Duke of Somerset and Religion (1547-1549)

What religion was Somerset?

Advanced protestant

Was Somerset’s religion reflective in his policies?

Moderate Enforcement of Protestant

• governmental problems of maintaining uniformity and order

• led to a wavering path of religious change

What religious legislation was introduced in 1547?

• Royal Injunctions (Services/Bible in English)

• Dissolution of Chantries (closed down)

What religious legislation was introduced in 1548?

• Images removed (catholic idolatry)

• First Prayer Book (moderate Protestant prayer book)

What religious legislation was introduced in 1549?

• Act of Uniformity (Church services legal)

What was the Royal Visitation - 1547?

Commissioners sent to diocese to examine the state of the Church and its practices

What was the Book of Homilies - July 1547?

Collection of sermons to be read aloud by the clergy who were unable to preach themselves

• book was written by Archbishop Cranmer

What was the Royal Injunctions - July 1547?

Order for all the clergy to preach in English and have an English Bible

• Protestant literature

• Superstitious images to be removed

What was the Chantries Act - Nov-Dec 1547?

Act of the Dissolution of Chantries (endowment founded for a priest to celebrate masses for the soul)

• revived from Henry VIII last parliament

• crucial as it condemned the prayers for the dead

What was the Treason Act Repealed - Nov-Dec 1547?

Removed the old heresy, treason and censorship and proclamation laws

• allowed people to discuss religion freely without fear of arrest or imprisonment

• radicals used to spread the Protestant message and destroy Catholic images and alters

• gov had stripped away its power to handle the outbursts

What was the Proclamations issued to dampen protestant unrest - Jan-Mar 1548?

Privy council felt the need to assert the transubstantiation was still technically in force and that Catholic rites need to be adhered to

• reality: gov was trying to restore order - for the publication of the First Book of Common Prayer

What was the Images removed from Churches - Feb 1548?

Remarkably had little opposition

What was the Proclamation that only the clergy can preach - April 1548?

The flood of unauthorised Protestant preachers had followed with the repeal of the Treason Act

• wanting to restrict them - lack of control!

What was the Proclamation that no preaching until new liturgy was introduced - Sept 1548?

Clear sign that the gov felt the situation was slipping out of control!

What was the First Book of Common Prayer - Dec 1548?

Manual written by Cranmer - outlining liturgy (worship) that should be followed in services:

• PROTESTANT: English services, Communion of both kind, Clerical Marriage allowed, No prayers for the dead

• CATHOLIC: Traditional roles, Transubstantiation, Fast and holy days remained, Sacraments, Purgatory - unclear, No prayers for the dead, Worship of saints discouraged

Prayer book satisfied few - Catholics saw it as implicit Protestant - Protestants saw it as smacked of popery

What was the Act of Uniformity - Jan 1549?

Made the Book of Common Prayer the official liturgy

• effectively enforced, despite some pockets of resistant (Western Rebellion - 1549)