Chapter 17 Flashcards
When was the Declaration of Breda published?
4 April 1660
Who produced the Declaration of Breda?
Charles Stuart
What did the Declaration of Breda state?
It stated that if Charles Stuart became king and monarchy was restored then he would:
- Rule through Parliament.
- Pay the army what they were owed.
- Pardons to nearly all his subjects.
- ‘liberty to tender consciences’.
When did the Convention Parliament assemble?
25 April 1660
Which way did the Convention Parliament sway ideologically?
Conservatism
When was Charles Stuart declared king?
8 May 1660
What was the reaction of the Political Nation to Charles Stuart’s Declaration of Breda?
They were largely in favour as it was a conservative document, promising to return to a style of rule like the one before the Civil Wars that was desired by many after the radicalism of the final years of the Interregnum.
What was the Convention Parliament?
A temporary parliament whose purpose was to restore monarchy.
What were the 7 issues the Convention Parliament had to deal with in order to restore monarchy?
- Indemnity
- Land settlement
- Disbanding the army
- Constitution
- Finance
- Religion
- Militia
Why was indemnity an issue that needed to be resolved?
Charles had promised pardons for Parliamentarians but not for those involved in regicide. Exactly who that was needed to be decided, and Parliament helped to do that.
After Parliament had helped decide who would not be pardoned, when was the Indemnity Act passed?
29 August 1660
What was the issue surrounding land when Charles was restored?
After 1649 the lands belonging to bishops, Royalists, Catholics, and the Crown were sold off. Charles wanted the Church and Crown lands back and left it to Parliament to resolve.
How did Parliament get the Church and Crown lands back after they had been sold off in 1649?
Many of the people the lands belonged to were not included in the Indemnity Act, meaning most of the lands could just be seized without trouble once to owner was prosecuted.
Why did the army disband without a fuss?
- The Indemnity Act had been passed meaning they would not be tried and convicted.
- Charles had promised to pay them what they were owed in the Declaration of Breda.
What happened to the bill being passed through parliament that would have confirmed parliamentary privileges and fundamental laws?
It was stalled in the House of Lords through Charles II’s influence and never became law, meaning Charles Stuart became king without any limitations on his power whatsoever.
What did the Convention Parliament grant Charles II to settle finances?
- Charles received tonnage and poundage for life.
- Certain customs duties.
- Charles would be granted £1.2 million a year for government costs.
What did Parliament hope Charles II could do by them granting him customs duties and tonnage and poundage for life?
‘live off his own’
Despite the seemingly generous financial settlement, what was Charles II dependent on?
Parliamentary grants, causing him to call parliament every year between 1660 and 1681.
What had the Declaration of Breda promised to religious nonconformists such as the Quakers or the Presbyterians?
An ‘indulgence’ to worship freely - this never materialised.
Did Charles II deliver on his promise to religious nonconformists?
No
What happened to the Church of England as it was restored under Charles II?
700 out of a total 9000 ministers were removed and the and the Church itself was not broadened to encompass any nonconformists.
Who retained the right to control the militia in the kingdom?
Charles II - he dissolved the Convention Parliament before they passed any legislation regarding the armed forces, so Charles therefore retained this prerogative right.
When was the Cavalier Parliament elected?
May 1661
What did the Act for the Safety and Preservation of His Majesty’s Person and Government do?
It cancelled all ordinances, which were any acts of parliament that had not received royal assent.
What acts of parliament still remained after the Act for the Safety and Protection of His Majesty’s Person and Government?
- Abolition of Star Chamber.
- Abolition of High Commission.
- Abolition of Ship Money.
- The Triennial Act.
- Exclusion of bishops from the Lords.
Even though the act excluding bishops from the Lords remained after the Act for the Safety and Protection of His Majesty’s Person and Government was passed, what happened to it?
It was then repealed allowing bishops back in to the Lords, and giving the Crown an influential group of supporters.
What did the Cavalier Parliament do to the Church courts?
They did not bring back the Court of High Commission, but they did bring back some others, further strengthening the Crown.
What did the Cavalier Parliament do to the Triennial Act and when?
1664 - they removed the requirement for the Crown to call a parliament every three years, and replaced it with the ‘hope’ they would do so ‘at least’ every three years.
How long did the Cavalier Parliament last?
1661-1679
When was the Licensing Act passed and by who?
1662, by the Cavalier Parliament.
What did the Licensing Act do?
Allowed the Crown to censor the press.
What did the Cavalier Parliament do with regards to petitioning?
They passed an act that prevented mass petitioning.
What gave Charles II sole control of all armed forces?
Militia Acts passed in 1661 and another in 1662 gave control of the armed forces to Charles II.
