3.7 The Political Nation, 1658-60

Question 1

Cromwell’s death

Answer 1

Oliver Cromwell died on 3 September 1658. Cromwell nominated his son Richard Cromwell as the next Protector.

Question 2

The Third Protectorate Parliament

Answer 2

The accession of Richard was generally accepted by many gentry. There was a feeling that the new Protector was more in tune with the traditional gentry.

Question 3

The army’s response

Answer 3

At first the army’s response was also favourable. Many hoped Richard would support the army and some believed he would be easier to manipulate. It was soon clear that Richard’s character and intended policies were more in favour of the ‘civilians’.

Question 4

Opposition Richard was met with:

Answer 4

• From republicans, who were against a Protectorate, and from Lambert, who distrusted the civilians. Republicans refused to recognise Richard as Protector.
• From the army: measures to restrict religious toleration provoked them.

Question 5

Dissolution of Parliament

Answer 5

The army, triggered by Parliament discussing settling the army as a militia forced Richard to dissolve Parliament which saw the end of his Protectorate in May 1659. The Rump Parliament was reinstated by the army.

Question 6

Power vacuum

Answer 6

Oliver Cromwell’s death had left a power vacuum, and the key groups of the Interregnum failed to produce a workable settlement. By December 1659 many people feared a slide into anarchy.

Question 7

Civilian Cromwellians/Presbyterians

Answer 7

• Sought a more traditional parliamentary settlement and a reduction of the army’s influence.
• Commonswealthsmen/republicans wanted to weaken army influence.

Question 8

Army leaders, Charles Fleetwood and Desborough

Answer 8

• Wanted continuation of the Protectorate.
• Soldiers/junior officers worked with the republicans to establish a regime based on the authority of Parliament.

Question 9

Quakers

Answer 9

• Were linked with Lambert. They scared the traditional PN by acting to secure religious freedom.
• Charles Stuart was a bystander in exile but wanted to be king.

Question 10

Division of the New Model Army

Answer 10

• The army was not a united force in this period.
• The army leader George Monck in Scotland had different ideas about the direction of settlement and the army in England was divided.
• The army leaders Fleetwood and Desborough were not ideologically opposed to the concept of a Protectorate and were supportive of Richard Cromwell.
• Republican propaganda exploited junior officers’ concerns over pay and persuaded them to force army leaders to reluctantly recall the Rump in May 1659.

Question 11

Council of Officers

Answer 11

With the removal of the Protectorate, power in the short term was in the hands of the Council of Officers, the body that led the army. After dismissing those officers and civilians loyal to Richard, this Council reappointed radical army officers like Lambert to command the New Model.

Question 12

Lambert and Haselrig

Answer 12

Were opposites in political outlooks. Haselrig and the leading republican politicians of the Rump did not recognise their dependence on the army and sought to assert their political authority.

Question 13

The Humble Petition and Address of the Officers

Answer 13

Included 15 articles outlining the ‘Fundamentals of our Good Old Cause’, notably a senate to protect the army’s interests from Parliament.

Question 14

Haselrig

Answer 14

• Was the main opponent of the Address and the army.
• Haselrig would accept no reduction of the Commons’ authority.
• Haselrig and the Rump, in effect, were committing political suicide by alienating the army.

Question 15

George Booth’s rising, August 1659

Answer 15

• Was a reaction by previous supporters of Parliament and some Royalists against the radicalism of the army.
• Fact that Haselrig supported Lambert’s command of the armed force to counter the rising shows how serious the rebellion was taken.
• Booth and his men sought negotiation and Lambert demanded surrender.
• Rising was crushed in a brief but intense encounter at Winnington Bridge in August 1659.

Question 16

Fear of the Quakers

Answer 16

• Reports of Lambert’s troops becoming more radical and taking up the ‘Quakers’ cause’ scared many in London.
• Had been an explosion in their number from the early 1650s to nearly 50,000.
• That they seemed supported by the leading NMA general Lambert heightened the fears of the gentry.

Question 17

Lambert, the Quakers and the Restoration

Answer 17

• Lambert was seen by many Quakers as the most favourable of those in power.
• The Quakers were taking up positions in civil and military affairs.
• Quaker support for Lambert also went as far as to organise support for him in parliamentary elections.
• Some were concerned that he could emerge as the new Protector with the support of the Quakers.
• His main priority was the establishment of a civil government based on the concepts in the Instrument.
• The PN who were conservative, anti-radical and anti-Quaker were reluctant to oppose the restoration of monarchy.

Question 18

Lambert’s removal of the Rump

Answer 18

Lambert’s army drew up the Derby Petition, expressing anger at the Rump’s failure to reform. By 13 October Lambert’s troops surrounded Westminster and removed the Rump.

Question 19

The defection of Monck

Answer 19

• The army were not willing to establish a blatant military regime.
• The Committee of Safety was set up by the Council of Officers as a provisional government.
• To the PN this committee appeared to be imposing direct army rule.
• George Monck decided to defect and declared his support for the Rump to be reinstated.

Question 20

Return of the Rump, December 1659

Answer 20

• 26 December 1659 the Rump was reinstated.
• The collapse of the Committee of Safety on 17 December followed by Portsmouth’s declaration in support of the Rump and Fairfax’s action, broight Monck into England.

Question 21

Monck

Answer 21

• When the restored Rump did not offer stability by returning the monarchy, Monck began the process of restoration.
• In London, Monck forced the purged MPs from 1648 back into the Rump.

Question 22

Return of The Long Parliament

Answer 22

• Return of the MP’s in effect formed the original Long Parliament, which dissolved itself on 16 March 1660 to allow ‘free elections’.
• County petitions had been calling for a free Parliament.
• The traditional PN were determined to seize the chance to reassert themselves.