The Government of Henry VII

Acts of Parliament – statute laws – best laws

Agreement of lords spiritual, temporal and key commoners

Established part of government

But not necessary for King to govern

Called intermittently, as needed

Primarily to raise extra-ordinary taxation

Also granted customs duties for life

Pass Acts of Attainder

Pass important laws – consent of political classes

Consultative body

All nobles, councillors and

burgesses

Representatives of political

classes of whole country

Called five times by

Henry VII

Between 1487 and 1502

Advised King on matters of state, administration of

law and order

Varied in number and who was present

Whoever was available when necessary

Henry rarely present himself

Loyalty most important attribute for members

Divided into specific councils, or committees as

necessary

Established 1495

After treason involving high ranking member of Henry VII’s

Household

Sir William Stanley etc

At heart of Household

Saw king at most private, intimate

Massive potential for influence his decisions

Chamber servants low status

Not members of nobility

Henry VII increasingly withdrew into Privy Chamber

Various established to tackle specific

issues

Most (in)famous: Council Learned

Established 1495

Ensure king received all feudal dues

and entitlements

Supervised collection of bonds and

recognisances

Operated without jury/ chance of

appeal

Established as necessary to investigate and deal with specific

issues

Oyer and Terminer was permanent

Power to hear certain judicial cases

As thought necessary by King

Commission of the Peace

Supplement other courts as necessary

No legal training necessary to be named as part of commission

Though usually had one or two lawyers

Henry II’s circuits now twice yearly

Meantime JPs dealt with law and order and enforcing King’s will

Important local link between Crown and counties

Chosen by the King

Directly accountable to him

Chosen from second tier of landowners

First Tier: Nobles dukes, earls, lords

Second Tier: Gentry Sir ….

Third Tier: Yeomen Master (Mr)

1487: Star Chamber Act

Established tribunal to hear cases against nobility

Especially who broke law against Livery & Maintenance and

Retaining

Also complaints against abuses of privilege

In practice met rarely

Died out

But Council Learned in Law lasted

And oversaw punitive measures against leading subjects

Bonds and recognisances

Council of the North

Governed the north of England

Although most of north governed

by council established in midlands

Run by Margaret Beaufort

Council of the Western Marches

Oversaw Welsh borderlands

Western Marches nominally run by Prince Arthur

But Lord Stanley exercised a lot of control there

At Westminster

Feudal land disputes

Petitions of right

Although King couldn’t be

sued, mistakes were

acknowledged

Chancery dealt with them

and king would make

voluntary restitution

Equity: king’s right to

dispense justice when

common law deficient

E.g. when defendant very

powerful locally

E.g. in grey areas between

canon and common law