Henry viii, king of england, died in 1547, and was succeded by his son edward vi. One probable cause of the prayer book rebellion was the religious changes recently implemented by the government of the new king, edward vi. Mar 17, 2015 the western rebellion, which started in 1547, involved the western counties of cornwall, devon and dorset. However, it also coincided with social and economic problems within these counties whereby the gentry was accused of using the dislocation. In 1549, the prayer book rebellion caused the deaths of thousands of people from devon and cornwall. Finally when the common prayer book was finished and introduced in 1549 open rebellion occurred in devon and cornwall.
The westernprayer book rebellion flashcards in a level. In that year, the book of common prayer, presenting the theology of the english reformation, was introduced. The prayer book conflict timeline cornwall for ever. The new prayer book was first used at stanford courtney, in devon on whitsunday but the parishioners forced their priest to say the latin mass. From whit sunday in 1549, it became illegal to use the old latin prayer book which, from that date, was replaced by the book of common prayer. This is often called the prayer book rebellion, suggesting its main motivation was religious based william body was murdered at helston when he went to supervise the destruction of images, suggesting religious tensions were already high. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia all credit to wikipedia for this article. Written during the english reformation, the prayer book was largely the work of thomas cranmer, who borrowed from a large number of other sources. Part of a series of disturbances across the country, it took place at the same time as the betterknown prayer book rebellion or western rising and for many of the same reasons. They were very angry that their church service was being changed. Ordinary people, who could not read or write, had learned the mass by heart, and regarded it as the priests role to understand the words. The westernprayer book rebellion flashcards in a level and. This study provides evidence that the primary motivations for resistance to the reformations were religious in nature.
Just as henrys innovations provoked the pilgrimage of grace in 1536, so the more radical innovation of cranmers prayer book of 15 49 provoked a massive rebellion in cornwall and devon. Significant religious element concern at introduction of new more strictly protestant prayer book by edward vi, bans on festivals and pilgrimage. The act stipulated that the new prayer book must be used from whitsunday 1549 in all places of worship. Some churches were happy to use the new prayer book, which decreed that all services be conducted in english, while others, while prepared to adhere to protestantism, insisted on continuing to conduct services in latin. Henry viii, edward vis father and the previous monarch, had broken with rome in the 1530s and had been declared the supreme head of the church in england. Butit was the announcement of the new liturgy in the prayer book to be uniformly used on whitsunday 1547 that turned the opposition into a full scale rebellion fletcher.
The prayer book rebellion of 1549 part 1 devon perspectives. Why did the prayer book rebellion western rebellion fail. The western rebellion also known as the prayer book rebellion for reasons well get into soon started in june 1549, and involved the. The cornish people, few of whom spoke english, were particularly affected by this new legislation the villagers of sampford courtenay in devon.
In 1549 the book of common prayer, presenting the theology of the english reformation, was introduced. For example, the lincolnshire rebellion, the pilgrimage of grace, and the prayer book rebellion of 1549, all demonstrate that catho lic sympathies persisted throughout the reigns of henry and his son. Too often in popular history the reformation in england has been treated as a progressive and popular movement to. There are two main reasons for the failure of the prayer book rebellion. When the english mass devised by cranmer is forcibly introduced, the catholics understandably go berserk. Born of outrage against the concept of an english liturgy, this event has gone down in history as the prayer book rebellion of 1549. This inspired a major local landowner, sir humphrey arundell, to draw up a petition demanding the reinstatement of the old forms of worship. The prayer book rebellion or western rebellion occurred in the southwest of england in 1549 in the 1540s the government of edward vi introduced a range of measures as part of the reformation to remove certain practices from the church which were perceived as being too catholic in 1548 the book of common prayer in english replaced the old prayer book in latin.
