Church of England History
The Collectanea satis copiosa (1530–31)
The Collectanea satis copiosa (1530–31) is a major compilation of theological, legal, and historical sources assembled during the reign of Henry VIII to support the case for the sovereign’s supremacy over the Church in England. Prepared by leading scholars of the time, including Edward Foxe and Thomas Cranmer, it draws together scripture, canon law, early Church history, and English precedent to argue that the English Crown held imperial authority within its own realm.
It became one of the key intellectual foundations for the English Reformation and the break from Rome, helping to shape both the development of the Anglican Church and the constitutional identity of the English state.
This project represents the first full English translation of the Collectanea satis copiosa, undertaken over a number of years from the original manuscript sources. The aim has been to make this foundational text accessible not only to academics, but also to the wider public with an interest in Tudor history, theology, and the development of the Church of England.
Hosting this work at St Mary’s and St Cuthbert’s is particularly appropriate. The church stands within a long and distinguished tradition of textual transmission and scholarship, associated with the community of St Cuthbert and the preservation and production of early Christian texts following the Lindisfarne tradition. In that sense, this project continues that historic role; making an important ecclesiastical text accessible to a new audience in the present day.
For enquiries regarding use, permissions, or to support further research and the preparation of future printed scholarly editions, I would be very happy for people to contact me directly at:
There are also details on the last page of the document.