What else did the Militia Act 1662 give Charles II the ability to do?
Raise up to £70,000 a year for three years to support the forces raised.
What did the Act for the Safety and Protection of His Majesty’s Person and Government do with regards to popery?
It made it punishable to:
- Accuse the king of trying to bring in popery.
- Incite hatred of the monarch.
When was the Hearth Tax introduced?
1662
Why was the Hearth Tax introduced?
Because only £400,000 of the $1.2 million promised to Charles II annually by the Convention Parliament could be raised, so this was meant to bridge the gap - it did not do so.
Who dominated Charles II’s royal government?
Edward Hyde, the Earl of Clarendon.
What happened to the Church lands sold during the civil wars?
Restored to the church without compensation to those who had bought them.
After the Restoration, how was the church governed?
Episcopacy was restored - the rule of bishops.
What happened to the Book of Common Prayer during the Restoration?
It was restored and updated by Charles to include references to the wickedness of rebellion.
What positions did Edward Hyde hold between 1660 and 1667?
Lord Chancellor and Charles’ chief advisor.
Why was Clarendon given his roles after the Restoration?
- His loyalty to Charles in his exile, serving as his most trusted advisor.
- His capacity for hard work.
What were the personality differences between Charles and Clarendon that made Clarendon an effective advisor?
Charles had no interest in government whereas Edward Hyde was an assiduous worker with a great attention to detail.
What 3 areas were Clarendon’s weaknesses found?
- Personality
- Privy Council
- Parliament
Why was Clarendon’s personality a weakness to his position?
His business-like approach to everything and his power made him arrogant and dismissive of others, alienating the Political Nation and the king.
Why did the Privy Council pose a weakness to Clarendon’s position?
He was not able to get them on his side, again a result of his personality.
Why was Parliament a weakness in Clarendon’s position?
He did not manage his relationship with Parliament well and allowed opposition to develop. Opposition to the crown may have been inevitable, but as Charles’ chief minister Clarendon was held responsible.
What was the main weakness in Clarendon’s position?
His relationship with the king; Charles recognised his skill but disliked him as a person.
What did Charles do to Clarendon when the Second Dutch War started to go against England?
He used Clarendon as a scapegoat to blame for the disastrous performance in the war.
When did Clarendon resign and go into self-imposed exile in France?
August 1667
What did Clarendon’s daughter do that undermined Clarendon’s position?
She married James, Duke of York, the heir to the throne. This opened him up to accusations of self-aggrandisement.
When was the Second Anglo-Dutch War?
February 1665 - 1667
When did France and Denmark side with the Dutch against England?
1666
When was the Great Plague?
1665
When was the Fire of London?
September 1666
What was the impact of the Fire of London and the Second Anglo-Dutch War?
It was rumoured that the fire was started by the Dutch, prompting criticism of the management of the war by Clarendon.
Who was the group of advisors to Charles II after the fall of Clarendon?
The Cabal
Who is the C in the Cabal?
Sir Thomas Clifford
Who is the first A in the Cabal?
Baron Ashley
Who is the B in the Cabal?
Duke of Buckingham
Who is the second A in the Cabal?
Lord Arlington
Who is the L in the Cabal?
Duke of Lauderdale
What were the 3 reasons the Cabal had no coordinated policy?
- Government was in the hands of men with diverse outlooks and opinions.
- Charles II had limited involvement.
- The elimination of Clarendon had also eliminated his focused and business-like approach.
Although there was much disagreement amongst the Cabal, what were the 2 areas of general agreement?
- Extend religious toleration to Catholics and dissenters.
- Form an alliance with France.
When was the Third Dutch War?
1672-1674
What were the 4 main political concerns in this period?
- Second Dutch War
- Third Dutch War
- The Great Plague
- Great Fire of London
What was the royal income by 1665?
£820,000
What had the royal income fallen to by 1667?
£647,000
What did MPs blame the fall in royal income on by 1667?
Crown mismanagement rather than structural problems. This was not unfounded as corruption was rife.
When did Parliament begin investigating navy accounts due to their concerns of corruption?
1666
What 2 things did Parliament do in February 1667?
- Make a grant of £1.8 million.
- Appoint commissioners to oversee the spending of the grant.
How did Parliament keep control over Charles’ influence on the church?
They made it clear that they would not grant him funds of he tried to broaden the Church.
When did Charles II proclaim the ‘Stop of the Exchequer’?
January 1672
What did the ‘Stop of the Exchequer’ do?
Stopped the repayments of loans, but it also meant it would impossible for Charles to get any more loans from the City right at the moment he waged the Third Dutch War.
