 In 1569 , Sir Thomas <unk> had described <unk> as a territory where all gentlemen were " evil in religion " , by which he meant predominately Roman Catholic ; it appears Leonard Calvert was no exception . During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I , continuing the changes wrought in the previous century by her father , King Henry VIII making the Monarch , the supreme authority of the Christian Church in England , continuing the pace Protestant Reformation from the Continent of Europe , with the political , spiritual and <unk> separation from the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope / <unk> in Rome , therefore the Royal Government exerted authority over the matters of religious faith , practices and the Church . Acts <unk> compulsory religious <unk> were enacted by Parliament and enforced through penal laws . The Acts of <unk> and the Uniformity Act of <unk> also included an oath of allegiance to the Queen ( <unk> Maria , wife of Charles I ) and an implicit denial of the Pope 's ( then Pope Paul IV ) authority over the English Church . This oath was required of any common " subject " ( <unk> for citizen ) , who wished to hold high office , attend university , or take advantage of opportunities controlled by the state ( king / kingdom ) . 
