3.  Continuity  of  Faith  and  Doctrine. —
Neither  under  Henry  vra.  nor  under  Elizabeth
was  there  any  intention  either  in  Church  or
State  to  vary  from  the  Catholic  faith.  As
Sir  Thomas  Browne  (1605-82)  wrote  in
Religio  Medici,  '  It  is  an  unjust  scandal  of
our  adversaries  and  a  gross  error  in  ourselves
to  compute  the  nativity  of  our  religion  from
Henry  vrn.  ;  who,  though  he  rejected  the
Pope,  refused  not  the  faith  of  Rome,  and
effected  no  more  than  what  his  predecessors
desired  and  essayed  in  ages  past.'  This  is
borne  out  by  legislation.  The  first  Annates
Act,  1531  (23  Hen.  vni.  c.  20),  declares  that
the  King  and  his  people  are  '  as  obedient,
devout,  oatholiok,  and  humble  children  of
God  and  holy  church,  as  any  people  be  within
any   realm   christened.'     Section    19   of   the


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Dictionary  of  English  Church  History


[Conversion


Peter  Pence  Act,  1534  (25  Hen.  vm.  c.  21),
runs :  '  Provided  always,  that  this  act,  nor
any  thing  or  things  therein  contained,  shall
be  hereafter  interpreted  or  expounded,  that
your  grace,  your  nobles,  and  subjects  intend
by  the  same  to  decline  or  vary  from  the
congregation  of  Christ's  Church  in  any  things
concerning  the  very  articles  of  the  Catholick
Faith  of  Christendom,  or  in  any  other  things
declared  by  Holy  Scripture  and  the  Word  of
God,  necessary  for  your  and  their  salvations,
but  only  to  make  an  ordinance  by  policies
necessary  and  convenient  to  repress  vice,
and  for  good  conservation  of  this  realm,'  etc.
