AQA A-level History, Stuart Britain : Section 2 : Revolution 1629-49

Divisions over religion during personal rule 1629-40

Charles allowed archbishop laud a high degree of autonomy over church affairs -> shared vision of CofE steeped in order and decorum
Keen to promote Arminianism

Laudian Impositions

Demanded strict adherence to rules -> substitution of ritual and formality in place of puritan emphasis on individual prayer & preaching. Believed going to church should be stimulating experience of all the senses
Changes church's required to make:
1. Organs installed and singing of hymns
2. Fonts decorated
3. Statues and colour returned to church's
4. Stain glass installed
5. Communion table moved from centre of congregation to east end where Roman Catholic alter always stood -> puritans objected

The status of the clergy

As part of his quest for uniformity, Laud aimed to enhance power of the church hierarchy
Did this:
1. Ordered bishops to visit each parishes at least once every 3 years
2. Archbishops expected to report directly to Charles
3. Campaign against unlicensed preaching was launched
4. Priests given jobs as Justices of Peace (JP's) & number of bishops sat on Privy Council
5. Prerogative courts, especially star chamber, used to judge religious cases -> harsh punishments inflicted on those who criticised lauds reforms

The Book of Sports

1618 -> James I published
Reissued by Charles in 1633
Book permitted people to take part in a number of approved activities on Sundays -> reaction to established puritan belief that only worship and spiritual reflection should take place on Sundays

Opposition to religious reforms

As part of quest for uniformity -> laud dismissed puritan ministers and banned puritan members of gentry from appointing own chaplains
Hundreds of clergy emigrated to North America to escape persecution
Congregations resented the economic cost of Lauds reforms
Restoration of organs and beautifying of churches was an expensive undertaking

Bastwick, Burton and Prynne

3 high profile puritans -> resisted lauds reforms -> trial in star chamber 1637 after previous individual cases against them had been pursued in church courts
- John Bastwick = doctor who wrote a number of tracts attacking bishops -> Star Chamber banned production of news sheets in 1632
- Henry Burton = minister whose sermons consistently deviated from those approved by laud
- William Prynne = lawyer who wrote 1,000 page attack on theatre and actresses in 1632
All 3 men fined £5000 imprisoned for life & ordered to have part of ears cut off

Methods of increasing revenue

No parliament to provide him funds
Charles had to resort to new methods:
1. Treaty of Madrid 1630 = ended hostilities with Spain, annual spending on war reduced from £500,000 in 1620's to £70,000 in 1630's
2. Raised £358,000 from collection of tonnage & poundage
3. Fined people for building or encroaching on royal forests -> £40,000
4. Issued monopolies in return for a fee
5. Wardship revenue = £55,000 per year
6. Ship money = introduce as annual tax and charged all countries not just those near the coast. -> raised around £200,000 per year between 1634-40

Early opposition to financial reforms:

1629:
Richard chambers refused to pay tonnage & poundage = argued affected those involved in trade disproportionately = imprisoned and fined £2000
1634:
David Foulis, attempted uprising against distraint of knighthood = gained little support

John Hampden & Ship Money

Like other taxes ship money generally paid.
Small number of complaints-> about amount being levied rather than principle of tax
John Hampden most high profile challenge:
1. Hampden refused to pay in 1636 & initiated legal challenge against
2. Part of puritan circle who been active in providence island company, a private shipping company
3. Chalres decided use Hampden's challenge as test case
4. 7 judges riled favour of Charles' continued collection -> 5 against
5. Reaction of gentry result of case generally hostile and created issues for Charles by end of decade

Tax payers strike 1639

Most countries generally paid ship money in full -> 1635-36 under 98%of expected revenue was collected
In 1639 many those expected to pay the tax refused -> only 20% of expected revenue was collected
Reason why Charles recalled parliament 1640

Charles started first bishops war with Scotland in 1639. Many tax payers in England sympathised with Scot's as fellow Protestants and didn't want to fund war

