CHAPTER III

ON THE LAWS OF ELIZABETH'S REIGN RESPECTING THE ROMAN CATHOLICS

Change of Religion on the Queen's Accession--Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity--Restraint of Roman Catholic Worship in the first Years of Elizabeth--Statute of 1562--Speech of Lord Montague against it--This Act not fully enforced--Application of the Emperor in behalf of the English Catholics--Persecution of this Body in the ensuing Period--Uncertain Succession of the Crown between the Families of Scotland and Suffolk--The Queen's Unwillingness to decide this, or to marry--Imprisonment of Lady Catherine Grey--Mary Queen of Scotland--Combination in her Favour--Bull of Pius V.--Statutes for the Queen's Security--Catholics more rigorously treated--Refugees in the Netherlands--Their Hostility to the Government--Fresh Laws against the Catholic Worship--Execution of Campion and others--Defence of the Queen by Burleigh--Increased Severity of the Government--Mary--Plot in her Favour--Her Execution--Remarks upon it--Continued Persecution of Roman Catholics--General Observations Page 105