Edward VI

Edward VI and Northumberland

	John Dudley (1502-53) was the son of Edmund Dudley, Henry VII's unpopular minister who had been executed by Henry VIII in 1510.
	John had become a Privy Councilor to Henry VIII in 1546 and been given command of the campaign against Boulogne (1547). He was an able military commander, who had played an important part in defeating the Scots at Pinkie in 1547 and the Norfolk rebels in 1549.

Northumberland's administration

	The role of the Privy Council grew further under Northumberland. It supervised all the operations of government as well as deciding the main outlines of policy and issuing proclamations.
	In 1550 a new office - that of Lord Lieutenant - was introduced with responsibility for "suppressing of any commotion, rebellion, or unlawful assembly". In order to increase central government's power in the localities, sheriffs, JPs, mayors etc. were all to be answerable to the Lord Lieutenant in case of disturbances such as those of 1549.

Sir Thomas Gresham
(1519-79)

Northumberland committed financial policy to an unusually competent group of administrators. William Paulet, Marquis of Winchester (Lord Treasurer from 1550 to 1572) headed a team of career bureaucrats, including William Cecil, Sir Walter Mildmay and Sir Thomas Gresham.

These ministers began to overhaul the financial institutions of English government. A commission directed by Mildmay in the period to 1554 devised and introduced a series of reforms to rationalize Exchequer proceedings, and streamline the courts of revenue. (The Courts of Wards and the Duchy of Lancaster - scheduled for abolition - persuaded Mary Tudor to preserve their existence).

The same team began the long process of restoring the value of the coinage. Northumberland issued one final debased set of coins, but the large issue of 1551 to 1553 consisted of fine silver.

Because the base coins were not recalled, currency problems continued, especially as population pressure continued to produce inflation.

Northumberland and religion

Martin Bucer
(1491-1551)

Paul Fagius
(1504-49)

Edward VI was eager for Reformation, and Northumberland quickly identified himself with the Protestant cause.

John Hooper - an advocate of Genevan Protestantism was nominated to be be Bishop of Gloucester (July 1550) but refused to wear the official vestments for his consecration. This was a precursor of the vestiarian controversy that was to dog the English Church in one form or another for two centuries. (After lengthy arguments, Hooper was eventually consecrated, March 1551).

Another enthusiastic Protestant - the Scotsman, John Knox - found safety in Newcastle. The German Reformer, Martin Bucer retreated from the Catholic reaction that followed the Interim of Augsburg, and helped Thomas Cranmer draw up a new Prayer Book.

Other Protestant exiles, such as the Hebraist Paul Fagius, and the Italian Reformer Peter Martyr Vermigli also found refuge at English universities.

	The Prayer Book of 1552 was firmly Protestant in its doctrines, but it retained many ceremonies that fervent Reformers believed to be the "dregs of Popery". The new Prayer Book was legally adopted by Parliament in April 1552.
	In 1553, a new statement of Doctrine - the Forty-Two Articles - was drawn up by Cranmer and ratified by Edward VI and Convocation. The doctrines propounded had gone beyond those of Luther to the views of Calvin and Zwingli.
	A panel that included as many lay as clerical members was created to reform canon law. It drew up an outline of ecclesiastical law entitled Reformatio legum ecclesiasticarum, but this was never ratified.
	England's population largely complied with Edward's reformation as it had with Henry's. In some areas, such as Yorkshire, there seems to have been positive enthusiasm for Protestant ideas; in others, such as Lancashire, they faced an uphill struggle.

Northumberland and the economy

	The social and economic problems that had beset Somerset continued under Northumberland.
	England' wool and cloth exports collapsed in 1551, largely because of price rises. In 1552, and Act was passed regulating the manufacture of wool to try and encourage trade.

A new epidemic spread in England - the "sweating sickness". This unknown disease killed its victims very rapidly.
An Act of 1552 tried to prevent speculation in food stuffs, but to very little effect.

The ploughman and the dance of death

Parliament (apparently independently of Northumberland's government) also ineffectually tried to prohibit usury (lending money at interest):

"Forasmuch as usury is by the word of God utterly prohibited, as a vice most odious and detestable, as in divers places of the Holy Scriptures it is evident to be seen, which thing by no godly teachings and persuasions can sink into the hearts of divers greedy, uncharitable, and covetous persons of this realm, nor yet, by any terrible threatenings of God's wrath and vengeance…''

(Preamble to the Act against usury, 1552)

Northumberland's foreign policy

Henry II
(King of France, 1547-59)

Francis I had died in 1547 and been succeeded by his son, Henry II.

Northumberland inherited a war with France, but one of his first steps was to make peace. In 1550, England surrendered Boulogne for monetary compensation and withdrew from Scotland. Edward abandoned all claim to marry Mary, Queen of Scots.

	Northumberland had little choice but to align himself with France. England was in no position to wage war. The Holy Roman Empire was ruled by Charles V, who was utterly hostile to Northumberland's policies - the promotion of Protestantism and marginalization of his cousin, Princess Mary.
	From 1554, Mary of Guise (James V's widow) was regent in Scotland, and French troops took up residence. The projected marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots and Francis (eldest son of Henry II and heir apparent) made it seem possible that Scotland would become a French province.