why was the parliament of devils so significant?

Question 1

what could the parliament of devils be described as a ‘dangerous mixture’ of?

Answer 1

the Ludford rout and Parliament of Devils were typical examples of the dangerous mixture of weakness and forcefulness of the Lancastrian regime

Question 2

what happened before the Rout of Ludford Bridge?

Answer 2

9th October 1459: a parliamentary assembly was summoned to Coventry
- although letters of loyalty were still being received from York, Margaret had determined upon the complete destruction of her enemies; she must have anticipated that when parliament met, they would have been at her mercy

Question 3

what was the bill of Attainder at the Parliament of Devils qualified by?

Answer 3

a promise of pardon for humble submission

Question 4

what were the 2 enactments from the Parliament of Devils?

Answer 4

• attainder against York, Warwick, Salisbury, Rutland, and March
• separate enactment deprived them of their offices

Question 5

what happened to the lands of the Yorkists after the Parliament of Devils?

Answer 5

• lands put in hands of receivers
• those who had opposed them were given immediate rewards from their lands
• estates left over were mortgaged to defray the expenses of supressing their rebellion

Question 6

how did Lancastrians try to minimise resistance from Yorkists after the Parliament of Devils?

Answer 6

commissions of array were issued to try to ensure they would be opposed if they tried to resist

Question 7

how could the Parliament of Devils backfire for the Lancastrians?

Answer 7

• some men saw it as the culmination of a series of injustices beginning with the destruction of Duke Humphrey at the Bury parliament 1447
• it was the fear come true that York had expressed 1450 and 1452 that his enemies at court were working to corrupt his blood

Question 8

what was the propaganda defence issued after the Parliament of Devils?

Answer 8

Somnium Vigilantis

Question 9

why did the Lancastrians feel they needed to publish Somnium Vigilantis?

Answer 9

• propaganda defence of the measures confirms that those responsible for them were not confident that public opinion would accept York and the earls as guilty of treason
• this new process of attainder, eliminating the heirs and families too, was in gross violation of the currently accepted practice of English common law

Question 10

what did Somnium Vigilantis claim/say?

Answer 10

• justification of the Coventry parliament painting HVI as a good and gracious king ruling a loyal and contended people whilst Yorkists had proved themselves incorrigible in their attacks upon him at Dartford, St Albans, and Ludford and their removal had been twice postponed
• by civil law they deserved decapitation and the disinheriting of their heirs