Search for Settlement (1646 - 1649)

Search for Settlement (1646 - 1649)

1. Groups Involved

   • Charles I
     • defeated, alone, prisoner (taken to Newcastle by Scots)
     • indispensable for success for any settlement
     • hoped to divide his enemies
     • BUT had no ministers to advise him/take blame
   • Scots
     • 1646: C in custody
     • wanted Presby church following Scot model
     • wanted P to pay Scottish military costs
     • not interested in limits on royal power
   • Parliament
     • divided: 2/3 Political Presby VS 1/3 Political Independents
     • Political Presbyteriand
       • moderates, ex Peace Party, generally Presby
       • wanted quick settlement, disband NMA, Presby church
       • leading figure = Denzil Holles
     • Political Independents
       • radicals, ex War Party, generally Independents
       • wanted strict settlement, religious tolerations, NMA remain
       • leading figure = Oliver Cromwell
   • Army (from 1647)
     • Grandees
       • Fairfax, Cromwell, Ireton (gentry)
       • strict settlement, no compromise
       • religious toleration
       • army remain - ensure settlement
     • Rank and File
       • pardon for actions in war (indemnity)
       • war pensions for families
       • lower taxes
       • action against unemployment & enclosures
       • religious toleration
       • vote
   • Levellers
     • civilian group, based in London
     • led by John Lilburn (Puritan radical)
     • won support from 'middling sort'
     • wanted fair taxes, religious toleration
     • wanted measures to address unemployment & poverty
     • government by 'representatives' of people elected by the people every year
   • Puritan Sects
     • Fifth Monarchists
     • Baptists
     • Quakers
     • Ranters
     • Muggletonians
     • all wanted religious toleration
   • Potential Alliances
     • Grandees & Political Independents
     • Levellers & Rank and File
     • Puritan Sects & Army/Levellers
     • Charles & Scors
   • Potentials for Conflict between
     • P & Army (esp. Political Presby & Grandees)
     • Scots & most of English

2. Parliaments Negotiations with the King

   • Propositions of Newcastle, July 1646
     • MPs sent peace negotiations to C @ Newcastle
       • P approval of ministers
       • abolition of bishops
       • Presbyterian church
       • P control army for 20yrs
       • punishment of 58 Royalists
     • C played for time, waiting for division among MPs & discontent in army
     • in private = totally against terms & trying to divide enemies
   • Scots handed over King, Jan 1647
     • P paid Scots £400,000 ( didn't pay NMA)
     • in return Scots handed over C - taken to Holmby House
     • army disliked terms of agreement - worried settlement more likely
   • King's 3rd Reply to Propositions of Newcastle, May 1647
     • C refused to allow P to have say over ministers
     • refused punishment of supporters
     • suggested Presby church for 3yrs (Royal family remain Anglican)
     • P control army for 10yrs - then control completely returned to C

3. Parliaments Relations with the Army

   • Parliament's attempts to disband New Model Army
     • 18th Feb: Commons voted to reduce army to 6,000 men (from 20,000)
     • 8th March: H of C voted only Presby could be officers & that soldiers campaigning for full pay arrears = enemies of state
     • 18th May: C 3rd reply to Newcastle Propositions announced
     • 25th May: H of C voted to disband NMA with 8 weeks back pay (owed 8 months) - 22,000 soldiers could volunteer for new army = outraged
   • Army Rebellion: Politicisation of Army, May - Aug 1647
     • 29th May: Fairfax ordered army to meet @ Newmarket
     • 4th June: Cornet Joyce & 500 soldiers seized C & took him to Newmarket then Hampton Court - now army prisoner
     • 5th June: army issued 'Solemn Engagement@ refusing to disband until grievances met
     • @ this time, General Council of Army se up, compromised of: generals, officers, agitators (men elected by soldiers)
     • 14th June: General Council issued Representation of Army
     • 23rd July: army generals sent peace proposals to C (Heads of Proposals)
     • C delayed; issued evasive replies & rejected proposals (hoped more generous offer from P)
     • 6th - 8th Aug: army surrounded London & Westminster - expelled 11 MPs from P inc. Holles
     • MPs had continued to refuse to acknowledge army rights to have say in political issues

