It first became a formal tribunal with some Privy Council elements under Henry VII, hearing cases from the poor and from servants of the King.

It quickly became popular for its low cost of bringing a case and rapid processing time, earning the disapproval of the common law judges.

Two formal judges, the "Masters of Requests Ordinary", were appointed towards the end of Henry VIII's reign, with an additional two "Masters of Requests Extraordinary" appointed under Elizabeth I to allow two judges to accompany her on her travels around England (Latin: Regiae Majestati a Supplicum Libellis Magister).

[1] Two more ordinary masters were appointed under James I of England, with the increasing volume of cases bringing a wave of complaints as the court's business and backlog grew.

Spence traces it back to the reign of Richard II,[2] Leadam, rejecting Spence's case, claims there is no official record of the court's existence before 1493,[3] Pollard writes (based on documents discovered after Leadam's work) that it was in existence from at least 1465,[4] while Alexander writes that it first appeared during the reign of the House of York,[5] and Kleineke states that it was created in 1485 by Richard III.

Under Thomas Wolsey the court became fixed in Westminster, hearing cases from poor people and from the servants of the king.

Towards the end of Henry VIII's reign, the court assumed a more professional status with the appointment of two "Masters of Requests Ordinary" to serve as its judges, where the Lord Privy Seal alone had previously heard and delivered judgements.

Under James I two further Ordinary Masters were appointed, but despite this the court was criticised for the backlog arising from its increasing business.