Source Question Essay Compare these sources as evidence for the breakdown of law and order in 1549 In 1549,

despite numerous attempts to control law and order in England, the country drifted into a major crisis. Both source A and B can be used as evidence for the breakdown of law and order in 1549. Over the course of time some of the most famous events have been revolutions. These include religious, social and government revolutions which are not only renowned because of the drastic changes in society that they cause but because of their famous leaders who, either inspiring or famously arrogant, have made a mark in our minds. There are large debates however to who are the main pivots of certain revolutions. Out of the five sources, source B is the only primary source. This could suggest that it is more reliable than the other sources as Paulet wouldnt have read anything to make him change his mind. In source B Paulet states that the kings revenue is all spent by Cromwell which supports the view that Cromwell oversaw a Tudor revolution in government as it suggests that Cromwell made the decisions on what to spend the kings revenue on. Paulet also states that Cromwell looks as if he rules the roost which partly supports the idea that he oversaw a revolution because it suggests that he thought that he was in charge. However, this also goes against the idea because Paulet states that it was as if he was in charge, not that he actually was. This suggests that Cromwell didnt actually oversee a Tudor revolution in government but he simply thought that he did. The title of Smiths book: The Government of Elizabethan England suggests that not only that the Tudor period outside Smiths area of expertise but the Tudor period was not what he meant to focus on in this particular book. This is supported in the source as Smith states the Tudor period did not represent a vital stage in the development. This therefore may reduce Smiths credibility and precision in the eyes of the reader. In source A AGR Smith writes during the years 1500 to 1600 control of policy remained undoubtedly in the hands of the crown. This goes against the view that Cromwell oversaw a Tudor revolution in government as it suggests that Henry VIII was in complete control of policy. Out of the five sources, source C seems to be the only one that agrees with the view that Cromwell oversaw a Tudor revolution in government. From my own knowledge I know that the Tudor revolution in government was Eltons first major work and was one of the first to not portray Cromwell as devious or cynical but as the most remarkable revolutionary in English history. It is therefore not a surprise that Elton states that Cromwell was behind this deliberate and profound reforming activity, which is basically stating that Cromwell did oversee a Tudor revolution in government. He also stated that Cromwell effectively displayed the emergence of the bureaucrat in government, In source D BW Beckinsale seems to disagree with the idea that Cromwell oversaw a Tudor revolution in government. He states that Cromwell did not reorganise the bureaucracy and was just an improver and exploiter of what already existed. From my own knowledge I

agree with this as I feel that Cromwell didnt make that much of a difference in Tudor government but simply improved it. It could also be argued however that any change is a revolution and that Cromwell did oversee a revolution in Tudor government. Beckinsale states that Cromwells new institutions the Court of Augmentations and the Council of the West didnt survive for very long. This seems like an argument against the idea of a Tudor revolution in government but it could be argued that a revolution doesnt have to be successful to be called a revolution. In source E it is presumed that the English court is an area of expertise for Starkey as the title of the book where the extract is taken from is The English Court: from the Wars of the Roses to the Civil War. In the extract Starkey doesnt once mention Cromwells name and states Henry remodelled both Council and Chamber. This doesnt support the view that Cromwell oversaw a Tudor revolution in government as it suggests that Cromwell wasnt important and that Henry did all the work. Starkey even disagrees wholly that there even was a revolution; he states there was no revolution in government, nor even an evolution in politics. In terms of dates, source c, the extract from Eltons the Tudor Revolution in government, could be seen as the weakest source in terms of reliability because it was the first to be written (as a secondary source) and therefore didnt have the same amount of resources and evaluations as the other three secondary sources did. However, source c is the only source to refer directly to the title a Tudor revolution in government which suggests that Elton was the historian with the most expertise to write about the Tudor revolution in government. Overall, I feel that most of the sources dont support the view that Cromwell oversaw a Tudor revolution in government.