91 deputies were sent by counties, 4 by universities, the remaining deputies represented cities. Its members included Lucious Carey and John Pym.

A long parliament is the name given to the parliament called by Charles I on 3 November 1640 after the Bishops' Wars. It got its name because of the events that followed the Act of Parliament - it could only be dissolved with the consent of the MPs themselves, and they did not agree to its dissolution until the end of the English Civil War and until the end of the interregnum in 1660 (when the restoration took place Stuarts). It sat from 1640 to 1649 when it was politically purged by the New Model Army because it did not care about the interests of the army. All Presbyterian deputies who were opposed to the army were expelled from Parliament. This parliament was called Rogue.

During the Protectorate period the Rump replaced other legislatures, the Rump was dissolved by the army only after the death of Oliver Cromwell in 1658 in the hope of restoring confidence in army rule. When this fails, General George Monck allows the Members of Parliament to reconvene in 1659. They make the important legislative decision to terminate the Long Parliament and dissolve it. This decision cleared the way for a new parliament known as the Conciliation.

Story

1640-1648

Charles I summoned Parliament in 1640 to ask him to pass a financial bill because the Bishops' Wars had ravaged the royal treasury.

Edward Hyde recalled the imperious tone of his opening speech to Parliament: “His first appearance had a sad and melancholy air, which foreshadowed unusual and unnatural events. The King did not come personally in his traditional carriage in all his majesty to Westminster, but sailed in person in his barge directly to the steps of Parliament, and so to the church, as if it were a return to the adjournment of the session of Parliament or adjournment of Parliament.

Parliament was initially influenced by John Pym and his supporters. In August 1641, Parliament decides to deprive Charles I of the power he received upon accession to the throne. The reforms were aimed at preventing Charles I from ruling the country alone.

Parliament also released those convicted by the Star Chamber.

The Triennial Act of February 16, 1641, also known as the "Inconvenience Prevention Act", was passed requiring that the interval between two sessions of Parliament should not exceed three years. Parliament was also responsible for prosecuting two of the king's advisers, Archbishop William Laud and Thomas Wentworth (Earl of Strafford), for treason, bringing them to trial and imposing a death sentence. The Irish Rebellion, which began in October 1641, reopens the debate between Parliament and the King over control of the army.

Led by John Pym, on November 22, 1641, Parliament presented the Great Remonstrance to the King, which was passed by Parliament by a margin of 11 votes (159-148).

It contains a list of more than 150 "atrocities" during Charles's reign, including the Church, which is under the influence of foreign papists and royal advisers representing the interests of foreign powers. The second half of the Remonstrance offers a solution to the "abuses" of the Crown, including ecclesiastical reform and the appointment of royal ministers by Parliament.

In December 1641 Parliament, in the "Ordinance of the Police", states that it wishes to control the appointment of commanders in the army and navy.

The king rejects the Great Remonstrance and refuses to authorize the militia bill. The King believed that the Puritans (or Dissenters, i.e. "deviant") supported by five influential members of the House of Commons: John Pym, John Hampden, Denzil Hollis, Sir Arthur Haselry and William Strode and Lord Mandeville, who sat in the House of Lords, who had been on the side of the Scots in the recent Bishops' Wars, and that they were plotting to turn the mob of London against him. When word reached the court that they were also planning to accuse the Queen of being part of a Catholic conspiracy, Karl decides to arrest them for treason.

Speaker of the House of Commons for a long time was William Lanthal. On Tuesday, January 4, 1642, the King entered the House of Commons in order to seize five members of Parliament. Those were warned and therefore fled to the City. Taking the speaker's chair and looking around in a vain attempt to locate the wanted MPs, Karl commented, "I see the birds have flown." Carl turned to Lenthal, who was standing below, asking him if any of these persons were in the room, if Lenthal had seen any of them in the room, and where they were then. Lenthal fell to his knees and answered: "May it please your Majesty, I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here"(It translates into Russian like this: “Perhaps such an answer will suit Your Majesty, now I will be blind and silent, because the Chamber appointed me, and I am its servant”). The meaning of this phrase boils down to the fact that: "I will answer you only if the parliament orders me to do so", that is, the speaker is subordinate to the parliament, and not to the king. After failing to capture the five Commoners, fearing for the life of his family, Carl leaves London and moves to Oxford. The Royalists followed, and at Oxford they formed an alternative parliament. In the absence of the Royalists, the Long Parliament continued to sit throughout the Civil War and lasted until the act of self-dissolution.

