WHAT WAS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CAUSES OF THE KETT'S REBELLION?

Impact of enclosure

Enclosure = closing of common land, aimed to create larg profits from landd, South East and Midlands, areas used for sheep farming
Most vulnerable = copyhold tenants and landless
1489 - attempts to pass and Act of Parliament to regulate it
1517 - Wolsey issued commission of inquiry into illegal enclosures
1533 - Sheep and Farms Act, number of sheep per farmer = 2400, engrossing allowed on maximum of 2 farms
Mar-Nov 1549 - tax on sheep introduced
Increased entry fines - economic pressure on tenants

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Commonwealth-man = often politicians, clegymen, interllectuals, strong reformer faith
Saw enclosure as source of poverty, unemployment and vagrancy
1540s - govt. officials John Hales, writer Robert Crowley and Bishoop of Worcester Hugh Latimer = wrote and preached about need for social reform and need to control enclosure
Aim = Godly commonwealth
Somerset influenced by them - rebels could hear and understand ideas
Poverty cause = population growth
1525-1551 - populations increase from 2.3 million to 3 millon
Greater demand for food, increased prices, more pressure on land
1547 Vagrancy Act = punished vagrants
Poor harvests in 1545 and 1549 caused food shortage
Increase in European wool and cloth market - more sheep farming
Debasement of coinage = meets costs of war with France and Scotland in 1540s.

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Passes private Parliamentary bill = protected copyholders on own estates from enclosure
Appointed John Hales to oversee govt. reform - 1548-9 = tried to introduce bills encouraging socio-economic reform but failed
Introduced new tax on sheep in 1549
Issue commissions = inquire into illegal enclosures, no power to take them down
June 1548 = only 1 commission went ahead in Midlands, included Hales - little evidence
Somerset = direct action, ordered ploughing up of them including estates of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk and Earl of Warwick
April 1549 - new enclosure commissions
Alienated gentry and nobility
Commons saw Somerset as the 'Good Duke'
Isolated from lanted elites and encouraged rebellion

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