History The Elizabethan Age, 1558-1603 Flashcards
1. Elizabethan Government
Describe how Elizabeth gained popularity after her coronation.
1. Elizabeth’s sister, Mary, had left debts of £250,000.
2. Some feared a female ruler meant that England would continue to be seen as a weak country.
- ( This is was in contrast to Spain & France, nations with kings )
3. Elizabeth had been declared illegitimate by act of parliament on 1st July 1536.
- Many saw her as unfit to rule.
4. Mary, Queen of Scots, had a claim to the throne. Mary was a Catholic and married to the heir to the French throne.
1. Elizabethan Governement - Coronation & Popularity
Describe the Strengths brought by Elizabeth’s coronation.
1. Elizabeth was popular and her reign was seen as a fresh start.
2. She had English parents, Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. This meant that she would be more likely to be free from overseas influences.
3. She was single so she could have her choice of suitors rather than be controlled by a foreign husband.
4. Elizabeth was a Protestant and was committed to re-establishing a ‘middle way’ between protestants and catholics, pleasing most.
1. Elizabethan Governement - Coronation & Popularity
Describe the Weaknesses/Problems of Elizabeth’s coronation.
1. Elizabeth’s sister, Mary, had left debts of £250,000.
2. Some feared a female ruler meant that England would continue to be seen as a weak country.
- ( This is was in contrast to Spain & France, nations with kings )
3. Elizabeth had been declared illegitimate by an act of parliament on 1st July 1536.
- Many saw her as unfit to rule.
4. Mary, Queen of Scots, had a claim to the throne. Mary was a Catholic and married to the heir to the French throne.
1. Elizabethan Governement - Royal Court
Describe how Elizabeth made use of the Royal Court in her ruling.
1. Queen Elizabeth had her servants and laidies-in-waiting living with her, together with chief advisers & government officials.
- These people made up the Royal Court.
2. Having her courtiers nearby allowed Elizabeth to consult them & challenge councillors, it also allowed her to keep an eye and monitor them.
- Chief Courties include; William Cecil, Christopher Hatton, Walter Raleigh, Francis Walsinham, & Robert Dudley.
3. She also maintained loyalty through granting patronage, leading to many nobles to trying to get into the queens court.
- For ambitious courtiers, everything depended on keeping the support of the queen.
1. Elizabethan Governement - Privy Council
Describe;
A) The role of the Privy Council
B) Important Members of the Privy Council
A) Privy Council role;
- Group of powerful noblemen appointed by Elizabeth to advise her on issues.
- Elizabeth chose a small group of 19 men to minimise conflict, also made sure none got to powerful.
- The council met every day and was the most powerful part of the machinery of the government.
B) Important members;
1. William Cecil - A morderate protestant, Elizabeth’s most important adviser, he was Secretary of state and guided Elizabeth for over 40 years till his death.
2. Robert Dudley - A Protestant, Earl of Leicester, He and Elizabeth were very close and there were rumours that he and Elizabeth were lovers.
3. Sir Francis Walsingham - in charge of Elizabeth’s secret service and advised on foreign affairs. In 1586 he uncovered the plot that led to Mary’s execution.
1. Elizabethan Governement - Local Government
Describe the different Local Governments that helped Elizabeth run the country.
1. Lord Lieutent - Post held by a wealthy land owner that was usually a Privy Counceller, they kept the queen informed on what was going on.
- They were in charge of the local militia & supervised the Justicises of peace.
2. The Sheriff - Each country had a sheriff that was chiefly concerned with legal affairs like;
- Appointing and swearing in juries.
- Delivering prisoners to court.
- Collection of taxes.
( Many roles got passed onto JPs )
3. Justices of the peace - 30%-60% per county and were usually unpaid rich gentlemen that wanted status, job include;
- Organising the parish constable. ( nightman who patrolled the streets, preventing problems. )
- Looking after the poor.
- Fixing prices and wages; checking weights & measures on shops.
1. Elizabethan Governement - The Role of Parliment
Describe the body of parliment and how Elizabeth used them.
1. Parliment was made up of the;
- House of Lords; non-elected amount of 100 lords,bishops etc.
- House of Commons; 450 MPs who were elected by wealthy landowners.
2. Elizabeth only called parliment when she needed them, this was usually because;
- She needed parliment to raise money though taxes for her.
- She needed to pass Acts of Parliment.
- She desired the support of of her MPs on certian issues.
1. Elizabethan Governement - The Role of Parliment
Describe the issue of Freedom of Speech within Parliment.
1. Elizabeth appointed a speaker in the House of commons and decided what topics could be debated.
2. Elizabeth had made it clear topics like Religion and Foreign Policies were to not be discussed by Parliment and only her Privy Council.
3. When in 1571, MPs asked Elizabeth to consider marriage, she said they had no right to discuss personal matters.
4. In 1576 MP, Peter Wentworth, complained about Freedom of Speech.
- Elizabeth sent him to the Tower of London for a month for speaking out.
1. Elizabethan Governement - The Role of Parliment
Describe the issue of Taxation and finance relating to parliment.
1. During the Tudor period monarchs were expected to pay the cost of running the country from their own finances.
- Tudor monarchs were often short on finance as only parliment could raise money through taxes.
2. This issue became worse during Elizabeth’s reign due to high inflation, involvement in foreign affairs and her inherentence of the Marian debt ( 227k )
3. With support from William cecil and her programme, she was able to pay off her Marian debt, but she was still short of money leading to periodcall calls of parliment for money.
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
Outline the Social strutcure that existed in Elizabethan England.
( 1 = Highest, 10 = Lowest )
1. The Monarch - Queen Elizabeth
2. Noble and lords - great landowners that make up to £6k per year.
3. Gentry - Lesser landowners with an income of up to £200 per year.
4. Wealthy merchants - successful in the business of purchasing and buying.
- Professionals - Emerging middle class.
5. Yeomen - owned their own property, had a few servants , and farmed some land.
6. Cottagers - had small to farm and also carried out some small-scale industry.
7. Landless unskilled laberoures - Seasonal workers; unemployed during certian times of war.
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What was life like for those in the lower levels of social structure?