In March 1642, in the absence of Charles in the capital, when the threat of war hung over the country, Parliament decided that its parliamentary ordinances were legal even without royal consent. The "Police Ordinance" was passed on March 5, which gave Parliament control over the local police (trained bands). The control of the militia was strategically important because it gave the radical parliament protection from the armed intervention of the soldiers that were at the disposal of Charles near the capital. In response to the "Ordinance of the Militia", Charles revives the "Patents of Recruitment" as a means to raise an army in opposition to the military forces of Parliament.

1649-1653

Disagreements arose between various factions and their result was the Pride Purge of Parliament on December 7, 1648, when, on the orders of Henry Ayrton (son-in-law of Oliver Cromwell), Colonel Pride expelled about half of the members of parliament. Most of the expelled were Presbyterians. After the expulsion of the Presbyterians from Parliament, the remaining - Rump, arranges a trial of Charles I and sentences him to death. It is also responsible for the establishment of the English Republic in 1649.

Oliver Cromwell forcibly dispersed the Rump in 1653 when it seemed to him that the deputies could disband his budget-costly army of 50,000 men.

In 1648, opponents of the king, led by Cromwell, captured London and purged the legislature of the monarch's supporters. The following year, the remaining parliamentarians deposed and executed the king, after which the House of Lords was abolished, and the country proclaimed a republic.

The State Council and its chairman Cromwell received executive power, the legislative power was preserved behind the miserable remnant of the former parliament, called the Rump. But even with the Rump, Cromwell could not get along, and somehow, having heard the objections of the deputies, he told them: “You have been sitting for too long. It's time to end you. In the name of God, go away!" Thus, in 1653 the Rump was dissolved.

New Convocation 1659 and Restoration 1660

Richard Cromwell in 1658 succeeded his father Oliver as Lord Protector. He was overthrown as a result of an officer conspiracy in April 1659. The officers again convened the Long Parliament. It was convened on May 7, 1659, but after 5 months of government, it again had a conflict with the army (led by John Lambert) and was again dispersed on October 13, 1659. The Board passed to the so-called "Committee of Public Safety", which was headed by Lambert. General George Monk, who was the Viceroy of Scotland, began to move south. Lambert, who did not meet him, lost support in London. The fleet announced the convocation of Parliament, so on December 26, 1659, the Long Parliament again came into force. Lambert could not oppose anything Monk and he continued to move south. February 3, 1660 Monck reaches London. Initially, Monk gives the appearance of respect for Parliament, but he quickly finds the parliamentarians reluctant to further his plan to freely elect a new Parliament. Thus, on February 21, 1660, he returns to parliament those parliamentarians who were expelled from it by Pride. They were able to start convening a "Free Parliament". On March 16, 1660, the Long Parliament declared itself dissolved.

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See what the "Long Parliament" is in other dictionaries:

Long Parliament- Long parliament in England, convened by King Charles I Stuart on November 3, 1640; effectively became the legislative body of the English Revolution of the 17th century. Having existed for over 12 years (hence the name), the Long Parliament was dispersed by Oliver Cromwell on 20 ... Political science. Dictionary.

Long Parliament- (Long Parliament) (1640-60), English, a parliament convened by King Charles I after the Bishops' Wars. By Aug. 1641 under John Pym D.p. adopted a series of laws that deprived the king of many rights, causing mass discontent from the moment he ... ... The World History

LONG PARLIAMENT- in England, convened by King Charles I in 1640; actually became the legislative body of the beginning of the English revolution of the 17th century. Dispersed by Cromwell in 1653 ... Modern Encyclopedia

Long Parliament- in England, convened by King Charles I in 1640; actually became the legislative body of the beginning of the English revolution of the 17th century. Dispersed by Cromwell in 1653. ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

After the death of James I (1625), his son Charles I (1600-1649) took the throne. Frivolous and self-confident, he further strained relations with parliament. He soon dispersed Parliament and established the regime of his "personal rule" (1629-1640). However, this left Charles I without money, since taxes in England were approved by Parliament. Finding means, co-Carl 1 role and his assistants began to flagrantly violate the customs and traditions of the country. This contributed to the growth and strengthening of opposition (resistance) to royal power.

