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Charles Personal Rule, 1629-1640 - Coggle Diagram
Charles Personal Rule, 1629-1640
Finance and economy
Prudence: Charles in 1629 had 2 million pounds of debt which far exceeded his income. Charles had inherited most of this debt from his father:
James inherited debt of 300,000 pounds in 1603, grew to 726,000 by 1617
Cost of German military campaign to restore the palatinate cost 500,000 pounds.
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1635, although debt had not been substantially reduced, crown income was running ahead of crown expenditure. Crown was using non-parliamentary collective methods known as 'Fiscal Feudalism':
Customs Duty Most common example Tonnage and Poundage. Granted to Charles for one annum but in 1625, he continued to collect it throughout the personal rule. 1635, New book of Rates updated valuations.
Increased to £425,000pa post-1635.
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Recusancy Fines: Fines on those who refused to attend church of England Sunday services. Enforcement was strict to maximize income.
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Distraint of Knighthood: Anyone holding land worth £40-pa of land was required to be knighted and attend the coronation a new monarch, or incur a fine.
By 1635, revenue of £175,000 had been raised.
Monopolies: buying a monopoly gave a corporation the sole right to produce, import and sell a product. Holding a monopoly had been made illegal by 1624 Monopolies Act but a loophole meant that Charles could sell monopolies to corporations.
Most notorious monopoly: 'Popish Soap', earned Charles £33,000
Wardships: crown could administer the estate of and heir who inherited it under age of 21. Was exploited by officials for crown profit.
Raised £45,000 at the start of Personal Rule.
Cottington became master of the court of Wards in 1635. By 1640 annual revenues £84,000
Forest Fines: for anybody who had land extended into royal forests. William Noy scoured ancient and outdated maps to identify encroachments.
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Building Fines: Fines for building across chartered boundaries of a town. Rediscovered ancient charters against what new buildings could be assessed.
In London over 60,000 new homes had been built since 1603.
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Ship Money: a prerogative form of income that a monarch could levy on coastal towns to provide emergency funs.
Levied ship money in 1628, issued writs to coastal towns, brought in £170,000. He cancelled the writs due to opposition from locals who refused to pay tax parliament had prorogued.
October 1634, Charles levied ship moneys on coastal towns and cities, extended to all of England in 1635. Raised £300,000pa with initially a 90% compliance.
Hampden Case: November 1634, Prominent Puritan MP Sir John Hampden was taken to court for refusing to pay ship money dues. Sir Oliver St John, lawyer who defended Hampden. 5/12 judges voted in favour of Hampden: a sign of opposition. Compliance to policy rapidly reduced (25% compliance in 1639).
Religion
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Laudianism: William Laud established a partition of Protestantism. He executed his own vision of anglican Churchmanship, it expressed the unique nature of his reforms. Laudianism was vastly disliked by more extreme protestants for its alikeness to catholicism:
Beauty of Holiness: Physical setting of the church as holy house of god. Brought claims of decorations of church making it look catholic.
Priests: The status and role of ministers. Emphasis on sacred status of clergy, more catholic than puritan brotherhood.
Liturgy, order and decency: Prayers and rituals increased in priority. Emphasis on conformity, posed issues to spectrum of protestant practices.
Public Prayer: priority on prayer rather than preaching. Direct challenge to puritan emphasis on preaching being main purpose of church service.
Altar: controversy over physical location of altar in church. Altar was placed on east side of cathedral which is a catholic placement. Also used catholic emphasis on sacraments.
Anti-sabbatarianism: (principle of religious activities only being allowed on sunday). Sunday is just one of many holy days in annual life. Laudianism challenged sabbath.
Laudianism In Scotland: When Charles I became King of Scotland he showed a lack of awareness of the delicate balance that needed to be maintained between the two churches and the distinctive nature of Scottish Protestantism (Presbyterian)
Beauty of Holiness: Charles tried to take old church land from the Scottish Gentry. He did so in order to bring wealth back to the Scottish Church.
St Giles Cathedral in Edinborough, Charles tried to have it refurbished. Sparked fears of Bishops being over-mighty.
