The Estates of the English Crown, 1558–1640

ThiscollectionofessaysisthefirstfullaccountofthelargestestateinearlymodernEngland,againstwhichthefortunesofallotherestatesmaybejudged.PreviousaccountshavetendedtoregardtheCrownlandsasaresourcetobeplunderedbysuccessivemonarchsintimesofneed:muchofthemonasticlandconfiscatedbyHenryVIIIhadbeensoldbythetimeofhisdeath,andtheestateshadmostlybeenliquidatedtomeetthedemandsofexpenditureby1640.Itisnotdeniedintheseessaysthattheestatessufferedfromtheattritionofperiodicsale,buttheestatesarealsoseenasacontinuingenterpriseofcomplexityandsophistication.EachessayisconcernedwiththedialoguebetweentheExchequeranditslocaladministratorsandtenants.ThesuccessandfailureofinitiativeslaunchedbytheExchequerisillustratedbyexamplesdrawnfrommanycommunitiesthroughoutEngland.