ESSAY PLAN: WOLSEY’S DOMESTIC POLICY

January 2004:

How far do you agree that handling the royal finances was Wolsey’s most important success in domestic affairs from 1515-1529?

If Wolsey’s most important success in domestic affairs was handling royal finances then his least impressive domain was in his administration of the church. The Tudor subsidy certainly ushered in a new phase and contribution to Tudor finance, compensating somewhat for the spent inheritance from Henry VII. However, impressive reforms are also seen within the law and social and economic reform. Wolsey’s most important success in domestic affairs may well have been his handling of the royal finances as Lotherington states “Wolsey’s main concern was always foreign policy”. Royal finances served this main concern and to some degree Wolsey’s political survival depended more fully upon it.
Royal Finances: most impressive? (x2 paras?)
Credited with the invention of the parliamentary subsidy. Some credit must go to John Hales, he drafted it and was thus rewarded with a position on the bench of the exchequer. 1513-1523. Gets loans of 1522 and subsidy in 1523, but leads to fiscalism and the Amicable Grant debacle of 1525. The subsidy was a success. Wolsey has the help of John Hales, who was judge in the Court of the Exchequer. The subsidy was levied x4 times in 1513-1515 and 1523. In total it brought in > of 300,000 pounds.
Success of clerical taxation also. 240,000 pounds or so. Synods 1519, 1523.
For the first time under Henry the Crown was raising realistic sums through taxation. However, as Murphy points out … “its demands were increasingly resented by the propertied classes who had to pay these parliamentary taxes.”
To a degree satisfies the problem of raising extra money to finance wars. The existing parliamentary taxes of fifteenths and tenths, were fixed and generated insufficient sums.
Also royal lands brought in insufficient revenue. Hence Wolsey’s introduction of the Act of Resumption in Parliament in 1515 to regain lands for the Crown.
The 1523 Parliament (already had the loans of 1522 to pay for war against France > 250,000pounds raised from the propertied classes.) The demands of the 1523 Parliament, Cardinal demanded 800,000 pounds in extra taxes, on top of the loans of 1522. Wolsey kept Parliament sitting longer than normal….in the end he had to settle for the rate of 2 shillings in the pounds. They gave Wolsey no more than they had first offered. “This was no compliment to Wolsey’s abilities as a parliamentary manager.”-Murphy. Guy says that one of his failings was that he treated Parliament with contempt.
This is why the Amicable Grant was the last straw for taxpayers and why it was so contentious. Particular protest in Lavenham. Wolsey’s stage-managed climb down paying prison bills etc. “This was a humiliation for Wolsey, who had been trying to carry out his master’s demands.”-Murphy. “The King’s confidence in him was shaken and his enemies began to sharpen their knives”- Murphy.
Wolsey’s management of royal finances was a double edged sword, supremely successful on the one hand and generating further problems at the same time. People were tax-weary and hence the failure of the Amicable Grant. It is perhaps no surprise that this was Wosley’s most impressive area in domestic policy as it was the vehicle by which his master could acquire wealth, fame and immortality. Success in war was expensive and Wolsey had to finance them. Not an easy task with the insatiable Henry VIII at the helm. Ultimately this was a more important success than legal reform as there was certainly more evidence of genuine reforming zeal unlike the incomplete nature of legal reform.

SUCCESS AS A LEGAL REFORMER:

