Constitutional History of England, Henry VII to George II. Volume 1 of 3Hallam, Henry
History
Constitutional History of England, Henry VII to George II. Volume 1 of 3
Hallam, Henry
Constitutional history -- Great Britain
Such a reluctance as the queen displayed to return in every point even
to the system established under Edward, was no slight disappointment to
those who thought that too little had been effected by it. They had
beheld at Zurich and Geneva the simplest, and, as they conceived, the
purest form of worship. They were persuaded that the vestments still
worn by the clergy, as in the days of popery, though in themselves
indifferent, led to erroneous notions among the people, and kept alive a
recollection of former superstitions, which would render their return to
them more easy in the event of another political revolution.[277] They
disliked some other ceremonies for the same reason. These objections
were by no means confined, as is perpetually insinuated, to a few
discontented persons. Except Archbishop Parker, who had remained in
England during the late reign, and Cox, Bishop of Ely, who had taken a
strong part at Frankfort against innovation, all the most eminent
churchmen, such as Jewel, Grindal, Sandys, Nowell, were in favour of
leaving off the surplice and what were called the popish
ceremonies.[278] Whether their objections are to be deemed narrow and
frivolous or otherwise, it is inconsistent with veracity to dissemble
that the queen alone was the cause of retaining those observances, to
which the great separation from the Anglican establishment is ascribed.
Had her influence been withdrawn, surplices and square caps would have
lost their steadiest friend; and several other little accommodations to
the prevalent dispositions of protestants would have taken place. Of
this it seems impossible to doubt, when we read the proceedings of the
convocation in 1562, when a proposition to abolish most of the usages
deemed objectionable was lost only by a vote, the numbers being 59 to
58.[279]
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