B.P. Wolffe - The Crown Lands 1461-1536: An Aspect of Yorkist and Early Tudor Government

The reader and the teacher of history might be forgiven for thinking that there are now too many series of historical documents in existence, all claiming to offer light on particular problems and all able to fulfil their claims. At any rate, the general editor of yet another series feels obliged to explain why he is helping one more collection of such volumes into existence.

One purpose of this series is to put at the disposal of the student original materials illustrating historical problems, but this is no longer anything out of the way. A little less usual is the decision to admit every sort of historical question: there are no barriers of time or place or theme. However, what really distinguishes this enterprise is the fact that it combines generous collections of documents with introductory essays long enough to explore the theme widely and deeply. In the doctrine of educationalists, it is the original documents that should be given to the student; in the experience of teachers, documents thrown naked before the untrained mind turn from pearls to paste. The study of history cannot be confined either to the learning up of results without a consideration of the foundations, or to a review of those foundations without the assistance of the expert mind. The task of teaching involves explanation and instruction, and these volumes recognize this possibly unfashionable fact. Beyond that, they enable the writers to say new and important things about their subject matter: to write history of an exploratory kind, which is the only important historical writing there is.

As a result, each volume will be a historical monograph worth the attention which all such monographs deserve, and each volume will stand on its own. While the format of the series is uniform, the contents will vary according to need. Some problems require the reconsideration which makes the known enlighteningly new; others need the attention of original research; yet others will have to enter controversy because the prevailing notions of many historical questions are demonstrably wrong. The authors of this series are free to treat their subject in whatever manner it seems to them to require. They will present some of their evidence for inspection and help the learner to see how history is written, but they will themselves also write history.

G.R.E.

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

1 The significance of the royal demesne in English government before 1461

2 The crown lands in Lancastrian and Early Tudor government: comparisons and contrasts

3 The Yorkist land revenue experiment

4 The Court of General Surveyors and chamber finance under Henry VII

5 The decline of the General Surveyors, 15091536

DOCUMENTS

1 From The Governance of England

2 A lease of lands made by Henry VI, 1447

3 The Act of Resumption, 1450

4 Appropriations for household expenses, 1450

5 A sheriff declares his account, 1451

6 Appropriations for household expenses, 1462

7 John Milewaters account, 14611463

8 The Kings Speech to Parliament, 1467

9 The Act of Resumption, 1467

10 The management of Clarences forfeited lands, 1470

11 The Croyland chronicler on Edward IVs financial policies from 1475

12 Yorkist prohibitions to the Exchequer, 14631484

13 Appointment of a treasurer of the Chamber, 1484

14 Extracts from a signet office docket book, 14831485

15 A prohibition to the Exchequer, 1493

16 The General Surveyors declaration of accounts, 15031504

17 Extracts from the General Surveyors docket book, 15051508

18 Minutes of Henry VIIIs Council advising the abolition of the by-courts, 1509

19 John Heron designated general receiver of the kings revenues (Stat. I Hen. VIII, cap. 3)

20 The Court of General Surveyors absorbed into the Exchequer from June 1510

21 Statutory authority for the General Surveyors and the treasurer of the Chamber (Stat. 3 Hen. VIII, cap. 23)

22 The revenues administered by the General Surveyors (3 valors of 15091515)

23 Extracts from the General Surveyors docket book, 15141537