How accurate is it to say that Laudian beliefs and practices were the greatest threat to the Church of
England between 1625-88?
Yes - Laudianism
William Laud appointed BoL 1628 - Power to make changes and influence.
Laud appointed ABoC 1633 - Power to make changes and influence.
Laud's Canons for Scotland 1637 - Makes changes and influences religion of a country.
Laud's church reforms - Organs, decorated fonts, railed and raised altars in the East,
vestments, visitations etc… - Makes changes, increases fears of Catholicism and Charles'
acceptance of Catholics.
Introduction of EPB to Scotland and EPB Rebellion 1637 - Shows dissent caused a violent
response due to deep rooted fears and threats.
Prynne, Burton and Bastwick punished for publishing anti-Laudian literature 1637 - Shows
that Charles favoured Arminians, increased fears.
Laud executed 1645 - end to the major threat but shows how fears escalated to a point
where there was no choice.
Limited: It was a result of Laudianism's appearance as Catholic which threatened Anglicans
and CoE, only a limited number of years, small following
Not limited: Charles promoted it, powerful
No - Catholicism
Charles marries HM 1625 - Catholic clergy - Threat is tolerated by Charles, increases fears,
influences Catholics of England so they become more confident and open.
Recusancy laws only employed intermittently - Catholicism survived among wealthy who
employed Priests, HM led to more openness about religion, London was a centre for
different religions from Europe - Fears of a Catholic country
Promotion of Laud, Buckingham and Montagu 1620s - Shows Charles' tolerance and
increases fears of Catholicism.
Catholic painter, Rubens, painted murals of banqueting House at Whitehall - //
Scottish Coronation - 1633 -Appears Catholic, //
Privy Councillors Windebank and Cottington had Catholic wives 1630s - //
Laud's changes blamed on Catholics - Bigger threat than Laudianism
1641 - Irish Rebellion and Charles' inaction - Increases fears that Charles is plotting against
the country's religion.
Oath of Abjuration - 1643 - all Catholics over 21 required to deny basic beliefs, refusal mean
2/3 land and goods taken, civil war - Shows how the focus of Parl was to decrease catholic
influence even in the midst of war.
Had to pay assessment tax at double rate - Wanted to damage Catholics in any way possible
including financially.
Toleration Act excluded Catholics 1650, toleration from Rump disqualified Catholics - The
Catholic threat was too big to accept unlike dissent.
Cromwell announced that any anti-Catholic laws under EI and JI were to continue 1654 - //
Cromwell friends with Digby - got his confiscated land back 1654 - Shows how there was
some selective toleration.
992 reported to refuse to take OoA in Lancashire and mass continued with a blind eye 1655 -
//
Oath of Abjuration reinstated - 1656 - call for closure of Catholic chapels in foreign
embassies, fine of £100 if caught worshipping at them - Stricter punishments to crackdown
on the continued perceived threat
Plague 1665 - Illogical hysteria
Great Fire of London 1666 - Illogical hysteria
, Cabal included 2 Catholics between 1668-74 - Fears of Catholic influence.
James II's conversion and marriage 1669 - Caused anti-Catholic hysteria.
Treaty of Dover 1670 - Increased fears in Catholicism.
DoI - specified Catholics 1672 - Shows the need to crack down on perceived threats.
Test Act 1673 - just Catholics - //
Exclusion crisis 1675 - Catholic hysteria
Rye House Plot 1683 - //
Monmouth Plot 1685 - //
Instructions to bishops forbidding anti-Catholic sermons 1686 - Desire to reduce threat.
Crompton BoL suspended for refusing to suspend someone who preached an anti-Catholic
sermon - Shows that toleration for Catholicism was increasing among James but not religious
officials.
Godden vs Hales 1686 - G = Protestant and suspended, H = Catholic and wins - James has
power over Parl.
Magdalen College 1686 - //
DoI 1687 - //
Birth of son to Mary of Modena 1688 - Threatened future throne.
Limited: It was allowed to become more open due to Charles' favouring of Arminians and
Laudians.
Not limited: It stretched out over the entire time period, large following, more consistent.
No - Dissent
1625/26 - Montagu publishes 'a new gag for an old goose' - Threat but also Laudianism.
1627 - George Abbot ABoC suspended for not breaking Charles' proclamation which said
that there could be no discussion of religious doctrine (he refused to preach on Arminian
qualities) - Charles actively encouraged dissent despite his own rules, threat.
Dissenting ministers could be punished by star chambers and sent to church courts for
punishment - Wanted to destroy the threat.
1637 - Prynne Burton and Bastwick punished for dissent - //
New model army didn't care about religion - Increased threat as people didn't desire
conformity as much.
1640 - Root and Branch petition signed by 15000 (to remove bishops) - Showed openness of
dissent and desire for change but also horrified most people.
1650s - Quakers spread rapidly North and sent out preaches 1654 - Showed increase of
dissent.
1656 - James Nayler case - Showed how Cromwell was forced to punish dissent.
Richard Baxter (Presbyterian) became BoL - Dissenter given power, increased threat and
fears.
1661 - Savoy House Conference - 12 Anglicans and 12 Presbyterians met to discuss structure
of CoE, created EPB (appease Puritans and Presbyterians) - bishops reinstated in HoL, 1000
ministers resigned - Shows increasing respect and tolerance for dissenters.
1661 - Venner's uprising (5th Monarchist) - Threat.
1661 - Cavalier Parl - royalist (1/2+, 1/3 Presbyterian) - people scared to have a non-Anglican
and unstable Parl - Increased fears after Venner's uprising.
1661 - Corporation and Conventicle Acts - Restricted dissenters.
1662 - AoU - Restricted dissenters, try to remove threat.
1665 - 5 Mile Act - //
Clarendon Code affected John Shaw (Presbyterian minister, protected from corporation act
by King, 1662 forced to leave), John Hodgson (Independent, served under Monck, arrested,
forced to take Oath of Allegiance to crown and CoE, imprisoned, acquitted, x4 in 18 months),
Joseph Wilson (Presbyterian vicar, 1662 AoU forced him to lee but congregation said no,
