Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Road to War
(1640-1642)
- Short Parliament
- Why was it called?
- 1638: Scottish rebellion - C determined to crush it
- 1639: raised army & army = widespread opposition
- First Bishops War = humiliating defeat for C - Peace of Berwick
- Wentworth recalled from Ireland - advised C to call P etc
- C & Wentworth = out of touch as P not called for 11 yrs & W in Ireland for 7 yrs
- Strafford returned to Ireland few weeks before P - fear bring back Catholic Army to threaten England
- Irish P = £45,000 taxes & 9,000 soldiers
- C = forced loan from closest supporters - £232,000 as long as P recalled
- Preparations for Parliament
- Strafford & C = confident MPs approve taxes - patriotism & dislike of Scots
- S in Ireland & C's dislike of public speaking = case made by Finch & Vanes - inexperienced PCs
- little influence in elections - 40/500 Commons MPs = 'court candidates' - majority = conservative landowners, inexperienced & no leadership
- King's Speech, 13th April 1640
- "never was a king that had more weighty cause to call his people together... I will not trouble you with particulars (whole speech)
- MPs = patronised and frustrated
- short speech = stammer, view MPs not need persuading, didn't like P
- Finch outlined order of business:
MPs approve taxes, approve Bill for
collection of T & P, grievances
discussed if time
- MPs = angry & mistrustful - wanted grievance first
- Finch = speaker held down before - memories of crown difficulties back then
- MPs raised grievances disorderly
- Pym's Speech
- Pym: Devonshire MP, Puritan
- speech united MPs = established as leader & made getting taxes harder without some sort of deal
- Stafford returned next day
- next few days = government did nothing (divisions between PCs - compromise vs hard-line approach)
- Vane's Compromise
- compromise for MPs: if
taxation of £960,000
approved - king abolish SM
- MPs rejected - not strong grievance (SM = illegal & tone was offensive)
- MPs = petition demanding end to preps for war
- Dissolution, 5th May
- 6AM = emergency meeting of PCs: Vane = dissolution of P, Stafford & Laud = keep P open (arrived too late)
- C dissolved P
- Consequences of Failure of
Short Parliament
- Privy Council Meeting, 5th May
- Strafford urged C - continue military plans & suggested:
- alliance with Spain = unpopular
- help from France = unpopular
- "you are loosed and absolved from all rules of government. You have an army in Ireland you may employ to reduce this kingdom"
- 3 Lords & several Commons MPs arrested, Pym's house searched = attack on MPs rights/privileges
- Convocation remained sitting
- ruling body of C of E: compromised of bishops
- custom = met & ended @ same time as P
- voted: £20,000 to king, new
canons (priests preach Divine
Right, communion tables, alter rail,
priests take oath of loyalty to
bishops etc.)
- greatest opposition = Anglicans & Puritans, losing support of majority & increasing fears of Catholicism
- oath targeted Puritans, esp. Presb & therefore Scot Church
- Social unrest
- trade depression = poverty & unemployment esp. in ports (London = biggest)
- unemployment for workers - rising unemployment = riots (May 1640) - blaming government
- religious division to unrest - London = strong Puritan support, hatred of Catholics & religious changes (Lambeth Palace attacked)
- landowning classes feared social uprising
- Financial Preparations for War
- £500,000 needed; some from Irish P (Strafford & bishops in convocation)
- debasing of coinage discussed - not implemented (shows desperation)
- £130,000 worth of bullion (London merchant companies) seized by government
- government brought pepper @ low rate - resold @ market price = £50,000 profit
- fall in customs duties = trade depression in 1640
- £241,000 SM ordered - £43,000 collected
- government faced tax-payers strike - C lost support of landowners, system of government breaking down & bankrupt by summer 1640
- Coat & Conduct money order - refusal to pay
- Second Bishops' War, August 1640
- Scot army invaded N. England & brief fighting - 12 S & 60 E killed
- only fighting - Scots captured Newcastle (London's coal supply\0
- Council of Peers summoned
- inc. C most loyal supporters
- met Sept - Oct in York - riots in London (make unpressurised decision & hatred of Scots strong in N.
- lords advised C to: make peace with S, call English P
- Treaty of Ripon, 21st Oct 1640
- temp agreement to stop fighting until permanent peace treaty signed
- Scots continue occupation of N.
