Church and state under the Tudors

Front matter

Cornell University Library

The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.

Preface

A new book on a subject on which so much has been already written may seem to call for an apology. I think, however, that there are several reasons why such a book may be acceptable.

A very large amount of new material for the history of the sixteenth century has been brought to light in recent years by the publication of State papers, ambassadors' letters, and other original documents which were formerly but little known. Much of this, it is true, has been worked up into many volumes by learned and able writers, to whom I am greatly indebted; but of these, some are works read almost exclusively by students ex professo, and many others, from the extent of ground which they have to cover, are too voluminous for ordinary readers : some, too, are written with so strong a party bias as to mislead rather than guide those who consult them.

Again, any one whose reading has not been confined to recent works on English Church history, can hardly help remarking that the change of view in the new, as compared with the older, books, is often so great that vi CHURCH AND STATE UNDER THE TUDORS

it is scarcely an exaggeration to say that, in the popular delineations of the subject, the lights and shadows seem almost to have changed places within the memory of living men. In such a state of things, it is not easy to believe that the last word has yet been spoken, and it becomes interesting to inquire which of these diverse presentations accords best with the facts.

The relations of Church and State form one very important and interesting branch of Church history, and it is to the purpose of illustrating this single portion of the subject that the following pages are devoted ; where I may seem to have strayed into others, it has been with the purpose of throwing light upon this. For the ordinary facts of the history I have had recourse to recent and accredited historians — to Hallam, Bishop Stubbs, Mr. Froude, Mr. Green, and others. The Introductory Sketch is taken mainly from Bishop Stubbs and Dr. Hook. But for the main portion of the work I have gone, wherever possible, to original sources ; by which I mean, not necessarily matter never published before, but the speeches, letters, and deeds of the actors in the events narrated, or of their coadjutors and contemporaries.

The Notes in Appendix I. consist mainly of extracts from contemporary documents in support or illustration of statements made in the text ; and I have added also an Appendix of some of the more important Statutes of the period, in order that my readers may be able to judge to some extent, by the veritable Acts of the State, how far it did or did not occupy the position which I have ventured to assign to it. This I have

PREFACE Vll

felt it necessary, from considerations of space, to compress more than I could have wished. It remains for me to express my thanks to those from whom I have received encouragement or help, and especially to the officials of the State Paper Office, to whom I fear I must have been sometimes troublesome, but who have been invariably most kind and helpful; and, among them, particularly to the late Mr. Selby, whose loss is so widely felt. Above all, I must thank my old friend, the Eev. C. "W. Boase, Fellow and Librarian of Exeter College, who has most kindly helped me throughout, and supplied me with many illustrations out of his stores of historical learning ; and also the Eector and Fellows of the College, who have allowed me the unrestricted use of their valuable library.

Introduction

DA'L'K I'AGR

Object of the Book — The Relations between Church and State — 1

In Saxon Times . — '2

Courts, and Law administered by them — 3

The Church older than the State— Consequent Foreign Origin

Norman Conquest ... — 5

Develops still further the Foreign Elements . . . . — 6 Effect of the Character of the Kings — Rivalry between Church

and State — 8

Unity of the Western Church until the Reformation . . . — 9

Its Independent Position depended on its "Unity . . . — 10

Chapter II

introduction {continued)

Historical Sketch from Henry II. to Henry VIII

Increase of Power of the Church— Four Parties in the State, viz., the King, the Baronage, and the Church, and, subsequently, the People — 13

Tendencies to Divisions in the Church — Held in check by the

Papal Authority — 15

Sources of the Tower of the Clergy — 16

X CHURCH AND STATE UNDER THE TUDORS

DATE PAQB

Ideal of the Papacy — 17

Development of its Power — 18

The Church in England — the Daughter of the Church of Rome — 19

Papal Power in England — Not less than elsewhere, but greater — 20 Depression of the Papacy after Boniface VIII.— Anti-papal

