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| Religion The
document of 1559 is a reply of Elizabeth to some English Bishops who wanted to
continue Mary’s pro –Catholic policy. They maintained that Henry VIII had
been influenced by heretics to quarrel the Pope. She despised the Roman Church (disparaging),
and accused Roman Catholics to be heretical and to have a wolf as their leader
instead of a careful shepherd. In 1560 Elizabeth received a proposal of marriage
by Erik of Sweden, who sent his brother as a proxy groom, because he was
thwarted by storms. She refused courteously but resolutely that proposal. In
1566 Parliament was nagging Elizabeth to marry. They also wanted to decide on
her succession. She confirmed her position on marriage, saying: “I will marry
only if convenient and I hope to have children, otherwise I would never marry.”
About her succession she said : “ Is very strange that the foot should direct
the head.” , reserving for herself that
important decision. Still on Religion, in 1583, Elizabeth addressed Parliament
to discuss Religion. There were in England not only Roman Catholics, but even
Protestant sects : Baptists, Puritans etc. She maintained that the religion of
Roman Catholics is like a corrupted ground that poisoned all trees. She
reasserted also that the Queen was the head of the Church, and that the Catholic
Bishops had made too many mistakes.Elizabeth was even very learned, as her
speeches show. She received the Ambassador of Poland who spoke in Latin to
Parliament about a quarrel of his King. The Queen listened to him and answered
with rasped and indignant voice in perfect extempore Latin, causing the
astonishment and the admiration of the people around her. |
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