Henry VIII: Government - Wolsey 1514-1529

• Cardinal Wolsey

  1514: Made Archbishop of York

  1515: Made a Cardinal and Lord Chancellor

  1518: Made Papal Legate
• First Parliament: 1510 - Council Learned in Law abolished
• Wolsey only called 2 Parliaments:

  1515: to deal with the Hunne Case

  1523: £800,000 Subsidy demanded for War with France. Only £150,000 ever

  Wolsey removed minions in Privy Chamber in 1519
• Court of Chancery: used to make decisions that created a precedent.
• Wolsey encouraged poor to speak out against nobles if they'd been wronged - Star Chamber annual cases rose to 120
• Wolsey helped the poor regarding the enclosure of sheep.
• 1518 - Court of Requests - low cost, quick decisions
• 1515 - Act of Resumption

  £25,000 per annum, some lands restored having been given away
• 1517 - Justices of the Peace ordered to buy grain and resell it cheaper
• 1523 Subsidy - Wolsey headed the committee to assess taxpayers' wealth
• 1525: Amicable Grant - Clergy expected to pay 1/3 of their goods, everyone else 1/6. Sparked 4,000 strong rebellion in Suffolk, promptly abandoned
• Eltham Ordinances 1526: Financial reforms, reduced Privy Council, Groom of the Stool replaced. Connotations of Wolsey ensuring political supremacy
• Star Chamber - Had more importance and greater use through Wolseys improvement - could also be said to be getting revenge on nobles and ensuring political supremacy
• Wolsey couldn't get a divorce for Henry VIII. Charged with Praemunire but died before he could be executed.