ABSTRACT
The successful restoration of Catholicism in the reign of Mary I posed serious problems for Elizabeth. Although a number of Catholics had fled after her accession in 1558, usually to Spain, many more had remained in England, in what was to become an increasingly suspect environment for them. Despite the 1564 Council of Trent's decree that Catholics should never attend Protestant services, many continued to go to their parish church, but over time recusancy (refusal to attend church) became more common, and fines for non-attendance were increased. In 1571 Elizabeth had protected the right of Catholics to be present at church services without being required to take communion. Her policy of passive toleration of quiescent Catholics was always one which more zealous Protestants deplored, but the queen's religious pragmatism was accepted, if not always admired, by her advisers. Her policy preference, however, for tolerating her Catholic subjects seemed much more dangerous after the 1570 papal bull that no Catholics should obey the English ‘pretended’ queen, or her laws.
