9. Political divisions: the Long Parliament, Pym and the outbreak of civil war Flashcards
(23 cards)
Opposition to C at the start of Long Pment (3)
1) At least 399/439 MPs elected to the Long Pment opposed the King’s PR policies (general consensus = C had overstepped the mark + had to be restrained)
2) By 1640 C faced an organised group of MPs opposing him (Pym’s junto) - wanting to roll back PR from 1st session 3 Nov 1640 - Aug 1641 (esp. ‘evil councilors’ Laud + Wentworth (Francis Windebank fled to France - threat of Pment’s wrath) + Ship M, Forest fines + courts)
3) by Nov ‘41 Pment’s unity had crumbled + war was a real possibility
Root and Branch petition
1) Dec 1640 - 15,000 Londoners demanding for the end of the episcopacy.
2) Feb 41 - debated in parliament, causing divisions bc:
- disagreement over what to replace Laudianism w/ (Laud impeached in 1640-41 - not executed till ‘45).
- dismantling church structure undermined whole order of society
Wentworth’s removal through Bill of Attainder
1) “Evil Counsellor” + knew Pym had talked to the Scottish during Bishops Wars so could threaten him with treason - liability
2) Targeted through Act of Attainder (medieval method of impeachment - goes through HoLs - who didn’t want to sign as could be next)
3) 1st army plot to forcibly free Wentworth from Tower of London revealed by Pym - C dissolves Pment
4) Plot went ahead + C sent 100 soldiers on May 3 1941 but failed - persuades HoL to pass Bill of Attainder (in HoC passed by 204 to 59 votes on Apr 21 - many moderates abstain)
5) Forced, C signs Bill (into Act) on May 12 ‘41
6) Pym forces HoL to get rid of Wentworth - could’ve found him not guilty if impeached + forces C to take personal responsibility for Wentworth’s death (+ admit he was wrong)
Key Individual under C: Wentworth (5)
1) As President of the Council of the North from 1629-1632, strictly enforced Book of Orders + summoned many to the Star Chamber – already disliked
2) As Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1632 – maintained tight control over main power groups by securing a firm control of the army + brought ‘thorough’ and conformity to Ireland
3) C’s most trusted advisor in 1639 – made Earl of Strafford, called back from Ireland to deal with 2nd Bishops’ war
4) Advised C to call Short Pment bc needed an army – but naïve to Pment’s rage around PR issues (been in Ireland)
5) Act of Attainder signed by Charles for his death (on 12/4/41) – forced
Act Against Forcible Dissolution
Signed by C, May 12 1641 (same day as Act of Attainder) - prevented him from dissolving the Long Pment w/o its own consent - removes his prerogative right (hand forced bc of 1st Army Plot + intimidating mob outside Whitehall - hyped by fears of absolutism)
Bedfords financial settlement
Attempt to settle conflicts w/ C + reform crown finance. Bedford proposed:
1) the abolition of the most controversial financial + political aspects of PR
2) return to an Elizabethan-based broad Protestant church
3) a separate financial settlement (as agreed by Pment) for C
C wouldn’t compromise over demands (ideology) - weakened position
Triennial Act
16th Feb 1641 - King was obliged to call a Pment at least once every 3 years if he failed to do so Pment would meet anyway
Other than removing the “evil councilors” + ensuring Pment was sitting, how did MPs roll back PR? (3)
1) Act preventing tonnage + poundage collection + ending Ship Money collection (in ‘41 LP)
2) Abolition of the Court of Star Chamber + the Court of High Commission on 1 Aug ‘41
3) End of fiscal feudalism - stops C’s resurrection of medieval levies of Forest fines etc. (in ‘41 LP)
Royalist Party Development (4 divides in PN)
By Aug ‘41 most MPs were statisfied w/ C’s concessions (wanted to dissolve - C even put himself on the side of reform on Jan 15 ‘41 - he’d ‘reform all innovations in Church and Commonwealth’ + surrender ‘what parts f my revenue that shall be found illegal or grievous to the public’) but Pym’s junto wanted further change (longstanding lack of trust from Scottish peace betrayal + 5 Knights case etc.)
Constitutional royalism developed (40 - 42) from moderates more fearful of Pym threatening political order than C - want the concept/institution of monarchy (+ the episcopy etc.)
Divides grew over:
1) how to prevent a repeat of PR
2) whether the Bill of Attainder is constitutionally dangerous
3) eligious views over the role of bishops etc.
