Thomas Wolsey

Question 1

How was the Court of the Star Chamber used under Wolsey

Answer 1

Increased in importance under Wolsey, who from 1516 onwards wanted it to dispense cheap and impartial justice- corruption was to be rooted out. Wolsey also used it to challenge the power of the nobility.

Question 2

What types of cases were dealt with by the Court of Chancery under Wolsey

Answer 2

Wolsey made decisions here that created legal precedents. Here cases were dealt with in property, wills and contracts

Question 3

How did Wolsey change/reform the Court of the Chancery

Answer 3

Wolsey established a permenant judicial committee to deal with cases brought by the poor. This made the court be in huge demand die to Wolsey’s actions and because he got distracted by foreign policy.

Question 4

Who used the Court of the Chancery

Answer 4

Poorer people

Question 5

Describe the 1515 Act of Resumption.

Answer 5

Wolsey aimed to increase revenue from Crowns lands, but many had been granted away at the begging of Henry VIII’s reign. Income had decreased to £25,000 per annum. This Act returned some of the lands to the crown.

Question 6

What was the subsidy introduced by Wolsey and what did it aim to replace.

Answer 6

Wolsey wnated the subsidy to replace the fifteenths and tenths tax. The subsidy was a more realistic and modern tax because it was based on more accurate valuations of taxpayers’ wealth.

Question 7

What was the ‘Amicable Grant’

Answer 7

The ‘Amicable Grant’ was the an additional tax demanded by Wolsey in 1525 to fund Henry’s expidition in France.

Question 8

What was the result of the ‘Amicable Grant’

Answer 8

The failed attempt to raise a tax for Henry’s French wars led to a rebellion in East Anglia and widespread non-payment due to the fact that it followed forced loans in 1522 and 1523, which had not been repaid, and the subsidy of 1523, which was still being collected.

Question 9

How much money was raised by Wolsey in subsidies

Answer 9

£322,099

Question 10

How much moeny was raised by Wolsey in clerical taxation

Answer 10

£240,000

Question 11

How much moeny was raised by Wolsey in forced loans

Answer 11

£260,000

Question 12

What was government expenditure between 1509 and 1520 and what did this mean

Answer 12

£1.7 million

Wolsey’s gain in income couldn’t finance war.

Question 13

What was the Eltham Ordinances of 1526

Answer 13

Wolsey tried to reform the royal household to ensure his political supremacy.
The ordinances were an attempt to do this, but they came to nothing as Wolsey found other ways of maintaining his power

Question 14

When did Wolsey fall from power

Answer 14

1529 after his failure to secure Henry’s divorce from COA

Question 15

What position did Wolsey hold in the English church

Answer 15

Papal Legate- He had precedence over the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Question 16

In which ways did Wolsey attempt to refrom the Church in England

Answer 16

Wolsey showed some reforming intentions that came to little change.
He dissolved 30 religious houses and used the proceeds to build colleges at Oxford and Ipswich.
The church became more centralised under his control- churchmen became used to orders from the crown.

Question 17

What did Wolsey inquire about in 1517

Answer 17

Wolsey’s inquiry in 1517 identified enclosed land and demolition of buildings.

Question 18

Why was Wolsey concerned about enclosure

Answer 18

Wolsey was concerned less about the effects of enclosure on the poor than about acting vs its landowners.

Question 19

Which legal proceedings were used to counter enquiries

Answer 19

Legal proceedings begun vs 264 landowners, 222 came to court with 188 clear verdicts (once involved Sir Thomas More).

Question 20

Did Wolsey’s actions vs enclosure have a major impact

Answer 20

Enclosures continued and vagrancy was reduced, and it lead to Wolsey stirring up hate from landowners. After Wolsey’s death enclosures increased so he had no major impact.