Great Britain. Privy Council. Acts of the Privy Council of England. Colonial Series.

Location: McKeldin Library
Location Code & Call Number: MCK-PER M-CARD

Great Britain. Privy Council. Acts of the Privy Council of England. Colonial Series.

Description

This collection reproduces the Acts of the Privy Council for the period from 1613 until 1783 (Volumes 1-6).

Microcards are arranged chronologically by volume in the microcard cabinet under the above heading.

The Privy Council was the chief source of executive power in England before the emergence of the cabinet system of government. It developed during the later years of the reign of Henry VIII (1509-1547), when the councillors at the King's side became permanently organized as a "privy council.'' Under the later Stuarts the Council declined in power due to the Stuart policy of working primarily with confidential committees within the council. Following the repeal in 1706 of the clause in the Act of Settlement (1701) which would have compelled all business to pass through the full Privy Council, it rapidly lost its political powers to the Cabinet.

The Colonial Series can also be found in the stacks in hard copy (DA 25 .L3 1966.)

See also: Great Britain. Privy Council. Acts of the Privy Council of England. Vols. 1-43 (1542-1628.)