The Parliament of England, 1559-1581This is a comprehensive account of the parliament of early modern England at work, written by the leading authority on sixteenth-century English, constitutional and political history. Professor Elton explains how parliament dealt with bills and acts, discusses the many various matters that came to notice there, and investigates its role in political matters. In the process he proves that the prevailing doctrine, developed by the work of Sir John Neale, is wrong, that parliament did not acquire a major role in politics; that the notion of a consistent, body of puritan agitators in opposition to the government is mere fiction and, although the Commons processed more bills than the House of Lords, the Lords occupied the more important and influential role. Parliament's fundamental function in the government of the realm lay rather in the granting of taxes and the making of laws. The latter were promoted by a great variety of interests - the Crown, the Privy Council, the bishops, and particularly by innumerable private initiators. A very large number of bills failed, most commonly for lack of time but also because agreement between the three partners (Queen, Lords and Commons) could not be reached. |
Contents
THE SOURCES | 3 |
PARLIAMENT IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY | 16 |
THE STRUCTURE OF BUSINESS | 41 |
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE | 43 |
INITIATIVES | 62 |
BILL PROCEDURE | 88 |
Starting a bill | 91 |
Progress | 105 |
Manufactures | 235 |
Trade and shipping | 254 |
Social reform | 262 |
LAW REFORM | 276 |
The courts | 283 |
Process | 288 |
The land law | 292 |
Crime | 299 |
Amendment | 111 |
Failure | 118 |
The royal assent | 123 |
REPEAL AND CONTINUANCE | 131 |
Limitation of time | 134 |
Continuance | 137 |
BILLS AND ACTS | 149 |
SUPPLY | 151 |
QUEEN AND STATE | 175 |
The government of the realm | 191 |
CHURCH AND RELIGION | 198 |
Framework of the Church | 199 |
Reformation | 205 |
Property | 217 |
THE COMMON WEAL | 223 |
Agrarian matters | 229 |
PRIVATE LEGISLATION | 303 |
Naturalization | 309 |
Estate acts | 311 |
Local | 316 |
POLITICS | 319 |
DUTIES AND RIGHTS | 321 |
Privilege | 330 |
Freedom of speech | 341 |
GREAT AFFAIRS | 350 |
Succession | 355 |
Mary Queen of Scots | 374 |
381 | |
385 | |
389 | |
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Common terms and phrases
13 Eliz act of Parliament amendments appear appointed assent bill passed bishops Burghley called Cecil Chancery Church clause clergy clerk CLRO committee concerning copy court Crown debate doubt draft earlier Edward Edward VI Elizabeth enacting England engrossed estates evidence export fact failed bills felony Fleetwood further G. R. Elton Henry VIII Ibid initiative interest issue Journal lands later latitat legislation liberties London Lords Lower House Mary matters Neale Norton occasion once original parchment Parliament parliamentary passage petition political printed private act private bill Privy Council privy councillors problem Proc produced promoted proposed protestant proviso puritan Queen realm reason record reform reign repeal revived second reading seven sessions Speaker speech subsidy succession things third reading Thomas Thomas Cromwell Thomas Norton touching trade tried Tudor Upper House vetoed Walter Mildmay William Lambarde