VI passed through the scorching fire of temptation CHAP scatheless under the protection of their Heavenly Bridegroom; for the English daughters of the nine- A.D. 1536 teenth century whom we see around us are sisters to the English nuns of the sixteenth of whom we know only by vague tradition. tuned teries It was a great object with the King and Cromwell to obtain voluntary surrenders of the monasteries (or surrenders which should appear to be voluntary) from those in whom they were vested and also to gain over the secular clergy and the laity to an approval of such surrenders. The great Reformation weapon Pulpits of "pulpit-tuning" was efficiently used by Cromwell against for securing the lower ranks of the laity, the monaspreachers who were sent about the country to assert the royal supremacy constantly representing the monks as disloyal to the crown and useless to the people at large and just as "leading newspapers" can convince large numbers in the present day even against the evidence of their reason and almost of their senses, so the preachers moulded public opinion pretty much to any form that they would when they preached hard enough. For the higher ranks of the Laity laity there was the temptation of sharing in the con- with large fiscated lands, a temptation which had astonishing spoil influence upon them, and which became all the stronger when the appetite of the courtiers had been whetted by gifts from the lands of the lesser monasteries. The secular clergy were promised a general restoration to their hands of the rectorial tithes which had been "appropriated" by the monastic houses; although, in the end, most of these monastic "appropriations" were turned into lay "impropriations,” and 1 Dugdale's History of Warwickshire, p. 802. 1 bribed shares of VI CHAP the secular clergy gained nothing whatever. As for the monasteries themselves, Cromwell had promises A.D. 1536 to offer them also, immunity from dissolution for those who were unwilling to be dissolved, and large &c. pro- pensions or preferments for those who would surrender willingly.2 Pensions, mised to monks Little power left to resist When such measures were taken, and when, as Bishop Burnet says, "all the abbots were now placed by the King, and were generally picked out to serve his turn," it is not to be supposed that any very strong power of resistance remained in the monasteries which were left standing after the first suppression. The clean sweep which had been made of so many ancient rights, did, in fact, throw the clergy and the monks into an utter panic; and the great body of the latter, especially, were ready to go down like unarmed peasantry before a troop of Cossacks. There are periods when stupendous changes : 2 "After my hearty commendations. Albeit I doubt not, but having long since received the King's Highness' letters wherein his Majesty signified unto you that using yourselves like his good and faithful subjects, his Grace would not in any wise interrupt you in your state and kind of living and that his pleasure was, in case any man should declare anything to the contrary, you should cause him to be apprehended and kept in sure custody till further knowledge of his Grace's pleasure; you would so firmly repose yourselves in the tenor of his said letters as now his words; nor any voluntary surrender made by any governor and company of any religious house since that time shall put you in any doubt or fear of suppression or change of your kind of life and policy. Yet his most excellent Majesty knowing as well that on the one side fear may enter upon a contrary appearance where the ground and original is not known, as on the other side, that in such cases there cannot want some malicious and cankered hearts that upon a voluntary and frank surrender would persuade and blow abroad a general and a violent suppression; to the intent you should safely adhere to the sense of the said letters by his Highness already addressed unto you, and like good subjects ensue the purport of the same in the apprehension and detention of all such persons that had brought or would instil the contrary: whereas certain governors and companies of few religious houses have lately made free and voluntary surrenders into his Grace's hands: hath commanded me for your reposes, VI rush onward in their course with whirlwind rapidity, CHAP and enervate the mind with amazement as a sirocco prostrates the body. So were the old ecclesiastical A.D. 1536 establishments of England prostrated with amaze- Most ment in the time of Cromwell's odious vicegerency, and perfectly unable to offer an effective resistance, stupor whether for evil or for good. Notwithstanding this general prostration, there were, however, some energetic attempts to stop the progress of destruction, and Cromwell was not without good reason for the caution