Stuarts 1665-1685

what was the position between king and parliament by 1665?

Restoration Settlement hadn't resolved underlying tensions

- CII claim to DROK vs parl's power - didn't provide enough income for his independence, even in areas which lie whith his prerogative ie foreign policy

- CII's desire for tolerant church was repeatedly denied by parl

what was Charles suspected agenda?

suspected to favour Catholicism based on foreign and domestic policies. Also looked favourably on dissenters who recovered from difficult restoration settlement

What was Charles' pro French (Catholic) foreign policy?

1665-1670

1665 embarks on 2nd Anglo-Dutch War

replaced Clarendon with Cabal

Treaty of Dover

2nd Anglo Dutch War (1665-1667)

justified by commercial rivalry, helps LXIV aim to destroy Dutch Protestant Republic/extend French territory

James, Duke of York - hoped success would free crown from financial dependence on parls

DUTCH VICTORY - some saw this as judgement from God of activities at dissolute court

what was the political impact of 2nd Anglo-Dutch War?

made worse for CII by Great Plague 65, Great Fire 66

suspicions that plague was by CII's Catholic advisors, fire started by Papists

CII deflects some criticism - Clarendon out in favour of Cabal, allows HofC to blame and impeach Hyde

what was the Cabal?

A senior group of privy councillors under Charles II, active from approximately 1668-1674. Power was shared by this group rather than a single royal favourite. It contained two Catholics, Clifford and Arlington

Treaty of Dover 1670

French subsidy of £375k set up (designed to free CII from parl dependence but not enough)

committed England to further war w Dutch

CII's Catholic leanings confirmed -> concern among nation

CII to announce his conversion to Catholicism at some point

3rd Anglo Dutch War 1670-1672

result of secret Treaty of Dover, unpopular as French seen as long term threat

what was the state of finances from 1665-1669?

very dependent on parl, parl resorted to short term grants 65-67 to pay for £5m cost of Dutch war

war, Fire, Plague declined parls revenue of customs duties - fell to less than £650,000 65-68 -> Charles more reliant on parl grants

what characteristic of Charles made parliament less likely to give him money?

CII's desire for toleration and concerns over extravagant lifestyle made parl less generous -> only £300,000 given 1668-1669

how did the Clarendon code fail?

key reason: antipathy and desire for revenge against dissenters diminishing as many people disliked persecution of otherwise respectable members of their communities

how did Presbyterians survive the late 1660s?

Presbs removed from CoE still preach

-1,000 of 1,800 ejected 1662 after AoUniformity

-Five Mile Act failed, merchants/landowners support ministers

-developing structures: new links so followed separatists as shared common cause

-high demand for dissenting ministers: as concerns of declining dissenting clergy so unable to support meetings

how did Quakers survive the late 1660s?

reorder attempt, Fox travelled Eng to provide new structure to community

-meeting York 1668, set up monthly district meeting, annual London meeting

-by 1670s, 70,000 Quakers

how were borderline non-conformists supported late 1660s?

many elites were CoE borderline e.g. 1691 Ab Cant,

many wealthy, JPs conformed without enthusiasm, shared views

1660s - support individual ministers but not speak out abt persecution

how were Latitudinarians supported late 1660s?

many in CofE still wanted broader church which looked favourably on dissenters, e.g. Bishop of Chester John Wilkins

how was Charles II supported late 1660s?

replaced Clarendon w Cabal containing 2 Catholics and some men with links to moderate Puritanism -> now felt he could possibly challenge High Church Anglicans and their Parl allies

how were attempts to introduce more toleration supported late 1660s?

led by 2 judges - Bridgeman and Hale 1669

tried to get parl to reverse Act of Uniformity to allow Comprehension of dissenters in church

failed as CII realised level of opposition in parl too great, BUT shows some ruling elite willing to stop persecution

1st Conventicle Act

expired 1668 - Sheldon (Ab of Canterbury) pushed for renewal 1669 -> reflected survival and organisation of dissent

Limited impact of 2nd Conventicle Act 1670

dissenters more organised and ready to deal w persecution

many Anglicans now angry at dissenter persecution

how did Charles show his pro-toleration?

attempt to suspend Act of Uniformity 1662

underlying aim in helping dissenters may have been to help English Catholics by uniting the two against Anglican establishment

BUT would persecute groups if for a wider purpose, e.g. 1680s when turned on dissenters

2nd Declaration of Indulgence 1672

2nd attempt to establish religious toleration - Conventicle act and other persecuting laws to be suspended

BUT forced to retract it 1673 in return for subsidies for war

what was the positive impact of the declaration of indulgence on dissenters?

persecuting acts suspended, had freedom to attend own church and gatherings

w/n this year dissenters consolidated their position and lay foundations for future e.g. devpt of education/training academies

overall less persecution eg Quaker meetings left alone

Major problems with Declaration of Indulgence

caused anger in political nation

included Catholic private worship - many suspected this was CII's primary objective

seen as abuse of royal prerogative as sets dangerous precedent

Stop the Exchequer 1672

Charles stops paying back his loans so he can pay for the Anglo Dutch War - damages his future financial situation

