Theologial rancor and sectarian hatred

Gardner (page 33) accuses Queen Elizabeth of bequeathing her successors a nation filled with "theological rancor and sectarian hatred." The accusation begs two questions: was England in 1603 filled with such rancor and hatred? and if so, was it Elizabeth who caused it to be that way?


If the rancor and hatred is supposed to be between Protestants and the remaining Catholics, there is no doubt it existed. Within 12 months of the queen's death occurred the Main Plot and the Bye Plot (which we will discuss in some detail), and within 20 months the Gunpowder Plot. Reciprocal judicial murders in the reigns of Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth could hardly have led to any other condition.

Can we detect such feelings between Protestants? It isn't clear to me. Gardiner tells us that it was all simmering immediately below the surface; that Protestant unity was an illusion waiting merely for the veil to fall. Certainly the Hampton Court conference in 1604 (which we will see up-close and personal) showed significant cracks the Protestant facade. But I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of English Protestants had no qualms of attending Church of England services, however eager they may also have been for less-sanctioned meetings. And the few incidents of disrespect towards the Church of England hierarchy seem to have been handled without controversy in the church courts.

There is no doubt that theological rancor was very evident from 1620 or so. And sectarian hatred—though whether it was political or religious in nature I am not sure—was certainly apparent by 1636 in Scotland and by 1639 in England. But can we point the finger directly at Queen Elizabeth for these unfortunate turns? Perhaps not. We will certainly see other possible causes over the next 30-odd years.