standing and
writing. They studied the original Greek texts and became
disillusioned with the filtered interpretations of the church, for
example of the Bible and Aristotle. There had long been
displeasure with the priests of the church. They were supposed to
preach four times yearly, visit the sick, say the daily liturgies,
and hear confessions at least yearly. But there were many lapses.
Many were not celibate, and some openly lived with a woman and had
children. Complaints about them included not residing within their
parish community, doing other work such as raising crops, and
taking too much in probate, mortuary fees, and marriage fees.
Probate fees had risen from at most 5s. to 60s. in the last
hundred years. Mortuary fees ranged from 1/3 to 1/9 of a deceased
person's goods. Sanctuary was abused. People objected to the right
of arrest by ecclesiastical authorities.

Also, most parish priests did not have a theology degree or even a
Bachelor's degree, as did many laymen. In fact, many laymen were
better educated than the parish priests. No one other than a
laborer was illiterate in the towns.

Humanist grammar [secondary] schools were established in London by
merchants and guilds. In 1510, the founder and dean of St. Paul's
School placed its management in the hands of London "citizens of
established reputation" because he had lost confidence in the good
faith of priests and noblemen. The sons of the nobility,
attorneys, and merchants were starting to go to grammar school now
instead of being taught at home by a tutor. At school, they
mingled with sons of yeomen, farmers, and tradesmen, who were
usually poor. The usual age of entry was six or seven. Classical
Latin and Greek were taught and the literature of the best
classical authors was read. Secondary education teachers were
expected to know Latin and have studied the ancient philosophers,
history, and geography. The method of teaching was for the teacher
to read textbooks to the class from a prepared curriculum. The
students were taught in Latin and expected not to speak English in
school. They learned how to read and to write Latin, to develop
and amplify a theme by logical analysis, and to essay on the same
subject in the narrative, persuasive, argumentative, commending,
consoling, and inciting styles. They had horn books with the
alphabet and perhaps a Biblical verse on them. This was a piece of
wood with a paper on it held down by a sheet of transparent