Legislation of the Plantagenets and subsequent Kings

coincident with it — 21

Papal Power considerable throughout it — Illustrations of this . — 22

Reign of Richard II. (Wycliffe) — 29

Statute of Praamunire ......... 1393 30

Reign of Henry IV — 31

He hangs an Archbishop, and is not censured . . . . 1405 32

Council of Pisa 1409 33

Reign of Henry V. — Council of Constance — Election of Martin 1414 34

V.— Revival of the Papacy— Its Effect in England . . 1417 34

Dean Hook's Theory — 36

Church in England Papal throughout — 37

The Anti-papal Legislation ....... — 38

The Relation of the English Clergy to the Papacy and the

Crown respectively . . . . . . . . — 39

The Papal Power in France and elsewhere — Social and Moral

Influence of the Clergy . . . . . . — 40

CHAPTER III Characteristics of the Tudor Times — General Ferment of Ideas — 44

Conditions under which Henry VIII.'s Statesmen worked . — 45 Peculiarities of the Reformation in England — Thomas Crom-

What he learnt from Wolsey 48

The Praemunire— Its Effect on the Clergy and the Laity respectively — 50

Character of Henry VIII 5j

King-worship in the Sixteenth Century 53

Low Moral Standard of the Time 54

Position of the Church at the Accession of Henry VIII. . _ 55

CONTENTS 21

Chapter IV

reign OF henry viii (continued)

DATE PAGE

Murder of Hun 1513 58

Case argued before the King — Henry's Speech on the Occasion , ........ — 59

Unpopularity of the Clergy — Henry's Divorce affords the immediate Occasion of the Breach with Eome . . . — 60

Prima facie Henry was right — 61

Different Views of the Papal Dispensation — 62

Character of Clement VII. — How Henry became a Eeformer — 63 Eise of the Divorce Question — Parliament . . . . 1529 64

Its important Acts — Henry's Proclamation .... 1530 65

Submission of the Clergy 1531 65

Important Acts — Limiting the Privilege of the Clergy - . . 1532 66 . Petition of Convocation against the Annates — Complaint of

the Commons against the Clergy 1532 66

Petition of the Clergy against recent Acts — Surrender of Convocation — 67

Comments of Chapuys on the Work of the Session . . . — 68 Bishop Stubbs's account of the Mediaeval Theory of Church

and State — 69

Henry, Pope of England — Protest and Death of Archbishop

Warham— Parliament not always submissive . . . — 70

Statute of Appeals April 5th, 1533 71

Coronation of Anne Boleyn, June 1st — Date of her Marriage . — 72 Act for the Submission of the Clergy — Act against Payment of Annates — Act against Payment of Peter's Pence, &c. —

The Supremacy Act 1534 73

Convocation Petitions for a Translation of Scripture — The

Archbishop changes his Title — 74

Act for the Oath to the Succession — Attainder of Fisher and

More — Act of Supremacy — 75

Made Henry Pope — 77

Cromwell becomes Vicegerent — Fisher and More beheaded — Paul III. excommunicates Henry — First Visitation of the

Monasteries 1535 78

Act for Eeview of Ecclesiastical Laws — Act for Dissolving Smaller Eeligious Houses— Dissolution of Parliament of 1529 — New Parliament and Convocation — Fall of Anne Boleyn — 78 xii CTIURUII AND STATE UNDEI! THE TUPOltS

DXTE TAOK

Cromwell takes his seat as Viear-General 1536 79

First Articles of Beligion — Parliament dissolved ... 80

Cromwell's Injunctions 80

Act L of Proclamations — Act for making Bishops by Letters

Patent— Dissolution of the Abbeys— Act of Six Articles . 1539 80

History of this Act — 81

The Part taken in it by Convocation .... • — 83

Bonner takes out a Commission from the King . . . — 84 Act for the Dissolution of the Marriage with Ann of Cleves — Act concerning Christ's Beligion — Execution of Cromwell

