#reginald pole

as you probably have realized- i am currently reading mary tudor by judith m richards. i'm in the latest chapters and mary's (also reginald pole's) beef with the pope is discussed. i've known that paul iv was glad with their deaths and rest but there had been apparently something i missed!

Thomas Cromwell writing to Reginald Pole:

I [Reginald Pole] will tell you of the grievous trouble and remorse which [...] the most Serene Queen Katharine [of Aragon], had to endure, as frequently alluded to by herself, always thinking of this, namely, that a great part of her troubles emanated from God, not through any fault of her own, but for the salvation of her soul; and that the Divine justice thus punished the sin of her father King Ferdinand, for when he commenced negotiating her marriage with Prince Arthur, the eldest son of the King of England [Henry VII], some disturbances took place at the time, owing to the favour and goodwill borne by the people to my mother's brother [Edward] the Earl of Warwick, [...] who being the son of [George] the Duke of Clarence, brother of King Edward [IV], became, by the death of that King's sons, next heir to the English crown. King Ferdinand [...] made a difficulty about it, saying he would not give her to one who was not secure in his own kingdom; and thus, by inciting the King to do what he already desired spontaneously, he was the cause of the death of that innocent Earl, who had no more blame in those commotions, nor could anything else be laid to his charge, save the danger which the King in Council alleged had already befallen him in part, through the existence of the said Earl; and in addition to this having heard the opinion of the King of Spain, he did that deed, of winch [...] he so greatly repented on his death-bed. But the Divine justice did not permit so iniquitous an act of injustice to remain unpunished, for at the end of six months Prince Arthur died, nor could he any longer enjoy the wife who had been given him by such bad counsel [... ] To these causes that good Princess said that she attributed in great part the annoyances and distresses endured by her, confessing that she was therefore very much bound to recompense and requite us [the family of the Earl of Warwick] for the detriment we had received on her account (although she was not in the least to blame for it), and to show us every kindness, having found by experience that in all her sorrows and afflictions, from no family of the realm had she ever received greater consolation than from ours, although for her sake we had received so many injuries.

The earlier policies of Mary’s reign were both realistic and moderate, based on reform and a degree of reconciliation. It was not in Mary’s nature to demand revenge. Even her chief instrument, Reginald Pole, was very much within the reforming tradition of the Catholic Church. In 1536, for example, he had played an important part in working on Consilium delectorum Cardinalium de emendenda ecclesia. This had set in motion the Catholic Reformation and was ample evidence of his credentials as a reformer. On his return to England, he made this a priority, summoning a synod to remove abuses within the church and to revive its preaching and educational functions. Even the replacement of Protestant bishops by Catholics had a positive side: the emphasis was very much on the scholarly reputation and pastoral experience of the new incumbents. Mary was trying also to avoid the excessive involvement in politics which had marked the higher clergy during the reign of Henry VIII. Although they were government appointees, they were not seen merely as vehicles for the enforcement of government policy. Pole did a great deal to enhance the quality of the clergy and the care they provided. In 1555, for example, the Twelve Decrees drawn up by the synod emphasised the need for residence. He also revived education and learning among the clergy, checking on these through visitations. Recognition of his achievement came in 1556 with his election to the posts of chancellor at Cambridge and Oxford Uni-versities. There was also a considerable amount of assistance for the Catholic priesthood in carrying out its duties. Several major works were published by John Angel, Richard Smith and, above all, Bishop Bonner, whose Book of Homilies (1555) and A Prof i table and Necessary Doctrine became prescribed reading. Such an approach encountered considerable success. Legislation authorising the changes was accomplished with remarkable ease, raising questions about the traditional view that England had instinctively become a Protestant country. There was also little popular resistance, since Mary’s early policy was actually in keeping with a large part of public opinion which had, in any case, never been particularly enthusiastic about the spread of Protestantism during the previous reign. The transition from Protestant to Catholic liturgy and ritual was also relatively harmonious.