puritans

What was the main puritan aims?

They wanted more radical reforms, wanting the Church of England to align with Calvinist ideas and wanted to remove all catholic elements of the settlement. For example they wanted to simplify church worship, meaning they disagreed with the compromises around vestments, ceremonies, and decorations such as statues and images. Instead they believed there should be a focus on preaching and scripture.

What puritan challenges did Elizabeth face during her reign?

The 1560s controversy over vestments e.g. Thomas Sampson deprived in 1565 as refused to wear them. And in 1570s protests against practices in the prayer book e.g. 1571 Walter Strickland removed from position in parliament when he proposed changes to it. This provided a challenge to Elizabeth as it opposed her attempt at a middle way and a religous settlement that compromised with catholic elements, however Elizabeth’s resistant to puritans attempts suggest she had authority and control over this threat. However despite the dismissal and removal of puritan measures, some elements of the puritan challenge were more out of government control, for example prophesying ment they could meat up and discuss puritan ideology and scripture, pamphleteering as puritans spread a anonymous and radical pamphlets e.g. marprelate tracks to attack the church and bishops, and aswell some simply established there own seperate church, know as separatism. This would suggest the puritan challenge had continuity and was a persistent problem throught elizabths reign e.g. Edmund grindal refused to suppress prophesying and governmentment had to crackdown on printing press and execute leaders such as john perry

The influence of puritan leaders

They challenged the religous settlement as although initially accepting the settlement in 1559, puritans were quickly keen to remove catholic elements such as vestments and crucifixs e.g. Thomas Sampson 1565, Walter Strickland 1571, and Anthony cope 1586. Additionally,sypethetic figures such as Robert Dudley and Francis walsingham, had a key role and influence in the privy council, so would try and impose anti-catholic measure and urge further Protestant reforms. Others like Thomas cartwrite in 1570s, had a different approach and led an academic attack on the settlement to gain popular appeal (however had professorship and freedom of speech removed showing Elizabeth’s authority)

Attempts to change the church

They wanted simplification of worship, meaning a removal of vestments e.g Thomas Sampson. Due to the compromised nature of the settlement, the book of common prayer was deliberately ambiguous so they wanted a clearer Calvinist prayer book e.g. Walter Strickland, and they wanted a greater emphasis on preaching rather than ritual e.g. archbishop Edmund grindal refused to suppress prophesying.

Examples of Elizabeth overcoming these attempts at change

During the vestments controversy in 1566, she called on Archbishop of Canterbury, Matthew Parker, who was able to enforce uniformity and suspended 37 puritan ministers and keep the compromise over vestments. Edmund grindal had been sent under house arrest for 6 months for refusing to suspend prophesyings. Key puritan figures or mps that were going directly against her settlement were removed from their positions and dealt with

Puritan MPs tactics And examples of opposition in parliament

Introduced bills/ legislation which challenged Elizabeth’s religous settlement e.g. Walter Strickland attempted to make changes to the prayer book in 1571, peter turner 1584 wanted to change the structure of the church government to be more Calvinist, and Anthony cope in 1586 proposed a bill to end the authority of bishops. Additionally they made challenges to her authority and opposed the removal of their freedom of speech e.g. William wentworth set to tower as critiqued the queen policy and believed they should have a say over religous matters. Additionally they were occasionally able to use leverage over Elizabeth as some trusted privy councillors, who had great influence, such as Robert Dudley and Francis walsingham, were puritan sympathisers so would be more likly to push forward Protestant reforms and try to remove catholic elements from the settlement

Separatism

They were puritans that wanted to establish their own speperate church e.g. brownists in Norwich. This therefore challenged royal supremecy and undermined Elizabethiths authority and it caused political and religous instability, evident by the government taking force e.g. 1993 separatists Henry barrow and John greenwood executed (due to seditious secretaries act). However since by 1583, Elizabeth had strong councillors such as archbishop whitgift who enforced conformity strictly and was able to punish separatists and due to the small numbers and heavy division amoungst them they did not pose much of a threat throught Elizabeth’s reign

Arguements Puritanism was a threat

It did ultimatly survive and some went abroad or were protected e.g. Cecil and it intensified after Elizabeth’s reign and caused civil war suggesting if not handled, it could have had the potential to be very serious even during Elizabeth’s reign (counterpoint: puritans were more small and divided in Elizabeth’s reign suggesting she had more of a firm settlement compared to James i), prophesyings and preaching were a continuous problem throughout Mary’s reign, which was hard for the government to control and created opposition even amounts influential figures e.g. grindal refused to suppress

Arguements Puritanism wasnt a threat during Elizabeth’s religous settlement

A lot of division e.g. no agreed doctrine and many members illiterate creating disagreements in discussions and confusion when interpreting the bible. Whitgift strongly enforced conformity and had very Enti-puritan measures e.g. introduced three-articles and used a high commission. Aswell after puritans released marprelate tracts, there was a camp down on what could be published by puritans making it hard the puritans to gain publicity and use propaganda