Elizabethan Society

Why did Elizabeth I chose not to create anymore Dukes after 1572?

highest peerage title, Duke - carried inherent dangers in Tudor England

• each of the four ducal titles; Somerset, Northumberland, Suffolk and Norfolk - met bloody ends

Elizabeth I was being cautious

By Elizabeth I’s reign, why had the nobility become more peaceful?

less concerned about defence

How did the nobility sought to enhance their prestige during Elizabeth I’s reign?

massive building projects - accommodate the queen in appropriate surroundings on royal progresses

• e.g. Burghley & Wilton conceived and build on a grand scale

Who were members of the gentry?

influential knights and figures of importance (e.g. Sir Christopher Hatton), to modest local landowners

• country gentlemen and esquires - dominated local government through their work as Justices of the Peace (JPs)

What happened to the gentry class during Elizabeth I’s reign?

increased in size and the proportion that was seriously wealthy went up

During Elizabeth I’s reign, how did the other layers of society differ from the beginning of the century?

gap between the wealthy and poor widened

• witnessed the beginnings of consumer society amongst the prosperous members of the landed, mercantile and professional classes

What is Enclosure?

practice of dividing up land which was once owned by the people where sheep will be placed in the fields

• typically large open fields into smaller ‘enclosed’ pieces of land that instead belonged to one person only

During Elizabeth I’s reign, what were the poorer sections of the population vulnerable to?

• enclosure

• persistent decline in real wages

By the end of Elizabeth I’s reign, what was the population like in England?

4 million

By the end of Elizabeth I’s reign, where did the bulk of people live?

countryside

By the end of Elizabeth I’s reign, what was the only large city?

London - population of 150,000

• magnet for migrants from other parts of the country

By the end of Elizabeth I’s reign, what was the other large cities?

Bristol & Norwich - few other cities had population excess of 5000

Why was there a poverty crisis during Elizabeth I’s reign?

• Rising population (4 million)

• Inflation

• Wars

• Cloth Trade

• Bad Harvests (1594-98)

• Enclosure

• Dissolution of Monasteries

Traditionally, what was the main source of support for the poor?

charity - rich people made donations to hospitals, monasteries and other organisations that helped the poor

Why were charitable donations no longer enough to support the poor during Elizabeth I’s reign?

poverty became so bad!

Why were Elizabeth I’s government worried about the poverty levels?

threat to law and order - as poverty levels increased so did crime

• Elizabeth and her government had to step in to solve the problem of poverty

When did developments in laws dealing with the poor in Elizabeth I’s reign begin?

1572

In 1572 what did developments in laws were made to deal with the poor during Elizabeth I’s reign?

Act of Parliament made a distinction between those who were genuinely unemployed and the ‘idle poor’

• Helpless Poor

• The Deserving Poor

• The Undeserving Poor

In 1572, who were defined as the Helpless Poor?

those who were unable to support themselves including orphanages, elderly, sick or disabled

In 1572, who were defined as the Deserving Poor?

people who wanted to work, but were unable to find a job

• Impotent Poor

In 1572, who were defined as the Impotent Poor?

a subcategory of the deserving poor, which compromised those who could no longer look after themselves, either because of age or infirmary or because they were

In 1572, who were defined as the Undeserving Poor?

beggars, criminals and people who refused to work - also migrant workers (Vagabonds) who left their homes and travelled around looking for work

When did we see measures put into place to relieve poverty?

late years of Elizabeth’s reign

When were the 4 acts passed to relieve poverty for the deserving poor during Elizabeth I’s reign?

• Act of 1572

• Act of 1576

• 1597 and 1601 Acts

What was the Act of 1572 passed regarding the deserving poor during Elizabeth I’s reign?

the local ratepayers should be required to pay a rate for the relief of the poor (tax)

What was the Act of 1576 passed regarding the deserving poor during Elizabeth I’s reign?

first attempt to create a national poor system to be financed and administered locally

• under the system towns had to make provisions for employment of the deserving poor

What was the 1597 and 1601 Acts passed regarding the deserving poor during Elizabeth I’s reign?

completed the legislative process

• under Elizabeth’s Poor Law Act 1601 - Parish became the designated institution to raise money for the poor, had to appoint an overseer - key responsibility was reliving the deserving poor (impotent) setting them able-bodied work and apprenticing children

• activities were supervised by the Justices of Peace

• Compulsory poor rate was introduced to help the poor

What had Elizabeth I’s government done with the legislation for the deserving poor?

taken it upon themselves to take responsibility of ensuring minimum level of subsistence for the deserving poor

• 1601 Poor Act would remain intact until 1834

How did Elizabeth I’s policies towards the deserving poor and the undeserving poor differ?

underserving poor’s treatment was harsher!

