political divisions along parliament, pym and the outbreak of civil war

When did the Long parliament, first sit

3 November 1640

Why was it called the long parliament?

Because MPs could only agree to its dissolution -it lasted until 1660 technically

At the beginning of the long parliament, did MPs want Civil War?

No, despite their different ideas about religion and politics

In 1640 what were the key aims of most MPs in the long parliament?

They were against the abuse is a personal rule and wanted re-form of Charles rule from within ,passing various laws in the early days

The continued attempt at settling conflicts with the crown be seen most in what event?

The Earl of Bedford scheme to reform, crown, finances

How did the Earl of Bedford attempt to reform crown finances?

Bridging the gap between crown in parliament

Him and his allies. For example, John PIM, in the Commons, proposed a compromise without any fundamental change to the political system.

What did Bedford scheme to reform crown finances include?

-abolishing most confrontational, financial and political aspect of the personal rule

-A return to Elizabethan based broad Protestant church

-A separate financial settlement as agreed by parliament for Charles the first

To carry out his financial crown reforms. What did Bedford propose to be?

Lord treasurer with Pym as Chancellor of the Exchequer

What caused the failure of Bedfords attempts to reform crown finances?

Charles reluctance to settle with Bedford as well as his death in May 1641

What was believed about Thomas Wentworth, in regards to Charles?

Parliament believed he was the man with the potential to make Charles absolutist

What was the kings relationship with Wentworth like?

-loyal to Charles and showed he was capable of dealing with Irish conflict

-Charles main advisor -sorted out growing problems, such as bankruptcy and war with the Scottish covenanters

-supported Charles desire to renew the war against the Scots whilst Parliament wanted peace

What were parliaments criticisms of Wentworth?

-he was heavy-handed in handling the Irish situation and wanted to raise Parliamentary funds to wage war against the Scots

-risk of punishment for openly criticising the king, so it was safer to blame evil counsellors, such as Wentworth and Laud for the Scottish crisis

-Direct attack on Charles risksd under mining, the divine right +the whole system of government +society, possibly prompting an unwonted revolution by those outside the political nation

-MP split on opinion of Wentworth, some moderates e.g. Bedford wanted him in prison whilst others wanted him dead e.g Warwick and scots

What was one of the first acts of the long parliament in November 1640

To impeach Wentworth, for attempting to bring the Irish army to England to help Charles control his country

Two reasons Wentworths impeachment was proposed?

-Parliament hopes that without his evil counsellors, Charles would see the need to accept reform and rule with Parliament

-Rather than changing the system and removal of evil counsellors would allow their replacement with men like Bedford and Pym, who would ensure what Parliament saw as a “good government”

When did wentworths trial before parliament begin?

March 1641

Who was one of the leading figures in prosecuting the impeachment charge against Wentworth?

Pym but Wentworth defended himself well so they went against him with a bill of attainder

How did Parliament react to the bill?

-some fully supported it such as Warwick, but others were more cautious

-E.g. Bedford, we are still trying to negotiate bridge appointments to Charles government, and in return was trying to ensure that Wentworth punishment did not extend to execution

When did limits to Bedford influence become clear?

-limits of Bedfords influence became clear when in 1641 February. The Scots declared they would not make peace, unless there was an end to bishops in Scotland and Wentworth was dead.

What did Charles do that heightened political tension and undermined wentworths position in April 1641?

-ordered all officers to return to their commands with the English army in the north

-seen as a plan to use the army against Parliament. There were also rumours that Charles intended to dissolve parliament.

What was it that caused the commons to pass the bill of attainder against Wentworth?

-The army plot 1641, the bill of attainder then got 204 votes to59

For the total amount of votes in the bill of attainder, how many MPs actually voted?

Only about half as many simply didn’t vote or absence themselves from the House of Commons and the House of Lords

What did the bill of attainder need to become an act?

Charles Royal assent

What factors caused Charles to give his ascent for the bill of attainder to be passed?

-The atmosphere from the army plot, protestation oath, and the increasing presence of the London crowd, causing Charles to fear for his family, especially his Catholic wife

When was Wentworth executed?

12th of May 1641

Did Wentworths death Make Charles more or less likely to negotiate with Parliament?

Less

What was the London crowd or the London mob?

A negative term to describe Londoners, who participated in politics and supported Parliamentary causes

How many Londoners signed the root and branch petition?

15,000

What did the london crowd do in May 1641, amid rumours of royalist army plot to seize it and release Wentworth?

Defended the Tower of London

Features of London

-A sophisticated political arena with its own multilayered systems of government and representation that had been established for centuries

What was one system in London and what did it achieve?

