British History 1653-89 Flashcards
What did the Declaration of Breda promise?
Liberty to tender consciences
Promised the army it’s arrears
Promised he would rule as a traditional monarch through parliament
Indemnity/General pardon promised with few exceptions
No return to personal rule of Charles I
What happened on 4 April 1660
Charles pronounced Declaration of Breda
What 2 parliaments brought about the restoration settlement?
The convention parliament
The cavalier parliament
When was the convention parliament?
April-November 1660
What were the features of the Convention Parliament
Indemnity Act- 30 excluded from provisions, gained some support from parliamentarians, May 1660- bodies exhumed and hanged
Land settlement- failure, random measures taken, church and crown land reclaimed, most substantial purchasers of ex-royalist land
Army received arrears of pay and was disbanded
Attempted to alter the constitution to restrict powers of monarch failed so Charles had no limitations imposed
Finance-Charles granted £1.2 million per annum, tonnage and poundage for life, proved insufficient, Hearth tax 1662
Religion-no indulgence for nonconformists, Church of England restored, 700/9000 ministers removed, Worcester House Conference said bishops to ordain clergy, not ratified by Convention parliament
Militia- no challenge to Charles’ control
When was the Cavalier Parliament?
May 1661-1679
What was the Cavalier Parliament?
Another ‘long’ parliament, elections produced a royalist parliament.
MP’s concerned with local issues but didn’t want Charles to be absolute
Generally conservative- didn’t want to build on parliaments achievements of civil war, also suspicious of attempts to strengthen the monarchy too far
Outline the issues of the Cavalier Parliament
Local government- commissioners of House of Commons purged men and appointed ‘well affected men’
Act for the safety and preservation of his majesty’s person and government- cancelled all ordinances from 1641, act excluding bishops from lords repealed (cancelled) punishable to stir up hatred of king or accusing him of popery
New Triennial Act 1664- removed the compulsion of Charles to call parliament every 3 years, no way of calling one if Charles didn’t
Press censorship- 1662 licensing act, 1660 proclamation to burn Milton’s defence of the people which justified regicide
Act to prevent mass petitioning
Financial measures of the convention parliament remained in place
What 2 basic tensions persisted throughout the period?
Crown and parliament
Church and dissent
Who was the Earl of Clarendon?
Chief minister 1660-67
Had been with Charles in exile, was a constitutional royalist
Often appeared arrogant and self-righteous, alienated Charles
Built up a political network but failed to manage the privy council or parliament as a power base
Made a scapegoat 1667 for failures in Dutch war, lack of Charles’ heir to the throne, sale of Dunkirk, Clarendon code and his daughter Anne’s marriage to James
What was Charles’ court like?
Frivolous
Some Catholics at court, Catherine of Braganza, Henrietta Maria, earl of Bristol and James.
Charles had catholic mistresses
Baroque style adopted, mimicked French style
Fashion art and plays reinforced his image or authority
What were Charles’ foreign affairs in France?
Cousins with Louis XIV, regained territories from France, gave Nova Scotia back
What were Charles’ foreign affairs in the Netherlands?
Tensions between England and Dutch
Navigation act 1660- only English ships carry listed goods
Staple Act 1663- colonies to import goods from England in English ships to harm Dutch trade
Anglican royalists disliked Calvinist Dutch Republic
When was the second Dutch war and what happened?
1665-67
Some naval victories ie Lowestoft 1665 but some failures ie attack on Dutch fleet in Norway.
1666 France and Denmark entered the war against England
Parliament voted £3.75 million for the war but it had been disastrously mismanaged.
Trading companies complained of losses
Awareness of threat by Louis XIV
Peace negotiations began spring 1667, then Dutch towed English flagship the royal Charles back to Netherlands
Why was foreign policy seen as a disaster?
Compared to Cromwell
Seen as evidence of divine displeasure combined with effects of Great Plague 1665 and Fire of London 1666
What was Charles’ religious policy 1660-67?
Intolerant Anglicanism reimposed at Restoration
Large scale dissent a reality, consequence of Civil War and Interregnum
Church of England not a total representative of nation, less power to enforce its will as Court of High Commission had been removed and diocesan courts declined
Local JP’s enforced conformity, some were sympathetic to dissenters
Dissent stronger in urban areas
When was the Worcester House conference?
1660
What happened after the Worcester and Savoy House conferences?
Showed division amongst Presbyterians and a rigid Anglican church and prayer book was reimposed.
MP’s had to take Anglican communion
Did Charles attempt to introduce toleration?
