The Controversial Implementation of Laudianism

The article begins by examining the implementation of Laudianism by the English Church. Laudianism, which was seen as “closet popery,” was introduced during a time when the church was dependent on local self-government. The implementation of Laudianism was met with opposition, which tapped into the anxieties of the English Reformation.

The Root and Branch Petition

The “Root and Branch” petition attacking the bishops was presented at the Commons, which raised divisive questions about the direction of the Church. As the Long Parliament reconvened after its harvest recess, populist anti-popery and Puritan anti-episcopal populism were evenly balanced.

The Irish Rebellion

The article goes on to discuss the Irish Rebellion in October 1641, which failed to take the seat of English administration in Dublin but acquired the loyalties of those who suffered at its hands. The events in the Irish rebellion were described as a pogrom of Protestants, but the depositions reflect the more complex and varied grievances of the Irish people.

The Catholic Confederates

During the rebellion, the rebels established their sway over the middle and west of the island and framed an oath pledging their loyalty to the English monarchy, to Ireland, and to the Catholic faith. The Catholic Confederates ran most of Ireland from 1642 to 1649, successfully opposing the English Parliament and Scots Covenanters and forming their own provisional government.

The Parliamentarians

The Parliamentarians gained control of the fleet and some coastal garrisons and were supported by the City of London and loyalties in the wealthy Home Counties. Parliament’s divisions over episcopacy persisted, and the method of establishing committees multiplied delays and opportunities for division.

The Covenanter Intervention

The greatest chance of a royalist victory occurred early in the war, but the Covenanter intervention changed the balance of forces. Those in Westminster seeking peace began to coalesce with those opposed to the Scots and dismissive of their scriptural claims to Presbyterianism being a divinely sanctioned form of Church government.

John Pym and Parliament’s Military Victories

John Pym played an essential role in supporting the Parliamentary cause but died in December 1643. Parliament’s military victories, especially the one at Marston Moor in North Yorkshire, weakened the royalist grip on the north and set the scene for a gradual collapse of royalist positions.

London Nonconformist Congregations

London became a center for nonconformist congregations that took advantage of the collapse of Church authority to establish their presence and to voice their opposition to a Presbyterian Church settlement.

The New Model Army

Both royalists and Parliamentarians had taken to grouping shires together into associations for military purposes. The parliamentary Eastern Association reformed into the ‘New Model Army’.

Failed Harvests and Material Destruction

Failed harvests and an epidemic of the plague brought famine in Scotland during the 1640s. Meanwhile, the material destruction from the first Civil War in England was colossal. Parliamentary exactions caused widespread grievances against politicians whose legitimacy rested on elections which went back to November 1640.

Risings in Name of King and Naval Defection

In 1648, there were risings in the name of the king in Wales and Cornwall, a revolt against the Presbyterian-dominated Parliament in Kent, Essex, and Lincolnshire, and a defection of part of the navy from parliamentary control.

The Regicide

With open divisions among and between the parliamentary army, parliament, and the City of London, Charles I felt that he could yet recover what he had lost in military defeat. Then, a military coup organized by Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament of those whom they suspected of being Presbyterians and favourable to a peace deal with the king. For Cromwell, Fairfax, and the leading figures in the army, this complicated the question of their legitimacy.

The Aftermath of the Execution of Charles Stuart

The execution of Charles Stuart on 30 January 1649 had a paradoxical outcome since the majority of the signatories to the death warrant were not republicans, and the king’s death was not followed by the immediate establishment of a republic.

Summary

The article discusses the implementation of Laudianism by the English Church and its opposition, the events during the Irish Rebellion, Parliament’s victories and divisions, the rise of nonconformist congregations, and the execution of Charles Stuart.

The Controversial Implementation of Laudianism
The Root and Branch Petition
The Irish Rebellion
The Catholic Confederates
The Parliamentarians
The Covenanter Intervention
John Pym and Parliament’s Military Victories
London Nonconformist Congregations
The New Model Army
Failed Harvests and Material Destruction
Risings in Name of King and Naval Defection
The Regicide
The Aftermath of the Execution of Charles Stuart

Q&A

Q1. What was the reaction to Laudianism in England and why was it controversial?

A1. Laudianism was met with opposition in England as it was seen as “closet popery” during a time when the church was dependent on local self-government. It tapped into the anxieties of the English Reformation and was met with resistance.

Q2. How did the Irish Rebellion impact the country?

A2. The events in the Irish Rebellion were described as a pogrom of Protestants, but the depositions reflect the more complex and varied grievances of the Irish people. The rebels established their sway over the middle and west of the island and framed an oath pledging their loyalty to the English monarchy, to Ireland, and to the Catholic faith.

Q3. Who gained control of the fleet and some coastal garrisons during Parliament’s divisions over episcopacy?

A3. The Parliamentarians gained control of the fleet and some coastal garrisons during Parliament’s divisions over episcopacy. They were supported by the City of London and loyalties in the wealthy Home Counties.

Q4. What were the consequences of failed harvests and an epidemic of the plague in Scotland during the 1640s?

A4. Failed harvests and an epidemic of the plague brought famine in Scotland during the 1640s. Meanwhile, the material destruction from the first Civil War in England was colossal and parliamentary exactions caused widespread grievances against politicians whose legitimacy rested on elections which went back to November 1640.

Q5. What was the outcome of the execution of Charles Stuart and the regicide?

A5. The execution of Charles Stuart had a paradoxical outcome since the majority of the signatories to the death warrant were not republicans, and the king’s death was not followed by the immediate establishment of a republic. The regicide also complicated the legitimacy of Cromwell, Fairfax, and leading figures in the army.