Pymand The Develioment Of Parlimentary Radicalsim Flashcards
(23 cards)
Impeachment of laud
- December 1640
- John Pym delivered a powerful speech condemning Laud, equating him to “spiritual wickedness in high places” and accusing him of being a malevolent influence on the Church and state.
-Laud was described as a traitor to the crown, an oppressor of both king and people, and a leader of religious oppression under Charles I’s reign.
Pyms personality
-Clarendon calls him ‘appropriate and serious’ with a very strong vocabulary, he understood the tempraments of the kingdom well.
-Morril, more recent historian, challenges his effectiveness as a speaker
-some view him as a behind-the-scenes strategist.
-Similarly, Conrad russel highlights his lack of humour and poor people skills
Pymspolitical aims
-Pym aimed for constitutional reforms, with a focus on restoring Anglicanism from Laudianism rather than creating a separate Puritan Church.
-He believed Charles was deceived by malicious advisers.
-It can be argued he didn’t shape long parliament, rather he just administered their will has both houses were very united up to 1641
Impact of the army plot
-the plot was exposed, and Parliament maintained control of the Tower and Strafford’s imprisonment.
-Crowds gathered at Whitehall palace.
-The rumors about foreign Catholic intervention further strained relations
-. Pym used the plot to issue the protestation oath, act against parliaments dissolution and stepped up efforts against straffprd
The protestation oath
-introduced on 6 May 1641
-, required all officeholders to swear allegiance to the Church of England.
-Charles felt extreme threat to allow it.
-Initially meant for officeholders, the Oath was extended in 1642 to include all adult males in England and Wales, spreading the political debates of London across the entire country.
-In many communities, entire parishes gathered to swear the Oath, resulting in heated discussions and occasional violence.
Fostering of tensions due to the oath
-in London’s St. Thomas the Apostle Church parishioner John Blackwell led a protest, attempting to break down the altar rails, seen as a “Popish” innovation.
-His actions resulted in a physical altercation and his subsequent arrest.
Rising tensions in autumn 41
the Cumbernauld band, the Irish rebellion and the events in England rose pressure concurrently.
-The Irish rebellion begging question of how Charles could be the trusted with the miliatry
Context of the grand remonstrance
-November 1641,
-Pym presented the Grand Remonstrance
-a document listing the abuses of Charles I’s Personal Rule.
-He had drafted it in the recess of September and oct and had been aided by his allies eg hampden.
Content of the grand remonstrance
-overview of all the wrongs in Charles’s reign.
-It held the king’s advisers, bishops, and ‘zealous papists’ responsible for the kingdom’s troubles and laid out a radical agenda for reform.
-Shift from a list of troubles to active steps to limit the king eg clearing of bishoprics in lords, reformation of the church.
-further grievances such as royal monopolies and the use of royal prerogative courts like the Star Chamber to punish political dissent.
Passing of the remonstrance
-The Grand Remonstrance was approved by the Commons by a narrow vote (159 to 148), revealing significant divisions
-a pyrrhic victory for Pym.
-It was only publicly published after December 15th 41: holes calls for and successfully publishes the grand remonstrance to the public
Controversy of the remonstrance
-A fierce debate erupted over whether the Remonstrance should be published.
-The decision to publish it was fraught with tension, as it would publicly criticise the king and escalate political conflicts
-leading to swords drawn within the Commons for the only time ever
Traditionpreventing the remonstrance
-open criticism was seen as the colllapse of the monarchy, so many less radical dissenters refused the remonstrance.
-Edward derring felt ‘faithful councellors’ should always have the king as the paramount of their faith
Growth of radical literature
-After the collapse of censorship in 1640, Puritan pamphlets and tracts criticizing Laudianism and advocating for religious reform flooded the streets.
-This was part of a broader movement, where political pamphlets played a key role in spreading radical ideas and galvanizing public support-
-7700 titles published in the 30s with popular satire tracts eg ‘the wrens nest’ gaining popularity
Growth of religious radicalism
-Many Puritans began advocating for a more radical form of Protestantism.
-Samuel How argued that neither priests nor formal education were needed to understand the ways of God, further challenging the Laudian structure of the Church.
-In st olaves church rails pulled down and brunt, priests physically assaulted.
The London mob
-The term “London Mob” was used to describe the urban population involved in radical political action, derogatory and general term.
- Many of these individuals were motivated by religious grievances, particularly over Laudian reforms.
Political power of the London mob
-The Mob played a crucial role in pushing for political and religious change, with demonstrations like the Root and Branch Petition (signed by 15,000 Londoners) showing the growing power of popular politics.
Power of London puritans
-The Puritans in London were often merchants or artisans whose religious views were linked to their economic positions.
-They used their political and economic influence to push for more radical religious reforms- eg the link between the provinence island company
Lauds impeachment
-By December 1640, Laud was impeached and imprisoned.
-His downfall marked a victory for Puritans and Parliamentarians, who sought to remove his influence from the Church and government.
Collapse of censorship
-With the weakening of royal authority and the abolition of prerogative courts, the Puritans gained the freedom to publish radical religious and political tracts, spreading their influence throughout England.
Puritan networks
-Key members of the Puritan network, such as those associated with the Providence Island Company, took prominent roles in opposing the king during the Long Parliament, usually very wealthy I
-mpact on Politics: The Puritan network played a significant role in shifting the political landscape by promoting ideas of religious reform and constitutional change.
Downfall of thorough
-The removal of key royal institutions like the Star Chamber and High Commission marked the end of Charles I’s system of Thorough, where the crown controlled many aspects of English governance.
Release of puritan prisoners
-Puritan leaders and pamphleteers, such as William Prynne, had their sentences overturned and returned to public life, continuing to spread radical views that challenged both the monarchy and the Church of England.
The army plot
-In April 1641, rumors surfaced that Charles planned to use the army to dissolve Parliament and free Strafford from the Tower after he had enabled the army to their posts.
-Pym exposed Charles movements to Parliament in May, which led to heightened tensions.
-However it is true Charles moved a few loyalists to the tower, it was never PROVEN.
