1. Parliament's reordering of the Church, 1640-60

Question 1

What did the abolition of Prerogative Courts in 1640 do?

Answer 1

• Centred on nature of the law
• Also removed some of the most repressive apparatus used to control the Church and the ability of individuals to discuss it
• Strength of the discontent generated by the reforms, and its limits, are both indicated in the struggle over the bishops

Question 2

Root and Branch Petition

Answer 2

December 1640 - Commons received a petition supported by many in City of London - listed religious grievances relating to the treatment of the clergy:

• restrictions on preaching
• encouragement of Arminian and Catholic ideas

Asked for abolition of episcopacy - Covenanters in Scotland had already done this in 1638 - not surprising - given strength of Puritan support

Question 3

Define episcopacy

Answer 3

Government of a church by bishops.

Question 4

Attempts to abolish episcopacy

Answer 4

Those who were less radical, like the Anglican Edward Hyde, also complained about the Court of High Commission

Strength and depth of opposition - not least from Puritans - meant they could force king to remove bishops from Privy Council and pass bill excluding them from the Lords

Attempts to abolish episcopacy failed - therefore, Long Parliament had mixed success in reforming religion - but signing of Covenant w/ Scots in 1643 = more significant

Question 5

Why was the signing of the Covenant w/ the Scots in 1643 so significant?

Answer 5

Opened possibility of establishing a Presbyterian Church in England.

Question 6

Attempts to set up Presbyterian Church in England

Answer 6

Pym agreed to set up assembly of clergy - to draw up model to be established, rather than accept and implement Scottish version

Met in early 1644 - not until 1645 that parliament officially resolved to adopt Presbyterian model

1646 - parliament committees to get rid of episcopacy - but reformers started falling out w/ each other

Puritans, Presbyterians, independents and radical all arguing about best way forward

Question 7

‘Apologetical Narration’

Answer 7

Presented by five members of the Westminster Assembly - appealed for the right to establish independent churches outside the national establishment

The Assembly in 1644 had thought it would be easy to set up a Presbyterian Church to create a ‘godly society’

Question 8

What was the impact of an ‘Apologetical Narration’?

Answer 8

Set a precedent of creating pockets of independence outside the mainstream Church movements - authorities would never be able to control

Question 9

Where was the breeding ground for new radical ideas in the 1640s?
Why?

Answer 9

New Model Army - normal methods of control within society limited during CW, creating fertile environment for creation and sharing of new ideas.

• NMA = highly mobile: picked up ideas from East Anglia and Lincolnshire
• NMA moved rapidly around country after the Battle of Naseby - its presence stimulated or emboldened existing religious groups
• Army Chaplains - such as John Canne in Hull - set up new congregations

Question 10

What was the reaction of Presbyterian leaders in parliament to the radicalism of the NMA?

Answer 10

Hostile and ultimately counter-productive
- Attempt to disband NMA in in 1647 led directly to its politicisation and end of hopes for a national Presbyterian Church

Question 11

Why was there a collapse of Presbyterian hopes, due to Charles I?

Answer 11

He was never likely to agree to meaningful changes anyway - the sight of his enemies squabbling with one another strengthened his resolve and led to the renewal of Civil War in 1648 (in turn led to Pride’s Purge then king’s execution)

Question 12

How did Charles I’s death spark a new and even more dangerous wave of radical ideas and groups?

Answer 12

(Unlike independents and baptists - who had relatively organised Churches, despite Puritan principles) These new ideas rejected any external authority over the conscience of individuals and demanded complete religious toleration for all.

Question 13

What was the impact of the emergence of radical groups after Charles I was executed?

Answer 13

• Provoked conservative reaction that was intense and widespread
• A harsh Blasphemy Act passed in 1650 - subjected radical religious activity to severe penalties

Question 14

Why were many of the more eccentric groups in the 1650s short-lived?
What was the exception to this?

Answer 14

• Prone to internal dissent - weren’t very well organised
• Died out w/ death or imprisonment of the inspiring leaders who created them

Exception - Quaker movement

Question 15

Quaker movement

Answer 15

• Spread rapidly in North from 1650-52
• Leader: George Fox
• Sent out preachers to convert other areas in 1654

Question 16

What happened to soldiers when the fighting in Ireland and Scotland ceased?

Answer 16

Returned to their civilian lives
- The more extreme of those who remained subjected to discipline or forced to resign in a series of purges - carried out by Council of Officers

Question 17

Why was freedom of worship intolerable?

Answer 17

Seen as too radical and dangerous

Question 18

John Goodwin and Phillip Nye

Answer 18

Independent ministers - helped write the Apologetical Narration
- Determined to maintain the right of their congregations to govern themselves - but otherwise said they were very much in line w/ Presbyterian majority

Question 19

How was a widespread desire for a restoration of religious and social discipline demonstrated across the country, by 1660?

Answer 19

Especially in the City of London - due to the shock of regicide and the upheavals that followed

Question 20

What were the 3 aims of Cromwell after the dissolution of the Rump and failure of the Barebones Parliament?

Answer 20

• To reform govt
• To help build a godly society
• To encourage a ‘reformation of manners’ - ensuring that people adhere to the word of God and lived morally virtuous lives

Question 21

Triers and Ejectors

Answer 21

2 committees that controlled the Church - ensured that ministers who served in it were competent, well-educated and capable of preaching the word of God.

Question 22

How did the Church continue to function during the years of the Commonwealth?

Answer 22

Used a variety of practices based on the preference of individual ministers and their communities

Those who met outside the Church were largely left in peace as long as they were discreet

Question 23

What was the impact of Triers and Ejectors?

Answer 23

Presbyterian and moderate Anglican ministers found employment
- A number of independents served as parish ministers while also meeting their own Church members in a separate place - ignored parish boundaries and drew their members from a wide area

The Calvinists sects were able to meet and worship outside the Church with relative impunity

Question 24

How was Cromwell averse to persecution? Impact?

Answer 24

Believed that all people were entitled to find their own way to God as long as they didn’t cause harm to others

By definition - Catholic and Arminians did pose a risk (sought to impose their views) - those who utilised traditional forms could often continue their own way - as long as they were discreet

Question 25

Why, and to what extent, were Quakers subjected to persecution by Cromwell?

Answer 25

They tried to spread their views - but in remote areas their meetings were often left in peace

Cromwell objected to treatment of James Nayler

Question 26

James Nayler

Answer 26

Nayler - an early Quaker minister who was inclined to extravagant gestures, including appearing naked to demonstrate their purity of mind

Palm Sunday 1656 - rode a donkey into Bristol, accompanied by female Quakers who strewed branches and flowers in his path in a re-enactment of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem

Question 27

Nayler case

Answer 27

Nayler accused of blasphemy - some MPs called for execution - Cromwell said he was foolish rather than evil.

He challenged parliament’s right to inflict death sentence - couldn’t prevented Nayler being flogged in public, bored through the tongue and imprisoned