- C = agreed to pay £850 per day to Scot army
- idea Scots in contact with C's opponents in E - weak C = benefitted MPs (forced demands)
- Long Parliament, Nov 1640 - Aug 1641
- New MPs
- 64/500 Commons MPs = 'court candidates'
- MPs opposing government united under Pym - determined to prevent abuses of PR
- strong opposition to government from H of L (traditionally support government)
- Commons MPs = moderate, conservative landowners; reformers not revolutionaries
- Redressing Grievances
- "evil councillors" (Laud & Strafford)
- some PCs fled abroad
- 11th Nov: S returned to Lon to sit as MP in H of L - arrested & taken to Tower
- Laud arrested & imprisoned
- Jan 1641: 28 articles of impeachment against S
- Mar: S trial - defended himself, prosecution led by Pym (Lords = judge & jury, C attended some sessions
- S defended himself v. ably
- many witnesses = biased & inconclusive evidence
- 13th April: trial abandoned - Lords prided themselves on fair judgement - seen evidence not strong enough to prove guilty
- Bill of Attainder against S = declaration of treason not able to be defended against
- popular demonstrations outside Lords - death of Strafford & put pressure on Lords
- C addressed L personally - would never sign Bill (mistake = identifying with Strafford - enabled undecided to vote for Bill = show opposition to Strafford without fear of it becoming legal)
- 7th May: Pym revealed army plot against P
- 8th May: Lords passed Bill 26:19
- decision passed to C: not close to S (kept away from power - never fully trusted), demonstrations outside Whitehall, Strafford wrote to King
- 19th May: C signed Bill
- 12th May: Strafford executed
- significance of death
- C never forgave himself
- C say MPs as murderers
- MPs saw C as weak ruler
- C's reversal didn't inspire trust
- fears of army plot subsided
- raised issue of appointment of government ministers
- revealed early signs of divisions of demonstrations & Bill
- religious
- MPs attacked Laudiansim: Laud arrested - Canons of May 1640 = illegal as convocation should have stopped with P
- Pym = delayed discussions - religion create divisions
- Dec 1640: Londoners presented Root and Branch Petition to Commons = abolition of bishops
- Feb 1641: Commons discussed Petition: Puritans supported (hated bishops), Anglicans wanted reform of bishops (saw as pillars of order) = Bill abandoned
- March 1641: Pym = 'Exclusion Bill' - reform bishops (passed Commons narrowly, rejected by Lords - fears H of C becoming too dominant)
- constitutional
- easier to settle
- Feb: MPs passed Triennial Bill (P meet every 3yrs for 50days at least - king not close at this time) -
effective in next P - Charles refused but signed later @ popular pressure = first guarantee of regular P: too
radical vs moderate
- Act of 10th May: existing P not dissolved without consent (C agreed = distracted by S trial)
- July: prerogative courts abolished & king's powers to create them
- July - Aug: several Acts passed - abolished SM, monopolies, forest fines & knighthood fines = tax P needed to approve
- called Constitutional Reforms of 1641
- Situation by Aug 1641
- MPs = broadly united, grievances addressed but division in religion & Strafford
- atmosphere of fear & mistrust: army plot, destruction of power
- C = plans to visit Scot in summer
- 24th June: Pym = 10 Propositions to H of C - main demand = P approval of government ministers (moderates alarmed & rejected by C)
- H of C discussed sending MPs to Scot with C - C refused but passed as Ordinance ( moderates alarmed)
- Long Parliament, Oct 1641 - Aug 1642
- King's Visit to Scotland
- C appeared willing to compromise but plot failed to kidnap Scot leaders (angered Scots = relations harder & supported Pym - C poorly advised & fears of army plot in E increased)
- C agreed to peace terms: rule Scot with Scot P, govern Scot Church with Scot Assembly, disband army in N England, no longer pay Scot army = lower taxes in Eng = popular
- Reassembled Parliament, Oct 1641
- C not return until Nov
- divisions in Parliament
- moderates = alarmed by radical measures, most = Anglican (keep bishops - worried about social disorder)
- radicals = led by Pym - more concessions from king, many = Puritan (abolish bishops - use pop demonstrations = "functional radicalism")
- Irish Rebellion, Oct 1641
- 1,000s Prots murdered by Irish Catholics - rumours spread & believed
