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Select three major problems faced by either the Elizabethan or Stuart Government. Show how they were tackled. How effective, in each example was the government, in achieving it’s aims.
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During the Stuart period in England, it was a time of great change and conflict, largely due to influential members of the governing class. Charles I’s rule from 1625 – 29 was epitomised this perfectly. As a monarch was often influenced by conflicting members of parliament who thought that ‘they knew best’. As quoted by historian M.G.R Graves, “the difficulties with the commons were due to a few ‘turbulent and ill-affected spirits’ who ‘mask and disguise their wicked intentions, dangerous to the State’. ‘Some few vipers were upsetting the good intentions of the wise and moderate men of that house’.” Such vipers were namely members of Parliament like, Earl of Bristol (Buckingham’s enemy) who tried to take a seat in parliament, Thomas Wentworth, whose intentions were to promote ‘good’ government , when in actual fact, he turned out to be one of those little ‘niggling backstabbers’ who played all friendly but in actual fact just wanted to wriggle money out of parliament. A selfish man whose underlying goals were to get what he could out of parliament and the court for his personal needs and desires. Others included John Pym, Sir John Eliot, Sir Dudley Digges and Denzil Holles. These men were young, determined, uncompromising puritans. Charles was not that successful in oppressing such members of parliament and they continued to cause ongoing conflict throughout his reign. Charles’ first parliament met in June 1625. The reason for this parliament was substantially due to money issues. But things did not seem to work out from the start for poor Charles. The commons voted a mere £140,000 to Charles. The worst was yet to come because the commons only granted tunnage and poundage (customs duties for one year only) This would prove a major downfall economy wise in the future because Charles saw it fit to levy tunnage and poundage illegally as a way of improving his finances.
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