- Families in the lower levels of social structure struggled to survive and it has been estimated that 20 to 30 percent of the population lived on the edge of starvation
- Events such as bad harvests, rising prices and changes resulting from seasonal employment were often enough sufficient triggers to tip these groups over into poverty
- This then caused them to become beggars, an issue which became a major concern in the Elizabethan reign
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
How did the higher levels of social structure earn money and landholdings?
- during the reign of Elizabeth, many of the landowning classes increased their wealth
- some had bought land in the 1530’s after the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII, which they now rented out
- some had adjusted to the agircultural changes in the period and ditched the cultivation of land for the more profitable sheep farming
- some took advantage of the mineral resources on thier land by mining for coal, lead and iron ore
- some continued to do the traditional method of increasing landholding by marrying th daughter of a wealthy landowner. Such a bride would come with a large dowry which may include land
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What houses did people in the higher levels of social structure live in?
- many landowners used their increased wealth to remodel their homes or to build new houses on a grand scale
- such houses were fitted with the latest fashions in furniture and fittings, and the walls covered in fines paintings and huge tapestries
- the large numer of houses built in this period make them call the age of ‘The Great Rebuilding’
- to some extent, these were fuelled by Elizabeth’s annual progresses which caused ehr courtiers to remodel or rebuild their homes so they could entertain the queen when visiting them
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
Examples of mansion houses built in the Elizabethan style
- Burghley House, Lincolnshire - constructed by Elizabeth’s chief minister, William Cecil and completed by 1587
- Longleat House, Wiltshire - built for Sir John Thynne and completed in 1580
- Holdenby House, Northamptonshire - built for Elizabeth’s Lord Chancellor, Sir Christopher Hatton and completed in 1583
- Hardwick Hall was built for Elizabeth Talbot (Bess of Hardwick) and was completed in 1597and described as having ‘more glass than wall’
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What fashion was common for noblemen?
- wears the latest fashions with linen, silk, and velvet
- his outfit would consist of a doublet, a stiffened ruff, a trunk hose, a jerkin, stockings and leather shoes
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What fashion was commmon for an Elizabethan lady?
A fashionable elizabethan lady would wear:
- a petticoat
- ruffs
- gown
- jewellery
- stockings
they would also wear jewellery and a cape with a hat when going out
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What was education like for nobleman’s children?
- sons of wealthy nobles were tutored at home, most receiving education in the classics as well as providing them with good knowledge of French, Latin and Greek
- social etiquette was taught as well as grounding in fashionable pursuits of hunting, hawking and dancing
- daughters would be taught by a mistress and would be taught the practicalities of running a big house and its staff
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What homes did the gentry live in?
- owned more land than they could farm and rented out large parts of it to tenant farmers in order to secure a regular income of several hundred pounds a year
- copied the trend of richer nobles to modernise and refashion their homes from the medieval, foritified dwellings of before
- walls decorated with tapestries rather than paintings of family members
- glass replaced windows formally with wooden shutters and large, open fireplaces were installed with brick-built chimneys
d2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What was the wife of a nobleman expected to do?
- expected to supervise the day-to-day running of the household, which included production of everyday items
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What did the gentry wear?
- gentry class followed the same style as their social superiors except with the lack of expensive fine thread used by them
- fashion was taken very seriously as it was a demonstration of personal power, status and social standing
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What education and leisure did the lower classes have?
- with what little leisure time they had, lower classes would go to the inn or tavern, gamble in cock and bear baiting rings, playing cards and dice or betting on racing
- the poor could generally not afford to send their children to school but if they were lucky enough to attend parish school, they would be taught basic reading and writing skills
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What education did the gentry receive?
- sons often attended grammar school, so called because they taught Greek and Latin grammar
- there were around 360 schools across England with virtually one in every town
- tudor education aimed to produce ‘perfect’ gentlemen and flogging was a common punishment and there were also long days from 6-7 am to 5pm
- after grammar school, they either go to Cambridge or Oxford or the Inns of court to study law
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What houses did the lower classes live in and how long did they work?
- lived in much smaller houses, usually only having one room, sometimes shared with animals
- people with a bit more money (e.g craftsmen and small farmers) were able to rebuild their house with glazed windows, separate rooms and kitchen
- tenant farmers and labourers worked long hours from around 5am in the morning to 5pm in the afternoon
- they had a break at 7am and 11am for bread, ale and cheese and had vegetable stew around 6pm as they could not afford meat
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What were some of the causes of poverty in the 16th century?
Bad harvests: bad harvests, especially 1556, 1596 and 1597, caused a steep rise in food prices and increased the level of starvation
Rack renting: sharp increases in rents meant many tenant farmers could not afford the higher rents and were evicted
Costly foreign wars and demobbed soldiers: wars against France, Scotland and Spain cause taxes to rise and the value of coinage to fall; resulted in large numbers of soldiers wandering the countryside for work
Rising inflation: Wages could not keep up with rising prices, especially food prices
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What assumptions were made of vagabonds during Elizabeth’s reign?
- vagabonds were seen to be idle and too lazy to find a job
- they were too prepared to turn to crime as a way of life
- by wnadering from place to place, they are helping to spread the Black Plague
- they increased the fear of rebellion, especially as many vagabonds are ex-soldiers
- the burden of looking after the poor was increasing, causing poor rates to rise and fuelling resentment from those having to pay this relief
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What are the different types of vagrants?
Hooker or angler: carry a long wooden stick and knock on the doors of houses seeking charity during the day to see what could be stolen and used the hooked stick to steal valuables at night
Clapper dudgeon: tied arsenic to their skin to make them bleed in hope to gain sympathy from passer-bys
Doxy: a female beggar who would steal things worth of value (e.g chickens) and put them into her large bag on her back
**Dummerers: **pretended to be dumb in order gain charity from passers by
Ruffler: former soldiers who have become vagabonds by stealing and threatening people into charity
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What is the difference between ‘impotent poor’ and ‘able-bodied poor’?
- impotent poor - those who were genuinely unable to work due to age, hardship or some other infirmary; these were the induviduals that were recognised that they needed poor relief
- able bodied poor - those considered capable of work but who were either unable or unwilling to find employment; was thought these induviduals need to be encouraged or forced to work
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What were some local responses to vagrancy?
- London used St. Bartholomew’s hospital and St. Thomas’ hopsital, which is obtained after the dissolution of the monasteries, to help the sick who were on the streets as well as Christ’s hospital for an orphanage
- Norwich, Cambridge, Ipswich and Exeter experimented with the introduction of taxes on wealthy locals to help the poor.
