Henry 8- Domestic Policies Under Wolsey

Question 1

Court of Chancery

Answer 1

Lord chancellor - Wolsey had right to preside, preferred star

Tried to uphold fair justice

Became too popular, backlogged

Question 2

Star Chamber

Answer 2

1516 - extended use to increase cheap and fair justice (reduce misconduct in localities)

Encouraged private lawsuits - set up outflow tribunals

1519 - permanent committee set up to deal with cases involving poor (basis of court of requests)

Question 3

By how much did the caseload of the star chamber increase under Henry vII to under wolsey?

Answer 3

12 p.a - 120 p.a

Question 4

1523, Tudor Subsidy

Answer 4

Instead of using local commissioners

Wolsey headed national committee with realistic and direct assessments of taxpayer wealth

Opposition in parliament - speaker apologised to king for commons’ boisterousness. But expressed right to criticise

Question 5

Amicable Grant, 1525

Answer 5

Continued war with France

Without parliament’s approval, supposedly voluntary

Commissioners met with strong resistance - east anglia

Henry VIII - Wolsey to arrange stage managed display of clemency (east Anglian rebels pardoned) Wolsey to pay prison expenses

Question 6

How much of the demanded £800,000 did Wolsey get from parliament in 1523?

Answer 6

£150,000

Question 7

Eltham Ordinances, 1526

Answer 7

Reform finances of privy council

Reduced gentlemen from 12-6
Replaced William Compton with Henry Norris as groom of the stool

Guise

Political/financial?? Reduce impact of amicable grant, many servants lost jobs as well

Question 8

What did Wolsey do about enclosure and engrossing?

Answer 8

Insisted laws of 1489 and 1514/15 should be obeyed

1517 - enclosure commission (found 188 guilty of illegal enclosure)

Limited, agreed to abandon it for 18 months in return for 1523 subsidy

Resented by propertied classes

Question 9

What was the 1515 act of resumption?

Answer 9

Aimed to regain lost crown lands, to gain funds for foreign policy - not enough

Question 10

Wolsey’s moderate church reform

Answer 10

1515 parliament anticlerical views (when benefit of clergy act was due to be renewed after cut in 1512)

Wolsey promised king clerical privileges not a threat to royal power - crown preeminence reinforced

1519 - meeting with heads of religious houses - issuing of regulations, although little ‘new’ instructions included

1520’s - negotiating with papacy to reorganise bishoprics and close monasteries with less than 12 inhabitants (closed 29 - proceeds to fund cardinal college and school in Ipswich)