Having started a war with Scotland with his "advisors" and suffered a defeat in it, Charles I was forced to convene parliament. It was called "Long" because. meeting in the autumn of 1640, he sat for 12 years. The opening day of its meetings (November 3, 1640) is considered the day the English Revolution began.

The first two years of the Long Parliament can be called "peaceful". With active support

ke of the people, the bourgeoisie and the new nobility (they formed the majority in the lower house of parliament - the House of Commons) adopted a series of laws that made it impossible for the king to rule without cooperation with parliament. It was forbidden to collect taxes that were not approved by Parliament. The punitive organs of absolutism ("High Commission" and "Star Chamber") were destroyed, and the king's chief advisers (Earl Strafford and Archbishop Laud) were sent to the scaffold.

An important point The activities of the parliament was the adoption of the "Great Remonstrance" (protest), in which, in 204 articles, the king's abuses were listed. The document was aimed at substantiating the bourgeois principle of the inviolability of the person and his property. It also spoke of the right of parliament to control the activities of the ministers of the king, which was already an element of a constitutional monarchy.

At the beginning of 1642, Charles I left disobedient London and went to the north of the country (the majority of the old nobility sat there) and began to form an anti-parliamentary army from his supporters - the royalists. Parliament began to raise its army. The country split into two camps. Supporters of the king were called "cavaliers" (from the English word cavalier horse). In the royalist army, the main striking force was the cavalry. Supporters of Parliament were called "round-headed" (for the shape of their hair).

In the first battles of the civil war that began in the autumn of 1642 (a war between citizens within one state), the parliamentary army, formed from mercenaries, began to suffer defeat. This was due not only to the higher military skills of the royalists. At the head of the parliamentary motley troops were noble generals. Although they were opponents of absolutism, they did not want the complete defeat of Charles I. Their goal was a compromise (agreement) with the king on concessions in favor of the bourgeois nobility. Their defensive strategy (waging war) threatened Parliament with defeat.

3. Creation of a "new model" army

Under the circumstances, the parliament resolutely went for the creation of a "new model" army. Qualitatively new parts of the peasants began to form. These formations were distinguished not only by painstaking study of military affairs, high discipline, but also by a deep conviction in the rightness of the cause for which they fought. They called their military work " God's work"and yourself" God's people".

main role a brave officer, a talented commander and politician, a typical representative of the new nobility, Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) began to play in the new army. Thanks to him, a galaxy of talented officers from the people advanced. Cromwell's cavalrymen ("Ironsides", as they were called by the royalists) went on the attack singing a prayer.

He did not want to negotiate with Parliament. The fleeting second civil war (1648) ended unsuccessfully for him. January 30, 1649 Charles I Stuart "tyrant, traitor, public merciless enemy of the English state" (so it was said in the verdict) was beheaded in London.

During the civil war, Parliament confiscated the land of the king, the feudal nobility and the possessions of the church. They were sold in large plots, so that the peasants could not buy them. Almost all of these lands were bought up by the "new" nobility and bourgeoisie.

What role did the peasantry play in the defeat of the royalists?

Parliament did not abolish the peasants' dependence (copyholding) on ​​the new owners of the land. Nothing has changed in the position of the peasants. For them, the land did not become private property. They still paid for the land, only now not to the "knight", but to the capitalist landowner. But that didn't make it any easier for them.

After the victory of the Dutch Revolution in 1609, an anti-feudal explosion began to brew in England. There was a rapid development of capitalism in agriculture and industry. In addition to the bourgeoisie, a significant part of the nobility embarked on the path of entrepreneurship. This "new" nobility, in alliance with the bourgeoisie, came into conflict with absolutism, which escalated into a civil war. The creation of an army consisting of peasants allowed Parliament to defeat the royal troops and overthrow the power of the Stuarts. The main achievement of the revolution was the abolition of the feudal system of land tenure. Land became private (personal, not royal) property. The peasantry remained dependent, but now dependent on the bourgeois proprietors.

1. What appeared main reason revolution in England? Who was interested in it and why?

2. Why did the bourgeoisie and the "new nobility" turn out to be allies?

3. Why did Parliament's army fail at first?

4. What allowed parliament to defeat the king? 4. How did the revolution solve the agrarian question, and how was this to be reflected in the fate of the peasantry?