- However, what was needed was diretion from the central government which came through the Poor Laws
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What was the previous legislation before Elizabeth’s regin?
- previous Tudor monarchs had try to pass laws to punish vagrants but had limited impact
- Henry Vlll’s law of 1536 ordered for vagrants to be whipped
- Edward Vl in 1547 passed a law for them to be branded with a ‘V’ and sentenced to two years of hard labour
- Despite these punishments, number of beggars and vagrants continued to rise
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
Desrcibe Elizabeths legislation for the poor
- was a turning point in poor law
- whilst vagabonds were still punished, the government for the first time accepted responsibility for the poor
- started distinguishing between the ‘deserving poor’ and the ‘undeserving poor’ and put in place systems to help those in genuine need of support and to deal with the idle and lazy by finding them work
- this change in attitude brought on by the effects of a rapidly increasing population and the pressure this put on jobs and supplies, the fear of rebellion and sustained periods of economic hardship during the 1570s and 1590s
- reuslted in a series of acts being passed to create a compulsory system of poor relief
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What acts were made in 1563, 1572 and 1576?
Statute of Artificiers - 1563:
- compulsory for boys to serve a seven-year apprenticeship in a craft or trade
- maximum wage limit set
- attempted to create employment and reduce vagrancy
- tied men down to one area
Vagabonds Act - 1572:
- severe penalties be used against vagrants
- local people must pay a poor rate and provide shelter for the elederly and sick
- Overseers of the Poor were appointed to help JP’s carry out work
- government accpeted that they were in need of support
- act did nothing to remove the causes of poverty
Act for the Relief of the Poor - 1576:
- JP’s were to build to houses of corretion in each county
- JP’s were to keep materials in every town to provide work for those unable to find a job
- help given to provide work for able-bodied vagrants
- the act did nothing to remove the causes of poverty
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
What poor law acts were made in 1598 and 1601?
Act for the relief of the poor - 1598
- four overseers appointed to each parish to collect and supervise the administration of poor relief
- introduction of a comulsory poor rate to be paid by all inhabitants
- work was to be found for able-bodied men and women
- the act did not help those in need of support
- it did attempt to provide jobs
- the Act was to remain in force until 1834
Act for the punishment of rogues - 1598
- begging strictly forbidden and anyone found begging was to be whipped and returned to place of birth
- act helped to contain poverty and vagrancy
- reduced the risk fo social unrest
Act for the relief of the poor - 1601
- 1598 poor law was made permannent
- became known as the Elizabethan Poor Law
- a realisation that the government had responsibility towards helping the poor
- set up a legal frameowrk to tackle poverty
2. Lifestyles of the rich and poor - Contrasting
How successful were the Elizabethan poor laws?
- the poor laws did not end poverty and it continued to rise
- the laws did help thousands of people in need of support
- the threat of social unrest was reduced
- laws reflected a change in attitude - the government recognised it was their responsibility to look after the poor
- the system of poor relief set up by Elizabeth’s government remained in place for the next 200 years
3. Popular entertainment - Importance
Explain why popular entertainment was important during the Elizabethan Age.
1. During the Elizabethan Age, many people had little time off work.
- Their only break of work was sunday, and this was a day of worship ( Only a few religious festivals per year ).
2. Life was hard, mortality rates were high to frequent outbreaks of plague and life expentancy was low.
- This resulted in entertainment being popular whenever permitted.
3. Popular entertainment - Cruel Sports
Describe the different Cruel Sports that were enjoyed in the Elizabethan Age.
A) Bear-and-bull baiting;
1. Towns had arenas where bears were attacked by dogs.
- Bears would be chained up, as dogs were released around the bear to make it angry.
- Spectatours would bet which dog would live the longest.
2. Another version was wear a bear would be blindfolded as 5-6 men whipped it.
- The most popular theatre was ‘Bear Garden’, located in Paris Garden.
- Queen Elizabeth enjoyed this type of entertainment.
B) Cockfighting
1. Up to 20 gamecocks were put into a pit to fight it out to the death.
- Spectators would bet on which one would win.
3. Popular entertainment - Enjoyed by the rich
Describe the different types of Entertainment enjoyed by the rich.
1. Hunting - Deer Hunting was a very popular pasttime as wealthy Elizabethan nobles had their own deer parks.
- Great hunt picnics were often arranged, the prey being stags, deer and sometimes hairs.
2. Hawking - This involved the use of a trained falcon/hawk to fly off a trainers arm when the blindfold was taken off, kill selected pray and return.
- Bells were also attached to keep it’s whereabouts.
3. Archery - Men over the age of 24 were expected to practice archery on sunday after church.
- They used 2 types of bows; Long bow and cross bow
4. Dancing - Popular among all classes, lower class enjoyed country music while upper class employed muscicians to play foreign tunes.
5. Ball Games - Tennis emerged during Tutor times and involved 2 or more players hitting a ball to and fro with either a ball or their hand.
- The roughest ball game was football, played by lower class men with a lack of rules many injuries and fights brokeout.
3. Popular entertainment - Theatre Development
Describe how the Theatre’s came to be during the Elizabethan Age.
1. At first, during the early reign of tudor monarchs, it was common for wandering bands to tour the country.
- Along with having a portable tent, players would also play for rich landowners.
- Plays like Robin Hood got banned due the elements of the poor in society beating the rich.
2. Authorties grew fearful as not only could many plays encourage rebelling, many players were vagrants & beggers. There were also health issues ( the plague )
- As a result a law in 1572 banned strolling players unless they had a liscence from lord chamberlain, ensuring government control.
3. The result was theatre companies that had the support of wealthy noblemen, some popular ones being.
- Earl of Leicesters’ Players , established in 1574
- The Queen’s Men, established in 1584
4. As these got more popular, the courtyard inns were no longer big enough, leading to the construction of permanent theatres.
3. Popular entertainment - Theatre Devlopment
State some different Theatres along with information about them.
1. The Theatre. Dates: 1576-98, Owner: James Burbage.
- Companies that performed there were; The Lord Chamberlains Men
2. The Curtain. Dates: 1577-1622, Owner: Henry Lanman.
- Companies that performed there were; The Lord Chamberlains Men, Queen Elizabeth’s Men.
