 - Injunctions issued (reflected radical attitudes in government)
December 1547 - Dissolution of chantries and religious guilds (crown needed money to pay for expensive foreign policy)
May 1549 - Introduction of Book of Common Prayer
(need for uniform approach to religious service)

Question 40

What did Cranmer publish to encourage acceptance of the religious changes?

Answer 40

A book of homilies - homilies were ‘off the shelf’ substitutes for sermons whose purpose was to encourage obedience to both the Church and the State

Question 41

What was the social impact of these religious changes?

Answer 41

They amounted to a sustained attack on the religious experience of ordinary people and enabled a renewed plundering of church resources
Injunctions attacked many Catholic practices and the attack on the chantries, destroyed one means of connecting the dead to communities they had part of
Attack of guilds and confraternities meant that the Crown confiscated money and property which had underpinned charitable activities and celebrations

Question 42

In addition to a more Protestant approach, what did the financial difficulties of the crown following the expenditure of the protectorate lead the crown to pursue?

Answer 42

A systematic policy of asset stripping, extracting wealth from the Church through the plundering of the property of bishoprics e.g. the dioceses of Gloucester and Worcester were combined with 2/3 of the Worcester estate going to the crown

Question 43

What does the fact that expenditure on church goods declined after 1540 suggest?

Answer 43

Seems to have been a response to the crowns destructive nature - people increasingly felt there was no point in leaving money to the Church if there was a chance their bequests would be confiscated be the Crown - although evidence from wills = debated - by reign of Edward VI people were much less likely to leave their money to their Parish church - 70% of northern wills 1540-46 did but only 30% in Ed’s reign (possibly as services became plainer - attracted less affection - also a decline in church attendance in the diocese of Exeter

Question 44

What did radical reformer Hooper admit about the pace of reform and what was the crisis at parish level made worse by?

Answer 44

That it was hampered by uncooperative public opinion
Crisis made worse by fear of a Crown attack on church plate - many parishes tried to avoid this by selling their treasures - this proved justify as in Jan 1553 the crown started confiscating Church plate (some resourceful parishes able to hide their treasures)

Question 45

Which interconnected economic factors helped bring about discontent during Somerset’s period of rule?

Answer 45

Inflationary pressures
Agrarian issues (particularly enclosure and harvest failures
Taxation

Question 46

Who was Somerset’s economic policy influenced by and what was the outcome?

Answer 46

Writer John Hales who stated that enclosure was the root cause of many of the country’s social and economic problems so Somerset agreed to set up a commission to investigate it and issued a proclamation against it - enclosure commissioners appointed
Little achieved except raising expectations of the poor and annoying landowners
Rate of enclosure appears to have been slowing anyway so Somerset’s policy perhaps misguided

Question 47

Why did taxation cause great discontent?

Answer 47

Money had to be raised to pay for the Scottish war - also financed by land sales and borrowing, adding to crowns financial problems

Question 48

What caused even more short-term economic problems?

Answer 48

Somerset’s failed social experiment - increasing amounts of enclosure appeared to be result of the profits that could be gained by converting land from arable to pasture to graze sheep - wool for cloth export so to deter the process, Somerset introduced a tax on sheep but it’s main effect actually created huge financial pressures on small farmers in upland areas who had little choice but to rely on sheep for subsistence

Question 49

How did Northumberland achieve a measure of stability in the national finances?

Answer 49

Brought an end to the wars against Scotland and France, not only ensuring a considerable reduction in crown expenditure but also brought in £133,333 as a French payment for the return of Boulogne
He did however succumb to one final debasement but then abandoned it
Crown income improved (although some of this achieved by increasing revenue from the Church by immoral methods e.g. melting of church plate for Bullion
His commission into crown finances

Question 50

Why did Somerset’s government find it difficult to cope with the rebellions?

Answer 50

Thin resources were overstretched with substantial numbers of troops engaged in the garrisoning in the south of Scotland and others were stationed in the south-east of England to ward off potential French invasion

Question 51

What were the key reasons for rebellion and disorder?

Answer 51

In some parts of the country religious reasons predominated
In the Midlands and East Anglia agrarian and social grievances were most important, with the Council receiving numerous reports of riots and of uprooting enclosure
Resentment of taxation was a consistent factor

Question 52

What happened to most of the risings?

Answer 52

They died out fairly quickly either due to insufficient support or quick response from the nobility and gentry e.g. Earl of Arundel who calmed matters in strategically sensitive Sussex - he heard grievances and punished a few oppressive landlords and disorderly peasants even-handedly - similar methods worked in York and Cambridge + Midlands

Question 53

Why could the south-west not use Arundel’s method and what was the result?

Answer 53

It lacked a resident aristocrat of Arundel’s stature to bring matters under control, both the Western Rebellion and Kett’s Rebellion in East Anglia required significant military action to supress them

Question 54

How was the extent of resentment in Cornwall evident?

Answer 54

In the murder at Helston in April 1548 of William Body (an archdeacon) - his insensitive approach to the removal of traditional objects of veneration had preceded the introduction of the Book of Common Prayer by over a year and demonstrated the level of tension which already existed in the county

Question 55

What was Norfolk foldcourse that helped trigger Kett’s rebellion?

Answer 55

A foldcourse was the right to graze sheep on an enclosed piece of common land - in some villages Norfolk and Suffolk suggested that these rights were held by peasant farmers but problems were caused in some villages by landowners denying access to the foldcourse (peasant holders of the foldcourse rights were anxious to defend their own enclosures)
The rebels wanted the government to act on the promise of reform which had been made (or they thought) by Somerset in his proclamation against enclosure in April - (contrasts Western rebels who wished to reverse the policy)

Question 56

What are some examples of moderate humanism still exerting some influence despite it being weakened by divisions in the 1530’s?

Answer 56

Archbishop Cranmer had been influenced by humanism
Humanist Sir John Cheke had been Edward’s tutor
1547 injunctions required each Parish church to acquire a copy of the Paraphrases of Erasmus
Humanist influenced reformers Peter Martyr and Martin Bucer were invited to work in England during Edward’s reign - Cranmer secured a crown appointment for Bucer as Professor of Divinity at Cambridge
Lutheran and Humanist scholar Philip Melanchton, the leading continental moderate reformer was invited to be Bucer’s replacement - Edward’s death ended this idea

Question 57

Define mercenary?

Answer 57

Professional soldier who offers his services to the highest bidder

Question 58

What happened to Erasmian and radical reformers at the beginning of Elizabeth’s reign?

Answer 58

Both groups reformed with E showing a preference for moderate evangelical humanism

Question 59

How significant was religious change under Edward?

Answer 59

The population had never been subject to so much religious change so quickly - many found it confusing
Perhaps rather than criticise the inept suppression of major rebellions in 1549, the government should be praised for implementing the policy with so little disruption