Commitment to the ‘established’ Church became central to the emrging ‘royalist’ party 4) divisions created 2 sides in PN (allowing civil war)
Ten Propositions
24th June 1641 - document making it clear C needed to make concessions such as pmentary control over:
- who was in Privy council
- who was around HM
- royal religious education of his children (reduce risk of Catholicism)
support limited - many believed Pym was going too far (minority)
Iconoclasms
Destruction/damaging of icons in churches (stain glass as focus - associated w/ Laud + Catholicism) began in 1640, encouraged (against Popery) by Pym in Sept ‘42 - grew fears of radicalisms (seen as anarchy + disorder) + created counter-petitions to keep the stability of the episcopacy (demonstrates Pym = not in strong position atm)
Perceptions of the Irish Rebellion (Oct 41- Winter 42) in England
MPs saw it as evidence of a popish plot w/ rumours (largely from puritan pamphlets) that C authroised catholic killings of protestants (which they claimed reached 12,000 in number) - circulated quickly after Privy council meets w/ Pment talking abt the rebellion on Nov 1 1641 - gave Pym the opportunity to weaken the King through fears of popish plot + Catholicism (+ imminent invasion) heightened (stratospheric) - not true + C in Scotland so can’t defend himself - many Protestant English politicians were radicalised pushing the formation of an army to put down the Irish (w/o C’s leadership - losing control as leader of the country)
Grand Remonstrance (5 points)
Nov 41 - contains more than 200 complains abt C (since ‘25) to show how he can’t be trusted - key points:
1) HoC had to vote to either agree w/ Pym that C’s power needs to be reformed or that C’s rights shouldn’t be questioned by Pment
2) Pment had to control the king’s minsters if he controlled the army (Pym won this vote 151 to 110 - maj. abstained but Pym’s faction growing)
3) should be a conference of religious ministers to reform the CofE (no episcopal system - root + branch reform)
4) Bishops + catholic peers to be excluded from the HoL
5) there was Roman Catholic Conspiracy to undermine the Constitution of England - HoCs should investigate it + have the right to punish those involved (attempting to win over constitutional royalists)
narrowly passed - 159 to 148 in favour - nearly 200 abstained or didn’t attend - TP for when a Royalist party began to form visibly around the King - solidifies sides (war increased possibility)
Grand Remonstrance was significant bc… (3)
1) Although careful not to accuse the King directly it was seen as a direct attack on C
2) Political issues were deliberately + openly directed away from Westminster to involve the people themselves as a way of putting pressure on MPs
3) Debate as to whether to publish the Grand Remonstrance - lasted 12 hours and passed on Nov 23 ‘41 (159 votes to 148) - shows real divisions in Pment + formation of 2 civil war sides
Militia Bill
7th Dec 41 - Introduced by Arthur Haselrig - forced PN to take sides on who should have army control - proposed to remove the King’s power over the trained bands + give Pment power to appoint army commanders - revolutionary - directly challenges C’s royal prerogative + transfer powers to Pment (they hoped mobs would put pressure on). C positioned himself as the defender of ‘fundamental law’ + ‘defender of the constitution’, winning over constitutional royalists such as Edward Hyde - entrenching divisions
Attempted arrest of the 5 MPs
4 Jan ‘42 - in response to mobs stopping bishops from sitting in HoL ( destabilising unrest of social order)
C enters HoC w/ armed forces to arrest (Lord Mandeville) + MPs Pym, Holles, Haselrig, Strode + Hampden - considered as opp leaders - but they escaped before C arrived (‘I see the birds have flown’ - C) - further shows C can’t be trusted - proved to be dangerous (will unlawfully protect his prerogative no matter what - can’t be negotiated w/)
Charles leaves London
10 Jan ‘42 - fears for safety of HM whom he believed Pym wanted to impeach (+ his life w/ mob angry), also seems weak + powerless against Pym after 4 Jan
Never had the chance to return as king - capital + immense resources given to Pment
Exclusion Bill
Forcibly prevents bishops sitting in the HoL - signed by 30,000 of the London Mob in Dec 41 - accepted on 5th Feb ‘42 by HoL due to pressure form the crowds - further lessened C/royalist influence - bishops = backbone of social hierarchy
Parliamentary Army
Militia Bill issued as ordinance in Feb ‘42 passed in Mar by HoC w/o C’s approval - appointed lord lieutenants w/o royal assent - Pment assumed control of armed forces - proposing raising £400,000 by Ship Money for the army.
Emergence of Royalist Army
In response to passing of Militia Bill in Mar ‘42 - C attempted to seize supplies at Hull + set up the Commissions of Array - sent to leading figures in the counties to authorise them to raise forces (paid for by themselves) for the Crown (prerogative last used in early 1500s)
Nineteen Propositions (4)
June ‘42 - attempt to break the stalemate (?) + avoid war - Pment demands:
1) All Privy Councilors were to be approved by Pment
2) 5 impeached MPs (attempted arrest ones) were to be pardoned
3) C had to accept the Triennial Act + Militia Ordinance
4) Pment would direct a reformation of the Church
Roundly rejected by C - if Pment had any ,ore power it would “breach the historical balance of power between the commons, lords and king”
“The Answer to the Nineteen Proposition”
Constitutional royalist response for the King:
1) portrayed the King as the force that would prevent anarchy
2) stated that Pment’s demands would lead to a ‘dark equal chaos of confusion’ in which popular rebllion was imminentBelieved King would prevent anarchy and parliaments proposals would lead to chaos and confusion with popular rebellion
When did England descend into Civil War?
Aug ‘42 after 19 Props fail
