To What Extent Was Cromwell Responsible For Expansions
To What Extent Was Cromwell Responsible For Expansions And Effectiveness Of Government Between 1530 and 1539?
The most influential and controversial thesis concerning Cromwell's role in the revolution in government in the 1530s was Elton's 'The Tudor Revolution in Government'. In this work, Elton asses Cromwell "as the most remarkable revolutionary in English history.". Elton argued that Cromwell seized the unique opportunity presented by Henry VIII's martial problems to turn England into a unified, independent sovereign state, ruled by a constitutional monarch through national and bureaucratic institutions. This is certainly true to an extent however it could be argued that these changes were reactionary measures taken by Cromwell rather than as part of the intimated pre-conceived plan on Cromwell's behalf. Thus from the outset that there are two sides to Elton's argument and in answering the question I shall take all aspects of government in turn and analyse the revolution or evolution they went through and to what degree these were of Cromwell's doing.
The reform of the Privvy Council has been described by Gunn as the "cornerstone of the revolution in government". In 1530 we see a departure from the mediaeval system of council as used by both Henry's father and Richard III. During the reigns of both of these Kings, the council usually numbered about 200 members with seven or eight professional councillors conducting daily business. However as a reactionary measure to the Pilgrimage of Grace, the council was reformed with twenty permanent members alone retaining their position in that council and it was intended that these members would all be present at meetings conducting royal affairs. These councillors were "elected and chosen by Henry". The appointments of both the Earl of Norfolk and Charles Brandon, Earl of Suffolk, seem indicative of a politically and religiously conservative council. These facts obviously take responsibility for these changes away from Cromwell.
The importance of the executive Privvy Council is that it gave drive and continuity to royal government owing to the stability of its membership - no longer did the impetus need to come from the monarch or chief minister. This would be particularly important after Cromwell's downfall in the 1540s, when Henry did not allow another Cromwell to emerge and his powers were failing, and even more after 1547 when Edward VI was a boy, succeeded by two women. The Privvy Council took over responsibility for the executive. It had certainly taken over the management of the day-to-day business on behalf of the monarch by Elizabeth's reign, but it is most doubtful that this occurred in the 1530s or that Cromwell planned it.
Several other objections have been raised to Elton's assessment of the development of the Privvy Council. Elton argued that Cromwell was able by "the reorganisation of the haphazard medieval Council into a more formally constituted board of government; and by the promotion of the principal secretary (himself)" to get himself appointed the chief executive and co-ordinating minister. Rather than judging it to be part of Cromwell's plan to revolutionise the government of the state, some have seen it as a move that was championed by his opponents as a way of limiting his power. Their argument is that ...
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Several other objections have been raised to Elton's assessment of the development of the Privvy Council. Elton argued that Cromwell was able by "the reorganisation of the haphazard medieval Council into a more formally constituted board of government; and by the promotion of the principal secretary (himself)" to get himself appointed the chief executive and co-ordinating minister. Rather than judging it to be part of Cromwell's plan to revolutionise the government of the state, some have seen it as a move that was championed by his opponents as a way of limiting his power. Their argument is that the leading courtiers who resented Cromwell's dominance of events imagined that a properly constituted Privvy Council system would ensure that they were involved in all decision making processes. They claim that Cromwell did his best to limit the effectiveness of the new arrangements by keeping control of key activities in his own hands rather than passing them over to permanent officials who should have been employed to 'service' the council. Despite this one could argue that although ultimately not of his doing, Cromwell can be seen as someone who furthered the evolution of the council in the 1530s.
The evolution of the system of finances is also worthy of attention. Cromwell acted as an informal administrator in the mediaeval house position as Master of the Jewel House. Elton argues that from this position Cromwell was able to implement changes; " Government and administration were transformed by the creation of a complex bureaucratic system eventually comprising and separate revenue counts to manage the royal finances." However these changes were largely ad hoc and the measures were by no means permanent as in Mary's reign finances are again reformed. Many features of mediaeval financial management remained such as the Coffers still being located in the King's own bedchamber. This a recurrent theme of financial policy in the 1530s, in that although not many new bodies were established the existing ones were forced to accept modern methods of work. The chamber of the Exchequer, the Court of 1st Fruit and Tenths, Court of Augmentations and the Duchy of Lancaster were all ordered to keep detailed written records after 1537. I would thus agree with Davies when he said that; "Cromwell appears to have been the last statesman to proliferate new developments on mediaeval principles." Thus I would argue that despite very little infrastructure of finance being changed, those changes in protocol were to a large extent, the work of Cromwell in the 1530s. Elton's theory on the subject is exaggerated but I agree in principal with the notion that Cromwell was key in the coming about of these changes to royal finances.
