17th Century England

Lesson 5: 1641 - The First Half

Attacks on Royal Prerogative

Through the end of 1640 and the start of 1641, Pym began pushing Parliament faster and faster into collision with the King. He hoped that the speed would catch the King unawares and it did, for no one could have predicted his actions.

Charles began to consolidate his forces, and hoped to show that he knew when he had to start backing down gracefully. This was not enough - nothing would be enough.

He appointed an opposition man, Oliver St John as Solicitor General, and while Parliament borrowed money from the City of London to pay the Scots, Charles was told that they would handle the money.

Instead, what he was offered was a bill to be passed by Parliament and the House of Lords, which required his assent to become law. It was no ordinary bill, but one which, if passed, would require Charles to summon a Parliament every 3 years, therefore taking away the King's lawful right to decide when a Parliament was needed.

Cleverly, it came attached to a subsidy bill, so if Charles agreed to it, then he would get his subsidies to pay the English army still standing in York. Charles knew that the army needed pay and he signed on February 16th, hoping that he would remain in favour with the army.

At this point, with the balance of power shifting in an unprecedented fashion, the scales were now more in Parliament's favour than they had ever been. Charles would never again trust an institution which amended the fundamental laws which he had sworn at his coronation to uphold.

Parliament then impeached the Judges who had came to the verdict that the King's tax, Ship Money, was legal. This was a further blow, for it both took from the King the notion that he was the fount of justice and Parliament now grabbed the right to question and punish the King's servants.

Pym, meanwhile, was in constant contact with the Scots whom he supported. The Scots supported Pym because they realised he could bring England's religion into line with their own. Pym, however, knew that this was not popular at all in England and if tried, he would face the same high opinion which prevented Charles from changing the Scottish religion.

Pym and the Scots were using one another to tear the King's authority down and place Parliament's authority in its place.

While this was going on, Charles was desperate to stop further attacks by showing he was willing to negotiate - he appointed 7 opposition members in the House of Lords as Privy Councillors, namely: the Earls of Bristol, Bedfors, Essex, and Hertford and Lords Saye, Mandeville and Saville.

Although early in the power struggle, there was never going to be any going back - the lines had been drawn.

  1  2  3  4  5  6