Italian Reform and English Reformations, C.1535-c.1585Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2008 - 264 pages This is the first full-scale study of interactions between Italy's religious reform and English reformations, which were notoriously liable to pick up other people's ideas. The book is of fundamental importance for those whose work includes revisionist themes of ambiguity, opportunism and interdependence in sixteenth century religious change. Anne Overell adopts an inclusive approach, retaining within the group of Italian reformers those spirituali who left the church and those who remained within it, and exploring commitment to reform, whether 'humanist','protestant' or 'catholic'. In 1547, when the internationalist Archbishop Thomas Cranmer invited foreigners to foster a bolder reformation, the Italians Peter Martyr Vermigli and Bernardino Ochino were the first to arrive in England. The generosity with which they were received caused comment all over Europe: handsome travel expenses, prestigious jobs, congregations which included the great and the good. This was an entry con brio, but the book also casts new light on our understanding of Marian reformation, led by Cardinal Reginald Pole, English by birth but once prominent among Italy's spirituali. When Pole arrived to take his native country back to papal allegiance, he brought with him like-minded men and Italian reform continued to be woven into English history. As the tables turned again at the accession of Elizabeth I, there was further clamour to 'bring back Italians'. Yet Elizabethans had grown cautious and the book's later chapters analyse the reasons why, offering scholars a new perspective on tensions between national and international reformations. Exploring a nexus of contacts in England and in Italy, Anne Overell presents an intriguing connection, sealed by the sufferings of exile and always tempered by political constraints. Here, for the first time, Italian reform is shown as an enduring part of the Elect Nation's literature and myth. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Englishmen and spirituali | 17 |
Bernardino Ochino in London | 41 |
Edward Courtenay and Il Beneficio di Cristo | 61 |
The Italian Connection at Edward VIs Court | 81 |
Peter Martyr Vermigli and his English Friends | 103 |
Venetian Exile and English Propaganda | 125 |
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Common terms and phrases
Aconcio Aldershot Anglo-Italian Anthony Cooke Archbishop arrived Ascham Basel Beneficio di Cristo Bernardino Ochino Bishop Bucer Bullinger Calvin Cambridge Caponetto Cardinal Pole catholic chapter Christ Christian cited Contarini court Courtenay's CSP Foreign CSP Venetian dedicated Diarmaid MacCulloch early Edward VI's reign Edwardian Elizabeth Elizabethan England English Reformation Englishmen Eucharist European Fenlon Firpo Flaminio Francesco Spiera Francis Russell friends godly Harvel Henry VIII Heresy and Obedience heretics humanist ibid Italian reform Italy John Cheke John Day John Ponet King later letter London Marian Mary Tudor Nicodemite Ochino's sermons ODNB Overell Oxford Padua persecution Peter Martyr Vermigli Philip Pier Paolo Vergerio Pietro Bizzarri Pietro Martire Vermigli Pole's political Pope predestination protestant Queen Reginald Pole religion religious Renaissance Richard Morison Rome salvation Simler Sixteenth Century Somerset spirituali Stranger Church Strassburg theology Thomas Cranmer Throckmorton trans translation Tremellio Vanni Venice William Cecil Woolfson Zurich