Chapter Nine | Long Parliament

Question 1

What was the Long Parliament?

Answer 1

First sat on 3 Nov 1640 - given that only MPs (by an Act of Parliament) could agree to its dissolution, it technically lasted 12yrs

Question 2

What was Bedford’s proposed financial settlement, and was this successful?

Answer 2

Proposed compromise w/o fundamental change to the system (E.g. return to an Elizabethan-based broad protestant Church & separate financial settlement for Charles) - however, Bedford’s death in May 1641 made further progress difficult

Question 3

Why were MPs fearful of Wentworth?

Answer 3

Regarded by many as having potential to make Charles absolutist - was to become his main adviser & supported his desire to renew war against Scots (while Parl wanted peace)

Question 4

What reasons did MPs give for proposing Wentworth’s impeachment?

Answer 4

Hoped that w/o ‘evil councillors’ Charles would see need to accept reform (by ruling w/ Parl) & that this would allow for their replacement by ppl who would ensure what Parl saw as good gov

Question 5

What was the Bill of Attainder?

Answer 5

Medieval method allowing anyone who was seen as threat to the state to be removed by Parl w/o trial

Question 6

When did the Commons pass the Bill of Attainder against Wentworth, and what caused this decision?

Answer 6

In Feb 1641 Scots declared they would not make peace until there was end to bishops in Scotland/WW was dead, in Apr Charles undermined his position by ordering officers to return to commands w/ army in the North (seen as plan to use army against Parl) & Army Plot (on 3 May, Pym revealed rumours of royalist plot to seize ToL, release Wentworth & dissolve Parl)

Question 7

What was the Protestation Oath?

Answer 7

Drawn up by Parl to reflect belief that Catholicism/ absolutism were linked & that there was a plot to establish them

Question 8

When was Wentworth executed, and why did Charles finally give his assent to the Bill of Attainder?

Answer 8

12 May 1641 - heightened atmosphere of Army Plot/Protestation Oath, presence of London Crowd & fearful for his family (esp Catholic wife)

Question 9

What was the ‘London Crowd’?

Answer 9

Negative term given to Londoners who participated in politics/supported Parliamentary causes - used over Dec 1641 by radical MPs to put pressure on Lords to execute bishops

Question 10

When did Pym emerge as a leading figure in the Commons, and what were his main aims?

Answer 10

1640 - removal/punishment of ‘evil councillors’, political settlement w/o threat of being overturned by king & removal of threat of Catholic popery/establishment of a strong Protestantism

Question 11

What were Pym’s main methods of achieving his aims during the Long Parliament?

Answer 11

Impeachment of WW/Laud, formation of working alliance w/ covenanters in NE & Parliamentary financial measures to control Charles’ political options

Question 12

What was the Root and Branch Petition?

Answer 12

Signed by 15,000 Londoners in Dec 1641 - demanded end of bishops (governing Church) & episcopacy (Puritan force behind it!)

Question 13

Why did the Root and Branch Petition cause political divisions?

Answer 13

Disagreement as to what to replace Laudianism w/ & many saw dismantling of Church structure as undermining whole order of society

Question 14

What was the Triennial Act?

Answer 14

15 Feb 1641 - abolished ship money w/o Parliamentary consent & stated Charles had to call Parl every 3yrs for min of 50 days (ensured there would not be another prolonged period of PR!)

Question 15

What were the main issues causing divisions within Parliament that ultimately led to the First Civil War in 1642?

Answer 15

Preventing PR, Bill of Attainder (breakdown of unity because this was constitutionally dangerous) & religion

Question 16

How did a royalist party form?

Answer 16

‘Moderates’ fearful that radicals (E.g. Pym) posed bigger threat to the political order than Charles - their reaction across 1640-42 has been labelled ‘constitutional royalism’

Question 17

What were the Ten Propositions?

Answer 17

Published on 24 June 1641 calling for concessions from king - Parliamentary input into who sat in Privy Council, control of those around Queen & control over religious education of royal children

Question 18

What was the Reaction in Scotland?

Answer 18

Many felt radicals in Covenanting alliance had gone too far too quickly - in Aug 1640, 18 Scottish nobles signed the Cumbernauld Band (stating a desire to defend king) & in response Charles accepted abolition of episcopacy in Scotland/Scottish reforms to date

Question 19

What was the ‘Incident’, and what impact did this have?