- MPs = army sent to army - punish Catholics (issue of leadership arose: C & moderates = C control; if P did would remove more power, Pym & radicals = P control; C could use it against them)
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- irreconcilable issue: "rebellion widened cracks in P, it did not create them" - option of sharing control not considered due to distrust
- 8th Nov: Pym presented Commons Additional Instruction = demanded P approval of ministers else MPs "take steps for securing Ireland for ourselves" (passed 151:110 - rejected by Lords)
- Grand Remonstrance, Nov 1641
- Pym: Grand Remonstrance to Commons = 204 clauses
- purpose = reunite MPs when C in Scot
- clauses = abuses of PR, MPs achievements & proposals for more reform
- never intended for Lords - direct appeal to Commons
- 1st Proposal = exclude bishops from Lords
- 2nd Proposal = synod should assess church & religious refroms
- 3rd Proposal = action against Catholics
- Proposal = unless C agreed to P approval of ministers they wouldn't provide money
- followed 2 weeks angry debates, esp. about bishops
- leader of moderates emerged = Edward Hyde
- 22nd Nov: Commons voted - passed 159:148
- proposal to print & distribute it provoked debates & was rejected - MPs worried about demonstrations and disorder
- 25th Nov: C returned & delayed reply (gave impression of considering) - when replied - presented as moderate defending constitution from radicals
- Attempted Arrest of Five Members, Jan 1642
- 7th Dec: Pym = Militia Bill (control of army to P) - passed HC but Lords rejected it
- Pym's supporters = controlled London Commons Council in elections
- C failed to get Lunsford as Commander of Tower - fears C wanted control of soldiers & weapons)
- 26th Dec: bishops banned from entering Lords
- 27th Dec: bishops demanded votes be cancelled (proposal to move P out of London rejected)
- MPs ordered impeachment = imprisoned in Tower - removed block of support for C making Militia Bill more likely to be passed
- rumours of impeachment of queen
- 3rd Jan: C issued Articles of Impeachment - 5 MPs (Pym, Hampden, Holles, Haseling & Strode) - MPs refused guards into P
- 4th Jan: attempted arrest of 5 members - had fled = arrest failed (humiliating for C)
- Royalists withdrew support from C
- attempted arrest = vindicated Pym's claim of army plot & demands about ministers
- pop demonstrations against attempted arrests
- 10th Jan: royal family left for Hampton Court - had lost control of capital = v. important implications for future
- Drift into War, Feb - Aug 1642
- Parliamentary Demands
- Pym = in charge of united Commons
- 5th Feb: Lords (no bishops) passed Exclusion Bill - C approved
- 15th Feb: Lords passed Militia Bill, C rejected it - control of army v. important & if lost couldn't regain again
- 5th Mar: P passed Bill as Ordinance - moderates alarmed = attacked 2 parts of royal prerogative
- Kentish Petition
- Pym & supporters in Commons ordered Petition be burnt & leaders arrested
- Pym = overconfident - reaction shows how polarised opinion was & difficulty in remaining neutral as those who didn't support = enemy (shows agreement with king v. unlikely)
- King's Actions, Feb - June 1642
- Feb: Henrietta Maria - Europe with crown jewels to sell = military & financial support (didn't work - 30yrs war still on)
- Mar: C travelled to York with 200 followers to set up court - geographical divide = negotiations difficult (created 2 rival centres of power trying to get support)
- April: C took 2,500 soldiers to capture arsenal @ Hull - Hotham (governor) supporter of Pym: shots fired but C returned to York without arsenal
- 19 Propositions, June 1642
- 1st June: Pym presented them to MPs; passed both houses & sent to C
- parliamentary approval of ministers
- royal children's teachers approved by MPs
- royal marriages approved by MPs
- action against Catholics inc. in H of L
- c approve P proposals for church reforms
- approve Militia Ordinance
- punish "evil councillors"
- C issue formal pardon to 5 members & not violate P privileges again
- C repied on 18th June: moderate, constitutional monarch defending traditional constitution & church
- 236 MPs left Westminster - joined C @ York (he had won over moderates) = 302 MPs remained
- Calls to Arms
- late June 1642: C & P = orders for raising armies - C = Commissions of Array (traditional documents used by monarchs before) - P = Militia Ordinance (ordered raising of P armies)
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