Nominated Assembly 1653

How were people taken in to the Nominated Assembly?

They were selected after Cromwell’s officers had vetted lists of reliable persons in the localities

Who was Cromwell acting on behalf of?

The Army Council

What is the Nominated Assembly also known as?

• Parliament of the Saints

• Little Parliament

• Barebone’s Parliament

What did the Nominated Assembly represent?

Cromwell’s attempt to achieve stable rule in England by entrusting government to the godly

Why was the Nominated Assembly set up?

Compromise between the ideas of Harrison and those of John Lambert

John Lambert

• Friend of Oliver Cromwell

• Fought for Parliament in the 1st civil war, Scotland.

• Drafted Instrument of Government

• Declined to take the oath of allegiance to Cromwell as Protector

• Republican- wanted to prevent the restoration

Misconceptions about the Nominated Assembly

It was composed of inexperienced social upstarts

What was the first sign that the Assembly would disappoint C’s expectations?

Soon after it first gathered, it declared itself to be a Parliament

What were the selected man described to have?

‘approved integrity’

Sizeable minority in the Nominated Assembly

Refused to be overawed by the military

Largely Fifth Monarchists

Fifth Monarchists

• Believed that Christ's Second Coming was imminent

• Demanded the sweeping away of all man-made laws

• Rejection of the social order and the rights of property

The effect of the Fifth Monarchists on the Nominated Assembly

Extremism overshadowed proceedings

Characterised the Assmebly as a whole

How did Cromwell describe the Assembly (later)

‘a story of my own weakness and folly’

‘these 140 honest men could not govern’

Why did the Assembly dissolved early?

The moderates and conservative members eventually grew exasperated with the sectarians

Failures of the Assembly dissolution

Disappointed the hopes of reformers

Successes of the Nominated Assembly

Key period in the development of public administration in England

Proposed measures were ahead of their time

Measures proposed by the Nominated Assembly

• Reform of the law on debt

• Humane treatment of the insane

• Civil registration of births, deaths and marriages

• Protection for travellers on the highways

Why was the Nominated Assembly weakened?

Its failure to reconcile socisl conservatism with religious fanaticism

Army's view on NA

Believed their proposals to end the monthly assessment were an attack on the army