ly in recognizances for large sums of money to
ensure future good conduct. Since the king had the authority to
interpret these pledges, they were a formidable check on any
activity which could be considered to be disloyal. The earl of
Kent, whose debts put him entirely at the King's mercy, was bound
to "be seen daily once in the day within the King's house". Henry
also required recognizances from men of all classes, including
clergy, captains of royal castles, and receivers of land. The
higher nobility now consisted of about twenty families. The heavy
fines by the Star Court put an end to conspiracies to defraud,
champerty [an agreement with a litigant to pay costs of litigation
for a share in the damages awarded], livery, and maintenance. The
ties between the nobility and the Justices of the Peace had
encouraged corruption of justice. So Henry appointed many of the
lesser gentry and attorneys as Justices of the Peace. Also he
appointed a few of his councilors as nonresident Justices of the
Peace. There were a total of about thirty Justices of the Peace
per county. Their appointments were indefinite and most remained
until retirement or death. Henry instituted the Yeomen of the
Guard to be his personal bodyguards night and day.

Many bills of attainder caused lords to lose their land to the
King. Most of these lords had been chronic disturbers of the
peace. Henry required retainers to be licensed, which system
lasted until about 1600. Henry was also known to exhaust the
resources of barons he suspected of disloyalty by accepting their
hospitality for himself and his household for an extended period
of time.

Henry built up royal funds by using every available procedure of
government to get money, by maximizing income from royal estates
by transferring authority over them from the Exchequer to
knowledgeable receivers, and from forfeitures of land and property
due to attainders of treason. He also personally reviewed all
accounts and initialed every page, making sure that all payments
were made. He regularly ordered all men with an income of 800s.
[40 pounds] yearly from lands or revenue in hand to receive
knighthoods, which were avoided by those who did not want to
fight, or pay a high fee. As a result, the Crown became rich and
therefore powerful.

Henry's Queen, Elizabeth, was a good influence on his character.
Her active beneficence was a counteracting influence to his
avaricious predisposition. When Henry and h