The Archpriest Controversy

The Archpriest Controversy is a name given to the debate after the controversial appointment of an Archpriest by the Pope to oversee the efforts of the Catholic missionary priests in England, at the end of the sixteenth century.

Background

At the time, under Elizabeth I of England's Protestant religious settlement, the Catholic faith suffered legal disabilities. Foreign powers, most notably Spain and France, supported the training of English Catholic clergy on the continent. These priests came from two backgrounds: Jesuits and seminary priests. The seminary priests were trained at Douai in Northern France, at an establishment set up by Cardinal Allen.

The root of the controversy stemmed from two different views of the state of the Catholic Church in post-Reformation England. The Jesuits saw England as a mission field, almost a clean slate, while many of the secular clergy saw Catholic survival as in a continuity with the institutions of the past. There were also suspicions that Jesuit missionaries supported Spanish foreign-policy aims, endangering English Catholics through their political entanglements.

Events

In 1598, with William Allen dead since 1594, the Cardinal Protector of England appointed an Archpriest to oversee the mission in England with the permission of Pope Clement VIII. This Archpriest had authority over all secular clergy in England. However, although this appointee was supposed to be neutral, George Blackwell was chosen. He was a known admirer of the Jesuits, and his letter of appointment included instructions to co-operate closely with them. Deeply affronted and fearing their loss of independence, a vocal minority of seminary priests refused Blackwell's authority. Two of them travelled to Rome to represent an unsuccessful appeal against Blackwell. A bitter pamphlet war ensued, with some among the seminary priests supporting Blackwell while others continued to appeal to Rome for his removal. The latter came to be known as 'Appellants'.

Resolution

In 1602, the Pope settled the bitter quarrel by reaffirming Blackwell's authority while making concessions to the Appellants. He ordered that the next three vacancies among Blackwell's assistants be filled from among the Appellants, and rescinded the instruction that Blackwell consult with the Jesuits, instead forbidding such consultation. Friendly relations between the two factions of seminary priests soon returned. However, their infighting had set back the Catholic cause in England.

Appellants and the Queen

Some Appellants went to the Queen and requested religious tolerance if they declared political allegiance to her and she expelled the Jesuits from England. Seeing a chance to fatally divide the Catholics, Elizabeth played along. Her government even gave some Appellants access to printers during the pamphlet war in order to fully exploit the divisions. But in 1602, disappointed at the pope's settlement of the dispute, she issued a proclamation accusing the Appellants of disloyalty, offering mercy only if they gave themselves up. Very few Appellants (only thirteen) publicly asserted their loyalty to Elizabeth by signing the protestation of allegiance.

References

*cite book
last = Pollen
first = John Hungerford
authorlink = John Hungerford Pollen (junior)
title = The Institution of the Archpriest Blackwell
publisher = Longmans, Green
date = 1916
location = London
isbn =
pages =
*cite book
last = Law
first = Thomas Graves
title = The Archpriest Controversy: Documents Relating to the Dissensions of the Roman Catholic Clergy, 1597–1602
publisher = Camden Society new series 56 & 58
date = 1896-1898
location =
isbn =
pages =
*cite book
last = Milward
first = Peter
title = Religious Controversies of the Elizabethan Age: A Survey of Printed Sources
publisher = University of Nebraska Press
date = 1977
location = Lincoln, NE, and London
isbn = 0803209231
pages =
*cite book
last = Milward
first = Peter
title = Religious Controversies of the Jacobean Age: A Survey of Printed Sources
publisher = University of Nebraska Press
date = 1978
location = Lincoln, NE, and London
isbn = 0803230583
pages =
*cite book
last = Lockyer
first = Roger
title = Tudor and Stuart Britain 1471-1714
publisher = Longman Group UK Limited
date = 1985
location = Singapore
isbn = 0-582-35308-4 (paperback)
pages = p. 173
*cite book
last = Doran
first = Susan
title = Elizabeth I and religion
publisher = Routledge
date = 1994
location = London
isbn = 978-0415073523
pages = pp. 61-62
*cite book
last = Warren
first = John
title = Elizabeth I: Religion and Foreign Affairs
publisher = Hodder Murray
date = 2002
location = England
isbn = 978-0340846896
pages = pp. 78-79
*CathEncy|url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/Archpriest_Controversy|title=Archpriest Controversy

Online resources

* [http://www.marksanchez.info/onlinewritings/appellants.htm Enemies within: Jesuits, Appellants and ‘Hispaniolated' Englishmen, 1588-1603 ] — an essay by Dr. M. G. Sanchez