The Religious Settlement
The Religious Settlement aimed to ease the tensions created by the religious divisions of the previous 25 years. It tried to take elements from both Protestantism and Catholicism, but since many Protestants had become MPs, the Settlement was perhaps more Protestant than Elizabeth would have liked.
The Elizabethan Religious Settlement was contained in two acts 鈥 the Act of Supremacy and the Act of Uniformity.
The Act of Supremacy 1559
This required all clergymen and government officers to take an Oath of Supremacy. By this they were to swear that they would accept Elizabeth as Supreme Governor of the Church.
By using the term 'governor' it was hoped that Catholics would be Calmed or pacified. since they could still consider the Pope to be head of the Church. Those who refused to swear the oath could be imprisoned or even executed if they refused three times.
The Act of Uniformity 1559
This laid down the rules about religious services which were to be carried out in churches throughout Wales and England. It said that the newly formed Prayer Book, based on that of Edward鈥檚 reign should be used in all churches and that people would be fined one shilling if they did not attend. People who refused to attend Church services were called recusants.
Summary
| What Catholics believed | Elizabeth's Religious Settlement | What Protestants believed |
| Church should be ruled by a strict hierarchy of the Pope, then Cardinals, then Archbishops etc. | Queen would rule as Supreme Governor supported by bishops. | There should be no Pope or bishops. |
| The most important ceremony is the Mass. | There should be no Mass. | There should be no Mass. |
| Services and Prayer Book should be in Latin. | Services and Prayer Book would be in English. | Services and Prayer Book should be in the native language. |
| Churches should be highly decorated and services full of ceremony. | Churches should be decorated and some ceremonies allowed. | Churches and services should be plain. |
| Priests should wear bright robes and not marry. | All clergy were to wear clerical dress and a white linen gown and not marry. | Plain robes should be worn by churchmen and they should be allowed to marry. |
| Saints should receive special prayers. | Saints should receive no special prayers. | Saints were unimportant. |
| What Catholics believed | Church should be ruled by a strict hierarchy of the Pope, then Cardinals, then Archbishops etc. |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth's Religious Settlement | Queen would rule as Supreme Governor supported by bishops. |
| What Protestants believed | There should be no Pope or bishops. |
| What Catholics believed | The most important ceremony is the Mass. |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth's Religious Settlement | There should be no Mass. |
| What Protestants believed | There should be no Mass. |
| What Catholics believed | Services and Prayer Book should be in Latin. |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth's Religious Settlement | Services and Prayer Book would be in English. |
| What Protestants believed | Services and Prayer Book should be in the native language. |
| What Catholics believed | Churches should be highly decorated and services full of ceremony. |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth's Religious Settlement | Churches should be decorated and some ceremonies allowed. |
| What Protestants believed | Churches and services should be plain. |
| What Catholics believed | Priests should wear bright robes and not marry. |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth's Religious Settlement | All clergy were to wear clerical dress and a white linen gown and not marry. |
| What Protestants believed | Plain robes should be worn by churchmen and they should be allowed to marry. |
| What Catholics believed | Saints should receive special prayers. |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth's Religious Settlement | Saints should receive no special prayers. |
| What Protestants believed | Saints were unimportant. |