THE EVE OF THE REFORMATION FRANCIS AIDAN GASQUET, D.D., O.S.B. THE EVE OF THE REFORMATION STUDIES IN THE RELIGIOUS LIFE AND THOUGHT OF THE ENGLISH PEOPLE IN THE PERIOD PRECEDING THE REJECTION OF THE ROMAN JURISDICTION BY HENRY VIII BY FRANCIS AIDAN GASQUET, D.D., O.S.B. AUTHOR OF “HENRY VIII. AND THE ENGLISH MONASTERIES,” ETC. LONDON JOHN C. NIMMO 14 KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND MDCCCC Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO. At the Ballantyne Press. CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. INTRODUCTION 1 II. THE REVIVAL OF LETTERS IN ENGLAND 14 III. THE TWO JURISDICTIONS 51 IV. ENGLAND AND THE POPE 78 V. CLERGY AND LAITY 114 VI. ERASMUS 155 VII. THE LUTHERAN INVASION 208 VIII. THE PRINTED ENGLISH BIBLE 236 IX. TEACHING AND PREACHING 278 X. PARISH LIFE IN CATHOLIC ENGLAND 323 XI. PRE-REFORMATION GUILD LIFE 351 XII. MEDIÆVAL WILLS, CHANTRIES, AND OBITS 387 XIII. PILGRIMAGES AND RELICS 415 THE EVE OF THE REFORMATION CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION