Disputes with Parliament, 1604-25 (S1.5) Flashcards
When were James’ parliaments, and what were they called?
1604-1610 First ‘Blessed’ Parliament
1614 “Addled Parliament”
1621-1622 Third Parliament
1624 Fourth (and final) ‘Happy’ Parliament
What were the main themes of James’ parliaments?
- Ongoing tensions over royal finances and impositions
- Debates about religious policy
- Foreign policy, especially relations with Spain
- Constitutional questions about parliamentary privilege and royal prerogative
- Growing assertion of parliamentary rights
What was James’ first parliament (1604-1611) dominated by?
- Issues on constitutional questions, and the relationship between prerogative and parliamentary privilege
What is parliamentary privilege?
- Legal immunity enjoyed my members of Parliament that allows the, to freely speak during proceedings without fear of legal action
What was the problem in the First Parliament with the union between England and Scotland (1606)?
James wanted to unify England and Scotland and become ‘King of Great Britain’, with a new currency and a Union flag
> MPs displayed racial intolerance, and opposed it on religious, legal, economic and political grounds
What was debated on finance in the First Parliament in 1610/1611?
Financial reform and the Great Contract
> Proposed by Robert Cecil
What were the key financial ideas debated on in the 1614 ‘Addled’ Parliament?
- Need for systematic reform
> Failure of the Great Contract
> James was in debt to the tune of £680,000 by 1614
> Impositions were still an issue, from 1606
What were the key domestic ideas debated on in the 1614 ‘Addled’ Parliament?
- Emergence of competing factions
- Indecisiveness of James
In the 1621 Parliament, what were the issues over foreign policy and parliamentary privilege?
- Spanish Match
> James knew the anti-Spanish sentiment and call for war; James was adamant that it could mean an end to the Thirty Years War
Who was Sir Edward Coke?
- Lawyer and MP; opposed absolutism
> Coke believed in common law and limits to the monarchy; opposed the heavy influence of the monarch
In the 1621 Parliament, what were the issues over finance, factions and favourites?
- Focused on the abuse of monopolies
> Means of attacking Buckingham - Encouraged impeachment of Bacon over monopolies
In the first session of the 1621 Parliament, how much did James ask for, and how much did we recieve, and what did Parliament demand with it?
James asked for £500,000 in order to make military and naval preparations.
> Parliament granted him around £150,000; demanded that war be declared on Spain.
> Revived impeachment
In the second session of the 1621 Parliament, how much did James ask for, and how much did we recieve, and what did Parliament demand with it?
James asked Parliament for £900,000.
> Parliament only granted him £70,000.
> Openly attacked the Spanish match and called for recusansy laws
James dissolved Parliament in January 1622.
> The Protestation of 1621 asserted Parliament’s right to discuss matters of royal prerogative, enraging James, who tore it from the Commons’ journal and dissolved Parliament.
What was the significance of the Madrid Trip?
Charles and Buckingham sought war on Spain in revenge.
> James still did not have money for war
What was the financial aspects of the 1624 ‘Happy’ Parliament?
- Parliament gave £300,000 (out of £600,000) to aid the war of revenge against Spain
- Passed the Monopolies Act (long-standing grievance)
Who was impeached in the 1624 ‘Happy’ Parliament?
Cranfield was impeached and convicted of corruption because:
> He opposed the projected war with Spain.
> He had incurred the hostility of Charles and Buckingham
So factions & favourites became entwined with the matter of foreign policy.
