In practice the English ecclesiastical authorities were entirely at Henry's bidding. In theory and in sentiment the Church of England was still a branch of the Catholic Church, one in doctrine and in discipline with the Continental Churches. Practically it was now, in a far more unqualified sense than before, a national Church, ready to drift from its moorings and to accept new counsels whenever the tide of opinion should break strongly upon it. CHAPTER XXVI THE ROYAL SUPREMACY. 1534-1547 LEADING DATES Reign of Henry VIII., 1509-1547 The Acts of Succession and Supremacy 1534 Execution of Fisher and More 1535 Dissolution of the smaller monasteries and the Pilgrimage of Grace 1536 Destruction of relics and images 1538 The Six Articles and the Act granting to the king the greater monasteries 1539 Fall of Cromwell 1540 Henry VIII. king of Ireland 1541 Solway Moss 1542 Death of Henry VIII. 1547 1. =The Act of Succession. 1534.=--In September =1533= Anne had given birth to a daughter, who was afterwards Queen Elizabeth. In =1534= Parliament passed an Act of Succession. Not only did it declare Anne's marriage to be lawful and Catharine's unlawful, and consequently Elizabeth and not Mary to be heir to the crown, but it required all subjects to take an oath acknowledging their approval of the contents of the Act. More and Fisher professed themselves ready to swear to any succession which might be authorised by Act of Parliament; but they would not swear to the illegality of Catharine's marriage. It was on this point that Henry was most sensitive, as he knew public opinion to be against him, and he threw both More and Fisher into the Tower. In the year before the language held in the pulpit on the subject of Henry's marriage with Anne in his wife's lifetime had been so strong that Cranmer had forbidden all preaching on the subject of the king's laws or the succession to the throne. Of the clergy, the friars were still the most resolute. Henry now sent commissioners to visit the friaries, and those in which the oath was refused were summarily suppressed.