— Henry marries Catherine Howard . . . . . 1540 85

Proclamation for a Bible in every Church .... 1541 80 Omission of the Pope's Name from Service-Books — Attainder

of Catherine Howard and Lady Bochford . . . . 1542 86

Bill for Bishops' Chancellors to marry — History of this Measure — 87 Publication of the King's Book — Reformation of Service-Books

— An Act for the Advancement of True Beligion . . 1543 88

Modification of the Six Articles — Act for Beview of Ecclesiasti- 1544 89

cal Laws renewed — Publication of the King's Primer — 1545 90

Heresy Act disappears in the Commons (Note) . . . — 90 Colleges and Chantries, &c, delivered up to the King — Married Doctors of Law (Chancellors) to exercise Jurisdiction — Attainder of Duke of Norfolk and Lord Surrey — Death of

Henry VIII — 90

Chapter V Reign Of Henry VIII. — Summary

Separation from Borne complete in Henry's Beign— The Five

Acts which accomplished it — 91

Paul III.'s Excommunication completes it on the opposite side — Changes in Doctrine and Bitual slight, but not nonexistent — Not such as to satisfy the Protestants . . — 92 Church in England entirely revolutionised — Henry's Anglican

via media — Marillac's Estimate of the Besult . . . — 93 Judgment of it by the Boman and Protestant Parties . . — 94 Value of these Judgments — Archbishop Bramhall's Judgment — 95 Small Share of Convocation in Henry's Legislation . . — 9G It disclaims all Share in it up to 1532 inclusive— Its Share in

the Legislation of 1534 9

CONTENTS Xlll

DATE PAGR

Subsequently presided over by Cromwell, and entirely helpless — 98

The Beasons of this — 100

The Clergy had many Enemies — Their only Ally was the Pope

— He was worse than none — Character of Clement VII.

— Complete Subservience of Convocation ... — 101

Chapter VI Reign Ok Edward VI

Cromwell's System of Government — Depended upon a constant Alliance between King and Parliament ... — 103

Henry himself felt this on certain Occasions — But least in the

Government of the Church — 104

Condition of Parties at Henry'sDeath — 105

The Fall of the Howards — Left the Fractionary Party without

Leaders — 107

Moderate Man helpless in Eevolutionary Times . . . — 108

Importance of Keligious Questions throughout Europe — Lord Hertford and Sir William Paget overcome the Beactionary Party — Identification of the Progressive Party with the Protestants — 109

Beaction of the last Years of Henry's Beign had embittered

both Parties — 110

Bishops take out Commissions — Issue of Edward VI.'s Injunctions and of the Book of Homilies — A Boyal Visitation announced — Bonner and Gardiner sent to the Fleet 1547 111

Meeting of Parliament (November) — Eevolutionary Measures

— Bepeal of the Act of Proclamations .... — 112

Convocation — Its Petitions — Issue of the first English Prayer

Book— Its Significance 1549 114

Different Views of the Intentions of those who issued it . — 116

Progress of Protestant Opinions — Authors of the two Prayer

Books the same — 117

Question of Cranmer's Sincerity— Eapid Progress of Opinions

during Eevolutionary Times — Gardiner an Instance . . — 118

Change of Opinions not necessarily Knavery . . . — 119

Bebellions in Yorkshire, Devonshire, and Norfolk — Misgovern -

ment of the Council — 120

Fall of Somerset — The Protestant Faction still remains in

power — 121

XIV CHURCH AND STATE UNDER THE TUDORS

DATE PAC1E

Publication of the Ordinal — Bishop Heath Bent to the Fleet — • Bishopric of Westminster dissolved — Ridley made Bishop of London 1550 122

Hooper's Contention about the Vestments — Reasonableness of Bucer and Peter Martyr — Establishment of John a Lasco's Congregation in London — Publication of Ridley's Injunctions — Deprivation of Gardiner, Heath, and Day . 1551 123

Robbery of the Bishop's Lands and continued Misgovernment of the Council — General Distress and Discontent — Change of Religion not the Principal Cause ... — 124

