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Definition:
The English Reformation did not always proceed consistently or smoothly. After Edward VI
died, Mary Tudor (1553-1558) took the throne. Mary was the daughter of Henry VIII and
his first, Catholic, wife Catherine of Aragon. Mary was always a Catholic and opposed the
Protestant reforms which were occurring in England.
So, when she assumed power, she saw the support she received as a validation of the idea that England should turn away from Protestantism and return to Catholicism. With the aid of clergy who had been forced out by Henry and Edward, she made every effort to do exactly that. Protestants were persecuted viciously - so many were killed and imprisoned that she got the nickname "Bloody Mary." In the end, even Thomas Cramner was killed - burned at the stake as he condemned the pope as the Antichrist.
After Mary died, much to the relief of Protestants, her half-sister Elizabeth took the throne. Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth was always a Protestant and so worked to return England to the path of Reformation. However, while she condemned Catholicism she also condemned Protestant extremism.
Her solution to the strife between Protestantism and Catholicism would eventually be called the Elizabethan Settlement - a "middle way" (via media) which sought to make everyone happy, or at least avoid infuriating any more people than was absolutely necessary. Under her rule, a new edition of the Book of Common Prayer was created which continued with the tradition of being as vague as possible for the purpose of allowing as many different interpretations as possible. This motive of achieving maximum inclusiveness has remained an important aspect of the Anglican church down through today.
Because this cautious approach, however, Church reforms remained very limited - a fact which caused radical Protestants to remain unhappy. They couldn't tolerate any remaining vestiges of Catholicism and many of them became known as the Puritans - people who wanted to "purify" the Church by eliminating all Catholic superstitions. They hoped to impose the strict teachings of John Calvin on the church, much as Calvin had managed in Geneva.
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