Social Discontent: Kett's Rebellion

It is commonly said that these innovations roused the people of England to revolt in 1548 and 1549. To a certain extent this is true, particularly in Devon and Cornwall. Worshippers familiar with the Latin forms and the time-honored practices resented the destruction of images and the introduction of the English prayer book.

But the real reasons for the rebellions lay deeper than this, and were of an economic and not a religious character. Since the accession of Henry VII, the enclosure movement, which we have already noticed, had taken on a new form. While the old manorial system was breaking down and trade was growing, thousands of acres were passing out of the hands of the old nobility into the hands of newer men, merchants and members of the new nobility, who were getting profit out of them, without regard to the condition of the people upon them. The old manorial lords were giving place to a class of landlords, who racked the tenantry, evicted those who failed to pay their rents, enlarged their estates by buying up new lands, and enclosed the commons and arable fields without any consideration for those who tilled the soil for a living. In consequence rents rose, prices trebled, and misery increased.

Wolsey and Sir Thomas More had seen the evils wrought by the new landlords and had sought to remedy them. In 1517 they had sent out a famous commission to inquire into the enclosing of lands and to seek means for its prevention. But after Wolsey's death Henry VIII had taken no interest in the matter, and by his distribution .of the monastic lands had only made the trouble worse. Somerset was fully alive to the evils, and was urged to act, not only by an insurrection in Hertfordshire in 1547, but by the persuasions of a small party of reformers led by Bishop Latimer and John Hales. In 1548, following the example set by Wolsey, he sent out a commission to investigate the question of enclosures and the possible restoration of agriculture. For the same purpose he endeavored to carry acts through parliament; but he was opposed by the -wealthy landowners, and nearly every measure failed because the leaders of that body were themselves enclosers and thwarted Somerset's plans.

After the failure of parliament to act, the popular discontent, which had been long smouldering, became active. Starting in Somersetshire, the rebellion spread through the southern and western counties. Hedges and palings were torn down, ditches filled up, and parks and commons laid open. Kett, a blacksmith of Norfolk, with many followers, seized Norwich and established a commonwealth." But the insurrection was put down with great severity, and Kett was hanged. The gentry were still too strong for the commoners.

The Scottish Campaign

The opposition to Somerset in the council, due to his defence of the popular cause, was increased by the results of his dealings with France and Scotland. The peace made with France in 1546 not only did not include Scotland, but proved of little binding force upon France after the death of Francis I and the accession of Henry II, in March, 1547. The latter renewed the attempt to make Scotland a French province, and though nominally at peace with England, aided the Scots in their struggle with the English government. Henry II desired Scotland for the consolidation and enlargement of his kingdom ; the Catholic party, of which the Guises were the leaders, wanted the land in order to save it for the old faith, and to prevent it from going over to Protestantism. Mary of Guise had married James V of Scotland, and was working in Edinburgh to aid the French cause. During 1547 the influence of the French party increased, and the plan of marrying Princess Mary of Scotland to a French prince was again discussed. This scheme Somerset sought to prevent, and, in defence of the marriage agreement of 1543, according to which Princess Mary was to marry Edward VI, began an invasion of Scotland in September, 1547. A battle was fought at Pinkie, on the river Esk, in which the English were victorious. Further successes during the remaining months of the year encouraged Somerset to hope that Scotland might be won both for Protestantism and for England.

Somerset's plan did not succeed. France, in June, 1548, sent a force of men, ships, and a supply of gold; and a month later Mary of Scots set sail for France, her betrothal to the Dauphin (afterward Francis II) taking place in October. Somerset, involved in insurrections and financial difficulties at home, was unable to continue the campaign, and Scotland having fallen into the hands of the Catholics was, for the time being, lost to England. At the very time when Kett was making most trouble in Norfolk, France declared war, and began an attack on Boulogne. England, surrounded by a circle of Catholic and hostile states, was menaced at the same time by France, Ireland, and Scotland.