Scotland

Charles left scotland when just 4 and returned for coronation 1633 -> out of touch with Scottish affairs and surrounded himself with anglicised Scot's who believed they had sound grasp of Scottish opinion
Opposition in Scotland:
1. Charles caused resentment when 1625 passed revocation act -> nullifying claims of Scottish Nobles to disputed lands. All church and royal land lost since 1540 taken back for the crown
2. Protestant reformation in Scotland further than in England -> church Presbyterian structure
3. 1636 Charles issued book of cannons -> instruction how clergy should lay out church's, introduced preaching licence. Ministers banned from asserting own church rules without kings permission
4. 1637 Charles issued English Prayer Books to Scottish church's -> when book first read riot broke out in St Giles church
5. 1638 Scottish clergy and nobility set up National Covenat to defend religious rights -> followers Covenanters

First Bishop War

Charles quarrel with Scot's -> began when he imposed Prayer Book, came to head in 1639
- both Charles and Covenanters raised armies. Scottish army more superior and included number of soldiers who served Protestant cause in 30 years war -> Charles troops lacked enthusiasm -> reluctant conscripts
- Charles lacked money to fight a war and had to rely on part time county militias from england
- realising he couldn't win charles signed treaty of Berwick 1639 ending the first bishops war

Ireland

When Wentworth became Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1632, he had to content with conflicting interest groups

Irish Parliament

Through close enough supervision wentworth was able to persuade the Irish parliament to grant 10 subsides & also issued Book of Rates -> doubled incomes from customs duties. All of this revenue went directly to English Govt

Old English

As descendants of Medieval English settlers, catholic group formed elite of Irish society for 200 years
Aggravated because:
1. Ahead Wentworth's policy of settling english and Scottish Protestants on land that belong to them
2. Leading old english landowners made agreement with Charles known as the graces. Return from fixed sum & Charles promised not to interfere with certain lands -> Wentworth only upheld part of deal and didn't uphold claims to land that conflicted with crown interest

New English

More recent Protestant settlers
Resented Wentworth for :
1. As Protestants they resisted high church Arminianism associated with laud & charles
2. Many new english acquired vast wealth in role as customs agents for king & corruption = prosecuted in courts for this

Short parliament - finance

The taxpayers strike of 1639 was promoted by a lack of enthusiasm for a war with the Scots
This meant that the most successful tax of his personal rule - ship money , was no use to charles
The london merchants only offered him £5000 in funding because Wentworth had alienated the City of London as Lord Deputy in Ireland
He had fined the corporations of London in 1643 after it failed to fulfil its obligations towards land granted in Londonderry = triggered a chain of events that would result in charles assembling 2 hostile parliaments

Short Parliament (1640)

- with finance lacking, charles turned to wentworth for advice. he was told to call a parliament
- when this so-called short parliament met in April 1640, numerous petitions against various aspects of personal rule led by the MP John Pym, were presented to Charles
- charles had opportunity to save situation by making concessions to parliament but instead demanded money before he would hear their demands
- facing fierce opposition, Charles was compelled to dissolve parliament after only 3 weeks

Second Bishops War and the Long Parliament

- Charles quickly got a ill organised force together to fight
- Many he recruited sympathised with Scots
- Scots easily defeated Charles' troops at the battle of Newbury
- Treaty of Ripon was signed shortly after -> charles has to pay Scots £850 per day while they occupied Newcastle
- charles forced to call another parliament -> long parliament assembled 1640 didnt official dissolve till 1660

Pym's junto

Pym & associates formed group that organised the opposition strategy to the king
Pym spent much of 1630's recording Charles transgressions
First meeting long parliament -> Pym made lengthy speech where pushed for 'evil councillors to be removed'
Crucially there was no call to abolish the monarchy & no attack in charles directly

Root and branch petition

Dec 1640
Commons recieved a root & branch petition signed by 15,000 Londoners
Listed religious grievances relating to treatment of clergy, restrictions on preaching and encouragement of Arminianism
Asked for abolition of bishops
Became blueprint for religious policy of opposition

Erosion of royal prerogative : Nov 1640 - April 1641
Attacks on Charles Advisors

- 2 of key advisors fled the continent in dec 1640 before they could be impeached
- majority of judges that sat in prerogative courts in 1630's were impeached
- archbishop laud was arrested and held in Tower of London
- Wentworth was arrested and charged with high treason

Erosion of royal prerogative : Nov 1640 - April 1641
Ensuring the future security of parliaments

