In The Voices of Morebath: Reformation & Rebellion in an English Village, Eamon Duffy describes a parish church’s resistance to the increasing demands of Tudor England, both religious and economic. The “alien regime” of London, as Duffy calls them, sought to curb the traditional Catholic practices of Morebath and replace them with state regulated Protestantism. However, the villagers of Morebath resisted, in what little ways they could, as did other small, West England parishes. Ultimately, their story unearths a different historical perspective of the English Reformation, in which Protestantism was not embraced, but enforced. The villagers of Morebath had several outlets for their traditional faith. In the days before the encroaching regulations, they enjoyed activities ranging from saint worship to feasts. Each aspect of worship fostered their sense of community, while also providing for their economic wellbeing. Groups of villagers, often divided by age and gender, assembled to form the church stores. There were eight total stores, including the Young Men’s store and Our Lady’s store (25).
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Rather than have them possibly confiscated, they were sold. The sheep, which had been cared for as a community, were now entirely gone. As Duffy elaborates, “Religious reform here touched and tampered not only with the parish’s economy, but with its sense of itself” (120). This was further exacerbated by the banning of church ales. These, too, were not only an important source of church income. Church ales were “a lynchpin of social life, the raison d’être of the church houses” (120). The changes caused by the Injunctions were catastrophic to the villagers, both economically and socially. It was not long before they would join the rebellion against the government that encroached on their way of
Rather than have them possibly confiscated, they were sold. The sheep, which had been cared for as a community, were now entirely gone. As Duffy elaborates, “Religious reform here touched and tampered not only with the parish’s economy, but with its sense of itself” (120). This was further exacerbated by the banning of church ales. These, too, were not only an important source of church income. Church ales were “a lynchpin of social life, the raison d’être of the church houses” (120). The changes caused by the Injunctions were catastrophic to the villagers, both economically and socially. It was not long before they would join the rebellion against the government that encroached on their way of