Failure to reach a settlement 1646-9
At this point, no one wanted to get rid of C1 but they wanted to decrease his power. Charles' intention was to
provoke divisions between the English P/Scottish allies while he secretly negotiated for military help from
abroad to continue the wars. C1 wanted to play the 4 post-war groups off each against other (5 including C1):
Parliament itself was split in 2. Neither side could agree with the other and this caused problems.
Presbyterians (majority of P) Independents (minority of P)
Wanted: Wanted:
Presbyterian church Religious toleration for Protestants (this was
Disband the NMA as they couldn’t what they were fighting for)
afford it & were dangerous Keep NMA as there was no other army like
To return to the traditional gov them.
To lower taxes to get England back to Scotland to stop interfering w/England’s affairs
normal To keep taxes high as the £ was needed
C1 was indispensable – give him back power but C1 can’t be trusted and wanted to force him to accept
w/restrictions. his limits.
Allied w/Scots- both believed that the They represented the resistance to a State Church.
Presbyterian Church was best for the whole
country- bring uniformity/social order.
Army was still technically under the authority of P. P wanted to disband them. Army refused till they were fully
paid and P would promise them they wouldn’t prosecute army members for deed done during the war (some
army members were used to kill the Roundheads in 1st Civil War). Like P, the army was divided. But the bigger
threat was that they couldn’t work w/each or w/out each other:
Army Officers Rank and File
Many thought soldiers' grievances had been Felt they were the best to represent the people. Had many
justified. grievances such as:
Solemn Engagement of the army 5th June Arrears of pay
1647- promised not to obey P's orders to Freedom from conscription
disband until grievances were met. Civilian corruption being investigated
Heads of Proposals August 1647- set of Getting rid of Ex- Royalists from office
proposals for settlement w/C1. Approved Freedom of worship
by Army General Council. They had felt betrayed- they had fought to get
To assert their authority, officers intervened religious toleration & peace.
in negotiations between P/C1. Levellers played a crucial part in making this group more
Pride’s Purge 6th December 1648- NMA political. Their main aim was to replace Monarchy & House
blocked entrance to Commons – got rid of of Lords w/a single representative chamber. Believed in
MPs in favour of C1 & led to C1’s religious toleration & fair deal for common soldier. They
trial/execution. were trusted by R&F as they had been soldiers themselves.
October 1647- produced 'Agreement of the People' & had
the Army Council listen to them
Scots played a part because they could provide and army and money for the war. They moved their alliance
from Parliament to C1 as they were angry w/P’s failure to impose Presbyterianism. Thought NMA stood in the
way. They saw 1647 as an opportunity to restore political power of Presbyterian party in P. Duke of Hamilton
persuaded Scots that best way to safeguard their own church was to support C1. They agreed on the
Engagement w/C1 in December 1647.
C1 thought he could do as he pleased because he had Divine Right. After signing Strafford's death warrant,
vowed he wouldn't come to terms w/P. Experience taught him that the longer he held out, the deeper
divisions became amongst enemies – hence why in this period he procrastinated so much. In the short term,
England would’ve been in chaos but after time enemies would return to him. He held out too long though. He
refused treaties/ propositions (stubborn/uncommunicative). P tried v hard to negotiate (Cromwell had shown
At this point, no one wanted to get rid of C1 but they wanted to decrease his power. Charles' intention was to
provoke divisions between the English P/Scottish allies while he secretly negotiated for military help from
abroad to continue the wars. C1 wanted to play the 4 post-war groups off each against other (5 including C1):
Parliament itself was split in 2. Neither side could agree with the other and this caused problems.
Presbyterians (majority of P) Independents (minority of P)
Wanted: Wanted:
Presbyterian church Religious toleration for Protestants (this was
Disband the NMA as they couldn’t what they were fighting for)
afford it & were dangerous Keep NMA as there was no other army like
To return to the traditional gov them.
To lower taxes to get England back to Scotland to stop interfering w/England’s affairs
normal To keep taxes high as the £ was needed
C1 was indispensable – give him back power but C1 can’t be trusted and wanted to force him to accept
w/restrictions. his limits.
Allied w/Scots- both believed that the They represented the resistance to a State Church.
Presbyterian Church was best for the whole
country- bring uniformity/social order.
Army was still technically under the authority of P. P wanted to disband them. Army refused till they were fully
paid and P would promise them they wouldn’t prosecute army members for deed done during the war (some
army members were used to kill the Roundheads in 1st Civil War). Like P, the army was divided. But the bigger
threat was that they couldn’t work w/each or w/out each other:
Army Officers Rank and File
Many thought soldiers' grievances had been Felt they were the best to represent the people. Had many
justified. grievances such as:
Solemn Engagement of the army 5th June Arrears of pay
1647- promised not to obey P's orders to Freedom from conscription
disband until grievances were met. Civilian corruption being investigated
Heads of Proposals August 1647- set of Getting rid of Ex- Royalists from office
proposals for settlement w/C1. Approved Freedom of worship
by Army General Council. They had felt betrayed- they had fought to get
To assert their authority, officers intervened religious toleration & peace.
in negotiations between P/C1. Levellers played a crucial part in making this group more
Pride’s Purge 6th December 1648- NMA political. Their main aim was to replace Monarchy & House
blocked entrance to Commons – got rid of of Lords w/a single representative chamber. Believed in
MPs in favour of C1 & led to C1’s religious toleration & fair deal for common soldier. They
trial/execution. were trusted by R&F as they had been soldiers themselves.
October 1647- produced 'Agreement of the People' & had
the Army Council listen to them
Scots played a part because they could provide and army and money for the war. They moved their alliance
from Parliament to C1 as they were angry w/P’s failure to impose Presbyterianism. Thought NMA stood in the
way. They saw 1647 as an opportunity to restore political power of Presbyterian party in P. Duke of Hamilton
persuaded Scots that best way to safeguard their own church was to support C1. They agreed on the
Engagement w/C1 in December 1647.
C1 thought he could do as he pleased because he had Divine Right. After signing Strafford's death warrant,
vowed he wouldn't come to terms w/P. Experience taught him that the longer he held out, the deeper
divisions became amongst enemies – hence why in this period he procrastinated so much. In the short term,
England would’ve been in chaos but after time enemies would return to him. He held out too long though. He
refused treaties/ propositions (stubborn/uncommunicative). P tried v hard to negotiate (Cromwell had shown
