Religious Settlement

1. Religious Settlement The Impact and Implications of the Religious Settlement

2. Introduction • Elizabeth hoped the Religious Settlement would • appeal to most people but in reality it probably • created more problems than it solved. Major Problems Catholic Opposition Which resulted in Elizabeth making concessions Protestant Concerns Over the omission of a statement of faith in the Settlement Issues that determined Catholic support or opposition Foreign Policy Succession Marriage Pope’s Reaction

3. Problems Arising from the Religious Settlement 1563-1572 Problems Government’s Response • Quality of the Clergy • Poorly educated • Poorly trained • Catholic clergy who • conformed lacked • conviction • Key Appointments • Matthew Parker as • Archbishop of Canterbury • Key Protestants and • Marian exiles to bishoprics • Confusion over Doctrine • Protestants concerned • the Settlement did not • include an enunciation • of Protestant doctrine • Key Publications • Injunctions • 39 Articles • Commissioners also • investigated breaches of • the Prayer Book • Puritan Opposition • Led to Vestments • controversy (see p 198) • Failed to Make Concessions • Clergy resigned • Resulted in Puritanism • Turned to Presbyterianism • Catholic Opposition • Opposition to Elizabeth • as Supreme Governor • Northern Rebellions • Restoration of Mary • & Catholicism • Quashed Opposition • Put down rebellions • Executed rebel leaders • Imprisoned Mary

4. The Northern Rebellion 1569 Was the Northern Rebellion a serious threat to Elizabeth? It’s Significance • The first in a series of rebellions. • Conspiracy centred around Mary Queen of Scots. • Ushered in a turbulent period in foreign affairs. Elizabeth’s Concerns • That her failure to marryand produce an heir • to the throne would open the way for a legitimate • Catholicclaimant to the throne of England. • When Mary Queen of Scots arrived in England in • 1568she became the focal point and catalyst of • Catholic Opposition. Thomas Percy (Earl of Northumberland) Earl of Sussex Thomas Howard (Duke of Norfolk) Rebels De Spes (Spanish Ambassador) Charles Neville (Earl of Westmorland

5. What factors caused the rebellion? 17.6: Opposition to the reformation & support of Mary 17.5: ‘contrarie to God word’ 17.7: Business matters Reasons for the Rebellion 17.8: Fight against evil 17.8: Forced to rebel 17.12: Resentment towards Elizabeth’s authority 17.11: Protestantism a threat to the realm • Haigh believed the Northern Rebellion was a major • threatto Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s response shows how • seriously she took the rebellion. She…. • Had 450people executed. • Land confiscated. • Catholic supporters of the rebellion punished. • The Council of the Northwas restored under the leadership of the Puritan Earl of Huntington.

6. Problems Caused by the Settlement • Up until 1568Elizabeth’s middle-of-the-road, broad- • based church was a success. The Success of the Settlement • Settlement • Refined • Injunctions • & • 39 Articles • Introduced Catholics Conformed Outwardly Northern Rebellion Quashed • From 1568 Elizabeth encountered significant • Catholic Opposition.

7. Religious Settlement Catholic Opposition

8. Introduction • Purpose of the Religious Settlement was to….. • Establish outward conformity. • Not to….. • Examineinward reality. Traditional View (A.G. Dickens) • By 1558 majority of Englishmen were…. • Receptive to a Protestant national Church • Ready to become loyal Anglicans. • That a minority group of Catholics continued in their • support of the Pope and Mary, Queen of Scots, which • resulted in them…… • Being branded traitors. • Becoming the target of repressive measures. • Traditional historians argue that Elizabeth was more • concerned with countering any political threatthan • punishing someone for religious non-conformity. • Revisionists have raised serious questions about the Traditional view however.

9. Revisionist View • England was still largely Catholic, particularly • outside of London and in the north in 1559. This • would suggest that……. • The majority of the population was Catholic. • Catholic opposition was not restricted to a minority group of extremists. • Catholic opposition in the House of Lords supports • this view. This also explains Elizabeth’s concessions • to Catholics in the Religious Settlement. She retained • some of the outward symbolismof the old faith in an • attempt to win them over to Protestantism. Why was Elizabeth so accommodating of Catholics? • To have enforced the Religious Settlement with • heavy-handed tactics would have led to…. • The outbreak of civil war. • Isolating Catholic gentry – and she needed their support to enforce the law and govern the localities.

