By thus ruling alone for a large part of the time, Henry got the management of affairs into his own hands, and transmitted the power to those who came after him.  In this way the Tudors with their successors, the Stuarts, built up a system of “personal sovereignty”—­ or “one-man power”—­unchecked by constitutional restraints.  It continued for a hundred and fifty years, when the outbreak of the great Civil War brought it to an end forever.

329.  Growth of a Stronger Feeling of Nationality.

It would be an error, however, to consider this absolutism of the Crown as an unmitigated evil.  On the contrary, it was in one important direction an advantage.  There are times when the great need of a people is not more individual liberty, but greater national unity.  Spain and France were two countries consisting of a collection of petty feudla states.  Their nobility were always trying to steal each other’s possessions and cut each other’s throats.

But the rise in each country of a royal despotism forced the turbulent barons to make peace, and to obey a common central law.  By this means both realms ultimately developed into great and powerful kingdoms.

When the Tudors came to the throne, England was still full of rankling hate engendered by the Wars of the Roses (S299).  Held down by the heavy hand of Henry VII, and later, by the still heavier one of Henry VIII, the country learned the same salutary lesson of growth under repression which had benefited Spain and France.

Henceforth Englishmen of all classes no longer boasted that they belonged to the Yorkist or the Lancastrian faction (S300), but began to pride themselves on their loyalty to Crown and country, and their readiness to draw their swords to defend both.[1]

[1] But the passage of Poyning’s Act (1494) in Ireland prohibited the Irish Parliament from passing any law which did not receive the sanction of the English Council.  This act was not repealed until 1782.

330.  Henry’s Methods of raising Money; the Court of Star Chamber.

Henry’s reign was in the interest of the middle classes,—­the farmers, tradesmen, and mechanics.  His policy was to avoid heavy taxation, to exempt the poor from the burdens of state, and so ingratiate himself with a large body of the people.

In order to accomplish this, he revived “benevolences” (SS307, 313), and by a device suggested by his chief minister, Cardinal Morton, and hence known and dreaded as “Morton’s Fork,” he extorted large sums from the rich and well-to-do.[2]

[2] Those whose income from land was less than $2, or whose movable property did not exceed 15 pounds (Say 150 pounds and $1125 now), were exempt.  The lowest rate of assessment for the “benevolences” was fixed at twenty pence on the pound on land, and half that rate on other property.