CHAP with a view to overcoming resistance and ensuring VI success in the attainment of that object. asteries by blameless At the same time it cannot be doubted that the But mon- monasteries had long been in danger of dissolution. no means In some way, which it is not very easy now to see clearly, the system was worn out; and abuses had arisen, as they do arise in all worn-out systems, which called for reformation, and which were greatly exaggerated by those who were hungering for the lands and goods that belonged to monks. Soon after he came to his see, West, Bishop of Ely, wrote to Wolsey (the letter is dated April 4, 1516) complaining of the disorder which he found in the monastery associated with his cathedral. He gave his opinion that but for his visitation the community could not have held together for four years longer, and he appointed new officers throughout the establishment. There is reason to think that the "rule' many monasteries had fallen much into abeyance, and that the monks were living easy and sinecure, though not luxurious and vicious, lives. The mendicant orders had done much mischief to the secular clergy, and to the regular monks of the Benedictine and other rules, and they, perhaps, more than any others, had grown into disrepute with wise and farseeing men, through their servile devotion to Rome. Their abolition foreseen in 8 Hence, for many years, those who wished to apply their wealth to Church uses had founded colleges and schools rather than monasteries; and men like Wykeham, Chicheley, Waynfleet, and Wolsey, had not hesitated to convert monastic into educational institutions. In 1516 Fox, Wolsey's great patron, 8 Brewer's Calend. St. Pap., ii. 1733. 9 It may be useful to point out cases in which monastic some VI increase of tional insti the Bishop of Winchester, founded Corpus Christi CHAP College at Oxford, intending it as a foundation for monks and secular scholars. "What, my Lord," said the aged Oldham, Bishop of Exeter, "shall we build houses, and provide livelihoods for a company of monks whose end and fall we ourselves may live to see? Nay, nay, more meet is it that we should And exuse care to provide for the increase of learning, and pected for such who by their learning shall do good to the educa church and commonwealth.' And, so advised, Fox tutions made the college what it now is. In later days, when Wolsey was taking the first steps towards the Reformation of the Church, Fox wrote to him that for three years he had been giving all his study, labour, and attention towards that object, and especially towards a revival of the primitive intention of the monastic life. Of Wolsey's actual plans respecting the monasteries, some account has already been given in a preceding chapter. property was used for founding He and Seleburne in Hampshire. Some College. There were probably CHAP VI Destruction the mation When wise and good men of that day had these opinions and plans respecting the monasteries and their reformation, it is not for us of three centuries and a half later to say that there was no good reason why they should not have remained in statu quo. They, at least, are reliable witnesses, who saw what we cannot see, and who desired, as much as we can desire, that the Church and her institutions should be developed to the utmost for the promotion of God's glory and man's good. Perhaps the true explanation of the great catasNemesis of trophe which ensued during these eventful ten years non-refor- is, that reformation such as these good and wise men saw to be needed was put off too long. As in many other cases, the Church failed to reconstruct and purify her own ancillary institutions, and then another power was suffered to come in like a flood and sweep them away. Before concluding this chapter, the reader will naturally ask for some information as to the immediate and proximate consequences which followed upon a social change of so much importance as that involved in the dissolution of many monasteries in Inquiry as every county. What became of the monks? What of Dissolu- became of their property? What changes were effected in the general aspect of the Church and kingdom? to results tion 1. What became of the monks, whose number is supposed to have amounted to 100,000, a very large proportion of the population when it numbered not many more than three millions altogether. Whatever their number was, it diminished a good deal during the years occupied by the Dissolution VI of monks death by the help of the executioner. Every opportunity CHAP was taken by Cromwell of bringing them under the operation of laws which involved the penalty of Great death, and it seems more than probable that the numbers passion for blood with which he and his master were put to possessed, endeavoured to satiate itself upon this doomed class. Many, no doubt, enlisted in the Pilgrimage of Grace, of whom, certainly, not one escaped who survived it and came within reach of Cromwell's vengeance. We have detailed records only respecting the more prominent men, such as the abbots and priors but, after Wolsey's fall, every week of Henry's reign was stained with the blood of his subjects, and a class so odious to him as the monks had become must have suffered most severely.1 Their numbers, doubtless, went to swell largely the army of 80,000 alleged "thieves" and other "criminals" who were hanged during this dreadful reign.2 gaged in Many lay monks, especially those who were quite Others enyoung, were no doubt able to turn to secular employ-secular ments. Here and there one comes across floating pursuits traditions of their labours after the Dissolution, as in the building of East Dereham Church tower, and others in Suffolk. As the ecclesiastical style of art utterly died out within a generation after the Dis A 1 The wholesale character of Henry's executions is often illustrated by the State Papers. band of robbers, for example, attacked some of his waggons and then fled to sanctuary. He caught 80 and hanged them all. After "Evil May Day" 400 riotous men and boys, and 11 women, were brought before him in Westminster Hall, with halters round their necks; and it was only after the long entreaty of Wolsey, supported by the Queens Catherine, Mary of 2 That this supposition respect- you shall close up our banner VI CHAP solution, so it is not unlikely that its lingering for a few years was owing to the fact that monastic traditions and monastic hands were still having their influence for a short time, and still stemming the influx of that miserable and soulless torrent which, under the name of the "revival of letters," was crushing out the life of our national arts, and marring all their beauty. Some in holy orders employed Two kinds of provisions were contemplated by the official documents connected with the Dissolution in Church for those monks who were in holy orders, and who seem to have formed a large majority in the latter days of the monasteries. The one was the pension for every one who willingly surrendered to the visitors, and was desirous of receiving such a provision; the other was employment as chantry priests, that is, to say private masses for the departed, which were paid for sometimes by endowments and sometimes by fees. Their employment as clergy seems to have been discouraged by those in ecclesiastical authority. It was objected that they came to churches as perfect strangers-poor, haggard, and half-starved tramps, probably-and that none could be sure whether or not they were in holy orders. ful execution to be done upon a The Archbishop of to others. Finally, forasmuch as all these troubles have ensued by the solicitation and traitorous conspiracies of the monks and canons of these parts, we desire you, at such places as they have conspired and kept their houses with force since the appointment at Doncaster, you shall, without pity or circumstance, cause all the monks and canons that be in any wise faulty to be tied up without further delay or ceremony." |