3. The Rose. Dates; 1594-1600, Owner: Philip Henslowe.
- Companies that performed there were; Lord Admiral Howard’s Company
3. Popular entertainment - Design of the theatre
Describe how Theatres were designed in the Elizabethan Age.
1. The first playhouses were round or octagonal in shape, with an open space in the centre.
- The outside of the playhouse had plain limewashed walls and a thatched roof.
2. The rear part of the stage had a roof to protect actors during wet weather, supported by oak-pillars painted to look like marble.
- Apart from this there was no scenery.
3. Prices were low to allow the poor to afford centre seats in the theatre, seats higher up were more expensive.
3. Popular entertainment - Actors
Outline & Describe some prominent Actors of the Elizabethan Age.
1. Richard Burbage (1567-1619)
- Son of theatre builder and actor games Burbage.
- Performing many leading roles in Shakespears’ plays.
- Went onto be part owner of The Globe theatre.
2. Edward Alleyn ( 1566-1626 )
- Popular tragic actor that played leading roles in Marlowe’s plays.
- Retired in 1598 & went on to co-own The Fortune theatre.
3. Will Kempe ( d. 1603 )
- Popular actor and dancer who specialised in comic roles.
- He played many leading parts in shakespears comedies.
3. Popular entertainment - Design of the theatre
Outline & Describe the different playwrights of the Elizabethan Age.
1. William Shakespear ( 1564-1616 )
- Considered the most important playwright of his time.
- Shakespeare wrote at least 37 plays - comedies, tragedies & historical dramas.
- His plays were well recieved by the queen - Romeo and Juliet (1569), Richard II (1595), Merchant of Venice (1597).
2. Christopher Marlowe ( 1564-93 )
- Famous playwright that’s known for development of the ‘tragedy’ play.
- In 1593 he was stabbed to death by Ingram Frizer, durign a tavern brawl.
3. Thomas Kyd ( 1558-94 )
- An important figure in the development of English drama, helping to pioneer the ‘revenge tragedy’.
- Kyd’s most famous work was the ‘Spanish Tragedy’.
3. Popular entertainment - Attitudes towards theatre
Describe the support for the theatre.
1. Theatres had developed into a form of cheap enterainment, drawing crowds from all social groups.
- The Queen enjoyed plays by Marlowe and Shakespeare.
2. Playwrights produced dramas with appealing storylines ( e.g. Good triumphing over evil ). Plays could also be used for propraganda;
- Larum for london showed Catholic Spanish soldiers killing innocent protestants in Antwerp, this was frequently performed in the 1580s, during the time of Elizabeths main conflict with Philip II.
3. Shakespeare’s plays delivered the message that loyalty and obedience to monarchs was essential in order to ensure that law and order is mainted.
3. Popular entertainment - Attitudes towards theatre
Describe the Opposition to the theatre.
1. Opposition from Authorities
- As London’s population rose from 50k in 1500 to over 200k by 1603, the authorties grew worried about mainting law and order.
- They wanted to prevent gatherings of large crowds which often lead to civil disturbances, so they pressed for theatres to be built outside of city walls.
- Theatres attracted criminals who used this as a time to engage in crime, this is what worried authorities the most.
2. Opposition from Religious Groups
- Puritans considered theatres to be the work of the devil, encouraging people to be sinful, and tempting them away from a pure life.
- They considered plays to lack decency and morals, and to contain rude gestures and antics, causing audiences to lead sinful and corrupt lives.
4. The problem of religion - Religious problems in 1559
Describe the changes made by the following;
A) Henry VIII
B) Edward VI
C) Mary Tudor
A) Changes made by Henry VIII;
- Made himself head of the church in England and Wales
- Introduced an English Bible
- Kept many traditional Catholic Practices
B) Changes made by Edward VI;
- Was heavily influenced by his Duke of somerset and Duke of Northumberland, both were Protestant
- Introduced a new Protestant Prayer Book & Communion Service
- Required churched to be in English instead of Latin
C) Changes made by Mary Tudor;
- Restored the authority of the pope as head of the church
- Restored Latin masses, Catholic doctrine and ritual
- Began to prosecute protestants, earning her the name ‘bloody mary’
4. The problem of religion - Religious problems in 1559
Describe the views of;
A) Catholics
B) Protestants
In terms of how the Church should be ran.
A) Catholic Beliefs;
- Pope was head of Church
- Cardinals, archbishops & bishops were to help the pope
- Church services + Bible in Latin
- Churches should be highly decorated
- Priests can’t marry
B) Protestant Beliefs;
- Monarch was head of Church
- Archbishops & bishops should help the monarch.
- Church services + Bible in English
- Little decoration in Church ( Believed spending $ on decorations was agaisnt jesus )
- Priests can marry
4. The problem of religion - Religious problems in 1559
Describe the views of Puritans in how the Church should be ran.
- No head of Church or bishops
- Churchgoers should elect committees to run their church
- Church services should be simple
- No need for any decoration
4. The problem of religion - Aims of Religious Settlement
Describe the foreign factors Elizabeth considered when dealing with the Religious issue.
1. France - In 1559 a new king, Francis II, & Mary Stuart of Scotland, became Catholic rulers of France
- Issue as many Catholics thought Mary had a rightful claim to the English throne, & Francis might press for it.
2. Spain - King Philip II was a Catholic king and husband of Elizabeth’s sister, Mary Tudor, who was concerned with developments & did not want to see France or Scotland gain any control over English throne.
3. Scotland - Ruled over by a Catholic French regent, Mary of Guise, who was the mother of Mary Stuart.
- Many strong french nobles were Protestant and did not want to see a Catholic power grow.
4. Pope - If he chose to excommunicate Elizabeth, this would free her subjects from the bond to obey her and a religious crusade could be launched.
4. The problem of religion - Aims of Religious Settlement
Describe the local factors Elizabeth had to consider with the Religious issue.
- While majority of MP’s in the House of Commons were Protestant, many of the House of Lords were Catholic.
- Views of the Protestant Marian exiles had to be considered, Protestants that had fled during Mary Tudor’s reign and came back expecting Elizabeth to side with Protestant views ( John Calvin ).
4. The problem of religion - Aims of Religious Settlement
Describe Elizabeth’s religious beliefs
1. She believed in some features of a Catholic Church like;
- Priests should wear vestments
- Ornaments and decorations should stay in the church
- She kept crucifixes and candles in her private chapel
- She was opposed to the idea of bishops and clergyman marrying.