With regard to the King's Household, Elton exaggerated the extent to which 'normal' mediaeval government was centred on the household - e.g. the chamber finance of Edward IV and Henry VIII was an emergency measure, part of the rebuilding of royal power after the breakdown of the 1450s and 60s. By Henry's own reign, with the successful restoration of royal authority, household government was less necessary. Elton's revolution theory is that the role of the household was diminished by the creation of individual departments acting in the King's interests rather than on his personal command in every matter. The King's Privvy Chamber at the heart of the household continued to play a pivotal role in government in 1530s. This is shown by Cromwell's powerful influence derived from household positions such as Master of the Jewel House and his utilisation of this to influence personnel appointments within the house. Indeed Cromwell used informal, personal methods instead of bureaucratic methods e.g. revenue court was not established to administer First Fruit and Tenths, to ensure direct access. As Guy said "Cromwell was only an informal national treasurer". Thus we can see that Cromwell is pivotal in the development of the Henrician Household.
Another key aspect of government revolution was the dramatic extension of royal power throughout the kingdom. Mediaeval aspects of royal authority still lingered still in Henry's reign, however during the 1530s the vats majority of these disappeared. A good example was the realm of Prince-Bishops, Durham. Since the days of Edward II, the city had its own palatinate. However this centuries old phenomena was abolished by Cromwell in 1536. In the same year the Act of Union was passed essentially putting a formal entrenched union between England and Wales. To maintain order and enforce royal prerogative in the area, the Council of the marches was set up under Cromwell's and Henry's instruction. (An identical decree was issued concerning Calais and there too a council was set up to enforce royal authority). In the North, the Ricardian Council of the North was re-established, again this can be seen as a direct reaction to the Pilgrimage of Grace, an attempt to re-establish royal rule North of the Trent. The Council of the West was inaugurated in 1539, after the Marquis of Exeter was attainted in 1538, leaving a power vacuum in the region. Sir John Russell became its Lord President, however the council like that of the North was disbanded in the 1540s. This fact alone would suggest that this aspect of government revolution was driven by Cromwell and that without his force, extension of royal authority in this manner in England was unsustainable.
However in Ireland before the 1530s, English influence was confined to the Pale & the Anglo-Irish earldoms. Complete conquest was financially impossibly but in the 1530s an attempt was made to manage Ireland more effectively. Previously Henry had followed his father's policy of ruling through Kildare, Gerald Fitzgerald. Above all this was cheap, an outsider like Surrey in 1520s, lacked men and money, however Henry's support for Kildare's rival led to deep mistrust. In 1534 the Kildares rebelled against Cromwell's replacement for Gerald Fitzgerald, by an Englishman. This revolt was had huge financial costs but from then Cromwell established direct rule through a Lord Deputy. He placed a garrison in the Pale, and revived the Irish parliament to pass laws to effect the Reformation. This mirrored his work in Wales and Calais. S.G. Ellis concludes that "The transition from aristocratic delegation to direct rule was successfully effected by Cromwell." Thus it can clearly be seen that Cromwell was massively responsible for the extension of royal authority in the 1530s,(and thus Elton's theory can be seen as accurate with regard to Cromwell's role) though the effectiveness of these reforms are thrown into doubt by the fact that most of these measures had ceased to grow in significance after his fall in 1540.
Much is also made of the changing status of Parliament during the 1530s. In the outset the key point to mention is that all statutes from 1250-1509 cover 1092 pages; those from Henry's reign occupy 1032 pages alone! Parliaments were called whenever the king required. Henry's parliaments were fairly tame, meeting irregularly not daring to attack royal ministers or put controls on taxation. However parliament was the only way to enact the break with Rome and in the process its prestige grew in the process. Reformation acts removed any limit on power of statute; Parliament gained the power to deal with spiritual matters; it overrode property rights on a massive scale. Cromwell devoted far more attention to the management of parliament than any other minister, to ensure its acceptance of royal policy; he discouraged known critics & encouraged supporters of royal policy; prepared propaganda pamphlets; held the first by-elections to fill vacancies. The success of Cromwell's effort is shown by the passage of legislation through the 1530s. Through his mastery and manipulation of the workings of parliament, Cromwell was able to cause as Elton described it the "development of constitutional monarchy". Personally I believe constitutional monarchy to be hyperbole, however there is a definite Cromwell led movement away from mediaeval towards modern use of parliament.
By looking at these aspects of government change in the 1530s, I would argue that, Cromwell for the most part was implementer of the King's will, yet with certain issues, Cromwell was the architect of the revolution in government during the 1530s. His dominance over parliament, the manipulation of his household positions and his magnificent extension of royal power made his rise to power unstoppable. However his own mistakes would lose Cromwell his life even at the height of his influence and remit. Elton's thesis on Cromwell's involvement and role are largely exaggerated, however the thesis in principal is accurate in that whether through execution of the King's will or his won personal pre-conceived plans, Cromwell was hugely responsible for this revolution in government.
T. Clough U6TDA A2 History Mrs. Wilde
