(Please note this is an essay question, below is only a sample introduction)
Royal and noble patronage was the practise of giving support to those such as poets, artists and musicians who worked in the arts in the sixteenth century. In this essay, it will be argued that royal and noble patronage was the most signfiicant cause of cultural change in the years 1509-88. There were other causes for cultural change in this period, however, and these included, but were not limited to, the influence of the Renaissance and also that of religion. The Break with Rome was particularly influential in the introduction of Puritanism, which saw many of the arts as superfluous. Ultimately, royal and noble patronage was the most significant cause of change in music, theatre, and portraiture.