Page:Outlines of European History.djvu/719

 Protestant Revolt in Switzerland and England 6 1 3 humbly : " I profess that it is not out of obstinate malice or a mind of rebellion that I do disobey the king, but only for the fear of God, that I offend not the Supreme Majesty ; because our Holy Mother, the Church, hath decreed and appointed otherwise than the king and Parliament hath ordained." Henry wanted money ; some of the English abbeys were Dissolution rich, and the monks were quite unable to defend themselves Hshmonaf- against the charges which were brought against them. The ^^"^^ king sent commissioners about to inquire into the state of the monasteries. A large number of scandalous tales were easily collected, some of which were undoubtedly true. The monks were doubtless often indolent and sometimes wicked. Never- theless they were kind landlords, hospitable to the stranger, and good to the poor. The plundering of the smaller monas- teries, with which the king began, led to a revolt, due to a rumor that the king would next proceed to despoil the parish churches as well. This gave Henry an excuse for attacking the larger monas- teries. The abbots and priors who had taiken part in the revolt were hanged and their monasteries confiscated. Other abbots, panic-stricken, confessed that they and their monks had been committing the most loathsome sins and asked to be permitted to give up their monasteries to the king. The royal commis- sioners then took possession, sold every article upon which they could lay hands, including the bells and even the lead on the roofs. The picturesque remains of some of the great abbey churches are still among the chief objects of interest to the sight-seer in England. The monastery lands were, of course, appropriated by the king. They were sold for the benefit of the government or given to nobles whose favor the king wished to secure. Along with the destruction of the monasteries went an attack upon the shrines and images in the churches, which were adorned with gold and jewels. The shrine of St. Thomas of Canterbury was destroyed, and the bones of the saint were