reasons for the Dissolution

• reasons for the Dissolution

  1. doctrine
  2. finances
  3. condition of monasteries
• doctrine

  -  Monasteries seen to be upholders of traditional religion w/ support for purgatory through prayers for dead (Catholic practice)

  -  Protestants did not believe in value of religious houses – had been dissolved in Germany & Scandinavia

  -  Notable writers, eg. Erasmus, also criticised religious houses

  -  Monasteries allowed allegiance to the main house of their order (usually outside England) – conflicted w/ Act in Restraint of Appeals (1533) which said England = supreme

  -  Most forceful opponents of Reformation were monks – particularly Carthusians & Franciscans – while others partook in Pilgrimage of Grace
• doctrine (counter)

  - Evidence that visitations exaggerated corruption & scandals so that Cromwell could persuade parliament, as many people valued social work done by monasteries, not just religious – eg. Pilgrimage of Grace (1536)
• finance

  -  Promised the wealth from dissolution – used to establish colleges & new bishoprics, & have social benefits

  -  500+ houses dissolved, crown income x2, re-sale value of monastic land estimated to be £1.3million

  -  Cromwell promised ‘richest prince in Christendom’ (already spent all his inheritance on war agst France)

  -  Financial security ^ importance (threat of Catholic crusade following break w/ Rome: Henry excommunicated, Francis & Charles signed treaty, 1538)

  -  Many large monasteries = £1000+ per year, used to build fortifications on south coast

  -  would remove need to ask parliament (popular, help gain support of those opposing)

  -  Provided land – could be sold to ^ income or used as patronage

  -  Most money gained through sale of lands spent on warfare, however retained half by Henry’s death

  - Wealthy gained from dissolution – able to buy land
• finance (counter)

  -  Many already surrendered ‘voluntarily’ w/ abbots receiving large sums of money

  -  When MPs were voting, many might have believed they were also voting to see funds transferred to other used & not the crown

  -  Bill introduced in 1539, promised range of benefits from dissolution but very few seen – some new cathedral grammar schools, eg. Canterbury & Chester, & some colleges – but most went to king & elites

  - Many monks found jobs as priests but a significant number were left in poverty
• condition of monasteries

  -  1535 – Valor Ecclesiasticus (census of the Church’s wealth) & Cromwell sent inspectors to look at standards & behaviour within monasteries – showed spiritually poor conditions

  - Convinced parliament the smaller houses were ‘decayed’
• condition of monasteries (counter)

  -  Inspections done quickly – not thorough enough?

  - The Act that closed smaller monasteries (1536) praised greater ones – no plan to close all the monasteries at this point (yet all closed within 4 years)