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