Edwardian Government Flashcards
What led Somerset to continue a heavy military expenditure?
His overriding concern with the Scottish war
How much did campaigns against Scotland between 1547 and 1549 cost?
£580,000
What did Somerset do about debasement?
Nothing, the practice was continued
When was Somerset’s enclosure commission established and whom was it under?
established in 1548 under John Hales
What did June 1548 proclamations regarding enclosures state?
all anti enclosure statutes were to be enforced
What was to happened under the Vagrancy Act of 1547?
- abled bodied persons who had been out of work for 3 days were to be branded with a V and sold into slavery for 2 years.
- Children to be taken from their parents and made to work as apprentices
Why was the Vagrancy Act of 1547 seen as necessary ?
The number of poor people was increasing and the poor were becoming more mobile in response to developing towns such as London
What did Parliament do under Somerset?
Continued to meet regularly and was used to pass religious laws, but not to establish or destroy the protectorate
How did Somerset rule and how was he able to do this?
By proclamation, he had control of the privy seal and the dry stamp
What did Somerset do with regards to the Privy Council?
He effectivly bypassed it
Where did the Privy Council meet under Somerset?
Somerset house, his residence rather than royal palaces
What was the result of rising population?
Contributed to inflation and put pressure on resources
What became illegal in 1548 and why?
Level of disorder had grown to such a level that spreading rumours became illegal as did unlawful assembly
What did the governments policy towards enclosures lead people to believe?
Peasants believed that the government was genuinely protecting them and deeply worried the landed classes
What happened to the 1547 Vagrancy Act under Northumberland?
it was repealed, however its provisions for the care of the disabled were retained
Who was appointed Lord Treasurer by Northumberland in 1550?
William Paulet
What did Northumberland do to address the issues caused by debasement of the coinage?
In 1552 the silver content was fixed at the levels it had been in 1527
When did the Antwerp market collapse and what was the result for the crown?
1551/1552, the crown now had to pay back the money it borrowed
Who took 40 trips to Antwerp to repay the debt and negotiate interest rate?
Sir Thomas Gresham
What did Sir Thomas Gresham do?
He took over 40 trips to Antwerp to repay debt and negotiate loans to a comparitivly low 12% interest rate. He also ensured the exchange rate was at a favourable level for the crown
What did Paulet do as Lord Treasurer?
Enforced stricter methods of accountinf and comissions were established to enquire into state finances
What was the royal debt in 1550 and 1553?
1550: £300,000
1553: £180,000
What did Northumberland do to begin to pay of royal debts and how much did each activity raise?
- Selling of crown lands: £210,000
- raising extra ordinary parliamentry taxes: £36,000
- claiming debt owed: £16,000
- Borrowing from Europe
What was returned to France and for what price?
Boulogne for £133,333
What was done to reduce government spending under Northumberland?
Reductions in military and household expenditure and garrisons withdrawn from Scotland
What did Northumberland’s government taken action to control of by 1551?
taken action to control grain stocks to relieve the crisis caused by successive harvest failures
What did Northumberland give himself the title off and what did it allow him to do?
Title of Lord President of the Council which allowed him to fix the agenda of meetings and bar councillers who opposed him
What was repealed in 1550 by Northumberland?
The Sheep Tax
What did the new treason laws of 1550 do?
re-instated censorship
How did Northumberland maintain order?
Using Lord Lieutenants and retainers of trusted nobles
