Regicide and Republic England 1603–1660 Graham E

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Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-58988-8 - Regicide and Republic England 1603–1660 Graham E. Seel Frontmatter More information

Regicide and republic England 1603–1660

Graham E. Seel

For all Stuart historians at The Manchester Grammar School

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First published 2001 6th printing 2009

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Map artwork by Kathy Baxendale

Th e cover shows a painting of Cromwell after the Battle of Marston Moor (oil on canvas) by Ernest Crofts (1847–1911). Reproduced courtesy of Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum, Burnley, Lancashire/Bridgeman Art Library.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Barnaby’s Picture Library/Fotomas Index: p.39; Laud’s dream Museum of London, UK/BAL: p.161; by permission of the British (engraving) by English School (17th century), Ashmolean Library: p.29; Corsham Court Collection /photograph: Photo- Museum, Oxford, UK/Bridgeman Art Library (BAL): p.62; The exe- graphic Survey, Courtauld Institute of Art: p.3; Mary Evans Picture cution of the earl of Strafford (1593–1641) on Tower Hill, 22 May Library: pp.82, 91, 109, 180; The Fotomas Index: pp.23, 66, 69, 74, 1641 (engraving) by German School (17th century), Ashmolean 80, 100, 114, 129, 140, 143, 146, 176, 177, 183, 193, 196; Museum/BAL: p.77; England’s ark secured and the enemies to the Hulton/Archive: p.43; detail of Thomas Wentworth, 1st earl of Straf- parliament and kingdom overwhelmed (1645–46) (engraving, b/w ford, by an unknown artist, by courtesy of the National Portrait photo) by English School (17th century), Ashmolean Museum/ Gallery, London: p.52; detail of William Laud by an unknown artist, BAL: p.103; An allegory of the events surrounding King Charles I in by courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery: p.57; The Royal Col- 1649 (engraving) by English School (17th century), Ashmolean/ lection ©2000, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: pp.12, 33. BAL: p.116; Coronation procession of Charles II to Westminster from the Tower of London, 1661, by Dirck Stoop (c.1614–c.1683), Picture Research by Sandie Huskinson-Rolfe of PHOTOSEEKERS

Contents

Politics and religion, 1603–29 1

1 England in 1603 2 Introduction 2 A decade of crises, 1593–1603 2 The government of England 4 The church in England 6 The royal succession 7

2 The reign of James I, 1603–25 8 Overview 8 Crown and parliament 9 Royal finances 15 Religious policy 19 Foreign policy 24 James I’s achievements 30

3 England, 1625–29 32 Overview 32 The new king 33 Wars with Spain and France, 1625–29 36 King and parliament, 1625–29 40

4 Politics and religion, 1603–29: a summary 44

Personal Rule and civil war, 1629–49 47

5 Personal Rule, 1629–40 48 Overview 48 The nature of Personal Rule 49 The policy of Thorough 50 Balancing the books 54 Laud and religious policies 56 Eleven Years’ Tyranny or Personal Rule? 65

6 The outbreak of civil war, 1637–42 68 Overview 69 From the Prayer Book crisis to the First Bishops’ War, 1637–39 69 The Short Parliament and the Second Bishops’ War, 1640 72

Contents iii

The Long Parliament, November 1640 to September 1641 75 Division, rebellion and civil war, October 1641 to August 1642 78 Historical interpretation: the origins of the Civil Wars 82

7 The First Civil War, 1642–46 88 Overview 88 Taking sides 89 The main stages of the First Civil War 92 Why did the royalists lose the First Civil War? 100 The consequences of the First Civil War 104

8 The road to regicide, 1646–49 105 Overview 106 The search for a settlement, 1646–47 106 Why was there no negotiated settlement from 1646 to 1647? 111 Rebellion and war, 1648 112 The English Revolution, 1648–49 113 Why was Charles I tried and executed? 114

9 Personal Rule and civil war, 1629–49: a summary 118

The Interregnum, 1649–60 121

10 The Rump and the Nominated Assembly, 1649–53 122 Overview 123 The republic established, 1649 123 Enemies within and without, 1649–51 124 Domestic policy 126 Foreign policy 127 The dissolution of the Rump 128 The Nominated Assembly, 1653 129

11 The Protectorate, 1653–59 132 Overview 133 Cromwell and the Protectorate 133 An assessment of Cromwell 143 The Protectorate after Oliver Cromwell 146

12 Cromwell’s foreign policy, 1653–58 148 Overview 148 The context of Cromwell’s foreign policy 149 The Anglo-Dutch War, 1652–54 149 From the Dutch War to the Spanish War, 1654–55 151 War with Spain, 1656–58 152 Cromwell’s foreign policy: an assessment 152

iv Contents

13 The Restoration 156 Overview 156 The Rump restored and dismissed, 1659 157 The army divided, 1659 158 The return of the Long Parliament 159 The Convention Parliament 159 Why was the monarchy restored? 159 What was restored in 1660? 161

14 The Interregnum, 1649–60: a summary 163

Economy and society, 1603–60 167

15 Economic change 168 Overview 168 Population and prices 169 Agriculture and industry 171 Trade and empire 173 The Civil Wars and the economy 175

16 London 178 Overview 178 London, the largest city 179 The importance of London 180

17 The growth of radical sects 184 Overview 185 The freedom of the presses 185 The Levellers 186 The True Levellers 189 Seekers, Ranters, Quakers and Fifth Monarchists 189

18 Witchcraft 192 Overview 192 The main features of witchcraft 193 Witches and witch-finding, 1603–60 195 Why were people persecuted for witchcraft? 197

Document study: The English Civil Wars, 1637–49 200