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The Protectorate 1653-8 - Coggle Diagram

The Protectorate 1653-8

THE INSTRUMENT OF GOVERNMENT - DEC 1653

Includes

Single-chamber parliaments representing England, Ireland and Scotland to be elected every three years. Parliaments to sit for a minimum of five months.

All Christian religions tolerated aside from Catholicism, episocopal church govenrments and those that threatened to disturb peace.

Executive power held by Lord Protector and Council

Protector had to rule with council of state including finance, appointments of senior officers of state and control of the armed forces.

Result

Landed elite oppose this continution as it was drafted by the NMA.

Produces a government full of Landed elite due to voting regulations - meaning opposition is detrimental

NMA - happy due to drafting consitution, will be paid,

Council of state have too much power - according to Cromwell.

THE FIRST PROTECTORATE PARLIAMENT

Reasons for Failure

Political Challenges

Constitution→New constitution failed to appeal to conservatives and radicals alike. Within the first week of parliament - Cromwells new position was attacked.

Rump→Many Republican MPs could not forgive the dissolution of the Rump saw position of LP as reversion to the monarchy.

Loss of MPs→Hundred MPs withdrew after recognition was forced.

The Power of the Protector→Parliament voted against many power of the Protector and army power including protectors authority to enact ordinances passed when parliament was not in session. Never confirmed those passed in the ten months between barebones and protectorate parliament.

NMA against elite→By 1653 traditional ruling class saw army as prime danger to everything; rule of parliament, own supremacy in localities, low taxations, control of church. Army saw ruling classes as the obstacle to godly reformation.

First protectorate parliament→stated there would be no cooperation until the Instrument in that respect was amended.

Voice of landed elite→amplified by the conditions for voting laid out by the new constitution.

Religious Challenges

Tolerance and Non-Conformists→Problem of religious non-conformisits and the extent of religious tolerance.

Religious Reform→Cromwell faced the same problem as in Barebones and Rump parliaments how to carry out religious reform without alienating political conservatives.

Ordinances for Godly Reformation→Ten months prior he had issued ordinances for godly reformation - hoping to improve the quality of the clergy. This was undone by the Protectorate Parliament.

Quaker→In context of the Quakers growth - the fears of MPs became even more understandable

Cromwell

Bridge→Still trying to satisfy the NMA and Parliament.

Religious→Cromwell viewed as too impatient regarding religious reform. Cromwell differed greatly form most MPs on the extent of religious liberty that could be allowed to not endanger political stability.

Actions dissolving→Jan 1655 Cromwell dissolved parliament and unleashed his anger at the MPs stating "given fill liberty to Godly men of differing judgements".

Conservatives→Cromwell struggled to reconcile freedom with order and calm the fears of conservatives.

MAJOR-GENERALS

Introduced

March→Penruddock's rising - royalist rebellion in Wiltshire which was easily suppressed.

July→foregin policy disaster of Western Design (Navel expedition failure capture Jamaica rather than Hispaniola.

Cromwell's reaction→Cromwell turned to the army due to threat for the Protectorate but mainly God's apparent forsaking of the cause.

Reasons for Failure

General

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Aims were impossible.
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Military rule was unlikely to appeal to civillian magistarates

Major generals were often of a lower social standing than JPs however they unsurped their power.

Army's rule was not coherent enough to form the desired military dictatorship.

Economic

Decimation Tax made healing and settling more difficult.

Decimination Tax failed to curb costs of government; but 1656 expenditure was outrunning income by £230,000. Military rule became another burnden.

Religion

To promote Godly reformation the army would have to work with leaders of religious sects who were regarded as dangerous radicals by landed elite.

Major Generals sought to support local JPs enforcing poor law and removal of unlicensed clergy.

Execution

Major Generals were inconsistent with how rule was applied General Worsely closed 200 alehouses in Blackburn Hundred Lancashire alone. But William Goffe was "temperamentally unsuited to the administrative task set him"

Did enforce laws against drunkness, blasphemy, profanity etc.

Cromwell allowed interpretation up to local needs.

Popularity

Rule of Major Generals was unpopular with Widespread resentment of military interference in civilian administration. Only Godly minority approved of reformation by force

George Cony - Silk merchant refused to pau customs on imports. Lawyers argued that customs raide by the Protector and council were illlegal because only parliammet could raise taxes. Made example of by being impriosned.

Contextual Events↓

Military war (Spanish) forced Cromwell to recall parliament. Parliamentary opening resulted with very few candidates promoted by the army.

THE SECOND PROTECTORATE PARLIAMENT - SEP 1656

Humble Petition and Advice

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Cromwell to be king not lord protector
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Advised by a Privvy council not a council of state

Parliaments were to meet as under the Instrument of Government but will now consist of two houses - upper chamber known as the Other house - consisting of 40-70 men appointed by Cromwell and approved by Commons.

Religious provisions similar to IoG but inclusion of additional penalties for Blasphemy.

Reasons why Cromwell rejects the Crown

Cromwell rejects the Crown not due to the fear of the NMA who 100 officers signed a petition opposing restoration as there is a speech given to the NMA which suggests that many were won round the Cromwell accepting the crown.

Instead fear of God - difficult to believe concern of army due to previous actions towards them. Heightened fear of god due to failure of the Western Design. Believes that God does not want a king.

Reasons for failure

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Second session only lasts three weeks
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Revival of opposition from 100 MPs which have been excluded are allowed to rejoin including many presbyterians and republicans. Inc. Sir Arthur Hazelrig who immediately launches and attack on the new constitution.

Cromwell mighy have more support in Commons had it not been for the need to nominate memebers for the Upper house.

When attacks came for the new constitution, Cromwell dissolved parliament.

SUCCESS OF THE HUMBLE PETITION

FOR

Willingness among many to make the Republic work. Multiple different government experiment after Cromwell death which shows this.

Landed elite drafted it - gives a legitimate change of success

Overlap between the NMA and LAnded elite shown through the consitution

Cromwell has miantained the loyalty of both

Argue that religious reformation would have been achieveable if time.

AGAINST

Still significant opposition - NMA Lord Broghill and John lambery?

Failure of the second session of parliament with the rteun of MPs

Cormwell in power for nine years and had failed to achieve long lasting stable govenrmnet

Public finances are close to collapse in 1658 with city of london refusing loans.