March 1654- a system of triers set
up to examine all clergy before
allowing them to preach.
Get rid of opponents in
the army, e.g 5th Monarchist,
Harrison
To improve tax efficiency
enforced an
Oath of
Loyalty to
the Lord
Protector
1st Protectorate Parliament
1st election in 14 years
many opponents of the
regime elected, who
questioned its legitimacy
Refused to confirm
Cromwell's ordinances
September 1654- Cromwell
created the 'Four
Fundamentals'
The Recognition: MPs had to recognise the
first of these 4, that government should be run
by an individual and parliament. This forced
out 100 opponents to the regime.
DISSOLVED AFTER 5
LUNAR MONTHS
2nd Protectorate Parliament
100 known
republicans/Commonwealthsmen
had been excluded and a further
50 stayed away
More cooperative than before.
Reform measures passed to get
the poor to work and against
indecent fashions among
women
ENDS THE RULE OF THE
MAJOR-GENERALS AND THE
DECIMATION TAX
Events
James Nayler Case
October 1656- rode into Bristol in an attempt to
recreate Christ's entry into Jerusalem. Quaker.
Sentenced to life imprisonment,
to be bored through the tongue,
and branded.
Cromwell wanted to pardon him; this case is an
example of the 2nd PP's relucantance to enforce
toleration
Penruddock's Rising
March 1655- A royalist rebellion that was easily put down by the army.
These events led Cromwell to think that
England had incurred God's wrath and
influenced his decision to enforce the
rule of the major-generals.
Defeat at the hands of the Spanish
Trying to defend the religious rights
of English traders in the Caribbean, but the
English ships were turned away by the
Spanish
Rule of the Major-Generals
1655-7- dissolved at the 2nd PP
To enforce military rule and Godly Reformation
They had to enforce the decimation tax: 10% on all
former royalists- not popular of easy to collect as
gentry often looked down upon their general
Christmas celebrations attacked and pubs closed
'suppress all tumults, insurrections, rebellions or other unlawful assemblies'
The Humble Petition and
Advice
1657
Take the title of king and nominate a successor
New privy council and another house in
parliament, nominated by the Lord
Protector
Cromwell accepts all the terms, except the title of king- doesn't want to upset God or the army.
might start another civil war
God has ruled against the King
£1.3m per year
Aims
Godly Reformation
Lead by example to impose Puritan living AND liberty of concience
Healing and settling
Heal old wounds/ reconcile divided country
Richard Banister- had owed debt to
landlord but had donated the money
to the Parliamentary cause and then
when Parliament had acquired his
debt, he received some compensation.
Success?
Major-generals may have enforced some religious reformation. But otherwise not much Godly Reformation
System of Triers and Ejectors
improves quality of clergy and
schoolteachers
Some social reform measures
Fairly stable government
although parliaments often uncooperative
Although Humble Petition and Advice suggests not
a popular regime.
The Instrument
Lord Protector: sole control over FP and the military