adopted by the Roman Church was, in the first place, to embitter the quarrel between the Roman and Protestant parties in England, and to endanger the person of the Queen; and, in the second, to compel Elizabeth to a more decided Protestant policy, and, by imperilling the very existence of the nation, to force men to decide whether they would be Catholics or Englishmen, and ultimately, by the constant formation and detection of Jesuit plots and intrigues, to possess the mass of the population with a thorough distrust and detestation of Romanism which three centuries have not entirely washed away.
The thirteenth year of Elizabeth was the next important epoch of ecclesiastical legislation. There was again a Parliament and also a Convocation which was permitted to perform its functions. The Acts of the former were:—
13 Eliz. c. 2, a reprisal for Pius V.'s excommunication, in the shape of an enactment against the introduction of bulls or instruments, and 'other superstitious things,' from the see of Rome, subjecting offenders to the penalties of a Præmunire, and containing also a clause forbidding the importation or use of an Agnus Dei, pictures, or cross, &c.;
13 Eliz. c. 10, providing against frauds by spiritual persons upon their successors in the matter of dilapidations, &c.; and
13 Eliz. c. 12, entitled an Act for the Ministers of the Church to be of Sound Religion.[1]
- ↑ This Act is sometimes referred to as in no way admitting non-Episcopal orders, and it is said to be a disabling Act, aimed at the surviving Catholic clergy, and requiring them, so to speak, to give security for their loyal behaviour towards the Queen and the Established Church. This, no doubt, is true, but not the whole truth. An Act of Parliament is judged by what it says, and the same words admitted non-Episcopal as well as
