Like Hobbes says, it was an era of apathy towards the King's Kingdom and Commonwealth -- and they didn't acknowledge preeminence of the King with regard to his State.

Thomas Hobbes / The people in general were so ignorant
>Lastly, the people in general were so ignorant of their duty
>or what necessity there was of King or Commonwealth
>King, they thought, was but a title of the highest honour, which gentleman, knight, baron, earl, duke, were but steps to ascend to