The king having entirely renounced the authority of the church of Rome, and assumed the title of Head of the Church of England, caused a very strict inquiry to be instituted into the state of all monastic institutions. This inquiry resulted in their suppression, more for the gratification of the monarch’s avarice than from his desire to benefit his subjects; and most of the monks in Norwich and Norfolk, as well as in other parts of England, were sent adrift with small pensions. The king, indeed—in revenge for being excommunicated by the pope—suppressed 1148 monasteries in England, whose revenues amounted to £183,707 yearly. He either seized the property for himself or divided it amongst his favourites, and the Duke of Norfolk obtained a great part of it in Norwich. The dissolution of those ancient institutions caused a great deal of poverty; the priests were driven out homeless over the land, and the poor had no houses of refuge and no means of relief.
In 1538, Thomas Cromwell, lord privy seal, the king’s vicegerent, sent injunctions to all bishops and curates, charging them to take care that an English bible of the largest size be placed open in each parish church, for every one to have recourse to. The open bible was generally read in this city and elsewhere, and this, no doubt, promoted the reformation of religion. In spite of the tyranny of kings, the domination of priests, and the superstition of the people, the Reformation still advanced, and the national mind was emancipated by degrees from ancient thraldom.
In 1545, one Rogers, of Norfolk, was condemned and suffered martyrdom, for opposing the six articles of an act passed for abolishing diversity of opinions in religion. This act inflicted the penalty of death upon those—1st, who by word or writing denied transubstantiation; 2nd, who maintained that communion in both kinds was necessary; 3rd, or asserted that it was lawful for priests to marry; 4th, or that vows of chastity might be broken; 5th, or that private masses are profitable; 6th, or that auricular confession is not necessary to salvation.
The king died on the 28th January, 1546; and his exequies were celebrated here with great pomp, as appears from the chamberlain’s account; though what good he ever did for the city it would be hard to say. He was a king who spared no man in his anger and no woman in his lust. In his reign, 72,000 persons were hung for political offences or for the crime of poverty as a warning to others. The “Merry England” of those days was in fact a terrible country to live in. Men were beaten, scourged, branded with hot irons, and killed without mercy or limit.
Edward VI. was proclaimed king on January 28th, 1546; and on February 25th, his coronation was celebrated with much pomp in Norwich, where great rejoicings took place. Six large guns were fired on Tombland; the populace were treated with plenty of beer; and bonfires were lighted in several of the streets. There was a grand procession with a pageant, in which the king was represented by an effigy of king Solomon.
On March 8th, 1546, Edward VI., and the executors of his deceased father, granted to the mayor, sheriffs, citizens, and commonalty, the hospital of St. Giles’ in this city, now called the Old Men’s hospital, with all the revenues belonging thereto for the maintenance of poor people dwelling therein, all which the late king had promised to give them at the request of the citizens, a short time before his death.
Norwich has always been noted for its civic feasts and good cheer; and Bale, writing at this time (1549), in his “Continuation of Leland’s Antiquities,” says:—
“Oh, cytie of England, whose glory standeth more in belly chere than in the searche of wisdome godlye, how cometh it that neither you nor yet your ydell masmongers have regarded this most worthy commodytie of your countrye? I mean the conservacyon of your antiquyties, and of the worthy labours of your learned men. I thynke the renowne of such a notable act would have much longer endured than of all your belly banquettes and table triumphes, either yet of your newly purchased hawles, to keep St. George’s feast in.”
And again he says:—
“I have been also at Norwyche, our second cytie of name, and there all the library monuments are turned to the use of their grossers, candelmakers, sope sellers, &c.”