Aspects in Breadth: Controlling a Fractious Nation - Changes in Tudor Government, 1485-1603: Gaining the Co-operation of the Localities.

Question 1

Why were the marcher regions a problem for the Tudor monarchy?

Answer 1

• first line of defence against invasion
• nobility in control of these areas assumed great legal/military power = quasi-kings
• developed own laws and customs
• distance = communication difficult
• potential source of opposition to monarchy

Question 2

How successfully was Wales governed in the early Tudor dynasty?

Answer 2

• Wales already conquered in late 15th century
• principality of Wale < Welsh legal system dependent on power and control of marcher lords
• possible to escape justice by moving from region to region
• blood feuds
• Council of Wales and the Marched: introduced 1470’s, headed by Jaspar Tudor from 1490 = royal control enhanced.
• Prince Arthur also sent to Wales a year before his death, an idea also repeated using Mary.
• Not until Cromwell rose to prominence and introduced the Law in Wales act was a lasting solution found.

Question 3

What challenges did governing the North pose?

Answer 3

• extensive border where raids were common
• Henry VII = usurper
• loyal to Richard III
• ## economic hardship in North = tax revolts

Question 4

What (un)successful measures were put in place to control the marcher regions?

Answer 4

• Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, as Lieutenant in the North; in 1499 power reverted back to traditional marcher lords
• warden system unchanged until 1530’s
• 1525: Henry Fitzroy (6y/o) made president of CoN.
• royal intervention was ineffective until the Pilgrimage of Grace forced Henry’s hand.

Question 5

Outline the features of the Law in Wales Act (1535 and 1542).

Answer 5

• 1534: Cromwell appoints Rowland Lee as Lord President of the Council of Wales, and gives him sweeping powers to tackle crime.
• 1535/6: 12 English style counties replaced marcher lordships and PoW, sheriffs, coroners and JP’s appointed, Welsh banned in courts, counties allocated 2 MP’s = improved order, end of traditional military power of marcher lords, legalised movement towards extending royal control
• 1542: fully introduced English law in Wales, ending blood feuds and introducing courts of great sessions, developed Council of Wales as a more formal body w/ power that rested on royal authority; little trouble = success

Question 6

Outline features of the Council of the North.

Answer 6

• Lincolnshire rebellion in 1536 = Cromwell remodels council in 1537 to strengthen its powers and limit unrest
• Council could now hear cases of treason, murder and felony and became responsible for passing on/enforcing royal proclamations and orders
• regulated supplies, trade, military campaigns, and private cases.
• President of Council traditionally bishop/noble from further South = impartial
• enhanced control of monarchy and limited unrest

Question 7

Why did borough representation grow in the Tudor period?

Answer 7

• pressure from towns who wanted to promote the interests of their community
• it was financially sensible for a borough to have a non-local member of the gentry who could afford to cover the cost of his seat in parliament in exchange for political influence = win-win.

Question 8

How did the crown and nobility employ patronage?

Answer 8

• parliament growing in power = ever more important to have reliable MP’s, whose influence was seen as a measure of their own power.

Question 9

What was significant about the increasing literacy rate in the yeoman class?

Answer 9

• Oxford: 1150-2000 1550-1600.
• 1500: illiteracy rates = 80% for men, 98% for women
• 1600: illiteracy rates = 72% for men, 92% for women
• education remained more scarce in the North
• literate yeomen could instigate rebellion and negotiation = advantageous to give them positions of power so they brought into the system

Question 10

How and why did the role of JP’s change?

Answer 10

• at start of Tudor period, JP’s appointed annually and could hear cases of felony and trespass, arrest criminals, fix prices and wages, essentially monitor and control local society and its interests.
• Henry’s vulnerability as a usurper led him to place trusted courtiers in localities, and he enhanced their powers by allowing them to look into corruption, illegal retaining, etc.,.
• Henry VIII needed men to enforce the Supremacy and Reformation, so was careful that JP’s were thoroughly questioned .
• socio-economic crisis and disorder under later Tudors = license alehouses, take inventory, administer Poor Law, collect subsidies…

Question 11

How was the monarchy initially financed?

Answer 11

• ordinary vs. extraordinary revenue
• 15th’s and 10th’s, taxation granted by parliament during times of war, fixed amount based on moveables
• out of date, inflation = fixed amounts not enough, social change = wealthy avoided paying fair share

Question 12

Outline the features of the 1513 Subsidy.

Answer 12

• flexible, based on thorough individual assessments
• based on wealth and property
• harsher on nobility
• local officials appointed to carry out such investigation
• in turn monitored by national commissioners
• successful if not abused, e.g. faced resistance from taxpayers in Elizabeth’s time and Henry’s pursuits of war
• Elizabeth allowed rates to become fixed = stagnation

Question 13

Why was poverty an increasing problem for the Tudor monarchy and how was it originally dealt with?

Answer 13

• increasing population, increasing demand for food and resources = inflation, dissolution of monasteries = no source of alms, vagrancy and unemployment
• 1495: beggars and idle poor to face stocks and return home
• 1531: vagrants could be whipped, impotent poor to be licensed
• 1552: Poor Law = register impotent poor, pressure by priests and bishops to collect contributions for poor relief

Question 14

Outline the features of the 1563 Statute of Artificers.

Answer 14

• all unmarried people <30 required to accept any job offered
• JP’s could compel people to work during harvest
• 12-60 = required to work on land unless otherwise employed
• JP’s annually assessed wages and fixed work hours (though did not always change much)
• 7 year apprenticeships
• durable
• enforced hierarchy and production
• response to general trends of wage caps etc.,.

Question 15

How effective was the 1598 Act for the Relief of the Poor?

Answer 15

• arose from private bills but passed due to fears of social unrest
• each parish gained an Overseer of the Poor, in turn supervised by JP’s who helped to enforce the collection and distribution of poor relief
• soldiers issued pensions, vagrants arrested
• hospitals built

Question 16

How did the use of patronage and progresses develop under the Tudor monarchy?

Answer 16

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