The Reign of Henry V (1413-22)

Summary

Overview

The Canterbury convocation was still in being, though it had been prorogued, when Henry IV died on 20 March 1413. As it had been called by a royal writ, it probably should have been dissolved automatically, but this constitutional point was never raised, either then or later. Instead, the convocation reassembled on 6 June and proceeded with its normal business.

As Henry V was waging war in France for most of his reign, the convocations were left pretty much to their own devices, as long as they continued to find sizable sums of money to help finance the campaigns. Henry V's brilliance as a general was such that this was not difficult, and in return the church was given the freedom to pursue its own policies, particularly with respect to the persecution of Lollards, which continued unabated.

In York, royal writs continued to be issued following Canterbury convocations, with a view to extending the subsidy to the north as well. The procedure worked reasonably well, but it is noticeable that an increasingly large number of northern monasteries, not to mention huge tracts of the dioceses of Carlisle and Durham, sought (and were granted) exemption from payment. This was to become an ever more important factor in northern tax assessment and probably meant that actual revenues from the north decreased during the reign, even though the assessed amounts were much higher than they had previously been.

The convocation of 1413 (continued)

Canterbury

The convocation which was prorogued on 18 March 1413, two days before Henry IV's death, reconvened on 6 June. The first item of business was the condemnation of about 300 tracts which had been circulating, presumably on the grounds of Lollardy, although this is not expressly stated. It was originally intended to include the titles in the archbishop's register, but this was never done, and we are left with a blank space instead. The treatises were burnt at Paul's cross, and the convocation moved on to consider a range of clergy grievances.

These were formally proposed on 26 June and consist of twenty-eight items. As recorded in the register, they appear to be more sophisticated than other complaints of this kind in that they are both briefer and more clearly focussed on violations of the canon law.