But the suit was sufficient to accomplish the government's purposes, which were, first to wring money from the clergy and then to force them to declare the king "sole protector and supreme head of the church and clergy of England." Reluctantly the Convocation of Canterbury accepted this demand in the form that the king was, "their singular protector, only and supreme lord and, as far as the law of Christ allows, even Supreme Head." Henry further proposed that the oaths of the clergy to the pope be abolished and himself made supreme legislator.

[Sidenote: May 15, 1532] Convocation accepted this demand also in a document known as "the submission of the clergy." If such was the action of the spiritual estate, it was natural that the temporal peers and the Commons in parliament should go much further.
[Sidenote: 1532] A petition of the Commons, really emanating from the government and probably from Thomas Cromwell, complained bitterly of the tyranny of the ordinaries in ecclesiastical jurisdiction, of excessive fees and vexations and frivolous charges of heresy made against unlearned laymen.

[Sidenote: May 1532] Abuses of like nature were dealt with in statutes limiting the fees exacted by priests and regulating {290} pluralities and non-residence.

Annates were abolished with the proviso that the king might negotiate with the pope,--the intention of the government being thus to bring pressure to bear on the curia.

No wonder the clergy were thoroughly frightened.