Religion under Elizabeth Flashcards
What punishments did Catholics face at the beginning of Elizabeth’s reign?
- fines imposed for not attending Church of England services
- fines/confiscation of land for those persuading priests to say Catholic Mass
- penalties deliberately not too harsh as didn’t want to create martyrs
How much support was there for Catholicism at the start of Elizabeth’s reign?
- appeared at first like there was little support
- although most bishops were deprived of positions for refusing to accept changes, few parish priests refused the Oath of Supremacy
- however, some areas showed substantial support
- true that not many fines, were collected, but this was more due to failure to collect them
- many 1560s clergy led worship containing traces of Catholicism (e.g. using Latin rather than English)
Why was Elizabeth finding it increasingly difficult to sustain her tolerance towards Catholics between 1567-72?
1567: Pope instructed English Catholics to not attend Anglican Church Services (same year 10,000 Spanish troops sent to Netherlands)
1568: Mary QoS sought sanctuary in England (same year seminary founded in the Netherlands to train missionaries to support Catholics in England)
1569: Revolt of the Northern Earls - Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland rebelled and restored Catholic mass in Durham
1570: Pope excommunicated Elizabeth - Catholics now had no loyalty towards her
1571: Ridolfi Plot (to replace with Mary)
1572: Catholics slaughtered Protestants on St Bartholomew’s Day in France - fear they’d turn attention to heresy in England
How did missionary priests increase Catholicism?
- first 4 from the seminary in the Netherlands arrived in 1574
- by the 1590s there were over 100 - they secretly moved around
- 1580: another wave of priests called the Jesuits
What penal laws did Elizabeth introduce against Catholics?
- 1571 Treason Act: made denial of E’s supremacy punishable by death (several executed)
- saying mass incurred fine of 200marks and a year’s imprisonment (many couldn’t afford this)
- 1585: Act passed meaning Catholic priests had 40 days to leave the country, otherwise they’d be given the death penalty