A2 history mind map on causes of the western rebellion 1549, created by bethanmaystevenson on 18092014. Nov 23, 2014 this provided an example when a second order arrived, proclaiming that the anglican new prayer book and englishlanguage bible would be introduced on whitsunday 1549. The prayer book or western rebellion, as it is now known, was the most important attempt in england to oppose the protestant reformation of the reign of edward vi 154753. In 1549, the english government made an english language prayer book for use in all churches. The people of cornwall and devon reacted strongly against the edwardian reformation. While humphrey arundell demonstrated tactical prowess, by june 1549, he rallied 6000 men the move to take exeter befoe advancing to london highlights a strategic blunder. Western rebellion cornish rebellion of 1549 1549 engagement on the same site part of a series of disturbances across the country, it took place at the same time as the betterknown prayer book rebellion or western rising and for many of the same reasons. Cranmers book of common prayer, published in 1549, moved the church of england away from the catholic church and established it as a very protestant church. Aug 17, 2020 there had been very little written about the rebellion for me to get my teeth into. Devon wikipedia the cornish quickly joined the men of devon in the prayer book rebellion and exeter was besieged until relieved by lord russell.
Complaints about taxes on sheep and cloth were common. The clyst heath massacre, during the prayer book rebellion. All the familiar images of faith were to be removed. The background in order to understand the rebellion and the light in which authorities saw it, you have to look at two events that created enormous social turmoil in early 16th century england. The young kings uncle edward seymour became protector. One probable cause of the prayer book rebellion is the religious changes recently implemented by the government of the new king, edward vi. The change was widely unpopular particularly in areas of still firmly catholic. Dec 19, 2019 additional religious reforms, including banning mass and compulsory services in english through the act of uniformity, increased the tension further. A wellorganised and sizeable gathering of defiant cornishmen was congregating in the town of bodmin.
The act of uniformity in 1549, the enforcing of a new prayer book, decreed there were to be no more latin mass with candles, holy water and holy water. The initial list created by the commons before it was changed by the clergy mostly contained complaints about taxes and food prices. In 1549, the english government created an english language prayer book and said that all churches must use it. That summer of 1549, common prayer resisters in devon and cornwall linked up in a rude army, one with no chance at all against the larger and betterarmed crown force under lord russell which was reinforced as if to prove the rebels fears of foreign doctrinal innovations by italian arquebusiers and. Some churches were happy to use the new prayer book, which decreed that all services be conducted in english, while others, while prepared to adhere to. Prayer book rebellion and similar military conflicts. Prayer book rebellion 1549 unam sanctam catholicam. The change was widely unpopular particularly in areas of still firmly. Cranmers prayer book of 1549 one probable cause of the prayer book rebellion was the religious changes recently implemented by the government of the new king, edward vi. This made people in cornwall very upset because some of them could not speak english. The prayer book rebellion, which took place in southwestern england during 1549, saw thousands unite against the changes to traditional. Doc how successful was the prayer book rebellion in the.
The prayer book rebellion, prayer book revolt, prayer book rising, western rising or western rebellion was a popular revolt in devon and cornwall in 1549. The western rebellion is the title given ostensibly to a religious rebellion against the 1547 act of uniformity. This was the flash point for the rebellion to gain momentum. An act of parliament called the act of uniformity made it law for this new prayer book to be used in all english churches from the end of may, 1549. Only legal services were to be those in english provided in the new book of common prayer, issued with act of uniformity. By 1534 henry viii had enacted legislation making him supreme head of the english church of england over the pope. Some shut themselves in st michaels mount where the rebels besieged them, and a. The cornish people, few of whom spoke english, were particularly affected by this new legislation. The prayer book rebellion, prayer book revolt, prayer book rising, western rising or western rebellion was a popular revolt in cornwall and devon, in 1549. The first insurrections of cornishmen against the edwardian reformation, in 1547 and 1548, sprang from fear of. Its leaders produced demands in writing which they sent to the royal government, led by the kings protector or regent, the duke of somerset. The first insurrections of cornishmen against the edwardian reformation, in 1547 and 1548, sprang from fear of the loss of church goods fletcher. The prayer book rebellion, prayer book revolt, prayer book rising, western rising or western rebellion cornish.
