8. Political divisions: PR and the short parliament 1629 - 40 Flashcards
(14 cards)
What did Charles’ policy of ‘Political Thorough’ consist off? (4)
1) Gentry were ordered back to localities in ‘32 proclamation (annoyed politically + socially) - enforced through courts (made his inner circles seem even more dangerous, exclusive)
2) Bishops were ordered to improve (using church to increase political power)
3) Book of orders introduced to curb poverty + threats to social order
4) Work of JPs was encouraged + effectiveness of gov improved (JPs were lower gentry so loyal for patronage)
How was ‘Thorough’ enforced?
Prerogative courts:
1) Star Chamber (political - FL, Ship M) - made up of Privy Councilors selected by C, C could hold cases in secret before Star Chamber (unjust, absolutist?)
2) Court of High Commission (church) - enforces conformity, if guilty - sent to Star Chamber (laud also a member)
3) Book of Orders - 1631 - 314 books of instructions ordering local gov to improve or expect Star Chamber punishment, ambitious, v unpopular but very effective in increasing central gov’s reach + strength - Crown had control of every locality in England within 5 yrs (secured stability so much it was the “envy of other European monarchies”)
Financial Schemes (fiscal feudalism) during Personal Rule (5)
Income mid-1630s (total up by a 1/3 - 600k to 900k):
1) Forest Fines (medieval feudal duty/levy targeting gentry + nobles) (£38,667 - in 37 the forest of Rockingham’s circumference extended from 6 to 560 - fines totaling £51k imposed)
2) Wardship (£75,000 p.a.)
3) Distraint of Knighthood (£175,000) - act form 1278 - buy Knighthood + incur extra feudal dues - men worth £40 a yr in land were fined for not assuming the honour)
5) Ship Money (£200,000 p.a. - demanded from ‘35)
brought back outdated tax laws, possible by centralisation of government - generated significant revenue in short term but needs Pment in long term due to schemes stopping w/ backlash
Role of JPs in PR
Bedrock of judicial system; judged lesser cases; sent serious cases to assizes; enforced regulations (poor relief, alehouses, roads); attended assizes where national trials were explained; collected Ship Money (still depended on constables)
Ship Money
Targets everyone - abused during peacetime
1635 - collected 97.5% of £200,000 expected
1636 - collected 97.6% of approx. £230k expected
1638 - gov. lowered ship money assessment to a mere £70k + collected less than a third
1639 - collected 20% of £250k expected
John Hampden Case
1637 - Gentry member + wealthy landowner taken to court for refusing to pay his 20 Shillings Ship Money in November - act of defiance - court ruled 7 to 5 (of personally appointed judges) in King’s favour so King able to command his subjects to pay a levy w/o recourse of Pment but moral victory for Hampden + from 1638 people refused to pay SM + some gentry refused to collect it - by 1640 receipts had dropped drastically
Reaction to the attempted introduction of the prayer book in 1637 (3)
1) In Edinburgh riots broke out in anger at C
2) 1638 - Presbyterians introduce a National Covenant (pledge) rejecting the canons + prayer book- gained 300k signatures
3) Nov ‘38 - Scottish church assembled in Glasgow + officially abolished the episcopal church (removed bishops) + High Commission, restoring the presbytery (C felt slighted)
First Bishops War
1638/39
1) C - determined to put down rebellion by force - restore authority + reinstate uniformity - held negotiations w/ Scots whilst secretly preparing a trained band ready to fight
- 15,000 trained bands of England’s northern counties by April 39, insufficient - low funding + poorly armed
2) Covenanting army - formed from Nov ‘38 - highly motivated, experienced, trained + well-armed
3) English retreat immediately, C forced to sign the Pacification of Berwick - accepting no episcopal system (but continued to plot to subdue Scottish resistance)
4) Scots don’t disband army (suspicious C wouldn’t let episcopal system issue drop)
5) C calls Thomas Wentworth from Ireland, made Earl of Strafford in September
Short Parliament
13 April - 5th may 1640 - called for funds to equip army against scots (naive - unaware of Pmentary grievances) C offered to give up Ship Money in a hope to gain 12 subsidies for war immediately. Pment would not vote him subsidies + was calooding behind his back w/ Scottish army (Pym + Nathaniel Fiennes) - wanted C to make concessions. C resists + dissolves parliament (+ deprive his opponents of a platform from which to complain) - spurs/confirms fears of absolutism
Second Bishop War (3)
1) C seemed to have support (military bases in England + Ireland, Catholic support from Highlands, fleet from Ship Money - blockade?)
2) Scots quickly secure Newcastle (experienced + C - no money) in August 1640 - forcing C into a humiliating position through the Treaty of Ripon
3) appeared to end in Aug ‘41 when C + Scots agreed on peace terms - armies disbanded
Treaty of Ripon
October 1640 - C has to pay £850 per day towards Scottish army expenses whilst they remain in the NE until settlement agreed (C won’t be invaded) - forces C to call the Long Pment in Nov
Rise of Wentworth (4)
1) 1625 - Sheriff of Yorkshire
(Imprisoned for refusing the FL in 1627)
2) 1629 - President of the Council of the North
3) 1632 - Lord Deputy of Ireland
4) 1639 - Earl of Strafford
Wentworth’s influence in Ireland (8)
Manipulated Irish Pment by:
1) Reorganising the army
2) Suppressing pirates - increasing trade between England + Ireland
3) Enforcing discipline - punished disobedience
4) Encouraging manufacturing + commerce
Enforced thorough:
1) bullied Pment
2) fined juries that ruled against him
3) abused irish officials
4) constantly interfered w/ Irish tribes, particularly over land
Alienated predominantly Catholic ‘Old English’ aristocracy by promoting the interests of a new wave of Protestant settlers (loyal) - played off minorities against one another
Unpopular but v effective - had complete control - destroyed every vestige of self-government
Irish Rebellion
Oct 1641 - After Wentworth left Catholics acted bc:
1) they sought to pre-emptively prevent racial outsiders imposing harsh Protestantism
2) Presbyterian scots were in alliance w/ English puritans - threatened Catholics esp. since those ‘planted’ tended to be radicals/Catholic hating
Lasted over ‘41-‘42 winter - at least 3000 Protestants murdered in Ulster.
TP - cements opposition in Pment against C - Puritans used violence to undermine trust in King (+ C had to recall in Nov)
