early modern england 1500-1700

• religious instability due to Henry VIII broke from rome to create his own church
• 1517 - german priest martin luther protested against corruption in the church. his supporters became known as protestants
• treason became intertwined with heresy because all monarchs were made head of the church of england
• a 16th century pamphlet listing the types of beggers contributed to stereotypical views towards vagrants
• vagrancy act 1517 


  an able bodied vagrant was to be branded with the letter v and sold as a slave for three years
• act for the relief of the poor 1597


  whipping, maiming and burning to deter vagrancy
• poor law 1601


  made dealing with the poor more consistent

  • parishes were to give support to the 'deserving poor'
  • distincts able bodied and disabled
• heresy became more important as church became closely linked with henry viii in 1534
• james 1 demonology book encouraged panic about witchcraft
• the goverment introduced import duties on goods in the 17th century
• puritan rule - 'moral' laws

  after parliament's victory in the English civil war and Charles 1 execution. oliver cromwell took over and took the title lord protector in 1653.

  he introduced new rules called the protectorate

  • banned sports after church on Sunday because sunday is the sabbath day and it should be holy
  • banned drinking as many drink ale
  • banned gatherings for christmas
• night watchmen


  unpaid volunteers who have normal jobs

  • carries lamp while patrolling
  • rings a bell at night to warn other
  • takes turns to patrol
• town constables

  employed by town authorities

  • appointed by locals in the authorities
  • power to arrest suspects
  • helps with local administrative issues
• night watchmen and town constables werent effective as people hired thief takers instead
• jonathan wild


  infamous thief taker

  • secretly led a gang of criminals
  • assumed title of thief taker general
  • executed when exposed
• in 1556 bridewell prison was opened,

  it would punish vagrants and they were made to do hard labour.
• in 1668, 50 capital crimes and later in 1770s there were almost 220 crimes punishable by death - bloody code
• james i introcuded transportation to north america
• transportation was favoured because

  effective deterrent

  • prison system not established yet
  • establishes permanent colonies, population
  • rehabilitation
  • change of environment offered a new beginning
• homeless were blamed for spreading plague and james 1 allowed vagrant children to be transported - duty boys
• transportation introduced because..

  economics - government expanded abroad

  • changing attitudes - rehabilitation
  • continuity - deterrent
  • opportunity for new colonies
  • lack of alternative prison system
• the many plots against elizabeth i made james very wary of catholic plots and thus he introduced strict laws against catholics
• gunpowder plot 1605

  robert gatesby notorious for catholic resistance

  -the gang saw themselves as having a duty to attack the english state

  -they wanted to replace james with his daughter and influence her to promote their political views

  -since the pope excommunicated Elizabeth, he called Catholics to dispose of her

  • guy pretended to be a servant
  • rented a cellar underneath the house of lords
  • packed it with 36 barrels
  • after monteagle received a letter, Robert Cecil ordered westminster be searched
• consequences of gunpowder plot

  kings book published

  • 1605 thanksgiving act - 5 November be commemorated each year, catholic banned from legal proffession
  • 1606 popish recusants act - catholics take an oath of allegiance to the english crown

  catholics banned from voting till 1829
• in 1542 henry viii made witchcraft punishable by death
• factors that encouraged witchcraft accusation

  economic problems - death of livestock, poor crop yields

  fear of vagabonds - easily blamed
• 1542 witchcraft act


  punishable by death
• 1563 act against conjuration


  witchcraft tried in common courts
• matthew hopkins

  1640s

  • self proclaimed witchfinder general
  • he forced confessions
  • accused 117 in sudbury
• 90% of accusation of witchcraft were made against women