Levellers, Putney, and Radicalism Flashcards
What was the nature of Leveller campaigning?
Levellers - radicals, emerged during English Revolution.
1649, John Lilburne writes ‘England’s New Chains Discovered,’ - Leveller dissatisfaction.
Case of Army Truly Stated and Agreement of People produced by Levellers and agitators. Petitions gained thousands of signatures, demonstrations held in support of Lilburne’s trials, and high attendance of 1648 funeral Leveller Colonel Thomas Rainsborough.
Meetings held at taverns, and Moderate newspaper.
What did the NMA want with the Agreement of People?
- New constitution and all equal with representative government.
- House of Commons supreme legislature in new Constitution. Abolition of King and Lords. Redistribution of seats, extended franchise.
- Individual rights such as religious freedom - no control.
- Local magistrates, (JPs), + officials elected locally, local law courts, centralised professional army.
- Abolition of trading/industrial monopolies.
What were Levellers wary of? What do historians argue their impact was?
- Levellers wary of unlimited Parliament power.
- Decentralised democracy due to Independent Church experience with elected ministers.
- Historians argue figures such as Lilburne and Wildman connected to radical MPs such as Marten. Even grandees considered radical solutions such as Agreement of the People.
What was decided on day one at Putney, and what debate did the committee establish?
Putney
Day one - Agreement calls Parl to dissolve by 30/9/1648 and hold elections every 2 years with freedom of conscience, indemnity of actions during Civil War, no conscription, equality in law.
Cromwell, not socialist, sets committee to see how compatible Agreement is with Declaration and Heads of Proposals.
Henry Ireton - concern over non-landowners having suffrage.
Lieutenant Colonel Rainsborough - wants equal male suffrage.
Radical Maximilian Petty - vote to those who are independent.
Fundamentals established by committee such as freedom of conscience, no conscription, soldier indemnity.
What was debated at Putney regarding Parliament’s power and Charles?
Parl to dissolve 1 Sept 1648, biennial Parliaments no longer than 6 months, Parl to decide on executive and government with council of state. Monarchy and Lords to have reduced power. Parliament to determine franchise+seats.
Army attacked Ireton and Cromwell, angered Council of the Army. Council of Army wanted to reduce grandee authority.
Leveller John Wildman: Charles a man of blood - should be punished.
1 Nov - row on King’s status. Committee didn’t discuss King losing control of armed forces and ministers.
5 Nov - No more approaches by army to King.
What were results of Putney?
Fairfax ordered agitators to regiments with separate meetings. Levellers encourage mutiny and defying officers.
Ware rendezvous, Lilburne and Harrison regiment soldiers turn up without officers and Agreements of the People in hats. Fairfax ordered removal and Cromwell removed papers. Cromwell and Ireton held speech blaming troublemakers for dividing army.
Remonstrance promised dissolution of Parliament and free/equal elections.
Fairfax didn’t punish harshly. Mutiny in Lilburne’s regiment led to 11 ringleaders being sentenced to death. Fairfax reduced to 3. In December 1647, grandees with increased army control insisted Parliament pay off 20,000 men, and Royalists, Presbyterians, and Leveller sympathisers removed. Army unified.
