y behind, but generally above, the
throne.

380. The Coronation (1559).

The bishops were Roman Catholics, and Elizabeth found it difficult to
get one to perform the coronation services. At length one consented,
but only on condition that the Queen should take the ancient form of
coronation oath, by which she virtually bound herself to support the
Roman Catholic Church.[1] To this Elizabeth consented, and having
consulted an astrologer, Dr. Dee, he named a lucky day for the
ceremony, and she was crowned (1559).

[1] By this oath every English sovereign from William the Conqueror to
Elizabeth, inclusive, and even as late as James II, with the single
exception of Edward VI, swore "to preserve religion in the same state
as did Edward the Confessor." The form of the coronation oath was
changed to support Protestantism by the Revolution of 1688. Finally,
under George V, in 1910, the phraseology of the oath was modified by
Act of Parliament in order to make it less objectionable not only to
English Catholics, but to a large majority of the people of the
nation.

381. Changes in the Church Service (1559).

The late Queen Mary (S373), besides having repealed the legislation of
the two preceding reigns, in so far as it was opposed to her own
strong religious convictions (S370), had restored the Roman Catholic
Latin Prayer Book (S362). At Elizabeth's coronation a petition was
presented stating that it was the custom to release a certain number
of prisoners on such occasions. The petitioners, therefore, begged
her Majesty to set at liberty the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and John, and also the apostle Paul, who had been for some time
shut up in a strange language. The English Book of Common Prayer
(S362), with some slight changes, was accordingly reinstated,
Parliament repealed the laws by which the late Queen Mary had
practically restored the Roman Catholic religion, and it authorized
the publication of a new and revised edition of the English Bible
(S357).

382. New Act of Supremacy; Act of Uniformity; High Commission Court, 1559.

No sooner was the Queen's accession announced to the Pope than he
declared her illegitimate (SS349, 355), and ordered her to lay aside
her crown and submit herself to his guidance. Such a demand was a
signal for battle. However much attached a large part of the nation,
especially the country people, may have been to the Catholic religion
of their fathers (S370), yet the m