Triennial Act: Feb 41, obliged charles to call a parliament at least once every 3 years -> if not meet anyway
Act Against Forcible Dissolution: May 41, under pressure from London mob, under act long parliament could only be dissolved with own consent -> didnt apply to future parliaments -> no long term restriction on royal prerogative

Wentworth's trial and execution April- May 1641

- to be found guilty of treason -> tried in HoL after vote in HoC
- not possible so referred to act of attainder -> death warrant & only required suspicion of guilt and as long as it was passed by both houses and signed by the monarch no trial required
- to secure passage of act -> Pym revealed plot to release wentworth and dissolve parliament by force -> first army plot
- the attainder passed 204 votes to 59 and wentworth executed 12 may -> charles signed due to pressure

Other steps taken to further erode prerogative 1641

June: tonnage and poundage abolished
August: Ship Money declared illegal
- Declared illegal for fines to be imposed in relation to knighthood
- forest fines banned
- Court of High commission and Star Chamber outlawed due to position held for laud

Irish Rebellion Oct 1641

When MP's returned in Oct
Treated by rumours of a rising amount Irish catholics -> developed into reports of 200,000 Protestants being killed -> exaggerated

Grand Remonstrance Nov 1641

In Nov, Pym introduced lengthy doc that outlined criticisms of Charles reign
Key points
- request parliament have more control of military
- parliament approve Charles' minsters
Parliament believed charles couldn't lead army against Irish
Commons approved Grand Remonstrance 159 votes to 148 -> shows divide in parliament -> conservatives and radicals

Milita Bill

Dec 1641
Presented by Arthur Haselrig -> provide an army under control of Parliament to tackle Irish rebellion
Caused moderates to side with charles

The Five Members Incident

Charles felt in a strong position to attack the opposition -> miscalculation
- targeted 5 members of HoC
- 5th Jan 1642 -> charles entered commons with armed escort and demand the speaker tell him whereabouts of 5 members -> escaped forewarned of arrival
- charles left nothing to show for efforts

The slide into war -> Jan - Aug 1642

Chances of settlement didnt improve between 2 sides
- charles fled to Hampton with wife & kids -> wouldn't return to city again as free man
Gap widening so parliament issued military ordinance
Modified militia bill -> couldn't become law (royal assent)
Ordinance acted as call to arms for parliament
Charles response : Commissions of Array also acted as call to arms
June:
Parliament : Nineteen Propositions
Final basis for a negotiated settlement
A primary demand was overhaul of kings choice of ministers but propositions added further requirements such as approval for royal tutors and marriages
Charles rejected propositions -> argued anarchy ensue if accepted
August: Charles declared war at Nottingham

Royalist weaknesses

1. Charles had little talent on battlefield -> failed to capitalise on advantages after battle of edgehill
2. Royalists unable to secure help from abroad -> Henrietta Maria got some help from Holland little impact -> Charles made peace with Irish and tired to summon troops however weak force 2500 easily defeated
3. Charles lost control of most of key ports -> Newcastle and Kings Lynn only major ports
4. Unable to base himself in london -> charles moved capital to oxford -> far from main supply routes to south wales
5. Charles struggled to resolve differences between senior commanders
6. Money from traditional levies soon ran out and not until 1644 Charles emulated parliament introducing excise tax

Parliamentary strengths

1. Controlled London -> large population
2. Strongest militia 1642-> London trained bands 20,000 men by 1643 -> drilled by professional soldiers
3. Controlling London = access to loans and funding from city of London merchants
4. Political legitimacy -> able to control parliament itself -> able to use various govt departments
5. Controlled navy & most of ports -> difficult for Charles to obtain help
6. South & east controlled by england -> wealthiest, most agriculturally rich regions in country
7. Political leadership of parliament relatively strong and united in 1642 - 43 before death of Pym

Divisions amongst the parliamentary leaders and the self denying ordinance

Parliament won battle of marston Moore in July 1644 with Scottish help
Second battle of Newbury Oct 1644 -> failed to achieve victory -> outnumbered kings army
Cautious tactics responsible
Cromwell from War Party passed the self-denying ordinance 1644
This necessitated all MP's and Lords resign military commands -> removed commanders who had performed poorly
Ordinance revised in April 1645 to all some MP's to be appointed -> Cromwell recalled

