Ch 11 The Second Civil War

Question 1

What was Charles position at end of First English Civil War 1646?

Answer 1

• defeated militarily; but strong position to negotiate for settlement due to being King
• Charles refused to consider Parliament’s settlements seriously; political move to play upon the divisions between English Parliament, Scots & NMA

Question 2

What did Charles’ stubbornness for post-war settlement encourage within Parliament?

Answer 2

• encouraged divisions between moderates & radicals that had emerged within Parliament over how to fight the Civil War
• by 1646, the 2 parliamentary factions labelled the Political Presbyterians & Political Independents
• indicate a religious division & a political one

Question 3

Key Info on Political Presbyterians?

Answer 3

• key figures= Holles & Stapleton
• more moderate in nature, called ‘Peace Party’
• generally conservative in social/political matters
• opposed to religious toleration (wanted Presbyterianism)
• favoured a negotiated peace w/ King & willing to accept settlement on minimal terms (including the disbanding of NMA!)
• increasingly disappointed by NMA
• drew closer to Scots
• supported Presbyterian Church to prevent social revolution

Question 4

Key Info on Political Independents?

Answer 4

• key figures: Oliver Cromwell & Henry Ireton
• more radical in nature, called ‘War Party’
• disliked the authoritarianism of Scottish Presbyterianism as they wanted religious independence
• wanted a considerable measure of religious toleration
• allied w/ NMA (seen as their security against Charles)
• willing to settle w/ King & disband NMA only IF Charles accepted limitations to his power!

Question 5

What was the complexity of the Parliamentary factions?

Answer 5

• messy division because some religious Presbyterians supported Political Independents
• therefore, the religious views of the factions cannot be absolutely assumed
• summarised by Robert Ashton

Question 6

In 1646 which Parliamentary faction was the most influential?

Answer 6

• Political Presbyterians; most of the country would have favoured them due to their peace policy
• the country was weary of war & wanted peace
• in 1646, if Charles had accepted the reasonable terms presented to him by the Political Presbyterians, the Political Independents & the NMA would have gone along w/ the agreement & their would have been no second civil war

Question 7

What were the Newcastle Propositions (July 1646)?

Answer 7

-Political Presbyterians presented their plan for settlement to Charles July 1646

Question 8

What were the main features of the Newcastle Propositions (July 1646)?

Answer 8

• religion: Charles was to accept the establishment of Presbyterianism in England for 3 years
• militia: Parliament was to control the militia (armed forces) for 20 years (regarded as the likely remainder of Charles’ life)
• Parliament: the Triennial Act was to remain, guaranteeing regular parliaments as a limit to monarch’s power
• Royalists: only 58 Royalists were not to be pardoned, thus hopefully encouraging others to accept defeat

Question 9

What was Charles’ response to the Newcastle Propositions (July 1646)?

Answer 9

• response was to stall; he had no intention of agreeing to them, but did not say this directly in order to allow the divisions between his opponents to develop
• settlement was hampered by Parliament’s political divisions, further deepened by religious differences

Question 10

How was instability created in the winter of 1646/47?

Answer 10

• instability because Political Presbyterians tried to get Charles to agree to a revised, more lenient version of Newcastle Propositions; also seeking to implement what in effect amounted to counter-revolution:
• demobilising the NMA but keeping a smaller force to got to Ireland to crush the Irish Catholics
• creating an alternative ‘safe’ army based on the London Trained Bands

Question 11

How did Political Presbyterians’ leader abuse the NMA?

Answer 11

• leader Denzil Holles abused them in the Declaration of Dislike=document stating army petitioners were ‘enemies to the state & disturbers of the public peace’
• the Newcastle Propositions & Declaration of Dislike were offensive to NMA; they (as well as their allies the Political Independents) saw the Political Presbyterians as attempting to raise a rival army from forces remaining regionally in the West & North that were led by sympathetic leaders rather than NMA officers

Question 12

How did the Political Presbyterians inadvertently create a new radical force in the political settlement?

Answer 12

• their strategy was based on fact that Parliament faced huge financial problem: owing army £3 million
• in attempting to implement their strategy they inadvertently brought the NMA as a new radical force into the political settlement

Question 13

What incensed the NMA?

Answer 13

• thy were owed £3million in wages; they feared being made to disband before this money was paid
• there was possibility of being charged w/ offensives committed during the war, as Parliament had not passed an indemnity act (would provide soldiers w/ insurance against prosecution for actions taken during the civil war)

Question 14

How was the New Model Army created?

