Elizabeth & Government Flashcards
What is Neale’s ‘Puritan Chori’ thesis?
A historian called Neale developed a thesis on the role of Parliament:
- Parliament’s increasing importance, especially in religious matters, increasingly encouraged factionalism and opposition to royal authority in the Commons.
- A group of Puritans (the ‘Puritan Choir’) demanded more Protestant reforms for the Church of England.
- The Puritan Choir is evidence of a more organised Commons that was prepared to contest Elizabeth’s policies.
What evidence is there to support this thesis?
- The Commons angered Elizabeth I by discussing the succession in 1566 and religious reform in 1593.
- There were conflicts between the Commons and Queen over monopolies in 1601. The Queen granted the Common’s demands.
- Between 1563 and 1566, at least 40 MPs (working together) pressed for more strongly Protestant religious reform.
- The Commons asserted their rights:
To have free speech in 1576 and 1593.
To settle an election dispute in a Norfolk constituency in 1586
What is the revisionist thesis?
Revisionism:
- There was more cooperation than conflict. Any opposition was infrequent, not organised, and never a serious challenge to Elizabeth I.
- Any disagreements were usually working out policies, not actual conflicts.
- There were only 13 parliaments, on average 10 weeks each, in a 45-year reign. The rest of the time Elizabeth ruled through the Privy Council and its machinery.
What evidence is there to support the revisionist thesis?
- Most of the time, the Commons gave Elizabeth what she wanted.
- Elizabeth forbade both the Commons and the Privy Council from discussing her marriage and succession.
- Parliament was effectively under the control of the Privy Council and nobility. At least a third of MPs were nominated by a noble patron, not elected.
- The Commons conceded to the Lord Chancellor over the 1586 Norfolk election.
- There was no general, concerted support for freedom of speech.
How were JPs used under Elizabeth?
- JPs implemented a range of government policies. The poor laws greatly increased their responsibilities.
- Under Elizabeth I, the trend towards increasing the number of JPs continued. By 1600, there was an average of 50 per county.
- JPs were unpaid. Even though their workload increased, there were always volunteers because of the prestige of the role locally.
Who were Lord Lieutenants and what did they do?
- Lord Lieutenants became permanent in the latter half of Elizabeth’ reign. England was at war with Spain from 1585 until after Elizabeth’s death.
- They were usually members of the nobility.
- They raised local militias, oversaw the work of JPs, managed food supplies during times of war or famine, collected forced loans and reported local events to the Privy Council.
- Originally supported by sheriffs, deputy Lords Lieutenant were also appointed.
How did Elizabeth utilise regional councils?
- The Council of the North continued operating.
- From 1572, it was led by the Earl of Huntingdon, a committed Protestant. He took over from the Earl of Sussex.
- Huntingdon took over after the Northern Rebellion and Ridolfi plot. He made sure increasingly harsh measures suppressing Catholics were implemented.
- The Council of the Marches also continued operating during Elizabeth’s reign.
