ed in a convent, she learned to read, write and draw and is far more educated than his own children, who, as offspring of a craftsperson, have a better position in society than an "outlaw." Many of the working people in England could not read and therefore found organizing or writing laws which might benefit them difficult. In contrast, church figures, such as monks, priests and nuns, were educated, just like the members of the royal family and the aristocracy. The church wielded power as an unofficial educational institution (and, as the story later reveals, even as an ad hoc designator of local police officers).,
The influence of church leaders is shown through the character of Philip, an orphan who rises a position of power within the church. Philip's parents were killed by King Henry's army. Monasteries acted as unofficial orphanages. Sometimes, if a family had many sons, say five, the youngest would be given to the church, along with a farm, church, or even a whole village as payment for raising him to become a monk or priest. In Philip's case, his father had left a small hill farm which the monastery acquired when it "adopted" him (95). This was one way in which the power of the church grew; it routinely increased its numbers of religious followers and land holdings.
The church was organized much like the hierarchy of a modern army. Monks were ruled by priors, who were overseen by abbotts, who answered to bishops and an archbisho
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