ABSTRACT
When Elizabeth came to the throne in 1558, one of the key decisions to be taken concerned the future of the church. Elizabeth’s government therefore had a struggle on its hands and had to produce a settlement which would be acceptable. This was achieved partly by breaking the control of the Marian bishops within the House of Lords. The emphasis is very much on Elizabeth recognising the constructive features of Catholicism and the achievements of the reign of Mary; Elizabeth therefore saw the sense of preserving at least some of them. Elizabeth the Protestant clearly intended to restore some of the Edwardian changes without irrevocably losing Catholic support. Drawing up the settlement was, of course, only part of the process of Elizabethan religious change. In some respects Elizabeth’s influence and intervention were entirely logical. She was clearly concerned throughout her reign for the security of her own position.