Answer 14

• by Parliament early 1645
• merged three regional armies, w/ aim of making war effort more effective
• first commanded by Thomas Fairfax, w/ Oliver Cromwell as lieutenant general

Question 15

What impact did the NMA’s entry into politics have on settlement?

Answer 15

-entry into politics (especially due to financial reasons) had significant impact on settlement; once it became a political force, it became central to all that followed until the restoration of monarchy in 1660

Question 16

Key Info on Thomas Fairfax (1612-71)?

Answer 16

• was general in Parliament’s Northern Association Army
• 1645 appointed as commander-in-chief of NMA
• excellent general but not great w/ politics
• w/ NMA’s politicisation, he found himself sidelined by his subordinates like Cromwell & Ireton

Question 17

Key Info on Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658)?

Answer 17

• member of minor gentry
• elected as MP in 1640
• during First Civil War served as lieutenant general of the Eastern Association Army
• second in command of NMA
• naturally politically conservative
• came to believe that God had condemned Charles (after his experience of battle within NMA)
• increasingly took lead in settlement politics

Question 18

What was NMA’s opposition to Parliament based on (1646-49)?

Answer 18

• wanted their material grievances addressed (wages paid!)
• Parliament (dominated by Political Presbyterians) failed to address NMA’s concerns; thus the army’s statements became increasingly more radical

Question 19

What did the NMA do March 1647?

Answer 19

• NMA first petitioned Parliament to readdress their grievances
• Parliament condemned this petition

Question 20

What antagonised NMA in May 1647?

Answer 20

• the Commons accepted Charles’ third reply to Newcastle Propositions (he conceded Presbyterianism for 3 years & Parliamentary control of militia for 10 years) but Charles was hoping for further negotiations
• this all antagonised NMA as they felt the terms were too lenient & that Charles could not be trusted to honour them
• 25 May 1647: the Commons voted to disband NMA w/ only 8 weeks worth of pay to them!

Question 21

What did NMA do @ Newmarket in June 1647?

Answer 21

-in response to Common’s vote to disband army & on orders from Fairfax, NMA holds a general meeting @ Newmarket
=this saw to the organisation of a more formal political structure, the General Council of the Army led by Fairfax but dominated by Ireton & Cromwell (discussed strategy)
=consisted of 2 commissioned officers & 2 adjutators (men/junior officers who took leading role in politicisation & political life of the army) from each regiment
=hoped in this body to lead the army to settlement

Question 22

What happened to Charles on 2 June 1647?

Answer 22

• Charles seized by NMA
• Cornet (lowest rank army officer) George Joyce forced Charles out of Parliamentary house arrest & took him to army’s headquarters @ Newmarket (status of Cornet is significant as it shows that even the lowest ranked officers no longer respected the King!)
• 2 days later Joyce wrote to Cromwell: ‘we have secured the king… you must let us know what we shall do’
• NMA’s physical control of Charles was what made them a significant force in the politics of settlement

Question 23

What did NMA do on 4 June 1647?

Answer 23

• produced a Humble Remonstrance, declaring that they would not disband until their grievances were met
• these included indemnity (protection against loss of financial burden) & the removal of Holles’ Political Presbyterian faction
• NMA began slow march to London to put pressure on Parliament (enemy)

Question 24

What did NMA do on 5 June 1647?

Answer 24

-NMA presented their position to Parliament in the Solemn Engagement (written by Henry Ireton)

Question 25

What happened between NMA leadership & Charles on 7 June 1647?

Answer 25

• Fairfax, Crowwell & Ireton went to Childerley where Charles was being held; had meeting first of which became formal negotiations between army leadership & Charles
• Ireton = army’s chief spokesperson
• Charles eventually lodged @ Hampton Court
• to reinforce the Solemn Engagement, impeachment charges were drawn up by NMA & presented against 11 MPs including Holles in July 1647 (army saw Holles as leading Parliament against them

Question 26

-What appeared on 14 June 1647?

Answer 26

• A Representation of the Army, written by Ireton & Lambert & aided by Cromwell appeared
• declared NMA was ‘not a mere mercenary army’ & outlined the fundamentals of the army’s political position

Question 27

What was outlined as the fundamentals of the NMA’s political position on 14 June 1647, in the Representation of the Army document?

