Booklet 1 - The failure of personal rule

Question 1

Why did personal rule collapse?

Answer 1

Due to Charles’ want to reform Scotland which was his ultimate failure as it resulted in war and leaving him no choice but to call parliament.

Question 2

The overview of Scotland

Answer 2

The Scottish kirk has undergone a calvanist reform led by John Knox in 1560 and was organised by an assembly officials

Question 3

Explain the timeline of the First Bishops’ War

Answer 3

• 1636 - Charles issues the book of cannons to the Scottish clergy which included instructions on how to organise their church and introduced practices associated with the Church of England
• 1637 - Charles introduced the English prayer book to Scottish churches and when it was read, riots broke out
• 1638 - Scottish clergy and nobility drew up a national covenant to defend the Kirk and restore religious rights
• 1639 - Charles had to sign the Treaty of Berwick to end the First Bishops’ War as he lacked money and realised he couldn’t win the war
• April 1640 - Charles lacked funds and couldn’t get money from merchants so he called parliament which was an end to personal rule

Question 4

What happened when Charles called parliament and how did MPs react?

Answer 4

• Charles said he wanted sufficient supplies to crush the Scots, tonnage and pundage should be granted and he would listen to any parliamentry grievences
• The lords in parliament were willing to immediately supply subsidies, whereas the commons wanted their grievences heard first and then subsidies would be granted
• Mps were concerned with Arminianism and prerogative taxes, some MPs also sympathised with the stand of Scots against Arminanism
• Mps decided to draw up a petition for Charles

Question 5

How did Charles respond to parliaments’ petition?

Answer 5

• He dissolved parliament after only 3 weeks
• He managed to raise some money from levying a loan from the city of London and seizing £130,000 deposited in the tower of London for safe keeping for merchants
• Charles decided to use militia for an army but the men’s loyalty lay with their county
• Charles managed to raise an army in Yorkshire but it was short of money and there was mass desertion
• The Scots launched an offensive with 25,000 men, the kings forces were forced to abandon Newcastle and it’s coalfields as well as Charles giving up boarder countries to the Scots and paying £850 a day until peace terms were agreed
• With Charles lacking money and winter approaching, he called parliament again in November 1640