15. Political divisions and experiments: the Rump and Nominated Assembly Flashcards
What were the conflicting (religious) visions of each group in 1949 - 52 that the Commonwealth had to appease to achieve ‘healing and settling’? (5)
1) Rank + file, radicals and other idealists demanded wholesale reform - expect a ‘godly reformation’
2) Council of Officers - reform + refurbishment of the church, significant religious reform, simplification of the law, greater social justice (e.g. an end to imprisonment for debt)
3) Baptist churches - prevent another national church, ministers should rely on voluntary contributions
4) Political Independents - retain a reformed national church, ministers should be paid by some means other than tithes
5) radical sects - complete religious freedom for all
Uniformity and Recusancy Acts
Sept 1650 - attendance of the national Church was no longer enforced (to appease the army, a token gesture of religious tolerance - didn’t go far enough)
More (insignificant) religious Reform brought by the Rump
-Removed Latin from law courts
-Acts for propagation of Gospel in Wales and Ireland, pleasing radicals such as Thomas Harrison
Blasphemy and Adultery Acts
1650 - Aug - Restrictive legislation passed by the Rump - increased religious repression and launched an attack on more radical sects - Quakers and Ranters
First Dutch War
1652-54 - Divided the Rump and NMA as the army saw Dutch as a great ally due to religious tolerance. Rump wanted aggressive anti-Dutch FP - Navigation Act Oct 1651 attempting to cut Dutch trading routes, encouraging the development of England’s own trade - great for merchants (only) (self-serving policy). Disagreements over fishing rights led to naval engagements in May 52. Rump used navy as a counterweight to army.
Why did the First Dutch War negatively impact the Rump? (3)
1) Seen as self interested - only serving the rich (merchant community) - led to calls of corruption + disenfranchisement
2) Increased fears of incompetency
3) Angered the army - attacking a potential ally + proposing relentless wars (just after 30 years)
4) Alienated from the rest of society - created heavy tax burden on everyone due to need to fund navy
Hales Commission 1651
Est. to consider law reform but set aside less than two years later - under pressure form the army
Reasons for the Rump’s Conservatism
-22/41 MP’s on council of state refused to approve regicide
-Many old MP’s from Prides Purge returned - encouraged by OC
-Economic catastrophe meant little funds for reform
-Threat from Scotland and Ireland made security of regime priority
-Fear of radicals made it less likely to reform
-Dutch war drained resources
Rumps position by 52
-Seen as too conservative by NMA but too radical by PN
-attempted to appeal to PN to stabilise regime
-refused to take into account the recommendations of the Hale commission
-prebysterian system of religion still in place, with little support for reform
-Cromwell had wrote in 1650 after his victory at Dunbar to urge the Rump to reform
Dissolution of the Rump
-In Winter 52-53, Cromwell tried to secure a date for parliament to dissolve itself, Nov 53
-Cromwell discovered in April 53 that the Rump was setting up a committee to judge who would be elected, he viewed this as preventing the rumps dissolution
-He led Thomas Harrison to dissolve the Rump
Reasons for the Rumps dissolution
- Preventing the ungodly from returning to power - in the interests of the Rump + army (Cromwell wanted his own vision of a godly nation and political settlement to be enacted)
-Fear over Rumps new bill - risked royalists returning - wanted to be avoided
-Cutting of army budget - stem of power for OC, if lost then he lacks authority
-Parliamentary control of some areas of the army (not really as risk - OC had a frim grip over society)
Aftermath of the Rump
-Power left in Cromwells hand, but did not want to be a military dictator
-Wanted another parliament, Harrison convinced him to instate the “godly”
-Officers instead elected 139 MP’s to form the Nominated assembly/parliament of saints
Millenarians development in the 50’s
-5th monarchists wanted a regime based on saints as in books of revelation
-Believed this would hasten Christs kingdom being established (second coming)
-It was a fifth monarchist, Harrison, who condemned Charles
-Committees for propagation of gospel taken over by 5th monarchists
-Cromwell allowed the “godly” to be represented in the next parliament, displaying his own millenarianism
-Nominated assembly lasted July-Dec 43 with 144 members - chosen to sit
Positives of the Nominated Assembly (Bare bones Pment)
-Reformed debt law, treatment of insane, registrations of births, death and marriages, Tougher measures against thieves - work of Hales Commission taken up
-Relatively moderate, only 12 confirmed 5th monarchists - cautious reformers
-Abolished Chancery (Royal prerogative court)
-Abolished lay patronage (allowing of gentry to determine vicars)
-Legitimacy through God - created stability
-JPs in positions of power - loyal and understood how the country is run
Failures of the Nominated Assembly
-Removed many Gentry from positions of power who supported the Rump, alienating moderates - only 1/3 had sufficient status to have been elected to previous Pments - 2/3 had been JPs for more than 3 years
-Cromwell stated in 57 that if left untouched, it would have subverted all liberties of this nation - its work of modifying lay control of Church livings was seen as an attack on property by some
-Discussed cutting army pay
-moderates were concerned about the introduction of biblical laws + purges to the commissions of the peace - removed gentry and replaced them with yeomen and shopkeepers - inverting social order
Dissolution of the Nominated Assembly
12th Dec 53 -Moderates voted to hand power back to Cromwell, with Lambert leading it - after vote against tithes passed on 10/12/53, act before hierarchy seriously undermined
Scottish NMA wanted power to be under Lambert, an army officer, and not Cromwell. Cromwell would be established as Protector under the Instrument of Government Lambert would write up, regarded as “Cromwell’s understudy.
When was the Commonwealth dissolved?
16th December 1653
