Personal Rule: Religion

Supression of preaching

• 1629 ordered catechizing replaces sermons
• Each lecturer read liturgy printed by authority in his surplice
• Laud supressed feoffees in fear they would cause unrest- no evidence- one left for New World

Changes to services

• Uniform by strict adherence to prayer book, bowing in name of Jesus
• Altar railed at east end of church permanently creating impression minister seperate from flock
• Implied eucharist sacrificial- like Catholic mass
• Reissue of Book of Sports; Stained gass; organs and choir stalls
• Unpopular with gentry

'Thorough' enforcement of changes

• All bishops to live in diocese
• Court of High Commision for clergy infringing church laws (prerogative court)
• Fearsome reputation- abolished in 1641 parliament- some clergy fled

Popularity

• Some liked new ritual and Book of Sports gave chance to relax

Many offended

• Alienated sections of population; people having to change beliefs they grew up with; offence to interpet 39 Artcles in a predestination sense, though this was common years before

Emigration

• To New England increased markedly - only answer- as many as 15,000 in 1637

Puritan pamphlets & Prynne, Burton Bastwick

• Bishops described as 'tigers' and 'vipers' but could result in harsh punishment
• P, B, B 1637 tried in Star Chamber ears cut off

Gentry's class-based opposition to Laud

• Gentlemen should not have such a punishment
• Seemed to be attacking position and property rights- not even gentry himself

Gentry's opposition to restoration of wealth of Church

• Wanted to restore wealth to improve status of clergy
• Restrictions on terms which ecclesiastical landlords could offer their tenants> tenants who lost out gentry
• Unsuccessful attempts to recover impropriations to provide money for clergy stipends- at gentry's expense since they brought up impropriations

Gentry's dislike of Armininanism

• Blurred social distinictions which Puritanism hightlighted- social snobs. Eg. Norwich diocese pews ordred to be uniform size so as not to block view of altar- offended community leaders who wanted to show their importance
• Book of Sports threatened their law enforcement role - disorder

Fear of Catholicism

• Ceremonial of Arminianism and Catholics at court> belief of Popish plot

Charles' View

• Tolerant but wanted outward conformity and submission- could be saved as long as 'a man belived in Christ'

Double Standard

• Country Catholics subjected to fines- incomes from recusancy from £6000 in 1631 to £32000 in 1640
• Catholic worship allowed at court ; mass in Chapel for H.Maria or ambassadors e.g Somerset House
• Number of highly visible conversions

Perception

• Impression of popery despite fines, ban on Jesuits etc.Laud's habit of calling clergy 'priests'
• Seemed plausible given influcence ofn Queen and Cath. success in 30YW

Laud's view and misunderstandings

• Fierce opponent of Catholicism ; Pope thought he was Cath and offereed cardinal's hat

Court- Papal evoys from 1634; Weston and Cottingon open or secret Catholics; Charles foreign policy of aligning with Catholic powers; influence of Hn. Mari

 Numbers     60,000 Catholics- just 2% of population

Scares and fears

• Protestants felt under threat
• Foxe's Book of Martyrs- torments of Protestants in 16th Cent.
• Series of alarms from 1580s- Armada, Gunpowder Plot, invasion scares 1620s
• Before 1625 all external, either from abroad of those who felt felt excluded from political process
• New fear Catholics had infected the heart of the government

Increased fears after 1637

• Catholic influence on policy seemed undeniable
• Misguided attempt to impose Scottish prayer book- seen as Popish
• Negotiating with Catholic Spain for money to supress Prot. subejcts although came to nothing
• War with Scots: Charles seemed interested in Catholic military support in Ireland and Scotland letting H.Mar ask for Cath donation
• Traditional King/Parl alliance in war under threat
• Arrival of Catholic Queen Mother at height of Scottish crisis/ Charles in north/Arrival of Spanish fleet

• Lasted a month
• Abrupt dissolution and presence of three Spanish envoys led to rumors Parliament had fallen due to a popish plot and lots of speculations
• Londoners petitioned that the Catholics should be forced to wear distinguishing clothes
• Atmosphere of hysteria destroyed chance of moderate and accomodating parliament in Long Parliament
• John Pym in opening speech said 'design to altar the kingdom both in religion and government' - if these were King's policies the king was guilty of treason
• No popish plot- commitment to Protestant cause
• Couldn't express his policies or beliefs in a way that would be understood

Catholics

• Allowed to practice unmolested because Presbyterian settlers in Ultster seen as more of a threat

Church of Ireland

• Directed reforms here to bring it closer to CoE and limit influence of Presbyterians
• Had stong Calvinist beliefs to assert itself against Catholic majority
• Arminians appointed to vacant bishoprics in opposition to Calvinst AB Usher
• Arminian imposition unpopular with Irish Church but no means of protest

Puritan opposition

• Crushed by Court of High Commision; lost livings if didn't reform; no effective way to protest

Wentworth's land reforms

• Those who might have supported alienated by campaign to win back church lands to allievate poverty of clergy
• Lay people had church lands and attack made enemies such as Earl of Coke
• United many groups against government

Church of Scotland

• Presbyterianism supported by vast majority of population
• Successful reform would require close consultation with important General Assembly
• Charles not sensitive

1626 Articles of Perth

• Commanded observation of Articles of Perth and kneeling at communion
• Insensitive and demonstrated his poor understanding of how this would anger Scots

1633 visit

• First visit since becoming King, with Laud, shocked at plainess of churches- devoid of ornament
• Returned determined to make them conform to their ideas

New Scottish Book of Common Prayer and canons

• "for the uniformity of...discpline" Laid down east end tables, kneelin and confesion-offence
• Lack of consultation with clergy and imposition by royal decree
• Avoided words such as 'priest' but rumors of 'popish rites' and not prepared to give it a go
• Seen as English imposition which would lead to error

Charles' mishandling of 1637 Petition

• Condemned prayerbook for 'sowing the seeds...contarty to true religion'
• Involvement of bishops in p.b prep damaged their weak position
• Charles had undone James' reforms and drove a wedge between Scottish/Eng Churches

National Covenant

• To oppose prayerbook and bound subscribers to maintain true faith of the kirk against 'innovations and evils' led to Bishop's War
• Charles' ill judged religious policy in Scotland which brought an end to personal rule

Convocation causes unease

• Clergy immediately granted six subsidies while secular counterparts discussed grievancesSP
• Changes in church since 1606 meant parliament wished to assert their authority in religious matters and unwilling to leave direction of church to convocation
• Continued to sit after dissolution of parliament so canons had dubious legality

Laud's aims and what the canons said

• Hoped they would provide peace in the Church
• Codemned popery and deliberately moderate: position of table 'indifferent' too little too late

What the Oath of Allegiance said and why it backfired

• Probably intended in same moderate way; preventing all innovations in doctrine and government of the church; supposed to secure men of suspicion of revolt to Popery and required them to swear they "approved the doctrine...consent to alter government by archbishops, bishops etc"
• etc interpreted as Pope and became known as etcetera oath - plot to destroy protestant church
• Puritan pamphlets showing backfire in Laud's face; oath abandoned
• Convocation and canons merely inflamed passions and drove sides further apart