with which he prepared the country for a second great spoliation. For several months, the northern counties of England were in a chronic state of rebellion, and very serious danger to the King and his government ensued. seized with , an amazed The movement, eventually called the "Pilgrimage Rebellion of Grace," began at Louth in Lincolnshire, on Mon- north quiets, and for the causes specified on his Grace's behalf to advertise you, that unless there had been overtures made by the said houses that have resigned, his Grace would never have received the same; and that his Majesty intendeth not in any wise to trouble you, or to devise for the suppression of any religous house that standeth ; except they shall either desire of themselves with one whole consent to resign or forsake the same or else misuse themselves contrary to their allegiance. In which case they shall deserve the loss of much more than their houses and possessions; that is, the loss also of their lives. Wherefore in this you may repose yourselves, giving yourselves to serve God devoutly, to live like true and faithful subjects to his Majesty, and to provide honestly for the sustentation of your houses, and the relieving of poor people with the hospitality of the same; without consumption in the CHAP day, October 2, 1536, and arose directly out of the VI visitation which had again been ordered by CromA.D. 1536 well as vicegerent of the King in ecclesiastical mat ters. One of the commissioners was expected at Louth on the above day, and preparations were made which show plainly what the object of his visit was known to be. On the evening before his arrival, It begins after the Sunday services were over, the silver proat Louth cessional cross belonging to their noble church was carried on to the town green, and there used as a rallying standard for those town's-people who were prepared to resist his authority. They collected in force, and returning to the church gathered all its riches-chalices, vestments, jewels-into the nave, where an armed guard was set over them until daybreak. When the commissioner appeared early in the morning he was received with the ringing of the alarm bell, and this was the first note of a religious rebellion which well-nigh thrust Henry VIII. from his throne. This first rising failed, indeed, for want of a leader of a leader, but Sir William Fitzwilliam, who was sent to report respecting it, wrote home to Cromwell that in every place from London to Lincoln all the people, old and young alike, were heard wishing Godspeed to the rebellion in Lincolnshire, while not a voice among the common people was heard on the other side. Without a leader all the zeal in the world could not, however, prevent disintegration; and when the Duke of Suffolk arrived with his troops he found that the rebellion had worn itself to pieces in a fortnight, so that there was no force to oppose. but fails for want But the fire soon broke out again in Yorkshire, and this time a leader was found, though one too gentle and irresolute to ensure continued success. A VI country squire named Robert Aske, of Howden CHAP in Yorkshire, was at the head of this rising, and he had around him many of the northern gentry, some A.D. 1536 zealous as himself, others only half-hearted; among whom were Lord Darcy, Lee, Archbishop of York, Lord Hussey, Sir Robert Constable, and Sir Christopher Danby. The objects of this outbreak were stated in a proclamation which was issued by Aske and his friends at the outset in the following terms: tion "Masters, all men to be ready to-morrow, and this night, Aske's and in the morning to ring your bells in every town, and to proclama. assemble yourselves upon Skipwith moor, and there appoint your captains, Master Hussey, Master Babthorp, and Master Gascoygn, and other gentlemen: and to give warning to all beyond the water to be ready, upon pain of death, for the commonwealth; and make your proclamation every man to be true to the King's issue and the noble blood; to preserve the Church of God from spoiling, and to be true to the Commons and the wealths. And ye shall have to-morrow the articles and causes of your assembly and petition to the King, and place of our meeting, and all other of power and common wealth. In haste, &c." Almost all Yorkshire, Lancashire, and the bishopric of Durham, gathered round Aske at this call, and he began his march southward, headed by some of the monks bearing, as banner of the "Pilgrimage of Grace," a standard marked with the five wounds of Christ. The demands made were, as before, for Demands the restoration of the dissolved monasteries, the of the remission of the heavy burdens imposed on the clergy, the repeal of the statute of uses, the expulsion from office of Cromwell, and "other villein blood," and the deprivation of Archbishop Cranmer, Arch rebels |