Relations with Localities

• Government of Wales under HVII and HVIII

  Crown controlled Wales but had own legal system, powerful nobility used wales to build up army against King e.g Duke of Buckingham
• Attempts to control Wales

  Trusted nobility headed Council of Wales e.g Jasper Tudor, Arthur and Mary sent to Wales
• Law in Wales Act (1)

  1535, marcher regions abolished, 12 counties made, each county given 2 MPs, ended traditional power of marcher lords
• Law in Wales Act (2)

  1542, ended blood feuds, created Council of Wales which oversaw law and order, Elizabeth introduced LLs
• Governance of North 1485-1537


  Split into 3 marches, Thomas Howard Lieutenant until 1499, key nobles couldn't be trusted to keep peace, Council of North 1525
• Re-establishment of Council of North

  1537, responsible for law and order, headquarters in York, president was an outsider e.g Robert Llandaff, decreased power of nobility
• How many boroughs did Elizabeth create?

  62, 191 in total by end of reign
• Why did Borough Representation Grow?: Role of Gentry

  Most MPs not locals but gentry who could pay own expenses, 14% townsmen by 1603, £70 to fund 1 MP, not doable for towns e.g Dunwich
• Why did Borough Representation Grow?: Use of Patronage

  Elections controlled by nobility and monarchy, could appoint clients e.g Duke of Norfolk in Castle Riding, new boroughs created e.g Newtown in Isle of Wight due to George Carey
• Why did Borough Representation Grow?: Role of Monarchy

  Boroughs created in regions controlled by monarch to extend power e.g Cornwall, crown placed candidates in these areas e.g Sir Christopher Hatton 1571
• How much did University education increase?

  Students increased from 1,150 to 2,000 1550-1603, 1/2 were yeomen
• Illiteracy levels?


  1550: 80% men illiterate, 72% by 1600
• Impact of increased literacy of the Yeomen


  changed role in society, played important role in rebellions, active in local gov so less likely to criticise it
• How effectively were monarchy financed?

  Ordinary and Extroadinary revenue, HVIII spent £100,000 on Hampton Court, reliant on taxation
• Taxation before 1513


  Based on fifteenths and tenths, didn't account for socio-economic changes, not generating enough money for monarchy
• 1513 Subsidy


  Individuals assessed on own ability to pay, paid tax on most profitable asset, raised £322,000 1513-23
• Problems with 1513 Subsidy


  Demands for war outweighed success, 1523: Parl refused to grant £800,000, subsidy stagnated under Elizabeth, rates became fixed, corruption grew e.g Cecil claimed income only £133
• Socio-Economic legislation before 1563


  Harsh laws against vagrancy that couldn't be enforced e.g 1547 Vagrancy Act, poor relief reliant of voluntary contributions
• Statute of Artificers


  1563, people to accept any job offer, JPs could force all available to bring in crops at harvest time, wages annually assessed by JPs, 7 year apprenticeships
• Significance of Statute of Artificers

  Lasted rest of Tudor period, was only central gov response to local trend, vagrancy still problem
• Act for Relief of the Poor

  1598, poor relief compulsory under Elizabeth, introduced post to oversee poor in each parish, first national system of poor relief
• How did JPs work in localities?

  Appointed annually for each county, repsonsible for law and order e.g could arrest suspects, adminsistered poor law
• Role of JPs under HVII

  Appointed trusted members of court to JPs e.g Thomas Lovell, gave them power to inquire into illegal retaining by nobility
• Role of JPs under HVIII

  County benches had 20-35 members, 1526: Wolsey summoned JPs to answer 21 questions on law and under in their regions
• How did Role of JPs develop?

  1552: All alehouses had to be licensed by JPs, ordered to enforce second prayer book
• Size of County Benches?

  Increased from 25 under HVIII to 50 under Elizabeth