Formation of NMA

February 1645, an ordinance was passed creating the NMA
Army unique:
1. Single national forced of 21,000 men
2. Members well paid
3. Promotions based on merit rather than social class
4. Members of the army were deeply religious & believe fighting war in name of god
5. All infantry wore the same uniform
6. Discipline was strict and soldiers could be fined for swearing
7. Army contained an intelligence department responsible for collecting information about enemy movements

capture of Charles

July 1645 a month after Parliament victory at Naseby -> last major battle Langport = Royalists defeated
Prince Rupert expelled from Bristol in September and city taken back
Seige of Chester ended in jan 1646
Charles aware had no choice but to surrender
Gave himself up to scots 5th may 1646 hope have nicer treatment

Popular radicalism in london

Number of radicals became influential
Radical puritan solider John Lilburne imprisoned 1645 for denouncing MP's who lived in comfort
while soliders died

Lilburne and the Levellers:
Beliefs

Leveller movement emerged in 1645 -> influential aftermath of civil war
Developed own plans for written constitution
Demands:
1. Abolition of HoL & HoC be central body
2. Universal male suffrage
3. A new written constitution
4. Equality before the law and religious freedoms

Lilburne and the Levellers:
Impact

Levellers revolutionary -> demanded overhaul of political and legal system, end to imprisonment for debt.
Didn't advocate bringing women into voting franchise and some suggested those receiving poor relief shouldn't vote.
Parliament imprisoned Lilburne for his beliefs in 1645 suggests they viewed them as a threat
Beliefs never popular with the gentry as the implementation of a leveller political programme would have resulted in them losing most of their power

Fifth monarchists

Although not politically active and influential until after 1649 the millenarian ideas associated with the fifth monarchist were becoming increasingly popular
Believed great fifth empire would come to earth imminently with the return of Jesus
Millenarians therefore believed people should prepare for the second coming of Christ

Diggers

Led by Gerard Winstanley and claimed ownership of land based on man made laws and that there was no evidence in the bible to suggest they should be followed
They set up rural communes for poor on common land

The Newcastle propositions

July 1646
Parliament offered Charles I initial settlement proposal while he was in custody of Scot's at Newcastle
Political Presbyterians dominating Parliament
Demands:
1. Parliament nominate key officers of state
2. Parliament would control militia for 20 years
3. Bishops would be abolished and Presbyterian church created for an experimental three years
4. Charles was to sign the covenant
5. Kings peace treaty with Irish annulled and war in Ireland continue under Parliament
6. 58 royalists exempt from pardon and punished for involvement with civil war

Charles handed to the English

Scots soon came to realise prisoner not agree to demands
Also resentment English MP's, exacerbated when intercepted letter revealed Charles been in secret negotiation with Scot's since 1646
When clear Charles not going to agree to any peace treaties -> english paid Scot's for Charles
Scots left England jan 1647 & charles held at Holmby house Northamptonshire

Charles attitude to the Newcastle propositions

Even before he received them vowed not to accept
Believed Presbyterian church would damage power of monarchy because obedience to the crown had never been associated with Presbyterian church
Letters sent to Henrietta Maria before proposition show charles never intended to negotiate and stated if he would accept them he would lose "conscience, crown and honour"

Charles response to the Newcastle propositions

Charles didn't intend to accept propositions -> he delayed his answer as long as possible in the hope that the divisions amongst his opposition enemies would increase
- when eventually replied in August acknowledged willingness to surrender militia 10 years and experiment Presbyterian for 5 years on condition Anglican Church eventually restored
- in autumn suggested Presbyterian settlement for 3 years -> assembly consist of 20 Presbyterians and 20 independents and 20 own nominees
- advised by councillors & Henrietta that he sold make concessions on issue of church governance but both this issue and control of militia were non negotiable for charles
- may 1647 offered accept modified version with Presbyterianism for 3 years -> considering raising scottish army -> negotiations delayed by rising of NMA

Presbyterian and independents

2 groups emerged in parliament initially had conflicting views about religious settlement

Presbyterian beliefs

Groups of MP's wanted to abolish episcopacy and replace with Presbyterian system
Still be national church but heirachry of bishops replaced with assembly
Chief spokesperson Denzil Holles
Favoured negotiation settlement with Charles & prompt disbanding of NMA

