Social Impact of Religious and Economic changes

• What issues did Mary I have in regards to reversing religious reform?

  - Despite the majority of the population being Protestant, a majority of the Protestants were situated in London and other parts of the South, specifically in high positions of power

  - Statute law was protective of Protestantism

  - Those in the political elite had benefited from the sale of monastic lands

  - In order to rely on Parliamentary legislation to reverse the royal supremacy, Mary would have to acknowledge the legal validity of the laws passed during the reign of Henry VIII thus making Mary have to proclaim that statute law indeed have supremacy over divine law
• In what ways did religion change under Mary I?

  - Mary's first parliament in October 1553 helped to repeal the religious laws made during the reign of Edward VI, restored the order of service from the reign of Henry VIII, deprived married members of the clergy of their livings, and upheld the legal status of the Church.

  - Mary's third Parliament (Nov 1554- Jan 1555) resolved the status of the Church. This was delayed by the issue concerning what should happen to the dissolved monasteries that had been left in private hands. According to Pope Julius III and legate Reginald Pole, it should be handed back to the Church whilst Simon Renard, imperial ambassador, told Charles V that more of the former monastic lands were in the hands of the Catholics than the Protestants. The Pope and Pole wanted the Church in England to firstly submit to Rome before dispensations are awarded to individual landowners. Charles V, Philip and the Council all warned the Pope that this would be politically impossible which the Pope later reluctantly agreed with.

  - Cardinal Pole arrived in England in Nov 1554 where he became legate as well as gaining the coveted position as Archbishop of Canterbury

  - The Third Parliament also reversed Henry's Act of Attainder that had initially been passed against Pole. The day before Pole's arrival, royal assent was given.
• What opposition did Mary face? What was the burning of heretics?

  - Mary's third parliament restored heresy laws which gave Mary the power to punish those who went against her Catholic faith.

  - Out of those in Parliament, 80 total MPs voted against the repeal of the Edwardian religious laws.

  - Approximately 800 went into exile.