The English Civil War and Revolution

A Sourcebook

Keith Lindley

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781136223945
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: World History
• Index: History

The origins, nature and consequence of the English Civil War are subjects of continuing historical controversy. The English Civil War and Revolution is a wide ranging, accessible sourcebook covering the principal aspects of the mid-seventeenth century crisis. It presents a comprehensive guide to the historiographical debates involved.
Drawing on a variety of source material such as official records, private correspondence, diaries, minutes of debates and petitions, this text provides:
* contextual introductions to documents
* a comprehensive glossary of seventeenth century terms
* a chronology of events for reference
* illustrations, including contemporary woodcuts.
While familiarising students with some of the main sources drawn upon by historians working in the field, The English Civil War and Revolution contains many extracts from unpublished, manuscript sources. By taking sources from all levels of society and grouping them thematically, this book offers a number of viewpoints on the civil war and revolution, thus aiding understanding of this complex period.

1

The Collapse of Charles i’s Government

Ship Money

Thomas Knyvett on Hampden’s ship money case, 1637

Thomas Knyvett (1596–1658), a Norfolk squire who was often in London attending to legal matters, held a regular correspondence with his wife in which he frequently commented on public affairs of the day. In this letter he shows how much interest was aroused by John Hampden’s legal challenge to ship money. A cultured man of later moderate royalist inclinations, he had unsuccessfully tried to attend a session of the trial which took place in a packed courtroom.

Source: Thomas Knyvett of Ashwellthorpe, Norfolk, to his wife, 11 November 1637, The Knyvett Letters, 1620–44, ed. B. Schofield (London, 1949), p. 91.

The business now talked on in town is all about the question of the ship money. The king is pleased to give way to those subjects that refuses to pay, whereof Mr John Hampden is one, to have their counsel to argue the case in point of law in the exchequer chamber before all the judges, and Mr St John hath already argued for the subject very boldly and bravely. Yesterday was the first on the king s part. I cannot relate any particulars because I heard it not. Although I was up by peep of the day to that purpose, I was so far from getting into the room that I could not get near the door by 2 or 3 yards, the crowd was so great… .

Resistance to payment in Middlesex, 1639

By 1639, with contributions also being levied for payment of the army to meet the Scots, resistance to the payment of ship money had become widespread. Sheriffs were charged with the duty of raising ship money and those refusing to pay faced the distraint of goods up to the value of their assessment. This official record of resistance to distraints in Harrow and surrounding parishes in Middlesex indicates the strength of the defiance to the levy.

Source: Public Record Office (PRO), state papers, domestic 16/427/19.

4 August 1639

Middlesex. Robert Markes, clerk to the undersheriff of Middlesex, and William Caninge, a bailiff, being authorised by warrant from the high sheriff of the county of Middlesex for the levying of money arrears for his majesty’s service of shipping within the parish of Harrow upon the Hill and other parishes within the hundred of Gore were much abused in the execution of their office by several persons in many particulars as calling them thieves, rogues, assaulting them, throwing scalding water upon them, rescuing distresses taken, threatening suits against them in case they brought not the distresses to them back again and saying that they came progging and prowling up and down the country to cheat them by whose examples many men are encouraged to oppose the said service; many affirming they are to be borne out by some particular persons though they oppose.

The names of such [as] were most obstinate against the service being distrained;

Distress taken. Mrs Miller of Pinner being distrained and a piece of cloth now in custody; more was brought to them by one Mr Hatch. She would question them for felony.

Distress was taken. Robert Wayland of Pinner being distrained for ship money his servant rescued the distress; whose name the officers could not enquire yet know him again if they see him.

Distress Rescue. John Edlyn of Pinner Marsh being distrained and a horse in custody: the said William Caninge, the bailiff, was much beaten by the servant of the said Edlyn and the horse rescued away: Edlyn having had notice to pay the money the night before yet refused and bade them take their course.

Distress was taken free. Richard Owen being demanded the money charged upon him refused to pay, and then opposed the bailiff, William Caninge, in distraining; threatening them and saying he would try a suit therein.

Distress. The wife of John Bugberd of Stanmore Parva did shut the door against the bailiff and hurt one of them.

Distress. The wife of Thomas Russell of Stanmore Parva did call the officers rogues and railed upon them saying they came to prog and prowl the country.

A Distress. The wife of George Platt of Hendon did assault Robert Markes with a knife drawn and had undoubtedly hurt him had he not run back, a distress being taken.