Answer 27

• a purge of Parliament
• future parliaments of fixed duration
• guaranteed right of freedom of the people to petition Parliament
• an extension of religious freedom
• NMA declared itself as defending ‘our own & the people’s just rights & liberties’
• they had made clear that settlement had to take their grievances into account
• the fact that NMA had secured physical control of Charles added weight to their political stance

Question 28

What happened on 16 July 1647?

Answer 28

• NMA’s General Council met @ Reading
• Ireton presented his Heads of the Proposals to rest of army
• though most people had become impatient w/ slow progress in achieving their demands by following what they thought were too moderate plans outlined by Ireton & Cromwell
• due to the ‘moderate’ terms of the Heads of the Proposal having been directly negotiated w/ Charles, it opened Ireton & Cromwell up to charges of hypocrisy

Question 29

Key Chronology?
July 1646=
June 1647=
July 1647=
Dec 1647=
Apr 1648=
Aug 1648=

Answer 29

July 1646=Newcastle Propositions
June 1647=Humble Remonstrance; Solemn Engagement; Representation of the Army
July 1647=The Heads of the Proposal
Dec 1647=Engagement between Charles I & Scots
Apr 1648=Windsor Prayer Meeting
Aug 1648=Battle of Preston

Question 30

Heads of the Proposal Key Info & Points?

Answer 30

-was NMA’s own settlement plan; written by Ireton & Lambert w/ Cromwell’s aid
-published 2 Aug 1647
=regular biennial parliaments
=reform of parliamentary representation
=parliamentary control of army/navy
=parliamentary appointment of great offices of state for 10 years
=religious settlement that maintained the national Church w/ bishops but no coercive power
=Act of Oblivion (pardon) that exempted only a few Royalists from punishment

• limits placed on Parliament through biennial elections, redistribution of seats & issue of indemnity was clear reflection of NMA’s experience over last 2 years
• other key feature that while King was limited by Parliament & a selected council, there was no check on his negative voice; episcopacy (bishops governing Church) without disciplinary powers was to be allowed & there was an assurance of Charles ‘personal rights’

Question 31

What did NMA’s control of Charles allow them?

Answer 31

• allowed them to negotiate directly w/ him their own settlement plan
• (it is possible that the concessions to Charles in the Heads of the Proposal came about as result of Ireton’s direct negotiations w/ him)

Question 32

What had Ireton & Cromwell shown in their desire to ensure settlement?

Answer 32

-showed their desire for an essentially MODERATE settlement; their willingness to compromise w/ Charles brought division in the army to a critical point

Question 33

By the time of the Putney debates, what did army officers realise about Charles?

Answer 33

• army officers negotiating w/ Charles over the Heads of the Proposals realised that he was not negotiating candidly
• Charles had audacity to remark to Ireton “without me, you will fail”
• Charles’ failure to take NMA’s settlement plans seriously further radicalised the army & made some contemplate removing the king

Question 34

What happened on 26 July 1647?

Answer 34

• (the Political Presbyterians organised demonstrations in favour of peace)
• w/ help from Denzil Holles, a mob invaded the Commons & forcefully passed a resolution to invite the king to London

Question 35

What was happening on 3 Aug 1647?

Answer 35

-NMA was just outside London, where the Political Independents joined them after walking out of Parliament

Question 36

What finally happened on 6 Aug 1647?

Answer 36

-NMA marched into Westminister

Question 37

How was Charles deceitfulness confirmed? What was the response to this?

Answer 37

• confirmed by his escape from Hampton Court in Nov 1647
• in response to the new military threat posed by Charles’ escape & his subsequent negotiations w/ the Scots; the NMA officers & lower ranks reunited
• an attempted Leveller-inspired mutiny in the army was crushed

Question 38

What was the situation like 1647?

Answer 38

-people were weary of the taxes to fund NMA, inflation, the county committees & the harshness of being at war

Question 39

What was sent to Charles while he was imprisoned?

Answer 39

• the Four Bills; an amalgamation of Parliament’s Newcastle Propositions & the NMA’s Heads of the Proposal
• Charles formally rejected the Four Bills at the end of Dec 1647

Question 40

What happened on 11 Nov 1647?

Answer 40

-Charles escaped from Hampton Court & began to negotiate w/ the Scots to help him campaign against Parliament

Question 41

What was The Engagement of Dec 1647?