When were the 3 acts passed towards the undeserving poor during Elizabeth I’s reign?

• 1572

• 1576

• 1597

Although under the Duke of Somerset in 1547 the Vagrancy Act had been passed and since repealed what notion still remained?

underserving poor was to be whipped

What act was passed in 1572 regarding the undeserving poor during Elizabeth I’s reign?

an Act was added giving authorities a range of punishment to authorities

What act was passed in 1576 regarding the undeserving poor during Elizabeth I’s reign?

Houses of correction were set up to punish those who refused to work

What act was passed in 1597 regarding the undeserving poor during Elizabeth I’s reign?

during the bad harvest in 1597 - act passed which said first time offenders had to be taken back to their home town were their local parish would deal with them, they would also be whipped

• repeat offenders could also be executed

What were Economic Issues that England experienced during Elizabeth I’s reign?

• enclosure

• inflation

• debasement of coinage

• real wages declined

• overpopulation

When was coinage debased?

Henry VIII - 1544 & 1546

Edward VI - 1551

Who had made plans for recoinage?

Mary I - never proceeded

By the late 1540s, how many homeless migrants had gone to London?

5000

What percentage had real wages been declined by?

50%

What had inflation triggered?

unemployment

By 1601, what was the population in England?

4 million

• 1470 - 1.5 million

What percentage had inflation risen during the 1500’s?

400%

Between 1500-1550 what happened to prices?

doubled

What did Lord Treasurers, Marquis of Winchester & William Cecil rigorously pursue?

policy of solvency

• the possession of assets in excess of liabilities; ability to pay one's debts

By 1585, what debt was cleared?

£300,000 Marian debt

• Elizabeth had a reserve of £300,000

What were parliaments used more to grant?

tax subsidies - 11/13 Parliaments had granted them (including a quadruple tax subsidy in 1601)

How much money was brought in from selling Crown Lands?

£600,000

What had high inflation meant that Elizabeth had lost?

money on rents

What happened to the selling price of wardships?

quadrupled to 4x the value of land in 1599

When were Henry VIII’s poor law legislation passed?

1531 & 1536

What was Henry VIII’s poor law legislation act passed in 1531?

impotent beggars can beg with a license or otherwise be fined

What was Henry VIII’s poor law legislation act passed in 1536?

money is raised through donations to help the poor

When were Edward VI’s poor law legislation passed?

(two in) 1547 & 1552

What was Edward VI’s poor law legislation acts passed in 1547?

• funds collected through churches used to help impotent beggars

• idle poor branded on 1st offence & sold into slavery, 2nd offence was to be sold into life-long slavery & 3rd offence was the death penalty

What was Edward VI’s poor law legislation act passed in 1552?

compulsory census to reduce unauthorised begging & repeal of Vagrancy Act

What years did Elizabeth I introduce her Poor Law Legislation?

1563, 1572, 1576, 1597, 1601

What was Elizabeth I’s poor law legislation act passed in 1563?

Statue of Artificers - wanted to force potential workers to take on 7 years apprentices, enforce a minimum of 1 year in job & set a minimum wage for works

• BUT quickly became redundant

What was Elizabeth I’s poor law legislation act passed in 1572?

The Poor Relief Act - donations to impotent poor became compulsory

• better distinction between genuinely unemployed & idle poor

What was Elizabeth I’s poor law legislation act passed in 1576?

House of Correction were established to punish those who refused to work & J.P’s were ordered to buy raw materials to provide work for able-bodied poor

What was Elizabeth I’s poor law legislation act passed in 1597?

Acts for the Relief of the Poor - confirmed a compulsory poor rate & each county must have a House of Correction, Impotent poor would be provided for but vagrants were still treated harshly

What was Elizabeth I’s poor law legislation act passed in 1601?

Elizabethan Poor Law - amended version of 1597 Act which gave a clear distinction between genuine & idle poor which remained intact until 1834

In Norwich in the 1590s, what percentage of the population were living in poverty?

25%

When were there food riots in England?

