Dissent and Non-Conformity

Which parish tried to rebel against Laud’s policies?

Parish of St Gregory’s in 1633- Puritans unsuccessfully tried to use the courts to oppose Laud’s policy of railing off the altar

Which trial shows Puritan non-conformity

Burton, Baswick and Prynne in 1637

Who were Burton, Baswick and Prynne?

.Burton- Ministers whose sermons deviated from the Catechism
.Baswick- Doctor who wrote pamphlets attacking bishops
.Prynne- Lawyer wrote ‘Histromastix’ a 1000 page attack on theatre and actresses in 1632

What did John Lilburne do and what was his punishment?

Distributed anti-Laudian pamphlets- In 1638 whipped through the streets of London

How many Puritan emigrated to the Americas in the 1630s?

80,000

How many Puritans settled in Massachusetts?

20,000

Millernarians

Believed Jesus would soon return to Earth and reign for a 1000 years

Fifth Monarchists

Radical Millernarians who, by 1650, had formed a political grouping under General Thomas Harrison

Muggletonians

Followers of Ladowicke Muggleton and John Reeve- Claimed that end of world was imminent upon Charles’ execution

Baptists

Believed people could only be baptised as adults as they had to be understand their beliefs

What did the Toleration Act mean for non-conformist groups?

Ended compulsory attendance to the national Presbytarian Church as long as they took part in a religious service once a week

What were members of dissenting groups still expected to pay to the Presbytarian Church?

Tithes- 10% of their earnings

Blasphemy Act, 1650

Could subject radical sects to severe penalties

Sabbath (Sunday)

An act was passed enforcing the observance of the Sabbath as a holy day

Ranters

Appeared in London in 1650- rejected all forms of organised religion and the concept of sin

What did the ranters argue?

Those predestined to be saved by God were incapable of sin and therefore could ignore man-made codes or social morality

Who were the leaders of the ranters that faced punishment?

.Abiezer Coppe and Joseph Salmon-arrested in 1651
.Jacob Bauthumely- hole bord through his tongue for writing a blasphemous book

Quakers

Believed that God was inside everyone and the hd a direct experience with God therefore rejected rituals and priests

James Nayler

Rode a donkey through Bristol on Palm Sunday 1656 with female Quakers- reinacting Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.

Punishment of James Nayler

Cromwell tried to prevent severe punishment and failed- publicly flogged, bored through the tongue and imprisoned.

How many Quakers were there by the 1650s?

50,000

Who was the leader of the Quakers?

General Lambert

What was the Quaker scare of 1659?

Believed there was a possibility of a Quaker military dictatorship under general Lambert

What did the Quaker Act of 1662 mean?

Quakers could be arrested and forced to take the oath of allegiance- It was against their religion to swear an oath

How many Quakers died in confinement between 1661-64

400

What punishment did George Fox recieve?

Imprisoned in Scarborough Castle in 1664, kept in chains in a single chamber with an arrow slit window letting in little light but lots of cold and damp

When was the Quaker movement on the verge of collapse?

1666

Examples of harsh persecution in 1683-86

.Devon- Dissenting groups ceased meeting
.West Yorkshire- Meetings at night
.Bristol- Quakers reduced to meeting in the most remote places in the hopes of avoiding detection

How did James promote religious tolerance?

.First Declaration of Indulgence in 1687 freed Catholic and Protestant non-conformists
.Second Declaration in 1688 ordered to be read in all Churches

Why did some dissenter not trust James?

They believed his real intention was to favour Catholics

What was the punishment for refusing the Oath of Allegiance?

Arrested and often imprisoned e.g Captain John Hodgson who was arrested 5 times in 18 months

What were the effects of the Act of Uniformity?

Of 1,800 ministers ejected, 1000 left the Church in the summer of 1662

What occured as a result of the first conventicle act’s expiration in 1667

A flurry of activity from dissenters:
.In 1669 a Presbytarian academy was founded and meeting houses beginning to be built again
.Further training acadameis later built in 1670s

What did the Declaration of Indulgence allow?

Suspended the laws which persecuted dissenters and proposed freedom to not attend church and meet in liscensed gatherings.

What were given out to dissenting congregations as a part of the Declaration of Indulgence?

A number of licenses which were not recalled until 1675 even though the DoI was withdrawn in 1673

What census occured in 1676?

A census of dissenting groups to convince Charles II to renew persecution however it was only partially completed and failed in its purpose

How did dissenters benefit from wealthy merchants and landownders?

A group of Presbytarians founded by John Canne recieved £20 a year from Lady Dorothy Norcliffe

What revision for the Declaration of Indulgence was blocked?

A scheme by Sir Orlando Bridgeman and Sir Matthew Hale supported by John Wilkins, Bishop of Chester, which would allow the inclusion of most dissenters

Examples of commitment and dedication by dissenters

.Oliver Heywood preached in several places in West Yorkshire and over the border in Lancashire
un by central committees.

What helped the Quakers to become more organised?

A Quaker meeting in York in 1668 proposed a new structure based on district monthly meetings and an annnual in London run by central committees.

What is an example of Presbytarian dedication?

Ejected Presbytarian, Richard Frankland, founded an academy and in 1679 the first ordinations of new pastors took place and by 1689 there were 100 new recruits

Evidene of support given to dissenters by sympathisers

Ralph Ward, ejected in York, provided with income by Sir John and Lady Hewley- conducted meetings there for the rest of his life

Evidence of support given to dissenters by sympathisers (2)

Stricklands of Boynton supported several ministers with regular gifts and sometimes legal help

How did a change in attitude help dissenters?

Many wealthy classes and JPs enforcing the laws felt disgust towards the law and sympathised with non-conformists who suffered for their beliefs.

What percentage of the population did Catholics make up?

2.5% of the population

What was the first explicit law against Catholics?

1643- Required all catholics to swear the Oath of Abjuration denying their basic beliefs- refusal meant 2/3 of their lands and good confiscated

When was the Oath of Abjuration reissued?

1656 and included an act of Parliament clsoing down catholic chapels in foreign embassies- a fine of £100 for anyone caught worshipping in them

What did Cromwell issue in January 1654?

An issue stating that all Catholic laws were to continue

How did Cromwell use fear of Catholics to promote Republican virtues?

Duke of Savoy butchered Protestants which Cromwell ensured was widespread

What was set up by James in 1686?

The Court of Ecclesiastical Commission which enforced instructions to bishops forbidding the preaching of anti-Catholic sermons

How many Catholics replaced Protestants as JPS

200 and laws against Catholics suspended in 1687 under DoI