The Impact of James' Reforms on the Church

Nine out of 24 bishops were now our minions, or would support Archbishop Lord's later reforms. At the same time, James suspended the penal laws against Catholics and moved to control the press. This was in addition a time of widespread economic distress and even famine. The years 1621 to 1623 in particular were hit by a string of bad harvests. In Wales they complained of a failure of the cattle trade and blamed imports from Ireland. Meanwhile, bubonic plague returned with increasing frequency. All of this meant the arrival of what has been termed the last famine in England, Wales. Historians have questioned whether people actually died from this famine and much argument has taken place. It seems clear