In light of his lack of loans from the City, how much did Parliament grant Charles II to fight the Third Dutch War in the 1672 session?
£1.2 million
What are penal laws?
Laws that punished people who refused to attend Church of England services.
What did the Declaration of Indulgence aim to do?
Extend religious liberty to Protestant non-conformists and Catholics by suspending the penal laws.
When was the Test Act?
March 1673
What did the Test Act do?
Required anyone entering public service in England to deny Catholic doctrines.
Why did Charles have to end the Third Dutch War?
The Parliamentary session of January-February 1674 refused to grant Charles any money, forcing him to end the conflict.
What did the Treaty of Westminster do?
Ended the Third Dutch War.
When was the Treaty of Westminster?
February 1674
Who was the main political figure after the fall of the Cabal?
Thomas Osborne, Earl of Danby
What were the Earl of Danby’s policies and who supported them?
- A rigid Church of England, with no toleration.
- Anti-French, pro-Dutch foreign policy.
These were policies supported by most MPs.
How did Danby control Parliament?
- He used patronage and pensions to keep a group of about 30 MPs loyal to him, creating the ‘court’ party.
- Before sessions he would send out personal letters to certain MPs informing them of how to vote.
How did some view Danby’s controlling of certain MPs?
As a royal attempt to impose Catholicism and absolutism on the country.
When did the Earl of Danby introduced a test bill to Parliament?
1675
Had the test bill past, what would it have done?
Forced all office holders and MPs to swear that:
- Taking up arms was unlawful.
- They should not seek to alter the government of the Church and state.
When was the test act defeated?
April 1675
Why was the test act defeated?
It was seen as an attempt to impose an absolute government.
What position did the Earl of Danby hold?
Lord Treasurer
What did Parliament do to the royal finances in November 1675?
- Only voted through a grant of £300,000 for the navy.
- Added a clause that appropriated all customs revenue and diverting it to the navy rather than going to the Crown.
When did Parliament only grant the navy £300,000 and appropriated all customs revenue?
November 1675
What did Charles agree to in December 1677?
He agreed to the Anglo-Dutch treaty that was an alliance against France, and Charles would impose peace terms on King Louis XIV by force if necessary.
When did Charles dissolve Parliament?
January 1679
What 2 reasons caused Charles to dissolve Parliament in January 1679?
- Parliament was trying to impeach Danby.
- Charles had been secretly continuing relations with King Louis XIV even though he was meant to have formed a military alliance with the Dutch against him.
When did Charles dismiss Danby?
March 1679
After Charles dismissed Danby, what did he grant him?
A pardon
Why did Charles pardon Danby after dismissing him?
If he had not, Danby would have been put on trial and Charles’ continuing relationship with France would have come to light - something Charles wanted to avoid.
What were conventicles?
Secret meetings of religious non-conformists.
When was the Conventicle Act?
1664
When was the Secret Treaty of Dover?
1670
What did Charles agree to in the Secret Treaty of Dover?
To convert to Catholicism in the future.
What did Charles receive in the Secret Treaty of Dover?
Money and troops from France.
When were the Declarations of Indulgence issued by Charles?
1662 and 1672
What was the Clarendon Code?
4 Acts passed in the 1660s that sought to enforce religious conformity.
What was the first Act of the Clarendon Code and what did it do?
The Corporation Act 1661 - barred religious dissenters from taking office.
What was the second Act of the Clarendon Code?
The Act of Uniformity 1662 - excluded religious dissenters from the church.
What was the third Act of the Clarendon Code?
The Conventicle Act 1664 - made meetings for Nonconformist worship illegal.
What was the fourth and final Act of the Clarendon Code?
The Five-Mile Act 1665 - forbade Nonconformist ministers to come within five miles of a town.
When did Parliament alter the Triennial Act?
1664
Which Act prevented mass petitioning?
Tumultuous Petitioning Act 1661
Which member of the Cabal helped negotiate the Secret Treaty of Dover?
Sir Thomas Clifford
What position did Sir Thomas Clifford hold?
Treasurer of the Household
What position did Baron Ashley hold from 1661?
Chancellor of the Exchequer
What was Sir Thomas Clifford’s religion?
Catholic
What was Lord Arlington’s religion?
Catholic
What did Lord Arlington help to negotiate along with Sir Thomas Clifford?
The Secret Treaty of Dover
What prompted the passing of the Conventicle Act?
1663 Northern Rising, which was an exaggerated plot by republicans and radicals to overthrow Charles II - this is why the Act prevents religious meetings of 5 or more.
When did the Cabal operate?
1667-1674
When was the Earl of Danby the most prominent political figure?
1674-78
When was the Act for Safety and Preservation of His Majesties Person and Government passed?
1661
