Religious Settlement, 1559

Question 1

Key points of the Act of Uniformity, 1559:

Answer 1

• A new Protestant prayer book had to be used in every church.
• Church services had to be in English, bread and wine had to be served.
• The bible was in English.
• Decoration was allowed in churches.
• Clergy wore vestments and were allowed to marry.
• All clergy had to take an oath agreeing to the new prayer book.
• Attendance at church was compulsory, fines for recusants.
• She made wording of the service unclear, so it could be interpreted as catholic or Protestant views.

Question 2

Key points of Royal Injunctions, 1559:

Answer 2

• Preachers had to be licensed by a bishop.
• Preachers had to preach at least one service a month.
• Every Church had to display a bible written in English.
• Pilgrimages were outlawed.
• No more alters were to be destroyed.

Question 3

Impact of religious settlement on the clergy:

Answer 3

Positive:
-8,000 priests took the oath under the act of supremacy.

Negative:
-Only one bishop took the oath, so she had to appoint 27 new Protestant bishop.

Question 4

Impact of the religious settlement on the people:

Answer 4

Positive:
-The majority turned up to church and could interpret the service to their liking.

Negative:

• It was slow to take hold in some places and Elizabeth refused to enforce it strongly, such as Lancashire.
• Some protestants became too enthusiastic and became too violent.

Question 5

Verdict on the settlement, 1559:

Answer 5

• The new Archbishop of Canterbury was a moderate who accepted different views religious views.
• Less than 3% of the clergy refused to take the oath of loyalty to the new church.
• Fines for recusance were not strictly enforced.
• By 1568 most people accepted the new church, and there had been no rebelling.
• It didn’t satisfy devout puritans/Catholics, and encouraged opposition and non conformity.

Question 6

Role of the Church of England

Answer 6

• It ran church courts.
• It gave power to the monarch.
• It enforced the religious settlement.
• It controlled what was preached, only what the monarch wanted.

Question 7

What were visitations:

Answer 7

• Inspections by bishops to ensure everyone took the oath of supremacy and followed the religious settlement terms.
• Inspected Church, midwives, teachers, surgeons, physicians etc.