Antony Cope’s proposals

• An MP sympathetic to Presbyterianism in the parliament which met in 1586, by now the Puritans had the organisational capacity to try to influence elections so that MPs of their persuasion were chosen
• There was also a meeting of ‘godly brethren’ in London as Parliament sat - perhaps to prevent backsliding from the MPs
• He proposed overturning the government and practice of the Church; the Genevan Prayer Book would replace the Book of Common Prayer and end the authority of Bishops
• Despite Revolutionary nature, it won support in debate (MP Job Throckmorton defending it), but Elizabeth disapproves so Cope and four others sent to tower
• While in the house of commons an offensive was mounted by government with spokesmen (e.g. Sir Christopher Hatton) attacking the bill
• Hatton asserted the bill requires surrender of former monastic land to finance a new church free from state control; this was a clinching argument for MPs. and the bill and book disappeared