“Anne had acquired a copy of the English Bible and had studied it enthusiastically.”
As I understand it, for some reason the Vatican wasn’t really thrilled with the idea of the laity learning to read, especially the Holy Bible. What I have never been able to figure out is....why?
As I explained above, leave the "Vatican" out of this story. Ms. Askew was tried by Anglicans and executed by Anglicans for not being sufficiently Anglican.