OCR AS Level History A Y137/01 England 1547–1603: the Later Tudors May 2025
Combined QUESTION PAPER and MARK SCHEME
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
Wednesday 14 May 2025 – Afternoon
AS Level History A
Y137/01 England 1547–1603: the Later Tudors
Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
You must have:
• the OCR 12-page Answer Booklet
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink.
• Write your answer to each question in the Answer Booklet. The question numbers must
be clearly shown.
• Fill in the boxes on the front of the Answer Booklet.
• Answer all the questions in Section A and one question in Section B.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 50.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• This document has 4 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
, © OCR 2025 [A/506/4315] OCR is an exempt Charity
DC (DE) 354161/1 Turn over
*140 0 7 797 51 *
, 2
Section A
Mid Tudor Crises 1547–1558
Study the three sources and answer both questions in this section.
1 Use your knowledge of the rebellions of 1549 to assess how useful Source B is as evidence of
the instability caused by the unrest in 1549. [10]
2 Using these three sources in their historical context, assess how far they support the view that
the duke of Somerset was responsible for his own downfall. [20]
Source A: William Paget, a trusted advisor to protector Somerset, writes to him criticising his
conduct and its consequences.
I told your grace the truth and was not believed. The king’s subjects are out of all discipline, out of
obedience, caring neither for protector nor king. And what is the cause? Your own softness? Your
intention to be good to the poor? Consider, I beseech you most humbly, that society in a realm is
maintained by means of religion and law. The use of the old religion is forbidden by a law, and the
use of the new is not yet embraced by eleven out of twelve parts of the realm. As for the law, the foot
takes on him the part of the head, and the common people are behaving like a king.
William Paget, letter, 7 July 1549.
Source B: The Privy Council considers the state of the nation in 1549 and suggests an
explanation for the critical situation that has developed within England.
The members of the king’s majesty’s Privy Council, considering among themselves the great rebellion
of the people in various parts of the realm and the great slaughter and shedding of blood that has
lately happened. The great disobedience remaining among the king’s subjects consider that if speedy
remedy is not provided, both his majesty’s royal person and the whole state might be brought into
peril. And remembering that this and other great disorders had proceeded from the ill government of
the lord protector [Somerset]. The lord protector, who being spoken to many times in open council
and privately, has not only refused to give ear to their advisers, but also deciding to follow his own
fantasies from which all the said disorders and mischiefs have arisen.
From the charges of the Privy Council against the duke of Somerset, 6 October 1549.
Source C: Sitting as a court, parliament discusses charges against the duke of Somerset,
former lord protector to Edward VI. It was commonly believed that the evidence was a forgery.
Northumberland feared Somerset as the only person who might take away his control of the king. The
duke planned to charge Somerset with treason for assembling men to kill him. The Lords debated but
would not find Somerset guilty of any charge except ‘conspiring to imprison Northumberland’. Several
lords thought it unfit that Northumberland should himself give his verdict because the actions were
against him, but it was agreed that a peer of the realm could not be challenged. After great debate,
they all acquitted Somerset of treason, but a majority found him guilty of felony* and condemned him
to death.
* Felony - a violent crime
Parliamentary record of charges made against the duke of Somerset, January 1552.
© OCR 2025 Y137/01 Jun25
Combined QUESTION PAPER and MARK SCHEME
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
Wednesday 14 May 2025 – Afternoon
AS Level History A
Y137/01 England 1547–1603: the Later Tudors
Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
You must have:
• the OCR 12-page Answer Booklet
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink.
• Write your answer to each question in the Answer Booklet. The question numbers must
be clearly shown.
• Fill in the boxes on the front of the Answer Booklet.
• Answer all the questions in Section A and one question in Section B.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 50.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• This document has 4 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
, © OCR 2025 [A/506/4315] OCR is an exempt Charity
DC (DE) 354161/1 Turn over
*140 0 7 797 51 *
, 2
Section A
Mid Tudor Crises 1547–1558
Study the three sources and answer both questions in this section.
1 Use your knowledge of the rebellions of 1549 to assess how useful Source B is as evidence of
the instability caused by the unrest in 1549. [10]
2 Using these three sources in their historical context, assess how far they support the view that
the duke of Somerset was responsible for his own downfall. [20]
Source A: William Paget, a trusted advisor to protector Somerset, writes to him criticising his
conduct and its consequences.
I told your grace the truth and was not believed. The king’s subjects are out of all discipline, out of
obedience, caring neither for protector nor king. And what is the cause? Your own softness? Your
intention to be good to the poor? Consider, I beseech you most humbly, that society in a realm is
maintained by means of religion and law. The use of the old religion is forbidden by a law, and the
use of the new is not yet embraced by eleven out of twelve parts of the realm. As for the law, the foot
takes on him the part of the head, and the common people are behaving like a king.
William Paget, letter, 7 July 1549.
Source B: The Privy Council considers the state of the nation in 1549 and suggests an
explanation for the critical situation that has developed within England.
The members of the king’s majesty’s Privy Council, considering among themselves the great rebellion
of the people in various parts of the realm and the great slaughter and shedding of blood that has
lately happened. The great disobedience remaining among the king’s subjects consider that if speedy
remedy is not provided, both his majesty’s royal person and the whole state might be brought into
peril. And remembering that this and other great disorders had proceeded from the ill government of
the lord protector [Somerset]. The lord protector, who being spoken to many times in open council
and privately, has not only refused to give ear to their advisers, but also deciding to follow his own
fantasies from which all the said disorders and mischiefs have arisen.
From the charges of the Privy Council against the duke of Somerset, 6 October 1549.
Source C: Sitting as a court, parliament discusses charges against the duke of Somerset,
former lord protector to Edward VI. It was commonly believed that the evidence was a forgery.
Northumberland feared Somerset as the only person who might take away his control of the king. The
duke planned to charge Somerset with treason for assembling men to kill him. The Lords debated but
would not find Somerset guilty of any charge except ‘conspiring to imprison Northumberland’. Several
lords thought it unfit that Northumberland should himself give his verdict because the actions were
against him, but it was agreed that a peer of the realm could not be challenged. After great debate,
they all acquitted Somerset of treason, but a majority found him guilty of felony* and condemned him
to death.
* Felony - a violent crime
Parliamentary record of charges made against the duke of Somerset, January 1552.
© OCR 2025 Y137/01 Jun25
