Charles I
What issues were raised in the Short Parliament?
- They wanted to assert the rights of Parliament and obtain redress for past
grievances.
- They wanted to dismantle all of Laud’s religious reforms.
- They wanted Parliament to obtain control over taxation.
- It was clear that there was to be no granting of supply until grievances
had been dealt with, and no interference with Parliamentary business by
the Lords and the King.
- Charles had dissolved the Short Parliament after 3 weeks, in anger.
The Long Parliament
3rd Nov 1640 - August 1641
- Parliament had the King over a barrel and expected political and religious
reformation.
- Parliament curbed the King’s powers and there was general agreement.
October 1641 - August 1642
- The opposition programme became more radical, demanding fundamental
constitutional changes.
- A Royalist party began to emerge.
- England drifted towards a bloody civil war – something which nobody had
envisaged.
The Scottish dimension
- 2nd June 1640 the Scottish Parliament reassembled, without royal assent.
- Within 10 days they had begun a constitutional revolution which included
1. A Triennial Act.
2. Abolition of the clerical estate [bishops].
3. Provision for the continuation of the Committee of Estates while
Parliament was not sitting.
- Pym and his followers would collude with the Covenanters and exploit the
menace of the Scottish army in the north in order to undertake their own,
English, constitutional revolution.
- The English parliament would go on to pass their own Triennial Act – but
not until 8 months after the Scots had passed theirs.
The English Triennial Act
- Passed 5th Feb 1641, and accepted by Charles reluctantly on 15th Feb.
- The Act limited the royal prerogative, by requiring that Parliament meet
for at least a fifty-day session once every three years.
- If the King failed to call Parliament, the House of Lords could assemble and
issue writs for the election of the House of Commons.
Parliament curbs the King’s power
- Nov 1640 Strafford was sent to the Tower of London, pending a trial for
treason.
- 5th Feb 1641 Triennial Act
- Late Feb 1641 Laud was sent to the Tower, awaiting a trial on 14 charges.
- May 1641 Strafford was beheaded on Tower Hill.
,- June 1641 Tonnage and Poundage Act regulated taxation.
- July 1641 Abolition of Prerogative Courts.
- Aug 1641 Ship money forbidden without Parliament’s consent.
- Aug 1641 Distraint of Knighthood, Forest Act declared unlawful.
- By August 1641, Parliament had succeeded in its aim of peacefully
dismantling the Personal Rule.
The significance of Strafford’s execution
- The case against Strafford hinged upon an accusation that he had
treasonously advised the King that the Irish army could be used against
his opponents in England as well as the Scots.
- Strafford's trial opened on 22nd March 1641, with Pym leading the
prosecution. Strafford defended himself so ably that his alleged treason
could not be proved.
- When it looked as if he might be acquitted, Pym and his supporters
resorted to a bill of attainder.
- After anguished hesitation, Charles gave way to the clamour for Strafford's
execution and gave his consent to the bill. To great popular rejoicing,
Strafford was beheaded on Tower Hill on 12th May 1641.
- Pym accomplished two things through the Bill of Attainder:
o He avoided a verdict in the HoL that might have found Strafford not guilty.
o He forced the King to take personal responsibility for Strafford’s death.
- From his prison cell Strafford wrote to Charles expressing his hope that his
death would help restore order to the kingdom. Right up to his death
Charles believed that abandoning Strafford was the one true sin of his life,
for which he and the kingdom were punished by God through civil war.
End of the first session of the Long Parliament: August 1641
The arbitrary powers of the Personal Rule had been dismantled:
- Prerogative income was limited (fiscal feudalism abandoned) so that
Charles could not be financially independent.
- The prerogative courts were abolished so that Charles could not use
power arbitrarily to outmanoeuvre or silence his opposition.
- His ‘evil counsellors’ had been impeached, or executed, which challenged
Charles’ right to choose his own ministers.
- The Triennial Act prevented a Personal Rule for longer than 3 years.
A key turning point in Crown-Parliament relations- death of the Earl of
Bedford
- Nov 1640: When the Long Parliament met, the Earl of Bedford in the Lords
was generally regarded as the leader of the Parliament.
- Feb 1641 he was made a privy councillor, and during negotiations with
Charles he was promised the office of Lord High Treasurer.
- Bedford was essentially a moderate man and seemed anxious to settle
the question of the royal revenue in a satisfactory manner. He did not wish
to radically alter the structure of the Church and was on good terms with
Archbishop Laud.
