Religious policy Mary I of England

bronze medal showing mary in profile, 1554



mary hans eworth, 1554. wears jewelled pendant bearing pearl known la peregrina set beneath 2 diamonds.

in month following accession, mary issued proclamation not compel of subjects follow religion, end of september leading protestant churchmen—including john bradford, john rogers, john hooper, hugh latimer, , thomas cranmer—were imprisoned. mary s first parliament, assembled in october 1553, declared marriage of parents valid , abolished edward s religious laws. church doctrine restored form had taken in 1539 6 articles, (among other things) re-affirmed clerical celibacy. married priests deprived of benefices.

mary had rejected break rome instituted father , establishment of protestantism brother s regents. philip persuaded parliament repeal henry s religious laws, returning english church roman jurisdiction. reaching agreement took many months , mary , pope julius iii had make major concession: monastery lands confiscated under henry not returned church remained in hands of influential new owners. end of 1554, pope had approved deal, , heresy acts revived.

under heresy acts, numerous protestants executed in marian persecutions. around 800 rich protestants, including john foxe, chose exile instead. first executions occurred on period of 5 days in february 1555: john rogers on 4 february, laurence saunders on 8 february, , rowland taylor , john hooper on 9 february. thomas cranmer, imprisoned archbishop of canterbury, forced watch bishops ridley , latimer being burned @ stake. cranmer recanted, repudiated protestant theology, , rejoined catholic faith. under normal process of law, should have been absolved repentant. mary, however, refused reprieve him. on day of burning, dramatically withdrew recantation. in total, 283 executed, burning. burnings proved unpopular alfonso de castro, 1 of philip s own ecclesiastical staff, condemned them , adviser, simon renard, warned him such cruel enforcement cause revolt . mary persevered policy, continued until death , exacerbated anti-catholic , anti-spanish feeling among english people. victims of persecutions became lauded martyrs.

reginald pole, son of mary s executed governess , once considered suitor, arrived papal legate in november 1554. ordained priest , appointed archbishop of canterbury after cranmer s death in march 1556.