Yes- attempt to gain toleration for Catholics, although Bill failed in House of Lords without being debated by the Commons
Quakers continued to be prosecuted
What did the religious settlement come to be known as?
The Clarendon Code
What were the measures of the Clarendon Code?
Corporation Act 1661 ensured members of borough corporations took Anglican communion and rejected Solemn League and Covenant
Act of Uniformity 1662 made Book of Common Prayer compulsory and made Episcopal ordination of priests compulsory- 2000 ministers ejected
Conventicle Act 1664 forbade religious meetings of 5 or more people
Five Mile Act 1665 prevented any preacher from going within 5 miles of their former parish
What were examples of failure of opposition to Charles 1660-67
Lambert’s Rising 1660- lack of coordinated support from Republicans and Lambert imprisoned in tower
New Model Army isolated and paid off eventually
Venners Rising 1661- Fifth Monarchist attempt to overthrow Charles II,small group of 50 but took 3 days to suppress, mass arrests and Venner hanged
Yorkshire Plot/Northern Rising 1663, limited numbers
What repressive measures did the regime take?
Purging borough corporations weakened Dissenters and removed their power base
Intolerant Church Settlement
Small standing army of 8,000
Militia Act 1662- £70,000 to support troops
Militia Act 1663- allowed militia to be kept in constant readiness
Republicans often saw the success of Charles as God’s judgement- fatalistic approach
Who made up the Cabal?
Clifford, Arlington, Duke of Buckingham, Cooper, Lauderdale
What were the financial issues 1667-78?
Royal income fell between 1665-7 from £820,000 to £647,000
Corruption and mismanagement problems
February 1667 Parliament appointed commissioners to examine public accounts and gave a grant of £1.8 million
Parliament used finance to try and restrict greater religious freedom Charles hoped for
What happened in 1670 that was a key issue of Charles’ reign?
Secret Treaty of Dover, 3 versions.
Public version states proposed attack on Dutch by France and Britain, secret version added in French subsidies and Charles’ catholicity clause
What does finance link to?
Foreign policy- Charles’ Stop of the Exchequer 1672 in readiness for the Dutch War, £1.2 million granted by parliament
What were the religious issues 1660-67
Church controlled by parliament rather than king
Attempts at toleration failed, church excluded non-conformists who continued to be persecuted, 450 Quakers died
Explain the increasing division 1672 onwards
Court and country divide caused by fear or popery/arbitrary government
Declaration of indulgence 1672 suspended penal laws against Catholics and dissenters
Outing of James as Catholic by test act 1673 added to fears
1673 marriage between James and Mary of Modena
What ended the Dutch War?
1674 Treaty of Westminster, result of parliaments refusal to vote Charles any more funds, also marked the fall of the Cabal and end of attempts of religious toleration
Highlighted strength of Louis absolute monarchy
What was the role of the Earl of Danby?
1674-8, tried to use crown patronage to build up a royalist group in parliament.
Reinforced fears, exploited Shaftesbury and Buckingham that there was to be an attempt to impose Catholic absolutism on the country
What did Danby’s Test Bill do?
1675, required all office holders and MP’s to swear not to seek to alter the government of church and state, feared as an attempt to impose absolutism, parliament tried and failed to impeach Danby
What was the Compton Census1676?
Suggested about 100,000 non-conformists out of 2.25 million in England and Wales- probable underestimate
Women played key role in ensuring survival of Dissent,especially in Quaker movement
What financial improvements did Danby make?
He was Lord Treasurer, royal income at £1.4 million per annum between 1674-77, debt increased as Charles kept spending
What further secret agreements did Charles make with Louis?
Arranging subsidies contingent on Charles keeping parliament prorogued
What did parliament vote in 1678?
£1 million and an army of 30,000 to force peace terms on Louis, an apparent reversal of Charles’ policies by Danby
What was the Second Test Act?
1678- to exclude Catholics from Houses of Parliament, passed with exception for James
What did Charles do after the Peace of Nijmegen?
Kept his standing army of 30,000- heightened fears of royal absolutism
What was the difference between Whigs and Tories?
Tories- belief in divine right monarchy with no right of resistance and a strong Protestant Church of England
Whigs- belief in right of resistance, parliament being representative of richer people, favour to dissenters, threat of catholic absolutism
What was the key issue 1678-89?
Succession to the throne
Who were the immortal seven?
Group who sent a letter to William inviting him to invade
When did William invade?
5th November 1688
What was the exclusion crisis?
Attempt by Shaftesbury and Whigs to exclude James from succession owing to his Catholicism- viewed in the context of apparent increasing absolutism
Why were people afraid of Catholism?