4. Levellers and the Army

   • The Levellers
     • civilian radicals
     • led by Lilburne, Walwyn & Overton
     • printed pamphlets & held demonstrations
     • campaigning in army - worrying generals
   • 'Case of the Army Truly Stated', 18th Oct 1647
     • pamphlet distributed among ordinary soldiers
     • written by Wildman, Leveller
     • demanded "speedy acting's to address common grievances of the poor & oppressed people of the nation"
       • pardon for soldiers
       • pensions for injured & widows
       • full back-pay
       • biennial parliaments
       • right to vote for all "free-born Englishmen" over 21 (although ideas still evolving & unclear
       • P = people's representation it should be supreme power in government
   • Agreement of the People, 28th Oct 1647
     • proposals by Levellers sent to generals & soldiers
     • based on principles inc. - supremacy of power - fundamental freedoms - equality before law
     • main demands = redistribution of P seats, elections for new P of peoples representatives, biennial Ps
     • fundamental rights inc. = religious toleration, no conscription, general pardon for actions in war, equality before law
     • described C - man who "intended our bondage & brought a cruel war on us"
   • Putney Debates, 25th Oct - 11th Nov 1647
     • talks between army generals, Levellers & soldiers representatives
     • took place in St Mary's Church, Putney
     • disagreed over: C & Lords part in government & right to vote
     • 11th Nov: Cromwell agreed to end talks & arrange mass army meeting
     • 15th Nov: army met in 3 places - Ware = attempted Leveller mutiny - ringleaders arrested & shot (no more trouble)

5. The Second Civil War

   • Four Bills, Dec 1647
     • MPs sent representatives to discuss with king:
       • P control of the army for 20yrs
       • Presby church for 3yrs
       • abolition of bishops
       • 58 Royalists punished
     • C delayed answer
   • The Engagement, 26th Dec 1647
     • C = secret alliance with Scots; hoped with armed help could win new war (Scots worried bout spread of Puritanism)
     • Scots agreed to invade; believed remaining Royalists would join them with moderates & lower-classes
     • C = establish Presby church for 3yrs
   • Vote of No Address, Jan 1648
     • outrage in P & army when engagement leaked - P & army reunited
     • Cromwell pushed for harsh settlement as C couldn't be trusted
     • MPs passed Vote - broke negotiations with C & declared it an act of treason to negotiate with him
     • radicals = put on trial & republic set up
   • Second Civil War 1648
     • April 1648: uprisings in Kent, Essex & S. Wales, half navy mutinied against P & declared for C, who planned to escape but failed
     • May: army met for prayer meeting @ Windsor; Cromwell focused on providence, played down C's status & implied responsibility (death not punishment atm)
     • Aug: Scot army invaded, poorly led & supplied, little support in Eng
     • Battle of Preston, 17th Aug 1648
       • 15,000 Scots & 3,000 Eng Royalists fighting Cromwell & 15,000 soldiers from NMA
       • Scots defeated & Cromwell remained in N.

6. English Revolution

   • After Second Civil War
     • Royalist strongholds - blown up & leaders sent over seas
     • Levellers = abolition of monarchy
     • army = desire to punish C - influence of Levellers, saw C as "man of blood", belief in providence (God against C)
   • Newport Treaty, Sept - Dec 1648
     • 24th Aug: MPs repealed Vote of No Address
     • Sept: P sent representatives to negotiate; C agreed to - P control of army (20yrs), appointment of ministers (10yrs), Presby church (3yrs)
     • he refused: to abolish bishops & punishment of Royalists, to accept Presby church for his family
   • Pride's Purge, 6th-7th Dec 1648
     • 1st Dec: army seized king - marched to London
     • 5th Dec: MPs voted to continue negotiations
     • 6-7th Dec: army surrounded P, Colonel Pride excluded 186 MPs, arrested 45, 86 left in protest - 154 MPs allowed = Rump (army seized power)
     • Cromwell returned to London after
   • Army Remonstrance, 15th Nov 1648
     • council of officers met @ St Albans
     • Ireton = leading figure - demanded purge of P, trial of C
     • MPs rejected Remonstrance 125:58
   • What to do with the King?
     • Various Options
       • trial & execution - But C's authority higher than law courts & may provoke serious opposition
       • deposition - C still gain support
       • had been imprisoned since 1646 & still trouble
       • exile - still gain support
       • murder or further negotiations?
     • however trial & execution = advantages
       • public = minimise opposition
       • demonstrate power of P
       • demonstrate kings not above law
       • would appear legal (but judges handpicked)
   • Charles rejected Final Demands, 26th Dec 1648
     • Cromwell finally decided to support trial
   • Trial and Execution of Charles I, Dec 1648 - Jan 1649
     • 28th Dec: Rump passed ordinances creating High Court of Justice - judges refused to serve - H of L rejected ordinance
     • 4th Jan: Rump voted it was supreme authority
     • 6th Jan: Rump passed Act of Parliament creating High Court of Justice = 135 commissioners (judge & jury)
     • 20th Jan: trial began in Westminster Hall; President of Court = John Bradshaw - C defended himself well without stammer