10. Who were these Catholics? Church Papists Recusants Catholic Opposition Seminary Priests Jesuits

11. The Threat of Mary, Queen of Scots • Historians are divided in their assessment of Mary. Assessment of Mary Tragic, Misguided Figure Calculating and Dangerous • They are also divided over the wisdom of Elizabeth’s • decision to have her executed in 1587. Was it a….. • Serious blunder or a Political Necessity? Why was Mary a problem for Elizabeth? • Legitimate claimant to the English throne. • She was both half-French and Catholic. • This threatened England’s political independenceand • Protestant religion. Elizabeth didn’t help her cause…. • By Failing to Marryor Name a Successor!

12. Most Catholics in England placed their allegiance for • Elizabeth before that of the Pope. In other words • they were…. • Englishmenbefore they wereCatholics! • They supported Elizabeth but…... • They wanted Mary recognised as Elizabeth’s heir. • When relationships between England and Spain • soured in 1569Spain began supporting Mary’s claim • to the English throne. Mary’s Claim to the Throne of England Was it real or imagined? • There is no doubt that Mary’s hasty and untimely • arrival in England after her abdication in 1568 • created a serious problem for Elizabeth; Problems • To support Mary would be to reject those who deposed her ( Protestant nobles in Scotland) • To insist Mary be restored to the throne could result in making enemies of potential allies

13. Elizabeth’s Options #1 • She could return Mary to Scotland to face • trialand possible execution. • Elizabeth rejected this option because of her belief in • the Sanctity of Princes! (see source 18.9, p 183) #2 • She could return Mary to her family in • France. • Elizabeth rejected this option because it might revive • the old Franco-Scottishconnection. The Guises • could intervene in Scotland and this would pose an • even greater threat to Elizabeth. #3 • She could permit Mary to stay in England. • This is exactly what Elizabeth did. She permitted • Mary to stay in England as her prisoner. • The problem was that during her 18 years • imprisonment Mary remained a constant threat as • she became the… • Symbol of Hope for Disenchanted Catholics in England. • Rallying-point for Catholic Opposition! • Until her execution in 1587 Mary was linked with • a number of Catholic plots to assassinateElizabeth.

14. Northern Rebellion 1569 Bull of Excommunication 1570 Catholic Threats Key Events • The Northern Rebellion • 1569 • Court conspiracy to have Norfolk marry Mary • Mary to be proclaimed heir to English throne • Catholicism restored –Elizabeth & Cecil ousted • Privy Council’s Response • Demanded Norfolk's execution • Parliament’s Response • Parliament not called to discuss the matter • Elizabeth’s Response • Wanted Mary restored to Scottish throne • Sent force to subdued Mary’s supporters The Babington Plot 1586 The Ridolfi Plot 1571 • The Papal Bull of Excommunication • 1570 • Pope Pius V excommunicates Elizabeth • Pius V considers Elizabeth a heretic • Pius calls on Catholics to depose Elizabeth • Parliament’s Response • Increased security of Elizabeth • Privy Council’s Response • Increases security to ensure the safety of Elizabeth • Parliament’s Response • Introduce TREASON ACTS that make it an offense to: • Challenge legitimacy of Elizabeth as Queen • Introduce or publish any Papal Bulls in England • The Ridolfi Plot • 1571 • After excommunication Norfolk plans • uprising • Plan included Philip II of Spain & the Pope • Cecil discovered the plan • Privy Council’s Response • Demanded execution of Norfolk • Initiated Parliamentary Bills against Mary • Parliament’s Response • Passed two Bills: 1. Prohibited the Papal from being brought into England. 2. Treason to deny Elizabeth as rightful Queen • Elizabeth’s Response • Agreed to Norfolk’s execution to placate the • House of Commons • Refused to sign Mary’s death warrant The Throckmorton Plot 1583 • The Babington Plot • 1586 • Walsingham’s agents intercept a letter from • Mary endorsing the murder of Elizabeth • Privy Council’s Response • Persuade Elizabeth to bring Mary to trial • Push Elizabeth to sign Mary’s death warrant • Parliament’s Response • Demands execution of Mary • Elizabeth’s Response • Orders Babington and plotters to be hanged • Wanted an alternative punishment for Mary • Signed warrant after initial indecision • Blamed her secretary William Davidson • The Throckmorton Plot • 1583 • French forces to invade England, free Mary and created popular Catholic uprising • Privy Council’s Response • Throckmorton tortured & executed • Spanish Ambassador, De Mendoza expelled • Parliament’s Response • Priests expelled from England • Treason to become a Catholic priest • Death penalty for aiding Catholic priests • Elizabeth’s Response • Concerned for James future

