Notes on Chapter Seven, Political Issues

Thomas Wentworth, later known as "Black Tom Tyrant," was executed for high treason in 1641.
He came from a Yorkshire gentry family and attended Cambridge University.
At 21, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Yorkshire.
Initially, Wentworth was a vocal critic of Crown policy and opposed Buckingham's pro-Spanish stance.
Charles I maneuvered him out of the 1626 parliament by appointing him Sheriff of Yorkshire.
In 1627, he was imprisoned for refusing to pay the forced loan.
In 1628, he was involved in devising the Petition of Right.

Later in 1628, Wentworth was appointed President of the Council of the North, marking a shift in his allegiance.
He became a fervent servant of the king and a trusted advisor to Charles I.
This dramatic shift alienated his former parliamentary allies, earning him the nickname "the grand apostate."
Wentworth's opposition stemmed from his dislike of Buckingham's foreign policy.
Buckingham's assassination in 1628 and the subsequent decrease in war efforts removed a key cause of Wentworth's opposition.

Wentworth was Protestant but not Puritan and did not share anxieties about Charles' religious ideas.
He supported a more moderate version of the Petition of Right, less critical of the king.
He believed in the traditional role of the king.

Wentworth and William Laud used the term "Thorough" to describe their approach to serving the crown.
Both were known for their hard work, attention to detail, and demand the same from royal officials.
They aimed to eliminate corruption and restore order in both church and state.
Nonconformity was seen as a challenge to the king's authority.
They wanted royal officials to be accountable, which required monitoring their actions.
The integrity and dedication of those practicing "Thorough" were acknowledged, despite public service being seen as a path to wealth and status.

Wentworth was more idealistic about the achievability of "Thorough," while Laud was more pragmatic.
Examples of ideal communities include Plato's Commonwealth and Thomas More's Utopia, where government is fair and efficient.

In 1628, Wentworth became Lord President of the Council of the North, responsible for implementing royal policy in Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmoreland.
He viewed the king's authority as the keystone of order and government.
He embodied his role with zeal and efficiency, improving the lives of the lower classes by enforcing provisions for the poor and protecting farmers from illegal evictions.
However, his imposition of central government control was met with resistance from established local gentry families.
Wentworth equated attacks on himself with attacks on the king and used the council as a prerogative court to enforce submission to his authority.
Example: The case of Bellissus, who was imprisoned for showing disrespect.
Example: The Fowler family, who accused Wentworth of embezzlement, were charged with slander.
Wentworth explicitly connected himself to the king, stating he was the chief governor under his majesty.

In July 1633, Wentworth was promoted to Lord Deputy of Ireland.
This promotion was due to his reputation for loyal service and Charles I's personal distance from Wentworth.
Wentworth, as an outsider, aimed to bring royal authority to all of Irish society.
His goals for Ireland were:
- To impose the authority of the English crown.
- To impose religious uniformity in a Laudian style on the Irish church.
- To make Ireland profitable for the king.

He deployed trusted advisors from England and suppressed critics.
Examples: Sir Pierce Crosby and Lord Mount Norris, who was court-martialed for treason.
Supporters believed this imposed political authority, but critics argued it alienated the political elite and destabilized Irish politics.
The introduction of the Anglican Laudian 39 articles into the Irish church in 1634.
John Bramhall, a Laudian, was appointed to the historic of Derry and Londonderry.
A new Irish Court of High Commission was established to enforce Laudianism.
Critics argued that this antagonized pro-Protestant Irish and Scottish Presbyterian settlers, while also isolating Irish Catholics.
Juries in courts were pressured to agree with the crown in church and land disputes.
Example: The Earl of Cork was forced to return land taken from the Irish church.
Critics argued this alienated landowners, especially the new English.
The book of rates was reissued, doubling crown income from customs.
Critics argued this impacted merchants and traders.
The Irish parliament was maneuvered into voting six subsidies.
Critics felt this offended the old English and Irish Catholics, leading to a general feeling of disempowerment.
Fiscal feudalism measures were revived, increasing the financial burden on wealthy elites.
Supporters argued that these measures restored Ireland to profitability and contributed to English crown finances.

In 1628, an agreement had been reached with the previous lord deputy, Catholic, old English, and Irish Catholics representatives to grant concessions in return for subsidies.
Wentworth initially appeared to honor this agreement but ultimately did not address the graces after the subsidies were voted.

In 1639, Charles summoned Wentworth to England.
Ireland was profitable and efficiently administered, but every group in Irish society had been negatively impacted by Wentworth's policies.
The factional basis of Irish politics and complex ethnicities initially prevented united opposition.
Wentworth's suppression of critics and control of law and order stifled opposition.
The Irish Privy Council was more subservient than its English counterpart.
Tensions developed during his tenure led to rebellion within two years, due to:
- Settlement policies exacerbated ethnic and religious fault lines.
- Wentworth's efficiency created a vacuum that generated a factional struggle for dominance.

Opposition to the king's personal rule became more visible and sustained.
The Hampton ship money case mobilized Puritan gentlemen.
The trial and punishment of Prynne, Bastwick, and Burton highlighted the king's repression.
The king's circle of advisors shrank, creating alienation among supporters.
"Thorough" provoked opposition by extending the king's authority into local communities.
Demands for the recall of the English parliament grew.
The absence of parliament prevented the expression of political will.
Wentworth's control limited dissent in home localities.
The increasingly narrow court circle meant the nobility lost access to the monarch.
In 1637, despite disquiet, no assembled voices demanded parliament's recall or limited powers.
Events in Scotland would bring about a seismic shift that led to war.