17th Century England

Lesson 3: Events Leading up to War

Relations Between Crown and Parliament

Relations between the Stuart Monarchs (King James I and King Charles I) and Parliament had always been stormy. When Parliament discussed and relayed its thoughts on foreign policy to James I, he personally ripped the discussion from the pages of the House of Commons journal, telling them that this was his lawful domain.

When Charles I came to the throne, Parliament discussed the granting of tonnage and poundage to the King. This was a formality and had always been granted for life. Instead, Parliament granted it to Charles for only one year. Next Parliament began asking for explanations from Charles about his war with Spain and the subsequent dire results.

Charles, who was never one to accept any questioning of his authority, did not discuss his policies with Parliament - constitutionally he did not have to. But, as a consequence, Parliament did not vote him any money. Instead it complained about his leading minister, the Duke of Buckingham, making very dangerous accusations about him. Members then went on to express concern about the interruption of trade because of the war with France - the trade which most of them relied on for income - while Charles waited for money to wage war on these nations.

As a result of these tensions, Charles dismissed Parliament - not an auspicious start to their relationship. Charles began raising tonnage and poundage and borrowed money from his people in order to finance a fleet against Spain, but it failed badly and he was left to summon another Parliament when hostility with France loomed further and he needed money.

This Parliament was no different and it refused to give the money until Charles's all too powerful minister (Buckingham) was removed from office for his handling of the war with Spain. Charles leaned too much on Buckingham, and gave him far too many offices and subsequent wealth. He was influenced too much by him. Buckingham did not help his cause as he loved to display his wealth, though he was not a bad man.

To Charles, the war had failed because he could not get enough money from Parliament, forcing him to scrape together his own funds - not because of Buckingham. But after Charles recalled Parliament, the members began drawing up charges against Buckingham. While Buckingham was answering in the House of Lords in his defence, Parliament was already busy drawing up more charges so that he could not escape - it was clear they were solely out for his removal, whatever was said.

This horrified Charles, who saw it as flouting the Monarch's judgement of ministers and an insolent attack on himself and his lawful preogative. One or two members of Parliament even said that Buckingham had poisoned Charles's father. Never before had Parliament been so direct in action and Charles dissolved it with heavy handed anger.

Charles began looking for ways of raising money and used, again, tonnage and poundage, loans, seizing French ships, and other dubiously legal methods, until eventually he had enough money to support another fleet to go to the aid of the Protestant French of La Rochelle, sent against France in 1627 with Buckingham commanding it. Charles wrote to his commander that the French were, "rooting out that religion whereof by just title we are the defender."

Although Buckingham shared hardships with his men and cared for the sick and wounded, he bungled the attacks. Further, supplies did not arrive from home due to lack of money. Charles's men were defeated and the Protestants fell.

Charles did manage to buy a consignment of paintings from the Duke of Mantua for a sum of money which would have been better spent on the war, something which he felt guilty about and which was a disastrous mistake.

Another Parliament was summoned in 1628 and Charles's speech to them was cold, formal and dignified like they always were. Parliament then clashed with the King against raising money without their consent and outside of official subsidies. Parliament drafted a petition of right, which demanded that there should be no taxation without their consent, no imprisonment without due cause, no billeting of soldiers upon households against their will, and no martial law. During the wrangling, another fleet went to La Rochelle and then Charles agreed to the petition.

After they voted money, Parliament moved on to attack the King's raising of tonnage and poundage and said that in the petition, which he had agreed to, it was now illegal without their assent. Hatred for Buckingham was at its height and Charles dissolved Parliament.

Buckingham was stabbed to death in Portsmouth while he was on his way to the fleet. In 1629, with Buckingham removed, Charles met his last Parliament for 11 years. It seemed subdued now that Buckingham had gone, but after a brief spell, Parliament attacked anyone who paid tonnage and poundage as enemies to the nation, and also argued with the King's appointment of Armenians to places within the Church.

Charles then adjourned Parliament for a week, but in trying to stay in session for another week, they revolted and locked the doors, holding the Speaker (the King's representative) in his chair so he could not stand to adjourn. Charles was furious and in a blaze, sent Black Rod to dissolve Parliament, but he found the doors locked. The members within began passing resolutions about religion and taxes and then streamed out in pride. They were not summoned for another 11 years.

Charles was not adept at handling a body as Parliament and did not realise the extent to which the political landscape was changing. This put him out of touch with the attitude and handling needed to maintain Parliament's legal subversive position.

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