Secular policy enforcement during the personal rule of Charles I : the administrative work of parish officers in the 1630s
This thesis explores the impact of the Caroline reform policies during the Personal Rule on the organisation, work-load, and morale of parish officers. In addition to suggesting a national approach to the study of local government, it examines the enforcement of the Book of Orders, Ship Money, and the Perfect Militia at the parochial level during the 1630s. The sources employed include the rich correspondence between the Privy Council and county governors (JPs, Sheriffs, Deputy Lieutenants), and all available parish officers' accounts from thirty-nine English counties and corporate towns. It is argued that the pattern of response to national policies was strongly influenced by communal values, and the administrative standards and individual character of local officeholders. The enforcement of the Caroline reform policies depended on their political acceptability and the ability of the Privy Council and county governors to coerce parish officers. While the Book of Orders was generally welcome in the localities, its implementation was adapted to local necessities and the administrative inertia of both JPs and parish officers. The supervision of the enforcement was restricted by the extreme dependency of superiors
LangeluÌddecke, Henrik A.
Caroline reform policies
Secular policy enforcement during the personal rule of Charles I : the administrative work of parish officers in the 1630s. This thesis explores the impact of the Caroline reform policies during the Personal Rule on the organisation, work-load, and morale of parish officers. In addition to suggesting a national approach to the study of local government, it examines the enforcement of the Book of Orders, Ship Money, and the Perfect Militia at the parochial level during the 1630s. The sources employed include the rich correspondence between the Privy Council and county governors (JPs, Sheriffs, Deputy Lieutenants), and all available parish officers' accounts from thirty-nine English counties and corporate towns. It is argued that the pattern of response to national policies was strongly influenced by communal values, and the administrative standards and individual character of local officeholders. The enforcement of the Caroline reform policies depended on their political acceptability and the ability of the Privy Council and county governors to coerce parish officers. While the Book of Orders was generally welcome in the localities, its implementation was adapted to local necessities and the administrative inertia of both JPs and parish officers. The supervision of the enforcement was restricted by the extreme dependency of superiors
secular policy enforcement personal_rule charles administrative work parish officer explores_impact caroline reform policy personal_rule organisation work load morale parish officer addition suggest national study local_government examines enforcement book orders ship money perfect militia parochial level source employ_include rich correspondence privy council county governor deputy available parish officer account thirty english county corporate town argue pattern response national_policy strongly_influence communal value administrative standard individual character_local enforcement caroline reform policy depend political acceptability ability privy council county governor coerce parish officer book orders generally welcome locality implementation adapt local necessity administrative inertia parish officer supervision enforcement restrict extreme dependency superior