2. She knew the effect Religion could have on someones life, having lived in a Protestant household.
- Anne Boleyn had placed Elizabeth’s religious education under the care of her chaplain, Matthew Parker.
4. The problem of religion - The ‘middle way’
Describe the features of Elizabeth’s ‘middle way’.
- She made Protestantism the official religion
- She brought back changes made in Edwards reign, introducing a new prayer book, a Bible in English, simpler churches & priets could marry
- She refused to give away extreme Protestant ideas
- She kept some aspects of old Catholic Church, such as archbishops, bishops and cathedrals. She allowed churches to continue using crosses and candles, and allowed priests to wear vestments.
- She did not persecute Catholics, but she did fine them for not attending church.
4. The problem of religion - Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity
Describe the features of the Act of Supremacy, 1559
- Elizabeth became head of the church.
- Elizabeth adopted the title ‘Supreme Governor of the Church of England’
- All important officials had to swear an oath of loyalty to Elizabeth.
- If they refused they could be imprisoned, refusing 3 times leads to execution.
- Bishops would be used to govern the new church.
- The Marian heresy laws were repealed
- A church High Commission was established to ensure the changes were implemented at Parish level.
4. The problem of religion - Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity
Describe the features of the Act of Uniformity, 1559
- The 1552 Protestant Book of Common Prayer was to be used in all churches.
- The Bible + Church services were to be in English
- There was compromise on issue of real presence during the Communion service - worshippers took the bread & wine to remember christ died for them.
- Ornaments + decorations allowed in church
- Clergy had to wear vestments & could marry
- Everyone had to attend church on a Sunday and other holy days and to participate in the new services
- Recusants ( those who didn’t attend church ) had to pay a fine of 1 shilling for every absence they had.
- Monateries founded by Mary I were to be closed down and their wealth passed on to the crown.
4. The problem of religion - Reactions to the Settlement
Describe the reactions at home to the ‘middle way’ settlement
By the mid-1560s most people in England and Wales had come to accept the new church;
- Archbishops of Canterbury,Matthew Parker, was a moderate protestant and commendand respect.
- Only 250 of 9000 priest didn’t take the oath of loyalty ( less than 3% )
- Majority of Catholics from Mary I’s reign resigned and were replaced with loyal Protestants.
- Reactions among most Catholics + Protestants were muted.
- The fines for recusancy were not strictly enforced
- Opposition emerged later on issues such as what priests should wear ( Vestment Contraversy )
4. The problem of religion - Reactions to the Settlement
Describe the reactions abroad to the ‘middle way’ settlement
- France was drifting towards civil war so showed little interest in the settlment.
- King Philip II of Spain initially wished to maintain a friendship with England and hoped that the changes would not be permanent.
- The Pope voiced little criticism to events in England and, like Philip, hoped that change could be overturned with time.
Less tolerant attitudes developed as meeting to discuss the future of the church went on from 1545.
- In 1563 the church came to a series of degrees agaisnt protestant spread.
6. The Spanish Armada
Describe how;
A) Marriage
B) Religious Indifferences
were causes for the Spanish Armarda.
A) Marriage
- In 1559, After King Philip’s wife ( Mary Tudor ) died, he tried to arrange a marriage with Elizabeth
- This was to try an maintain good relations between Spain & England & to keep MQS of the throne
- He was rejected, causing tension.
B) Religious Indifferences
- King Philip II was a devout Catholic and wanted to return England back to its Catholic glory.
- The Religious Settlement angered Philip due to the main religion becoming Protestantism
- King Philip had also been involved in funding many plots in the 1570-80s
- The execution of Mary in 1587 angered Philip enough to start preparing to invade.
6. The Spanish Armada
Describe how the Dutch revolt was a cause for the Spanish Armada
( Include Elizabeth Response )
- The Netherlands were very important to Spain economically, providing convient trade routes for Spain.
- However, in 1566, Dutch Protestants began to revolt. Destroying Catholics icons in cities like ( Ghent, Antwerp etc ).
- This resulted in Philip ( 1567 ) sending 10,000 troops to defeat the revolt, resulting in 1000 protestans being burnt to death.
Elizabeth’s Response:
- Elizabeth’s privy councellors were split on what to do ( Francis wanted war, Cecil didnt ). Elizabeth decided to provide unofficial support for the Dutch, providing weapon + money + shelter for them.
- 1575 rebellion erupted again and by 1579 the country was split in 2. King Philip send the Duke of Parma to defeat the the rebels in 1578 and by 1584 the Dutch faced defeat.
- Elizabeth became the protector of Dutch rebels in 1585 by signing the Treaty of Nonsuch.
- Spain and England were now in a state of undelcared war.
6. The Spanish Armada
Describe how;
A) The French Civil War
B) English Sailors
were causes for the Spanish Armada
A) French Civil War
- In 1558, Mary Tudor had been fighting a war with France and lost Calais to the French. This meant the French controlled all of their coatlines, posing a big threat
- Civil War broke out in 1562, between Catholic and Protestants, and lasted until 1598. As a result, France was no longer a threat, so England and Spain began to turn on eachother.
B) English Sailors
- The English resented the fact Spain refused to trade with anyone so in the 1570s and 1580s Francis Drake and other English settlements and stole spanish treasure.
- In 1577, Elizabeth sent Drake on a 3 year voyage from which he launched suprise attacks on the Spanish, estimated he brought back £140,000 worth of gold silver and jewels.
6. Spanish Armada
Describe the threat posed by the Armada & how England prepared agaisnt it.
Threat posed:
- 130 galleons and supply ships ( 64 battleships )
- 30,000 men
- 1,900 cannon and small guns; 123,790 cannon balls
- 17,000 well-trained soldiers led by Duke of Parma
How English Prepared:
- Elizabeth had managed to raise a force of about 20,000 men which were organised into 3 armies.
- The army was relatively weak when compared to the Spanish Armada, the Navy proved to be their main line of defence ( Commanded by Charles Howard & Duke of Effingham )
- Their 54 battleships had the advantage of being light when compared to the heavy ones owned by the Spanish.
6. Spanish Armada
Describe the;
A) Events in the Channel.