Answer 19

While Charles was in Scotland, there was a royalist plot to kidnap radical Covenanters in Oct 1641 - destroyed Charles’ hopes of further support in Scotland (linked to plot because he attended the Parl in Edinburgh on 12 Oct w/ an armed force)

Question 20

When did the Irish Rebellion take place, and what was the impact of this?

Answer 20

Oct 1641 through winter 1641/42 - fears of Catholicism/invasion heightened by distorted accounts of massacres (from 3,000 to 12,000 killed), Protestant English politicians became radicalised (determined to avenge Protestant massacres) & radicalisation in turn affected development of support for monarchy by moderates

Question 21

What was the Grand Remonstrance?

Answer 21

List of grievances introduced by Pym in Nov 1641 - showed why Charles couldn’t be trusted w/ control of army that needed to be raised to crush Irish Rebellion, for Pym

Question 22

What was the impact of the Grand Remonstrance?

Answer 22

Appealed to London Crowd (timed immediately before Charles’ return from Scotland), language/content (strongly anti-Catholic) alarmed moderates & sidelined Parliamentary divisions relating to religion as this proved difficult to solve (stated an Assembly of the Divines would be held separately to discuss religious settlement)

Question 23

Why was the Grand Remonstrance significant?

Answer 23

Although careful not to accuse Charles it was nonetheless a direct attack, political issues deliberately being direct away to involve the ppl (means of putting pressure on MPs) & debate (lasted 12hrs) as to whether to publish this shows divisions in Parl (that eventually resulted in 2 sides)

Question 24

What was the Militia Bill, and what impact did it have?

Answer 24

Introduced by MP Arthur Haselrig on 7 Dec 1641 - removed king’s powers over trained bands & gave Parl power to appoint army commanders (directly questioned Charles’ prerogative & forced MPs to take sides on who should command army)

Question 25

How did Charles respond to the Militia Bill?

Answer 25

Positioned himself as defender of ‘fundamental law’ against revolutionaries, in public statements in Dec - acting as ‘defender of the constitution’ won over some constitutional royalists (inc Edward Hyde)

Question 26

What was the Five Members Coup, and was it a success?

Answer 26

On 3 Jan 1642 Charles announced impeachment of key opponents whom he regarded as subverting Parliament (motivated by their puritanism) - when he entered Commons on 4 Jan w/ a force to arrest them, he found they had been forewarned & left

Question 27

Which of his opponents did Charles attempt to impeach with the Five Members Coup?

Answer 27

Pym, Haselrig. Holles, William Strode & Edward Montagu

Question 28

What were the consequences of the Five Members Coup?

Answer 28

Pym could easily use it as evidence of danger Charles posed, led to popular demonstrations against king (took family from London to Hampton Court for safety), leaving the capital (until execution) in effect gave control of London to Parl & physical division of king/Parl made negotiations more difficult

Question 29

What was the Exclusion Bill?

Answer 29

Petition for removal of bishops from Parl w/ 30,000 signatures, accepted by Lords on 5 Feb 1642 (due to pressure from London Crowd, because it lessened influence of king on Parl)

Question 30

What were the Nineteen Propositions?

Answer 30

Issued by Parl in June 1642, stating demands for negotiated settlement (E.g. all Privy Councillors had to be appointed by Parl, 5 impeached MPs had to be pardoned & Parl would direct reformation of Church)

Question 31

What was the royalist reaction to the Nineteen Propositions?

Answer 31

Wrote ‘The Answer to the Nineteen Propositions’ for king - portrayed Charles as force that would prevent anarchy & stated Parl’s proposals would lead to threat of popular rebellion

Question 32

What was the royalist reaction to the Nineteen iconoclasm?

Answer 32

Pym brought a resolution through Commons in Sept 1641 encouraging iconoclasm against popish images - for moderates economic riots, social breakdown & iconoclasm confirmed both Church/monarchy should be maintained to establish order

Question 33

When did Charles I declare war on Parliament, and how did he signal this?

Answer 33

22 Aug 1642 - raised his standard at Nottingham, beginning English Civil War