Documents and materials

From the "Great Remonstrance" (22.XI.1641)

We see the root of all these misfortunes in a malicious and disastrous intention to undermine the basic laws and principles of government on which the religion and the court of the kingdom were firmly based. The culprits and inspirers of this were: 1) the papist Jesuits... 2) the bishops... 3) those advisers and courtiers who, out of personal motives, undertook to contribute to... the destruction of his majesty and their own state...

Source: New story in documents and materials.-

M.1934.- 4.1.- P.24.

Questions for the document

1. Why did the bourgeoisie and the new nobility opposed

Anglican church?

2. Recall whose views Puritanism expressed?

3. How did parliament deal with the "advisers" of the king?

Remember the dates

1640-1660 ~ English revolution XVII V. 1645 - Battle of Naseby - Parliamentary victory

Glossary of terms

CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY - (monarchy - gr.

monarchia - autocracy) - the power of the monarch is limited by the constitution, legislative functions are transferred to parliament, executive functions are transferred to the government, i.e. the monarch "reigns but does not govern".

STRATEGY - (gr. strategia - stratos - army + ago - lead) - the art of conducting major operations, campaigns and war in general.

§ 26. Restoration of the Stuarts and the coup of 1688

A Conspiracy of General Monk. Transfer of the crown to Charles P

Shortly after the execution of Charles I, England was proclaimed a republic, the power in which was in the hands of the army generals, headed by O. Cromwell. The most important achievement of the revolution was secured by a special law. Large (landlords) and other nobles - landowners ceased to be holders of land by the will of the king and became its full (private) owners.

However, the old feudal obligations of the copyholder peasants were not abolished, and they remained completely dependent on the new, bourgeois owners. Enclosures, accompanied by the dispossession of peasants, continued, but on a much larger scale. Passive protest, expressed in attempts to develop empty lands by "diggers" (diggers), was immediately suppressed by the generals.

The bourgeoisie needed a strong government. The English Republic very soon took the form of a protectorate (protector - guardian) of O. Cromwell. It was a dictatorship based on the great authority of this outstanding politician and statesman. He led an active foreign policy. Ireland was conquered and Scotland annexed. However, when Cromwell died (1658), a struggle for power began between the generals.

In this unstable political situation, events were accelerated by General George Monk (1602-1670), commander of the English troops in Scotland. Understanding the mood of the new owners, Monk began secret negotiations with the son of the executed king, the Prince of Wales, who was in Holland. It was about the restoration (restoration) of the Stuarts.

In February 1660, Monck's army entered London unopposed. Elections were held for Parliament, the new composition of which invited the Prince of Wales to the English throne, and soon proclaimed him King Charles II. He returned to his parental throne, no longer an absolute monarch. His return was stipulated by the treaty. Charles II confirmed the rights won by the new nobility and bourgeoisie. He was deprived of royal lands, but was assigned an annual allowance (1.2 million pounds. St.). The king did not have the right to create a standing army.

Revolutions: These are the initial events of two bourgeois revolutions - in England in the 17th century. and in France in the 18th century. - meant the first victories of the revolutionary bourgeoisie in alliance with the masses of the people over royal absolutism and the feudal system. But the execution of Strafford did not lead to the end of the English Revolution, on the contrary, it was only the beginning, and the overthrow of the monarch was inevitable. The decisive factor in this was...

Gained national independence, significantly limited the ability of foreign countries to dictate the terms of post-revolutionary economic and political development. 7. OTHER WAYS TO REMOVE LIMITERS community development, it is necessary to dwell on others ...

This is argued by many historians. That is why the main goal of my work is to reveal the reasons for the beginning of the Great Bourgeois Revolution in England, its main stages, as well as the role of the English bourgeois revolution in the development of parliamentarism. To do this, it is necessary to turn to the prerequisites of the revolution, consider the main stages of its development, and also trace it ...

And Wang Mang's orders. The country's economy began to stabilize. Significant changes have taken place in the state apparatus. The functions of governing the country "were divided among five departments, the highest advisory body was created under the emperor - the imperial council. 2. The English bourgeois revolution mid-seventeenth century The political causes of the revolution, most domestic historians ...

The Long Parliament was called when the social movement against the monarchy reached its peak. The unstable political situation threatened the deputies with the loss of their jobs, so they pass an act according to which the dissolution of the legislature is possible only with their consent. The majority in the lower house were representatives of the new nobility and the bourgeoisie.

