Ethan Walker
The persecution of Catholics in England has a long and complex history, dating back to the 16th century and the reign of King Henry VIII. Henry's desire for a male heir led to a denial of annulment from the Catholic Church, causing him to establish the Church of England, marking the beginning of religious tensions in the country. This event, known as the English Reformation, resulted in the persecution of Catholics, with those who refused to conform facing fines and physical punishment. The Recusancy Acts, dating from Elizabeth I's reign, legally coerced citizens to conform to Anglicanism, further fuelling anti-Catholic sentiment. The Glorious Revolution of 1689, the rise of other religious sects, and the enactment of Penal Laws in the 17th century further intensified Catholic persecution in England, with laws barring them from public office, the military, and the practice of law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 16th and 17th centuries |
| Monarchs involved | Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, Elizabeth I, James I, Charles II |
| Actions against Catholics | Confiscation of property, execution, imprisonment, ban on holding public office, practicing law, and serving in the military, coercion to conform to Anglicanism, physical punishment, fines |
| Motivations | Fear of the Pope's secular power, desire for a male heir, religious tensions, anti-Catholic sentiment |
| Notable figures | St. Thomas More, St. Margaret Clitherow, Guy Fawkes |
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What You'll Learn
The English Reformation
The origins of the English Reformation were political. King Henry VIII (r. 1509-1547) sought to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, who had failed to bear him a male heir. The pope in Rome refused, so Henry summoned the Parliament of England in 1529 to deal with the annulment and other grievances against the church. The Reformation Parliament (1529-1536) passed laws abolishing papal authority in England and declared Henry to be the head of the Church of England, with final authority in doctrinal disputes. This constituted a separation of the Church of England from the Church of Rome.
The break with the Catholic Church led to a wider divide. The 1532 Act in Restraint of Annates limited funds paid by the Church to the Papacy. The 1533 Act in Restraint of Appeals declared the English monarch as the highest authority on all legal matters, ending the pope's secular power in England. The dissolution of the monasteries, the abolition of the Mass, the use of English in services and the Bible, and the replacement of altars with communion tables all followed. The majority of people went along with the change, with the wealthy gaining from the stripped-down Church, and commoners deferring to the authorities and fines for non-compliance.
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The Recusancy Acts
The first Recusancy Act, "An Act for restraining Popish recusants," was enacted in 1593 under Elizabeth I. It defined "Popish recusants" as those who failed to attend Church of England services and imposed punishments such as fines, property confiscation, imprisonment, and, in some cases, capital punishment. The Act also included provisions for the forfeiture of lands and tenements by those convicted of being recusants.
The Glorious Revolution of 1689, which involved the overthrow of King James II, a Catholic, and his replacement by the Dutch Calvinist William III, further fuelled anti-Catholic sentiment in England. The Act of Settlement 1701, passed by the Parliament of England, stated that the heir to the throne must not be a "Papist" and excluded any heir who was Catholic or married to a Catholic from the succession to the throne.
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The Glorious Revolution
James II ascended to the throne in 1685, and his overt Catholicism immediately put him at odds with most of his subjects. Tensions escalated when James's wife, Mary of Modena, gave birth to a son, James Francis Edward, in June 1688. The prospect of a Catholic heir to the throne alarmed many, and rumours circulated that the baby was not actually James's but an imposter. Despite issuing a public statement affirming his son's parentage, the political wheels were already in motion, and several prominent Whigs and Tories invited William of Orange, a Protestant and Mary's husband, to invade England.
William landed in Devon on November 5, 1688, with an expeditionary force, exploiting unrest in England. As William advanced, James's army disintegrated, and he fled to France, where he sought refuge. In April 1689, with Dutch troops occupying London, Parliament confirmed William and Mary as joint monarchs of England, Scotland, and Ireland. This revolution permanently established Parliament as the ruling power, marking a shift from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy.
The revolution's legacy is also seen in the Act of Settlement 1701, which excluded Catholics from the succession to the throne, a law that remained in place until the Succession to the Crown Act of 2013, which allowed members of the royal family to marry Roman Catholics without incurring this ban.
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The Gunpowder Plot
The plan was to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament on November 5, 1605, as a prelude to a popular revolt during which King James' daughter, Princess Elizabeth, would be installed as the new head of state. The conspirators leased a house adjacent to the House of Lords and began digging a mine to reach the building. They eventually discovered a vault under the House of Lords and stored 36 barrels of gunpowder (approximately 1.5 tons) there, concealing it under coal and firewood.
However, the plot was foiled when an anonymous letter of warning was sent to William Parker, a Catholic member of Parliament, who informed the authorities. On the evening of November 4, 1605, Fawkes was discovered guarding the gunpowder and was arrested. Most of the conspirators fled London but were later caught. At their trial on January 27, 1606, eight of the surviving conspirators, including Fawkes, were convicted and sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. The body parts of the conspirators were displayed throughout London as a warning against treason.
The discovery of the Gunpowder Plot led to the introduction of anti-Catholic legislation and increased persecution of Catholics in England. The thwarting of the plot was commemorated for years with special sermons, public events, and the ringing of church bells, evolving into the British tradition of Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night on November 5. The event also contributed to the existing anti-Catholic sentiment in England, which was fueled by propaganda and the actions of Catholic conspirators during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
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The Penal Laws
Under the Test and Corporation Acts, holders of public office, including peers and MPs, schoolmasters, clergy, students of Oxford and Cambridge, and members of local corporations, had to swear an oath upholding the position of the King as head of the Church of England.
The two best-known Elizabethan penal laws were:
- "An act to retain the Queen's Majesty's subjects in their due obedience", passed in 1581, which made it treason to reconcile or be reconciled to the Catholic Church or to induce others to do so.
- "An act against Jesuits and seminary priests", passed in 1585, which made it treason for any Englishman ordained as a Catholic priest abroad after 1559 to come into or remain in England and felony for anyone to shelter or assist such a priest.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Catholics were persecuted in England during the 16th and 17th centuries.
The persecution of Catholics in England can be traced back to the reign of King Henry VIII in the 16th century. Henry wanted a male heir, but his wife, Catherine of Aragon, could not provide one. When the Catholic Church refused to annul their marriage, Henry separated from the Church and established the Church of England, with himself as the head. This event, known as the English Reformation, marked the beginning of religious tensions in England.
During the persecution of Catholics in England, Catholics were subjected to various oppressive measures and restrictions. They were barred from holding public office, practising law, and serving in the military. Catholic priests were imprisoned or executed, and Catholic property was confiscated. Many Catholics were fined, physically punished, or even executed for refusing to attend Anglican services.
The Forty Martyrs of England and Wales were a group of Roman Catholic martyrs executed by English authorities during the Reformation, mostly during the reign of Elizabeth I. They were canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as representatives of all the Catholic martyrs.
While there were periods of relative tolerance, the persecution of Catholics in England was a complex and evolving phenomenon. It was influenced by political, religious, and social factors over the centuries. In the 19th century, Catholic Emancipation improved the legal status of Catholics, allowing them to participate more fully in public life. However, anti-Catholic sentiment has persisted in certain circles, and events like the burning of an effigy of the Pope on Guy Fawkes Night continue to be interpreted as anti-Catholic.
