The Elizabethan Church Settlement, 1558-63 (Edexcel A-Level History): Revision Notes
The Elizabethan Church Settlement, 1558-63
Elizabeth's dilemma upon accession
When Elizabeth I became queen in 1558, she faced a complex religious situation. On one hand, she was the daughter of Anne Boleyn, which made her the living symbol of England's break from Rome. She had been taught by tutors who supported Protestant reform, and Protestants who had suffered under Mary I expected her to restore Protestantism. Some Protestant exiles who returned from abroad had become more radical during their time in Europe and wanted to see the Church reformed along Puritan lines.
However, Elizabeth also faced serious dangers if she broke with Rome. Making England Protestant again could lead to invasion from Catholic countries like France and Spain. There was also the risk of Catholic rebellion at home.
From the Catholic Church's perspective, Elizabeth was illegitimate (because the Pope had never recognised Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn), which meant she could be removed from the throne if religious reform went too far. This vulnerability significantly constrained her options for religious reform.
Elizabeth's personal religious beliefs
Elizabeth's own religious views played an important role in shaping the settlement. She was naturally cautious and preferred compromise rather than extreme positions. Her personal faith appeared to blend traditional Catholic tastes (such as enjoying decoration, music and ceremony) with Protestant beliefs about doctrine. However, she had no sympathy for the more radical ideas of the Puritans.
Elizabeth showed her traditional tastes by:
- Supporting Catholic composers like Thomas Tallis and William Byrd through royal patronage
- Keeping crosses and candles in her private chapel, even though her own bishops objected
- Resisting attempts by radical Protestants to change the 1559 settlement
At the same time, she demonstrated Protestant leanings by:
- Walking out of Mass in 1558 at the elevation of the Host, which represented the Catholic belief in transubstantiation (that the bread and wine literally become Christ's body and blood)
- Supporting a Protestant settlement overall
Elizabeth famously said she did not wish to 'make windows into men's souls', suggesting she wanted to avoid examining people's private beliefs too closely. This pragmatic approach reflected her desire to maintain religious peace rather than enforce strict conformity.
Her aim was to create a compromise settlement that would satisfy as many people as possible and ensure her political survival. By keeping her own religious position somewhat unclear, she could appeal to a wider range of people.
How the religious settlement was reached, 1558-59
Problems in Parliament
Like previous monarchs, Elizabeth needed Parliament to pass laws establishing her religious settlement. However, she faced significant opposition in the House of Lords, where:
- About half the nobility were Catholic sympathisers
- All the bishops had been appointed by Mary I and were Catholic
Elizabeth's first parliamentary bill in early 1559 attempted to establish both her Royal Supremacy and create a Protestant religious settlement. This bill was defeated by the Lords in March 1559, forcing Elizabeth and her advisors to develop a new strategy.
Strategic actions during the Easter break
Elizabeth and her chief minister William Cecil realised they needed to weaken the Lords' power to get a more Protestant settlement through Parliament. During the Easter parliamentary break, they took several important steps:
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A debate was organised between Catholic and Protestant supporters. This was arranged by Protestants like Cecil and led to Catholics walking out in protest.
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Two Catholic bishops were arrested: Bishops White of Winchester and Watson of Lincoln were sent to the Tower of London for refusing to take part in the debate. This reduced Catholic influence in the Lords.
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The Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis was signed with France on 2 April. This peace treaty reduced the threat of a French-led Catholic invasion, making it safer for Elizabeth to pursue religious reform.
The two separate bills
When Parliament returned after Easter, a new strategy was used. Instead of one bill covering everything, two separate bills were introduced:
The Act of Supremacy:
- Restored royal control over the Church of England
- Included an important compromise: Elizabeth took the title 'Supreme Governor' rather than 'Supreme Head' of the Church
- This compromise was designed to appeal to Catholics (who only recognised the Pope as supreme head) and some Protestants (who disliked the idea of a woman heading the Church)
- Included an Oath of Supremacy that all officials had to take
- The penalty for refusing the oath was loss of office
- This bill passed both the Commons and Lords without problems
The Act of Uniformity: This bill faced more opposition because it was more clearly Protestant. It reimposed the 1552 prayer book, which was the more radical Protestant version, and imposed a fine of 12 pence for people who refused to attend weekly church services.
However, the Act of Uniformity included important compromises:
- Two sentences from the more moderate 1549 prayer book were added to the Communion service: 'The body/blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life'
- This wording meant Catholics could still believe transubstantiation had occurred, while Protestants could interpret it differently
- Church decoration and clergy vestments (clothing) were to be returned to their 1548 state, before the most radical Protestant changes of 1549
Despite these compromises, the bill only narrowly passed the Lords by 21 votes to 18. The careful management by Elizabeth and Cecil was crucial. The absence of the two imprisoned Catholic bishops, plus the Abbot of Westminster (who mysteriously missed the vote), proved decisive in getting the Act of Uniformity passed.
