The disaffection burst out in the rebellion known as the pilgrimage of grace (1536). Crowds who had collected in Lincolnshire with hardly a definite aim, dispersed on the promise of redress in a parliament to be held at York. Redress, however, came not, and the crowds again gathered, this time under more skillful leaders, and with more definite purposes. The king's forces sent against them were insufficient. The whole of the north of England was in the hands of the rebels. Their grievances were a strange medley. Complaints of the law regarding the tenure of land were mixed with com plaints that low-born men (such as Cromwell) advised the king, that the monasteries were being dissolved, and that the old faith was being altered. Henry, through certain commissioners, again negotiated with the insurgents, and terms were agreed on, the most important of which was a general amnesty, the benefit of which, however, Aske and the other leaders did not receive. The suppression of this rebellion was followed by the dissolution (in 1537) of the larger monasteries (31 Hen. VIII. c. 13).
In the midst of these civil commotmns, two events took place, both bearing on the reformation, but of a very different import. An order in council (1537) appointed the English translation of the Bible to be placed in every church, that all might read it. But as if to correct the idea that every one was thus to have the right of judging for himself in religious questions, an act of uniformity was passed. Henry having now broken with many old professions, reduced his new professions to a creed, to be enforced , by penalties, if more rational means should fail to commend it to the nation. Certain articles of religion were drawn up, and after some modifications, were framed into those known as the "bloody six articles." The statute (31 Ben. VIII. c. 14) containing these articles—named, with much simplicity, "An act for abolishing diversity of opinions"—is very brief but very formidable. The doctrines were substantially those of the Roman Catholic church. The articles made no pretensions to form a complete or systematic creed; they embodied the points as to which most conflict of opinion pre vailed; and formidable, indeed, were the sanctions enforcing them. Whoever denied the first article (that embodying the doctrine of transubstantiation) was to be declared a heretic, and burned without opportunity of abjuration; w'hoso spoke against the other fire articles should, for the first offense, forfeit his property; and whosoever refused to abjure his first offense, or committed .a second, was to die like a felon. To this act Cromwell himself fell a victim. He had been silent in face of the combination which carried it; but having secretly used all his influence as a member of government to thwart its execution, by staying proceedings and giving pardons, lie lost Henry's con fidence, and was put to death.
The last years of the reign of Henry were disturbed with small wars with Scotland and France, inimical to progress. He died on Jan. 28, 1547, unhonored, unmourned;
and yet few rejoiced, for his policy had left England so divided at borne, so friendless abroad, that no man could look with confidence to the future.
The character bf Henry 4ias of late been discussed at greater length than the subject deserved. The mere recital of the occurrences of his private life is sufficient to justify most of the infamy which tradition has attached to his name. The divorce of Cath arine and the marriage of Anne Boleyn have already been told. Within a short time after the birth of the princess (afterwards queen) Elizabeth, Henry's affection for Anne ceased. He suspected her—not, it must be admitted, without ground—of adultery, and after a hurried trial, had her condemned and executed (1536). On the day after the execution, he married Jane Seymour, against whom nothing more is known than that she was the king's partner in this revolting proceeding. Jane Seymour died (1537) in giving birth to Edward VI. The story of Anne of Cleves follows, The marriage, a political one, arranged by Cromwell to connect Henry with the German Protestants, was unfortunate from the beginning. Henry was deceived as to her personal attractions, and (1540) obtained a divorce to free himself. His fifth wife, Catharine Howard, was (1541) within a few months divorced and executed for an adultery well enough estab lished. His sixth wife, Catharine Parr, survived Trim, and so the catalogue ends. Pass ing from the domestic circle to that of his immediate associates, Henry is found as incapable of friendship as he was either of feeling or of evoking love. He had three great ministers—Wolsey, More, and Cromwell—all men of high talent and worth, and all on terms of the closest intimacy with the king, yet all in the hour of need thrown aside. Disease and a broken spirit saved Wolsey front a worse fate; but it is little wonder that every Catholic should detest the memory of him who sent More to the scaffold for adhering to opinions which he himself had held shortly before, or that Protestants should execrate the memory of the man who violated justice and consist picy to put to death the first great Protestant minister. If such were the mercies he vouchsafed to those who were with him, it may easily be imagined how he dealt with those who were against him. Claims of political necessity cannot excuse the cruelty with which he persecuted every relative of cardinal Pole, from the aged countess of Salisbury to lesser victims. It may, however, be safely admitted, that tradition has exaggerated Henry's cruelties—that there is no truth, for example, in the tale which gives 73,000 as the number of executions in his reign; and it may be further admitted that he (lid not wantonly commit murders—that he had always before him in his crimes some object, either of misconceived justice, or of policy; but after allowing for every thing,.enough remains to explain the universal detestation in which Protestant and Catholic have combined to hold his name.