Chapter 5&6: parliament Flashcards
What were the 4 ancient privileges enjoyed by MP’s?
Free access to monarch and the house of lords to convey opinions.
The right to correct mistakes or misunderstandings that may prejudice the commons.
Freedom from arrest while parliament is sitting and for 20 days after it is dissolved (except treason, felony, and breach of the peace).
Freedom of speech (within vague limits that were often disputed).
Shirley’s case: date?
1604
Shirley’s case: details and impact?
MP Thomas Shirley was arrested for debt.
It upset MP’s as it infringed on their right to freedom from arrest.
They sent the governor of fleet debtors prison to the tower of London until Shirley was released.
What was the ‘form of apology and satisfaction’ and what prompted it?
It was a document made by some MP’s protesting James’ handling of political issues.
It was bc some MP’s were upset that James refused to allow the house of commons to pass ecclesiastical reforms, there was also discontent over wardship and purveyance.
Union of Scotland and England: date?
1606
Union of Scotland and England: details and impact?
James declared:
- His title would be ‘King of GB, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith- Parliament didn’t want it to be GB as they thought the laws would be abolished and written for more power
- New currency called the ‘unite’
- All ships carry the union flag
Parliament opposed it on religious, legal, economic and political grounds- disliked the Scots- worried about James absolutist tendencies
The plan collapsed
The Buckinghamshire Election: date?
1604
The Buckinghamshire Election: details?
Court of Cancery annulled election of Francis Goodwin as MP for Buckinghamshire bc he was an outlaw for two outstanding summonses for debt
In the second election, John Fortescue (privy council) was made his replacement- he actually lost the first election
The Buckinghamshire Election: impact?
This was seen as royal interference, they heard Goodwin’s case and reinstated him
James saw this as acting illegally allowing an outlaw
James asked them to consult the house of lords for legal advice and didn’t restrict the debate
The debate widened to constitutional issues and a battle over balance of parliamentary privilege and royal prerogative
James suggested Goodwin and Fortescue should be scrapped and hold new election.
He also allowed the commons to judge some elections in return
Addled Parliament of 1614: financial need
Failure of great contract, Cecil died, crown lands sold
Decreased long term income
Financial pressure on James I- debt in 1614= £680,000
Addled Parliament of 1614: fractional conflict
Competing groups
Howard faction- pro catholic Spain
Protestant faction
Protestant faction called Parliament to attach the Howard faction
Addled Parliament of 1614: manipulation of MP’s
Controversial crown plans to make deals for Parliament support leaked
Henry Nevilles ‘certain propositions’ - goodwill by concession
Bacon- influence elections by patronage
Mp’s were fearful of absolutism
Addled Parliament of 1614: James I indecisiveness
Appointed no secretary of state to represent him in commons until the last minute
Even then it was Ralph Winwood who was incompetent
Addled Parliament of 1614: impositions
Financial issues
Taxes on everything
Monarch’s feudal right
1621 Parliament: tensions and conflicts
Tensions due to abuse of monopolies
James tried to use anti-catholic parliament to scare Spain into Spanish match by threatening war
3rd Dec 1621- MP petition criticising the Spanish match
-James stated that MP’s could not discuss foreign policy and that it was a Prerogative right
James dissolved parliament
18th Dec 1621- protest that it was Parliaments ‘undoubted birthright’ to discuss foreign policy
-James I used prerogative to rip out the document from the commons journal
Thirty years war: how it started? Why did James have reason to get involved? Why didn’t he?
Triggered by election of German catholic prince as king of Bohemia
Was originally a religious fight but became more about limiting Hapsburg’s power- catholic head of roman empire
There was a protestant rebellion and they offered the title to Frederik of the Palinate
James daughter Elizabeth married Frederik
Oct 1620 they were forced into exile
James saw himself as ‘Rex Pacificus’ the peaceful king and refused to get involved even though he had religious and dynastic reason to
Madrid trip: date?
1623
Madrid trip: details and impact?
Charles and Buckingham went to Madrid to complete the Spanish match
They received poor treatment at Spanish court as the court was anti-protestant
C and B now pro-war
Made C surfacely popular
James warned that allying with Parliament could be damaging long term bc of foreign policy, religion and finance
C married French Catholic
1624 Parliament: what did Charles and Buckingham do?
James I was ill
Charles and Buckingham were anti-Spanish now and pro-war- led parliament- undermined James authority
James pushed for more aggressive anti-Spanish stance
- MP’s were reluctant to provide funds
- Possible James did this to prove to Parliament that they didn’t really want war bc it was against financial interests
1625 parliament: what did Charles need? What did parliament give him? Who did Parliament blame?
C needed £1 million for war w/ Spain from Parliament
He made no attempt to get Parliament on his side
Parliament granted him two subsidies to prove their loyalty- not enough so he asked for more
Parliament granted him a limited grant for tonnage and poundage as they were worried about its use and impositions
Charles was very offended- saw it as an attack on his prerogative
Continued to collect T&P after
Parliament blamed Buckingham for mishandling the kings affairs
Charles I dissolved Parliament w/in 2 months
Foreign Policy Failure: Cadiz
Date? Details?
