Somerset's Modus Operandi

Somerset had was a difficult person to get along with because he was very aloof. He frequently ignored advice from his supporters and from the Privy Council, particularly Paget, and in doing so isolated himself from his political allies. Somerset's wife was thought to be obnoxious and she encouraged his extravagance and arrogance.

He has been accused of stealing £14,000 worth of silver bullion from Henry VIII on his deathbed. Whilst the veracity of this accusation is doubted by many, he certainly appropriated the title of the Duke of Somerset for himself.

He bulit himself a palace, Somerset Place (now known as Somerset House) which was fit for a prince, extravagance in rulers was the norm at the time, and began to hold his own personal court there using his household servants to administer royal government.
Even though he had been elected as "primus inter pares" within the Privy Council, Somerset began to rule as a monarch in his own right; using the seal of the Privy Council whenever he wished and even minuting meetings which never took place. However, this autocratic approach meant that Somerset had individual responsibility for any failures of government policy and the fact that Edward was not involved in policy making meant that the policies did not have the authority of the king behind them.

In fact, Somerset ignored Edward almost completely and Edward began to resent the way he was being used as a political human shield. He is also said to have felt scared and angry, because he was treated like a prisoner.

All this meant that when Somerset set himself up for a fall nobody saved him because nobody wanted to. His enemies were happy to see him go and he had become too isolated from his erstwhile friends for them to care.