Page:Church and State under the Tudors.djvu/207

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REIGN OF ELIZABETH
183

they really did by this first year's legislation was this:—

(1.) They restored in full the ecclesiastical supremacy established by Henry VIII., merely avoiding the revival of the style and title of Supreme Head. Thus, while this change was made by the enactment of 1 Eliz. 1, s. 16 to 19 inclusive, the 26 Hen. VIII. c. 1 and 1 Ed. VI. c. 12, s. 7 were not revived in terms; on the other hand, 25 Hen. VIII. c. 19—the Act of the Submission of the Clergy—was restored in full, so that nothing but the mere title was renounced, and the whole power was reserved to the Crown.

(2.) The Act of Uniformity was varied to the extent of two specified alterations in the Book of Common Prayer, but otherwise restored.

(3.) For some reason, not very obvious, the appointment of bishops directly was dropped, and the old method of indirect appointment by means of a merely colourable election was resumed.

(4.) The marriage of the clergy was not yet re-legalised, in deference, apparently, to a private caprice of Elizabeth.

In all other respects the Reformation Statutes of Henry and Edward were restored, with the exception of those which were merely temporary or trivial. One partial and temporary exception, however, may be alleged—viz., that the Act of 3 and 4 Ed. VI. c. 10, for abolishing and putting away divers books and images, which had been included in Mary's repeal, was not revived in terms. It was, however, no doubt partially obsolete, as many of its provisions were, doubtless, pretty completely carried out in the iconoclastic times of Edward, and others were provided for by Elizabeth's Act of Uniformity, and afterwards by later Acts. At