Page "Thomas Cromwell" Paragraph 23

In January 1538, Cromwell pursued an extensive campaign against what was termed " idolatry " by the followers of the new religion.

Statues, roods, and images were attacked, culminating in September with the dismantling of the shrine of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury.

Early in September, Cromwell also completed a new set of viceregential injunctions declaring open war on " pilgrimages, feigned relics, or images, or any such superstitions ", and commanding that " one book of the whole Bible of the largest volume in English " be set up in every church.

Moreover, following the " voluntary " surrender of the remaining smaller monasteries during the previous year, the larger monasteries were now also " invited " to surrender throughout 1538, a process legitimized in the 1539 session of Parliament and completed in the following year.