Functions of parliament Flashcards
Law making
-438 acts were passed by Elizabeth’s parliament e.g. Act of Supremacy + Act of Uniformity in 1559 + penal laws against Catholics
Granting taxation
-The most important function of parliament to Elizabeth was the granting of extraordinary revenue to the crown.
-All but 2/13 of parliamentary sessions were asked to grant revenue
-She was forced to resort to levying ‘extraordinary revenue’ to pay for her normal expenditure as her level of ordinary revenue had fallen
Giving advice
-Elizabeth wasn’t interested in the advice they had to offer BUT was annoyed when MPs would touch on subjects she considered within royal prerogative e.g. marriage + succession
-Served as a useful means of communication between councillors and those who administered localities on their behalf
Managing parliament
-Cecil played a key role in managing parliament, ‘framing + often shaping bills’
-Was assisted by floor managers
How Elizabeth felt about parliament?
-Often irritated as she felt they were challenging what she considered to be royal prerogative
-Readily intervened on bills refusing to give royal assent on over 60 bills during her reign
Parliament near the end of her reign
-By 1593 traditional methods of parliamentary management began to have less success
-They faced differences on how to deal with religion: crown urged by archbishop whitgift to pass a punitive act against sectaries ( members of protestant sects which rejected the church of england and royal supremacy ).
Elizabeth’s relationship with parliament towards the end
-Began to break down entirely over issues of monopolies in 1601
-A compromise was achieved and the session ended with Elizabeth delivering her golden speech in front of a gathering of 140 MPs at whitehall
How did Elizabeth control her parliament?
-Directly intervening to preserve royal prerogative
-Imprisoning members
-Making speeches
-Summoning, proroguing + dissolving sessions of parliament
