King Charles' Personal Rule: finances

What were recusancy fines?

Imposing fines on Catholics, increased from around £5,300 pa in the late 1620s to £26,806, in 1634.

What were wardships?

Income from wardships increased by about a third to £75,000 a year.

What were monopolies?

Charles exploited a loophole in the 1624 Monopolies Act- Charles bypassed this Act with the use of the Star Chamber.

What were customs duties?

Charles continued to collect tonnage and poundage and he raised roughly £270,000 a year during 1631-35. A new Book of Rates was introduced in 1635, this raised £425,000 in 1639.

What was fiscal feudalism?

Feudalism was kept alive for no other reason than to bring revenue for the government. Feudalism was a combination of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and the 15th centuries

What was William Noy's (the attorney general) job?

He was tasked to find forgotten laws, lapsed practices and medieval precedents that could be exploited to raise income.

What was the 'Distraint of Knighthood?'

Charles levied fines on anyone holding land that generated more than £40 of income a year- who did not receive a knighthood.

What was the revival of forest rights?

Charles reasserted ancient royal rights over the forest that were owned by the Crown- in the late 1620s Charles enforced these laws again. Charles wanted revenue in the 1630s, so he fined enclosing landowners for using land that was designated as part of the monarch's royal forest.

What were enclosure fines?

This was to enclose a number of small landholdings to create one larger farm. The gentry in the South East and the Midlands gained parliamentary approval for their actions in the late 1620s. Charles decided that he would prevent enclosures and that he would impose fines on enclosing landlords.

Balancing the books

Charles Lord Treasurer (William Juxon, Bishop of London) made economies where they could. Pensions were cut short at Court and commissions were investigated as excessive spending, also the sale of the Crown Lands was stopped.

By the mid-1630s, accumulated Crown debt had decreased to £1m and income exceeded expenditure.

Re-thinking foreign policy

England had been unable to afford an active foreign policy as Charles was forced to make peace treaties- The Treaty of Susa with France in 1629 and the Treaty of Madrid with Spain in 1630.

Charles decided to build a strong navy, this was a response to pressure from Merchants who wanted to protect their shipping from pirates.

What was the Sovereign of the Seas (foreign policy)?

This was ordered in August 1634, to bolster the reputation of the English Crown. A strong navy would allow for the extension of the English power, with secure trade routes to the Americas and the Caribbean. A strong navy could impress the Spanish- it was the only practical way the Palatinate could be recovered for Frederick V was by ensuring good relations with the Spanish.

What was Ship money?

This was a tax of medieval origin, it was assessed only on the inhabitants of coastal areas of England. English monarchs could levy ship money by prerogative without parliamentary approval. It was levied to fund the navy in times of emergency.

In the 1630s, Charles used it to fund tax-building- he exploited ship money.

How did they pay for the navy?

In October 1634, it was announced that ship money would be a tax levied in coastal areas. Between 1634 and 1638, 90% of the ship money demanded was paid.

When was the Hampden Case?

1637

What was the Hampden Case?

Hampden was a leading Parliamentarian, he challenged Charles' authority. Charles lacked the loyalty from important figures, he could not withstand a crisis. Ship money indicated deep-rooted issues. This had constitutional importance as it tested royal prerogative.

What were the consequences of the Hampden trial?

It was a turning point in Personal Rule as opposition to Charles became more organised and widespread. The Crown won the case but the verdict was unanimous.