The impact of economic.social and religious developments in the early years of E's rule Flashcards
What type of Christianity was the Elizabethan settlement of 1559 clearly?
Protestant
By December 1559 how many Marian bishops refused to consecrate the new Archbishop of Canterbury (Matthew Parker - moderate views, trusted by E)?
All but one refused therefore refused to continue to hold office
What happened to the Marian bishops as a result?
You should probably talk to Dr. House
Who was an example?
Their positions were filled by Protestants exiled under Mary, such as Edmund Grindal, who became Bishop of London in 1560.
In what ways was Elizabeth more conservative than her strongly
Protestant supporters?
She disapproved of clergy marriage, distrusted preaching and favoured the musical culture of the cathedrals.
Why were leading protestants not satisfied with religious settlement?
It didn’t go far enough in reforming the remaining features of Catholic practice, structures, disciplinary procedures, services and clerical dress.
The Church in England was becoming Calvinist in doctrine but only
‘half reformed’ in its structures.
Why was there a bad economic situation at the time of E’s accession?
A combination of bad harvests, high mortality rates, high taxation and for many a significant cut in real wages meant there was considerable fear about social stability.
What had other monarchs done to stop the decline in real wages?
Mary tried to eradicate grain hording.
Henry VIll’s council of the north charged people for giving too high wages, 1514.
Why was Elizabeth’s attempt to stop declining real wages a failure?:
Whose real wages rose?
Who was responsible for dealing with the problem?
1st parliament in early 1559 attempted to solve the problems = no
outcome.
Real wages of labourers and craftsmen dropped while real wages of Gentry rose.
It was left to local government.
What did the Council of the North try to do about wages?
Tried to get the corporations of York and Hull to enforce a schedule of wage rates.
What was the Statue of Artificers (1563) and what rules did it establish?
It was a national attempt,
Rules established:
Compulsory labour at harvest time.
Maximum wage rates set by ]Ps in every county,
Ban on anyone unless they had served a 7-year apprenticeship.
What did the government lack when trying to solve initial problems?
Powers of enforcement - there was no army of bureaucrats to investigate wage rates in every district.
It was even difficult for JPs to manage within their own counties
What problems remained widespread in late-Tudor England?
Poverty and vagabondage (people who wander from pace to place without a home or job)
What were some of the causes of poverty?
Increase in population.
Real wages for the labouring poor were lower than earlier in the century.
Wage rates falling behind rises in prices.
Harvest failures created food shortages (particularly mid-50’s and mid 90’s).
Old and infirm suffered particularly badly.
How had other monarchs attempted to solve the problems of poverty?
Mary considered poor laws with local government responsible.
Somerset = enclosure commission.
Northumberland considered poor laws with punishments for undeserving poor.
Why did Elizabeth fail in dealing with poverty?
She solved other problems such as employment with statue of artifices and the poor law of 1563 was ineffective.
Relied to heavily on local government.