Henry VIII by Helen Simpson

Cromwell was not the man to succeed to the Great Seal. Henry, who found him a useful fellow enough, would not prefer him to that office which the humanity of More had graced and the strength of Wolsey dignified. He allowed him, as Lord Privy Seal, just so much power as might serve for the thankless and sometimes dangerous task of putting out of mind those superstitions which might hold danger in their example. St. Thomas Becket was cited by proclamation to appear before the King to answer charges of rebellion and treason; he not appearing, counsel pleaded for him, without any avail; the saint was stripped of his title, became plain Bishop Becket, and the court made order that 'his pietures and images throughout the whole realm should be put down and avoided out of all churches, chapels, and other places, and that from henceforth the days used to be festival in his name should not be observed, nor the service, office, antiphons and prayers in his name read, but razed and put out of all books.' Why this fury against a saint whose shrine had already been plundered, and who stood first of all martyrs in the people's affection? 'Because he died like a traitor and a rebel to his Prince.' His bones accordingly were burnt, 'so that there shall no more mention be made of him never.'

Cromwell was in charge of this business, and pursued it with all possible energy; 'for indeed he was a man that in all his doings seemed not to favour any kind of Popery nor could not abide the snuffing pride of prelates.' He was on sure ground; the King's views concerning images and the riches of shrines were unlikely to change. But those pious Lutherans who came into England to behold with edification the ending of all Romish ceremony must have been astonished at the promulgation of the Six Articles, in which, together with the Supremacy of the King, belief was needful for salvation in this world and the next. The Defender of Faith had not forgotten nor lessened his interest in the sacraments, and here they were set forth, with no change beyond that implied in the use of English rather than Latin by the priest: the bread and wine were indeed Christ's body and blood; priests might not marry, nuns must keep their vows of chastity, private masses were necessary and agreeable to the law of God, confession was expedient to be retained. There was much burning of heretics, Anabaptists, conspirators, and papists indifferently; treason and heresy being now one thing. A very solemn Requiem was sung for the soul of the Emperor's dead wife, with knells, and censing of the pall by bishops in _pontificalibus_; nothing lacked in all this funeral splendour that the most devout Catholic of ten years before might miss; even, the officiating clergy made use of Latin, and the King's own deputy, Audley the Chancellor, joined in the responses of _Libera me Domine_.