5.1 The Stability of the Monarchy, 1547-58

Question 1

“Woe to thee, O land, where the king is a child”

Answer 1

Old Testament of Ecclesiasticus, quoted by Hugh Latimer in 1549

Question 2

Henry III, 1216

Answer 2

Civil unrest after he came of age, but mostly peaceful reign

Question 3

The Acts of Succession under HVIII - 1st Succession Act 1533

Answer 3

Named Elizabeth as successor, and Mary a bastard

Question 4

2nd Succession Act, 1536

Answer 4

Declared that Elizabeth was also a bastard

Question 5

3rd Succession Act

Answer 5

( confirmed by HVIII in 1546) if EVI died without heirs, Mary and Eliz. could succeed, with approval of the Privy Council – although their illegitimacy was not reversed

Question 6

Why did HVIII’s Regency Council plan fail?

Answer 6

• HVIII attempted to establish a balanced Regency Council (reformists under Seymour and conservatives under Norfolk and Gardiner). This was large (16 members) and impractical for ruling, since in theory each person on the Council would have been equal
  Somerset took power easily because:
• He was the uncle of Edward VI
• He had a reputation as a successful soldier during Sc. wars in 1540s
• HVIII’s death was kept secret until Somerset had possession of EVI
• Some feared that the Regency Council was impractical, although others questioned the validity of it since it defied HVIII’s wishes.

Question 7

When was Edward Seymour born

Answer 7

Edward Seymour is thought to have been born in 1505

Question 8

When did Seymour serve as lord admiral

Answer 8

Seymour served as Lord Admiral from 1542 to 1543

Question 9

“We are at war with France and Scotland, we have enmity with the Bishop of Rome; we have no assured friendship here with the emperor …Our war is noisome to our realm and to all our merchants that traffic through the narrow seas”.

Answer 9

Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester

Question 10

What problems did Edward Seymour face in regard to foreign problems?

Answer 10

Expensive wars with Scotland and France had satisfied Henry’s ego but cost a fortune (1.5 million to be exact).

Question 11

What problems did Edward Seymour face in regard to foreign problems?

Answer 11

Expensive wars with Scotland and France had satisfied Henry’s ego but cost a fortune (1.5 million to be exact).

Question 12

What problems did Edward Seymour face in regard to foreign problems?

Answer 12

Henry VII’s capture of Boulogne alone cost over a million pounds but it was virtually indefensible in the long term and it was agreed that it would be given back after 8 years (Treaty of Camps)

Question 13

What problems did Edward Seymour face in regard to Religious problems?

Answer 13

Atmosphere of unease and uncertainty; Henry’s policies were at worst schizophrenic, at best a foolish attempt to find a ‘Via Media’ (middle way)

Answer 14

Despite his sack of Edinburgh (1544), Somerset was not in a position to conquer Scotland and enforce the Treaty of Greenwich (1543) by which Prince Edward was to marry Princess Mary.

Question 15

Sack of Edinburgh

Answer 15

(1544)

Question 16

Treaty of Greenwich

Answer 16

(1543) by which Prince Edward was to marry Princess Mary.

Question 17

Battle of Pinkie

Answer 17

Sept 1547 Somerset led army north and won Battle of Pinkie

Question 18

the French fleet landing in Leith

Answer 18

June 1548.

Question 19

Mary Queen of Scots was betrothed to the Dauphin and in August she was shipped to France.

Answer 19

July 7th 1548

Question 20

Hales Enclosure Commission was asked to investigate and prosecute under existing law landowners in Oxon, Berks, Northants, Warwickshire. Hales announced in 1548 that the purpose was more radical – a moral crusade vs ungodly greed. Somerset not disapproving of such ‘commonwealth’ rhetoric.

Answer 20

1st of June 1547

Question 21

What was the inflation like in 1540?

Answer 21

77% inflation

Question 22

Why were Landlords trying to raise rents

Answer 22

Landlords had been raising rents to try to cope with

Question 23

What was the Population change in the 1540’s?

Answer 23

London from 60T in 1520s to 200T by 1603

Question 24

When was anti-vagrancy legislation passed?

Answer 24

1547

Question 25

How much was spent on military affairs throughout Edward’s reign?

Answer 25

£1.4M was spent on military affairs across the whole of Edward’s reign

Question 26

How much did somerset spend on military affairs in 1549?

Answer 26

£580,000 in 1549

Question 27

How much did debasement raise between 1554 to 1551?

Answer 27

1.3M between 1544-1551

Question 28

How else did somerset raising crown value?

Answer 28

Despite the 1547 Chantries Act producing a £160,000 cash yield (c.20% of monastic closures) he also sold vast tracts of Crown land, reducing long-term Royal income.

Question 29

1539 Act of Proclamations

Answer 29

had required Somerset to have the consent of 12 Privy Councillors before he could issue Proclamations

Question 30

Why did Somerset promise to consult the Privy council?

Answer 30

To gain support for the 1547 coup

Question 31

When and why did Edward Seymour execute Thomas Seymour?

Answer 31

20th March 1549.
1. Thomas had married Catherine Parr and on her death allegedly tried to seduce Princess Elizabeth and bribe nobility in his efforts to gain some power after his exclusion from the Council.
2. In January 1549 he broke into Edward VI Privy Chamber and tried to take control of Edward VI. His consequent arrest and execution brought into question Somerset’s authority and capacity to protect the King.

Question 32

When and where was the Western / Prayer Book Rebellion?

Answer 32

Devon and Cornwall riots over 1549 Prayer Book. Had rebels not halted own siege of Exeter, might have reached London as predecessors had in Cornish rising of 1497.

Question 33

When and where was Norfolk / Ket’s Rebellion?

Answer 33

July 1549- led by tanner, Robert Ket. Army of 16, 000 rebels occupied Norwich.
They mistakenly believed Somerset supported their social and economic grievances. Somerset failed to disperse rebels by issuing pardons. The motive was not sympathy with their plight but stretched resources (Scotland and France). Left to Lord Russell and John Dudley to supress rebels brutally and restore order.

Question 34

When was the act of six articles?

Answer 34

1539

Question 35

When and what was the treason act?

Answer 35

1534-
Perhaps a publicity stunt but attracted exiled preachers back to England (Becon, Turner, Hooper). Charles V’s ictory over Protestants (Muhlberg 1547) also led to continental reformers – Bucer, Martyr, Knox, a Lasco, Ochino – finding refuge in England. Such influences and greater freedom raising expectations and led to increased reforming drive.

Question 36

when were Bishops authority dissolved and re-established by Edward?

Answer 36

1547

Question 37

When did the Royal Injunctions begin?

Answer 37

1547: Royal Injunctions – required weekly sermons and removal of Church images

Question 38

When were the first English church services in England?

Answer 38

1548

Question 39

When was the New Act of Uniformity and Book of Common Prayer published?

Answer 39

1549- Written by Cranmer. Ambiguous over the Eucharist, Protestant regarding ‘priesthood’, traditional vestments and alters remained. Clerical marriage permitted.
Moderate reformist settlement despite Somerset’s more radical personal views.
Why? Attempt not to upset Charles V at time of war with France/Scotland (Somerset also tolerated Mary Tudor’s Catholicism and executed nobody for heresy)

Question 40

What factors contributed to Somerset’s fall in 1549?

Answer 40

• Unrest and rebellion in the countryside in summer 1549 (successfully crushed by Northumberland and others)
• Personal style of Somerset’s rule caused resentment and led to an anti-Somerset faction, inc. Dudley, Earl of Warwick (motivated by political ambition); Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton (motivated by dislike of religious changes; and William Paget, who disliked Somerset’s style of rule)