HVII LAW AND ORDER

Question 1

HOW did Henry VII control the nobility?

Answer 1

1) He employed a spy network to report on magnate performance
2) He imposed bonds and recognisances
3) He attacked retaining
4) His use of attainders
5) Limits on patronage

Question 2

WHAT did the Star Chamber do?

Answer 2

Prosecuted rioting, rebellion, retaining and the corruption of justice. It also heard petitions against the rulings of other courts.

Question 3

WHEN was the Star Chamber established?

Answer 3

1487

Question 4

WHAT did the Court of Equity do?

Answer 4

Allowed the monarch to dispense justice if the law was unable to deal with a crime adequately (e.g. if someone was so powerful locally that juries were scared to convict)

Question 5

WHAT did the Court of Chancery do?

Answer 5

Heard cases on feudal rights and complaints about mistakes the Crown made.

Question 6

WHAT were three specific courts used under Henry VII?

Answer 6

1) The Star Chamber
2) The Court of Equity
3) The Court of Chancery

Question 7

HOW MANY JPs were there per county during Henry VII’s reign?

Answer 7

About 18

Question 8

WHAT were the new powers of JPs during Henry VII’s reign?

Answer 8

1487: they could grant bail to those awaiting trial
1495: they could vet (background check) juries and replace jury members who were thought to have been bribed.

Question 9

WHAT general powers did JPs have?

Answer 9

Routine administration (e.g. tax assessments and the investigation of complaints against local officials)

Question 10

HOW often did Henry VII appoint JPs?

Answer 10

Annually

Question 11

WHAT type of people were commonly JPs under Henry VII?

Answer 11

They were mostly local gentry, hoping to gain the king’s favour by doing the unpaid work.

Question 12

WHAT were bonds and recognisances?

Answer 12

Introduced by Henry VII, they bound an individual to behave a certain way (be loyal to Henry), or forfeit a sum of money

Question 13

HOW did Edmund Dudley describe Henry VII in regards to bonds and recognisances?

Answer 13

As wishing ‘to have many persons in danger at his pleasure’

Question 14

HOW MANY Acts of Attainder were passed during Henry VII’s reign?

Answer 14

138

Question 15

WHY would Henry VII reverse an Act of Attainder?

Answer 15

1) If the attainder was too severe
2) If he believed it would secure gratitude and future loyalty by returning their lands and titles

Question 16

By HOW MUCH did the number of nobility fall during Henry VII’s reign?

Answer 16

By about 1/4 through deaths and attainders

Question 17

WHAT was retaining/’bastard feudalism’?

Answer 17

Where noblemen kept a large number of men as his personal staff. Intended for household staff, but mainly used as gangs of enforcers or like personal armies.

Question 18

HOW MANY of the nobility were under bonds in Henry VII’s last decade as king?

Answer 18

2/3

Question 19

NAME an example of a nobleman who was put under an extreme bond after being convicted for lawless retaining.

Answer 19

Lord Burgavenny - illegally retained almost 500 men and was fined £70,000

Question 20

HOW did Henry VII try to limit retainers?

Answer 20

A 1504 Act required nobles to obtain a special license from the king before they could retain large numbers of men and would have to pay a fine if they did not.