B) Calais and attack by fireships
As events part of the Spanish Armada.
A) Events in the Channel
- Covering 11km of sea, the Armada sailed through the English Channel in a crescent formation, making it difficult for the English to attack.
- Slow unarmed storage ships were placed in the centre, protected by the heavily armed galleons on the outer edges and the horns.
- The English fleet led by Lord Howard, Drake and Hawkins pursed the armada for a week but were unable to break their formation, with the Spanish only losing 2 ships.
B) Calais and attack by fireships
- Lord Howard decided to take advantage of the fact that the Duke of Parma’s forces would be delayed another week due to Dutch forces.
- On August 7th 8 unmaned ships were filled with tar, gunpowder and loaded cannons and were lighted before being sent towards the Spanish. The Spanish cut their anchor ropes to escape destruction, breaking their crescent formation.
6. Spanish Armada
Describe the:
A) Battle of Gravelines
B) Return by the Armada
As events of the Spanish Armada
A) Battle of Gravelines
- On August 8th English Warships attacked the scattered Armada, after 8 hours of fighting the English ran out of ammunition and were forced to pull back.
- 3 Spanish ships were lost, 1000 Spaniards were killed & over 800 wounded, in contrast to only 50 English sailors who had died. The Spanish’s plan to join with Parma’s army had been defeated.
B) Return by the Armada
- On August 9th wind directions changed and the Armada sailed into North Sea; it would not be able to return to spain through the English Channel. English fleet pursed the Armada until 12th of August.
- The Spanish lacked accurate maps to chart around the coasts of scotland and ireland, more ships were lost due to ship wreckage than to actual fighting. 2 ships wrecked on cost of scotland 2 of Ireland. ( Only about 67 ships made it back )
6. Spanish Armada
Explain the different reasons for the failure of the Armada.
English Strength:
- English ships were smaller, faster and more manoeuverable than the large more bulky Spanish Galleons.
Spanish Weaknesses:
- Spanish Cannons were largely ineffective; the short was made of poor-quality iron many exploded when fired.
- Spanish commander, Duke of Medina Sidonia, was not very experienced when compared to his English counterparts ( Drake & Hawkins )
Tactics:
- Turning point was the use of ‘fireships’ to break up the prior unbreakable crescenst formation of the Spanish & make it impossible of Medina to establish control
Weather:
- During the battle of Gravelines many Spanish ships were scattered northwards, many ships perished on the coasts of ireland.
- Also sickness due to contaminated food and water mean the sailors became to ill to sail their ships properly & morale was low.
6. Spanish Armada
Describe the results of the Spanish Armada.
- The war agaisnt Spain continued and dragged on for a further decade.
- There was still a successfull Spanish army in the Netherlands under the command of Duke of Parma
- There was still a risk of Spanish invasion and within a short time period Philip had constructed a new armada of over 100 ships
- The English continued to support the Dutch protestants in their rebillion agaisnt the Spanish.
- England was able to remain protestant and it continued to be ruled by Queen Elizabeth.
5. The Catholic Threat
What factors made Elizabeth (at first) tolerant towards Catholics?
- when passing the Religious Settlement of 1559, Elizabeth was shocked by the degree of opposition she met in the House of Lords from powerful Catholic nobles
- the fear of possible foreign intervention if she cracked down too harshly on Catholics
- the fear of rebellion from powerful Catholic nobles within England and Wales
- the realisation that the majority of the population were still catholic at heart
5. The Catholic Threat
What were the chain of events that led to Elizabeth adopting a much harsher approach towards Catholics?
1568: The arrival of MQS in England
1569: The Rebellion of the Northern Earls
1570: The issue of a Papal Bull of Excommunication against Elizabeth
1571: The Ridolfi Plot
1574: The first arrival of seminary priests in England from Douai in Flanders
1580: The arrival of the first Jesuit priests into England
1583: The Throckmorton Plot
1586: The Babington Plot
1588: The Spanish Armada
5. The Catholic Threat
What does the term ‘recusant’ mean and how did Elizabeth deal with them?
- used to describe induviduals who rebelled against Elizabeth’s Religious Settlement by refusing to attend church services
- they believed in the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, especially Latin Mass, and were not prepared to compromise
- Elizabeth responded by increasing fines for recusancy to 20 pounds and by making it a treasonable offence to attmept to convert people to Catholicism
- law especially aimed at seminary priests who were smuggled into England and Wales from northern France after 1574
5. The Catholic Threat
What did William Allen set up in 1568?
- set up a college in Douai in Flanders to train English Catholics for priesthood
- these priests were taught that it was their duty to return to England to re-establish the Catholic faith and, if necessary, seek martyrdom for their cause
- in all, 438 seminary priests were sent to England causing the government to pass an Act in 1585 that all priests should leave or die.
- in total,** 98 priests will be sentenced to death**
5. The Catholic Threat
Describe Jesuits in Elizabeths reign
- members of the Roman Catohlic missionary order known as ‘The Society of Jesus’ which had been founded in 1534
- chief aim was to destroy heresy (Protestantism)
- swore an oath of allegiance to the Pope and were prepared to die for their cause
- started coming to England in 1580 and claimed to only be hosting services for Catholic families in the privacy of their own homes, but the government claimed they were here to convert people to the Roman Catholic Church
5. The Catholic Threat
Governments response to recusancy
1581: the two Acts of Parliament were passed which increased the fines against recusants and made any attempt to convert people to the Catholic faith as treason
1585: an Act of parliament ordered all Jesuits and seminary priests to leave the country or be killed as well as anyone aiding or hiding a priest
1593: an Act forbade large gatherings of Catholics and confined known Catholics to a radius of 5 miles from their homes
5. The Catholic Threat
Case study: Edmund Campion
- 1540 born son of bookseller
- 1557-64 studied at OXford University
- 1571-73 trained at Douai college
- 1572 went to Rome
- 1573 joined the Jesuits
- 1578 ordained as a Jesuit priest
- 1580 chosen to return to England on a religious mission to spread Catholic faith in Lancashire and rich families in London
- 1581 arrested at Lyford in Berkshire and was sent to the Tower and tortured. Campion found guilty of treason and executed on 1 December 1581
5. The Catholic Threat
MQS backstory before fleeing to england
- born 1542, daughter of James V of Scotland and his french wife, Catholic Mary of Guise
- father died when she was just a few days old and she was crowned Queen of Scotland, with her mother acting as regent for young monarch
- in 1548, at 6, she was sent to be brought up and educated in Catholic France
- returned to Scotland in 1561 but had been taken over by the Scottish protestant lords and when the french prepared to send troops to defeat scottish rebels, Elizabeth promised to send an army north to help defeat the French
- MQS found herself as a Catholic in this Protestant environment that was England and Scotland in 1561
5. The Catholic Threat
Why did Elizabeth have to abdicate?
