James 1 legacy

• England had a population of 4 million in 1600
• London had a population of 185000 in 1600. This grew to 355000 in 1640. Norwich was the next largest city with a population of about 20000
• London accounted for 80% of foreign trade and 75% of customs.
• James wrote the True Law of Free Monarchies in 1598 - reaffirming his belief in Divine Right of Kings
• James became known as Rex Pacificus.

  Ended 20 year war with Spain

  Kept Elizabeths Middle Way and printed the King James Bible in English

  'United' Great Britain- Proclamations of New Flag and Coat of Arms
• James Court 


  Dominated by patronage - George Villiers

  Careful to distribute patronage (open court necessary) but Scots favoured heavily

  Very informal, vulgar and immoral - young men lovers, drunkardness and gluttony, hunting addiction

  Sexual, financial and [Overbury] murder scandals (Hedonistic, uncouth)

  Very generous - e.g. 1611 - over £67000 given to 11 Scottish friends

  Parliament hated this extravagance
• George Villiers 


  Charming, good looking

  Rapid rise in status

  From Viscount Villiers (1616) to Duke of Buckingham (1623)
• James found it difficult to get along with Parliament- hugely different system to the one he mastered in Scotland. It began to strain towards an authority of its own
• Parliamentary Privileges 


  Right to hold free elections

  Taxation by consent (Magna Carta 1215)

  Matters of Commonwealth: taxation, Poor Law, Crime.o voice grievances and express views on Religion, Foreign Policy, Marriages and succession
• Royal Prerogatives


  Ultimate decision over religion, foreign policy, marriages, succession (Matters of State)

  Supreme Governor of the Church

  Right to raise emergency money

  Appointed all judges and ministers

  Chooses Privy council members

  No obligation to listen to P about grievances
• Crown's ordinary revenue

  Ordinary Revenue was expected to cover the cost of the Royal household and court (500+ people)

  Rents

  Custom duties (often collected by tax farmers after 1604)

  Fuedal dues (e.g. Wardships)

  Profits of Justice (e.g. fines and confiscations)
• Crowns Extraordinary Revenues

  For emergencies e.g war

  Parliamentary taxations (grants, subsidies)

  Borrowing/ loans from the wealth
• Financial Problems

  Continued failure to update the tax system in line with inflation - last update was 1520

  Book of Rates (customs)last updated in 1550s

  James inherited a debt of £300,000 but this would be covered by French and Dutch debts
• James Financial solutions?

  1608 Book of Rates issued

  Impositions - new or increased duties on goods

  Sale of Monopolies renewed

  Cranfield reduced royal expenditure by 50% by 1620 but deep rooted reliance on patronage and corruption ultimately led to failure

  1624- Parliament grant money for a naval strategy to attack Spain