Independent beliefs

Believed each Christian congregation should be autonomous
Group had minority in parliament but had a number of powerful supporters including Oliver Cromwell
Wanted to force settlement with charles rather than continue with negotiations

Extent of divisions 1647

Despite fact Presbyterians largest and most dominant group in parliament as Charles delayed his response to Newcastle propositions -> position became weaker
Balance of power shifted between Presbyterians and independents
- Presbyterians boosted when charles transferred them custody in jan 1647
- independents had close links to NMA :
- Presbyterians planned to disband army and only give them 8 weeks arrears pay (owed 3 million) and send 12,000 to Ireland
- march 1647 HoC voted only Presbyterians and non - MP's should be officers -> army refused 29th May
- agreed over threat of radicals such as levellers

The army revolt
June 1647

4th June junior officer arrived with escort to take possession of king -> kidnapping him from custody of Presbyterians
Chain of events:
1. Charles taken to join army at Newmarket -> transferred to Hampton court
2. Next day officers signed engagement to stand with army
3. General council of army established. Council met to discuss political issues including their grievances against Presbyterian MP's
4. Mid June representation of the army published and demanded expulsion of 11 Presbyterian MP's
5. 58 independent MP's and peers sought refuge with army and fairfax led forces into London 4 aug
6. Army deliberately marched through london in show of strength

Heads of proposal

Mid august 1647 independents and army in position of strength
Initial stages of army revolt considerable unity between officers and rank and file soliders
Change when ireton presented Charles with new offer of political settlement
Contained:
1. Triennial act repealed and replaced with biennial parliaments
2. Parliament nominate key officers of state for 10 years
3. Parliament control militia 10 years
4. Continued use of bishops in CofE but restriction on powers
5. 7 royalists exempt from pardon rather than 58
More reasonable than Newcastle propositions
He now accepted these as his favoured settlement proposals
Army grandees now appeared as moderate force who willing to reinstate charles with most of power intact

The Putney Debates

Oct 1647, leveller influenced soldiers offered own proposal which was drawn up into a potential settlement as an agreement of the people and presented to the army general council. Agitators and senior officers from army met at church in Putney to discuss political settlement
- demanded complete religious freedom and an annual parliament elected by all adult males
- ireton countered with claim that voters must be men of property
- Cromwell present but focused on maintaining a level of civility between participants

The engagement :
Chalres's escape

The Putney debates were brought to an end by news charles escaped from captivity
Soon in custody again on Isle of Wight -> attempted to escape several times

The engagement

While on the Isle of Wight charles approach by Scot's and offered the engagement
Accepted on 26th Dec while rejecting 4 parliament bills
In return for military assistance from the Scot's, charles agreed to establish a Presbyterian church in england for 3 years

The engagement:
Vote of No Address

3rd Jan 1648, the HoC passed the Vote of No Address by 141 votes to 91.
States no more negotiations would be held with charles because of his negotiations with the Scot's
HoL initially refused to debates but passed 17th Jan

Charles defeated

Scots entered england April 1648, triggering brief 2nd civil war
April - August 1648
Invasion followed a number of pro-royalist protests across england
Scots easily defeated at battle of Preston

The Windsor prayer meeting

April 1648 while Cromwell away from London, ireton and other officer from army council held a prayer meeting at Windsor castle
- decided that charles " that man of blood" - should be held accountable for the "blood he had shed and mischief he had done"

Negotiations at Newport

Ireton petitioned parliament several times over next few months to organise a trial
Parliament attempted one more round of negotiations in august and discussions began at Newport
Charles resorted to old tactics of deception and delay

Prides purge

View Charles be brought to trial still that of minority in early dec 1648
5 dec parliament voted to continue negotiations
Next day regiment led by colonel pride surrounded HoC and excluded 186 MP's who supported continued negotiations and arrested 45
Left a 'rump house of 249 -> 71 actively involved in trails and execution of charles

The trial

Cromwell finally agreed with ireton -> charles brought to trial
Commons passed act to set up high court of justice and Charles trial took place on 20-27 jan
135 commissioners appointed and 68 heard case
Throughout trial charles refused to recognise authority of the court
Found guilty of treason
Publically beheaded outside old banqueting house at Whitehall 30 jan