Millenarianism and the Nominated Assembly (1653) Flashcards
What is Millenarianism?
the belief that the second coming of Christ was imminent
By 1653, what religious group began to influence Cromwell’s ideas?
By 1653, Cromwell had become increasingly influenced by Fifth Monarchist ideas.
What were Cromwell’s options post-dissolution of the Rump?
- Immediate elections
- Military dictatorship
- An assembly of 140 godly men to form a ‘Parliament of Saints’ (advocated by Harrison)
Who led the Fifth Monarchists?
Rogers and Harrison
What did the Fifth Monarchists believe?
Proclaimed that the execution of Charles was the sign for the establishment of the reign of Jesus, describing the restructure for the new Kingdom of Christ as an interim government which was highly authoritarian.
What obligation did Saints have?
Saints had a divine obligation to establish it by overturning all worldly institutions, if necessary by force (saints = Fifth Monarchists)
> Christ was not to rule in person, but through his saints, who would reign for a thousand years until Christ would appear to judge the world.
What two things did Cromwell aim for?
- Godly reformation (links to liberty of conscience)
- ‘healing and settling’ (limiting societal divisions)
What was the inherent contradiction between Godly reformation and ‘healing and settling’?
The inherent contradiction is that GR necessitates profound societal change, like healing and settling meant going back to the past; the old social order.
What were Cromwell’s general views on cooperation with Parliament?
Cromwell wanted to work with Parliament and continued to try to establish a working government, yet could not settle for reluctant, passive consent, striving for the enthusiastic support of his regime, especially for his goal of ‘godly reformation’.
What were Cromwell’s own beliefs, in terms of a national church?
Cromwell would accept a national Church, but one which:
Upheld liberty of conscience
Did not tolerate Catholicism
Lead by ‘example, not force’
Demonstrates good behaviour and morals
Hierarchy, but not one which would possess the ability to compel people.
What can the Nominated Assembly also be called, and why?
Parliament of Saints (positive term, saw the members as godly)
Little Parliament (single chamber of 140 members)
Barebone’s Parliament (Praise-God Barebone, a staunch and prominent Puritan, and de facto leader of the Assembly)
When did the Nominated Assembly sit?
July-December 1953
How did Cromwell modify Harrison’s proposal for a ‘Parliament of Saints’, and why?
Cromwell modified Harrison’s proposal for a Parliament of Saints.
- Ensured that the Nominated Assembly was not completely dominated by religious radicals by increasing the number of members up to 140, and nominating usual suspects (i.e. the gentry)
What was the diversity of the Nominated Assembly, in terms of the gentry, JPs and Fifth Monarchists?
Atleast ⅘ of the NA considered themselves apart of the gentry
- 18 had sat in the Rump, and ½ would go on to sit in the Protectorate
- 117/128 were/had been JPs (not quite as radical and godly as expected)
- Only 13 were actually Fifth Monarchists
What did radicals in the Nominated Assembly want, in terms of the national church, tithes, and existing/common law?
- No national church
- Abolish tithes
- Common law seen as non-scriptural
- Some wanted existing law (seen as ‘Norman yoke’) replaced with a simple code enforced by elected magistrates
What did moderates in the Nominated Assembly want, in terms of the national church, tithes, (common) law and toleration?
Moderates in the Nominated Assembly wanted:
- National church to lead by example
- Toleration
- Supplementation of tithes by the state
- Preservation of common law
- Making the law more humane, and modernising archaic procedures.
What did Cromwell expect the Nominated Assembly to do in July 1653, what did they do instead, and what was the result of this?
Cromwell expected the Nominated Assembly to prepare a new constitution, but instead they declared it to be the Parliament of the Commonwealth (July 1953), which did not bode well for the future stability of the Assembly.
What were some successes of the Nominated Assembly?
- Attempts made to secure trade routes by continuing the Anglo-Dutch war
- Civil marriage allowed, officiated by JPs
- Members were representatives of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, the first Parliament to represent Britain as a whole.
What were some weaknesses of the Nominated Assembly?
- Divided between religious radicals (i.e. Barebone) and more conservative members in the gentry
- The move to abolish tithes upset propertied members, as they saw this as a serious attack on their property rights.
What was defeated in December 1653?
Assembly narrowly defeats a moderate religious proposal to retain tithes; the threat to property had triggered a coup.
> England was also under pressure to find a negotiated end to the Anglo-Dutch war, but the Army refused to yield executive power to do so.
In response to the defeat of the coup in December 1653, what happened?
In response, the moderate majority staged a walk-out, led by Lambert, and resigned power back into Cromwell’s hands
How did Cromwell respond to the walk-out post-coup, in December 1653?
Cromwell accepted power through the coup, while plausibly denying knowledge of it; four days later, he was installed as Lord Protector under a written constitution called the Instrument of Government.
Why was the Nominated Assembly Cromwell’s ‘greatest folly’?
It failed to establish the ‘godly government’ that Cromwell claimed to desire.
What was Cromwell presented with on the 15th of December 1653?
Cromwell was presented with a proposal composed by Lambert for him to become Lord Protector under a new, written constitution, the Instrument of Government.
