WOLSEY AND THE CHURCH

What could Wolsey do as Legatus a latere?

act on behalf of the Pope

What was the majority of people’s religious views in the 1520s?

accepting of the church, instinctively loyal

What was there a definite strand of in the 1520’s, what did wolsey do about it?

anticlericalism, nothing

What criticisms of the pope spread, how?

more aware of taxes going to Rome to the extravagant Pope, the advent of the printing press

What shortcomings of the clergy did Wolsey personify?

pomp, ceremony, two illegitimate kids born in 1510 and 1512 and lived with his mistress until 1519

What was John Wycliffe criticised for believing in the late 14th century?

scripture was more important than the pope, too much emphasis on venerating saints at the expense of personal piety.

What were the descendants of Wycliffe’s followers called?

Lollards

Who complained about the Lollards, when?

Bishop of London, 1515

Where were the Lollards mostly found?

South-east of England and some cities, eg Bristol

What did Martin Luther publish, when?

95 theses, 1517

What nationality was Martin luther?

German

What did Martin Luther contradict, how?

the teachings of the catholic church, stressed the Bible and criticised many catholic rituals

Why did people support Luther originally?

Some due to religious reasons, others used Lutheranism against Charles V

When did Luthernaism reach England, how?

by the 1520s, through merchants and traders

What parts of England were notably exposed to protestant literature?

south and east of England due to trade in northern Europe

What is an example of Lutheran support in England?

a group of Lutheran supporters met in Cambridge at the White Horse pub where they discussed Luther’s theology

How was the spread of Lutheranism helped?

William Tyndale publishing the Bible in English

Why was criticism of the catholic church becoming more socially acceptable?

henry’s attempt for a divorce from Catherine of Aragon

Did Wolsey make any attempts to reform the church?

Yes, but not a major area of study for him

How was Wolsey able to reform the Church as Papal Legate?

instruct English Bishops to carry out their duties more scrupulously and order inspections of the quality of religious life in monasteries and other religious institutions

What was a result of Wolsey’s church reform?

over 2 dozen religious houses were dissolved

What was Wolsey interested in promoting?

religious learning to improve the quality of the clergy, partly funded by shutting monastries

How was papal permission for monastic reform obtained?

on the condition that the money gained would be used to promote education

What did Wolsey draw up plans for in 1528, who did this set the stage for?

close monasteries with fewer than six inmates and amalgamate with those with under 12, Cromwell

Did contemparies have an issue with streamlining monasticism?

No, it was not an attack on monastic life, it was to make it more efficient and benefit religious learning

What did Wolsey remove whilst papal Legate?

eight unsuitable heads of monastries

What did Wolsey plan to fund, but couldn’t as he fell from power?

a school in his home town of Ipswich and establish a cardinal college in Oxford

What was Wolsey strongly against, as he was a cardinal?

the spread of Protestant heresy

What did Wolsey Henry advise henry to do about Luther, what did this lead to?

stand against him, public burnings of Luther’s texts

Where did the Lutheran book burnings start?

St Pauls, May 1521, Wolsey was personally present, holding in his hand the unfinished manuscript of Henry’s book against Luther for which he was given the title ‘defender of the faith’ by the Pope

What happened to groups suspected of Protestant sympathies?

arrested and punished, none executed until 1530 after Wolsey’s downfall

Where were those suspected of Protestant sympathies usually from?

University

What do modern historians Duffy and Haigh argue?:

most were content with Catholicism, anticlericalism was fairly limited

Why did many think that Lutheranism would be easily contained?

lollardy had been easily contained a century before

How were Lutheran supporters often viewed?

well meaning, good people who had just been led astray

How did Wolsey attract criticism?

committed absenteeism and plurality

What titles did Wolsey further obtain in the 1520s?

abbot of St Albans, Bishop of Durham (1523), Bishop of Winchester (1529)