15. Was Mary Stuart a Genuine Threat? Yes! No! • Legitimate heir to • the English throne • Henry VIII excluded • Stuart succession • Viewed as a foreign • threat • Natural leader of • English Catholics • English Catholics were • loyal to Elizabeth • Upset at Darnley • scandal • Little support elsewhere • Cause of the • Northern Rebellion • France preoccupied with • Civil War – 1562-93 • Spain preoccupied with • Netherlands & Turks • Papal Bull issued too • late to cause a Catholic • uprising • Supported by Guises • of France, Philip II of • Spain & the Pope • English Catholics upset • by Mary’s involvement • in the plot & opposed • foreign intervention • Instigated the • Babington Plot to • Murder Elizabeth

16. Why The Delay in Executing Mary? • Mary’s execution would increase Catholic opposition at home and in Europe. • Using Mary as a hostage ensured France would • not act aggressively toward England. • It almost guaranteed Philip II of Spain would not attempt to dethrone Elizabeth. If he did it would only serve to strengthen Mary and French political ambitions for England. • It was a more merciful, wise and courageous decision. Conclusion • While Mary remained alive concerns over Catholicism, • succession and national security would remain. • But most historians agree that while the plots against Elizabeth never developed into a serious threat, the execution of Mary Stuart was a political necessity.

17. Religious Settlement Puritan Opposition

18. Introduction • While most historians agree that Elizabeth’s main • opposition came from Catholicsit is important to • consider the threat posed by Puritans (Puritan Choir). Who are the Puritans? • Most were Marian exiles had been influenced by the reformer John Calvin and his Godly society in Geneva. The word ‘Puritan’ comes from the word ‘pure.’ They wanted the faith of the Church of England to be rid of mediocrity and its forms of worship to be simple, biblical and free of the influences of Catholicism. • They were considered fanatical, left wing and very religious’, ‘Godly Protestants’ or ‘Hotter sort of Protestants.’ • Their religious ideas, actions and practice, along • with their views on Church organization led to • conflict with the Church of England.

19. Why such a radical approach? • They were concerned about: • Influence and impact of Popular Religion. • Ongoing influence of Catholicism. • Ignorance of the people on matters of religion. • Parish Anglicans who were more concerned about outward conformity than inward reality. Was Puritanism at this stage a ‘mindset’ or a ‘movement?’

20. A Mindset or Movement? • Initially Puritanism was a ‘mind-set’ rather than an • organized movement independent of the Church of • England. By the reign of Charles I however, it had • become a highly organized and influential • movement that worked in opposition to the King Some historians have identified THREE strands of Puritanism. All three offered Elizabeth a challenge. The Three Strands of Puritanism • Worked outside the Church and • wanted reforms that would see: • The national church disbanded • Each parish determine its own direction. (Read p 201-203 for additional notes-particularly those on prophesying & Classical Presbyterianism. Moderates Presbyterians Separatists • Upset at imposition of Religious Settlement without consultation. • Reluctantly accepted the established church. • Wanted Doctrine and Prayer book to be more Calvinistic. • Worked within the Church to initiate change. • (Read p 196-198 for additional notes, • Particularly on the Vestments/Vestarian • Controversy) • Small influential group. • Wanted Church government reformed. • Used their position in Parliament to initiate change. • Thomas Cartwright key person. • (Read p 199-200 for additional notes)

21. How Successful was the Puritan Opposition? • While most historians agree that major opposition • came from Catholics it would be a mistake to • discount entirely the threat of the Puritan Choir. • If the Puritan Choir was a threat it certainly was not on the same scale as the threat posed by the Catholics. Government Suppression • Elizabeth viewed the Puritans with a great deal of • suspicion. As a result she attempted to moderate • their influence by: • Her policy of religious uniformity • John Whitgift’s commitment to enforcing this policy • The execution of Puritan extremists • whose opposition was considered Seditious! • This forced Puritan’s to leave the Church of England • to establish their own Separatist Church. While some • believe Whitgift broke the back of Puritanism the fact • that were instrumental in bringing about the • downfall of Charles I in 1640s suggests otherwise.