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
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