John Norwood of Stanmore, gentleman, and a freeholder in Middlesex being assessed refused to pay alleging he hath made over his goods before the assessment, yet resideth in his house; the officers being fearful to distrain.

Robert Markes and William Caninge do believe and in some places have discovered that the women and servants were instigated by their husbands and masters and sent by them.

All the persons aforesaid being distrained the said officers were threatened if they brought not the distress back again to them and many threaten the collectors for keeping the distresses.

When the inhabitants there do perceive that any come to distrain they forthwith shut the doors against them and they or their servants cry thieves at which the other neighbours take notice and shut their doors.

There hath been about forty distresses taken in Harrow and near there abouts; most of them refusing to pay without distresses saying they can but pay at last and that there is no for it.

Robert Markes
the mark of William Caninge

Laudianism

A survey of nonconformity in London, 1637

The 1637 visitation of the London diocese exposed several ministers who were still not entirely conformable to the Laudian Church in matters such as wearing surplices when conducting worship, performing the whole of the set liturgy and requiring communicants to kneel at the rails to receive the sacrament. The ministers concerned were quickly forced to come into line or face suspension and ultimately be deprived of their livings. Not all communion tables had yet been converted into altars but the process was to be completed by the end of the decade. There was concern also about factious prayers and the need to ensure that churches were respected as holy places and not used for secular purposes.

Source: PRO, state papers, domestic 16/371/39 information of divers abuses in the City of London, [November 6?] 1637.

That divers curates have subcurates (and those scarce licensed) by which themselves avoid the practise of conformity.

[Margin]: lecturer of St Margarets, Fish Street, Mr Simpson, Mr Hughes, etc.

That some preachers take great liberty to pray before and after sermons, loosely and factiously, as for the conversion of the queen, for a neighbour minister in persecution, etc.

[Margin]: Mr Walker of St John the Evangelist,¹ Mr Burton’s curate, etc. St Matthew’s, Friday Street.²

[Interlined]: Mr Fountaine Mr Burton’s curate is faulty.

That the companies³ when they are to dine with the lord mayor or sheriffs, used to meet at some neighbouring churches, there to put on and off their gowns and cloaks.

That the wards on St Thomas his day⁴ in many parishes meet in the church to make their outcries and brabbles about the choice of their officers, notwithstanding some order given by my lord treasurer⁵ to the contrary.

That the pews in churches are so made that men do as much sit as kneel at prayers, which by taking away the lower ledge on which the knees do rest would be well remedied.

That boys put on their hats in sermon time which in their masters’ shops they do not at any time.

That the sacrament of baptism is generally administered not after the 2nd lesson but after the sermon in the afternoon.

That the holy communion is given to many in their pews (and those so made in some churches that those who are in them cannot receive it on their knees) and that in some churches where there is a decent rail to come to.

[Margin]: Blackfriars

That priests and people suffer many inconveniences for want of an appointed hour for funerals.

St Stephen’s, Coleman Street. Mr Goodwin⁶ upon Easter day last gave the communion to divers strangers sitting.

Testis Hicks apparitor.⁷

Allhallows by the Wall. Mr Genoa (on the 3rd and 4th Sundays in May last) read prayers in a cloak.

Allhallows Staining. Mr Byfield (on the 4 Sunday in May) had prayers read without surplice, without litany, commandments, epistle or gospel.

St Martin’s, Ironmonger Lane. Mr Simmonds on the last Sunday in May had no surplice worn nor litany read. At the repairing of his church a new gallery is set up, and the communion table pent up with pews about it.

Christ Church. Mr Finch hath a lecture in his church on Sunday mornings (to which they come from all parts) which is maintained by collections at the church door, one crying, pray remember the minister.

At Mercer’s chapel. Prayers were read in a cloak, and ended after the first lesson on Shrove Sunday last, and on February 26 without a surplice, and the prayers for king, queen, etc. omitted, and lessons read out of a bible of the old translation.

[Margin]: Mr Cowdal

The sermons (out of Lent) are of late erection and draw many people to them which therefore leave their own churches thin and naked.

We have enquired after Mr Lawson of Allhallows, Bread Street, and find his church one of my lord grace his peculiars which come not to this visitation.

Mr Palmer, vicar of St Bride s in Fleet Street, at morning prayer at 7 of the clock doth often omit the prayer for the right reverend fathers the bishops and the rest of the clergy. And he reads divine service at that hour sometimes without the surplice in his gown, and sometimes without either surplice or gown in his cloak.

