Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-3-protestantism-under-elizabeth-i

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# Protestantism Under Elizabeth I

History: Edexcel A Level England, 1509-1603, topic 2.3.3

## The Puritan Threat

Puritans were very pious (religious) Protestants. They were influenced by European reformers such as John Calvin. They wanted to remove all Catholic elements from the Church of England.

### Simplicity

![Simplicity](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/f66bb8ae-685f-4a7c-a5c3-79bb6541f4aa/bible-reading-prayer.jpg)

- Their services were simple and they rejected ceremonies. They wore simple clothing and studied the Bible very closely. 
- Some were made bishops by Elizabeth. Only by 1568 did they agree to wear the ceremonial robe, or surplice, of the Church of England.

### Presbyterianism

![Presbyterianism](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/f5c619e8-56d0-414a-b668-85adcfa22084/shutterstock_633616223.jpg)

- Presbyterians went further. They questioned the need for bishops at all and often criticized the meeting during prophesyings (religious meetings). 
- John Field, one of the most prominent Puritans, was banned from preaching in 1580. Elizabeth also suspended Edmund Grindal, the Archbishop of Canterbury, for encouraging prophesyings.

### John Whitgift

![John Whitgift](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/f8bde4fe-3de7-419a-b7d6-0256c55a0363/john-whitgift-.jpg)

- Elizabeth took a tough stance against Puritans in the 1580s, as she did against Catholics. After Grindal’s death, she appointed the anti-Puritan John Whitgift as Archbishop of Canterbury. 
- His new rules included a ban on unlicensed preaching and imprisonment of those who refused to follow the rules through a new High Commission. 
- Printers were punished for circulating Puritan messages and high profile Puritans like Anthony Cope were imprisoned in the Tower.

### Hostility to Elizabeth

![Hostility to Elizabeth](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/34a1deba-a0e6-4c53-a8df-3b2aa30c29af/39-.jpg)

- Puritans argued that Elizabeth's reforms were not enough.
- They argued that the 39 Articles were Popish (Catholic).

### Separatist movement

![Separatist movement](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/d1c7d50d-5f16-43bd-bf72-410644e6d1c9/Dutch-flag-netherlands-.jpg)

- Separatists did not want a national church. They wanted parishes to establish their own churches based on the Bible’s teachings.
- By 1583, small groups of Separatists were emerging. Their activities were illegal.
  - The Brownists are an example of a Separatist group. Their leader, Robert Browne, fled to Holland.

### Martin Marprelate Tracts

![Martin Marprelate Tracts](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/ba3002f0-2611-4045-9c2e-76825c7ef3da/young_priests.jpg)

- The Separatist movement returned to prominence because of the Martin Marprelate Tracts.
 - These were angry attacks on bishops and the Church of England in foul language. They caused outrage among the public and authorities. 
- Puritans tried to distance themselves from the tracts but were still associated with them. 
- In 1593, the Act Against Seditious Sectaries set the death penalty for those accused of being Separatists.

## Test yourself on Protestantism Under Elizabeth I

- What did Puritans believe the 39 Articles were?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/c32e8aa5-abeb-44ce-b7ad-e2162a2d0658/section/74c817ad-9e02-40fa-a8e4-a8bf368c468d/session)

- Previous topic: [2.3.2 Protestantism Under Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-2-protestantism-under-edward-vi.md)
- Next topic: [3.1.1 Councils](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-1-councils.md)

## History: Edexcel A Level England, 1509-1603 contents

### 1 Monarch & Government
- 1.1 Tudor Monarchs
  - [1.1.1 Henry VII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-1-henry-vii.md)
  - [1.1.2 Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-2-henry-viii.md)
  - [1.1.3 Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-3-edward-vi.md)
  - [1.1.4 Mary I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-4-mary-i.md)
  - [1.1.5 Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-5-elizabeth-i.md)
  - [1.1.6 Succession Disputes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-6-succession-disputes.md)
- 1.2 Changing Role of Parliament
  - [1.2.1 Parliament & Henry VII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-2-1-parliament-and-henry-vii.md)
  - [1.2.2 Parliament & Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-2-2-parliament-and-henry-viii.md)
  - [1.2.3 Parliament After the Reformation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-2-3-parliament-after-the-reformation.md)
- 1.3 Principal Servants to the Crown
  - [1.3.1 Principal Servants to the Crown](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-3-1-principal-servants-to-the-crown.md)