1625
Troops for German mercenary Count Mansfield raised by force
Shipped to Netherlands w/o training and limited equipment
4000/6000 died from disease etc
Failed to take Spanish port Cadiz
- more english troops died bc no food
- soldiers got drunk on wine and abandoned attack
Buckingham was Lord Admiral so took most of the blame
1626 Parliament:
Who did Buckingham remove from parliament? How? What happened to the Earl of Bristol?Why?
What did Parliament want to do to Buckingham?
Anti-calvinist William Laud preached opening sermon
-stressed obedience to the king
Some of his critics were removed (eg: Coke and Wentworth) by placing them as sheriffs- had to organise the polls but couldn’t stand for election
Buckingham removed anyone from court he thought was a threat
Parliament tried to impeach Buckingham- bc of Cadiz
- Earl of Bristol charged with treason bc he knew that Charles had bribed Spanish courtiers and offered stuff to catholics in Madrid
- He offered info on Buckingham to the house of lords
- Charles threatened Parliament and dissolved them to stop Buckinghams’ impeachment
Foreign Policy Failure: La Rochelle
Date? Why did Buckingham attack France? Impact?
1627
France entered a secret alliance with Spain
Policy reverse to protect the Hugenots from persecution
-useless bc king fo France made peace w/ hugenots
Buckingham’s troops arrived on island just of La Rochelle to attack the French
- French troops withdrew and Buckingham laid siege
- B tried direct attack but the ladders were too short
Only 2989/7833 soldiers returned inc John Felton
Buckinghams attack started war with Spain and France
-no funds so Charles had to call parliament again
Five Knights Case: date?
1627
Five Knights Case: details and impact?
76 people were imprisoned for refusing to pay the forced loan
Nov 1627- 5 people imprisoned claiming habeas corpus
-had to be tried or released
Charles took them to trial
-the judgement upheld C prerogative right to imprison w/o trial for forced loan only!!!
Charles falsified records that this was a general prerogative right
1628-1629 Parliament:
What grievances did Parliament want addressed?
What were the remonstrances and when?
At the beginning Parliament seemed willing to compromise
-Secretary of State John Coke dealt w/ Parliament not C which reduced tension
Parliament agreed to 5 subsidies if grievances addressed:
- Taxation: no illegal extra parliamentary taxation
- Billeting: troops for war lodged w/ local population, not payed to home them
- Martial law: imposed to control troops billeted, overruled all other law, absolutism
- Also imprisonment w/o trial eg: 5 Knights
17th June 1628- remonstrance attacking Buckingham’s foreign policy
Remonstrance a week later bc Charles continued to collect T&P- C prorogued P to collect T&P
Petition of Right: date?
Accepted 7th June 1628
Petition of Right: details and impact?
4 main points?
Issues with it?
Response to concern for Charles to rule w/ unwritten constitution
4 main points:
- Parliament had to consent to taxation
- Only imprisonment w/ just cause
- Imposition of billeting illegal
- Imposition of martial law illegal
Charles accepted it 7th June 1628 under threat against Buckingham bc needed funds
He didn’t give it royal assent- so not formally approved therefore not real law
Parliament forced him too
Led to more distrust of Charles
The petition of right printed version contained Charles’ original response which weakened it’s authority
The petition also did not explicitly mention the customs duty, impositions or T&P so Charles claimed he never gave up rights for these
Buckingham’s Assassination: date?
23rd August 1628
Buckingham’s Assassination: details and impact?
He was leaving the Greyhound Inn in Portsmouth and was bidding farewell to a colonel who was bowing to him
John Felton leaned over and stabbed him in the chest then fled into the kitchens and was later captured
18th Sept- torchlit procession through London to Westminster Abbey
Felton had a paper outlining his reasons stitched onto his hat- he claimed Buckingham was ‘cowardly, base and deserveth not the name of a gentleman or a soldier’
Felton was hanged
Public rejoiced for Buckinghams death
Charles blamed Parliament for B’s death- Felton said he was inspired by their remonstrance against Buckingham
The Three Resolutions: date?
2nd March 1629
The Three Resolutions: details and impact?
Who wrote them?
What were they?
Opposition to arminianism and the collection of T&P
Radical MP’s Denzil Holles and Benjamin Valentine held down the speaker until the resolutions were passed
Resolutions by Sir John Elliot
Capital enemy:
- Anyone who promoted innovation in religion, popery or arminianism
- People who collected T&P w/o parliamentary consent
- People who voluntarily payed T&P duties
It was passed and Charles dissolved Parliament
He had John Elliot, Holles and Valentine arrested for treason after
1628-1629 Parliament Part 2:
The final session was dominated by the issues of Arminianism and T&P
Charles made concessions over religion
- Recusancy laws were enforced again
- Archbishop Abbot was readmitted to the privy council
- Increase in Arminian influence but C wouldn’t budge
Lots of distrust and Charles didn’t call another Parliament for 11 years