-One system -the common council elections for this body in December 1641, produced a much more radical body that was more willing to organise popular support for Pym

In Christmas 1641. What did Pym use the London crowd to do?

Put pressure on the laws to exclude bishops. The impact of the crowd made Charles consider his and his family’s safety.

Who was Pym?

The leading figure in the comments in 1640, who was regarded as a chief opponent of Charles

What were Pym main aims?

-removal and punishment of Charles evil counsellors

-A political settlement without the threat of being overturned by Charles

-removal of the threat of catholic popery and the establishment of a strong Protestantism

What is a link to Pyms main three goals

What morill calls his obsession with true religion-in establishing this, the threat of popery and other threats to Parliament would be removed

How could Charles policies in the 1630s be interpreted?

Dual policy of establishing Catholicism and absolutism

What was Pimms initial agenda in the 1620s

-not radical, he had sought to achieve from within the adequate funding of Royal government, and want a political nation unified

When did Pym become more radical?

-During the long parliament as Charles continue to threaten to use force, and as a result of heightened religious and political tension created by Irish rebellion

What were Pimms methods to achieve his aims during the long parliament?

-impeachment of Wentworth, and laud

-forming an alliance with the Scottish covenanters occupying Northern England

-supporting Bedford Bridge appointment scheme

-using Parliamentary financial pressure to control, Charles political options achieved by giving Charles income from tonnage poundage only on a two monthly basis

-getting parliament to transfer to itself, some key prerogative powers of the crown

-PIM could be seen as a symbol of her parliament became more of a threat to moderates than Charles was in 1641. Moderates reacted to Pimms stance in parliament, leading to the development of constitutional violation the formation of a royalist party and the two divisions leading to the English Civil War

-using Parliamentary committees to steer parliament toward settlement

What was the root and branch petition?

Demanded the end of bishops and episcopacy with puritanism being the force behind it

When was the root and branch petition debated in Parliament?

February 1641 and cause division

Pimms role in the petition of root and branch

-seen as one of the Chiefs supporters, but did not aim to destroy the church

-So the removal of Charles influence by establishing a system of lay patronage in place of bishops, allowing locals more control of the church

-arminians/laudians were very much a minority supported by the king, enabling the church to revert in most cases to moderate Protestant, Church of England

In the root and branch petition, what was their clear disagreement about?

What to replace Laudianism with

When was Lord impeached and when was he executed?

Impeached in 1640-41 and executed in 1645

How did many view the dismantling of the church structure?

-undermining the whole order of society

-men like Hyde, who were moderate Protestant became supporters of Charles as the symbol of the church

What could the comment agree on in the root and branch petition?

The circular power of bishop should be curtailed, and an exclusion bill was written, stating the bishop should no longer sit and vote in the House of Lords

-sent to the Lords in March 1641, but rejected on the 8th of June

What was the triennial act 15th of February 1641?

Abolish ship money without Parliamentary consent

Also stated Charles had to call parliament every three years and that it should last a minimum of 50 days

If he didn’t do this, the written legal order for calling Parliament would be done automatically by the law Chancellor

What did the triennial act ensure?

That there would not be another period of prolonged personal rule

What caused the formation of the royalist party?

Bedfords death 1641 -MPs eg Pym attempted other ways of solving problems between crown and parliament- these divisions caused it

What were the divisions in parliament caused by?

-preventing personal rule- MPs agreed they didn’t want PR again but how to prevent it caused division

-bill of attainder- breakdown of unity begun when some saw this as constitutionally dangerous

-religion- religious issues e.g role of bishops caused issues also

What were moderates afraid of?

Power of radicals eg Pym were more of a threat to political order than Charles did

How has the moderate reaction from 1640-1642 been labelled?

Constitutional royalist

Noble and gentry reaction to radical Puritanism where the mob held power and parliament took over royal prerogative?

Panicked - looked to concept of monarchy (not Charles himself )as the best protection for a Protestant church, law order and their influence

What was the Ten propositions June 1641?

-confirmed parliament radicalism

-made clear king would need to make some concessions

What concessions did the Ten Propositions say the king needed to make?

-parliamentary input into who was privy council

-parliamentary control of those around the queen

-parliamen Control over religious education for royal kids

FAT CHANCE Charles would agree

Who signed the Cumbernauld Band august 1640? What was it

-the earl of Montrose and 17 other Scottish nobles

-stated desire to defend the king

-signalled division in Scotland

When did the king leave for Scotland? Why?

-august 1641 to accept the abolition of episcopacy

-some questioned whether he should be watched

Whilst Charles was in Scotland, what royalist plot was there?

