It is significant that, whereas the prerogative of the crown was considerably relaxed, though substantially handed on to Edward's stronger successors, the Reformation proceeded at accelerated pace.
[Sidenote: Somerset Regent] Henry himself, not so much to insure further change as to safeguard that already made, appointed Reformers as his son's tutors and made the majority of the Council of Regency Protestant.

The young king's maternal uncle, Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, was chosen by the council as Protector and created Duke of Somerset.

[Sidenote: 1547] Mildness was the characteristic of his rule.

He ignored Henry's treason and heresy acts even before they had been repealed.
[Sidenote: Repeal of treason and heresy laws] The first general election was held with little government interference.

Parliament may be assumed to have expressed the will of the nation when it repealed Henry's treason and heresy laws, the ancient act _De Haeretico comburendo_, the Act of the Six Articles, and the Statute of Proclamations.
To ascertain exactly what, at a given time, is the "public opinion" of a political group, is one of the most difficult tasks of the historian.[1] Even nowadays it is certain that the will of the majority is frequently not reflected either in the acts of the legislature or in the newspaper press.