had been pronounced, every one had free liberty to
think and speak as he pleased. So great, indeed,
was the anxiety to disprove Catherine’s assertion
that England was a
locus suspectus, and therefore
that the cause could not be equitably tried there,
that even in the distribution of patronage there was
an ostentatious display of impartiality. Not
only had Sir Thomas More been made chancellor, although
emphatically on Catherine’s side; but Cuthbert
Tunstal, who had been her counsel, was promoted to
the see of Durham. The Nun of Kent, if her word
was to be believed, had been offered an abbey,[364]
and that Henry permitted language to pass unnoticed
of the most uncontrolled violence, appears from a
multitude of informations which were forwarded to the
government from all parts of the country. But
while imposing no restraint on the expression of opinion,
the council were careful to keep themselves well informed
of the opinions which were expressed, and an instrument
was ready made to their hands, which placed them in
easy possession of what they desired. Among the
many abominable practices which had been introduced
by the ecclesiastical courts, not the least hateful
was the system of espionage with which they had saturated
English society; encouraging servants to be spies
on their masters, children on their parents, neighbours
on their neighbours, inviting every one who heard language
spoken anywhere of doubtful allegiance to the church,
to report the words to the nearest official, as an
occasion of instant process. It is not without
a feeling of satisfaction, that we find this detestable
invention recoiling upon the heads of its authors.
Those who had so long suffered under it, found an
opportunity in the turning tide, of revenging themselves
on their oppressors; and the country was covered with
a ready-made army of spies, who, with ears ever open,
were on the watch for impatient or disaffected language
in their clerical superiors, and furnished steady
reports of such language to Cromwell.[365]
Specimens of these informations will throw curious
light on the feelings of a portion at least of the
people. The English licence of speech, if not
recognised to the same extent as it is at present,
was certainly as fully practised. On the return
of the Abbot of Whitby from the convocation at York
in the summer of 1532, when the premunire money was
voted, the following conversation was reported as
having been overheard in the abbey.
The prior of the convent asked the abbot what the
news were. “What news,” said the
abbot, “evil news. The king is ruled by
a common —— Anne Boleyn, who has
made all the spiritualty to be beggared, and the temporalty
also. Further he told the prior of a sermon that
he had heard in York, in which it was said, when a
great wind rose in the west we should hear news.
And he asked what that was; and he said a great man
told him at York, and if he knew as much as three
in England he would tell what the news were. And
he said who were they? and he said the Duke of Norfolk,
the Earl of Wiltshire, and the common ——
Anne Boleyn."[366]