Answer:
A Recuant is a nonconformist or dissenter who refused to go to a traditional church! There were two types Roman and protestant!
The Roman ones originated in the followers of the New Church of Trent, who ceased to attend the old churches after the instruction issued by the Holy Roman Church after its birth at the Council of Trent! It gained very few followers, but the attempts of the Papal Court to advance the Bishop of Rome;s cause by a civil war in England and the moves to foster Roman Catholic efforts to obtain an invasion of England by Spanish and Italian Troops and ships gained slightly more.
E$lizabeth did not even attempt to get rid of papists, she had treated them very well all during her reign and there was talk of the schismatics having their bishops, Eliza was a tolerant woman. It was the proposal to get rid of the Queen ,which would have led to a civil war and quite possiblity to Elizabeth's death, that made her look askance at the emissaries of the papacy from the continental colleges. They were political traitors, not simply traitors to the ancient religion but to their country! Even so Elizabeth gave them space to leave the country and time! They were asked their viewsand put on boats if they gave the wrong answers. But on the whole the laity if they took the oath of loyalty were left alone. It is a mistake to think the troubles at this time were religious ones, they concerned the Bishop of Rome's attempt to control England and his own temporal moves to create an empire!
The calumnies poured out on Eliza and to some extent her father are a disgrace. The deaths of the Romanists should belaid at the door of Rome, not Whitehall The protestant recusants were not harmed, but they, at this time didn't seek a civil war!