Execution of the Duke of Somerset — Preparation of the

Forty-two Articles — Revision of the Prayer Book . . — 125

Dispute as to the Authority of the latter — Change of Doctrine

in it — 126

The Homilies and the Reformatio legum ecclesiasticarum —

Northumberland's Conspiracy to change the Succession . — 127

Edward himself enters into it — Cranmer's Conduct in the

matter — 128

Changes in the Position of the Church in Edward's Reign — In its relation to the State far less than in Henry's — Greater Independence of Parliament — 130

Great Changes in Ritual — Doctrinal Changes greater in Fact,

but not in Principle, than under Henry . — 131

Popular Effect of Changes in Ritual greater than of any other — 132

CHAPTER VII Collapse of Northumberland's Conspiracy — Mary's previous Life

Her short-lived Popularity— Finds herself Supreme Head

Restoration of the Deprived Bishops .... 136

Meeting of Parliament— Repeal of the whole of Edward's Ecclesiastical Legislation— Henry VIII.'s Ritual restored —Possible Popularity of these Changes .... 137

Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer sent to the Tower— Spanish

Marriage determined on — Its Unpopularity . . . 133

Its Advantages and Disadvantages 1 og

Mary's Aim the Restoration of the Roman Church— Her Statesmen and Advisers all differ, both from herself and from each other -,. Q

The Commons remonstrate against the Spanish Match— Sir

Thomas Wyatt's Rebellion. . . . , , 143

CONTENTS XV

DATE PAGE

Execution of the Dudleys — Elizabeth sent to the Tower . — 144 Mary's Letter to Bonner — Commissions to eject seven Bishops — 145 This done by the Supremacy only — Marriage Bill passed —

Gardiner's Bills rejected — 146

Parliament dissolved (May 5) — Marriage of Philip and Mary

(July)— Their Characters 1554 147

Bonner's Visitation — Discontent — 148

Parliament meets (November) — Reverses the Attainder of Cardinal Pole — Bepeals the Anti-papal Legislation of Henry VIII. — Befuses to restore the Church Lands . — 149 Beconciliation with the Church (Nov. 30) — Parliament refuses to exclude Elizabeth from the Succession, to Bepeal the Praemunire, or the Mortmain Acts — Rejects a Begency Bill in Philip's favour, and is dissolved (January) — Mary's

Success 1555 150

Its Limits — Unsatisfactory to herself ..... — 151

She commences a Persecution — 152

Gardiner's, Bonner's, and Pole's Shares in it respectively . — • 153

Character of Pole — 154

Convocation in Mary's Beign — Its Doings .... — 155 Is overshadowed by Pole's Synod — Pole obtains a Warrant

under the Great Seal to permit to assemble it . . — 156

Arbitrary Character of Mary's Proceedings — Bemonstrances

against them from unlikely quarters . . . . — 158 Mary's single-minded Fanaticism — Her Conduct to Cranmer

and Gardiner respectively — 159

Not accounted for by their Conduct in regard to her Mother's Divorce — Gardiner's Beaction probably due to Cromwell's Policy — 160

Character of Gardiner — 161

Character and Later History of Cranmer — 162

Character of Mary — 171

Effects of her Persecution — 172

Death of Mary — 174

Chapter VIII Beign Of Elizabeth

General Bejoicing at Elizabeth's Succession . . . . — 175 Another Ecclesiastical Revolution — Cecil, Elizabeth's Chief

Adviser — 176

Changes before the Meeting of Parliament slight ■ . . — 177 xvi CHURCH AND STATE UNDER THE TUDORS

DATE PAGK

Revision of Edward's second Prayer Book — Meeting of Parlia- 1558 178

ment and Convocation (January) 1559 178

Changes in the Views of Convocation between 1549 and 1559 — 179 This Convocation more independent than any of the Century — Unanimously Roman — The Vicar of Bray and the

Bishop of Llandaff Types of the Clergy of the time . . — 180

Proceedings of Parliament ....... — 181

Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity — Their Effect . . . — • 182 Convocation ignored — Disputation at Westminster — Elizabeth's first Ecclesiastical Commission — Her Interview

with the Marian Bishops ...... — 184

They refuse the Oath, excepting Kitchin of Llandaff, and are deprived — Bonner committed to the Marshalsea —