- MQS became friendly with James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell. When Darnley (her husband) fell ill with smallpox, Mary brought him to Kirk O’Field, a large house in Edinburgh
- She left the house for wedding and it was blown up with Darnley strangled
- Bothwell was accused of killing Darnley but was found not guilty
- Three months after Darnley’s death , Mary married Bothwell. This was a step too far for some of Mary’s protestant lords, who rebelled against her
- she was imprisoned at Loch Levencastle and in July 1567, was forced to abdicate in favour of her young son brought up a Protestant
- she arrived in England in May 1568 as she managed to escape from her captivity
5. The Catholic Threat
Describe the events of the Northern Earls Rebellion
- When Elizabeth had forbidden of the planned marriage between Thomas Howard and MQS, and the two Catholic Earls behind it (Thomas Percy and Charles Neville) were told to appear before her to answer charges, they refused and started a rebellion instead
- In November 1569, with 4600 men, the rebels marched into Durham, held Catholic mass in its cathedral and tore up the English Prayer Book and the Bible, as a sign of rejection of the Religious Settlement
- From Durham, force marched south to Bramham Moor but upon hearing a large royal army was coming, the rebels retreated north
- They retreated until in January 1570 the two leaders fled the border across Scotland
5. The Catholic Threat
Why did the 1569 Northern Earls Rebellion fail?
1) Poor planning and leadership: - the rebel army retreated once it heard news of a large royal army heading towards them
- the rebel leaders lacked a coherent plan of action
2) Popularity of Elizabeth:
- there was no enthusiasm to replace Elizabeth with Catholic Mary, or for the restoration of the pope as the head of the church
3) Lack of foreign support:
- rebellion had failed before Pope issued his Bull to excommunicate Elizabeth
- the foreign help promised by De Spes (spanish ambassador) did not materialise
- Philip ll Spain was reluctant to help Mary as she was more likely to support France if made Queen
5. The Catholic Threat
What was the Papal Bull 1570?
- In Feb. 1570, Pope Pius V issued a Papal Bull which proclaimed Elizabeth’s excommunication
- referred to Queen Elizabeth as a ‘servant of wickedness’ who was not the rightful queen of England and called upon any loyal Catholics to remove her
5. The Catholic Threat
Why was the papal bull significant?
- quite a serious threat to Elizabeth as it now gave Catholics permission to plot against the queen and plan her removal from office
- it provided justification for rebellion and for foreign intervention to help MQS
5. The Catholic Threat
How did Parliament respond to the Papal Bull?
Introduced a new Treason Act 1571 which:
- made it treasonable to declare Elizabeth not the lawful Queen
- made it treasonable to introduce or publish any Papal Bull
- allowed for the confiscation of the property of those Catholics who had fled abroad and did not return within 12 months of leaving
5. The Catholic Threat
What is the Ridolfi Plot?
- 1571, William Cecil and his spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham, uncovered a Catholic plot to overthrow QE and replace her with MQS
- plot was organised by Roberto Ridolfi, a Florentine merchant and banker, who had settled in England
- involved Mary, Duke of Norfolk, Philip ll Spain, De Spes and the pope
- a spanish army would land and help english catholics overthrow elizabeth and make MQS queen. she would then marry duke of norfolk and turn England Roman Catholic again
- Cecil and walsingham found out and killed Duke of Norfolk. Both Ridolfi and De Spes were **expelled **from the country
5. The Catholic Threat
What is the Throckmorton plot 1583?
- In 1583, Francis Throckmorton, a young catholic, took the lead in organising a plot that involved French Catholic forces, backed by Spanish and papal money, to invade England and free mary of captivity
- throckmorton acted as the go-between for MQS and the new spanish ambassador, de Mendoza
- Elizabeths sceret service uncovered the plot and arrested Throckmorton
- under torture, he revealed that the Duke of Guise was planning to invade England from the Spanish Netherlands, but was adamant MQS knew nothing about the plan
5. The Catholic Plot
What was the increasing Catholic threat 1584-85?
- The Leader of the Dutch Protestants, William of Orange had been shot dead by a Catholic assassin in July 1584
- John Somerville, an English Catholic attempted to kill Queen Elizabeth with a pistol
- Parliament later that same year introduced the ‘Bond of Association’ which stated that if Elizabeth was murdered, parliament would make sure the murderers were punished
5. The Catholic Plot
What is the Babington Plot 1586?
- Anthony Babington and MQS were talking through letters in beer barrel about the progress of an upcoming plot
- They were all being intercepted an read by Walsinham’s spy agents who were waiting for enough evidence to arrest her
- In August 1586, Walsingham struck with Babington confessing and him as well as 6 others being executed in September 1586
5. The Catholic Plot
The trial of MQS October 1586
- Mary was put on trial at Fotheringhay castle where she was tried of treason and found guilty of **‘imagining and encompassing Her Majesty’s death’ **and sentenced to death
- Queen Elizabeth, however, did not want to sign the death warrant and it was not until 1 February 1587 that she did
5. The Catholic Plot
The execution of MQS February 1587
- Even though she had signed the death warrant, Queen Elizabeth refused to release the document meaning the Privy Councillors had to go behind her back and sent William Davison (her secretary) to deliver the warrant
- On February 8 1587 MQS was killed in Fotheringay Castle much to the anger of Elizabeth
5. The Catholic Plot
Consequences of Mary’s death: The end of the Catholic threat?
English Catholics: there was no backlash with no further Catholic plots in Elizabeth’s reign
Scotland: while King James VI protested at the death of his mother, he blamed the privy council more than Queen Elizabeth herself
France: King Henry III did nothing wanting to keep on friendly terms wth Elizabeth with the growing power of Spain
Spain: King Philip II was already planning his invasion of England and the execution just compounded the desire to rid England of Protestantism
7. The Puritan Threat
How did Puritans react to the role of bishops and what did the Elizabethan Church think about Puritans?
