The policy of Elizabeth (1558-1603) was a compromise between the radical tendencies of her predecessors. By the Act of Uniformity the use of a new prayer book, based on that of Edward VI., was established, and the Act of Supremacy gave her the virtual headship of the Church. The Thirty-nine Articles fixed the final constitution of the Anglican Church, with Protestant dogmas, but with a retention of the hierarchy, and in part of the cult, of the Catholics. But above all else the Church was national. Archbishop Parker was the chief instrument in bringing about this desired result. The advice of her able minister. William Cecil, enabled Elizabeth to handle po litical with equal success. On the Continent she aided the Protestants in their straggles against the overwhehning power of Spain, especially in the Netherlands. The In vineible Armada, sent in 1587 to subdue EngJana, was dcfeated by Howard and Drake, and Eliza beth became the acknowledged head of the Prot estants of Europe. At home she was equally suc cessful, ruling in harmony with her people, though not always agreeing with Parliament. The economic legislation of her reign was so well founded that it lasted nigh two centuries. Navi gation laws built up a marine, corn laws aided agriculture, and the great, trading companies, like the Muscovy, Eastland, Levant, and East India companies, exported English industries and brought wealth to England. The Renaissance bore fruit in the most brilliant of English liter ary epochs. See ENGLISII LITERATURE.
On the death of Elizabeth the House of Tudor was succeeded by that of Stuart, the crowns of England and Scotland being united under James, the son of Mary, Queen of Scots. With the sup pression of Tyrone's rebellion at the close of Elizabeth's reign, the subjugation of Ireland may be said to have been achieved, although it was not until the time of Cromwell that the hold of England upon the whole of the island was firmly fastened. In striking contrast to the preceding reign, that of James 1. (1603-25) presents con stant quarrels with the people at home and inca pacity abroad. Great enterprises were indeed undertaken, such as the planting of the Colony of Virginia, but the King had little part in them. llis ministers were unworthy favorites, chosen mainly for their good looks. He believed in the `divine right' of kings, and his ideas of the duties of subjects were at variance with those held in England. In the Great Protestation of 1621 Par liament asserted its right to debate on State af fairs and advise the King concerning them. Al though the authorized translation of the Bible was made in his reign (1604-11). he thwarted the general desire for greater liberty of Protestant practice in the Chureh, and favored the hierarchy. `No bishop, no king,' was his motto. He forced an unpopular episcopacy on Scotland. His unwise attempt to obtain a Spanish marriage for his son brought on a useless and expensive war. The inglorious conduct of this war, and of another against France, waged by his favorite Bucking ham, by draining the royal coffers, helped to bring on the Puritan Revolution.
Unable to obtain supplies without redressing the grievances of Parliament, James's son, Charles I. (1625-49), raised forced loans, im prisoning those who refused. In May, 1628, Par liament passed the so-called Petition of Right, in which all forms of taxation without con sent of Parliament were prohibited; there should be no martial law in time of peace, and no one should be imprisoned except on specific charges. Charles was obliged to assent, but on the re monstrance against his levying tunnage and poundage, prorogued Parliament. After the stormy session of the following year, he ruled for eleven years without Parliament, raising taxes by illegal methods. His chief ministers were Thomas Wentworth, a eery able man, who re duced Ireland to order And obedience, and Arch bishop Laud, who attempted to enforce Church uniformity by the observance of a high ritual distasteful to the people. The King's instru ment of judicial oppression was the Star Cham ber (q.v.). composed of the Privy Council and two justices, while the ecclesiastical commission attended to the Puritans. An attempt to force a
ritualistic prayer book on Scotland caused the abolition of the episcopacy, liturgy, and can al, and an armed invasion with which Charles was unable to cope. The Long Partia 1 a•t was summoned in consequence (1640). Led by Pyni and Hampden, it passed an act of attain der 1Ventworth, now Earl of Strafford, M 110 executed, and abolished both Star Cham ber and ecelesiastival commission. In 1641 came the Grand Remonstrance (q.v.) and the impeach wilt of the bishops. and Charles's ill-advised attt opt to seize the live leaders of the opposition hastened the now inevitable war, which opened ith the indecisive battle of Edgehill in 1642. The Scotch were drawn into the struggle, Parlia mentadoptingtheir Solemn League and Covenant. Retaranized on the New Model (q.v.) by Crom well. the Parliamentary Army bore clown all be fore it. At Marston Moor and Naseby the King hopelessly beaten. In 1646 Charles became a prisoner of the Scotch, IT whom he was handed over to Parliament ; his execution took place on January 30, 1649. lint the army, which was inde pendent in religion and desired toleration of the seets, came into conflict with the intolerant Par liament, which was Presbyterian. The so-called '('ride's Purge' in December, 164S, turned out forty-one Presbyterian members. England was dechaed a Commonwealth in 1649. The army under the lead of Cromwell crushed the rebellion in Ireland with great bloodshed. and beat the Scotch, who had risen for Charles II. The inevit able result was that the army ruled supreme. Oliver Cromwell, its general. was declared Lord Protector in 1653, and ruled with subservi ent Parliaments till his death (1658). His policy was the French alliance against Spain abroad and toleration for all except Catholics at home. 1:.elicated rebellion, how-ever, forced him to withdraw toleration from Episcopalians. On the death of Cromwell, in 165S1• his son Richard was named Protector. Tie abdicated in the fol lowing year. In 1660 General Monk mum London and put an end to the Puritan With the Restoration came reaetion against the austere morality of Puritan times. Nearly all of the statesmen were profligate and corrupt. Charles 11. l 1660 85) lived eldefly for pleasure. Ilk advisers were in the main as bad as he was, mint of them, like him, beimt in pay of Louis XIV. of France. Two ruinous wars with Hol land NI f.11. waged in the interests of that power. Internal legislation was reactionary. Aets were pa ssed compelling magistrates and officers, elergymen, fellows of the universities, and svlicHil-inasterg in conform with the Estab lished ('lurch, and ministers who refused were forbidden to come within five miles of an in corporated town or their former parishes. In 1673 the Test Act was passed. exeluding lies and Nomonformists from !midi, offices. A 11,10 Mils Popish plot resulted in disgraevfnl per 1•,,ntins of the Catholics on the testimony of Titus OW— :t perjurer. At letnpts to clude from the throne the Duke of York. who tad embraced ( t holickm, failed through the opposition. By unsernimlous of the toasts, tht •harter.: f all borongli. were confi; :. it, d and rl•model•d in the Tory interest. The Ikbeas corpus , insuring :t fair trial In 1•0•I was (tossed in 1679. The three r .far e4 I I 's reign (16'15 ss) taken up with an attempt to restore the Roman Cath olic religion chiefly by illegal means. By his power of dispensing with the law, he set at naught the Test Act, and forced Catholics into the universities, the army, and even into the royal council. He also gathered a standing army to fur ther his designs. Failing to secure toleration for Catholics from the Established Church, he tried to form an alliance with the Dissenters. but only with partial success. Ili; illegal proclamation of indulgence was resisted by the bishops. whom he tried in vain to convict of libel. The birth of a male heir, with the prospect of a perpetuation of his tyranny, wore out the public patience. Five of the most influential noblemen of England in vited William of Orange to invade the country. His mere appearance was enough to overthrow the Government, and James fled to France.