1
Policies (Somerset)
Religious Reforms (1547-49)
- Somerset had personal sympathy for protestant ideas but he recognised the sensitivity
in making religious changes, trying to adopt a moderate and cautious approach.
- Thomas Cranmer supported him in this way.
- Once Henry’s death reached the continent, exiled Protestants who had fled persecu-
tion in 1530s and 1540s began returning from the Netherlands and Germany. They
settled in towns along the east coast, where their radical demands caused frequent
clashes in local communities.
- The reform faction was in control of the government and were keen to get the reforms
going, but English bishops were split fairly evenly on whether to support further
changes.
- Relaxation of press censorship (encouraged by government) led to the increase in
pamphlets and writings against Catholicism.
- Free circulation of the writings by Martin Luther and John Calvin.
- Full scale enquiry into the state of the Church of England was launched- commission-
ers sent to investigate parishes.
- Measures were introduced to undo the Six Articles Act.
- Rules for services and Bibles to be in English were strengthened.
- Parliament met in November 1547 to enact religious change, but legislation did little
but underline what changes were already happening.
- The Treason Act repealed the Six Articles Act and heresy.
- The Chantries Act abolished Chantries - Catholic practice- done more to raise money
for war against Scotland rather then religious reasons.
- It was not until the war was over that the government felt secure enough to take firm
action to sort out the confusion of religious policy - the passed the Act of Uniformity in
1549.
1
Policies (Somerset)
Religious Reforms (1547-49)
- Somerset had personal sympathy for protestant ideas but he recognised the sensitivity
in making religious changes, trying to adopt a moderate and cautious approach.
- Thomas Cranmer supported him in this way.
- Once Henry’s death reached the continent, exiled Protestants who had fled persecu-
tion in 1530s and 1540s began returning from the Netherlands and Germany. They
settled in towns along the east coast, where their radical demands caused frequent
clashes in local communities.
- The reform faction was in control of the government and were keen to get the reforms
going, but English bishops were split fairly evenly on whether to support further
changes.
- Relaxation of press censorship (encouraged by government) led to the increase in
pamphlets and writings against Catholicism.
- Free circulation of the writings by Martin Luther and John Calvin.
- Full scale enquiry into the state of the Church of England was launched- commission-
ers sent to investigate parishes.
- Measures were introduced to undo the Six Articles Act.
- Rules for services and Bibles to be in English were strengthened.
- Parliament met in November 1547 to enact religious change, but legislation did little
but underline what changes were already happening.
- The Treason Act repealed the Six Articles Act and heresy.
- The Chantries Act abolished Chantries - Catholic practice- done more to raise money
for war against Scotland rather then religious reasons.
- It was not until the war was over that the government felt secure enough to take firm
action to sort out the confusion of religious policy - the passed the Act of Uniformity in
1549.
1