This must come a close second to Wolsey’s handling of the royal finances. Much that is impressive here, although worth saying, that from 1527 onwards Wolsey is distracted by the ‘King’s Great Matter.” And any domestic reforms take a back seat.
Impartial justice in Star Chamber- people should have justice as right. But the rich tended to come off worse, as the doors of the hitherto exclusively expensive legal system were flung open. Most impressive in the Court of Star Chamber. Enhances under Wolsey. 12 cases per year under HVII, 120 per year under HVIII. Massive caseload after 1516. Star Chamber took on the powerful and curbed abuses in the legal system.
Could quote a bit of Skelton here…his poem about the star chamber.
Only criticisms here was that the system became overloaded. To a degree his popularization policy backfired. Wolsey had to establish overflow tribunals e.g. White Hall in London in 1519, becoming the forerunner of the court of requests (poor men’s court) Had to leave much to successors as the call of foreign policy dominated 1522 onwards.
“It is unlikely that the nobility and gentry were admirers of Wolsey’s legal reforms which probably fed their resentment of him…..”Murphy.
Nobility who suffered: Robert Sheffield (Speaker of the 1512 Parliament who had thwarted Wolsey, sent to the Tower as an accessory to felony and fined 5333 pounds), Surrey JPs. Earl of Northumberland (sent to Fleet Prison) and many others. . His zeal for justice often politically motivated
Law enforcement in counties: nobility and councilors made to co-operate.
“Though he had no legal training that we know of he possessed a remarkable natural ability for the task”-Elton.
Effectiveness as Lord Chancellor. Peter Gwyn calls him “an extremely active Lord Chancellor”
Sat in Court of Chancery as a judge, Guy says his impact there was limited. Only slight increase in the number of cases.
So huge success here, but in terms of impact on the reign of Henry VIII, financial reform still most impressive. Guy says that essentially Wolsey was hubristic. His idea of reform a camouflage for political action or retribution. Theory that kept faction at bay and therefore protected Henry (had plagued his father). The nobility kept in check for Wolsey’s delight or Henry’s protection….probably a combination of the two. Wolsey’s scheme of 1526 to reorganize the admin of the law never really bore fruit- wanted to send commissioners to every shire to hear cases; never implemented. Wolsey was an effective and diligent lawyer even though maybe not the best reformer.
Social Policy:
Enclosures: 1517-18: 264 cases……222 decided/ended. 188 ended with clear verdicts. One odd example would be that Thomas More, as a landlord, was summoned to the court of the exchequer…see bottom of page 92 in Guy. Wolsey famous for his battle against the evil of enclosures. (see Lotherington page 68) Murphy comments that to Tudor commentators it was a moral problem and indeed might have seemed that Wolsey had the moral high-ground until his abandonment of policy. Again Wolsey takes on the wealthy and the powerful. However something of a u-turn in 1523 for Wolsey, when financial priority means abandonment to placate tax payers for 18 months. All of this to ensure a large subsidy!! A subsidy worth 151,215 pounds. He even granted the landowners a complete amnesty until Oct 1524 and therefore can’t have really believed enclosures to be that much of an evil. Sincerity?? Murphy talks of vigorous work suddenly abandoned due to other pressures….typical of Wolsey’s domestic policy? To some degree one would expect this as Wolsey has to vacillate to serve his capricious master. The fortunes of foreign policy would always dictate and eventually the King’s Great matter! Therefore Wolsey’s most important successes in domestic policy to a large extent will be determined by what is happening abroad and post 1527, most certainly the ‘King’s Great Matter’
Just Prices 1518, 1520. Grain searches and supplies, 1528(bad harvest 1527). Population census, 1528 (records very incomplete). NB. First proper census not until 1801). Attack on crime and vice in London 1519. Success! albeit limited.
Significant successes here even if his zeal for justice often politically motivated.
SUCCESS IN USING RENAISSANCE METHODS AND BUILDINGS TO BOLSTER IMAGE OF MONARCHY!
Throw this in to impress………….most won’t have it!!
Paolo Cortesi, Bishop of Urbino, wrote a guide book which essentially Wolsey followed…………….’how to be a cardinal’. Healthcare and hospitals modelled on Santa Maria Nuova (Florence). Savoy Hospital, London, completed 1517. Wolsey had a key interest in this and used money from Henry VII’s will to help finance this hospital.This guide stressed the ethical approach to politics, therefore justice. Setting up of educational establishments. Partly selfish to be named after Wolsey and partly to follow these guide lines? Some great headway made here albeit one off or short-lived reforms and changes. Some having more impact than others. Still some successes.
Sir William Compton (Groom of the Stool) by the 1519 purge of the minions from the privy Chamber, had restrictions placed on his spending and the more ambitious minions were removed. Stress temporary nature of these expulsions..they did return! In the name of economic reform his spending was reduced to 10,000 pounds per annum and more rigorous book-keeping of accounts was demanded. More likely that Wolsey was trying to control the threat he was always wary of in the privy chamber. Indeed it was only the wars of 1522-5 that kept these young minions from Court. On their return in 1525 and as a knee jerk reaction to the failure of the Amicable Grant, Wolsey attempted to bolster/ reaffirm his position with the Eltham Ordinances in January of 1526. The Gentlemen of the Bedchamber was reduced from 12 down to 6. Lotherington says that people like Starkey place too much emphasis on the rivalry between Court and Council, pointing out that Compton was actually promoted to under-treasurer of the Exchequer and many of the other gentlemen of the Privy Chamber were also promoted. “The Eltham Ordinances were simply an economy measure” (Lotherington p.74.) he argues. It would be good to briefly point out the debate here, certainly Guy also would side more so with Starkey’s point of view. (link finances)

