Parliament Flashcards
How many Parliaments did Elizabeth have in her final years 1588-1603?
4
How did Parliament and Elizabeth stand?
She was the major power in the constitution and Parliament served her.
What was Elizabeth’s position?
Held the sole right to summon and dismiss P.
The right to veto laws parliament created.
What was Parliament’s position?
Sole right to grant taxation of the people for gov and E.
HOC MPs- believed sole right to introduce taxation bills- represent their voters and communities (select few voted- not masses).
To offer advice and be a link between M and their gov and the localities the HOC MP’s served.
To pass other acts (laws) to deal with trade, agriculture, poverty and vagrancy.
Were laws often initiated by MPs? Why?
Yes, to promote or develop a local trade or community issue. Gov Bills were only concerned with national, often financial issues.
What did MPs do where their was tension or resentment?
Made E aware when gov policies were causing tension and resentment in local areas- important role.
Give an example where MPs were vital in making E aware of the local issues.
1590’s (E both a conflict S and I from 1595).
the money from local areas has to raise by order of gov to pay for trained bans of military men and local defence addition to general taxation- passive resistance and open criticism.
MPs were main voice alongside LL to make E and council aware of the people’s views.
What are Prerogative rights and powers?
The historical powers of the sovereign crown to control the political system and all decisions made regarding domestic and foreign policy to the state.
What did E think about her PP and Parliament interference? What did P think?
E- Like her predecessors P had no place to intrude in her decision making.
P- the PP was used too much at times to push the Crown’s demands and ignore P role.
What happened in the 1560s regarding PP and P arguably playing a more active role Tudor Politics- background knowledge?
P had been concerned about the issue of the religious settlement. E required P to pass the act of settlement and her authority as supreme head of the church. She had to get support from p for the laws to pass. The Queen could not act independently of P.
What happened to the 1560s-80s- background to playing a more active role in politics and PP?
P felt it had a right to voice views about the Q marriage and succession and put pressure on an alliance- the Q resented this and felt it was part of her PP to decide alone if, when and who to marry.
What is Purveyance?
A traditional prerogative right. A custom to feed the royal household by purchasing food and goods at up to half the true market price.
What was the conflict with purveyance? Give evidence.
Traders had no ability to refuse this traditional right and it severely damaged their income.
It had saved E approx £37,000 a year by 1590s- crucial in time of war. Good and extremely helpful for her but horrendous for the traders- loosing profit in a time of heavy taxation. Complaints and agitation by P did pressure E to compromise and increase some payments.
Why did E use monopolies?
A way to show patronage and reward her courtiers by rewarding a monopoly over a product or trade or import/export arrangement.
Courtiers would pay for the honor and status of having the monopoly granted- quick revenue and important to crown as funds were low, as conflict with S went on.
What was P issue with monopolies?
Argued when she granted them to her fav courtiers to create profit. Them who received could raise prices without fear of competition and goods became more expensive to buy- poorer sections could not afford. Other traders could not compete and the economic market-place became uneven and with unfair trading conditions.
When were monopolies granted more frequently ad what on? What as he effect?
1590s on both luxury and basic items so a bigger proportion of goods were sold at inflated prices, distorting the economic market and economically hurting broad sections of society.
What did Walter Raleigh and Essex have monopolies over?
WR- Taverns, tin extraction, sales.
E- Sweet Wines imported.
Give examples of damaged economy because of monopolies.
Monopolies on essential goods damaged it as prices could not be met- steel production and salt.
Salt- 11x more expensive by 1597.
1590s- a period of economic/social hardship- monopolies made the situation worse and hurt ordinary subjects.
What happened in the 1593 Parliament Taxation?
Cecil met with representatives of the HOL to instruct them to inform MPs in the C to significantly increase the amount of taxation to be raised by 2 tax subsidies.
Why was the HOC angry in 1593?
Felt Cecil should not use the L to interfere and should come to them directly.
Felt should have sole control over taxation bills and what was levied to be paid as they represented the citizens who would pay the bulk of the taxes.
What did 1593 suggest?
A potential breakdown in the functioning of P but PC members who also sat in the L persuaded the members of the C who protested to back down.
Why was 1593 significant?
The potential for the C to assert its political rights and privileges within a monarchy. Demonstrated the increasing confidence of the HOC had to assert its influence over the Tudor State.
What happened in the 1589 Parliament?
P withheld money for taxation until the M listened to P grievances. E needed taxes to defend the country- S for 4 years at this point.
The grievance was over the use of Purveyance as a Royal P.
What did the HOC do to try to limit the use/abuse of Purveyance?
Planned a Parliamentary Bill.
