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Early Modern England Encyclopedia
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The Privy Council was (and remains today) a government body that advises the English monarch and acts as the administrative center of the British government. In early modern England, the Council advised the Crown on a wide variety of areas, including religion, economics, military decisions, the monarch’s security, and general welfare of the realm. The group could be convened to handle issues of any magnitude, from national security to daily concerns of the citizens.
The Privy Council was chosen personally by the monarch, and upon Queen Elizabeth I’s ascent to the throne, she changed the Council significantly. Under her predecessor, Queen Mary, the Council had been comprised of 50 members, but Elizabeth I reduced the group to 19 members. Queen Elizabeth I kept her council at approximately the same size throughout her reign, although by the time of her death in 1603 the council had shrunk to only 13 members.
The most important members of the Privy Council were the Lord Treasurer, Lord Chancellor, Lord Privy Seal, and the Secretary of State. Elizabeth initially kept several members of her Catholic sister’s Council, most notably William Herbert, the first Earl of Pembroke (1501–1570). The Earl had served on the Council under the previous three monarchs, and Elizabeth retained his services as his power and legacy served her.
The Queen also chose members from across social and religious groups, aiming to represent the differing factions in her divided kingdom. Though this group was divided on many issues, Elizabeth I encouraged them to work together for the best interests of the realm, telling them to focus their efforts on the good of the state instead of her personal desires.
Members were mainly Protestants, such as Elizabeth’s most trusted advisor, William Cecil (1520–1598). Cecil was Queen Elizabeth’s Secretary of State and her chief advisor until his death. Other members came from across the social strata, including nobility, gentry, and business. However, Elizabeth dismissed many members of the clergy, leaving few religious leaders in her Privy Council. Through this move, she demonstrated the new focus she asked of her council, moving away from religion and toward secular concerns.
The Council had the power to issue proclamations in the Queen’s name. However, Elizabeth’s choice to diversify her Privy Council gave her power over their decisions; if they disagreed, the Queen was the ultimate authority called in to choose the winning side. Among other strengths, this policy helped Queen Elizabeth stay unmarried, as the Council could never decide on a suitable husband for her. As such, the queen was able to avoid marriage entirely.
During Elizabeth’s reign, the Privy Council met often. At the beginning of her reign, the group met four times a week, and, by her death, they met daily. Members delegated much of their work to their male secretaries. William Cecil was the queen’s first Secretary of State and her most trusted advisor; he was eventually succeeded by his son, Robert Cecil. The Secretary of State was mostly intended to advise the Queen, oversee law and order, defend the country against plots, and work on general security. Under William Cecil, for example, Sir Francis Walsingham created a large spy network in order to defend the realm against foreign powers.
Members of the Privy Council also served as part of a court called the Star Chamber that had existed outside English Common Law since 1487. Privy Councilors were assisted variously by chief justices of the realm, members of the House of Lords, and barons (judges) of the Exchequer. This specially convened court dealt widely with many crimes including fraud, libel, slander, forgery, land disputes, wills and testaments, and even trade disputes. It could proceed on the basis of rumor, did not use a jury system, and could use torture to obtain confessions. However, it could not impose execution as a penalty, but it could refer cases to the Assizes, which were quarterly courts that occurred in areas outside London. The Star Chamber was abolished during the English Civil Wars in 1641 as one of the many abuses present in the monarachy. The Privy Council was revived upon the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 and still functions as an aspect of British governement today.