### 2 Religious Changes
- 2.1 Tudor Monarchs & Religious Change
  - [2.1.1 The Henrician Reformation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-1-the-henrician-reformation.md)
  - [2.1.2 Impact of Religious Change Under Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-2-impact-of-religious-change-under-henry-viii.md)
  - [2.1.3 Religious Change Under Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-3-religious-change-under-edward-vi.md)
  - [2.1.4 Religious Change Under Mary I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-4-religious-change-under-mary-i.md)
  - [2.1.5 Elizabethan Settlement](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-5-elizabethan-settlement.md)
- 2.2 Catholicism & Survival
  - [2.2.1 Popular Attitudes to Catholicism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-1-popular-attitudes-to-catholicism.md)
  - [2.2.2 Catholicism Under Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-2-catholicism-under-henry-viii.md)
  - [2.2.3 Catholicism Under Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-3-catholicism-under-elizabeth-i.md)
  - [2.2.4 Catholic Nobility](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-4-catholic-nobility.md)
- 2.3 Protestantism & Puritanism
  - [2.3.1 Protestant Influences](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-1-protestant-influences.md)
  - [2.3.2 Protestantism Under Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-2-protestantism-under-edward-vi.md)
  - [2.3.3 Protestantism Under Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-3-protestantism-under-elizabeth-i.md)

### 3 State Control & Popular Resistance
- 3.1 Tudor Control of the Country
  - [3.1.1 Councils](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-1-councils.md)
  - [3.1.2 Role of Nobility](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-2-role-of-nobility.md)
  - [3.1.3 Justices of the Peace](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-3-justices-of-the-peace.md)
  - [3.1.4 Lord Lieutenant](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-4-lord-lieutenant.md)
- 3.2 The State &  the Poor
  - [3.2.1 Reasons for Growth of Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-2-1-reasons-for-growth-of-poverty.md)
  - [3.2.2 Punishments for Paupers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-2-2-punishments-for-paupers.md)
  - [3.2.3 Role of Charities](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-2-3-role-of-charities.md)
- 3.3 Resistance to Tudor Rule
  - [3.3.1 Resistance to Tax & Subsidies](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-1-resistance-to-tax-and-subsidies.md)
  - [3.3.2 Uprisings Against Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-2-uprisings-against-henry-viii.md)
  - [3.3.3 Uprisings Against Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-3-uprisings-against-edward-vi.md)
  - [3.3.4 Uprisings Against Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-4-uprisings-against-elizabeth-i.md)
  - [3.3.5 Decline of Popular Resistance](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-5-decline-of-popular-resistance.md)

### 4 Economic, Social & Cultural Change
- 4.1 Patterns of Domestic & Foreign Trade
  - [4.1.1 Wool & Cloth](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-1-1-wool-and-cloth.md)
  - [4.1.2 Exploration & Trade](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-1-2-exploration-and-trade.md)
- 4.2 Changing Structure of Society
  - [4.2.1 Population](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-1-population.md)
  - [4.2.2 Dissolution of Monasteries](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-2-dissolution-of-monasteries.md)
  - [4.2.3 Enclosure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-3-enclosure.md)
- 4.3 Cultural Change
  - [4.3.1 Education & Literature](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-1-education-and-literature.md)
  - [4.3.2 Impact of Religious Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-2-impact-of-religious-change.md)
  - [4.3.3 Patronage](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-3-patronage.md)
  - [4.3.4 The Arts](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-4-the-arts.md)
  - [4.3.5 Cult of Gloriana](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-5-cult-of-gloriana.md)

### 5 Historical Interpretations
- 5.1 Significance of Threats to National Security
  - [5.1.1 Spain](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-1-1-spain.md)
  - [5.1.2 The Spanish Armada](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-1-2-the-spanish-armada.md)
  - [5.1.3 Ireland](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-1-3-ireland.md)
- 5.2 Court Politics
  - [5.2.1 Court Factions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-2-1-court-factions.md)
  - [5.2.2 Essex's Rebellion](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-2-2-essexs-rebellion.md)
- 5.3 Elizabeth & Parliament
  - [5.3.1 Conflict with Parliament](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-3-1-conflict-with-parliament.md)
- 5.4 Social Distress in the 1590s
  - [5.4.1 Social Distress in the 1590s](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-4-1-social-distress-in-the-1590s.md)
