How radically and for what reasons did religious beliefs and practices change during the reign of Edward VI?

26/04/07 Louise Manning

Edward VI was born 15th of October in 1537. Henry VIII and Son of Jane Seymour, who died two weeks after she gave birth. He got his position on the throne at the age of nine and lasted six years until 1553, when he died. For much of Edwards’s reign he was ill and delusional, therefore not much is actually known about the boy. Apart from he was a definite protestant, brought up with protestant teaching.

The lawful movement of Protestantism and acts of reform to the Catholic church in England were started during the reign of Henry VIII around the period of 1527, when he divorced his first wife Catherine of Aragon and took up another Anne Bolyn who he was besotted with. The pope would not allow this divorce as it involved confessing that one of his predecessors made a mistake and the involvement of Charles V, Catherine’s nephew. Another reason for reformation was the influence of Cardinal Wolsey and his schemes to acquire funds for the on going wars with France. Then later Thomas Cromwell with genuine protestant ideas, e.g. the spread of the English pray book.

Another of the driving forces for a move to Protestantism was Henry’s character; his personal feelings were involved in his decisions. For example when his marriage to Catherine Howard (a committed catholic) was terminated due to her adulterous actions with most of the court (she was only about eighteen, while Henry was fifty-nine), in 1542. Because of Henry’s embarrassment he slowly excluded her uncle, Thomas Howard head of the Conservative Party, from the Privy Council. Unbalancing the precious balance of reformers and conservatives he had built.

By 1539 Henry had allowed enough reform, he produced the Act of Six Articles, these prevented any more reforming actions taking place, although it did not stop the feelings of his people, who in later years would look back to the times of reformation with nostalgia

Stephen Gardiner opposed his next wife Catherine Parr position. Because Henry saw Catherine as a good wife and he never made mistakes in his choices. Gardiner was accused of wanting the pope to return in the future and therefore going against the king’s authority, for this he was dismissed from the Privy Council in 1546. Catherine Parr was also a committed Protestant, who was able to read Lutheran and Calvin literature.

At the beginning of Henry VIII’s reign anyone who was in possession of Lutheran texts or spoke of his teachings was burn. By the end he was willing to let his son be brought up with Protestant teachings and marry a protestant wife. By the end of Henry VIII’s reign however he established the Act of Six Articles, to prevent any more reform from taking place. This shows he was mostly in to reform because of the ideas told to him and to make money for his was with France.

The early years of Edwards reign were not very different ...

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The early years of Edwards reign were not very different from the end years of his fathers reign, as the same people were in the same types of positions e.g. Gardiner, Cramner, Charles V, Bonner. The same problems persisted with the same solutions used to solve them. Also the monarch or protector still reigned in government and could call it as often or as little as he wished.

The Privy Council made by Henry was a council of sixteen members, made up of noble, higher clergy and gentry, these were originally chosen by the king to produce a stable council with no ruler so that his son could rule without anyone in the way. It was almost inevitable that some one with the correct character and connections would be able to lead the council as Edward Seymour and then Northumberland did. This is because of the strength of Henry VIII and the way in which English government had been run, with powerful leader as the head playing off side against each other and not allowing anyone group to get too strong in case they over threw him.

To the English nation even though Edward was a very young and mostly sick boy, he was still the father to his people; he was their strength and had incredible power, nobles and those of government wanted to please him so that they could obtain what they wanted. For this reason Edward Seymour (lord Somerset) was allowed to be very influential on the Privy councils decisions.

Edward Seymour was a moderate protestant and a good soldier, known for his campaigns in the wars with Scotland. On the first of February 1547 he was made leader of the council, by the end of the month he had secured his position and was given the little of Lord Protector. With this title he had a lot of control and could appoint or dismiss members of the council as he saw fit. Like many other members of the council he was given land and property confiscated from monasteries at their disillusionment and the title of Duke of Somerset. All this power meant that he was almost a king in his own right, he could do and make any changes a king could make, especially as he was the god father to Edward.

Reform was made to please the rich nobles who were needed to fund war. From 1547 – 1551 the profit from coin defacement was £537.000. This however was not a lot more money was raised by the dissolution of the Chantries in December 1947 first thought of by henry. However the military expenditure in Edward VI reign was £1386687. Somerset spent £580393 against Scotland, £351,521 of that was spent on troops, 7434 mercenaries had to be bought because the enrolment system of England was not very good, conditions in the wars were so bad that even some of the mercenaries refused to fight. Somerset carried on the wars to build up England prestige, he could not get out of wars or avoid them with out lowering national pride, meaning he would not be as supported by the nobles.

