Sons of the well-to-do went into law, the Church, the army, or the
navy. If not fit for such, they usually went into a trade,
apprenticing, for instance, with a draper, silk-merchant, or
goldsmith. Sometimes a son was sent to the house of a great man as
a page or esquire to learn the ways of courtiers and perhaps
become a diplomat.
The guild with its master and their employees was being replaced
by a company of masters.
About 5% of the population was Catholic, although it was against
the law to practice this religion. Indeed it long been the
practice to sequester their lands, punish them for going to mass,
fine them for not attending the established church, banish their
priests, and imprison those who aided priests. There was a
Catholic plot in 1605 to blow up Parliament and the king with
gunpowder and to restore Catholicism as the state religion with a
Catholic king. It was discovered and the conspirators were
executed. Then there was a crack-down on Catholics, with houses
being searched for hiding places for priests. Also, legislation
was passed barring Catholics from many offices.
James I ruled over both England and Scotland. He had come from
Scotland, so was unfamiliar with English love of their rights and
passion for liberty and justice. When he came to the throne, he
had a conference with a group of Puritans who asked for certain
reforms: ceremonies such as the cross in baptism and the ring in
marriage should not be used, only educated men competent to preach
should be made ministers, bishops should not be allowed to hold
benefices that they did not administer, and minor officials should
not excommunicate for trifles and twelve-penny matters.
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