Justices of the Peace Flashcards
(3 cards)
1
Q
Extent of involvement
A
- Under Henry VII, JPs were used to tackle corruption, enforce anti-retaining laws, and support royal authority after Bosworth.
- Henry VIII expanded their role to enforce religious reform, collect the 1513 subsidy, and regulate social behaviour.
- Under Edward VI and Mary I, JPs dealt with reformation instability, enforcing religious shifts and public order.
- By Elizabeth I’s reign, JPs were tasked with enforcing the 1598 Poor Laws, managing grain shortages, and regulating prices.
- Numbers grew from ~25 per county under Wolsey to 50–60 by 1603.
2
Q
Effectiveness
A
- JPs were key to maintaining royal authority, particularly during the economic crises of the 1590s, when their intervention prevented rebellion by managing grain supply and vagrancy.
- Their local standing helped them gain compliance from their communities while still acting on behalf of the Crown.
3
Q
Breadth of impact
A
- Operated nationally and continuously, unlike councils or statutes that were limited or temporary.
- Crucial to all essay endings: they enforced policy (control), sustained order (authority), implemented laws (governance), and mediated between Crown and communities (cooperation).
