‘Addled Parliament’

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‘Addled Parliament’ (5 April–7 June 1614). The second Parliament of James I was bedevilled by rumours that certain members had undertaken to manage the crown's business, to ensure a positive outcome. Suspicion that their freedom of debate was thereby being undermined added to members' fears that James, by levying impositions, would be rich enough to rule without Parliament. James took his stand on the 1606 legal judgment in favour of impositions, but the Commons insisted that the judges had acted ‘above their commission’. Deadlock ensued, and James therefore dissolved Parliament before any bills were passed.

Roger Lockyer