Bloody Mary persecution of Protestants
Spanish Armada
Gunpowder plot
Effects of Irish rebellion
What and when was the Popish plot?
1678, by Israel Tonge and Titus Oates
Supposed Jesuit conspiracy to assassinate Charles II, supported by French invasion and Irish rebellion
Although lies, parliament voted that they were true
35 men executed
Heightened concerns of catholic-absolutism conspiracy
What happened to Danby?
Many felt he was an architect of absolutism
Montagu wanted revenge on him so revealed letters to Louis
Danby dismissed 1679, imprisoned in Tower for 5 years
When was the first exclusion parliament?
March-May 1679
Outline the First Exclusion Parliament
First parliament since 1660, court outnumbered 2:1
MP’s focused on attempt to secure rights in the event of a Catholic Succession
£200,000 granted to disband army
Habeas Corpus Amendment Act- charges to be brought before imprisonment
What political skills did Charles show before parliament met?
James sent to Brussels
Promised limitations on catholic monarch- no church patronage/parliament to appoint civil,legal,military offices
included leading critics in Privy council attempting appeasement
Did Charles appeasement attempts work?
Some were appeased but others ie Shaftesbury pushed for James’ exclusion- exclusion bill passed to Charles prorogued parliament
What happened to Monmouth?
Defeated limited rebellion in Scotland
Success on Charles’ behalf made him seem heir apparent as Charles was ill 1679
Monmouth exiled to Netherlands
When was the second exclusion parliament?
October 1679, lasted 2 weeks
Explain how politics went into the street
Petitions Exclusionist pamphlets ie 1662 Licensing Act Processions/Pope-burnings Oates and Dugdales plots Attempt to prosecute James as recusanct
What was the Tory reaction?
Filmers Patriarcha arguing absolute monarchy was ordained by law of nature
Abhorrers-abhorred idea of exclusion
When was the second sitting of the second exclusion parliament?
1680
What happened at the second sitting?
Exclusion bill passed by House of Commons but rejected by lords
Commons offered £600,000 for Exclusion and refused anymore unless exclusion happened
Charles dissolved parliament 1681
What had Charles negotiated by 1681?
Further subsidies from Louis XIV- £40,000 then £115,000 pay for 3 years
When was the third exclusion parliament? (Oxford Parliament)
March 1681
What happened at the Third Exclusion Parliament?
Charles offered that William and Mary would be regents for James but House of Commons planned a new Exclusion Bill calling for Monmouth to be king
Dissolved by Charles 1681
When was the Rye House Plot?
1683
Why did Exclusion fail?
Limits of Whig argument
Tory propaganda played on fears of civil war
Scotland was largely peaceful, rebellion crushed
Charles’ financial position meant he could dispense with parliament- improved trade and subsidies from Louis
House of Lords kept rejecting Exclusion
Church did not support Exclusion
Genuine public support for Tories
Charles’ parliamentary management- used prerogative owners of prerogative and dissolution
Exclusion seen as radical by many
Persecutions by Charles
How did Charles leave the crown in a strong position?
not calling parliament 1684 (technically violating triennial act)
remove judges that would vote against crown-kept mainly Tories
Whigs purged from local government
defeat and weakness of the Whigs - executions
dissenters continued to be persecuted
good control over church
standing army of 10,000
healthy financial position
Briefly explain who James II was
Became king 1685
Openly catholic with inflexible personality
Regarded opposition as treason and thought any concessions were a mistake
Aim to advance Catholicism, unaware of anti-Catholicism?
Felt people would become catholic once they had seen the true faith
Wanted to give Catholics key positions and repeal penal laws
Historians views over whether James wanted to establish an absolutist state
Speck- he did
Smith- he didn’t
Who were James’ ministers?
Halifax, Hyde, Sunderland, Godolphin
What initial opposition did James face?
Argyll’s rebellion in Scotland 1685
Monmouths rebellion 1685
Both failed due to military weakness, uncoordination, limited support
What happened at the 1685 parliament?
Sat for 2 weeks, mainly Tory, 57/532 Whigs
Parliament voted James income of £2 million a year, increased army to 20,000 troops by 1685
James appointed 90 catholic officers, parliament protested seeing this as creating a personal force
Prorogued
What was James’ test case?
1686 Godden vs Hale- James chose judges, 11:1 judgement in his favour
What legislation did James pass that lost him support of Tory-Anglicans?
Declaration to Preachers 1686- forbidding attacks on Catholic Church by ministers
Commission for Ecclesiastical Causes 1686- reincarnated court of High Commission