In the first two years of work, the parliament is actively strengthening its position. Thus, it is forbidden to collect taxes not approved by him. The Star Chamber and the High Commission were destroyed. The chief advisers of Charles I are executed on charges of treason. In the face of a "purge" among the officials, two ministers flee for their lives. Parliament takes over law enforcement, which will be one of the guarantees of his victory in the civil war.

Charles I

At the beginning of 1641 Legislature began discussing a petition calling for the abolition of episcopal authority. On December 1, 1641, the Great Remonstrance was handed over to the king: the document consisted of 204 articles exposing the abuses of royal power. It clearly felt the voice of the bourgeoisie gaining strength - for example, the parliament demanded to ensure the inviolability of private property and freedom of trade, to put things in order with taxes. The Great Remonstrance marked the beginning of a confrontation between the monarch and the legislature. At the same time, ordinary citizens came out in support of the latter.

Charles I conceived revenge and accused five members of parliament of treason. The demand of the monarch was ignored, and he personally appeared in the chamber for arrest. The comrades did not surrender the "traitors", the king was furious. It was clear that an armed conflict could not be avoided. Parliament, however, attempted a diplomatic settlement of the conflict and sent a list of its conditions to Charles I. One of the requirements was that the king only take advisers at the behest of the legislature. Under their control, the parliamentarians were going to put marriages in the royal family.

Oliver Cromwell

Both sides began to form troops. A civil war began, in which the royalist army suffered a crushing defeat. Charles I surrendered. Broad social strata were consolidated around Oliver Cromwell. The winners could not develop a unified position, in 1648 a civil war broke out again. January 30, 1649 Charles I was executed. In March, Parliament announced the abolition of the monarchy as an institution dangerous to the good of the people. Now questions of internal and foreign policy were entirely under the jurisdiction of the unicameral parliament. At the same time, its prestige fell - the press fell upon its members in connection with violations in the sale of royal and church property.

Oliver Cromwell, of course, was not interested in an omnipotent Parliament. First, he purged his ranks of political opponents, and then in 1653 delivered a famous accusatory speech and dispersed the legislature.

Cromwell closes the Long Parliament

After the death of Cromwell and the deposition of his son Richard in 1659, the Long Parliament was reconvened. This time, his work turned out to be short-lived - the very next year, due to contradictions with the army, the legislature announced its own dissolution.

Long Parliament - the name of the Parliament of Great Britain in 1640-1653 and 1659-1660. Gathered at Westminster. Dispersed by Oliver Cromwell.

The Long Parliament was 516 members Houses of Commons and 150 Houses of Lords. The most significant part - more than 250 deputies - was new knighthood, mainly representing cities and, secondarily, counties. Presbyterians and other opponents of the established church entered the House of Commons overwhelmingly.

Position of the Anglican Church became the first object of political attack by parliament and forced concessions by the crown. At the suggestion of the leaders of the House of Commons, Parliament considered a list of clear abuses and violations of freedoms and rights, including the cases of three previously convicted citizens for pamphlets against bishops (according to the decision of the Star Chamber, those had their ears cut off as "slanderous and insulting speeches"). The sentences were canceled The Star Chamber is condemned, recognized as "harmful”, and she was ordered by the power of parliament to pay significant compensation to the convicts. Early 1641 Parliament began to discuss the petition (and then the bill ) "On Roots and Branches" where it was envisaged destruction of episcopal authority. Although the bill was passed later, the episcopal structure of the Church of England ceased to exist. And more importantly, the bishops were expelled from the House of Lords. This significantly changed the political weight of the chambers in favor of the Commons.

A series of other solutions Parliament tried to create responsible to the representation administration. One of the main supporters of the crown, Archbishop V. Lod, several senior dignitaries, and then Chief of Staff The Earl of Strafford. Moreover, having failed to achieve condemnation in the usual legal way, Parliament adopted a special “Act of Conviction” against Strafford on charges of high treason. The King was forced to approve the Act, and in May 1641 Strafford was executed. At the end of the struggle for the supremacy of Parliament in executive affairs, decisions (July 7, 1641) to liquidate the High Commission.

The judicial powers of the crown were reduced. Parliament abolished the courts of royal prerogative (extraordinary judicial chambers). Councils for the North and Wales, limited the jurisdiction of the Privy Council. All courts of justice (except the chancellor's) were abolished, and in return, the exclusive powers of the common law courts, which historically were in the sphere of influence of the statutory law of Parliament, were confirmed. Thus, the parliament ensured its supremacy in the field of justice.

