The Legacy of James I

Religious issues and divisions

1604, conference held at Hampton Court to adress grievances of Puritans.
James rejected calls for abolition of episcopacy.
Anti-Puritan Richard Bancroft was appointed as Archbishop of Canterbury in same year.
James issued Book of Sports in 1618. Angered Purians: allowed nbumber of reactional activies to happen on Sundays, a day that they felt was to be reserved for religious worship and instruction only.
1605, group of Catholic terrorists attempted to blow up parliament and kill James in Gumpoder Plot = increased recusancy fines and general anti-Catholic hysteria.
Both Catholics and Protestants had high hopes of James. Catholics hoped he would be more tolerant to them out of respect for his Catholic mother, Mary Queen of Scots; many Protestants hoped that his upbringing in the Presbyterian Scottish church would encourage him to reform the Church of England further.

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English parliament unlike Scottish = confrontational and independent
English parliament = Bicamral unlike Scotland
Unable to intervene in elections like he could in Scotland
James did not always get on well with his Parliaments. Many MPs disliked his strong belief in ‘divine right’, about which he had written a book in 1598. He also argued with MPs over his desire to bring England and Scotland into a more ‘perfect’ union; many English men were deeply anti-Scottish!
Despite this, James could work reasonably well with Parliament. Although he often spoke dismissively of Parliaments’ rights, he did communicate frequently with them. His son, Charles, would take a very different approach.

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1604 signed Treaty of London - ended war with Spain.
Later attempted to arrange marriage for Charles to Infanta Maria - Spanish Princess
1609 - alliance with France = Catholic but anti-Spanish
1613, arranged marriage for Elizabeth to Frederick V of Palatine
Parliament keen for James to intervene in 30 years war but he was reluctant

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James had inherited a debt of £100,000 from Elizabeth I. James had a family and so the expenses of his court were much higher.
The tax system was old and inefficient.
James was not good at recognising these problems and lived an extravagant life, giving over-generous gifts to friends and ‘favourites’ at court.
James’ court developed a bad reputation for excessive eating and drinking, hunting and general merriment. There are accounts of a masque at court where two of the young actresses were so drunk, they were found vomiting in the hallway when they should have been on stage.
Historians differ over whether the biggest financial problem was James’ own extravagance or more underlying financial problems.
In order to meet his expenses, James had to ask Parliament to grant his money through taxation. This was often a source of tension and disagreement between the MPs and the Crown.
1606 parliament granted him 3 subsidies to help pay off debts
Resorted to selling titles and honours cheaply
Economic depression and poor harvest in early 1620s. Royal debt - £900,000 in 1620 and parliament met 1621 and 1624 = reluctant to grant James subsidies.

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James had inherited a debt of £100,000 from Elizabeth I. James had a family and so the expenses of his court were much higher.
The tax system was old and inefficient.
James was not good at recognising these problems and lived an extravagant life, giving over-generous gifts to friends and ‘favourites’ at court.
James’ court developed a bad reputation for excessive eating and drinking, hunting and general merriment. There are accounts of a masque at court where two of the young actresses were so drunk, they were found vomiting in the hallway when they should have been on stage.
Historians differ over whether the biggest financial problem was James’ own extravagance or more underlying financial problems.
In order to meet his expenses, James had to ask Parliament to grant his money through taxation. This was often a source of tension and disagreement between the MPs and the Crown.
1606 parliament granted him 3 subsidies to help pay off debts
Resorted to selling titles and honours cheaply
Economic depression and poor harvest in early 1620s. Royal debt - £900,000 in 1620 and parliament met 1621 and 1624 = reluctant to grant James subsidies.

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