Coronation of Charles as Scottish King in 1633. Arranged for decorated altar and sore a coronation oath to defend bishops
Conformity: in 1629 all Scottish subjects had to kneel to take communion in local parishes (catholic link). Indicated Charles was ensuring his royal authority extended in church.
1636, New set of Canons. Largely based on English canons, not traditional Scottish articles. Dramatically different,for example: Bishops given authority through formal ceremony of consecration, compromises Presbyterianism.
Puritan Opposition. Major reasons for growth of opposition to Laudianism from Puritans: specifically challenged beliefs central to puritanism (made some puritans more radical); Laudianism looked perilously close to Catholicism.
Puritan Emigration - some puritans emigrated, particularly to American colonies to escape Laudianism. Colony of Massachusetts was founded in the late 1620s, over 20,000 primarily puritan, migrants made their homes here.
Hampden Circle - John Hampden, defended in the Ship money trial by a team of puritan lawyer. Trial had no direct impact but established more opposition to absolutism.
Puritan Pamphleteers - bolder Puritans committed their opposition to Laudianism in print. Pamphlets described Bishops as 'tigers', 'vipers' and 'bloodsuckers'. Most pamphleteers stayed anonymous but prominent ones included John Bastwick, Willaim Prynne and John Lilburne.
Providence Island Company - in 1629, following discovery of Providence island, a group of 20 investors formed a business of plantations on the island. No direct opposition to Laudianism but consisted mainly of puritans who became pivotal to puritan parliamentary opposition. Provided a meeting point for people such as: John Pym and Oliver St John.
Assaults on Puritanism: some Laudian Policies weren't just distasteful but a direct attack on puritans.
1633, Book of Sports, Laud reissued the book of sports, which outlined a range of sports activities on Sundays. This directly challenged the puritan idea of purpose for sundays.
Abolition of the Feoffees for impropriations. Old Church law allowing member of laity could buy rights to collect tithe if they supplied suitable minister for parish. Rich people used to gain control of church. In 1620s a group of puritans based around London bought up tithes so they could put Puritan ministers in tithes (group was known as feoffees). In 1633, Laud used Star Chamber to abolish this.
Politics
Thomas Wentworth - He was originally a leading critic of the crown and its pro-Spanish policy. However, following a royal appointment President of the Council of the North - and thereafter became a fervent servant to the king and an influential advisor. This dramatic shift alienated him from previous allies - 'The Grand Apostate. Wentworth attacked Buckingham for his foreign policy until he was assassinated in 1628. Wentworth was Protestant not Puritan.
Thorough- Demanded attention to detail for crown from royal officials. Believed that corruption must be rooted out of public life and returned to church and state. Non-conformity was a challenge to the kings authority that should be quashed. Laud and Wentworth wanted royal officials to be held accountable.
Policies in England - 1628, Wentworth became Lord president of the Council of the North, he became responsible for royal policy in Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmorland. Wentworth embodied Through. Insisted on conformity to 1631 Book of Orders. north of England was not ready for central governing body. Long-established families resented the loss of power through thorough.
Policies in Ireland - July 1633, Wentworth appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland. Wentworth, as an outsider, saw his role as brining authority to all of Irish society. 3 main goals:
- Impose authority of English crown.
- Impose religious uniformity and conformity.
- Make Ireland Profitable to king.
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The Graces - In 1628, the previous Lord Deputy and representatives of Catholicism had an agreement to smooth parliamentary business. In return parliament would give 3 subsidies of £120,000 over 3 years. Deputy agreed to grant the following concessions: Recusancy fines would not be collected; Relaxation of catholic need to take oath of supremacy; Guarantee of land titles over 60 years old.
Wentworth was expected to honour these agreements. He suggested parliament should have two sessions. After the subsidies were voted for Wentworth did not address graces.
Reactions in Ireland - In 1639, Charles was recalled to. When he left Ireland was profitable and more efficiently administered. However, he had negatively impacted every group of Irish society, but of yet there was no organized opposition. There were several reasons for lack of concerted opposition: Factional basis of Irish politics and complex ethnicities of Ireland all wanted to exert different influences on Ireland; Wentworth's ruthless suppression allowed him to destroy opposition quickly; Irish Privy council more subservient, posed less challenge to Wentworth.
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