How far, and why, did traditional Catholicism decline during the reign of Elizabeth?
Alex Jockelson
How far, and why, did traditional Catholicism decline during the reign of Elizabeth?
Considering that on the accession of Elizabeth I the majority of men and women in England and Wales were Catholic - from the evidence of wills Protestant loyalty was limited to the south-east where even there it represented a minority - and that by the end of the reign English Catholicism had diminished to only one or two percent of the population, it is fair to say that the extent of the decline in traditional Catholicism was great. The reasons for this can be found by splitting the reign into three time periods where the presence and threat of Catholicism differ significantly.
An interesting argument has arisen concerning the explanation of the decline of Catholicism. The historian J. Bossy argues that conservative gentry and clerical leadership did not produce any organized resistance to the 1559 settlement and instead allowed the laity to drift into conformity by attending Protestant church services. He goes on to suggest that it was only the later arrival of the seminary priests from Douai and the Jesuits that saved English Catholicism from complete extinction. Another historian C. Haigh counters this suggesting that Catholic survivalism was strong in the 1560s and that its demise can be attributed to 'strategic and logistical errors' made by the seminary priests and the Jesuits.
It is perhaps easier to agree with Bossy as during the 1560s many Catholics reluctantly accepted the new church, often because of a lack of strong leadership from the papacy. Pope Pius IV hoped to persuade Elizabeth to join the catholic fold and Philip II feared that if the queen was overthrown Mary Queen of Scots would succeed thus driving England into the arms of France. Also the penalties issued to Catholics under the terms of the 1559 settlement were deliberately made light in order to steer them away from attempted opposition.
Indeed, the Catholic threat remained dormant during the 1560s and this decade can be seen as the first time period where Catholicism was certainly on the defensive. However, it is a mistake to see the Catholics as completely inactive during this time. The Marian priests who stayed at their posts and had not been either imprisoned or chosen to go into exile, did not conform meekly to Protestantism. Catholic rituals were kept alive within the parish church and accounts show that some churches retained their Catholic altars and priests continued to say masses for the dead. This survivalism remained strongest in the north and as bishops started to complain about the presence of church papists in their dioceses, the government became increasingly aware of the situation. However, to avoid confrontation with the Catholics, Elizabeth preferred to utilize persuasion instead of punishment to deal with the problem. Thus action was only taken if individuals openly defied the law. This approach, which led Catholicism to survive throughout the 1560s, also ensured that the religion was doomed to eventual failure. Until 1569 when the Northern Rebellion broke out, few felt pressurised into recusancy and rebellion and therefore the Elizabethan regime had time to establish itself and win over conservative landowners.
How far, and why, did traditional Catholicism decline during the reign of Elizabeth?
Considering that on the accession of Elizabeth I the majority of men and women in England and Wales were Catholic - from the evidence of wills Protestant loyalty was limited to the south-east where even there it represented a minority - and that by the end of the reign English Catholicism had diminished to only one or two percent of the population, it is fair to say that the extent of the decline in traditional Catholicism was great. The reasons for this can be found by splitting the reign into three time periods where the presence and threat of Catholicism differ significantly.
An interesting argument has arisen concerning the explanation of the decline of Catholicism. The historian J. Bossy argues that conservative gentry and clerical leadership did not produce any organized resistance to the 1559 settlement and instead allowed the laity to drift into conformity by attending Protestant church services. He goes on to suggest that it was only the later arrival of the seminary priests from Douai and the Jesuits that saved English Catholicism from complete extinction. Another historian C. Haigh counters this suggesting that Catholic survivalism was strong in the 1560s and that its demise can be attributed to 'strategic and logistical errors' made by the seminary priests and the Jesuits.
It is perhaps easier to agree with Bossy as during the 1560s many Catholics reluctantly accepted the new church, often because of a lack of strong leadership from the papacy. Pope Pius IV hoped to persuade Elizabeth to join the catholic fold and Philip II feared that if the queen was overthrown Mary Queen of Scots would succeed thus driving England into the arms of France. Also the penalties issued to Catholics under the terms of the 1559 settlement were deliberately made light in order to steer them away from attempted opposition.
Indeed, the Catholic threat remained dormant during the 1560s and this decade can be seen as the first time period where Catholicism was certainly on the defensive. However, it is a mistake to see the Catholics as completely inactive during this time. The Marian priests who stayed at their posts and had not been either imprisoned or chosen to go into exile, did not conform meekly to Protestantism. Catholic rituals were kept alive within the parish church and accounts show that some churches retained their Catholic altars and priests continued to say masses for the dead. This survivalism remained strongest in the north and as bishops started to complain about the presence of church papists in their dioceses, the government became increasingly aware of the situation. However, to avoid confrontation with the Catholics, Elizabeth preferred to utilize persuasion instead of punishment to deal with the problem. Thus action was only taken if individuals openly defied the law. This approach, which led Catholicism to survive throughout the 1560s, also ensured that the religion was doomed to eventual failure. Until 1569 when the Northern Rebellion broke out, few felt pressurised into recusancy and rebellion and therefore the Elizabethan regime had time to establish itself and win over conservative landowners.
