New Model Army Flashcards
Why did people begin to resent the NMA?
Army had religious zeal.
Civilians opposed keeping up an expensive and idle army.
It became more difficult to collect the monthly assessments and this interrupted army pay. Army members would rely on free quarter and if this couldn’t be provided, they would steal grain and hay, kill livestock, and poach game. Soldiers seized horses.
How did the NMA harm landlords and female citizens?
In 1646 they were assigned with collecting monthly assessments. Many tenants couldn’t pay their rents and revenue shrank by as much as a third for landlords.
Soldiers also became sexual predators and were seen as parasites.
How did Parliament protect soldiers from persecution?
In June 1646 Parliament passed an ordinance to protect soldiers from all acts committed while in uniform and persecution from it. Commissioners dealt with 1,100 military cases.
Solders in Indemnity Papers were denounced as ‘Roundhead Rogues’ and ‘Parliament dogs.’
Describe NMA affairs from Sept 1646 - March 1647
September 1646 - Earl of Essex dies.
February 1647 - Parliament proposes reduction of New Model Army size and to send NMA to Ireland. Only Presbyterians should be officers in the army.
March 1647 - Parliament issues Declaration of Dislike, condemning a moderate army petition as treasonable. This was issued at 9pm when many Independents had gone home. Woolrych considered it an overreaction to the Leveller petition presented a week beforehand.
Describe NMA affairs from March-May 1647?
March-May 1647 - Parliamentary commissions negotiate with the army at Saffron Walden, (Essex).
April 1647 - First election of agitators in New Model Army.
May 1647 - Parliament to disband New Model Army with 8 weeks’ arrears offered prompts army to march to London.
On 25 May, Commons approved disbanding the New Model infantry and Skippon wrote to the Commons saying they would repent disbanding a faithful army. 57 officers had left the NMA and new members had more humble origins.
What happened in June 1647?
June 1647 - Cornet Joyce seizes the King from his Parliamentary guards and army manifestos follow. Woolrych, historian, argued Fairfax sympathised with his men’s grievances. By the end of June 57% of the original officers had left the NMA.
Cromwell had nothing to do with the army’s revolt, he claimed. Cromwell was faithful to commander-in-chief Fairfax, and as Fairfax was so shocked to hear the news, Cromwell must not have known
What was the Solemn Engagement?
The Solemn Engagement (A Solemne Engagement of the Army, under the Command of his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax) was a declaration to the English House of Commons adopted unanimously by the General Council of the Army commanded by Thomas Fairfax at Newmarket on 29 May 1647. Acting in response to a parliamentary threat of disbandment, the document asserted that the army would not disband until satisfactory terms were negotiated. This was in part because of weeks of arrears owed to the soldiers, and in frustration of the slow progress parliament had made in securing a settlement with the imprisoned Charles I.
Describe army affairs from Jul-Aug 1647?
July 1647 - Army council at Reading sets Heads of the Proposals and negotiations start. Political Presbyterians start a counter revolution in London as mobs invade commons forcing MPs to reinstate Presbyterian control of the City militia and invite the King to the capital.
August 1647 - Army occupies London and the leaders of the counter revolution flee.
Describe army affairs from Oct-Dec 1647?
October 1647 - New Leveller agitators emerge and they publish The case of the Army Truly Stated and The Agreement of the People. Debates of the army council at Putney begin.
November 1647 - Charles flees from Hampton Court and an army mutiny at Ware is crushed.
December 1647 - Charles allies with the Scots - the Engagement. In January 1648 Parliament passes the Vote of No Addresses.
What did Woolrych argue about the attitudes of citizens towards the NMA?
May-Sept 1646 Woolrych : People yearned a ‘return to the old ways for which the monarchy stood in people’s eyes.’ In London there was hostility towards the NMA as the autumn elections of the Common Council petitioned parliament for its disbandment of the NMA.
