Protestantism Under Edward VI

Edward VI's regime drove religious reform. By the end of Edward VI's reign, the Church of England's doctrine was undoubtedly more Protestant.

Act of Uniformity

In 1549, the Act of Uniformity was passed.
This attempted to standardise religious worship.
The act indicated a break from traditional worship.
- E.g. sermons were to be in English, not Latin.
Historians, however, have emphasised continuity from traditional worship.
- E.g. The behaviour and clothing of priests remained the same.

Common Prayer Book

In 1549, Cranmer oversaw the creation of a new Prayer Book.
The Prayer Book was full of compromises.
- It stated that there was no corporeal presence in bread and wine.
- Yet there was enough room for traditionalists to be satisfied.
This was received with hostility, leading to rebellion in Cornwall.
Cranmer (1549) in his essay ‘Of Ceremonies, why some be abolished and some retained’ on finding a compromise between conservative and reformers: “It was thought expedient not so much to have respect how to please and satisfy either of these parties, as how to please God and profit them both”.

Clerical Marriage

In 1549, clerical marriage was legalised.
This was attractive for clergymen. By the early 1550s, 15% of the clergy were married.

The Second Act of Uniformity

In 1552 the Second Act of Uniformity was passed, under Northumberland.
This stated that it was an offence for the clergy or laity to not attend church services.
The need for this act demonstrates the state’s recognition that some members of society were refusing to frequent parish churches.
- E.g. Bishop Hooper in Gloucester noted that some people went out of their way to find the more traditionalist prayer book.

The 1552 Prayer Book

The Prayer book was revised in order to remove the embarrassing traditionalist elements in 1549 book.

1Monarch & Government

1.1Tudor Monarchs

1.1.1Henry VII

1.1.2Henry VIII

1.1.3Edward VI

1.1.4Mary I

1.1.5Elizabeth I

1.1.6Succession Disputes

1.2Changing Role of Parliament

1.2.1Parliament & Henry VII

1.2.2Parliament & Henry VIII

1.2.3Parliament After the Reformation

1.3Principal Servants to the Crown

1.3.1Principal Servants to the Crown

2Religious Changes

2.1Tudor Monarchs & Religious Change

2.1.1The Henrician Reformation

2.1.2Impact of Religious Change Under Henry VIII

2.1.3Religious Change Under Edward VI

2.1.4Religious Change Under Mary I

2.1.5Elizabethan Settlement

2.2Catholicism & Survival

2.2.1Popular Attitudes to Catholicism

2.2.2Catholicism Under Henry VIII

2.2.3Catholicism Under Elizabeth I

2.2.4Catholic Nobility

2.3Protestantism & Puritanism

2.3.1Protestant Influences

2.3.2Protestantism Under Edward VI

2.3.3Protestantism Under Elizabeth I

3State Control & Popular Resistance

3.1Tudor Control of the Country

3.1.1Councils

3.1.2Role of Nobility

3.1.3Justices of the Peace

3.1.4Lord Lieutenant

3.2The State & the Poor

3.2.1Reasons for Growth of Poverty

3.2.2Punishments for Paupers

3.2.3Role of Charities

3.3Resistance to Tudor Rule

3.3.1Resistance to Tax & Subsidies

3.3.2Uprisings Against Henry VIII

3.3.3Uprisings Against Edward VI

3.3.4Uprisings Against Elizabeth I

3.3.5Decline of Popular Resistance

4Economic, Social & Cultural Change

4.1Patterns of Domestic & Foreign Trade

4.1.1Wool & Cloth

4.1.2Exploration & Trade

4.2Changing Structure of Society

4.2.1Population

4.2.2Dissolution of Monasteries

4.2.3Enclosure

4.3Cultural Change

4.3.1Education & Literature

4.3.2Impact of Religious Change

4.3.3Patronage

4.3.4The Arts

4.3.5Cult of Gloriana

5Historical Interpretations

5.1Significance of Threats to National Security

5.1.1Spain

5.1.2The Spanish Armada

5.1.3Ireland

5.2Court Politics

5.2.1Court Factions

5.2.2Essex's Rebellion

5.3Elizabeth & Parliament

5.3.1Conflict with Parliament

5.4Social Distress in the 1590s

5.4.1Social Distress in the 1590s

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