The politicisation of the new model army

financial parliamentary attempts to disband the new model army

• redeployed units out of the NMA into ireland to crush rebels

• quaters costs out of england

• feb 1647 

political presbytarian attempts to disband the new model army

• disliked religious radicalism and military efficiency of the nma 

• feared it would hinder rapid settlement with the king 

• march 1647: parliament orders purge of officer ranks to exclude MPs and non-Presbytarians

The Humble Petitions of the Officers and Soldiers of the Army contents

• march 1647

• modest and deferential petition

• soldiers pay to be brought up to date before disbandment

• provision to be made for windows, orphans and war-maimed

• indemnity for acys committed in wartime

• volunteer troops to be allowed to refuse deployment outside england

Declaration of Dislike

• response to the humble petition of soldiers

• “enemies of the state, disturbers of peace”

• open fault line between political presbytarian majority and nma

• parliament voes to appoint only presbytarian generals to ireland and carry out a purge of independents from the london trained bands

election of agitators

• 8 cavalry regiments elected representatives make sure voices of ordinary soldiers are heard 

• end of april: vindication of the officers of the army - published as support for the agitators as representatives of the rank and file 

parliament’s response to the vindication

• series of different demands from different regiments (parliament diffuses the impact of the vindication)

• required each regiment to send complaints individually in writing

• April 1647: orders cromwell&ireton to pass an indemnity act

vindication

• agitators demand impeachment of presbytarian mps behind the declaration of dislike

• may parliament votes to disband the army with just 8 weeks arrears

• catalyses the army into a political force

• fairfax declares general rendezvous of the nma on 4 june

• 2 regiments of the army mutiny anyway on 31 may

motivations for the seizure of the king

• edward sexby rumours that the king was on the verge of making a deal with the political presbytarians

• agitators may have discussed the move to move the king to NMA headquaters

third draft of the newcastle propositions

• may 1647 charles finally accepts

• require presbytarian settlement for 3 years

• parliament have control of militia for over 10 years

• the prospect of renewed negotiations gave political presbytarians the urge and confidence to crack down on the nma

the humble remonstrance

• criticised parliament for failure to rescind the declaration of dislike

the solemn engagement

• military covenant

solemn engagement consequences

• fairfax’s man march towards capital

declaration of dislike and indemnity ordinance passed but….

• june onwards: mobs of soldiers besieged westminister, demanding pay and redress of grievances

• motion to take such grievances seriously is rejected by the commons

• an opposite motion to disband the army, re-take the king and raise a city cavalry regiment passed instead

a representation of the army contents

• nma was not a “mercenary army, hired to serve any arbitrary power of the state”

• rather it was to serve a “defence of its own and people’s just rights and liberties”

• purge of parliament (to remove army’s opponents in the commons)

• future parliaments of a fixed duration

• guaranteed freedom to petition parliament

• liberty of tender consciences (freedom of worship)

a representation of the army impact

• politicisation of the nma began

• turning into a political as well as a military force