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Contact: [email protected] Political and Religious Reactions in the Medway Towns of Rochester and Chatham during the English Revolution, 1640-1660 by Catharina Clement Canterbury Christ Church University Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2013 i Abstract Studies of the political reactions of both the ‘county’ community and various provincial towns during the English Civil War have been tackled over the past fifty years. However no individual modern study has been undertaken of a Kent town or city for this period; neither has an examination of the relationship between two neighbouring strategic towns. This thesis intends to examine the relationship between the cathedral city of Rochester and adjacent dockyard town of Chatham in Kent from 1640 to 1660, which were both vital strategically to maintain the Parliamentarian stranglehold over the county. There is much debate in recent historiography whether those below the gentry had access to and participated in the current ideological debates. This study explores the political and religious reactions of Rochester and Chatham inhabitants to the upheaval of the English Revolution with the contention that those below the gentry were both able to understand the wider discussions and participate in them. The townsfolk were both articulate and able to couch their responses and concerns within a wider ideological framework. They expressed their opinion to central government by a variety of means, exploiting whatever weaponry was at hand. Local people’s reactions and allegiance did not standstill, but shifted with the changing circumstances of civil war. Current research has demonstrated that the religious radicalism of the English Revolution created both diversity and conflict; particularly in the county of Kent. Yet no detailed study of the impact of religious radicalism upon a local community has so far been attempted. Part of this thesis investigates the effect that a proliferation of different religious groups had upon the Medway Towns of Rochester and Chatham. Whilst some people embraced the new sects and ideas circulating, others felt threatened by the changes taking place and responded by attacking these radical beliefs and preachers. Religious diversity was to a degree tolerated, but when it threatened the perceived social order the authorities were quick to act and prevent the spread of ‘erroneous’ ideas. ii Acknowledgements I would like to take this opportunity to thank Professor Jacqueline Eales for her support over the past eight years in supervising this work. She located the signed copy of the ‘Blount’ petition in the Parliamentary Archives during the course of this thesis, which information she kindly supplied to me. With her assistance it was, furthermore, possible to trace a previous Tower MS document to the Royal Armouries Museum in the Tower of London, which the archivist Malcolm Mercer subsequently made available at short notice. Jacqueline Eales also supplied me with copies of several of her articles prior to publication. Dr Louise Wilkinson also kindly read some earlier versions of this thesis and offered helpful advice. Thanks also go to Canterbury Christ Church University, which awarded me a studentship to undertake this part-time study. The Institute of Historical Research also kindly granted me the Alwyn Ruddock bursary for 2006, which permitted me to use the £500 award for attending two courses to hone my research skills. I am grateful to Dr James Gibson for allowing me access to the Rochester Bridge Wardens archives and interrupting his busy schedule to accommodate my research. The History of Parliament Trust has supplied me with various biographies of Members of Parliament prior to their publication, whilst Jasmine Johnson made her unpublished article on Chatham church available to me. Many thanks go to Ann Oakley, the retired Kent Archivist, who translated several Latin documents for me over the past few years. Alnwick Castle has kindly given me permission to reproduce the 1633 Duke of Northumberland map to illustrate the thesis. Much appreciation also goes to all the staff of the various repositories visited and bombarded with questions over the past eight years in my search to uncover those elusive documents; in particular Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre, who gave me access to the Chatham churchwardens’ accounts, which are ‘unfit for production’. iii Other people who gave me assistance and advice were Professor Pauline McQuade, who gave me guidance on Dorothy Birch and her tract as well as placing two articles at my disposal on the Chamberlayne family that were unavailable in the United Kingdom. Professor Ted Underdown also gave me some direction, concerning the dating of Henry Denne’s Grace, Mercy and Peace. Also extremely helpful was the American Baptist Historical Society, who arranged to microfilm a pamphlet for me, which was not available elsewhere. Local members of the Unitarians and Quakers have also provided me with useful historical background information on their respective congregations. Christine Stewart proof read many of my chapters and corrected my grammar etc. over the past few years, before I submitted these to my supervisor for her perusal. If I have missed anyone out this was unintentional. iv List of Abbreviations AACR Annales Amicorum Cathedralis Roffensis AC Archaeologia Cantiana AG American Genealogist AJ The Archaeological Journal AJS The American Journal of Sociology BL British Library Bod Lib Bodleian Library BQ The Baptist Quarterly CCA Canterbury Cathedral Archives CCC Calendar for the Committee for Compounding CDHS Chatham Dockyard Historical Society CHJ Cambridge Historical Journal CHS Chatham Historical Society CHST Congregational Historical Society Transactions CJ Commons Journal CL Country Life CPM Committee for Plundered Ministers CSPD Calendar of State Papers Domestic DNB Oxford Dictionary of National Biography EEBO Early English Books Online EHR English Historical Review HF History of the Family HJ The Historical Journal HMC Historical Manuscript Commission JBS The Journal of British Studies JEH Journal of Ecclesiastical History JFHS Journal of the Friends Historical Society JIH Journal of Interdisciplinary History v JMH The Journal of Modern History J.P. Justice of the Peace JRH Journal of Religious History KCC Kent County Committee KHLC Kent History & Library Centre KP Kentish Petition 1648 LJ Lords Journal LP Lambeth Palace Library LSF Library of the Religious Society of Friends MALSC Medway Archives & Local Studies Centre MM Mariners Mirror M.P. Member of Parliament NH Northern History NMM National Maritime Museum P&P Past & Present PA Parliamentary Archives PMHB The Pennsylvania Magazine of History & Biography RAM Royal Armouries Museum RBT Rochester Bridge Trust SP State Papers SV&C Solemn Vow & Covenant TEHR The Economic History Review TNA The National Archives TBHS Transactions of the Baptist Historical Society TRHS Transactions of the Royal Historical Society vi List of Illustrations Illustrations Page Fig. 1: John Speed Map of Kent 1627 (western portion)--------------- 4 Fig. 1a: John Speed Map of Kent 1627 (eastern portion)--------------- 5 Fig. 2: Duke of Northumberland Map of the River Medway and its environs------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 Fig.3: Admission of number of freemen 1620-1662-------------------- 37 Table 1: Residence of Blount petitioners------------------------------------ 108 Fig.4: Medway signatures to the Blount Petition of May 1642------ 109 Table 2: Occupations of Chatham vestrymen and parish officers 1640-1643--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 113 Table 3: Occupations of the Medway signatories to the Blount petition 115 Table 4: Chatham vestrymen and parish officers 1644-1646---------- 120 Table 5: Occupations of Chatham vestrymen and parish officers 1650-1654-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 138 Table 6: Occupations of the vestrymen and parish officers for 1656 as well as those who attended a public meeting in May 1655--------------- 149 vii List of Contents Contents Page Abstract ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- i Acknowledgements--------------------------------------------------------------- ii List of Abbreviations ------------------------------------------------------------ iv List of Illustrations--------------------------------------------------------------- vi Chapter 1: Introduction--------------------------------------------------------- 1 Part 1: Political