4. Religion and religious divisions Flashcards
James I’s approach to religious policy (3)
1) Wanted to continue the work of Elizabeth in a broad-church policy of the Jacobethan settlement - Anglican episcopal system with him as Head of Church
2) Pro-toleration - Protestant but keen on intellectual, theological debate + open to diff. opinions. Pragmatism over strict adherence to Church faith.
3) Had no ingrained opposition to Catholics (Mum, Scot ally) - didn’t consider major threat (even after 1605) - quiet Catholics generally left alone - wouldn’t persecute “any that will be quiet and give but an outward obedience to the law”, Anti-Catholic legislation introduced to please Parliament.
Reasons for anti-Catholicism (5)
1) Memories + mythology of the reign of Bloody Mary - protestants burned by Catholics
2) Recent against Elizabeth e.g. Babington plots
3) Catholic plots against James - Gunpowder 1605, Bye + Main plots 1603+4
4) International tension - papal bull
5) Loyalty to Pope over monarch - could threaten social order
Recusancy Fines
1603 - Fines for Catholics not attending church - revenue = £2,000 in 1605, £10,000 in 1606, steady £8,000 a year in 1614
Intolerance increased to keep Pment onside w/ other aims (finance + union)
James’ Gunpowder Plot sanctions
1605 - led to increase in anti-Catholicism
1) Refused to exile all Catholics (as demanded) + passed the Oath of Allegiance instead (open Catholics to declare loyalty to J over the Pope)
2) Increased and more vigorously enforced recusancy fines - gained £8,000 more revenue the following year
3) All Jesuits exiled
4) Restrictions on Catholics (Penal laws) = moved out of London, stopped from practicing law, serving as officers in the military and voting in elections
How many Catholics did James execute in his reign?
Only 28
Reasons why James’ pro-tolerance approach to Catholics caused clashes w/ Pment over fears of not protecting the Protestant cause (4)
1) Only kills 28 Catholics, MPs call for stiffer enforcement of penal laws
2) Arbitrary + inept, on/off toleration then persecution – increase and decrease of recrusancy fines – Pment becomes impatient with King
3) 1604 – proposed/called for Act of execution of recusant statutes after recusancy fines lowered by James (to less than a ¼ of what they were in 1603) - PN feared revival of Catholicism and absolutism, wanted oppression
4) 1618 execution of anti-catholic hero Raleigh – 1621 Pment questions of motivations of non-involvement in Thirty Years War (after 1618) + flirting with spain in Spanish match till 1623
Millenarian Petition
1603 - Petition proposed by Puritan clergy for MODERATE Church reform (to reduce traditional, popish rituals) such as cap and surplice ‘not urged’ - J furious, thought trivial nonsense + frivolous.
Hampton Court Conference
Jan 1604 - After millenarian petition, James I met with moderate Puritan leaders. A main aim of puritans suggested: a compromise between Presbyterianism and the episcopacy - James responds forcefully “No Bishops, No King” (thinking of Scotland, preferring the status quo) - ‘I shall make them conform themselves, or I will harry them out of this land”
But did achieve success in commissioning new translation of the Bible (KJB)
Bancroft’s Canons
Order passed in July 1604 (in response to the HCC) - enforced 141 rules of conformity amongst the clergy e.g. subscription to the 3 articles supporting the King’s supremacy + use of authorised services only - persecuted Puritans - 1% (90) of ministers lost their jobs
King James Bible
Comissioned in HCC, published in 1611 - by 47 scholars and would be an English translation supporting divine right to rule.
30 Years War
(1618-1648) - This Bourbon vs. Habsburg War resulted from a conflict between the Protestant Union and the Catholic League in the Holy Roman Empire, increased anti-Catholicism in England and increased Parliamentary calls for war.
1619 Synod of Dort condemned Arminianism as heresy - made Puritans more outspoken
Spanish Match
1623 - Saw Buckingham and Charles travel to Madrid to secure marriage with Spanish princess. Poor treatment there made them change to an anti-Catholic stance.
Arminians under James
A group who reinforced the great chain of being with a hierarchical structure, strong belief in predestination + advocated obediance to the King’s authority as Head of the Church. Gained prominence in James’ reign - Montagu and Laud becoming influential - M published an uncensored “An new gag for an old goose” pro-Arminian pamphlet, Laud promoted to Bishop of St Davids
Examples of how James’ approach toward Puritans caused a backlash + viewed by some as an attack on Protestantism (4)
1) 1603 Millenary petition signed by 100 clergy
2) Hampton court conference (HCC) 1604 – James felt their moderate demands wasted time, then angry at radical suggestions – preferred status quo
3) 1604 Bancroft’s canons - enforce conformity amongst celery
4) Book of Sports 1618 - James says sports are allowed on sunday (SACRED) - comprehensively objected to by Puritans when it was ordered to be read aloud from every pulpit
Examples of how James’ focus on compromise and promotion of a Jacobethan Settlement led to an overall successful religious policy
1) The marriages of his children – ‘Rex Pacificus’ – Charles 1 to Henrietta Maria – French catholic, Elizabeth to Fredrick – elector Palatine, German protestant
2) No further puritan opposition after Hampton court conference - eased off on the punishment of Puritans over time – appeased them
3) Withdrew his enforcement of the Book of Sports (i.e. didn’t have to be read in church) in response to backlash
4) Only exiled Jesuits + catholic priests after 1604 (not all Catholics as puritans demanded) but Catholics told to move out of the LND area – (therefore couldn’t hold powerful positions)
5) 1606 – Increased + enforced recusancy fines when MPs felt strongly about this (revenue from them increased by £8,000 from ’05-‘06), Oath of allegiance – any open Catholics to declare loyalty to James over Pope
6) King James Bible 1611 – carried out some of the Hampton court conf.’s demands
7) Only executed 28 Catholics – he wouldn’t persecute “any that will be quiet and give but an outwars obedience to the law”
8) Articles of Perth (liturgical reforms) not enforced + prayer book (prepared 1619) wasn’t introduced after backlash at bishops in Scotland
9) Bancroft’s canons – only 90 puritan ministers didn’t conform lost jobs (majority did)
10) 1611 - Didn’t promote Lancelot Andrewes (Arminian) to Archbishop, instead appointed moderate Abbot
