Instrument of Government: Key Facts

Question 1

Date of Instrument of Government

Answer 1

(13th) December 1653

Question 2

Author of the Instrument of Government

Answer 2

John Lambert

Question 3

Body that the Instrument of Government replaced

Answer 3

Nominated Assembly/ Barebones Parliament

Question 4

Legislative powers of the Lord Protector

Answer 4

16th Dec 1653- 3rd September 1654: legislate by ordinance
Annul any proposed measures that went against the principles of the Instrument
Must sign bills within 20 days or give satisfaction, or they would automatically become law

Question 5

Judicial powers of the Lord Protector

Answer 5

Appoint magistrates
Issue Pardons

Question 6

Executive powers of the Lord Protector

Answer 6

Gained confiscated land that hadn’t been sold
Confer honours
Shared control of the standing army with Council, and of the militia with the Council and Parliament
Income from fines
Power of war and peace
Had to call Parliament at the start of a War

Question 7

Powers of the Council of state

Answer 7

Guide protector in matters of policy and administration
Recruit its own members
Consent needed on all major laws
Appoint protector’s successor
Shared power of the standing army and militia

Question 8

The Lord Protector

Answer 8

Oliver Cromwell
held position for life

Question 9

The Council of State

Answer 9

Up to 21 members
Protector, seven army officers and eight civilians initially

Question 10

Parliament

Answer 10

to meet 3rd September 1654 and subsequently every three years
had to sit for at least 5 months before it could be dissolved
460 members (30 each for Scotland and Ireland)

Question 11

Franchise

Answer 11

£200 property income p.a.
no Royalists, unless loyalty proven
no Catholics or Irish rebels
shifted balance to represent country

Question 12

Qualifications to be an MP

Answer 12

over 21 and of known integrity

Question 13

Powers of Parliament

Answer 13

Can make laws, but cannot change the instrument
Joint control of militia (and standing army?)

Question 14

Why was the Instrument of Government passed?

Answer 14

The army had become disenchanted with the Nominated Assembly, which had failed to institute reforms, become paralysed by conflict and finally attempted to abolish the monthly assessment, which was seen as a direct attack on the army.
In order to maintain order after the coup to hand power back to Cromwell, a replacement constitution was needed immediately to take the Barebones’ place.

Question 15

What was the Instrument of Government based on?

Answer 15

Earlier proposals for a settlement, like the Heads of Proposals.
Included some terms offered by Pym in 1641 and 42

Question 16

Revenue reform

Answer 16

the Protector should have enough revenue for an army of 30,000 and a fleet
£200,000 per year for civil government
Parliament only to control taxation above those needs

Question 17

Religious terms

Answer 17

there should be public profession of the Christian faith
provision made for preaching
guidelines established for belief and worship
those who dissented from the profession should be free to worship as they wished
(no procedures for deciding if a person was fit or how those who weren’t would be removed)