Answer 41

• Charles arranged a secret meeting w/ Engagers (a faction of Scottish Covenanters who were disappointed w/ their alliance w/ English Parliament)
• Charles agreed that England would have a 3 year period of Presbyterianism in return for the Scots’ help in invading England against Parliament & restoring him to power
• the Scots saw the agreement as securing their position in Scotland, w/ 3 years adequate time for Presbyterian to establish itself
• this engagement meant that at some point, the Covenanters would invade England against their previous allies & trigger a second civil war
• threat of Scottish invasion & another civil war hardened the parliamentarians & the army

Question 42

What did Parliament pass in January 1648, as a result of The Engagement (Dec 1647)?

Answer 42

-passed the Vote of No Addresses stating that there would be no further negotiations w/ Charles

Question 43

What was the significance of the Windsor Prayer Meeting (April 1648)?

Answer 43

• during Second Civil War, the NMA gathered @ Windsor to pray before facing their enemies
• reflected on Bible passages & preachers declared Charles I was the ‘man of blood’
• SIGNIFICANT: as it was @ Windsor that the NMA debated regicide for the first time

Question 44

Why was religion a significant element of the NMA’s success 1645-53?

Answer 44

• godly officers=core of officers, particularly in cavalry, were v devout; gave army its religious drive
• chaplains=appointed for each regiment & were closely connected to the colonel of the regiment; provided religious leadership through sermons, Bible studies & accompanied NMA on marches, campaigns & into battle
• visual iconography=each regiment had its own banner & religious mottos
• fasting/self-reflection=used to prepare for tests that the army was to face
• lay preaching=soldiers themselves preaching
• minority=alienation from rest of society reinforced their own self image of godliness, which led to high morale
• equality=creation of General Council of the Army in 1647 as well as the Reading & Putney Debates, all partly stemmed from religious belief that all were valued by God

Question 45

What events led up to Royalist Defeat?

Answer 45

• General Fairfax & Ireton tacked risings in Kent; Cromwell sent to South Wales & Lambert held the northern front to slow down any Scottish invasion until southern reinforcements could arrive
• July 1648 a large troop of Scottish forces entered England to join 4,000 northern Royalists :(
• Aug 1648, having crushed the rebels in South Wales, Cromwell went North & joined w/ Lambert to face the Scottish Royalists @ Preston; despite being heavily outnumbered their disciplined army won victory against the Scots’ Royalist force
• Oct 1648 Cromwell & Lambert went to Edinburgh to ensure that the anti-Engagers in Scotland led by Argyll were securely in power

Question 46

What threatened to divide the NMA across England & Wales?

Answer 46

• series of Royalist & anti-Parliament/Presbyterian risings in South Wales, Kent, East Anglia, & Yorkshire throughout 1648 threatened to divide NMA across England & Wales
• yet the ‘revolt in the provinces’ was uncoordinated & thus the NMA was able to split its forces efficiently to deal w/ the threats
• at same time, NMA faced imminent invasion from the Scots

Question 47

Second English Civil War Key Chronology: 1648

• March-July
• April-Aug
• May-June
• June-Dec
• July
• 17/19 Aug
• 4/7 Oct

Answer 47

• March-July: Rising in South Wales
• April-Aug: Rising in East Anglia, centred in Colchester
• May-June: Rising in Kent
• June-Dec: Rising in Yorkshire, centred @ Pontefract
• July: Scots invade England in support of Charles
• 17/19 Aug: Cromwell & Lambert defeat Scots @ Preston
• 4/7 Oct: Cromwell & Lambert secure anti-Engager power while in Edinburgh

Question 48

What was the Second English Civil War like in comparison w/ the First?

Answer 48

• Second more brutal than First
• in securing victory, NMA leaders (particularly millenarians like Cromwell, Ireton & Harrison) were even more convinced that God was directing the NMA & that God condemned Charles

Question 49

Why was the Second English Civil War a turning point?

Answer 49

• many, especially those in army, now regarded settlement w/ Charles & Royalists as impossible
• thus Royalist leaders were tried & executed by NMA
• in contrast, many in Parliament wanted to reopen negotiations w/ King; as increasingly worried about NMA’s radicalism, they felt that only a settlement w/ King could prevent any further breakdown of order
• it was to be the division between NMA & Parliament after Second Civil War that became crucial in leading to the execution of Charles I