Plot to kidnap radical Scottish Covenanters

Who instigated the royalist plot to kidnap radical Scottish Covenanters?

-more extreme royalists eg earl of Crawford and moderate covenanters eg Crawford

-wanted to be rid of leading radical Covenanters leaders eg Archibald Campbell, 1st marquess of Argyll

How was the royalist plot to kidnap radical Scottish Covenanters known as?

The incident

What did the incident do to Charles?

-Destroyed his hopes of gaining further support in Scotland- linked to the plot by attending Edinburgh parliament on October 12 with an armed force.

- When he left in November he had zero support from Scots- forced to appoint his opponents to key posts in English parliament. Then news broke of the Irish rebellion

What were perceptions of the Irish rebellion in England politically?

-fear of Catholicism - heightened by distorted accounts of massacres presented by press- ranged widely between 3000- 12000 kills

-fear of Catholicism led some Protestant English politicians to become radical. Determined to avenge the massacres- fear also fed by second army plot 1641 the supposed plan where wentworths would bring the English army in Ireland to England for Charles to use against parliament

-radicalisation affected the development of support for the monarchy from moderate MPs

How does Russel describe the impact of the Irish rebellion?

-a “billiard-ball effect”- prompted by events in Scotland and Ireland but radicalised the English situation

-parliament divided about whether Charles could be trusted to lead an English army to put the Irish rebellion down

What was the grand remonstrance November 1641?

-list of criticisms of Charles government since 1625 which for Pym showed why the king couldn’t be trusted with control of the army that needed to be raised to crush the Irish rebellion

-timed to come immediately before king return from Scotland to appeal to London crowd by showing Charles couldn’t be trusted with the army

Moderates reaction to the grand remonstrance?

Alarmed by its language and anti catholic content

What did the grand remonstrance document address?

-religious concerns

-stated an assembly of divines (parliament of clergy) was to be held separately at Westminster to discuss religious settlement

-Pym and his allies made sure the parliament division relating to religion was sidelined- proved difficult issue to resolve even within the group of radical MPs

When did the Westminster assembly of divines meet?

July 1643- religious issues aside meant they could focus on finding religious settlement

Why was the grand remonstrance significant?

-careful to not accuse the king directly but seen as a direct attack on him still

-political issues deliberately/ openly directed away from Westminster to involve people themselves as a means of putting pressure on MPs

-debate as to whether to publish grand remonstrance shows real division in parliament resulting in formation of 2 sides that would fight civil war

How long did the debate on the grand remonstrance last? What did this show?

12 hours

-vote on November 23 showed parliament was split - it was passed by 159 votes to 148

What did the resulting vote on the grand remonstrance in parliament show?

-showed how split parliament was on the issue- showed the reality of a royalist party

What was the royalist view in support of Charles?

-moderates reacted to radicalism of the grand remonstrance

-believed Charles was the rightful commander of the army which was to be sent to Ireland

What was the radicals view against Charles?

-supported the grand remonstrance believing Charles couldn’t be trusted to lead the army against catholic- Ireland

-one Irish leader, sir prelim O’Neill clai,ed to be killing English Protestants in Charles name- produced a forged warrant. Gave fuel to idea Charles couldn’t be trusted

What was pyms additional instruction, November 1641?

-stated if parliament was going to help raise an army to subdue Ireland Charles should only appoint councillors approved by parliament

-Pym only won votes of 150-110

What did the militia bill force MPs to do?

Take sides on who should command the army

What was the aim of the militia bill passed December 7 1641?

-remove the kings power over the trained bands

-give parliament power to appoint army commanders

What did the militia bill propose ? Why was it revolutionary

Parliament would be in control of the army raised to crush Irish rebels - directly questioned Charles prerogative and attempted to transfer those powers to parliament

-Pym and others hoped to use the anger of the London crowd to put pressure on MPs to pass this

How did Charles respond to the militia bill?

-positioned himself as defender of “fundamental law” against revolutionaries in his public statements in December

-him acting as defender of the constitution won over constitutional royalists eg Edward Hyde

Key events of the Long parliament 1642?

-4 JAN- Five members coup

-FEB- Henrietta Maria leaves England

-MARCH- Militia ordinance

-APRIL- Charles attempts to seize arsenal at Hull

-JUNE- 19 propositions - Charles issues commissions of array

-18 JUNE- Charles rejects 19 propositions

-22 AUG- Charles raised standard at Nottingham - start of CIVIL WAR!

Who did Charles announce the impeachment of in January 3 1642?

His key opponents

-Pym, Hampden, haselrig, holes, strode and ed monatagu