The role of Oliver Cromwell, 1653-60

Question 1

Cromwell’s early life

Answer 1

• Born into landed gentry

- Protestant raised - educated by Puritan, Thomas Beard - converted

Question 2

Cromwell as an MP

Answer 2

• For Huntingdon
• Objected to public spending by the local council - Privy Council against him
• Elected to Long Parliament in 1640

Question 3

Nominated Assembly

Answer 3

1653 - Rump gone - Cromwell advised by Colonel Lambert to introduce Constitution
- Listened to the suggestion of Colonel Harrison - to ask churches and radical groups to nominate an assembly of good men to consider and formulate a govt

Govt put together by 4 generals + Cromwell - several more names added - also people from Scotland, Wales, Ireland

‘Barebones parliament’ - majority of members lesser gentry

Question 4

Why was the Nominated Assembly nicknamed the ‘Barebones’ Parliament?

Answer 4

After one of its more radical members, ‘Praise-God’ Nicholas Barbon

Question 5

Lesser gentry

Answer 5

Conservative by nature - didn’t want ‘Godly reformation’

Question 6

What moderate and relatively progressive reforms were enacted by the Nominated Assembly?

Answer 6

• Dutch War continued to secure trade routes
• Legal measures - to help debtors
• Lunatic regulation
• Civil marriage allowed not within church

Question 7

What radicalism was there in the Nominated Assembly?

Answer 7

Minority of Fifth Monarchists

Question 8

Why is Cromwell’s leadership of the Nominated Assembly a balancing act?

Answer 8

Wants to deliver reforms without alienating more conservative members
- Abolishing titles went badly w/ landowners

Question 9

What happened in December 1653?

Answer 9

More moderate members of the assembly met and dissolved it.

Question 10

Instrument of Govt

Answer 10

• Produced by John Lambert in 1653
• Constitutional document that established protectorate
• Based on Heads of the Proposals issued by Ireton in 1647

Cromwell = Lord Protector (1-person rule)

Council of State - Cromwell + 21 members

Upon Cromwell’s death - new Protector would be elected by the Council of State

• There would be a state Church - freedom of worship granted for all except Catholics and the supporters of bishops
• This govt would rule over England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland

Question 11

First Protectorate Parliament

Answer 11

1654-55:

• Single-chamber parliament - 460 members
• Elected every 3 yrs - required at least owning more than £200 worth of property
• Sit for minimum of 5 months
• Cromwell still head of NMA

Question 12

How successful was the First Protectorate Parliament?

Answer 12

• Some initial success - 84 ordinances - banned bear-baiting and cock fighting
• Improving postal services
• Improving roads
• Prohibiting blasphemy and drunkenness

But Cromwell still faced issues - faced bitter resentment from the republican MPs whom he had excluded from power after dissolution of Rump - Rump destabilised his first parliament by refusing to recognise the Instrument of Govt - Cromwell dissolved it in Jan 1655.

Question 13

John Penruddock

Answer 13

Spring 1655 - Royalist rising - led by Penruddock - Wiltshire

Cromwell - easily defeated it

Question 14

What did the defeat of the Wiltshire royalist uprising in 1655 lead Cromwell to do?

Answer 14

• He decided it showed that greater control of the provinces was needed
  Therefore:
• Centralised military rule - 11 districts - each under command of a major general
• Local govt, security, reformation of manners

Question 15

How were major-generals to be assisted in their roles in 1655?

Answer 15

A New Militia - to be paid for by 10% tax on Royalists

• Mixed effectiveness - closing down of 200 alehouses
• Lincolnshire - Major-General Whalley supposed traditional entertainments including stage plays and horse racing

Question 16

Commission of Triers and Ejectors

Answer 16

• Established by Cromwell - to supervise the running of the Church - with emphasis on quality of preaching and flexibility of belief

Question 17

What, in 1657, was a measure of Cromwell’s achievements?

Answer 17

• Offered Crown in 1657 - by second parliament, elected on a reasonably broad franchise
• By offering the Crown, they sought to direct his power into traditional channels, which would define and limit this power by law

Question 18

Why were the major-generals unpopular, despite their efficient, military nature?

Answer 18

• The restrictions imposed on social activities and replacement of the local elites by outsiders imposed by central govt was unpopular

Question 19

Second Protectorate Parliament

Answer 19

1656-58:
- Determined on the replacement of major-generals - Cromwell recognised need to compromise and accepted the idea of a new constitution

Question 20

The Humble Petition and Advices

Answer 20

1657:

• Offered Cromwell the Crown
• Govt by king
• Lords and Commons govern w/ protector
• Hereditary succession
• Parliament control + officers of state to be approved by parliament
• Regular elections and limited religious toleration

Question 21

What was the reaction of the Humble Petition and Advice?

Answer 21

• Welcomed by some Royalists - the term ‘king’ = traditional laws and courts systems

Edward Hyde - said it was welcomed by some royalists as a step towards a Stuart Restoration.

Question 22

How did Cromwell react to the Humble Petition and Advice?

Answer 22

• Sympathised w/ the idea - it would have done much to restore stability and made provision for succession

Prevented by 2 considerations:

• Prevented by desire for ‘godly reformation’
• His belief that God had chosen the army as means of achieving this - opposition of the army, including many of those closes to him, that led Cromwell to rejecting it

If he was declared king, he would have faced a severe backlash.

Question 23

When did Cromwell die?

Answer 23

Sept 1658 - succeeded by Richard

Question 24

What did Richard Cromwell do upon his succession?

Answer 24

Jan 1659 - summoned Third Protectorate Parliament

Question 25

Why did Richard resign later in 1659?

Answer 25

• A civilian and, unlike father, had no experience of warfare
• Unacceptable to the Council of Officers - forced him to resign later in 1659 and then recalled Rump

Question 26

What did the recalling of the Rump in 1659 show?

Answer 26

Nothing learned from previous failures

Question 27

George Monck

Answer 27

Royalist - acted when he realised Richard Cromwell would not be an effective leader
- Marched forces to London to restore a free parliament - ultimate outcome = RESTORATION OF THE STUARTS