1. 'The Elizabethan religious settlement (1559-63) was the most important development in
church-state relationships in the years 1485-1603'. - How far do you agree? (2023)
2. 'The role of Secretary was central to Tudor government throughout the years 1485-1603.' -
How far do you agree? (2022)
LoA: disagree
Criteria: secretary was not consistently important throughout the Tudor period, and was
undermined by limits imposed on it, other offices/positions offered equal amounts of power
Para 1 - yes - secretary is important - lots of power under H8 and E1
Cromwell 1534-40 = dominant, control privy seal, royal household, control council meeting
and access H8's personal correspondence, case against Boleyn
Power of Cromwell resulted in the position being split into 2 because he had too much
power - evidences quite how significant the position was if it merited reducing
Cecil 1558-72 = controlled correspondence, kept record of noblemen, Lord Burghley 1571
and treasurer 1572 (had to leave)
Walsingham 1573-90 = spy network, role in subduing revolts and plots - had a force that
could have been used against her if he so wished
(E also had Davison 1586-87 who was a scapegoat for Mary QoS' death - his arrest shows
power of monarch was retained, Robert Cecil 1596-1612 who controlled patronage)
BUT: led to limitations being imposed, not consistently hugely powerful due to the gap of 1540-58
during which the role was split in 2 and/or weaker, ???
Para 2 - no - not important - post split into 2 after Cromwell/limits/administrative role
Position was split into 2 in 1640 to prevent the domination of power seen under Cromwell -
e.g. Wriothesely and Sadler 1540-43, limited influence, many of these men played only
minor roles in the government, e.g. Sir John Bourne (1553-58) or Thomas Wilson (1577-81)
Henry VII - position of Secretary was overwhelmingly administrative in function rather than
central to Tudor government and was mostly held by less important bishops like Oliver King
William Petre (1544-57) held the office of Secretary continuously during the contrasting
reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I, suggesting that the role was more administrative
than central to the conduct of government policy
MOST IMPORTANT: inconsistent importance, undermined
Para 3 - no - not important - other positions were more important
The figure central to government in Henry VIII’s early reign, Thomas Wolsey, never held the
office of Secretary, it being occupied instead by hard-working administrators like Thomas
Routhall (‘Wolsey’s drudge’) and Richard Pace - Wolsey was Lord Chancellor which was
arguably an even more important role - Wolsey played a key role in arranging finance for H8
(Raised £322,099 - compared to 10ths and 15ths which raised £118,000 - , 1525 = 'Amicable
grant') and had replaced the council H7 left to help H8 by 1511.
Thomas Cromwell’s influence in government predated his appointment as Secretary and
derived more from his holding of other positions, e.g. Vicegerent in Spirituals (e.g. role in
closing monasteries/removing pilgrimage and enforcing Protestantism - so powerful that he
was referred to in the rebel demands and there was a court plot against him), Master of the
Rolls and Chancellor of the Exchequer
The offices of Lord Chancellor and Lord Treasurer were commonly more central to Tudor
government than that of the Secretary, and often held by more important men, e.g. John
Morton, Wolsey, Wriothesely, Gardiner and Burghley.
