James I, Part IIProblems

The CommonersProspects and Problems

FavoritesForeign relations

ReligionFinance − Parliament

Professor Bucholz PPT

James VI & I: Sexuality

-James vigorously denounced sodomy-Displays of affection between men must be looked at according to conventions of the day+In 1582 the excessive affection between 13 year old James and Esmé Stuart was noted+The report of embarrassing behavior described by Professor Bucholz-This report was written during the Civil War when anti-Stuart propaganda was rife

James VI & I: Sexuality

+The French ambassador, Count Leveneur de Tillières, described James’s life as “filthy,” “scandalous,” and “abominable.”-The French were anti-James because of his overtures to Spain+Anonymous writings referred to James and Buckingham as Jupiter and Ganymede

James VI & I: Sexuality

-George Villiers (Buckingham) Villiers was introduced to James by Anne and by George Abbot, archbishop of Canterbury.

Sherborne Castle

The Commoners

• Mostly rural– Mostly farm labor– 2/3 own only their cottage and garden plot

• Urban 8% in London and towns over 5,000– Mostly servants– Opportunity for craftsmen

HousingYeoman/ husbandman Farm Laborer

Heating Fireplace Open hearthVentilation Glass windows Oiled linen windowsMain room Ceiling Open hallSleeping Separate bedroom Multi-purpose room; loftFurnishings Feather beds SheetsFurniture Chairs, some joined work Chest, table, form, Bible

boxTableware Pewter; some silver Wooden trenchers,

spoonsBooks Bible perhaps

Alcock, N. W., and Robert Bearman. "Discovering Mary Arden's House: Property and Society in Wilmcote, Warwickshire." Shakespeare Quarterly 53.1 (2002): 53-82

Glebe Farm, reconstructionMary Arden’s House

Farmhouse, 1609

17th Century style trencher, V&A

Urban conditions

• Rise of crowded suburbs• Poor sanitation• Rapid spread of disease• Poor laws to help deserving poor have been

initiated; financed by parishes using workhouses

Urban area housing (London)

Infant mortality

• Suburban and part rural Clerkenwell and Aldgate270-280/1000 births

• City of London, Cheapside150/1000 births

Some trends and figures for 1600

• Real wages have fallen by about a third during the reign of Elizabeth

• 20% of women never marry; mean age of first female marriage ~25.5 (legal age, 12)

• Average family size is over 5 and population is increasing

• Life expectancy at birth was a little over 35

Religion

Puritan Moderates under Elizabeth

• Ceremony: Emphasized sermons (the preaching of God's word)– Disapproved of clerical vestments, traditional

ceremonies, and stress on the the sacraments as remnants of popish superstition

• (In)Toleration: extremely anti-papist • Theology: Centered on the doctrine of

predestination• The populace: Strict observation of the Lord's Day

(sabbatarianism).

James I and Puritans

• George Abbott, Archbishop of Canterbury (1611-33)

• Reintroduce bishops in Scotland as chairs of presbyteries

• Calvinist• Otherwise general toleration• Puritans remain within the

Church of England

Flavors of Puritans

• Ecclesiastical – opponents of ceremonies derived from Catholicism: Church practice

• Religious – Strict Calvinist• Moral – Strict precisians in conduct• Political – Resistant to dogmatism, Catholics

and conformists: Church structure• Moderate and extremist

Puritans and James I

• 1617 Book of Sports– archery, dancing, "leaping, vaulting, or any other

such harmless recreation” permitted on Sundays– Bull and bear baiting, interludes and ‘common

plays’ forbidden• 1618 Articles of Perth imposed some English

practices on Scotland• 1623 Proposed Spanish match for Charles

SeparatistsRejected reform within the Church of England

Congregationalist organizationGainsborough Scrooby Manor (Brownists)Amsterdam LeidenAdopt adult baptismSome return to England Move to Plymouth, MA

James I Expenditures

1606 Crown debt £735,000– 1603 Royal Clothing £10,000 – 1610 “ “ £36,000– 1607 Debts of three favorites £44,000– Allowance for Prince Henry £25,000

1608 Debt £1,400,000

Financing the Royal Extravagance

• 1606 Impositions– Duties on trade on top of the customs duties– Put into place in 1608. ~£70,000 a year.

1610 The Great Contract

• Allow James to pay off all royal debt. • Allow James to live in the manner that

befitted a king of England. – Royal debt £300,000; – For Royal Navy £150,000 – Contingency fund £150,000 – For a suitable lifestyle £200,000 (later asked for

£240,000)

Concessions

• James would give up feudal rights except wardships– Would add wardships for another £200,000;

Commons offered £100,000• Ask MPs to go back to their constituencies for

their opinions– Came back with concern about impositions

Customs ‘Farming’

• Lease out the administration of Custom fees in return for an annual rent.

• Participants earn a profit.• Crown uses this as a current account.• Raise £112,400/year