1653-78 religion

Question 1

line of arg

Answer 1

religion was a way to split Charles and Parl, and religion linked other issues like foreign p/econ. Crown-parl conflicted on the direction of religion, with worries over Charles become more catholic, through religion playing a role in foreign policy, and often linking to absolutism.

Question 2

+ve examples (beginning of 1660)

Answer 2

+ Declaration of Breda, April 1660: Religious toleration guaranteed (-ve: under the vague “liberty to tender consciences” and the final details of restoration settlement to be determined by future parl- Cavalier Parl tried to introduce Anglicanism).

Question 3

-ve examples: cavalier parl

Answer 3

• During cavalier parl, Charles was much more tolerant in religion + tried to modify some of the harsher legislation in favour of Catholics and dissenters- led to ^ disharmony between crown-parl

Question 4

-ve examples (beginning 1660)

Answer 4

• Increasingly hostile to dissenters: corporation act 1661: excluded all members of radical religious sects from holding public office.
• Issue with MPs: Charles and Clarendon tried to ensure there was a role for Presbyts by appointing non-Anglicans as royal chaplains + proposed that committees of both Angl and Presbys could rule on doctrinal issues BUT this was rejected by MPs.
• Cavalier forced through Anglicanism: acts passed 1661-65 to restore religious monopoly of Anglican church- e.g. Act of Uniformity 1662- all clergy must swear to use Anglican liturgy = clearly unpop: 20% clergy had to resign thus clearly unpopular
• Charles created bit of conflict/confusion: he made a personal attachment to the semi-divine powers of Kingship by resuming the practise of ‘touching for the King’s evil’- conflicts with the idea of Jesus + God and thus, those practising Christianity.
• Charles marries Catherine of Braganza (1662) – unpop because Catholic (ChII responsible but Cl gets blame) +VE: But gives England 2 colonies useful in long term

Question 5

-ve under Cabal (1667-74)

Answer 5

• Charles increased tensions: Royal Declaration of Indulgence, 1672: all penal laws against dissenters and Catholics would be suspended – created MAJOR conflict: led parl to announce that no such power had been claimed by any previous English monarch and that only Parl held the constitutional right to suspend penal laws (ChII to blame) +VE: Due to increasing anti-Catholic sentiment and offer of £70,000 annually Charles withdrew Declaration + replaced it w/ the Test Act, 1673: anyone entering public service in England had to swear Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy and deny Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation (ChII is pulling the strings- his actions led to this)
• Link^: increased suspicions of Catholics confirmed= increased tensions: after test act, Clifford resigned as Lord Treasurer, Duke of York (ChII brother) vacated his position as Lord High Admiral of the Navy—this led to Parl refusing to provide any more supply arguing they would no longer fund a Catholic war= tension. More conflict: ChII dismissed Buckingham who was chief advocate of French alliance AND Ashely-Cooper bc in Parl he suggested that on account of Catholicism Charles should divorce Catherine of B and DoYork should be excluded from line of succession- prime example of how religion was prime source of drama.

Question 6

-ve under Danby (1674-78)

Answer 6

• Danby put forward bill to introduce special taxes on recusants and subjected Catholic priests to life imprisonment- BUT Charles rejected it =tension
• 1677: Danby tried to guard Catholic succession- put forward bill where the care of the royal children was to be entrusted with Anglican Bishops- REJECTED again
• Religious issues helped form the emergence of Court (toleration of Catholics and dissenters) and Country parties (enforcement of rigid CofE)
• Conflict over Catholic infl at court: Restoration court had a no of catholic figures: Henrietta Maria, the Queen Catherine of Braganza, Clifford and Arlington (2 members of Cabal). James (DoYork) converted to Catholicism in 1668. NOTE: fears were truly exacerbated in the secret treaty of Dover w/ Louis XIV of France, AND ChII had further agreements w/ him in 1675 + 78 where he promised not to oppose French expansion abroad- King appeared a Catholic sympathiser. HOWEVER- this was a reason to be concerned, but not a reason for fear as ChII didn’t actually join in true alliance w/ France.

Question 7

THREAT OF DISSENTERS- SUCCESSFULLY DEALT W/:

Answer 7

• Act of Uniformity, ’62, over 2,000 clergymen expelled from CofE.
• 15,000 fell victim to Quaker Act + leader George Fox arrested in 1664.
• Conventicle Act, ’64, (part of Clarendon Code- acts passed from -61-65 - after the Savoy Conference in ’61) fine or imprisonment to anyone attending an independent prayer meeting/worship that wasn’t Anglicanism.
• Got to the point people were persecuted and fined so much they just stayed quiet.

Question 8

THREAT OF DISSENTERS- NOT ACTUALLY A THREAT:

Answer 8

• Uprisings were minor: Venner’s 5thM uprising, ’61, only had 50 supporters.
• Too many sects anyways- not a united force.
• Many dissenters interpreted the Restoration as God’s judgement on their failure to est Godly rule in England (during Interreg). As a result, many felt they should no longer challenge the crown and/or re-est CofE.
• Experience of past defeats made dissenters more passive, e.g. Quakers stopped supporting armed rebellion in 1659-60 + instead advocated for a more pacifist appr in 1660s

Question 9

• THREAT OF DISSENTERS- UNSUCCESSFUL IN DEALING W/:

Answer 9

• Danby undertook a survey in 1676 which implied 100,000 ‘hardline’ dissenters out of a pop of 2.25 mill (note: figure for’ general’ dissenters may have been 2-3x this).
• Some dissenting ministers (mostly Presbyt) were paid by wealthy landowners for preaching- e.g. John Canne received £20 a year from Norcliffe family.
• Failure of Anglicanism- they just pushed people away by making these strict rules.