C.4

• Parliamentary Radicalism on March 2nd 1629

  - the Kings Messenger identified as 'Black rod' arrived at Westminster to announce parliment dissolving

  - The speaker of the house in charge of managing parliamentary buisness realised the King wanted to dissolve P so announced all debates were ended

  - Several MP's forced him back in to the chair to keep the session open, memebers of Kings privy council tried to drag speaker back out

  - MP's shouted 'Aye, Aye' in support of Eliot and passed The Commons Protestation of 1629

  - 2 days later Charles dissolved P
• Members of Parliament


  1) Sir John Pym (Puritan); concerned abt religious issues

  2) Sir John Eliot; stood up for liberties and ancient rights

  3) Sir Edward Coke; Challenged prerogative power

  4) Denzil Holles (Childhood friend of Charles); zealous for the right of parliament
• Charles need of money in 1628

  - Charles recalled Parliament in March 1628

  - Charles allowed Sir John Coke his Secretary of State to communicate directly w MP's which helped the commons feel that he was respectful of their due process

  - Charles informed P unless he was provided adequate funds he would act in whichever way he saw fit

  - as an indication of their goodwill the Commons offered five subsidies and a grant of tonnage and poundage, expecting the King consider their grievances
• Issues the commons hoped Charles would address around 1628


  - Extra parliamentary taxation; e.g. tonnage and poundage and Ship money

  - Billeting; troops preparing to leave for Europe were dispersed around households who were told to billet them. Although households were supposed to be paid expenses this rarely happened
• What two legal developments did parliament feel had constitutional implications

  Martial law: To stop soldiers being billeted in south west martial law had been imposed. Gentry feared Charles would use ML as a cloak to the intro of Absolutism

  
  

  Habeaus corpus: Heath, the kings Cheif legal officer changed the wording so the king had the general right to imprison w/o trial (King would b stronger)
• What did parliament do due to Heath's altering of Habeus corpus

  What was it?

  How did Charles respond?

  Petition of right drafted by Edward Coke

  
  

  Petition of right (1628)

  - Asked king to confirm 4 ancient liberties that were basic precepts of English government:

  1 taxes only by parliamentary consent

  2 subjects could be imprisoned only if just cause was demonstrated in court

  3 the imposition of billeting on population was illegal

  4 imposition of martial law illegal

  
  

  Charles accepted 7 June 1628 as they threatened Buck + he needed money
• Consequences of petition of right

  Parliamentary frustration increased

  Sir John Eliot produced a remonstrance attacking Buckingham for his military failures

  Heightened parliaments fears that Charles could not be trusted
• Buckingham's death

  When

  Who + why

  How did ppl react

  - 23rd August 1628: was preparing to leave his quarters when he was fatally stabbed by John Felton

  - Felton fought int the dismal Île de Rhé expedition and had been plunged into debt by delays in pay

  - public celebrated as news of assassination spread
• Consequences of Buck's assassination (4)

  - Charles held parliament responsible as Felton said he had been inspired to action by Junes remonstrance

  - Charles and Henrietta Maria grew closer

  - Charles felt betrayed by his ppl due to the celebrations of Bucks death

  - Bucks death due to numerous titles meant Charles could redistribute patronage
• The 1629 Parliament


  - P recalled on 20th Jan 1629, addressed Ton and poun + Religion that Petition didn't

  • Tonnage and Poundage: The king was still collecting this and exuded it as he ordered it this angered parliament

  • Religion: Charles promoted Laud and Montagu who were both Arminian (looked Catholic) parliament didn't like

  
  

  Charles had instructed the royal printer to in use both his non-constitutional and constitutional assents to Petition of right making it unclear.

  Radical mps discussed methods to try limit his powers
• Dissolution of 1629 Parliament

  - Charles sent back rod to suspend parliament as he was not going to be awarded tonnage and poundage

  - The speaker pinned down Sir John Elliot and called at three resolutions which when passed was known as Protestation of 1629
• Beginning of Personal Rule

  - 1629 parliament dissolved and not recalled till 1640

  - had 8 leading opponents arrested for treason like Sir John Eliot and Denzil Holles; they tried issuing writs of habeus corpus the king replied parliamentary privileges did not apply to treason

  - 5 MP's pleaded guilty and were freed

  - Holles paid a fine and went on to exile Eliot refused to ask for a pardon was sent to Tower of London and executed in 1632
• Charles justification for dissolving parliament

  Included in Rushworth Collection:

  - " how they used the demands of war to force us to agree to conditions incompatible with our kingly power"

  - " so we expect that they will submit to our royal prerogative"