Government under Wolsey

  Legal reforms:

Wolsey was responsible for overseeing the English legal system. He planned to make the legal system more fair and by 1516, he was already planning reforms. Wolsey disliked the use of common law, which was based on precedent cases, and instead promoted civil law, basing legal decisions on natural justice and evidence.

Henry VII established the Star Chamber, but only used it around 12 times a year. Wolsey increased this to 120 cases a year under Henry VIII, trying nobles and locals for abusing their power. Poor people were encouraged by Wolsey to bring their complaints to court, which gave him a repuation of being "a friend to the poor" . Wolsey also used the Court of Requests to hear cases from the poor. This was popular because cases were reached quickly and the cost was low.

Financial reforms:

Wolsey realised that the existing forms of finance could no longer be exploited. Parliamentary grants were a form of finance which were based on fifteenths and tenths, and had a fixed sum, so the amount raised was unlikely to…