THE CHURCH

Ecclesiastical fiscalism rebounds……………..according to Guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The protestant chronicler, Edward Hall, noted that Wolsey was the best known and most obvious example of lavishness and corruption in the Roman Catholic church. Murphy comments that “In his own person Wolsey was not a good advertisement for clerical discipline and the joys of spirituality”-Murphy.
Possibly the least impressive area if one compares it to the impact of the Tudor subsidy for example.
Plans for reform of the church in 1519. In practice the plans came to little. Wolsey aware of the writings of the reformers and the demands of reforming clerical life. For example, Erasmus and Colet. Wolsey also knew that the privileges of the clergy were quite widely resented.
Richard Hunne: see page 98 in Murphy.
Benefit of Clergy: see page 98 Murphy. Kneeling before Henry at Baynard’s Castle Nov. 1515.
Could he have done more particularly after he had been made Papal Legate in 1518. Murphy says that in practice little was done. See page 98 Murphy!!
Between 1524 and 1529 Wolsey dissolved some 30 religious houses and used the money raised to build colleges at Oxford and in Ipswich! Monuments to himself? Bishop Fox, his mentor in the early years, had also done this so not that unusual at the time
Pluralism and absenteeism. A good opportunity to include a brief reference to Wolsey’s contemporary, Polydore Vergil “Acquiring so many offices at almost the same time, he became so proud that he began to regard himself as the equal of Kings”-Polydore Vergil. Remember he was Archbishop of York from 1514, he held other wealthy bishoprics at the same time, Durham 1523-29 and Winchester 1529-30. Also he was Abbot of St Albans, which was one of the wealthiest abbeys in England and he made other clergy pay him fees for permission to carry out their duties. Also Papal Legate. Read bottom of page 98 in Murphy to link with Probate…….coming next.
Probate. (Page 111 Guy)
Wolsey’s building instead of reforming clergy. (York Place and Hampton Court Palace.

CONCLUSION:

To a large extent Wosley’s handling of royal finances was his most important achievement in domestic affairs. However legal reform was a close second in terms of its impetus for change. The demands of foreign policy campaigns particularly in the 1520’s dominated and to some degree prevented greater reform to come in the church in particular. This could also explain why royal finances were higher on the agenda and why enclosure cases were suddenly abandoned; in the name of topping up the coffers. Wolsey’s domestic policy may have been heavily influenced by Cortesi’s guide, down to the detail of the Cardinal’s mule, but ultimately it was subjugated to the demands of Henry’s burdens: war and eventually divorce. Royal finances were most important to war and therefore to Wolsey’s service of Henry and his own political survival. Perhaps the last word should go to Cavendish, Wolsey’s Gentleman Usher, who commented that: ”I never saw this realm in better order..” yes, finances were the most important. Blah, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah bored now finish any extras yourself.lsey