William Cecil and Episcopacy, 1559–1577

Brett Usher, University of Reading, UK

• Contents: Preface; Introduction: Historiographical debates; Cecil's memoranda of 1559; 1559: policies and personalities: The parliamentary settlement; The Act of Exchange; Elizabeth, the Marian hierachy and the reformers; Cecil and the Edwardian hierachy; The drive towards reform: The aftermath of parliament; The July List; Saving the settlement: July-December 1559: The July refusals; A triple crisis: exchange, consecration and crucifixes; The October List and its aftermath; December 1559; further concessions; Cecil deflected: March 1560-March 1562; Parkhurst and Alley; The emergence of Robert Dudley; Dudley and Cecil; The bishops and the exchequer, 1560-62: Bills of restitution; Exeunt sureties; A royal warrant; Exchanges concluded; Northumberland's rapacious ghost; Fiscal conciliation and Lord Robert; Cecil revised: 1562-70: The lean years; Beleagured bishops; Watching and waiting; Fiscal conciliation refined; The vestiarian controversy; The aftermath of rebellion, 1569-73: 'National government'; The replenishment of the bench, 1570-73; Fiscal conciliation perfected; Contrary winds, 1570-76: The bishops and the prophesyings; Parker, conformity and the rise of Christopher Hatton; The Hattonian reaction; Fiscal conciliation in jeopardy; The fall of Grindal revisited; The bishop in his diocese, 1560-76: Clerical tax collection; Arrearages: the Marian subsidy; Episcopal leases; The quest for concealments; Appendix: episcopal leases granted to the Crown, 1568-76; Interim conclusions: 'Elizabeth the avaricious'; The glittering brooch; Appendices; Bibliography; Index.

'Readers who like detective stories [...] will enjoy Usher's verve in turning taxation, land exchanges and long leases into a story of politics, personalities and ecclesiastical intrigue.' The Church Times '... Usher must be admired for his highly engaging literary style and for his respect for the details of history.' Anglican and Episcopal History '... an example of that comparatively rare genre; a piece of genuinely original research... The sequel can only be anticipated with enthusiasm.' Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte '... a significant contribution to our knowledge in rewriting much of the standard account of the Elizabethan settlement and its aftermath... it immediately becomes required reading for all historians of the Elizabethan church...' H-Net Review 'The book highlights the great degree of continuity - in terms of both ideology and personalities - between Edward's reign and that of Elizabeth, and revises historical opinion in two important ways: it puts paid to the idea that Elizabethan government intentionally exploited sede vacante opportunities; and it gives the reader a clear picture of hardworking, conscientious bishops, laying to rest the old chestnut that they were merely timeserving opportunists.' Sixteenth Century Journal 'Usher's careful and impressive book confirms the trajectory of much recent scholarship on the Elizabethan church by mining underused financial records, adding this to the other evidence that has been drawn upon to establish that church as thoroughly Protestant and largely Calvinist, however much elements of an older medieval fabric and structure survived.' Church History