To what extent do you agree that the Law in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 were the key turning point in increasing royal power in the localities in the years 1485-1603?

Question 1

Laws in Wales Act

Answer 1

• introduced by Henry VIII, marked fundamental shift in crown-local relations
• Wales prev dominated by marcher lordship; powerful nobles e.g. Duke of Buckingham exercised near-autonomous control => undermined the crown
• Acts abolished marcher territories, established eng-style counties + introduced sheriffs, coroners + JPs appointed by the crown
• also gave Welsh counties right to elect MPs to parliament => integrating W. legally, administratively + politically into E system
• extent of involvement - full scale transformation of regional governance
• highly effective in maintaining order - rebellions in W declined significantly after acts, w/o major insurrections emanating from W after Western Rebellion of 1549
• breadth of impact - deep + lasting; W became integrated part of Tudor state + remained throughout period - set precedent for centralisation + uniformity elsewhere

Question 2

JP expansion

Answer 2

• long-term expansion of JP system had even more comprehensive effect across E + W
• JPs = central to administering justice, collecting taxation, enforcing religious conformity + maintaining social order
• responsibilities grew under every monarch + by E reign, tasked with implementing Poor Laws, supervising local grain prices + dealing with misdemeanours + felonies
• extent of involvement - JPs = active in every locality, creating a uniform presence of Crown authority
• consistently effective in maintaining order esp during economic crises of the 1590s (actions likely helped to prevent rebellion)
• breadth of impact - jurisdiction = national + influence increased steadily over time => more permanent + scalable force than even regional legal reforms

Question 3

1513 Subsidy financial control but limited in scope

Answer 3

• 1513 Subsidy under Wolsey marked new phase in Crown’s financial rs w/ localities
• first subsidy to be based on assessed individual income, rather than fixed quotas + required involvement of local commissioners + JPs in assessing taxable wealth
• marked major increase in extent of involvement of local officials in crown affairs
• initially effective in raising funds (bringing over £300k 1515-230 + created new mechanism of cooperation between local elites + royal policy
• BUT breadth of impact = limited; by 1520s, resistance was growing e.g. Amicable Grant crisis 1525 + under E subsidy became largely symbolic + increasingly corrupt
• lacked the permanence + structural depth of the Law in Wales act