The government reforms Henry VIIs made were limited in both scope and success
council learned in law- success- introduced in 1495 by Reginald bray, it both defended henrys position as
feudal landlord and feudal rights. It enforced payments of debts, bonds and recognisances and the crown
lands. It generated a huge income, by 1505 bonds were worth £35,000 a year, and 75% of noble families
were tied by one. Henry utilized them not just for financial gain, but for loyalty too. Used after the Battle of
Bosworth (1485) to ensure nobility were tied to his reign e.g. earl of Northumberland had to pay £10,000.
This was a success as the councillors acted as investigators and judges against noblemen, ensuring the
nobility were not a threat. The more money he had the more authority he gained over the nobility.
limited and unsuccessful- they had been used for many years; henry simply extended their use.
Furthermore, by the end of henrys reign the council was so unpopular, that even after his death the council
was abolished, and key councillors were imprisoned and tried for treason and executed e.g. Thomas Lovell.
use of taxes success- henry 7 as a usurper, vital that he accumulated income which would strengthen his
position and weaken the nobility. Taxes were raised during his reign, which amounted to a high sum of
£500,000 annually.
Unsuccessful- the amount raised in tax was not enough- but decreased his popularity, with many seeing
him as a miser, instead he had to acquire other means of wealth, using extraordinary revenue methods-
parliamentary grant, loans etc. e.g. benevolences raised £48,000 for war with France. Showed how they
‘cherished a king’ (Polydor Vergil). Decreased popularity- nicknamed ‘malovence’.
Justices of the peace- success- superseded traditional authority of county sheriffs who were often loyal to
nobility - various acts of parliament increase their powers enabling them to perform alehouse regulation,
tax assessments, investigation of complaints against local officials. JP’s were appointed from local land
owners and they therefore had a vested interest in implementing legislation that ensured greater social
cohesion at a local level. JP’s did not receive an income for their work as it was felt that part of the
responsibility of being a land owner was to maintain law and order and social order. It was also believed
that merely being a JP was honour enough. The greatest hold Henry had over a JP was the simple fact that
they served for a year. He would then be put up for reappointment – something the king did. Any JP who
fell from grace would also fall from grace socially within his region as his failure to be reappointed would
be seen as a sign of his incompetence. Therefore, all JP’s had a very good incentive to do as well as they
could for the king and clearly Henry himself benefited from this.
Unsuccessful- Cornish rebellion 1497 sees rebels capable of marching from Cornwall to London, only being
stopped in Blackheath
Use of parliament success- 1485, first parliament grants henry tonnage and poundage (old taxes on
commerce for life), and this parliament along with second parliament of 1487 both pass numerous acts of
attainder- grant him money for war, he works with parliament as a tool for power- but doesn’t let them
illegitimate his ‘birth right’.
Unsuccessful- only uses it 7 times during his reign, and last one in 1504 limits his demand for extraordinary
revenue, king promises to not use taxation for these means, people were poor after the war of roses, extra
tax meant that they often had harsher winters- increased discontent and anger at the monarchy and
decreased loyalty. This allowed threats such as pretenders or rebellions to grow in size and threaten.
council learned in law- success- introduced in 1495 by Reginald bray, it both defended henrys position as
feudal landlord and feudal rights. It enforced payments of debts, bonds and recognisances and the crown
lands. It generated a huge income, by 1505 bonds were worth £35,000 a year, and 75% of noble families
were tied by one. Henry utilized them not just for financial gain, but for loyalty too. Used after the Battle of
Bosworth (1485) to ensure nobility were tied to his reign e.g. earl of Northumberland had to pay £10,000.
This was a success as the councillors acted as investigators and judges against noblemen, ensuring the
nobility were not a threat. The more money he had the more authority he gained over the nobility.
limited and unsuccessful- they had been used for many years; henry simply extended their use.
Furthermore, by the end of henrys reign the council was so unpopular, that even after his death the council
was abolished, and key councillors were imprisoned and tried for treason and executed e.g. Thomas Lovell.
use of taxes success- henry 7 as a usurper, vital that he accumulated income which would strengthen his
position and weaken the nobility. Taxes were raised during his reign, which amounted to a high sum of
£500,000 annually.
Unsuccessful- the amount raised in tax was not enough- but decreased his popularity, with many seeing
him as a miser, instead he had to acquire other means of wealth, using extraordinary revenue methods-
parliamentary grant, loans etc. e.g. benevolences raised £48,000 for war with France. Showed how they
‘cherished a king’ (Polydor Vergil). Decreased popularity- nicknamed ‘malovence’.
Justices of the peace- success- superseded traditional authority of county sheriffs who were often loyal to
nobility - various acts of parliament increase their powers enabling them to perform alehouse regulation,
tax assessments, investigation of complaints against local officials. JP’s were appointed from local land
owners and they therefore had a vested interest in implementing legislation that ensured greater social
cohesion at a local level. JP’s did not receive an income for their work as it was felt that part of the
responsibility of being a land owner was to maintain law and order and social order. It was also believed
that merely being a JP was honour enough. The greatest hold Henry had over a JP was the simple fact that
they served for a year. He would then be put up for reappointment – something the king did. Any JP who
fell from grace would also fall from grace socially within his region as his failure to be reappointed would
be seen as a sign of his incompetence. Therefore, all JP’s had a very good incentive to do as well as they
could for the king and clearly Henry himself benefited from this.
Unsuccessful- Cornish rebellion 1497 sees rebels capable of marching from Cornwall to London, only being
stopped in Blackheath
Use of parliament success- 1485, first parliament grants henry tonnage and poundage (old taxes on
commerce for life), and this parliament along with second parliament of 1487 both pass numerous acts of
attainder- grant him money for war, he works with parliament as a tool for power- but doesn’t let them
illegitimate his ‘birth right’.
Unsuccessful- only uses it 7 times during his reign, and last one in 1504 limits his demand for extraordinary
revenue, king promises to not use taxation for these means, people were poor after the war of roses, extra
tax meant that they often had harsher winters- increased discontent and anger at the monarchy and
decreased loyalty. This allowed threats such as pretenders or rebellions to grow in size and threaten.
