The Religious Settlement (1558-1559) Flashcards
What were the two feature of the Religious Settlement?
- The Act of Supremacy (1558)
- The Act of Uniformity (1559)
What did the 1558 Act of Supremacy accomplish?
It repealed Papal control and recognised Elizabeth as supreme governor of the Church (rather than supreme head). All Catholic clergy also had to swear an oath of loyalty to Elizabeth
- All bishops bar one refused to take the oath
What were aspects of the Act of Uniformity that related to the Bible and Services?
- She allowed varying Eucharistic beliefs to exist as a compromise
between Catholics and Protestants (e.g. Transubstantiation and Symbolism) - The Bible and services had to be in English, and a protestant prayer
book was also mandatory. Elizabeth’s reintroduced Edward VI’s “BOOK OF
COMMON PRAYER” - Bread and Wine were offered during communion, but the theology
behind it was made purposefully vague
What were aspects of the Act of Uniformity that related to Clergy?
- All preachers had to have their license and their views checked by
Bishops (Who had sworn loyalty to Elizabeth) and had to preach every
month - Priests had to wear a surplice rather than plain black gowns preferred
by Puritans. They could get married, but Elizabeth frowned upon it
What were some aspects that facilitated the passing of the Religious Settlement?
- Pope Pius didn’t intervene, and when a new Pope
excommunicated Elizabeth 11 years later it was ineffective - Phillip II of Spain didn’t want to go against Elizabeth, at it could
result in Mary Stuart ascending the throne, who was an ally of
France - Spain’s enemy - Spain was also preoccupied with their own Protestant rebellions in the Spanish Netherlands, and didn’t have enough men or money to spare
- France was dealing with its own religious civil war
Give examples of the Puritan threat faced by Elizabeth
- In 1571, Walter Strickland, leader of the Puritan group in Parliament,
wanted to reform Elizabeth’s new Prayer Book and ban clergy
vestments (this was known as the Vestarian Controversy). - Some Puritans published anonymous pamphlets called the Marprelate Tracts, complaining about the
Church and bishops. - Puritans didn’t accept the existence of Bishops and Archbishops as they didn’t believe in hierarchal
structures in the Church - Many Puritans saw the Crucifixes used in Churches as idolatry, and therefore blasphemous
- Many fled
Why was Elizabeth relatively tolerant towards Catholics in the 1560s?
- It was possible that the Catholic powers in Europe may try to
intervene if the persecution of Catholics took place. - There were many powerful Catholic nobles within Wales and
England, especially in the north of England. - Many people were Catholic, and Elizabeth needed their loyalty to be
a successful Queen
What did the Act of Uniformity say about Recusancy?
There would be a 12 pence (1 shilling) fine for missing church
Give examples of the Welsh response to the Act of Uniformity
- Many Welsh Catholics paid the recusancy fine for not attending
church services, such as Edward Morgan of Llantarnum who paid
£7,760 during Elizabeth’s reign. - Many Welsh clergy who disagreed with the Religious changes fled to
Italy
What was the 1581 “Act to retain the Queen’s subjects in their due obedience”?
An Act that said Catholics who were still refusing to attend services in the Protestant Church were forced to pay an even bigger fine of 20 pounds per month, In addition, anyone found to have persuaded someone to convert to Catholicism was guilty of treason and could be put to death.
What were aspects of the overall Catholic response to the Religious Settlement?
- Elizabeth’s church kept bishops and archbishops, and allowed all clergy to continue to wear decorative
gowns (vestements) - Parish churches still had stained glass windows and organs so they looked and felt the same to many Catholics
- Elizabeth rarely persecuted or killed anyone for their beliefs as long as they were loyal, so many Catholics continued to celebrate Mass in secret
- Elizabeth naming herself as Supreme Governor rather than head would have been accepted by many
Catholics - Some Catholics (Recusants), refused to attend new Church services, naming Elizabeth a heretic
- There was no Catholic Mass as a part of services, and this worried Catholics as they believed it would stop them from going to Heaven
-
What did Elizabeth’s Religious Settlement consist of?
A series of Protestant reformations and Catholic concessions. She based her settlement around a “Via Media” (A middle way) in order to please both Catholics and Protestants
What was the Counter-Reformation?
- A movement in the Catholic Church that tried to convert Protestants back to
Catholicism - Missionaries were sent to England by reformers such as Cardinal William
Allen in the Netherlands - Reformers had the support of the Pope
Who were the Jesuits?
A key group in the Catholic missionary movement, they didn’t seek direct rebellion, but wanted to spread their religious message in England
Give examples of Elizabeth’s reaction to the Jesuits
In 1571, fines were introduced for Catholics who didn’t participate in Protestant services, however the rich could afford to pay these fines, and they weren’t strictly enforced
In 1581 the fine increased to 20 pounds
In 1584, the “Jesuits Act” was passed, which demanded that all Catholic priests to leave England within 40 days, or be found guilty of treason, unless they swore an oath of loyalty to the Queen
The 1587 Recusancy act took away 2/3 of a recusant’s land
