Puritan threat

Question 1

What did Puritans think about the RS?

Answer 1

Wanted it more extreme

Critical of it, thought it was “too Catholic”

Question 2

What were the Puritans’ main objections to the RS?

Answer 2

Role of Bishops-not biblical, wanted to abolish hierarchy of church
Adiaphora (Catholic superstitious practices) not in bible eg kneeling before communion, wearing ring
Vestments-not in bible, distinguished priest from laity, associated with Roman Catholic Church
Wearing of surplices- too similar to catholic clergy

Question 3

Who were puritans?

Answer 3

Extreme protestants

Question 4

What were the different types of Puritans?

Answer 4

The moderates

The Presbyterians

The Separatists

Question 5

Who were the Moderates?

Answer 5

Not a threat
reluctantly accepted RS
Tried to work from within the church to reform its structure

Question 6

Who were the Presbyterians?

Answer 6

Wanted Calvinist model of church of local and elected elders running the church
meant removal of all bishops + archbishops
not popular with Elizabeth direct challenge to her royal prerogative (Act of Supremacy)

Question 7

What were Puritan beliefs?

Answer 7

believed church should be reformed as quickly as possible
Hardened by Marian exile
based in Geneva, absorbed Calvinist ideas
Religion and state should be separated

Question 8

Who were the Separatists?

Answer 8

Puritans not prepared to compromise
Couldn’t accept the services offered in the English church as reflecting the true church so set up their own
few in number
threat, Elizabeth feared development of an Anabaptist movement similar to one in Munster 1533-4

Question 9

What Puritan challenges were there?

Answer 9

1563=Convocation of Canterbury
1566=Vestment Controversy 
39 articles 
Cartwright's Presbyterian lectures
William Strickland's Alphabet Bills
Prophesying's
Anthony Cope "bill and book"
The Admonition to the Parliament

Question 10

What happened at the 1563 Convocation of Canterbury?

Answer 10

Puritans sought to “further purify” the church of England beyond the RS
Plans based on 42 articles from Edward VI’s reign
more extreme measures only defeated by 1 vote (59:58)
demonstrates the extent of Puritan sympathy with in Church

Question 11

What was the Vestments controversy?

Answer 11

Internal threat
In 1566 when advertisements were laid down on the vestment requirements for clergy, 37 priests refused to follow instructions + were removed from office
Support from Grindal

Question 12

What were the Thirty-Nine articles?

Answer 12

Challenged RS
This was the definition of the beliefs + practices of the English Church
Granted + accepted by Convocation in in 1563
concession for puritans but authorities didn’t always recognise its existence

Question 13

What changes were proposed in Parliament?

Answer 13

Thirty-Nine Articles

Bill to reform Book of Common Prayer 1571

“bill and book” campaign

Question 14

What did Walter Strickland do?

Answer 14

1571 sent a bill to reform Book of Common Prayer by abolishing uses of surplices, rings in marriage + other superstitious practices
Won some support but none from higher authority
Privy Council summoned him to answer accusations
Barred from house but allowed to return after cry from MPs
Bill not heard of again

Question 15

What did Anthony Cope do?

Answer 15

Proposed to replace Common Prayer Book with Genevan Prayer Book
Elizabeth unimpressed, sent for it, undermined her royal prerogative
Sent Cope + 4 others to tower
The Bill and Book disappeared

Question 16

What other methods did Puritans use to challenge RS?

Answer 16

Academic criticism - Cartwright

Appeals to public opinion - Field and Wilcox

Separatists

Question 17

What did Thomas Cartwright do?

Answer 17

Cartwright, professor at Cambridge introduced Presbyterian teaching to England
1570, gave series of lectures criticising church
one conclusion was that role of bishops + other officials not in Bible
his freedom of speech + professorship was removed

Question 18

What did Field and Wilcox do?

Answer 18

Field + Wilcox wrote Admonition to Parliament criticised the Church on its structure + continued use of some Catholic practices
Imprisoned-spent year in Newgate prison
Had wide readership + initiated pamphlet war between its supporters + detractors
successful in bringing Puritan ideas to forefront of debate

Question 19

What was prophesying?

Answer 19

informal religious meetings with prayers + religious preaching
threat- can’t control what is being said
Grindal turned blind eye even when Elizabeth ordered their suppression, forced to suspend him

Question 20

What methods did Separatists use?

Answer 20

1580s, Cambridge graduates Browne + Harrison formed their own church in Norwich
emigrated to Holland in 1582 after trouble with authorities-known as Brownist movement
1590s, Greenwood + Barrow led another Separatist movement
Martin Marprelate Tracts

Question 21

What were the Martin Marprelate Tracts?

Answer 21

anonymous pamphlets, very popular
attacked the Elizabethan church
lost support, sparked immediate outrage

Question 22

What did Elizabeth do about the separatists?

Answer 22

Legalisation against Sectaries meant Barrow, Greenwood + John Penry all arrested + executed

Question 23

Why was the Separatist movement limited?

Answer 23

attracted small numbers, most Puritans had come to accept RS
never a united movement, prone to splintering eg Browne fell out with Harrison which is why he left England
beliefs weren’t regimented and defined

Question 24

What were Puritans less of a threat towards the end?

Answer 24

John Field died 1558, no one had organisation skills like him
Marprelate Tracts damaged reputation + lost support
1580 Seminary priests began to arrive in England, reduced Puritan threat increased catholic
More focused on Spanish Armada
Defeat of Spanish Armada 1588 viewed as triumph for English church, puritan criticisms carried less weight

Question 25

Reasons that Puritanism was a threat?

Answer 25

Challenged her royal prerogative
E took drastic measures-did she view it as threat
Support from Archbishop Grindal in prophesying, couldn’t rely on him
Support in Privy Council eg Cecil + Dudley, could try to manipulate her as a woman, advising her. they spoke up for ministers being threatened with loss of their posts
Puritan sympathy in church, 1563 Convocation of Canterbury
1580s Classis movement, preaching increased
Puritanism survived, leaders moved elsewhere eg Geneva + continued struggle at safe distance
Leicester + Sir Francis Knollys helped Field get preaching license

Question 26

Reasons that Puritanism wasn’t a threat?

Answer 26

Not affecting her position on the throne but challenging her, didn’t want MQS as queen
Parliament didn’t meet often, she had final word
Used efficient + effective methods eg imprisonment
Separatists were greatest threat but few in number, divided + Queen’s penalties ended them
Bible-centred, only for the literate, most people couldn’t read
Some ministers set up underground churched but few joined + little impact
many Tudors didn’t want to listen to 2 sermons on Sunday, preferred sports + theatre
Whitgift introduced Three Articles-all clergy had to agree or lost license to preach. 400 refused at first but gave in. diffused threat he enforced conformity
Many Puritans had died by 1580s
Lost support-seen as violent