- He died suddenly in May 1641 (of smallpox).
, ‘King Pym’
- The Earl of Bedford’s death allowed the MP John Pym to become the
undisputed leader of the Parliamentary opposition to Charles.
- Pym was a man driven by religious fanaticism - a resolute, serious Puritan
who painted a frightening picture of an endemic Catholic conspiracy.
- He argued against religious policy, taxation and the use of prerogative
courts.
- Accused the govt of causing war between Scotland and England.
- Accused the govt of absolutist rule in Ireland.
- Attacked the plan to use the Irish army to reduce England to order.
- More moderate parliamentarians would have settled for the establishment
of a constitutional monarchy.
- Pym, by contrast, wanted Parliament to have the power – and it was he
who had initiated the legal attacks on Strafford and Laud.
- It could be argued that Pym’s radicalism was encouraged by the situation
in the country.
- Pym had initiated the legal attacks on Strafford and Laud.
- Pym - and others, including Oliver Cromwell - wanted a King that was just
a puppet figure, a figurehead with no real power.
- More moderate parliamentarians would have settled for the establishment
of a constitutional monarchy. Pym wanted Parliament to have the power –
a limited monarchy.
- Pym was not challenging the Divine Right and would not be considered a
real political radical in comparison to what would emerge in the course of
the civil wars.
1641 context
- The ending of censorship and persecution in 1641 had led to the
flourishing of a huge variety of religious opinions and practices, above all
in London.
- Anti-Calvinist views appeared in print, congregations formed and reformed
both inside and outside the parish churches, and some dispensed with
clergy’ and service books altogether, having lay preachers or spontaneous
contributions by the congregation.
Could Charles be trusted?
- Charles agreed to impeach Laud.
- He also abandoned Strafford.
- He agreed to abolish Ship Money.
- He signed the Triennial Act into law.
- Maybe a more positive, working relationship with Parliament could be
forged.
He was still Charles
- April - May 1641: the Army Plot - Evidence emerged that Queen Henrietta
Maria had been conspiring with some army officers to put down
Parliament by force. Charles had even gone so far as to send troops to
the Tower of London to release Strafford.
What issues were raised in the Short Parliament?
- They wanted to assert the rights of Parliament and obtain redress for past
grievances.
- They wanted to dismantle all of Laud’s religious reforms.
- They wanted Parliament to obtain control over taxation.
- It was clear that there was to be no granting of supply until grievances
had been dealt with, and no interference with Parliamentary business by
the Lords and the King.
- Charles had dissolved the Short Parliament after 3 weeks, in anger.
The Long Parliament
3rd Nov 1640 - August 1641
- Parliament had the King over a barrel and expected political and religious
reformation.
- Parliament curbed the King’s powers and there was general agreement.
October 1641 - August 1642
- The opposition programme became more radical, demanding fundamental
constitutional changes.
- A Royalist party began to emerge.
- England drifted towards a bloody civil war – something which nobody had
envisaged.
The Scottish dimension
- 2nd June 1640 the Scottish Parliament reassembled, without royal assent.
- Within 10 days they had begun a constitutional revolution which included
1. A Triennial Act.
2. Abolition of the clerical estate [bishops].
3. Provision for the continuation of the Committee of Estates while
Parliament was not sitting.
- Pym and his followers would collude with the Covenanters and exploit the
menace of the Scottish army in the north in order to undertake their own,
English, constitutional revolution.
- The English parliament would go on to pass their own Triennial Act – but
not until 8 months after the Scots had passed theirs.
The English Triennial Act
- Passed 5th Feb 1641, and accepted by Charles reluctantly on 15th Feb.
- The Act limited the royal prerogative, by requiring that Parliament meet
for at least a fifty-day session once every three years.
- If the King failed to call Parliament, the House of Lords could assemble and
issue writs for the election of the House of Commons.
Parliament curbs the King’s power
- Nov 1640 Strafford was sent to the Tower of London, pending a trial for
treason.
- 5th Feb 1641 Triennial Act
- Late Feb 1641 Laud was sent to the Tower, awaiting a trial on 14 charges.
- May 1641 Strafford was beheaded on Tower Hill.
,- June 1641 Tonnage and Poundage Act regulated taxation.
- July 1641 Abolition of Prerogative Courts.
- Aug 1641 Ship money forbidden without Parliament’s consent.
