She was crowned on January 15th, 1559; but whether with _all_ the
customary ceremonies, it is impossible to say; it is most likely that
she did not communicate.[533] The Bishops swore fealty in the usual way,
but were chary of taking any official part in the coronation of one so
plainly a heretic. Later in the day, Dr. Cox, who had been King Edward's
tutor, and was one of the returned refugees, preached before the Queen.
As early as Dec. 14th (1558) the Spanish Ambassador could report that
the Queen "is every day standing up against religion (Romanism) more
openly," and that "all the heretics who had escaped are beginning to
flock back again from Germany."[534]
When Convocation met it became manifest that the clergy would not help
the Government in the proposed changes. They declared in favour of
transubstantiation and of the sacrifice of the Mass, and against the
royal supremacy. The Reformation, it was seen, must be carried through
by the civil power exclusively; and it was somewhat difficult to
forecast what Parliament would consent to do.
What was actually done is still matter of debate, but it seems probable
that the Government presented at least three Bills. The first was
withdrawn; the second was wrecked by the Queen withholding her Royal
Assent; the third resulted in the Act of Supremacy and in the Act of
Uniformity. It is most likely that the first and second Bills, which did
not become law, included in _one_ proposed Act of legislation the
proposals of the Government about the Queen's Supremacy and about
Uniformity of Public Worship.[535] The first was introduced into the
House of Commons on Feb. 9th (1559), was discussed there Feb. 13th to
16th, and then withdrawn. A "new" Bill "for the supremacy annexed to the
Crown" was introduced in the Commons on Feb. 21st, passed the third
reading on the 25th, and was sent to the Lords on the 27th.[536]
The majority in the House of Commons was Protestant;[537] but the Marian
Bishops had great influence in the House of Lords, and it was there that
the Government proposals met with strong opposition. Dr. Jewel describes
the situation in a letter to Peter Martyr (March 20th):
"The bishops are a great hindrance to us; for being, as you know,
among the nobility and leading men in the Upper House, and having
none there on our side to expose their artifices and confute their
falsehoods, they reign as sole monarchs in the midst of ignorant
and weak men, and easily overreach our little party, either by
their numbers or their reputation for learning. The Queen,
meanwhile, though she openly favours our cause, yet is wonderfully
afraid of allowing any innovations."[538]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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