Many of the parish clerks in London do complain that albeit his majesty hath been graciously pleased in their late charter to grant them power to receive and gather their clerks’ wages or duties themselves and to prohibit all others upon pain of his high displeasure, yet many of them are opposed and not suffered so to do.

There are many communion tables in several churches of the City of London that are not railed in, and some of them are placed in the middle of the chancel when as they may be placed more conveniently at the east end thereof.

[Endorsed]: Information of divers abuses in the City of London.

An official record of factionalism in a London parish, c. 1640

Laudian-inspired changes to the interiors of churches in the 1630s could divide parishioners into rival factions. Allhallows Barking followed the example of other London churches by ‘beautifying’ its church and converting its communion table into an altar. These changes were made with the general approval of the parish elite but they brought protests to the bishop of London from local zealots. Dr Ducke, the bishop’s chancellor, was sent into the parish to restore harmony and had managed to find a compromise solution by 1640. However, after the convening of the Long Parliament, some militants were to saw the wooden angels off the church’s altar rails and carry them before the Commons as an example of popish innovations. The vicar, Edward Layfield, a nephew of Archbishop Laud’s, was also to be denounced for ceremonialism by the same faction and eventually to be removed from the living. This passage details the earlier efforts of Dr Ducke to arrive at a peaceful settlement in the parish.

Source: Greater London Record Office, consistory court of London DL/C/344, ff. 68–9 vicar-general’s book.

18 January 1640 Order for the taking down of pictures over the font in the church of Allhallows Barking London.

Whereas some of the parishioners of the parish of Allhallows Barking London lately exhibited a petition unto the right honourable and right reverend father in God William [Juxon] lord bishop of London setting forth that of late years the said parish church hath been repaired and beautified and a new font erected and the communion table placed and railed about according to the laws, canons and customs of the Church of England and that over the font is set or placed certain carved images, the picture of the Holy Ghost, and a cross. And that also the communion table is removed out of its ancient and accustomed place, and certain images placed on the rail that standeth round about it, which images they desire may be taken down, and the communion table set in the place where it formerly stood. And whereas the said lord bishop of London being employed in his majesty’s weighty affairs referred the consideration of the said petition unto the right worshipful Arthur Ducke, Doctor of the Laws, his chancellor⁸, who for the due examination of the complaint made in the petition repaired to the said parish church and viewed it in the particulars complained of calling to him the right worshipful Edward Layfield, Doctor in Divinity, vicar of the said church, some of the vestrymen together with some of the complainants, but could not at that time settle and reconcile the differences between them concerning the said things complained of and afterwards at several times the said parties with others both of the vestry and of the complainants meeting before him he treated with them to agree this business and to reduce the parish to peace and after divers meetings finding the difference to continue the said Mr chancellor sent for the greater part of the vestry and a sufficient number of the complainants and upon examination found most of the vestry approved and liked of all the particulars complained of in the said petition, and the complainants held and retained their dislike of all the said particulars according to the tenor and effect of the petition but at that time before their departure some of the vestry for and in the name of the parish and some of the complainants of the more moderate of them proposed by way of mediation that some of the things complained of might be removed and some continue as they are viz. that the pictures over the canopy of the font and also the pictures on the rails about the communion table might be removed, which proposition they hoped (as they then said) would give contentment to all sides and procure the peace and quiet of the whole parish, upon the hearing of which overture or proposal the said Mr chancellor then ordered that Dr Layfield should appoint a vestry meeting to be held the next day, and against that time the vestrymen should make enquiry of the opinions of the parishioners, and that some of the principal complainants should in the meantime enquire the opinions of the rest of their party and complainants and that in the said vestry meeting declaration by both parties should be made what their desires or opinions were respectively concerning the proposed mediation aforesaid, and it was then further ordered that the said meeting ended the same day both parties should repair to him and declare whether both sides would yield to the way of accord and moderation proposed by themselves as aforesaid. After this meeting appointed as aforesaid on the day of the date of this order app...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• List of Illustrations
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• 1. The Collapse of Charles i’s Government
• 2. The Long Parliament
• 3. Choosing Sides
• 4. The Impact of War
• 5. Counter-Revolutionaries and Revolutionaries
• 6. Revolution
• Notes
• Chronology
• Glossary
• Select Bibliography
• Index