the scottish covenant and the bishop's war

reaction to the scottish prayer book 1637

• riots broke out causing the scottish privy council to abandon edinburgh in october

• 1638 charles issues a new proclamation that makes it treason to protest against the prayer book

what was the national covenant 1638

• a solemn promise by the people of scotland to the king that they would not comply with this requirement

what policy did scottish noble men pursue w/o an independant and representative national parliament

• policy of collective refusal

did the scottish nobility expect the covenant to lead to war

• no

• only a final remaining avenue to oppose the king

what did charles do to buy himself time

• call a religious national assembly at Glasgow in November 1638

what did the national assembly move to do

• remove episcopacy

• abolish the prayer book

why did the first bishop’s war start

• the struggle over episcopacy was so central

speed of mobilisation

c: rapid

k: patchy and slower

resources covenanters

• made use of protestant powers of nothern europe

• local committees able to raise hugely increased taxes in order to fund mobilisation

king’s army resources

• only non-parliamentary finance (personal gifts, personal loans and feudal revenues)

• ship money receipts dropped (hampden case + many sympathised w covenanters) 90%-20%

• endeavoured to raise “coat and conduct” to support militia fighting outside of country (met with widespread opposition + non-compliance)

covenanters composition of forces

• covenanters asked the king of france to help

• battle-hardened + professional (returning from 30 years’ war)

king’s composition of forces

• english nobility ordered to take an oath of allegiance 1639

• forced men into local army than using local militia (mistrust of political loyalty)

• let it be known that he was planning to bring in catholic troops from ireland and spain (politically inept move)

covenanters discipline and order

• well disciplined, highly motivated + expertly commanded

• smaller scottish forced ready to fight

king’s army discipline + order

• disorderly + ill-prepared

• committed robberies, riots and murders as they marches up north

what is the pacification of berwick

• charles agrees to recall the scottish general assembly and scottish parliament

• both sides to disband their armies

what caused the pacification of berwick

• running out of money

• failed to intimidate the scots into submission

• poor quality army

• reports of well-armed, well-organised scottish fighting forces ahead of him

strengthen his circle of advisers (opts after 1st bishops war)

• wentworth recalled from ireland 1639 + elevated to earl of strafford

• absence = ireland unravels, irish protestants began to offer help to covenanters

• strafford advises charles to be unyielding

rethink scottish policy (opts after 1st bishops war)

• could abandon scottish policy, remodel the scottish privy council + make it more broadly representative + allow governing bodies to work it traditional ways

• not attempted - not willing to accomodate “rebels”

raise more money to launch a proper military campaign (opts after 1st bishops war)

• call english parliament for a subsidy

• recalled in 1640 + started in a concilliatory manner

• but charles resented having to call it + dissolved after 3 weeks