Test Act 1673

Test Act imposed on CII excluding all but Anglicans from public office, deny Cath doctrines -> James and Clifford (Lord Treasurer) resign ASAP, James officially confirmed Catholic

impact of the Test Act 1673

made Catholicism and prospect of James' succession central issue in political life for next 15 years

CII appointed Earl of Danby as Treasurer whose inflienced replaced Cabal

Danby's more Tory foreign policy

now favoured Dutch over French

marriage of James Duke of York's Prot daughter Mary to WoO 1677

BUT Charles signed secret agreement w LXIV to suspend parl if hostile to France - did in 1675, received £100,000 in return

More Tory religious policy

Danby attempt to renew persecution of dissenters

census 1676 of dissenting groups to persuade CII to renew persecution - 5% adults non-C

CII argued more than this and too many to be supressed

rising fear of Catholicism

James Duke of York remarries to Catholic Mary of Modena 1673 -> increased possibility of succession

rising fear of absolutism

Danby's use of royal patronage to build up majority in both Houses of parl, use of French subsidies

pamphlets play up link b/n Catholicism and arbitrary govt

improving financial situation 1670s

Danby's successful administration:

growth in English commercial trade late 1660s permanent base to raise customs tax

Some French subsidies

BUT CII's extravagant lifestyle meant Danby had to get more money from parl and top up income with grants

total revenues went from £880,000 pa 1660s to £1.3m 1670s

Beginnings of Tories and Whigs

Tories – defend Anglican church and Crown, tainted by association w Catholic Absolutism, led by Danby

Whigs – favour reform at Crown’s expense, tainted by association w dissenters

Whigs and Shaftesbury frustrated w Danby’s toleration for dissenters, royal patronage use -> dismissed 1673

was Earl of Shaftesbury Whig or Tory?

Whig - Latitudinarian in support of dissenters

started a career in opposition to royal policy

Popish Plot 1678-79

led by Titus Oates, panic of Catholic plot to overthrow monarchy -> leads to Exclusion Crisis

Exclusion Crisis: Danby out/Whigs in

used Popish Plot to impeach Danby for corruption 1678, CII tries to save him by dissolving parl but failed -> Danby to Tower for 5 yrs

New elections: Whigs in - force CII to appoint new privy council chosen by parl

Exclusion Crisis (1679-81)

- In 1679, first exclusion bill had passed commons but prevented from going to lords when charles dissolved parliament

- in 1680, new parliament presented another bill defeated in lords by heavy pressure by king and 35 catholics had been tried and executed but oates was running out of victims

- he decreed that the 1681 parliament should meet in oxford, away from whig stronghold of london

- when the whigs passed yet another exclusion bill, he dissolved parliament and ordered arrest of shaftesbury for treason

1st Exclusion Bill 1679

passed HoC but prevented when CII dissolved parl

2nd Exclusion Bill 1680

new parliament presented another bill defeated in lords by pressure by CII

anti-popish hysteria subsiding, 35 catholics had been tried and executed but Oates running out of victims

3rd Exclusion Bill 1681

81 CII closes parl for good – as stronger position, had customs duties and Fre subsidies from LXIV

-81 3rd Excl Bill passed by Whigs in HoC, CII dissolved parl, ordered arrest of Shaftesbury for treason

reasons for failure of the Whigs

CII able to outmanoeuvre Whigs - more patient/financially secure than CI so could afford to dissolve parl, strong English control of Ireland/Scotland meant CII could focus on England

memories of upheaval/Protestant extremism 40s/50s meant CII portrayed Whigs as rebels/regicides

Whig decline in power

Shaftesbury exiled Nov 1682

Rye House Plot 1683

old Cromwellian soldiers plot to kill CII and replace w Monmouth - failed, arrested

-plot used to destroy remaining Whig leaders - some convicted

Personal Rule 1681-1685

absolutist behaviour from CII, could do so as royal Tory backlash vs Rye House Plot

-direct contravention of Triennial Act 1664 – ignored

-CII revised borough charters that controlled elections to corporations of parl candidates – aimed to make more compliant parls in future

-new charter brought up 1683 required king’s approval for all major office-holders in city, but only partly completed w 51 charters rewritten

Financial independence during personal rule

-ordinary revenue without parl reached £1.4m pa by 84-85

-CI getting old so royal expenditure fell (as more kids!)

Anglican dominance 1681-1685

CII keen to follow aggressive Tory policy due to attack on DROK, Popish Plot etc.

Renewed persecution of dissenters 1681-86

harshest persecution 83-86 than whole century as royal effort more coordinated and nationwide

, non-conformist meetings abandoned

-Quakers meet in remote places

-remodelling borough charters key to est stronger Anglican control

evidence of Charles as absolutist

Declaration of Indulgences (especially 2nd)

-> Test Act passed as result

Personal Rule