Methods of establishing support for Catholicism

how did Mary go about establishing support for Catholicism

improvements to the Catholic church, censorship, persuasion, persecution

How did Mary attempt to end abuses such as absenteeism, pluralism & nepotism?

The London Synod of 1555 drew up Twelve Decrees

What did the London Synod of 1555 drawing up Twelve Decrees attempt to address?

abuses such as absenteeism, pluralism & nepotism

How did Reginald Pole attempt to improve the Catholic church

encouraged bishops to check up on the finances & discipline of clergy in the dioceses & improved clerical education

Reginald Pole realised that strong leadership was vital. He encouraged …

bishops to check up on the finances & discipline of clergy in the dioceses

How did Reginald Pole improve clerical education?

He wanted seminaries to be established to train priests & bishops to report on the abilities of priests. He founded two new Colleges (Trinity, Cambridge & St John’s Oxford) & wanted them to provide lists of those worthy of posts.

how did Pole fail to improve the Catholic church?

Pole tried to publish help to improve the clergy. This included a newly edited Catholic New Testement & a new book of Homilies. These were never implemented.

how did Mary censorship through laws?

Two of Mary’s earliest laws forbade the printing of seditious rumpus & the printing of books and performance of songs concerning religious doctrine

Mary’s government created a list of…

forbidden writers

he possession of treasonable books could result in…

the death penalty

Authorities had the power to …

seize books to check

How did Mary fail to succeed in her censorship policy?

Attempts were made to stop the smuggling of books, however the imprisoned Protestant leaders, Ridley & Latimer, were able to publish pamphlets & letters from inside jail which were then circulated outside.

Sermons were given on St Pauls Cross in London to …

celebrate & publicise changes. For example, Gardiner announced the reconciliation from Rome there

How did Mary use persuasion to defend her government?

Pro-government writers published tracts in defence of Mary’s government. For example, ‘The Displaying of the Protestants’ in 1556.

Few of Mary’s advisors had…

studied abroad, they therefore had a narrow intellect & limited debating skills compared to the Protestant theologians who had fled abroad. This made attempts to win support less successful.

what was the problem with printing persuasion?

Many of the printers in England had fled upon Mary’s accession as they were Protestant. This meant there were fewer places to promote the pamphlets & books produced by the Catholics for people to read.

Long trials were held for…

those who were prominent Protestants to give time for people to convince them to change their minds - few did

Mary struggled to win support for her changes as…

she tried not to inspire the same sense of awe that her father had done

what was the positive response to Mary’s persecution of protestant?

Other than in London, there is no evidence of strong backlash to the burnings.

In December 1554, …

heresy laws were restored & trials & executions began of those who refused to accept Catholic belief & practice.

how many people were killed in Mary’s persecution?

280 burned in 46 months mainly in the South East. 5 of these were bishops, 51 were women.

public executions were not…

unusual at the time

Mary’s government was able to recruit …

laymen to hunt for heretics.

Crown commissions were set up & bishops instructed to …

identify people deemed to be heretics

If heretics recanted their beliefs…

they would be spared, if they refused they would be burned

burnings attracted…

large crowds

How did protestant writers act with persecution?

Protestant writers describe the fortitude of the Protestants being killed & suggested that this showed that they were giving their lives for a good cause.

Persecution did not…

eliminate Protestantism. Groups of Protestants met in many places - especially London

John Fox, a Protestant, wrote …

the ‘Book of Martyrs’ in 1563.

The ‘Book of Martyrs’ by John Fox attacked…

Mary as a tyrant & celebrated those burned at martyrs to Protestantism

Crowds would often…

express sympathy for the Protestants being executed