Religious settlement

• The established religion of England was Protestantism, but the church still had Catholic practices such as celebration of the mass and priests wearing vestments
• Elizabeth came up with what became known as the Religious Settlement. In 1559 she passed two laws: The act of supremacy, The act of Uniformity.
• The act of supremacy: This made Elizabeth the Supreme Governor of the Church. The term ‘Supreme Head’ was avoided because Christ was seen as Head of the Church.
• The act of uniformity: This made Protestantism England’s official faith and also set out rules of religious practice in a revised prayer book. This kept some Catholic traditions which Elizabeth hoped would make a good compromise and keep her people happy.
• (1559) The act of Uniformity meant that everyone had to attend church on Sundays and holy days. Anyone caught not attending could be fined or sentenced to prison.
• 1581 - Act to retain the Queen’s subjects in their due obedience: 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, anyone found to have persuaded someone to convert to Catholicism was guilty of treason and could be put to death.
• The rulers of the most powerful countries in Europe - Spain and France - were Catholic so plots often had foreign backing. In 1570 the Pope issued a Papal Bull of Excommunication against Elizabeth and actively encouraged plots against her.
• The Pope encouraged Catholic priests to undertake secret work in England to convert people back to Catholicism. If they were caught they could be sentenced to death for treason. Which is what happened to Edmund Campion in 1581.
• The main figurehead for catholic plots was Mary, Queen of Scots. She had a claim to the English throne, and was seen as a potential replacement for Elizabeth.
• (1569) The Northern Earls’ Rebellion: The Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland planned to get Mary, Queen of Scots out of jail and on to the throne. They gathered an army of 6,000 soldiers in their attempt to return England to Catholicism.
• (1569) The Northern Earls’ Rebellion: Elizabeth found out the plan and sent an army to crush the rebellion. Elizabeth put 800 rebels to death and the two Earls fled to Scotland.
• (1571) The Ridolfi Plot: Roberto Ridolfi, an Italian banker, planned to assassinate Elizabeth and make Mary queen. He had the support of King Philip II of Spain and the Duke of Norfolk.
• (1571) The Ridolfi plot: The plot was uncovered by Elizabeth’s advisor, Cecil. Ridolfi and the Spanish ambassador were arrested and expelled from the country.
• (1583) The Throckmorton Plot: A catholic man, Francis Throckmorton, organised a plan for a French army (paid for by the Pope and King Philip II of Spain) to invade England and replace Elizabeth with Mary, Queen of Scots.
• (1583) The Throckmorton Plot: Throckmorton was executed and Mary was moved to Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire, where she was held in isolation and allowed no visitors.
• (1586) The Babington plot: Sir Anthony Babington planned to rescue Mary, Queen of Scots from jail and murder Elizabeth. Secret letters between the plotters and Mary were discovered which gave Elizabeth's advisers the evidence needed to prove Mary’s guilt.
• (1586) The Babington plot: This finally led to the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, Babington and six other plotters.
• Puritan threat (1571): Walter Strickland, leader of the Puritan group in Parliament, wanted to reform Elizabeth’s new Prayer Book and ban clergy vestments. Elizabeth silenced him by closing Parliament so his ideas could not be discussed.
• Puritan threat (1575 - 1603): Some Puritan clergy started organising prayer meetings which displeased Elizabeth. In these meetings Puritans took a freer approach to prayer and did not follow what Elizabeth had specified. She was concerned ideas might spread that challenged the Religious Settlement. Elizabeth ordered the Archbishop of Canterbury, Edmund Grindal, to ban the meetings but he protested. She suspended him, and 200 Puritan priests were expelled from their roles.
• Puritan threat (1583): The Puritan, John Stubbs, published a pamphlet criticising Elizabeth’s on-going marriage negotiations with the brother of the Catholic French king. Stubbs was found guilty of stirring up trouble and sentenced to have had his right hand cut off.