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The English Reformation

Was anticlericalism the cause or consequence of the Reformation?

When did England become Protestant?

Nicholas Fellows
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How much anti-clericalism was there
on the eve of the English Reformation?

What is anticlericalism?

A widespread hostility of a self-consciously united laity towards a

monolithic church.

However, church monolithic and anti-clericalism was weak and more a

result of the Reformation.

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Anti-clericalism and the
Reformation

• The volume of complaints rose under Elizabeth I

• The clergy had lost their sacerdotal role

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What evidence is there for anti-
clericalism before the Reformation?

Literary
Writings of More and Fisher, but they criticise the Church because they
have a high view of the priesthood and how it should be

Fish – attacks clergy’s morals, but written for court

The Lutheran conspiracy to discredit Church and tracts are not influential

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What evidence is there for anti-
clericalism before the Reformation?

Parliament of 1529

Did it represent general attitudes?

It was more an attack on Wolsey by lawyers and merchants – lawyers had
seen business fall.

Statues are closely linked to the fall of Wolsey:

Probate
Pluralism – Wolsey a prime example
Mortuary- Hunne affair

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Abuses in the English Church

Clerical standards satisfied most:

Diocese of Lincoln
1006 parishes and 25 complaints of sexual misbehaviour

In Winchester diocese there were 11 complaints

In Norwich diocese there were 8 complaints

• Priests are behaving or people not worried

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Church Courts

Attendance before the Reformation was high – a sign of respect

• 90% appear in Norwich
• 75% appear in Canterbury.
Evidence laity accept church discipline in personal matters

Under Elizabeth I:
• 20% appear in Chester
• 35% appear in York.

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Tithes

This view can be countered:

Davis’ government was able to:

• Enforce the draft (Conscription)
• Suppress dissent
• Suspend civil liberties.

Southern government was just as effective as North.

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Ordination

Would laity choose a career in the Church if it was unpopular?

There was no decline in ordination rates until the Reformation – the decline
starts in 1529 and collapses in 1536. Recovery in 1540s, but major
problem under Edward; recovery under Mary and falls under Elizabeth.

Correlation with official religious policy

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Wills

Would laity leave money to an unpopular institution?

Benefactions remained high until 1530s but then collapsed, happens later
in the North:
• 95% leave money in wills to church until after 1545
• 88% of the poor in York leave money in wills until 1550s.

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Wills

Form of wills has been used by historians to chart spread of Protestantism,

but they are difficult to interpret and not always know who wrote them.

However, the trend suggests impact of official Reformation was slow:

• In Kent, 85 per cent of wills were conservative/traditional until 1537, 50
per cent in 1546
• But change is not from conservative/traditional to protestant but from
conservative to neutral.

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Wills

Canterbury:
• 70 per cent of wills were conservative/traditional until 1546
• Under Edward, neutral wills 80 per cent, Protestant 8 per cent
• Suggests conservatism collapsed, but not replaced by protestant
enthusiasm.

Similar pattern in Northamptonshire, with conservative/traditional recovery

under Mary.

In York, 96 per cent of wills were conservative/traditional until 1546 and

under Edward 64 per cent still conservative/traditional

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The Progress of Protestantism

It has made little headway by death of Henry VIII

Reformation is not ‘bottom up’, but is imposed by ruling elite

Legally England was fully Protestant by death of Edward VI:

• Prayer Book
• Ordinal.

BUT
Second Act of uniformity gave clear recognition that people did not attend
church

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The Progress of Protestantism

Lack of appeal of Protestantism:

• Preaching and sermons had little appeal
• Protestantism did not offer charm/rituals
• Dislike of married clergy
• Church offer little to village communities, hence growing hostility to
paying tithe
• Attendance at church falls.

Protestantism religion of the state but not of the people

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When did England become
Protestant?
The view of historians:
1520s’ – Dickens
1530’s – Elton
1550’s – Cross
1559 – Neale
1570’s – Manning

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The Progress of Protestantism

Slow
• Catholicism survived 1560–70 in some areas, particularly north and
west
• By the 1580s, Protestantism has not decisively hit the parishes –
shortage of clergy and a preaching ministry
• Enforcement away from London and South East weak
• Dioceses underendowed and too large to be effective
• Non-co-operation of church wardens
• Failure of ecclesiastical sanctions

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The Progress of Protestantism

Slow
• State weak and dare not risk push to implement
• Elizabeth cautious
• 105 JPs were removed in 1559, but 1564 only 50 per cent support
settlement.

However, change in ecclesiastical context allows progress:

• Patronage for protestants, so incentive
• Universities produce committed Protestants
• Remodel JP’s, south 1570’s and north 1580’s

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The Progress of Protestantism

Can increase the drive against Catholicism as safer, but also need to
because of plots.
• 1560s and 1570s, advantage in proceeding slowly
• 1580s danger of Catholicism = rebellion

The progress of reformation is therefore slow and cautious.

General pattern: South and East before North and West, but history of the
Reformation needs to be seen parish to parish.

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