Parliament declared its independence from the crown. By a special bill (dated February 15, 1641.) was decided that the unparliamentary rule of the king could not last longer three years and that if the Crown did not take steps to convene Parliament within the statutory time limits, the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Privy Seal are under obligation to themselves arrange for the convening of MPs under pain of impeachment. At the same time, it was written that the parliament cannot be dissolved before 50 days from the convocation. Thus, the parliament from the royal turned into a national one. In the summer of 1641, important decrees were adopted on the exclusive rights of Parliament in taxation.

Autumn 1641 In the context of the aggravation of the internal situation in the country, the fall in the prestige of Parliament, the outbreak of an uprising in Ireland, the House of Commons initiated the constitutional consolidation of the reforms. An extensive petition was presented to the king under the title Great Remonstration (December 1, 1641). In it, the parliament insisted on the recognition by the crown of the unshakable "fundamental laws and principles of the administration of the kingdom", on the rejection of vicious legal policies (monopolies, taxation without the consent of parliament, independence in the disposal of crown property, etc.). The abolition of the episcopate and church courts was confirmed. The idea was put forward of a government responsible to parliament and even higher officials, without which subsidies were refused to the crown. The guarantee of "the protection of the laws and freedoms of the kingdom" was to be the undeniable advantage of the "common law" courts.

Parliament passed the Remonstrance by an insignificant majority (159 against 148 votes). Returning from Scotland, the king was forced to approve it . Remonstrance meant recognition of a certain political balance in the country. Therefore, the crown decided to seize the initiative of politics in its own hands, and Charles I issued a declaration on the protection of the crown from parliament and on the collection of the army.

During the civil war (1642-1646) under the direction of parliament established a network of executive committees in: The Committee of Security (1642), which was entrusted with the disclosure of royalist conspiracies; Committee of Appropriations (1642), Committee of Both Kingdoms, i.e. England and Scotland (1644), which was given the military and foreign policy spheres; Committee for the sequestration of royalist property (1644), Committee for fines from relatives of "passive royalists" (1643). In 1643, the parliament renewed the state seal, and justice began to be administered on behalf of the parliament.

Finally, parliament passed a resolution on its own legislative supremacy and on the recognition of disobedience to parliament as a betrayal.

Actually since 1642 a republic was established in England based on the legislative and judicial supremacy of parliament and subordination to parliament executive power. In reality, there was also an undoubted predominance of the lower house - the Commons, based on elected representation.

Triennial act

(Extracts)

Notwithstanding that, by the laws and statutes of the kingdom of England, Parliament must be convened for the cure of evils at least once a year... and considering, as experience has established, that the failure to convene Parliaments involved various great calamities and inconveniences to His Majesty king, church and state;

in order to prevent such calamities and inconveniences as may occur, it has been decreed by His Royal Majesty, with the consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons sitting in this Parliament, that, in the absence of a Parliament called by Decree, bearing the seal of the State of England, be called and sit before 10 September of the next third year after last day of the last meeting and sitting of this Parliament, then in each such ... case, Parliament shall meet and sit at its usual place in Westminster in such manner and in such ways as set forth and decided hereinafter in this Act, and not otherwise....

In the event that Parliament is not convened within the above period, the Lord Chancellor of England or the Lord Privy Seal of England ... are obliged, without waiting for the orders of the King, to issue a Decree for the convocation of a new Parliament.

VI. And it is further decreed that no Parliament now assembled may be dispersed or adjourned for at least 50 days after the time appointed for the meeting, except with the knowledge of His Majesty... and both Houses sitting in Parliament...

VII. Members of each chamber have the right to elect their heads - speakers at their discretion.

Act of the Long Parliament against the dissolution of the Houses without their consent (May 11, 1641)

It is hereby declared and decreed by the King, our High Sovereign, with the consent of the Lords and Commons sitting in this Parliament, and by their authority, that the Parliament now sitting cannot be dissolved except by an Act of Parliament passed for that purpose; this Parliament cannot at any time of its continuation be adjourned except by an Act of Parliament specially passed for that purpose, and that the House of Peers cannot be adjourned at any time during this Parliament except by themselves or by by their own decision; every action or decree, made, or such as should be made, for the postponement or dissolution of this Parliament, which is contrary to this Act, shall be declared unlawful and null and void.

