a world turned upside down: section A: England in c. 1603 Flashcards
the landed hierachy
(God)
King
the peerage - dukes, earls, barons and lords
landed classes - baronets, nights, gentry, yeomen farmers, small holders
Merchant classes - merchants, bankers, city officials, master craftmen and skilled labourers
lower classes - labourers and paupers
the vast number of the population would have been incorporated into this and little change happened
what social mobility was availble
through the church, law, military service, or attracting the favour of an influential person
family structure
cottagers and labourers mostly lived and married away from family only the wealthy had big families because their marriage was arranged by parents.
mobility in country
most people moved around looking for employment and this was not difficult because the country was fairly small. church records suggest birth/baptism in a different place to death.
kinship ties
landowners and merchants had established relations for inheritance of land/property. but others sought companionship in community or neighbours. some relief scheme and charity. church also was a source of community.
stability of society
some social unrest and tensions but no rebellions or riots only fear of them. church very controlling. growing poverty and population
what is the royal prerogative and what did it contain
the powers and privileges possessed by the crown..
- had the power to call and dissolve parliament when they desired.
- could adjourn parliament mid meeting eg. prevent development of opposition.
could veto any legislation. - declare peace and war
- appoint and dismiss bishops, judges and ministers
details of parliament
house of lords and house of commons…
house of lords included the lords spiritual and lords temporal - 24 bishops and some archbishops all appointed by monarch, hereditary peers and the title was often a reward for service to king – peerage.
house of commons mps who represented a certain constituency/territorial area. elected but only by men who owned worthy land.
why would monarch (james) call parliament? (in general)
if he needed more money
john whitgift
- Archbishop of Canterbury when James came to the throne appointed by Elizabeth in 1583 – nearing the end of his life.
- Worked very hard to enforce conformity to the Elizabethan religious settlement.
- Working on re-education of clergy away from ‘popish’ superstitions which still lingered in the church.
- Died in 1604, replaced by Richard Bancroft.
richard bancroft
- Strongly anti-puritan
- Appointed with some reluctance by James, but he was the obvious, most experienced candidate to succeed Whitgift.
- Determined to enforce the Thirty-nine articles, wearing of the surplice and use of the cross in baptism – arguably doing James’ bidding here.
- Controversy over his methods – some say he deprived nearly 300 clergy of their living but historians now estimate somewhere closer to between 73-83 and about 1% of the total number of ministers. Only 2 puritan ministers lost their seat.
- Died in 1610. Replaced by George Abbot.
george abbot
• Evangelical Calvinist – Puritan
• Appointed by James after he was impressed with his work in Scotland in 1608 on a mission there to unite the English and Scottish churches. His appointment is seen as part of James’ wider strategy of unifying Scotland and England.
o Equally important in his promotion to Arch of Cant however, was his sponsorship by some of James’ Scottish friends at court.
• Ended deprivations and allowed puritans latitude with preaching
• Sought to ‘manage’ James – wished to counter influence of Robert Carr at court by grooming Buckingham to attract the King’s attention.
• Went up against James in the matters of Frances Howard’s divorce, the Book of Sports and the Spanish Match.
• Lost influence after a hunting accident in 1621 despite being cleared of murder by the King’s casting vote became depressed and withdrew from public life