Oath of Supremacy exacted from the Clergy ... — 185

Very few refuse — Probable Reasons why the Bishops refused — 18G

Matthew Parker made Archbishop of Canterbury ... — 188

His Consecration ......... — 189

The Queen's Visitation and Injunctions ..... — 190

The Beginning of Difficulties with Scotland— Scotland as much

a Foreign Country as France — 192

Elizabeth's Foreign Relations — 193

Mary Stuart as a Rival — Philip of Spain, Elizabeth's only Ally — 194

Elizabeth's temporising Policy ...... — 195

Removal of Roods and Images — 197

CHAPTER IX reign OF Elizabeth {continued)

Parliament meets, and also Convocation — Defenders of the

Pope's Authority subjected to Praemunire . . . . 1562 199

Revision of Edward's Articles ...... 200

Attempt of Convocation to do away with the Habits, &c.

Nearly succeeds — Humble Protestation appended to its

Aots — 201

More Commissions issued by the Queen under 1 Eliz. Ch. I.

— Re-establishment of the Dutch Church ... 202

Grindall, Bishop of London, becomes its Superintendent- Calvin's Negotiation with Parker 203

Bonner's Lawsuit with Bishop Home 204

Consequent Act of Parliament for the Validity of the Bishops'

Consecrations

CONTENTS

XV11

DATK J'AHK

Personal Supremacy of Elizabeth .... — 20G

Eise of the Puritans — 207

Elizabeth's Dislike of them — 208

Her Bishops mostly sympathise with them . . . . — 209

The Advertisements — State Regulation of Foreign Protestant 1504 210

Churches 1507 210

Elizabeth and the Jesuits — 212

Different Views of her Conduct towards them . . — 213

Elizabeth excommunicated .... . 1570 214

Chapter X

reign of Elizabeth (continued)

Change of Policy produced by the Excommunication . Legislation of the thirteenth year of Elizabeth (13 Eliz. c. 12) Elizabeth's Personal Government of the Church . Enforcement of Conformity — Deprivation of Cartwright . Elizabeth's Religious Views ......

English Protestantism of the Swiss Type .

Elizabeth and Archbishop Grindall ....

Grindall Sequestrated — Religious Differences increasing .

Legislation of XXIII. of Elizabeth and of XXIX of Elizabeth

And of XXXV. of Elizabeth

Whitgift becomes Archbishop — The Bishops mere Tools of

Elizabeth ... ....

Whitgift an Enemy of the Puritans — Whitgift an extreme

Calvinist — Case of Dean Whittingham

And of Travers

The Martin Marprelate Controversy .....

Bitterness of the Puritans and Harshness of the Bishops The Oath ex officio — Inquisitorial Character — Trifling Charac

ter of the Points in Dispute

A Moderate Party exists notwithstanding

Bancroft's Sermon of ' Trying the Spirits ' first suggests i

Divine Right of Bishops

His extreme Doctrine of the Royal Supremacy — Bilson'

Perpetual Government of Christ's Church It was the State which persecuted, not the Church The Predestinarian Controversy and the Lambeth Articles

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

— a

XV111 CHURCH AND STATE UNDER THE TUDORS

DATZ PAGH

Cecil's Letter to Whitgift — The Sabbatarian Controversy

Elizabeth's high-pressure System — 243

Chapter XI Reign Of Elizabeth — Summary

Elizabeth's exceptional Position — 244

Her System absolutely Erastian — 245

The first two Acts of her Reign are passed independently of

the Clergy — 246

Church afterwards governed by the Queen and Council — Instances which show this — 247

Elizabeth, Pope of England — How qualified for such an Office

by Nature and Education — 250

Peculiar Characteristics of the Church of England mainly due to her — State of Parties during her Reign — Difficulty of her Work — 254

Her System hard and narrow, but successful nevertheless . — 256