Great Remonstrance (December 1, 1641)

(Extracts)

The House of Commons, assembled in this Parliament, with great diligence and fidelity, anxious and caring for the public good of the kingdom, and for the glory and benefit of his majesty, for 12 months fought against great dangers and fears, against glaring disasters and misfortunes, against various troubles and disorders which not only hindered but stifled the freedom, peace and prosperity of this kingdom, the peace and hopes of his Majesty's good subjects, and to a large extent the function and undermined the foundations and strength of the royal throne... For a warning sad consequences to which these malicious attempts may lead, we have found it useful to report on the sources and the growth of these insidious intentions [of the Catholic Party].

We believe that the root of all troubles is the insidious and pernicious intention to subvert the basic laws and principles of our government, on which the religion and justice of our kingdom are firmly based. The instigators of these intentions are:

1. The Jesuit papists, who hate the laws as an obstacle to the overthrow of our religion and those changes in it which they so passionately desire.

2. Bishops and part of the clergy, corrupted, patronizing formalism and superstition as the natural results and principles of their own ecclesiastical tyranny and usurpation.

3. Those councilors and courtiers who, for the sake of their private ends, have taken upon themselves the obligation to promote the interests of certain foreign states to the detriment of his majesty and their own country.

The general guiding principles on which these men built and directed their advice and actions were as follows:

First, they strove to maintain continuous discord and a sense of mutual dissatisfaction between the king and the people on questions of prerogative and liberties ...

Secondly, they sought to reduce the purity and power of religion in those persons who were faithfully devoted to it, because this was contrary to their goals ...

thirdly, they sought to unite all the parties of the kingdom which they considered most suitable for their purposes, and to divide those which vigorously opposed them...

fourthly, they sought to turn the king against parliament by false and slanderous reports and by persuading him to enter into a different path of obtaining funds than the usual path of subsidies provided by parliament.

1. The first result and manifestation of their revival and strength was the dissolution of Parliament at Oxford, after two grants had been granted there by His Majesty....

6. The encumbrance of the kingdom by the quarters of the soldiers and the related intention of the German cavalry to induce the population with fear, or force them to pay arbitrary indemnities ...

7. Dissolution of Parliament in the second year of His Majesty's reign, after that Parliament has declared its consent to grant the King five subsidies.

8. Recovery from the people, after the dissolution of Parliament, sums equal to five subsidies, by forced loan, and the imprisonment of several gentlemen and others for not agreeing to pay this loan, whereby many of them received diseases that cost them their lives.

12. In the fourth year of the current king's reign, parliament was dissolved and its privileges were violated: several of its members were arrested, kept in prison under the strictest guard, without the right to use books, pen, ink and paper, denying them all the benefits of life and all means maintaining health, not allowing wives to them, even during illness.

16. After the dissolution of these two parliaments, false and disgraceful declarations were published, intended to defame the work of these parliaments and some of its members; proclamations were issued for the same purpose. And to the great sorrow of the people, he was forbidden even to speak of Parliament.

17. After the dissolution of Parliament in the fourth year of His Majesty's reign, problems without restraint or mitigation, injustice, repression and violence, fell upon us. The first act was the enforcement of large sums of knighthood debt throughout the kingdom.

18. Levies per tonne and per pound were carried out without the appearance of law and reference to it; a number of other heavy taxes continued the series of acts contrary to the laws, and many were so stupid that the amount of taxation exceeded the value of the goods.

20. Although all of the above was done under the pretext of protecting the seas, however, a new previously unheard-of tax was invented - ship money, again under the same pretext. For all these taxes, about 700,000 were collected from the subjects in a few years, and, despite this, the merchants were left so defenseless against the violence of the Turkish pirates that the latter were captured by large expensive ships, and thousands of His Majesty's subjects are still in in heavy bondage.

23. Weaning weapons from the militias in different counties.

25. Mass extermination of the royal construction forests, especially in the Dinskomu forest, sold to the papists; this forest was the kingdom's best forest reserve for shipbuilding...

27. Monopoly on soap, salt, wine, leather, coal and on all items, the most popular and necessary.

31. The conversion of arable land into pastures and the expansion of pastures served as an excuse to extract many millions from the pockets of citizens under the pretext of combating depopulation, without any significant benefits for His Majesty.