1595 - London & South-East

1596-7 - East Anglia

What did the Council of the North want to do as an attempt to solve regional problems of poverty?

wanted corporations of York & Hull to enforce the wage levels it had set in 1514

• 113 people charged with having high wages

counties such as Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire & Yorkshire attempted to do the same - State of Artificers was an attempt to help this

What were the four different types of poor?

• Impotent poor

• Able-bodied poor

• Deserving poor

• Undeserving poor

Who were the Impotent poor?

people unable to work due to age, disability or other infirmity

Who were the Able-bodied poor?

poor people who were physically able to work & were forced to work to prevent them from becoming vagrants, beggars or vagabonds

Who were the Deserving poor?

those in need who are unable to work because they are too old, disabled, or too sick

Who were the Undeserving poor?

people who did not want to work

Out of the 44 harvests during Elizabeth I’s reign, how many were poor?

9

During Elizabeth I’s reign, what was the average life expectancy?

remained at 35 years

What was England’s stability like under Elizabeth I?

• more stable than other European nations - France & Netherlands disunited by religious wars

• Elites dominated positions of power

• gap between rich & poor widened

• 60% population lived below poverty line

• landless poor - relied upon wages - were the hardest hit

When did the Northern Rebellion occur during Elizabeth I’s reign?

1569

What was the plan behind the Northern Rebellion in 1569?

plot to marry Mary Queen of Scots to Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk

Who initially backed the Northern Rebellion in 1569?

Earl of Leicester & other catholic nobles

Who organised the Northern Rebellion in 1569?

Earl of Northumberland - Thomas Percy removed from the Council of North

What happened when Elizabeth I refused the marriage between MQS and Thomas Percy in 1569?

Thomas Percy fled & Northern Lords rose up in arms

Why was the Northern Rebellion ended so easily in 1569?

rebels quickly broke up upon hearing that the Earl of Warwick was amassing troops in the South

How many rebels were executed for their involvement in the Northern Rebellion in 1569?

450

What did Elizabeth I do after the failure of the Northern Rebellion in 1569?

confiscated land & restored the Council of the North appointing a Puritan Leader

When did the Essex Rebellion occur during Elizabeth I’s reign?

1601

Who was the Earl of Essex in 1601?

Robert Devereux

• replaced his stepfather (Dudley) as a favourite after his death

• militaristic, young, ambitious & loved by ordinary people who knew him for his generosity

• build up a network of patronage at court & when William Cecil died hoped to become more powerful

What caused the Essex Rebellion in 1601?

after his truce with Ireland, Elizabeth put him under house arrest

• deprived Essex of his positions, wealth & income

What happened during the Essex Rebellion in 1601?

enraged & with 140 followers Essex attempted to seize London, the Tower

• the court forced to surrender having gained no extra support

What was the consequences of the Essex Rebellion in 1601?

Essex & 5 supporters were executed

When was the Oxfordshire Rising?

1596

What was the cause of the Oxfordshire Rising in 1596?

period of increasing instability - resulted from poor harvests in the 1590s

• rebels were roused by poverty & class based anger

What happened during the Oxfordshire Rising in 1596?

made seditious speeches & hoped to seize weapons & marched on London gathering hundreds more supporters as they travelled

How was the Oxfordshire Rising in 1596 put down?

Elizabeth used torture & military forces to put down the rebellion

What was the outcome of the Oxfordshire Rising in 1596?

5 men given traitor excuses

Why did a riot break out in Kent in 1596?

large food riot - local ken in Canterbury attacked the wagons of merchants laden with food

Where was their a riot against enclosures under Elizabeth I?

Beckenham

Why was there a crisis of the Elites under Elizabeth I?

Elizabeth was reluctant to create more peers - 4 Dukes met traitors’ deaths & there was no more created in her reign

• traditional nobility began to decrease

• new ‘class’ of wealthy gentlemen & urban elites emerged through trade

• new gentlemen snapped up land to justify their wealth - building great houses, deer parks & enclosures

Did Elizabeth I experience problems in Ireland during her reign?

Yes

What was Elizabeth I’s attitude towards Ireland?

believed Ireland should be subjected to a policy of ‘Englishness’ in both religious and secular matters

When was Elizabeth I proclaimed Supreme Governor of the Church of Ireland?

1560

Why did Elizabeth I’s attitude towards Ireland pose a problem?

she lacked power to impose Protestantism on a population that was largely catholic, mostly Gaelic in language and whose customary laws and landowners differed hugely from that of the English

What was marital law?

legal authority and political control exercised by military authority

How did John Guy describe Ireland once the English began using marital law?

“breeding ground for hunters”