EXTRACTS from LETTERS TO CROMWELL.


Thomas Cromwell was Henry VIII's Chief Minister and
Vicar General.

He conceived and organised the Dissolution of the
Monasteries.

He appointed commissioners and agents who visited,
reported on and suppressed the religious houses.


'By the end of March 1540 the abolition of English
monasticism, devised and ruthlessly effected by Thomas
Cromwell, was complete; not a single abbey, priory,
nunnery or friary remained in which the daily round of
the holy offices could be recited by those dedicated
to the religious life.'

THOMAS PARRY TO CROMWELL.

MARCH 1536.

FROM THE CATHEDRAL PRIORY OF WINCHESTER.

Upon examination of the monks here, I find that, without
permission, they have allowed various precious stones,
emeralds and others of great value, to be taken out
of here and sold by one Bestyan, a jeweller, who I
hear say is in London at the moment.

I think that he should be brought before you to
explain his actions and return the jewels.

RESISTANCE AT HEXHAM PRIORY.

When the commissioners for the dissolution of the
monasteries arrived at hexham in Northumberland,
they were in for a shock !

'Being in their journey to Delston, 3 miles from
the monastery, they were credibly informed that the
said religious persons had prepared themselves with 
guns and artillery meet for war, to defend and keep
the monastery with force.

Lionel Gray and Robert Collingwood agreed to approach
the monastery to find out the truth of this report. They 
did enter into the said town of Hexham and did see many
persons assembled with bills, halberds and other
defenceable weapons, in the street. As they passed by the
town bell was rung, followed by the monastery bell, and
these well armed people entered the monastery.

When Lionel and Robert got to the monastery they found the
gates and doors fast shut. A well armed monk, called
Ovingham, was standing on the walls with others on the
leads and steeple.

Ovingham said, 'We be 20 monks in this monastery and we
shall die, before you shall have this place.'



THE COMMISSIONERS IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE TO SIR RICHARD RICH


The commissioners declared that the Cistercian nunnery
of Catesby (written May 1356) should not be closed,
because 'we found the house in very perfect order, the
prioress a sure, wise, discreet and very religious woman,
with 9 nuns under her obedience, who are also religious
and devout.'




SIR WILLIAM BASSETT TO CROMWELL


Bassett explained that he had 'removed the images of
Saint Anne of Buxton and Saint Modwen of
Burton-on-Trent to my house. I defaced the tabernacles
and places where they stood so that people will not 
worship them. I took away crutches, shirts
and sheets, with wax offered, to stop people visiting
the place and making donations. I have also locked
and sealed up the baths and wells at Buxton, so that
none shall enter to wash themselves.'


THE COMMISSIONERS AT BURY SAINT EDMUNDS TO CROMWELL.

Please it your good lordship to be advertised, that we
have been at saint Edmunds Bury, where we found a rich
shrine which was very difficult to deface. We have
taken from the monastery there in gold and silver 5000
marks and above, and also a rich cross with emeralds, and
also many stones of different value.'


GEOFFREY CHAMBER TO CROMWELL.


My good lord, upon defacing the monastery at Boxley, and
plucking down the images of the same, I found in the
image of the Rood (which was called the Rood of Grace and
which had been venerated as holy by the people) certain
engines and old wire, with old rotten sticks in the back of the
same, that did cause the eyes of the same to move and
stare in the head like a living thing, and it also
moved the lips as thought they were speaking.'


The letters also contain details of :

- an abbot of Glastonbury who is executed on the Tor
  for robbing the church.

- a monastery that housed 32 men and their families who 
  were claiming sanctuary.
   
- the destruction of relics and statues.

- Lewes Priory, given to Cromwell and 'taken down' by him.

- a monastery in Canterbury being turned into a cloth
  factory. 

- pensions granted to monks.

- lead being stripped of the roofs and the walls left
  standing to 'act as a quarry'.
                
