Editing John Whitgift (section)

==Archbishop of Canterbury, 1583–1604==
[[File:John Whitgift detail Grimsby Minster.jpg|right|thumb|Whitgift at Queen Elizabeth's deathbed, stained glass at [[Grimsby Minster]]. The archbishop's death is given as 1603 because of [[Old Style and New Style dates]].]]
In August 1583 he was appointed [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] to replace [[Edmund Grindal]], who had been placed under house arrest after his disagreement with [[Elizabeth I of England|Queen Elizabeth]] over "prophesyings" and died in office. Whitgift placed his stamp on the church of the Reformation, and shared Elizabeth's hatred of [[Puritans]]. Although he wrote to Elizabeth remonstrating against the alienation of church property, Whitgift always retained her special confidence. In his policy against the Puritans and in his vigorous enforcement of the subscription test he thoroughly carried out her policy of religious uniformity.

He drew up articles aimed at nonconforming ministers, and obtained increased powers for the [[Court of High Commission]]. In 1586, he became a privy councillor. His actions gave rise to the [[Martin Marprelate]] tracts, in which the bishops and clergy were strongly opposed. By his vigilance the printers of the tracts were discovered and punished, though the main writer [[Job Throckmorton|Job Throkmorton]] evaded him. Whitgift had nine leading [[Presbyterianism|presbyterians]] including [[Thomas Cartwright (theologian)|Thomas Cartwright]] arrested in 1589–90, and though their trial in the Star Chamber for sedition did not result in convictions they did agree to abandon their movement in return for freedom.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Journey to the Mayflower|last=Tomkins|first=S|publisher=Hodder & Stoughton|year=2020|isbn=9781473649101|location=London|pages=200}}</ref>

Whitgift took a strong line against the [[Brownist]] movement and their [[London Underground Church|Underground Church]] in London led by [[Henry Barrowe|Henry Barrow]] and [[John Greenwood (divine)|John Greenwood]]. Their services were repeatedly raided and members held in prison. Whitgift repeatedly interrogated them through the High Commission, and at the Privy Council. When [[William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley|Burghley]] asked Barrow his opinion of the Archbishop, he responded: "He is a monster, a miserable compound, I know not what to make him. He is neither ecclesiastical nor civil, even that second beast spoken of in revelation."<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Journey to the Mayflower|last=Tomkins|pages=167}}</ref> Whitgift was the prime mover behind the [[Religion Act 1592|Act against Seditious Sectaries]] which was passed in [[List of acts of the Parliament of England from 1592|1593]], making [[Brownist|Separatist Puritanism]] a felony, and he had Barrow and Greenwood executed the following morning.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://history.hanover.edu/texts/engref/er86.html |title=The Act Against Puritans (1593) |publisher=History.hanover.edu |access-date=13 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=The Journey to the Mayflower|last=Tomkins|pages=218}}</ref>

In the controversy between [[Walter Travers]] and [[Richard Hooker (theologian)|Richard Hooker]], he prohibited the former from preaching, and he presented the latter with the rectory of Boscombe in [[Wiltshire]], to help him complete his ''Ecclesiastical Polity'', a work that in the end did not represent Whitgift's theological or ecclesiastical standpoints. In 1587, he had Welsh preacher [[John Penry]] brought before the High Commission, and imprisoned; Whitgift signed Penry's [[Execution warrant|death warrant]] six years later.

In 1595, in conjunction with the Bishop of London and other prelates, he drew up the [[Calvinist]] instrument known as the [[Lambeth Articles]]. Although the articles were signed and agreed by several bishops they were recalled by order of Elizabeth, claiming that the bishops had acted without her explicit consent. Whitgift maintained that she had given her approval.

Whitgift attended Elizabeth on her deathbed, and [[Coronation of James I|crowned]] [[James VI and I|James I]]. He was present at the [[Hampton Court Conference]] in January 1604, at which he represented eight bishops.
[[File:Croydon Minster, John Whitgift monument.jpg|thumb|Whitgift monument in [[Croydon Minster]]]]
He died at [[Lambeth]] at the end of the following month. He was buried in Croydon at the Parish Church of St John Baptist (now [[Croydon Minster]]):  his monument there with his recumbent effigy was practically destroyed when the church burnt down in 1867.