PERSONAL RULE 1629-40
FINANCE (Biggest problem):
C1 couldn’t afford to lose the support of the justices of peace by raising £ illegally but he did it untraditionally.
Weston (Lord Treasurer, 1628) = unpopular because he’s Catholic and got money w/out/P. Reform was too
politically. Ways they reduced £:
1. Expenditure: Royal Household: £260,000 a year (40% of C1 income), employed 1800-2000 people,
C1 had 24 meat dishes to choose from 2x a day (£80-90,000 a year), daily ration was £25 5s 4d.
2. Customs: 30 Years’ War was still going but England ceased in 1630. Peacetime = trading
opportunities (arms, foodstuffs, military/naval supplies). This was critical for the Spanish war effort as
their land routes to N/Europe had been blocked and they used the sea (English) route instead.
England obtained a near monopoly of the Iberian trade. 2/3 of Crown revenue was due to customs.
3. Fiscal Feudalism: the use of prerogative rights that fell to disuse.
Knighthood: every man w/income of >£40 a year was supposed to be knighted
at the coronation. Many men were fined for ‘not supporting C1’. £170,000 (= to V unfair/arbitrary.
3 P subsidies). V unpopular and alienated potential supporters. Affected the
Forest Law: lots of people found out that they were technically living in a royal political classes
forest, and could now be fined for various offences eg. Engaging in agriculture. most (their
Wardship: brought in extra £50,000 compared to earlier in the century. support was vital
Eating meat during Lent. to C1). They gave
Building property too near the capital. no permanent
Proclamation against those in London w/out permission. Apparently, gentry solution to C1’s £
were needed in their localities to preserve order and to keep local gov problem.
functioning effectively.
4. Monopolies/grants: more permanent. C1 broke the 1624 statute of monopolies by granting them
tocompanies rather than individuals. Most unpopular on soap as it was given to a Catholic company
(1632), prices rose, £29,000 a year by 1636.
5. Ship money: most profitable but could only be sustained if local elites co-operated. £190,000 a year.
Non-payment was v low. 1634, levied to build up the fleet to guard against the activities of pirates,
who regularly raided the coast. 1635 – levied on whole country. Was demanded each year until
1640. Led to a greater degree of political awareness and gov support . The sheriff was made
responsible for collecting the £. NOVEMBER 1637 – HAMPDEN’S CASE: refused to pay ship money =
huge national interest after 5/12 judges didn’t support C1. 1638, amount collected by 20%.
Suspicion on what £ was for.
Star Chamber: body made of Privy Council members.
No P = No opportunity to express discontent but it was Attacked opponents of gov policy. Speedy&efficient in
GROWING. Emigration 11 ships (700 people) left for America. its dealings. Able to impose huge fines on people to
raise £. This and High Commision (set up in 1634)
Gov clamped down hard on opposition: Prynne, Burton &
courts were more reliable for C1 than common law
Bastwick published preaching’s against Laudianism. 1637, were courts. They both lost respect as Laud used it to enforce
tried in Star Chamber and were fined, ears cut off and his Church reforms.
imprisoned for life.
C1 asked City of London for a loan to fight the Scots (1639). They gave him a meagre £5000 and refused to
give more.
RELIGION:
Archbishop of Canterbury (Laud) introduced Arminian (anti-Calvinist) ideas that had been condemned at
the Synod of Dort (1618-19) = Laudianism. Focused on changing the conduct of services and suppression
of preaching. Arminian bishops preached the Divine Right of Kings. C1/Laud disliked preaching because it
was difficult to control the content of them. Often annoyed gentry. Laud was old and in a hurry to change
things. His 5 aims caused an increase in emigration.
1. Uniformity of practice on Church (make everyone do the same thing). Clergy who opposed would
be punished and lose their jobs. He insisted that:
FINANCE (Biggest problem):
C1 couldn’t afford to lose the support of the justices of peace by raising £ illegally but he did it untraditionally.
Weston (Lord Treasurer, 1628) = unpopular because he’s Catholic and got money w/out/P. Reform was too
politically. Ways they reduced £:
1. Expenditure: Royal Household: £260,000 a year (40% of C1 income), employed 1800-2000 people,
C1 had 24 meat dishes to choose from 2x a day (£80-90,000 a year), daily ration was £25 5s 4d.
2. Customs: 30 Years’ War was still going but England ceased in 1630. Peacetime = trading
opportunities (arms, foodstuffs, military/naval supplies). This was critical for the Spanish war effort as
their land routes to N/Europe had been blocked and they used the sea (English) route instead.
England obtained a near monopoly of the Iberian trade. 2/3 of Crown revenue was due to customs.
3. Fiscal Feudalism: the use of prerogative rights that fell to disuse.
Knighthood: every man w/income of >£40 a year was supposed to be knighted
at the coronation. Many men were fined for ‘not supporting C1’. £170,000 (= to V unfair/arbitrary.
3 P subsidies). V unpopular and alienated potential supporters. Affected the
Forest Law: lots of people found out that they were technically living in a royal political classes
forest, and could now be fined for various offences eg. Engaging in agriculture. most (their
Wardship: brought in extra £50,000 compared to earlier in the century. support was vital
Eating meat during Lent. to C1). They gave
Building property too near the capital. no permanent
Proclamation against those in London w/out permission. Apparently, gentry solution to C1’s £
were needed in their localities to preserve order and to keep local gov problem.
functioning effectively.
4. Monopolies/grants: more permanent. C1 broke the 1624 statute of monopolies by granting them
tocompanies rather than individuals. Most unpopular on soap as it was given to a Catholic company
(1632), prices rose, £29,000 a year by 1636.
5. Ship money: most profitable but could only be sustained if local elites co-operated. £190,000 a year.
Non-payment was v low. 1634, levied to build up the fleet to guard against the activities of pirates,
who regularly raided the coast. 1635 – levied on whole country. Was demanded each year until
1640. Led to a greater degree of political awareness and gov support . The sheriff was made
responsible for collecting the £. NOVEMBER 1637 – HAMPDEN’S CASE: refused to pay ship money =
huge national interest after 5/12 judges didn’t support C1. 1638, amount collected by 20%.
Suspicion on what £ was for.
Star Chamber: body made of Privy Council members.
No P = No opportunity to express discontent but it was Attacked opponents of gov policy. Speedy&efficient in
GROWING. Emigration 11 ships (700 people) left for America. its dealings. Able to impose huge fines on people to
raise £. This and High Commision (set up in 1634)
Gov clamped down hard on opposition: Prynne, Burton &
courts were more reliable for C1 than common law
Bastwick published preaching’s against Laudianism. 1637, were courts. They both lost respect as Laud used it to enforce
tried in Star Chamber and were fined, ears cut off and his Church reforms.
imprisoned for life.
C1 asked City of London for a loan to fight the Scots (1639). They gave him a meagre £5000 and refused to
give more.
RELIGION:
Archbishop of Canterbury (Laud) introduced Arminian (anti-Calvinist) ideas that had been condemned at
the Synod of Dort (1618-19) = Laudianism. Focused on changing the conduct of services and suppression
of preaching. Arminian bishops preached the Divine Right of Kings. C1/Laud disliked preaching because it
was difficult to control the content of them. Often annoyed gentry. Laud was old and in a hurry to change
things. His 5 aims caused an increase in emigration.
1. Uniformity of practice on Church (make everyone do the same thing). Clergy who opposed would
be punished and lose their jobs. He insisted that:
