Bishop Gilbert Burnet: "The History of the Reformation of the Church of ...

On 11 Oct 1521, the Pope in a pompous letter made Henry “Defensor Fidei.” Burnet tells us that Henry was prouder of this title than all his other titles (49). One is reminded of Napoleon’s comment, that men lived to have “ribbons” and “medals” as a result of military service. On 10 Jun 1519, Wolsey got a Papist bull to reform monasteries. Wolsey was hated, we are told, by the clergy. The cardinal was “proud” (50, Polydore’s Vergil, 633). Wolsey designs to visit all monasteries and is conceiving of a refashioning and refounding the monasteries as bishoprics, cathedrals, collegiate churches and colleges. Wolsey, as the Legatine authority, begins to call convocations and Warham complains of the intrusion on his authority. Winchester and Rochester “hated” the Cardinal (51). The Cardinal’s proposed new colleges at Oxford and Ipswich appealed to Henry who loved learning. Burnet refers to Wycliffism throughout the nation. Burnet says, “He translated the Bible out of Latin into English, with a long preface before it, in which he reflected severely on the corruptions of the clergy, and condemned the worshipping of saints and images, and denied the corporal presence of Christ's body in the sacrament and exhorted all people to the study of the scriptures” (55). There was widespread sympathy with Wycliffe but support went underground and went unspoken after Parliamentary and Royalist (Richard II, Henry IV) measures against it, as well as cruel measures adopted on the Continent against Wycliffism and Hussism.