Sheriffs and lords lieutenant

Question 1

Since the fifteenth century, what was in decline?

Answer 1

Sheriffs, who were originally responsible for maintaining order in the counties

Question 2

In 1485 what did sheriffs do and what happened throughout the sixteenth century?

Answer 2

Played a key role in supervising parliamentary elections, mustering troops, empanelling juries, and enforcing sentences passed down by JPs

These duties continued

Question 3

What did the Tudors never trust the sheriffs with?

Answer 3

Exercising political and military power

Question 4

What was the position of Henry VII regarding sheriffs?

Answer 4

Viewed with alarm their capacity to undermine royal authority in the shires and sought to weaken their influence

Question 5

What did Henry VII do in 1495?

Answer 5

Gave JPs the power to monitor their activities and encouraged them to report any malpractices to the royal council

Question 6

What happened gradually?

Answer 6

The sheriff’s authority became more honorific and the maintenance of stability in the counties fell to JPs

Question 7

What did the outbreak of rebellions in the 1530s and 1540s demonstrate?

Answer 7

The sheriffs’ ability to muster soldiers and suppress serious disturbances left much to be desired - reform was required

Question 8

In 1549 what happened?

Answer 8

Lords lieutenant were temporarily appointed to oversee counties where there had been rebellions or where subjects might become troublesome

Question 9

What did the Duke of Northumberland see in 1551?

Answer 9

The political advantage of their existence to buttress his position as President of the Privy Council

Question 10

What did Russell and Northampton peform?

Answer 10

Military as well as police duties

Question 11

How many men did Northumberland appoint?

Answer 11

12

Question 12

What suggests that the lords lieutenant performed their role?

Answer 12

The absence of any rebellions between 1550 and 1553

Question 13

What happened at Mary’s accession?

Answer 13

The office of the lords lieutenant lapsed

Question 14

What happened in 1557?

Answer 14

Mary divided the country into ten lieutenancies with the advent of war

Question 15

How did Elizabeth use lords lieutenant?

Answer 15

Saw no need to appoint lieutenants on a permanent basis and only appointed them in times of crisis

Question 16

What did the continuance of war and the threat of invasion in 1588 result in?

Answer 16

Most counties having a resident lieutenant

Two to six deputies per county were appointed

Question 17

By the end of the period, what was the function of the lords lieutenant?

Answer 17

Used to supervise recusants, distribute grain in times of shortage, collect loans on behalf of the Crown, and muster and train the militia

Question 18

What did Tudors come to realise?

Answer 18

The inadequacy of the county militia

Question 19

What did the law require?

Answer 19

Every free man aged from sixteen to 60 years to carry a weapon to defend the country in the event of an invasion

Question 20

What did the Crown rely on?

Answer 20

The nobility and gentry to supply retainers and weaponry and armour

Question 21

What were the problems with the county militia at first?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What was the case in theory and practice regarding county militia?

Answer 22

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

Question 23

What happened in 1522?

Answer 23

Wolsey conducted a survey which revealed that the most common weapon was the billhook

Question 24

What did a survey in the 1540s suggest?

Answer 24

That few men possessed complete sets of armour and harnesses

Question 25

What Acts did Mary pass in 1558?

Answer 25

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

Question 26

What suggests that the Acts passed by Mary were inadequate?

Answer 26

Improvements couldn’t deal with the 1569 revolt and it fell to the lords lieutenant to overhaul the system

Question 27

What happened in 1572?

Answer 27

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

Question 28

What were the drawbacks of the Militia Act?

Answer 28

As it would cost the Crown at least £400 a year per county, only 10% of men were selected for training

Question 29

What did the lords lieutenants and their deputies do?

Answer 29

Appointed muster masters and provost marshals for raising, equipping, and training the troops

Question 30

By the late 1580s what did England have and what was their task?

Answer 30

26,000 trained bands ready for active service

To fight any Spanish invasion and suppress riots and disturbances

Question 31

What was Elizabeth reluctant to do?

Answer 31

Send the militia overseas or use them against Tyrone’s rebellion in Ireland

Question 32

By 1603 what did the Crown have?

Answer 32

At its disposal a civil defence force that was independent of servants and retainers

Question 33

What were lords lieutenant and their deputies?

Answer 33

A pivotal link in the chain of command between the Crown and county administration responsible for ensuring peace and stability

Question 34

What did a permanent Crown appointee in each county enable the government to be?

Answer 34

Better informed of local issues and better placed to resolve difficulties before they became serious