By 1610, there had developed in the House of Commons an opposition
to feudal tenures, purveyance, wardships, and impositions (special
import and export duties on aliens set by the king without the
consent of Parliament that were supposed to be for the purpose of
regulating trade instead of for revenue). There was also a call
for free speech and an end to the King's habit at the end of
Parliament of imprisoning for a time those who had been too
outspoken. The Commons also asserted itself into foreign affairs
by expressing an opinion against a treaty proposed by the king on
which war could ensue. The treaty was abandoned. In London,
organized groups such as the apothecaries, the skinners, and the
grocers, were circulating printed statements of their cases to
members of committees of the House of Commons rather than just
seeking out a friendly Privy Council member. In 1621, the protests
made to committeemen about monopolies sold by James frightened him
into canceling many of them. He had made many grants against
competition in violation of law. The right of the Commons to expel
a member was asserted by the expulsion of a monopolist. By 1629,
the speeches of prominent members and the course of proceedings
were copied by stationers and sold in a weekly news report.
The King's Privy Council dealt constantly with foreign affairs,
and also with the great companies, and problems arising such as
gold leaving the country, the Dutch ships increased efficiency in
transporting goods, the declining market for English cloth,
strikes in the mining industry, decaying harbor works, the quality
of food and drink, the wrongs done to the poor, and above all, the
general peace and order.
Pages:
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738