The prayer book rebellion was a rebellion that took place in the southwest of england in the summer of 1549, in the reign of king edward vi. The 1549 edition of the book of common prayer is the original version of the book of common prayer bcp, variations of which are still in use as the official liturgical book of the church of england and other anglican churches. Main causes significant religious element concern at introduction of new more strictly protestant prayer book by edward vi, bans on festivals and pilgrimage hatred of the governments greedy and careerist main agent in the area, william body a protege of thomas cro mwell. But most people in cornwall did not speak english, they spoke cornishgaelic. Those who chance across this plaque might well be forgiven for assuming its words to represent an authoritative statement of the truth, but in fact they include several errors. Rebellyans an lyver pejadow kebmyn was a popular revolt in devon and cornwall in 1549. Introduction the prayer book rebellion, prayer book revolt, prayer book rising, western rising or western rebellion was a popular revolt in cornwall and devon, in 1549. The western or prayer book rebellion of 1549 the history of. In that year, the book of common prayer, presenting the theology of. This is often called the prayer book rebellion, suggesting its main motivation was religious based william body was murdered at helston when he went to supervise the destruction of images, suggesting religious tensions were already high a large number of people gathered at bodmin to protest about the act of uniformity, but the major unrest started at sampford. A call to translate the prayer book into cornish was rejected. Published on the day the act of uniformity was passed january 15th, 1549. Many people in cornwall only spoke cornish and did not understand english.
See how catholics in cornwall and devon rebelled against the protestant king edward vi of england. The pope a tad miffed at the loss of church revenue and his own political power retaliated by excommunicating henry effectively sealing henrys very own 16 th century brexit. In 1549 kett led a rebellion against the practice of enclosure of common land, but the story is more complex than that. The act of uniformity made it law for cranmers protestant book of common prayer, published in 1549, to be used in all english churches. Its leaders produced demands in writing which they sent to the royal government, led by the kings protector or. Parliament passed the act of uniformityin jan 1549, enforcing the use of the book of common prayer, a simplified form of service in english instead of the old latin mass to which the people had been accustomed for centuries. For the revolts in the 1620s and 30s, see western rising. Nov 17, 2009 the western rebellion 1549 otherwise known as the prayer book rebellion this was undoubtedly a religiously motivated revolt. The changes made by the prayer book got a mixed reaction. The title page of the original edition is pictured at right. He was quite incapable of appreciating the complexities that faced him and delicacy with which he would have to tread in pursuit of his aims. This book appears in david griffiths bibliography of the book of common prayer as 191010, and appears to take as its text an edition published in 1549 probably griffiths 1549 1 by edward whitchurche or whytchurche of london, or from a 19th century reprint thereof. Buckinghamshire and oxfordshire rising of 1549 wikipedia. Prayer book rebellion wikipedia republished wiki 2.
The conservative bishop gardiner endorsed the prayer book while in prison, and historian eamon duffy notes that many lay people treated the prayer book as an english missal. This thesis contends that significant catholic sympathies persisted throughout the reigns of henry viii and his son, edward as evidenced by the lincolnshire rebellion, the pilgrimage of grace and the prayer book rebellion. The prayer book rebellion or western rebellion occurred in the southwest of england in 1549 in the 1540s the government of edward vi introduced a range of measures as part of the reformation to remove certain practices from the church which were perceived as being too catholic. An account of the 1549 prayer book rebellion in devon and cornwall part 1. Jan 17, 2019 on whit monday 1549, it states, sampford courtenay people killed a local farmer, william hellyons, and then joined the cornish in the prayer book rebellion. A cornish army was formed to try to stop the changes.
1441 1082 1118 526 997 1548 1138 703 671 1078 804 1381 1107 1524 1366 693 1105 866 1252 961 1059 783 1633 1382 984 1546 787