- Aug 1641 Distraint of Knighthood, Forest Act declared unlawful.
- By August 1641, Parliament had succeeded in its aim of peacefully
dismantling the Personal Rule.
The significance of Strafford’s execution
- The case against Strafford hinged upon an accusation that he had
treasonously advised the King that the Irish army could be used against
his opponents in England as well as the Scots.
- Strafford's trial opened on 22nd March 1641, with Pym leading the
prosecution. Strafford defended himself so ably that his alleged treason
could not be proved.
- When it looked as if he might be acquitted, Pym and his supporters
resorted to a bill of attainder.
- After anguished hesitation, Charles gave way to the clamour for Strafford's
execution and gave his consent to the bill. To great popular rejoicing,
Strafford was beheaded on Tower Hill on 12th May 1641.
- Pym accomplished two things through the Bill of Attainder:
o He avoided a verdict in the HoL that might have found Strafford not guilty.
o He forced the King to take personal responsibility for Strafford’s death.
- From his prison cell Strafford wrote to Charles expressing his hope that his
death would help restore order to the kingdom. Right up to his death
Charles believed that abandoning Strafford was the one true sin of his life,
for which he and the kingdom were punished by God through civil war.
End of the first session of the Long Parliament: August 1641
The arbitrary powers of the Personal Rule had been dismantled:
- Prerogative income was limited (fiscal feudalism abandoned) so that
Charles could not be financially independent.
- The prerogative courts were abolished so that Charles could not use
power arbitrarily to outmanoeuvre or silence his opposition.
- His ‘evil counsellors’ had been impeached, or executed, which challenged
Charles’ right to choose his own ministers.
- The Triennial Act prevented a Personal Rule for longer than 3 years.
A key turning point in Crown-Parliament relations- death of the Earl of
Bedford
- Nov 1640: When the Long Parliament met, the Earl of Bedford in the Lords
was generally regarded as the leader of the Parliament.
- Feb 1641 he was made a privy councillor, and during negotiations with
Charles he was promised the office of Lord High Treasurer.
- Bedford was essentially a moderate man and seemed anxious to settle
the question of the royal revenue in a satisfactory manner. He did not wish
to radically alter the structure of the Church and was on good terms with
Archbishop Laud.
- He died suddenly in May 1641 (of smallpox).
, ‘King Pym’
- The Earl of Bedford’s death allowed the MP John Pym to become the
undisputed leader of the Parliamentary opposition to Charles.
- Pym was a man driven by religious fanaticism - a resolute, serious Puritan
who painted a frightening picture of an endemic Catholic conspiracy.
- He argued against religious policy, taxation and the use of prerogative
courts.
- Accused the govt of causing war between Scotland and England.
- Accused the govt of absolutist rule in Ireland.
- Attacked the plan to use the Irish army to reduce England to order.
- More moderate parliamentarians would have settled for the establishment
of a constitutional monarchy.
- Pym, by contrast, wanted Parliament to have the power – and it was he
who had initiated the legal attacks on Strafford and Laud.
- It could be argued that Pym’s radicalism was encouraged by the situation
in the country.
- Pym had initiated the legal attacks on Strafford and Laud.
- Pym - and others, including Oliver Cromwell - wanted a King that was just
a puppet figure, a figurehead with no real power.
- More moderate parliamentarians would have settled for the establishment
of a constitutional monarchy. Pym wanted Parliament to have the power –
a limited monarchy.
- Pym was not challenging the Divine Right and would not be considered a
real political radical in comparison to what would emerge in the course of
the civil wars.
1641 context
- The ending of censorship and persecution in 1641 had led to the
flourishing of a huge variety of religious opinions and practices, above all
in London.
- Anti-Calvinist views appeared in print, congregations formed and reformed
both inside and outside the parish churches, and some dispensed with
clergy’ and service books altogether, having lay preachers or spontaneous
contributions by the congregation.
Could Charles be trusted?
- Charles agreed to impeach Laud.
- He also abandoned Strafford.
- He agreed to abolish Ship Money.
- He signed the Triennial Act into law.
- Maybe a more positive, working relationship with Parliament could be
forged.
He was still Charles
- April - May 1641: the Army Plot - Evidence emerged that Queen Henrietta
Maria had been conspiring with some army officers to put down
Parliament by force. Charles had even gone so far as to send troops to
the Tower of London to release Strafford.
