4.28 Europe: a.d. 1401 to 1500  (Page 13/16)

During this 15th century England experienced a so-called "agrarian revolution", which was a transition from grain to sheep raising. This, in itself, caused a social and economic catastrophe, with the small farmer eliminated, the flatlands depopulated and the food supply decreased so that heavy imports were necessary. The country did experience a mild renaissance in the last quarter of the century, however, as she began to build her own merchant ships and to export coal from Northumberland. By 1500 she was ruling the North Sea trade. Giovanni Cabato, sailing under an English charter and the Anglicized name, John Cabot, discovered Newfoundland and explored the American coastline from Labrador to Delaware, just a few years after Columbus' initial trip to the new world.

The people of England were a vigorous stock - coarse, profane and perhaps a touch cruel. Probably only 40% could read. As if the Black Death were not enough, in 1485 a new disease, characterized by severe sweating, appeared in England and was called sudor anglicus or the "sweating sickness". Death could occur within days, particularly in strong men. Paradoxically old women and children were spared. After appearing at intervals into the next century in England and in some outbreaks in northern Europe a little later, the disease, whatever it was, vanished forever. (Ref. 122 , 50 , 125 )

Two men who were to play most important parts in the history of England were born near the end of this century. Thomas Wolsey was the son of an Ipswich butcher, who had been in some trouble with the law. Thomas enrolled in Oxford University at the age of II (instead of the usual 14 years) and 40 years later was to become the most powerful man in western Europe. Thomas More's father was a London barrister and his grandfather had been a butler. He too attended Oxford, beginning at the then usual age of 14. He was a good student, excelling in Latin and Greek and eventually ended up in the study of law. We shall hear much more of both these men in the next century. (Ref. 291 )

In the last chapter we mentioned the early protestations against the organized church by John Wycliffe. As his followers waned, the church came back into power. Some Lollards persisted, however, and finally presented a statement of principles to Parliament opposing clerical celibacy, transubstantiation, image worship, necessity of confession to priests, ceremonies of exorcism, worship of saints, etc. Some of these men were executed for heresy, probably under the statue "de Heretico Comburendo" which had been passed at the beginning of the century. In this period under discussion, the king's government was carried on chiefly by priests. The Lord Chancellor was almost always a priest and about half the Privy Council (similar to a modern cabinet) were bishops. This link between the Church and the government service was one of the reasons for the corruption in the Church that was apparent by the end of this century. Nearly every priest was corrupt and this was generally accepted as normal. The priesthood appealed to practical men rather than to spiritual individuals, who usually preferred the monasteries. The word "religious" was used exclusively to refer to monks and nuns. The priests were called the "secular clergy", but it was they who alone could grant licences, dispensations, absolution after confession and perform the miracle of transforming bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass. By this 15th century priests no longer took a vow of celibacy, although most novice monks and nuns did. (Ref. 291 )