Edward

• Religious change under Edward can be divided into 4 stages

  • 1547; attack on Catholicism
  • 1548; the lack of official doctrine, but a period of uncontrolled radical protestant activity
  • 1549-52; the Establishment of Protestant worship
  • 1553; the establishment of a fully reformed church
• What kind of protestant was Somerset

  Moderate
• The attack on Catholicism 1547 1/2

  • the bishops were divided and most parish clergy were were opposed to change
  • The government began by examining the church through visitation
  • in July, the Book of homilies and Erasmus’ paraphrases were introduced into all church’s.
• The Attack on Catholicism 1547 2/2

  • Clergy were ordered to conduct services in English and remove superstitious images
  • Chantries were dissolved
  • the Treason Act was repealed
• What texts were introduced into all churches

  • Book of Homilies
  • Erasmus’ Paraphrases
• What act did parliament repeal in 1547, meaning radicals were free to discuss further reform 


  Treason Act
• The abolition of the treason act unleashed more radical views and unrest, followed by iconoclastic attacks on altars and images
• Radical activity 1548

  • iconoclastic attacks on images and altars
  • pamphlets attacking the mass were published
• The establishment of Protestant worship, 1549-52

  • The Act of Uniformity was passed in January 1549
  • However some catholic practises still remained
  • The new prayer book created unrest
• Act of Uniformity 


  • Only five sacraments remained
  • Clergy could marry
  • Singing for the souls of the dead was ended
  • Holy communion, matins and evensong were in english
  • Laity could take communion in both kinds
• Which sacraments remained, following the Act of Uniformity

  • Communion
  • Baptism
  • Confirmation
  • Marriage
  • Burial
• The Establishment to a fully reformed church 1553

  • The second Prayer Book and Act of Uniformity
• What did the rebels of the Western rebellion demand

  • the restoration of the six articles
  • Mass in Latin
  • Prayers for the souls of the dead
• There was no demand for the restoration of papal authority
• Although evidence from wills is difficult to interpret, it appears that they show little support for the changes, except for London, the south east, and East Anglia
• Wills

  • Kent; 8% were Protestant
  • Suffolk; 27% were Protestant
• How many Protestant wills were there in York before 1550

  2
• What was still in act in 1547

  The Catholic Act of Six Articles (1539)
• Edward’s religious beliefs

  • The expectation that he would advance the Protestant cause was established from the very beginning of his reign
  • Archbishop Cranmer compared him to the biblical child king - Josiah
• Evidence regarding Edward’s Protestantism

  • Only 5% of Edwards Chronicle is dedicated to religion, his main religious concern was not doctrine (no mention to prayer book), but the control and structure of the episcopacy
  • Out of the 22 royal preachers, 20 were reforming bishops of evangelicals
  • He had been surrounded by protestants his entire life (Parr, Cranmer, Cox, Cecil, Hales)
• The Book of Homilies and Erasmus’ paraphrases 1547

  • contained protestant sermons written by Cranmer
  • Including one supporting the Lutheran belief of salvation through faith alone
  • In all parish churched by 1549
• 1547 Royal Injunctions

  • clergy to preach in English
  • English Bible
  • iconoclastic attacks on superstitious Catholic imagery
• Chantries Act - 1547

  • Passed by parliament
  • This Act of Dissolution was revived from Henry’s last Parliament (1545)
  • contained a crucial new preamble condemning all prayer for the souls of the dead
• 1547 - retraction of the Act of Six Articles - Nov/dec

  • This act had re-established Catholic doctrine
  • its absence left the church without any formal doctrine
• Retraction of the Treason Act - nov/dec 1547

  • removed the old heresy, treason and censorship laws
  • freedom to discuss religion
  • freedom to print and publish
• Proclamation stating only Clergy could preach - April 1548

  • attempt to halt radical Protestant activity
• Proclamation stating no preaching until new liturgy introduced - september 1548


  • A clear sign that the government was loosing control
• December 1548 - First Prayer Book

  • A manual written by Cranmer outlined the liturgy
• January 1549 - Act of Uniformity

  • Made the Book of Common Prayer the official liturgy
  • effectively enforced
• January 1550 - New Reformed Ordinal

  • The Ordinal detailed the ceremony to be followed when clergy were ordained
  • Radical Protestant, Hooper, was outraged by the swearing of an oath to saints and by the need to wear a white surplice
• January 1552 - New Treason Act 


  • Made in an offence to question the Royal Supremacy or any articles of faith in the Church
• January 1552 - Second Book of Common Prayer

  • highly Protestant document produced by Cranmer
  • Transubstantiation was symbolic
  • prayers for the dead and vestments were removed
• April 1552 - Second Act of Uniformity

  • Enforced the Second Book of Common Prayer
  • became and offence for both Clergy and Laity not to attend Church of England service
• 24 November 1552 - 42 Articles 


  • Based on Cranmer’s ideals
  • Never became parliamentary law
  • based on the doctrine of salvation through faith alone
  • long term impact - became the basis for the 39 Articles in Elizabeth’s reign
• 1553 - production of Short Catechism

  • done without parliamentary approval
  • Luther had produced Catechisms
• Impact of the Chantries Act

  • 3000 chantries dissolved
  • 90 colleges dissolved
  • 110 hospitals
  • thousands of confraternities
• Confraternities 


  A group of guild of men, formed under the patronage of a particular saint
• Problems with the First Book of Common Prayer

  • Outlined what Cranmer thought was politically acceptable, as opposed to what he believed
  • Catholics saw it as Protestant, protestants thought it was a half measure full of popery
  • unclear on purgatory
• Successes of the Second Book of Common Prayer

  • it broke radically with the past and satisfied radical reformers
  • established a eucharist ceremony
  • replacement of altars
  • offence for clergy and laity to not attend service (fine or imprisonment)
• • Edward was involved in altering the succession - against his Catholic sister
  • the decisive split in policy occurred when Edward was becoming more involved in meetings