Of the bishops there was a nearly a even distribution of those for and against reformation. Ten led by Gardiner and Edmond Bonner were against, Gardiner was later taken off the council for causing a threat to protestant reform (although this was never said) and Bonner was arrested for two months for making a fuss. Nine bishops led by Cranmer and Ridley were for reform and eight were undecided. However all the bishops were for the Royal Supremacy and the break with Rome.

In general lower clergy opposed reform. Parish clergy were uneducated, scared of change in case they were no longer needed like the monks. English services would mean they would have to learn to read and not be able to make up much of what they said. This was a general feeling across the population among the uneducated and poor. Religion was everything to them. Whether they would go to heaven for an eternity and how long they spent in purgatory all deepened on what they did in their few years on Earth. Even how well their crops did was either blamed on the devil or a gift from god for being good.

It was a culture based on rituals, first Pagan then Catholic, which made up a major life style and daily existence. Would be turned up side down and said to be almost meaningless. Because of this the Privy Council under Somerset made very moderate religious changes so that not to cause rebellion.

In autumn 1547 a report was made like Henry’s Valor Ecclestiaslicuss which helped in the dissolution of the monasteries. This report was of bishoprics to report on the condition of the clergy, doctrines and practices of each building.

At the same time every parish was made to buy a copy of Cranmer’s Book of Homilies and Paraphases by Erasmus. BY July clergy had o conduct services in English and preach every Sunday. Bishops were ordered to hoard protestant literature and open it to those who wanted to read it and to provide an English bible for every parish in their district.

Lastly they were told to remove all superstitious statues and images from their churches. Not a these objectives were completed to the fullest extent. Books of protestant literature may have been bought by the bishops, but then locked away so that no one may read them. The most noticeable rebellion of the bishops, clergy or laity, which we still have evidence for is the way they removed their superstitious cavings and statues. In the west and north this was not normally done properly, often only a cornet of a image was scratched out or just the face of the image, leaving the body intact. This shows the religious feelings of those involved, but also the stone masons ask to destroy them were the same people who put a lot of time and energy into creating them. They may have thought it was a phase, like they were used to with henry VIII. Somerset was eventually arrested on the 11th of October1549, by this time he was not well liked and had no respect from his fellows, they felt he was arrogant and self centred.

Dudley Northumberland was not allowed to acquire as much power as Seymour, because of the way Seymour used the power for personal gain. This means therefore that the council had a greater say in the running of the country.

In 1549 when Northumberland came to power England was bankrupt, inflation was high. By the end of 1553 this was all nearly stabilised, Northumberland did this by paying of the mercenary troops and selling even more crown lands to pay off the depts.

The refugees, forced out of the Holy Roman Empire by Charles V when he destroyed the Schmalkaldic league at Mühberg on The 24th of April 1547 put on pressure for reform. Most of these refugees settled near the East Coast and East Anglia including London, Essex and Lincolnshire. These refugees were prepared to riot for what they wanted, smashing stained glass windows, statues and any other superstitious images. Sometimes objects were stolen from the churches and redistributed to the poor. This behaviour was usually lead by extremists who wanted a even distribution of wealth, much like the modern day communists. The Privy council did not take any legal action against anyone involved. Bishop Edmund Bonner (conservative) was enraged by this and ended up being imprisoned for two months.

In conclusion the religious changes which took place during the reign were not very radical at all, non-of the changes took place completely with out any and back stepping or stalling. E.g the changing of the catholic mass went through many changes before it was decided.. Also most changes were made to please certain individuals or communities. The changes in Edward VI reign happened much quicker than in Henry VIII reign. AS Edward was only in power for six years, whereas some times it was six years in Henry VIII before two acts of reform however small e.g. between the royal supremacy and the break with Rome till the dissolution of the monasteries was a long time where everything seemed to run as before.

Nearly all the changes in Edward reign could be reversed by the next monarch, especially as all the protestant refugees causing unrest went back to the Holy Roman Empire and other areas. Except the dissolution of the Chantrees and colleges would be hard to undo because lands and funds had been used and redistributed. Also the freedom of ideas did spread a lot so more people knew about it. But after all the protestant centre (London) only of one in five people were protestants at the beginning of Edward reign and more toward the end.

SOURSES

Guy – Tudor England

Herard – Edward and mary

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