17th Century England

Lesson 8: King or Parliament?

Your Call - Which Side?

During 1642, when war seemed inevitable, men were not willing to choose sides until the very absolute last minute. They would stay out of the war if they could, but usually honour and conscience dictated they must choose a side, for sitting on the fence was cowardly.

The decision was not an easy and simple one, for it all depended on a combination of things. Choosing the wrong side could mean ruin and the loss of social position, wealth or, worse, life.

Maybe you choose your side depending on who you thought would best uphold your religion, status, wealth or your ideas of the law, or even by determining which side was stronger in your area.

It may be that you were poor and you landlord was a Parliament man, then that meant you had to follow your master. It may even be that you wanted things to be as they were in the past, in which case the King most appealed due to his stance of upholding tradition and the old ways.

Some people looked to God for advice and opened bibles to read the first sentence that they saw, interpreting this as God’s advice. Others joined the sides their friends went with, glad that the decision had been made for them.

Not one community wholly supported one side, hence the breakdown of the country. Predominantly Royalist were the north and north west, south west England and Wales , while the eastern, southern and London was Parliamentarian. The midlands seemed equally split, but in each of these areas, there were forces of people who defied the majority and went the other way.

Most of the House of Lords made its way to the King, while most of the House of Commons remained with Parliament, but this was not a class war.

Roman Catholics knew that Parliament hated them, so they supported the King, which was perhaps did more harm than good, for it stigmatised the Royalists into appearing Catholic, which alienated many uncommitted Protestant moderates.

An overwhelming majority of people who had minority radical and sectarian religious beliefs supported Parliament, who promised liberation to these small sects.

If you had been a soap maker in the times of the King’s personal rule, the King may have devalued your product to make money to run his government. You were resentful and now supported Parliament. Alternatively, his use of Ship Money, although unpopular, had boosted the Royal Navy and helped protect your trade from pirates, so you may decide to support him for that service.

What if your brother/father/cousin/friend/brother-in-law had chosen the opposing side? Could you fight against them or would you follow your heart to the opposite side? What would the consequences be to your family (if you had one), of your support for one side? Would it bring your family into danger or persecution in your home village/town/city?

Did you support the King’s innovations into the rites and appearances of Church of England, or would you prefer a complete overhaul?

Did you dislike the King’s previous methods of governing and did you think it time for change?

Would you prefer to use the quarrel to gain some money or position that you would never have been able to get in the past?

As your life-long competitor and opponent in the town has declared for the Parliament, should you declare for the King so you could trash his home on this pretext?

You have a title, so which side is going to uphold a hierarchy best that you may keep your privileged status?

All these external factors were in play too, so the infernal decision “King or Parliament?” was a terrible choice.

Thomas Knyvett of Norfolk was in just such a trouble when he wrote to his wife: "Oh sweet hart I am now in a great straight what to do…Walking this other morning at Westminster, Sir John Potts saluted me with a commission from my Lord warwick (Parliamentarian) to take upon me my company and command again. I was surprised what to do, whether to take or refuse. Twas no place to refuse, so I took it and desired some time to advise upon it.

I had not received this many hours, but I met with a declaration point-blank against it by the King…I hold it to good wisdom and security to keep my company as close to me as I can in these dangerous times and to stay out of the way of my new masters till these first mutterings be over…"

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