Sheriffs and lords lieutenant Flashcards
Since the fifteenth century, what was in decline?
Sheriffs, who were originally responsible for maintaining order in the counties
In 1485 what did sheriffs do and what happened throughout the sixteenth century?
Played a key role in supervising parliamentary elections, mustering troops, empanelling juries, and enforcing sentences passed down by JPs
These duties continued
What did the Tudors never trust the sheriffs with?
Exercising political and military power
What was the position of Henry VII regarding sheriffs?
Viewed with alarm their capacity to undermine royal authority in the shires and sought to weaken their influence
What did Henry VII do in 1495?
Gave JPs the power to monitor their activities and encouraged them to report any malpractices to the royal council
What happened gradually?
The sheriff’s authority became more honorific and the maintenance of stability in the counties fell to JPs
What did the outbreak of rebellions in the 1530s and 1540s demonstrate?
The sheriffs’ ability to muster soldiers and suppress serious disturbances left much to be desired - reform was required
In 1549 what happened?
Lords lieutenant were temporarily appointed to oversee counties where there had been rebellions or where subjects might become troublesome
What did the Duke of Northumberland see in 1551?
The political advantage of their existence to buttress his position as President of the Privy Council
What did Russell and Northampton peform?
Military as well as police duties
How many men did Northumberland appoint?
12
What suggests that the lords lieutenant performed their role?
The absence of any rebellions between 1550 and 1553
What happened at Mary’s accession?
The office of the lords lieutenant lapsed
What happened in 1557?
Mary divided the country into ten lieutenancies with the advent of war
How did Elizabeth use lords lieutenant?
Saw no need to appoint lieutenants on a permanent basis and only appointed them in times of crisis
What did the continuance of war and the threat of invasion in 1588 result in?
Most counties having a resident lieutenant
Two to six deputies per county were appointed
By the end of the period, what was the function of the lords lieutenant?
Used to supervise recusants, distribute grain in times of shortage, collect loans on behalf of the Crown, and muster and train the militia
What did Tudors come to realise?
The inadequacy of the county militia
What did the law require?
Every free man aged from sixteen to 60 years to carry a weapon to defend the country in the event of an invasion
What did the Crown rely on?
The nobility and gentry to supply retainers and weaponry and armour
What were the problems with the county militia at first?
The number of retainers had greatly diminished and many were reluctant to fight for commanders or to act against their neighbours
The Crown’s logistics proved haphazard
What was the case in theory and practice regarding county militia?
Every summer the sheriff mustered men in the county, recorded and checked their weapons, and gave them training
The Crown had little idea how many men could be put on war footing
What happened in 1522?
Wolsey conducted a survey which revealed that the most common weapon was the billhook
What did a survey in the 1540s suggest?
That few men possessed complete sets of armour and harnesses
What Acts did Mary pass in 1558?
Required everyone to contribute according to their means towards the provision of men
Attempts were made to achieve a more regular attendance at the muster
What suggests that the Acts passed by Mary were inadequate?
Improvements couldn’t deal with the 1569 revolt and it fell to the lords lieutenant to overhaul the system
What happened in 1572?
A Militia Act which required men aged from sixteen to 60 years to be trained in the use of arms, paid 8d a day for ten days’ training a year, and provided equipment
What were the drawbacks of the Militia Act?
As it would cost the Crown at least £400 a year per county, only 10% of men were selected for training
What did the lords lieutenants and their deputies do?
Appointed muster masters and provost marshals for raising, equipping, and training the troops
By the late 1580s what did England have and what was their task?
26,000 trained bands ready for active service
To fight any Spanish invasion and suppress riots and disturbances
What was Elizabeth reluctant to do?
Send the militia overseas or use them against Tyrone’s rebellion in Ireland
By 1603 what did the Crown have?
At its disposal a civil defence force that was independent of servants and retainers
What were lords lieutenant and their deputies?
A pivotal link in the chain of command between the Crown and county administration responsible for ensuring peace and stability
What did a permanent Crown appointee in each county enable the government to be?
Better informed of local issues and better placed to resolve difficulties before they became serious
