Fires of Faith: Catholic England under Mary Tudor

I read Duffy's excellent book: The Stripping of the Altars: Traditional Religion in England, 1400-1580 and found it a feast of Reformation History that heretofore was untold and somewhat obscure. This book, Fires of Faith, is more of a Roman Catholic apologetic for intolerance and incompetence wreaked by Mary Tudor's regime, precisely that aspect of her reign that is quite indefensible. Duffy tries to highlight positive attributes of the regime, but is unconvincing at every turn. The grotesque burnings are defended as part of the times and we are asked to consider this as part of a zero sum game between 16th Century Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Maybe so, but this still leaves naked the inanity of the regime; Duffy admits as much in acknowledging that the burnings and circus-like show trials were counter-productive. I should say so. Although alluded to, Mary's morose psychological need for settling scores by acting in a self-destructive manner is never discussed at length. This is important given the evidence of her severely depressed and delusional state. Likewise Duffy ignores the larger historical context, including Mary's extremely unpopular marriage to Philip II (who left the squalid scene posthaste for Spain, never intending to return), the loss of Calais, and Mary's (ironic) fights with Pope Paul IV over his anti-Habsburg policies. At the end of the book, I felt an amazing sense of relief that Elizabeth I came on the scene and established the Via Media. Her dislike of Mary's religious policies was well known by the public and it was expected that a change would occur when she became Queen. They were correct. Upon her accession, heresy laws were instantaneously repealed and the the burnings ceased. During Mary's reign one could be reported to the authorities for not fingering Rosary beads. The great English Church composer, Thomas Tallis, was a Catholic and a Gentleman of Elizabeth's Chapel Royal, until his death. In 1575 Queen Elizabeth granted Tallis and William Byrd (Tallis's pupil and also a Catholic) a monopoly in England on printing music. After reading Duffy's book, the prospect of finding a comparable example of such intelligent and open thinking during Mary's reign is grimly ludicrous.

No amount of re-interpretation can make Mary Tudor into anything less than the mass murderer she was. The facts are simply NOT there. Of course, there were angry Catholic prelates who were egging her on at every turn, but at every point in her life,she chose to take the self centered advice of people like King Phillip II, Emperor Charles, Cardinals Pole, Bonner, & Gardiner and her Spanish relatives. Mary, with undeviating fury followed the plan that she'd had in place ever since her mother had been put away by Henry VIII, which was to do anything necessary, to KILL anything or anyone to get England back into the fold of the Papacy, another copy of her ideal state "Imperial Spain" where the evening air always smelled of burning flesh and the honest could not sleep for fear of the knock of the inquisition. She was an extremely unhappy woman, and she richly earned every moment of the pain she suffered. Ironically, even other bloody handed murderers like Phillip saw how she was alienating her people and interceded with her to at least slow, if not stop, her maniacal killing, but she would not. Given the reams of evidence, if one were to wish to rehabilitate such a character at this late date, the best way would be to say that she was born syphilitic and that she was mad. Religious mania was often a side effect of syphilis as was often seen in the Royal Houses of Europe, especially in Catholic Spain.

I still can’t believe that such a book could be written-it’s like saying that the Nazis were great progressives and would have got a lot accomplished if only that war hadn’t gotten in the way -disgusting !

The de-legitimzing of non-catholic faith and will to sweep under the rug the real history of that community is annoying at best. Against a backdrop of current politics--- the Jesuits inciting their Latin people, the ex-slaves of Spain with "liberation theology" and its peculiar anti-protestant/anti-american/ message, as well as catholic insistence on the Hart-Celler act, to open border to the catholic-incited peoples, makes such "spiin" as one of their newscaster's puts it, somewhat questionable. This is not the time for this sort of work. BUt rather, for catholics to confront the DISASTER Vatican II had for another protestant country, and from which they always continue to feed, even as they condemn the very source of their abundance as heretical. (that they have never been able to be blessed with, not really, unless extortion in taxes in their countries is a "blessing of god"). Catholic chutzpah! Hasbara! Spin indeed! A no-go on this one.

Excellent study that reveals an alternative view of Catholic England

Professor Duffy applies historical method, rather tha emotion, to explore Queen Mary's religious policy. A useful lesson in examing evidence and appreciating the cliche, that the past is a different country. This work provides a clear understanding of Elizabeth's significance in tilting England towards protestantism. Read in conjunction with the author's "Stripping of the Altars".

This is an excellent book and one that needed to be written. With exhaustive research and an unbiased appraisal of the facts the author has succeeded in producing a book with a wide-ranging appeal. The book confronts many unpalatable facts about the Marian renewal of Catholicism in England (some 300 people killed for their refusal to renounce their faith) but 16th century England is not today. The fear of harbouring enemies within our midst still exists. When Mary came to the throne in 1553 England was, despite Edward`s actions, still predominantly a Catholic country. The battle between the old and the new faith was real-man`s soul was at (often literally) stake. However, Mr Duffy carefully examines the role and importance of `the word`. Whether in the pulpit or the pamphlet argument is demonstrably seen to have been a vital weapon. This is a book to be read for its historical interest of a formative period in England and for the legacy which reaches down to us to today

Excellent

I have read and purchased several of Eamon Duffy's books - including"The Stripping of the Altars" and "The Voices of Morebath". Being extremely interested in the religious upheavals here in England during the mid sixteenth century, and especially in the Counter Reformation, I was delighted with this latest book. For far too long, Mary's reign has been overshadowed by that of her half-sister Elizabeth, viewed as a dark and dismal period in English history; and a futile attempt to turn back the religious clock. This was how it was presented to me at school many years ago. However, that is patently untrue, something which I, and many others, have long suspected. In fact, as Duffy has amply demonstrated here, and also in his other books, there was considerable support and yearning for the restoration of the Catholic faith along with all its attendant trappings. That this was so has been consistently overlooked (in my view deliberately) in the smoke rising from the fires of those burnt to death for their Protestant beliefs. I am no apologist for burning people to death for their religious faith (and neither is Duffy) but this episode must be viewed in the context of the sixteenth century and not from that of the twenty first. In time, I suspect, that even the thorny issue of restoring the abbeys and priories and their lands would have been accomplished. Of course, for the time being (and as events turned out for ever) this was thwarted by those who had chiefly profitted from their enforced surrender and destruction - members of the House of Commons - many of whom were clearly as corrupt as many of their successors are today. But time was not on Mary's side. The only reason that the re-founding of the abbeys and priories was so limited in number and that the restoration of the Catholic Faith here in England did not succeed was due to the unexpected deaths of both Mary and her cousin Cardinal Pole. Had they both lived longer, then the religious appearance and experience of mid-late sixteenth century England may have been markedly different than it ultimately was to be. In the short space of some five years a very great deal had been achieved, with much popular support. That this was indeed the case is manifestly supported by the subsequent fear that the Elizabethan government had of the Catholics and Catholicism here in England in the latter part of the sixteenth century. An excellent book and highly recommended.

I am no expert of any sort on the period or the issues but bought this because it seemed an interesting subject and I was well rewarded. I do have a few criticisms though: Professor Duffy repeatedly states that protestantism was weak but then speands much time explaining why the authorities had difficulties supressing it - a fuller explanation and examination of the evidence for the weakness would have been helpful. And it does rather read like a lengthy apology for the Marian cause. Referring to Ignatius of Loyola as Saint Ignatius throughout rather gives the game away. Other parts are frustrating - we are told the Marians remade the Universities but only at the very end do we get a partial examination of that. But these are minor critcisms. Overall this was a fascinating work.