Who was Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset?

Genuine Humanitarian who wanted to help the poor?

• his campaign against enclosure (he was the head of the Enclosure Commission 1548/9) earned him the title "Good Duke"
• Vagrancy Act 1547 - Sunday collections in Parish churches went towards erecting cottages for impotent poor as well as making arrangements for beggar children - training them for honest callings and appealing for public work programmes
• reigned in Treason Act and guarenteed people more freedoms
• tried to win over rebels (Ketts Rebelion 1549) with pardons before using force
• good to enemies / adversaries (sent his own doctor to care for Gardiner when he was ill in the Tower of London)
• first English ruler to prohibit duels, made no use of torture and ensured people seen as witches did not have to face the full extent of the law
• established court of requests in his own home to give justice to the poor - he also promised to bring Parliament forward be 1 month so they could bring forward a bill of complaints

Arrogant and self-seeking, stubborn and wouldn`t heed government advice, showed minimal interest in social reform?

• poor attitude to government / administration - ignoring the council and ideas that weren`t his own…