Using sources 1, 2 and 3 and your own knowledge: Were the changes in religious policy the reason for the rebellions of 1549?
by
thousandbees (student)
Using sources 1, 2 and 3 and your own knowledge: Were the changes in religious policy the reason for the rebellions of 1549?
Both the Western Rebellion and the Kett Rebellion of 1549 were partially caused by a lack of satisfaction with the changes to religious policy, and it must be noted that the overall religious opinion was greatly divided. The Western Rebellion, otherwise known as the Prayer book Rebellion, took an anti-protestant attitude, whereas the Kett Rebellion showed a great support for the protestant reforms, and as mentioned in Source 1, desired for these to be taken further. These, however, are not the only motives for the rebellions. Sources 1-3 support this, illustrating other issues which are political, social, and economic, in particular relating to the Kett rebellion and grievances with ‘enclosures’ and ‘rent’.
Arguably, religious grievances were the primary motive behind the Western Rebellion. It began in Cornwall, where in the mid-16th Century, society was somewhat isolated and also devoted to the ‘old ways’ in religion. Essentially, they remained Catholic despite the Protestant reforms which had begun to sweep throughout England. Source 3 speaks of the ‘revolutionary changes’ which were in the process of being enforced by Edward and his council, most of which were pushing for an entirely Protestant Reform. The prayer book was a part of it, and the rebellion took off fully on the release of this Prayer Book, which was enforced by the Act of Uniformity of 1549. As Source 2 supports, people were told that if they continued ‘ceremony or manner of Mass’ or spoke ‘against the said book’, they would be punished accordingly, either loosing profit of risking imprisonment. It was these demands which triggered the full uprising, also known by the ‘Prayer Book Rebellion’, as its primary motive was distaste for the religious changes which prevented people from practising the Catholic traditions they were so used to. There was 24 demands made in total, and of these 24, the large majority were religious. They essentially wanted to revert back to the Catholic ways, as supported by the large presence of the clergy within the rebellion, demonstrating their passion for the Catholic faith. This in itself proves that the changes in religious policy were the main reason behind the Western Rebellion of 1549.
