Luminarium Encyclopedia: The Council of the North

THE COUNCIL OF THE NORTH (1st Establishment) was set up by Richard III as the "King's Council in the North" in 1483/4. It was a court of justice, whose purpose was to oversee the governing of Yorkshire and the North of England. It had jurisdiction directly from the King to "hear, examine, and order all bills of complaint", and to maintain peace in the North from all "riots, forcible entries, distress-takings, variance, debates, and other misbehaviours against our laws and peace committed and done in the said parts."¹ The Council had to meet at least once every quarter and consisted of the Earl of Lincoln, a Lieutenant, several Councillors, and a Secretary, who was in charge of all the letters and papers issuing from the Council, as well as of keeping records of the proceedings. The Council was a court of law in both criminal and civil cases, using Common Law methods of questioning and determining. The Council had, however, no authority to determine matters of land.

¹ Reid, 62.

Source:
Jokinen, Anniina. "Council of the North (1st Establishment)."
         Luminarium Encyclopedia.
         11 Apr 2009. [Date you accessed this resource].
         <https://www.luminarium.org/encyclopedia/councilofnorth.htm>

THE COUNCIL OF THE NORTH (2nd Establishment) was instituted in 1536 by Henry VIII, originally for the purpose of trying persons connected with the Pilgrimage of Grace. The court was held at York, and had jurisdiction over all the counties north of the Humber. Long after all traces of the insurrection had disappeared the court remained, and was one of the illegal jurisdictions revived and made instruments of oppression under the earlier Stuarts. It took the place in the north of the Star Chamber in the rest of England, and could inflict any punishment short of death. It was abolished by the Long Parliament in 1641.

Source:
The Dictionary of English History. Sidney J. Low and F. S. Pulling, eds.
London: Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1910. 768.

Other Local Resources:

Books on the Council of the North:

Reid, Rachel Robertson. The King's Council in the North.
London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1921.

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