parliament

• James view on parliament


  James knew that he had to work with parliament in order to run the country successfully (he had the power, they had the money)
• parliamentary privlege 


  MPs can speak freely in debates

  MPs cannot be arrested for minor crimes, only major
• 1604 – Buckinghamshire election 


  Francis Goodwin annulled by the court of chancery for debt.

  A privy councillor (John Fortescue) replaced him – royal interference.

  The commons voted to reinstate Goodwin but James argued that it was his prerogative

  • came to an agreement that both men should be removed and a new election held (James compromise with parliament)
• 1604 – Shirley's case


  MP Thomas Shirley arrested for debt which upset MPs who wanted parliamentary privilege established
• Reaction to MP Thomas Shirley's arrest

  Parliament sent the governor of the Fleet debtors prison to the Tower of London until Shirley was released from that same prison.
• 1606 – Union of England and Scotland


  James wanted internal security and peace with England and Scotland
• Why did people not like the union of England and Scotland?

  they thought it may abolish English laws – the king would have the ability to rewrite the laws and would be able to give himself absolute authority

  racial intolerance/xenophobia

  economically it would not help the crown's weak finances
• 1614 – the addled parliament 


  James wanted parliament to vote him money through the imposition of taxes but they refused, saying he needed to stop the practice of 'impositions' or money raised without parliamentary consent.
• What did James think about The Addled Parliament refusing his demands?

  He did not think that they should have the right to do so and saw it as an attempt to 'bar [him] from his right...'

  He did not like Parliament questioning him as it shows a lack of power & goes against the divine right
• factional conflict of the addled parliament

  the Howard faction supported Catholic Spain which made the Protestant faction call for Parliament (largely protestant) to attack the howards
• 1621 – Buckingham, Coke and Cranfield VS Bacon


  Coke and Cranfield want Francis Bacon removed as they believe he is corrupt. Buckingham employs C&C to impeach him. They found he was making lots of money selling monopolises on to the highest bidder – one was on Inns and Pubs sold to Mr. Mompesson.

  This info was taken to the king, who then dismissed Bacon
• Who was Francis Bacon?


  He was the leader of the House of Commons

  He had been given monopolies from James when James was desperate for money
• Why did the Buckingham, Coke and Cranfield VS Bacon case look like a set up?


  Mr Mompesson, who had been sold a monopoly on Inns and Pubs by Bacon, was found to be the cousin of Buckingham
• 1621 – arguments over the 'Spanish match'


  the 'Spanish match' suggested a marriage between Prince Charles and a Spanish princess.

  MPs were strongly anti-Spanish and produced a petition (3rd dec 1621) to criticise the match

  James argued that foreign policy was part of his prerogative and not up for discussion which provoked a commons protestation that parliament should be able to discuss foreign policy – James ripped the document from the book of record and dissolved parliament
• Why were the majority of parliament anti-Spanish?

  The thirty years war

  Spain were Catholic and Parliament wanted to join the war against them but James preferred a negotiated peace
• What did James say about war with Spain in the 1624 Parliament?


  James began to push more anti-Spanish and said that war would be okay BUT that he would not pay for it.

  Parliament realised that they did not have the necessary funds for an aggressive foreign policy