c1500-c1700 Early modern england Flashcards
Increase in population and decrease in feudalism
led to higher unemployment and more people in towns. Led to crimes against the person with increase of petty criminals.
End of feudalism
Enclosures of land, caused crimes against property such as poaching as more land became privately owned.
Religious changes/turmoil
More crimes against authority since more people committed treason and heresy.
Vagabond
unemployed homeless person, increase in number due to increasing population, falling wages, rising food prices, and no system to aid them.
Vagabondage/vagrancy
Hated in communities since resorted to thievery and/or begging therefore became a crime in 1494 and put in stocks for 3 days and nights then sent back. 1547 briefly saw vagabonds branded and enslaved but repealed. 1597 split vagrants into deserving and undeserving. 1601 deserving poor given aid, undeserving branded, whipped or sent to house of correction.
Smuggling
import tax introduced 17th century making smuggling profitable. Social crime.
Witchcraft
minor crime previously, became a capital offence in 1542, 1563 could be tried in a common court, 1604 anyone ‘summoning spirits’ to be executed.
Continuity in catching criminals and preventing crime.
People expected to raise and join hue and cry, no national police force with methods for catching criminals different in each area.
Changes: Watchmen
carried lamp, rang a bell, male householders expected to volunteer (unpaid), patrolled between 10pm and dawn, overseen by town constable.
Changes: Town constables
Employed by town authorities, Respected members of community, power to arrest suspects and take to justices of the peace, in charge of watchmen, helped with town administration.
Changes: Benefit of clergy
Henry VII allowed non-clergy benefit of clergy only once and branded to show this. Edward VI made serious crimes such as murder exempt from benefit of clergy. 1576 church courts couldn’t try criminal acts, people could still claim benefit of clergy for a more lenient sentence in secular courts.
Changes: Sanctuary
Henry VIII stopped exile abroad instead they had to keep to designated sanctuaries in England. 1623 James I abolished sanctuary alltogether.
continuity in punishment
- Fines-used for minor crimes
- Pillory/stocks, flogging, or maiming- Corporal punishment for crimes such as begging, drunkenness, and vagrancy
- Hanging-Capital punishment for theft, murder, poaching, witchcraft and smuggling.
- Beheading-same as hanging but for nobles
- Burning-Used for Heresy
Change: Bloody code
17th century number of capital offences increases. 1688 50 capital offences ranging from stealing a loaf of bread to murder. period 1688-1825 became known as the ‘bloody code’. Deterrent.
Change: Transportation
James I began transporting criminals to north america. Criminals sentenced for 7-14 years then could return if can afford (most can’t). 50,000-80,000 men, women and children transported. Rehabilitation +Deterrent. alternative to bloody code. provided workers.
