End of Personal Rule

What was the significance of the failure of the Short Parliament?

The Short Parliament only lasted three weeks due to disagreements that occurred and nothing was achieved overall. Pym (MP of Tavistock) gave a long public speech on April 17 1640 expressing the refusal of the House of Commons to vote subsidies until royal abuses were addressed.

Both in Houses of Commons and in the Lords demanded limits to the King’s powers and redress of grievance (including Laudianism) which was a continuation of the debate back in 1629.

What happened in the Short Parliament?

Charles had demanded money to defend the kingdom from a crisis which he had created but was rejected by Parliament. This was due to them wanting him to agree to make concessions on a range of issues.

Who was the Short Parliament led by?

John Pym and John Hampden. These two were determined to address the tyranny of the Personal Rule.

What were the rules that Short Parliament had established after it was dissolved?

The rules that were made would be future dealings between Parliament and monarchy. This meant that there would be no granting of supplies until grievances had been dealt with and no interference with parliamentary business by the Lords and the King.

The three main policies that had emerged amongst the parliamentary opposition were:

• they wanted to assert the rights of parliamentary and obtain redress for past grievances.

• they wanted to dismantle all of Laud’s religious reforms.

• they wanted Parliament to obtain over taxation.

When was the Second Bishops’ War?

June - September 1640

What caused the Second Bishops’ War?

The Scottish rebellion resumed in June 1640 and by 20 August 1640, they crossed the border after a minor skirmish at Newburn occupied Newcastle. After the Short Parliament dissolvement, Charles foolishly decided that he can take on the Scots himself.

What is the Treaty of Ripon? (1640)

It was a treaty where the Scots were forced their terms onto Charles.

What was included in the Treaty of Ripon?

The conditions that Charles had to agree with were:

• Allowing the Scots to continue to occupy Newcastle until settlement was reached.

• Charles would pay them £850 a day until a settlement was reached.

• Further negotiations would be postponed until the English Parliament met.

What was the purpose of this treaty?

It would give Parliament the advantage as there were many Parliamentarians who were sympathetic towards the Scots and they also opposed many of religious impositions. They wanted Charles to be brought to account for things such as ship money.

What happened in Scotland’s constitutional revolution?

The things that happened in the constitutional revolution:

• It lasted ten days.

• It was assembled without the King’s assent.

• Foreigners were forbidden from sitting in parliament which removed a recent abuse that Englishmen with Scottish peerages might provide the Crown with proxy votes.

• It prohibited officers of state from sitting in parliament

• The Triennial Act was passed on 5th February 1641. This required the Parliament to meet at least once every three years. If Charles had failed to call Parliament, the Houses of Lords could assemble and issue writs of election of House of Commons.

This happened in the 1640’s.

What happened in the Scottish Revolutions?

• Covenanters were seen as an early revolutionary movement amongst some Scottish nationalists. They would be seen as freedom fighters who fought against their oppressors (the English) who attempted to destroy the Scottish region, culture and identity.

• Charles had been defeated in his attempt to dictate the religion of his subjects which the Covenanters had dismantled.

When did the Long Parliament start and when were the sessions?

It started on 3rd November 1640.

• First session: 3rd November - August 1641.

• Second session: October 1641 - August 1642.

What happened in the sessions of the Long Parliament?

• First session:

Parliament had the King over a parallel and expected political and religious reformation. They curbed his powers and there was a general agreement.

• Second session:

The opposition programme became more radical, demanding fundamental constitutional changes. A royalist party (party that supported the King) began to merge and it had later caused the country to drift towards a civil war.

What did the Parliament do after curbing Charles’s powers?

• November 1640, Strafford was sent to the Tower of London pending a trial for treason. He was later beheaded on May 1641.

• Triennial Act

• Laud was sent to the tower awaiting a trial for 14 charges (February 1641)

• Abolition of Prerogative courts (June 1641)

• Ship money forbidden without Parliament’s approval (August 1641)

• Distant of Knighthood and Forest Act was declared unlawful (August 1641).

What was the significance of Strafford’s execution?

The case against Strafford was due to him treasonously advising the King that the Irish Army could be used against his opponents in England as well as Scotland. He had defended himself in court but could not be proved. Pym (who lead the prosecution) and his supporters resorted to the Bill of Attainder. Charles I in the end ha signed the bill which lead to Strafford’s execution.

What did Charles’ say about the execution?

“my lord Strafford’s execution is happier than mine”

What is the Bill of Attainder?

A bill that allows someone to be sentenced to death without judicial decisions.

What did Charles say about the Bill of Attainder?

“upon the world of the king, you shall not suffer in life, honour or fortune”

What had Pym achieved from Strafford’s execution?

The things he accomplished were:

• Avoiding a verdict in the Houses of Lords that might have found Strafford not guilty.

• He forced the King to have a personal responsibility for Strafford’s death.

What happened in the end of the first session of the Long Parliament?

The arbitrary of the Personal Rule had been dismantled. This is because:

• Prerogative income was limited (fiscal feudalism abandoned) so that Charles could not be financially independent.