- argued that bishops were an invention of the pope to keep control
- there isn’t any mention of bishops in the Bible
- bishops regarded Puritanism as suspicious and came to see it as a direct threat to power of the crown and the unity of the country
- some puritans integrated into the new church including:
John Jewel (bishop of salisbury), Edwin Sandys (bishop of worcester), Edmund Ginrdal (bishop of London)
7. The Puritan Threat
What do puritans oppose as part of their beliefs and practices?
Puritans opposed:
- bowing when the name Jesus was said
- kneeling in order to receive communion
- the giving of a ring during a marriage ceremony
- the marking of the sign of the cross during baptism
Things to be avoided were:
- all forms of gambling
- visits to the theatre
- drunkenness
- swearing
7. The Puritan Threat
What are the different types of Puritans?
Moderate Puritans:
- reluctantly accepted the Religious Settlement 1559 but continued to call for further reforms to purify the church
Presbyterians:
- wanted further reform of the church and called for simpler services , abolition of bishops and for each church to be run by a committee of Presbyters.
- Was well established in Scotland
Separatists:
- were the most radical group.
- they wanted to break away from the national church and for each church to be independent and to run its own affairs on a parish-by-parish basis
- sometimes known as ‘Brownists’
7. The Puritan Threat
The Vestements Controversy 1566
- Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, issued a ‘Book of Advertisements’ which laid down rules for conducting of services and the wearing of vestements
- many Puritan priests refused to follow these instructions and they argued that the vestements was similiar to those worn by Catholic priests
As a result some priests were punished:
- Thomas Sampson, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, was dismissed from his position because he refused to wear vestements
- in London, 37 Puritan priests were dismissed from their jobs due to refusing vestements
7. The Puritan Threat
Proposals by Thomas Cartwright, 1570
Thomas Cartwright, professor of divinity at Cambridge, gave a series of lectures on how he would introduce the Presbyterian system of church government….. suggested:
- the abolition of Archbishop position
- abolition of all popes
- each church should be ruled locally by its own minister
- ministers should be elected by their own church congregations
7. The Puritan Threat
French Marriage Pamphlet of John Stubbs, 1579
- in 1579, John Stubbs, a Puritan and political commentator, wrote a pamphlet which criticised the queen for engaging in marriage talks with a French Roman Catholic (Duke of Anjou)
- Stubbs was arrested, put on trial and charged with ‘seditious writing’. Sentenced to have his right hand cut off
7. The Puritan Threat
The Marprelate Tracts, 1558-89
- During 1558-89 a series of anonymous pamphlets were published called the Marprelate Tracts
- Bitterly attacked the church and its bishops and their content offended many people
- while authors were never identified, their publication lost the Puritans support as the pamphlet contained violent, sarcastic and offensive language
- to counter this, some Protestants wrote pamphlets against Puritan views
- in 1593, Richard Hooker published his ‘Laws of Ecclesiastical Policy’ as a defence of the Anglican Church
7. The Puritan Threat
Individuals who attempted reform within parliament
(Walter Strickland, John Field and Thomas Wilcox)
Walter Strickland, 1571:
- In April 1571, Strickland, the Puritan MP for Yorkshire, proposed a bill calling for introduction of a new Book of Common Prayer and for banning of vestements
- He was prevented from attending the House Commons by the Privy Council and Elizabeth closed down parliament before his ideas could be discussed
John Field and Thomas Wilcox, 1572:
- the two london clergymen published books with the titles ‘Admonitions to the Parliament’ and ‘A View of Popish Abuses yet remaining in the English Church’
- in these books they argued that the Presbyterian church structure was the one laid down by the Bible
- they were also critical of the Book of Common Prayer
- both men were arrested and imprisioned for a year, having been accused of breaking the Act of Uniformity
7. The Puritan Threat
Describe Archbishop Grindal and the ‘prophesyings’
- Government became alarmed by spread of meetings held by Puritans called prophesyings during which prayers and sermons were said
- the Privy Council and the Queen saw these as potentially dangerous and could encourage unrest rebellion
- Grindal was sympathetic to Puritan ideas and he concluded that prophesyings were not dangerous
- Elizabeth reacted by confining him to his house at Lambeth Palace
7. The Puritan Threat
Desrcibe John Whitgift’s attack on Presbyterianism
- When Grindal died in 1583, Elizabeth replaced him with John Whitgift, a devout Anglican and a privy councillor
- He had little sympathy with Puritanism so to purge the church of all Presbyterian elements he issued the Three Articles in 1583
- These demanded the clergy to force to swear:
the acceptance of bishops
the acceptance of all in the Book of Common Prayer
the acceptance of the 39 Articles - between 300-400 ministers refused to swear acceptance and they were removed from office
7. The Puritan Threat
Development of the Separatist movement in the 1580s
- Whitgifts efforts to enforce uniformity forced strict Puritans underground
- With the imprisonment of some Puritan extremists, a small number of Puritans broke off from the established church and set up their own church; given the name ‘separatists’
- One of the main leaders was Robet Browne, and his followers were referred to as Brownists
7. The Puritan Threat
What did Robert Browne do in Norwich, why and what were the repercussions of this?
- In 1580, Browne established a separatist congregation in Norwich
- He believed the Church of England still contained elements of the Catholic Faith and demonstrated a lack of moral discipline
- Wanted true christians to break away and leave the church to set up separate, voluntary gatherings which would impose proper discipline
- He was imprisoned for his beliefs for a short time
7. The Puritan Threat
Who emerged to lead the separatist movement after Browne left?
- Henry Barrow and John Greenwood
- Browne’s ideas were a worry for Whitgift and in June 1583 two Brownists, John Copping and Elias Thacker, were ordered for distributing Brownist pamphlets
7. The Puritan Threat
The Act against Seditious Sectaries 1593
- Government propaganda linked puritanism to separatism and separatism to treason
- The response by Elizabeth’s government was the passing of the Act against Seditious Sectaries in 1593 which gave the authorities power to execute those suspected of being separatists
- Imposed penalties of imprisonment, banishment and even death on those who went against the act
- As a result of this act, Henry Barrow and John Greenwood, along with John Penry, were arrested and executed in May 1593.
- This marked the end of the separatist movement
