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time of that great cardinal's fall； attracted the special notice of
the King； who made him royal secretary in the House of Commons。 He
made his fortune by advising Henry to declare himself Head of the
English Church； when he was entangled in the difficulties growing
out of the divorce of Catharine。 This advice was given with the
patriotic view of making the royal authority superior to that of
the Pope in Church patronage； and of making England independent of
Rome。
The great scandal of the times was the immoral lives of the clergy；
especially of the monks； and the immunities they enjoyed。 They
were a hindrance to the royal authority； and weakened the resources
of the country by the excessive drain of gold and silver sent to
Rome to replenish the papal treasury。 Cromwell would make the
clergy dependent on the King and not on the Pope for their
investitures and promotions； and he abominated the idle and
vagabond lives of the monks； who had degenerated in England；
perhaps more than in any other country in Europe； in consequence of
the great wealth of their monasteries。 He was able to render his
master and the kingdom a great service； from the powers lavished
upon him。 He presided at convocations as the King's vicegerent；
controlled the House of Commons； and was inquisitor…general of the
monasteries； he was foreign and home secretary； vicar…general and
president of the star…chamber or privy…council。 The proud
Nevilles； the powerful Percies； and the noble Courtenays all bowed
before this plebeian son of a mechanic； who had arisen by force of
genius and lucky accidents；too wise to build a palace like
Hampton Court； but not ecclesiastical enough in his sympathies to
found a college like Christ's Church as Wolsey did。 He was a man
simple in his tastes； and hard…working like Colbert；the great
finance minister of France under Louis XIV。； whom he resembled in
his habits and policy。
His great task； as well as his great public service； was the
visitation and suppression of monasteries。 He perceived that they
had fulfilled their mission； that they were no longer needed； that
they had become corrupt； and too corrupt to be reformed； that they
were no longer abodes of piety； or beehives of industry； or
nurseries of art； or retreats of learning； that their wealth was
squandered； that they upheld the arm of a foreign power； that they
shielded offenders against the laws； that they encouraged vagrancy
and extortion； that； in short； they were dangerous to the realm。
The monks and friars opposed the new learning now extending from
Italy to France； to Germany； and to England。 Colet came back from
Italy； not to teach Platonic mysticism； but to unlock the
Scriptures in the original；the centre of a group of scholars at
Oxford； of whom Erasmus and Thomas More stood in the foremost rank。
Before the close of the fifteenth century； it is said that ten
thousand editions of various books had been printed in different
parts of Europe。 All the Latin authors； and some of the Greek；
were accessible to students。 Tunstall and Latimer were sent to
Padua to complete their studies。 Fox； bishop of Winchester；
established a Greek professorship at Oxford。 It was an age of
enthusiasm for reviving literature；which； however； received in
Germany； through the influence chiefly of Luther； a different
direction from what it received in Italy； and which extended from
Germany to England。 But to this awakened spirit the monks
presented obstacles and discouragements。 They had no sympathy with
progress； they belonged to the Dark Ages； they were hostile to the
circulation of the Scriptures； they were pedlers of indulgences and
relics； impostors； frauds； vagabonds； gluttons； worldly； sensual；
and avaricious。
So notoriously corrupt had monasteries become that repeated
attempts had been made to reform them； but without success。 As
early as 1489； Innocent VII。 had issued a commission for a general
investigation。 The monks were accused of dilapidating public
property； of frequenting infamous places； of stealing jewels from
consecrated shrines。 In 1511； Archbishop Warham instituted another
visitation。 In 1523 Cardinal Wolsey himself undertook the task of
reform。 At last the Parliament； in 1535； appointed Cromwell vicar
or visitor…general； issued a commission； and intrusted it to
lawyers； not priests； who found that the worst had not been told；
and reported that two thirds of the monks of England were living in
concubinage； that their lands were wasted and mortgaged； and their
houses falling into ruins。 They found the Abbot of Fountains
surrounded with more women than Mohammed allowed his followers； and
the nuns of Litchfield scandalously immoral。
On this report； the Lords and Commonsdeliberately； not rashly
decreed the suppression of all monasteries the income of which was
less than two hundred pounds a year； and the sequestration of their
lands to the King。 About two hundred of the lesser convents were
thus suppressed； and the monks turned adrift； yet not entirely
without support。 This spoliation may have been a violation of the
rights of property； but the monks had betrayed their trusts。 The
next Parliament completed the work。 In 1539 all the religious
houses were suppressed； both great and small。 Such venerable and
princely retreats as St。 Albans； Glastonbury； Reading； Bury St。
Edmunds； and Westminster； which had flourished one thousand years；
founded long before the Conquest；shared the common ruin。 These
probably would have been spared； had not the first suppression
filled the country with rebels。 The great insurrection in
Lincolnshire which shook the foundation of the throne； the
intrigues of Cardinal Pole； the Cornish conspiracy in which the
great house of Neville was implicated； and various other
agitations； were all fomented by the angry monks。
Rapacity was not the leading motive of Henry or his minister； but
the public welfare。 The measure of suppression and sequestration
was violent； but called for。 Cromwell put forth no such
sophistical pleas as those revolutionists who robbed the French
clergy；that their property belonged to the nation。 In France the
clergy were despoiled； not because they were infamous； but because
they were rich。 In England the monks probably suffered injustice
from the severity of their punishment； but no one now doubts that
punishment was deserved。 Nor did Henry retain all the spoils
himself： he gave away the abbey lands with a prodigality equal to
his rapacity。 He gave them to those who upheld his throne； as a
reward for service or loyalty。 They were given to a new class of
statesmen； who led the popular party；like the Fitzwilliams； the
Russells； the Dudleys； and the Seymours；and thus became the
foundation of their great estates。 They were also distributed to
many merchants and manufacturers who had been loyal to the
government。 From one…third to two…thirds of the landed property of
the kingdom；as variously estimated；thus changed hands。 It was
an enormous confiscation；nearly as great as that made by William
the Conqueror in favor of his army of invaders。 It must have
produced an immense impression on the mind of Europe。 It was
almost as great a calamity to the Catholic Church of England as the
emancipation of slaves was to their Southern masters in our late
war。 Such a spoliation of the Church had not before taken place in
any country of Europe。 How great an evil the monastic system must
have been regarded by Parliament to warrant such an act！ Had it
not been popular； there would have been discontents amounting to a
general hostility to the throne。
It must also be borne in mind that this dissolution of the
monasteries； this attack on the monastic system； was not a
religious movement fanned by reformers； but an act of Parliament；
at the instance of a royal minister。 It was not done under the
direction of a Protestant king；for Henry was never a Protestant；
but as a public measure in behalf of morality and for reasons of
State。 It is true that Henry had； by his marriage with Anne Boleyn
and the divorce of his virtuous queen； defied the Pope and
separated England from Rome； so far as appointments to
ecclesiastical benefices are concerned。 But in offending the Pope
he also equally offended Charles V。 The results of his separation
from Rome； during his life； were purely political。 The King did
not give up the Mass or the Roman communion or Roman dogmas of
faith； he only prepared the way for reform in the next reign。 He
only intensified the hatred between the old conservative party and
the party of reform and progress。
How far Cromwell himself was a Protestant it is difficult to tell。
Doubtless he sympathized with the new religious spirit of the age；
but he did not openly avow the faith of Luther。 He was the able
and unscrupulous minister of an absolute monarch； bent on sweeping