Enforcing the settlement through the Oath of Supremacy
Once the two Acts were passed, Elizabeth could enforce her settlement through the Oath of Supremacy. The results showed different levels of acceptance:
Among bishops:
- All but one of Mary's bishops (the elderly Bishop of Llandaff) refused to take the oath
- They were removed from their positions
- This allowed Elizabeth to appoint Protestant supporters instead, including Matthew Parker (who had been Anne Boleyn's chaplain) as Archbishop of Canterbury
Among lower clergy:
- Only about 300 out of 8,000 refused the oath and lost their positions
- This suggests the settlement was relatively acceptable to most parish priests
Although some bishops and reformers pressured Elizabeth for more Protestant reform, the settlement created in 1559 lasted for the rest of her reign and became the foundation of the Church of England. This remarkable longevity demonstrated the effectiveness of Elizabeth's compromise approach.
The Elizabethan Settlement, 1559-63
The Royal Injunctions of 1559
Although Elizabeth refused to change the 1559 Settlement, she issued a set of injunctions (royal orders) that further defined how the Church should operate. These injunctions included:
Clergy appearance and behaviour:
- Priests had to wear 'seemly habits, garments and such square caps', which had been used during Edward VI's reign
- Reflected Elizabeth's personal dislike of clerical marriage by making it very difficult for a priest to marry - he needed permission from two Justices of the Peace and his bishop
- Clergy were ordered to preach at least four times a year
Parish churches:
- All parish churches had to have an English copy of the Bible
Convocation of 1563 and the 39 Articles
After the 1559 Settlement, Elizabeth preferred to leave matters of doctrine to Convocation (the assembly of Church clergy). However, she was prepared to intervene when she disagreed with their decisions.
In 1563, Convocation met to discuss the 42 Articles of Faith that had been introduced during Edward VI's reign. These were to become the 39 Articles, which defined the beliefs of the Church of England.
Puritan challenges at Convocation: At this meeting, a group of Puritans tried to push for further reform of the Church, which they felt had not gone far enough. They achieved some success:
- Convocation passed Article 29, which denied the real presence in Communion (the idea that Christ is physically present in the bread and wine)
- This was unacceptable to both Catholics and moderate Protestants
- Elizabeth intervened and ordered this article to be removed, so only 38 Articles were initially published
- She also refused to allow the 39 Articles to be passed by Parliament until 1571
Six radical articles: At the same Convocation, Puritans proposed six articles that would have made Church services much more radical:
- Ministers should wear only a simple surplice (plain white garment)
- People receiving Communion should not have to kneel
These articles were narrowly defeated in Convocation by just 59 votes to 58. This close vote showed that Puritans could represent a potential challenge to the Elizabethan Settlement in the future.
Timeline of key events
1558:
- Death of Mary I and accession of Elizabeth I
1559 (January):
- Parliament meets
1559 (February-March):
- The Lords reject Elizabeth's proposed bill
- Parliament closed for Easter
1559 (31 March):
- Debate between Protestants and Catholics leads to Protestant victory and imprisonment of two bishops
1559 (2 April):
- Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis signed between England and France
1559 (10-13 April):
- Act of Supremacy passed by Commons and Lords
1559 (26-28 April):
- Act of Uniformity passed by the Lords
- Marian bishops resign
1559 (June):
- Publication of injunctions to the clergy
1563:
- Convocation passes the 39 Articles
- Elizabeth suppresses Article 29 until 1571
Key features of the compromise settlement
The Elizabethan Settlement included elements that could appeal to different groups:
For Catholics:
- Elizabeth's title of 'Supreme Governor' rather than 'Supreme Head'
- Traditional vestments and church decoration (returned to 1548 state)
- Ambiguous wording in the Communion service that allowed belief in transubstantiation
- Music and ceremony retained in services
For Protestants:
- Break from Rome and papal authority restored
- Protestant prayer book (1552 version) reimposed
- Protestant doctrine officially adopted
- English Bible in all churches
- Protestant bishops appointed
For Elizabeth:
- Political stability through compromise
- Royal control over the Church secured
- Avoided extreme positions that could provoke rebellion or invasion
- Flexibility to appeal to different groups
Key Points to Remember:
- Elizabeth faced a difficult balance between Protestant expectations and Catholic threats when she became queen in 1558
- Her personal preference was for compromise - she combined traditional Catholic tastes with Protestant doctrine but opposed Puritan radicalism
- The settlement was achieved through careful political management: after the first bill failed, two separate Acts (Supremacy and Uniformity) were passed in 1559
- Key compromises included Elizabeth's title as 'Supreme Governor' not 'Supreme Head', and ambiguous Communion wording that both Catholics and Protestants could accept
- The Oath of Supremacy enforced the settlement - most lower clergy accepted it, but almost all Marian bishops refused and were replaced
- The settlement faced challenges from Puritans who wanted further reform, as shown at the 1563 Convocation
- Despite pressures for change, the 1559 Settlement lasted throughout Elizabeth's reign and became the foundation of the Church of England