• Prerogative courts were abolished so that Charles could use power arbitrarily to overmanoevere silence his opposition.

• His “evil counsellors” had been impeached or executed which challenged his right to choose his own ministers.

• The Triennial Act prevented a Personal Rule longer than 3 years.

What were the key turning points in Crown-Parliament relations?

• November 1640:

Long Parliament met and Earl of Bedford was regarded as leader of Parliament.

• February 1641:

He was made as privy counsellor and was promised the office of Lord High Treasurer by Charles. He was a moderate and was anxious to settle the question of royal revenue. However, he did not wish to radically alter the structure of the Church. He was not on good terms with Laud.

• May 1641:

Earl of Bedford dies of Chicken Pox.

What was Pym known for?

• After Bedford’s death, it allowed him to become the undisputed leader of the Parliamentary opposition to Charles.

• He was known for being a man who was driven by religious fanaticism due to him being a serious Puritan who painted a frightening image of endemic Catholic conspiracy.

• He argued against religious policy, taxation and the use of prerogative courts and accused the government of causing a war between England and Scotland. Additionally he blamed them for absolute rule in Ireland.

• He wanted Parliament to have power and initiated the legal attacks on Stafford and Laud.

What happened in 1641?

What was the formation of the Royalist Party?

• Pym’s radicalism was known from flouting of religious authority in London and popular rebelliousness across in the country. This then botched the chances for a peaceful settlement and created a Party of Order towards Charles.

• 59/439 MPs voted against Stafford in May 1641.

• 148 MPs voted against the Grand Remonstance in November 1641.

• 246 of these MPs would later be involved on Charles’ side for the civil war in August 1642.

What is the Army plot?

It is also known as the Royalist Plot. It a conspiracy by royalist officers to use the army to threaten Parliament and overpower the government, with the aim of crushing parliamentary opposition to King Charles I. It was revealed by John Pym.

When was the Army plot introduced?

May 1641.

Who lead the Army plot?

James Graham (1st Marquis of Montrose)

What was the Irish Rebellion?

It was an uprising of Irish Catholics trying to overthrow English Protestants who had control over their lands and properties in Ireland.

When was the Irish Rebellion?

23rd October 1641.

What did the English do about the Irish Rebellion?

The made propaganda in England making it seem as if Irish Catholics are the threat in the rebellion.

What did Morrill say about the Irish Rebellion?

“violence inevitably got out of hand and something like 3,000 .. Protestants were slaughtered ..”

What did Morill say about the English propaganda about the rebellion?

“reports in England credibly suggested even larger numbers”

What was the significance of the Irish Rebellion?

It had lead to a debate of what they do with Ireland and caysed a divide in the Parliament.

What were the key events for Charles in 1642?

• Five members.

• King escaping from the Tower of London.

• Militia Ordinance.

• Nineteen Propositions.

What was the Five Members incident?

It was when Charles attempted to arrest five members of Parliament but they had been aware and escaped.

When did the Five Members incident happen?

5th January 1642.

Who were the Five Members that Charles I wanted to arrest?

• John Pym

• John Hampden

• Denzil Holles

• Sir Arthur Haselrig

• William Strode

What is the Militia Ordinance?

It was a declaration from Parliament that they no longer needed the King’s approval in order to control the army.

When was the Militia Ordinance declared?

It was declared on 5th March 1642.

Why did the Parliament create the Militia Ordinance?

They did it as a modification of the Militia bill because they were unable to make it a law because you would have to get Charles’ approval.

What is the Nineteen Propositions of 1642?

It was a list of demands made by Parliament for Charles as a way to limit his power.

What was the Nineteen Propositions known as?

“dark, equal chaos of confusion”

“destroy all rights”

What are some of the examples that are listed in the Nineteen Propositions?

• The education of the King's children is subject to Parliamentary approval.

• New peers of the House of Lords must be voted in by both Houses of Parliament

• The King's children may not marry anyone without the consent of Parliament.

• Ministers serving on Charles' Privy Council must be approved by the House of Commons and the House of Lords

• . The vote of Catholic Lords shall be taken away, and the children of Catholics must receive a Protestant education.

• Matters that concern the public must be debated in Parliament, not decided based upon the advice of private advisors.

What was Charles’ reaction towards the Nineteen Propositions?

He rejected all of the propositions. He issued a Commission of Array. His rejection would later be read out loud in Parliament

What is a Commission of Array?

It was an order to English nobility to raise the militia on the King’s behalf.

What is the Commission of Safety?

Why did the Parliament appoint the Commission of Safety?

They did it liaise between Westminster and their army in the field.

What were the Parliament’s advantages?

• They had the support from the population of London. The population was around 550,000 people at the time which was crucial.

• They had the most sympathises from most towns and the most economically advanced areas in the East and South.

• Scottish Presbyterians were willing to aid them in its struggle with the King.

What is the Oxford Treaty of Negotiations?

It was failed attempt to have a peace between Charles and Parliament. Charles had failed to compromise

When was the First English Civil War?

1642-45.