New Model Army

• THE NEWCASTLE PROPOSITIONS

  JULY 1646
• The Newcastle Propositions


  • Held by Presbyterians
  • Charles was to accept the establishment of Presbyterianism in England for three years
  • Parliament was to control the militia for 20 years
  • The triennial act was to remain
  • Only 58 royalists were not to be pardoned, in hopes of encouraging other to accept defeat
• Charles did not want to agree with the Newcastle Propositions, but he did not directly say this to stall
• The settlement was further hampered by parliament's political and religious divisions
• In 1646-47 further instability was created


  1. The political Presbyterians tried to get the king to agree to a more lenient version of Newcastle propositions

  2. They wanted to demobilise the new model army

  3. They wanted to create an alternative "safe" army based on the London Trained Bands
• Holles further abused the new model army in a document, referred to as the 'Declaration of Dislike,' stating them as enemies
• The presbyterian strategy was based on parliament having huge financial debt, they owed the army £3m
• First in command

  Fairfax with Oliver Cromwell as lieutenant general
• The Newcastle propositions and Declaration of Dislike

  Were offensive
• The Presbyterians

  Attempting to construct a rival army through raising a force from the remaining regional armies in the west and north that were sympathetic rather than officers
• The main concerns of the army were pay and possibility of being charged with offensives during the war as parliament had not passed an indemnity act
• The army

  A power play in its own right
• The Presbyterians tried to disband the army

  Without paying them
• The army being enraged

  People sympathised with their grievances
• Petitioned parliament to address their grievances


  MARCH 1647
• They felt the New Castle propositions were too lenient on Charles, the commons voted to disband the army with only 8 weeks of pay


  MAY 1647
• JUNE 1647


  1. Fairfax held a meeting in Newmarket to discuss strategies

  2. It was through Ireton they would seek to lead the army
• Charles was seized by the army. Joyce forced Charles out of house arrest and took him to headquarters in Newmarket. This made it harder for parliament to make negotiations with Charles.

  2 JUNE 1647
• Army produced a humble remonstrance declaring they would not disband until there agreements were met.


  4 JUNE 1647
• Agreements were attempted with Charles, Ireton was chief spokesman, Charles eventually was taken to Hampton Court.


  7 JUNE 1647
• A representation of the army was drawn up by Ireton and Lambert. It outlined the fundamentals of the army's political position such as purge of parliament, future parliaments of fixed duration and religious freedom. The army declared in was dedicated to defending 'our own and the people's just rights and liberties.'


  14 JUNE 1647
• The army's General council met at Reading. It was here Ireton proposed the head of proposals.


  16 JULY 1647
• HEAD OF PROPOSAL

  AUGUST 1647
• Head of Proposal


  1. With the king under control over the army, Cromwell wanted to see the conditions that the king would agree to

  2. Charles seemed willing to compromise so Ireton drew up a new proposal

  3. It was designed to check the powers of executives and set up a regularly elected parliament
• Aims of the Head of Proposal

  • Regular parliaments and representation
  • Parliament to control army and navy
  • A religious settlement that maintained a national church with bishops
• Act of Oblivion

  A bribe of the king where any supporters of Charles was to be pardoned for their crimes
• A mob invaded the commons and forcefully passed a resolution to bring the king to England

  26 JULY 1647
• Army marches into Westminster and London

  AUGUST 1647
• Levellers


  A radical, London based political party that grew in popularity from 1646
• Levellers


  • Sought abolishment of the monarch and the house of lords
  • Wanted all men to have the vote, some wanted women to have it too
  • Lilburn was a major figure in the movement
• Agreement of the People (Oct 1647)


  1. Argued that sovereign power should reside with the people not the king or parliament

  2. Had four clauses: 1) People's representatives should be elected based on popularity, 2) Existing parliament should be dissolved in Sep 1648, 3) Parliament should be elected every other year, 4) Parliament should be the supreme authority of the country

  3. Would not interfere with freedom of religion or force men to serve in the army, no prosecution of people in past wars or exempt anyone from the ordinary course of law
• Head of Proposals


  A moderate alternative to the Levellers' Agreement of the People, promoted by Ireton at the Putney Debates
• Elements of Ireton's Head of Proposals were written into the Instrument of Government six years later</b>
• The religious settlements Ireton proposed were virtually identical to the Toleration Act of 1689
• Why was there no peaceful settlement?

  • The king did not want to accept the outcomes of the war, he wanted time so he could plot
  • Parliament failed to address some of their problems after the first civil war
  • There was no effective religious settlement
  • New Model Army had been radicalised, there was a split between them and the Grandees
• Charles was deceptive - he would not accept defeat from parliament, he wanted his power back but did not think they would give it to him
• Charles escaped Hampden Court on 11th Nov 1647, ended up fleeing to the Isle of Wright but accidentally ended up in the hands of parliament's supporters
• Charles still tried to start civil war again, from Carisbrooke Castle he continued to try bargain with various parties
• The Engagement (26 Dec 1647)


  1. Charles signed a secret treaty with the Scots

  2. The Scots planned to invade England on Charles' behalf and restore him to the throne on the condition Presbyterianism be established in England for 3 years

  3. However, in 1648 they fought with the king, they feared the anti-presbyterian policies from the independents and wanted to make the presbyterian peace party rise to power
• As a result of the Scots' actions, the Vote of No Address was passed in January