34. A large number of His Majesty's subjects, for refusing to pay unlawful taxes, were subjected to constant disturbances as a result of long and costly lawsuits; some of these subjects were subjected to fines and punishments, others to long and severe arrests and imprisonment, accompanied for many by loss of health, for some - life; in some houses were broken into and things were admired, some were forbidden from practicing their legitimate profession.

36. Merchants were forbidden to unload their goods in those ports that were most convenient for them; they were forced to deliver goods to places most convenient for the owners of monopolies.

37. The Star Chamber brought down severe punishments not only to support the interests of monopoly owners and collect other illegal taxes, but also on various other occasions where there were no offenses or they were negligible. The punishments from which his Majesty's subjects suffered were as follows: heavy fines, imprisonment, branding, chopping off limbs, flogging, putting on a yoke, gagging, banishment from the country; people were not only deprived of the company of their friends, the opportunity to practice their profession, the pleasure of books and the use of paper and ink, but violence was applied even to that closest union that God established between husbands and wives, by their forced separation ...

38. Judges were removed from their posts for refusing to act against their oaths and conscience; others were so frightened that they did not dare to do their duty...

39. Lawyers were banned from their activities for loyalty to the interests of clients; defenders were threatened and some even punished for carrying out legal processes. All roads to justice have been blocked and interrupted by these measures...

41. New judicial tribunals have been set up without legal grounds. The Privy Council proposed by its orders to limit the rights of subjects to dispose of their real estate, property, in their claims and agreements ...

43. The Court of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Guardianship and other English courts behaved arbitrarily, exceeding their jurisdiction.

47. The courts of common law, which have seen that all men are more inclined to seek justice where they can adapt it to their own desires, have often flouted the requirements of the common law, and gone beyond their bounds, doing iniquity under the pretense of justice....

48, honorary titles, judicial places and positions were sold for large sums through which the ordinary justice of the realm ran into great danger, not only because the roads were opened for the occupation of places associated with great trust and power, for people unworthy, but also because opportunities were created for bribery, extortion and nepotism, for it rarely happens that places obtained by bad means were well used ...

50. The usual way of choosing sheriffs was not followed; many times sheriffs have been assigned in an emergency way, sometimes as a punishment, sometimes they have been chosen so that they can serve as tools to do whatever is asked of them.

52. The high commission, in its severity and cruelty, has reached such excesses that it is almost not inferior to the Roman inquisition, and, however, in many cases the archbishop, by his power, increased the punishment, meeting the support of the Privy Council in this.

54. A large number of people who endured suffering and anxiety in order to avoid these misfortunes left our country: some departed for New England and other parts of America, others for Holland.

61. The group of people that is described rose to such a height that they began to reason about bringing their work to completion, which consisted of the following three parts:

62.1. The government must be freed from all restrictions of the law regarding our persons and property.

63. II. Papists and Protestants must be united in their doctrine, internal discipline, and rites; this should not be called papism.

64. III. Puritans, the name by which they group all those who wish to preserve the laws and liberties of the kingdom and keep religion under the latter's rule, must either be thrown out of the kingdom by force or driven out of it by fear.

65. In order to achieve this, they considered it necessary to force Scotland to recognize such papal prejudices and innovations as might make it convenient to unite her with England in the great change that was intended.

67. The Scots also raised an army for their defense.

68. And when both armies converged and prepared for a bloody battle, the noble character of his majesty, advice English nobility and the full awareness of the duty of submissiveness of the Scots prevailed over the evil advice of others to such an extent that a truce was concluded and his majesty returned to London in peace and great honour.

69. An unexpected reconciliation was highly desirable for the whole kingdom, with the exception of the malicious party; its leaders were the Archbishop and the Earl of Strafford; they and their clique again began to plot against the world and create difficulties in public affairs, which so irritated his majesty that he again began to prepare for war.

71.3 For this purpose they persuaded the king to convene a parliament, not to ask his opinion and advice, but to obtain support and funds from him, and to involve the whole kingdom in the conflict.

76. Parliament opened on April 13, 1640. In obedient respect for his Majesty, the House went so far as to meet his desire that it agreed to submit the question of appropriations to its consideration and occupied the discussion for two days. Just to replace the ship's money, 12 subsidies were needed from the Chamber; on the third day, the end of the debate was scheduled. The leaders of the party rather wanted to carry out their criminal plans for Scotland and saw that Parliament was extremely unwilling to give its approval to this war. Therefore, they gave the king the malicious advice to dissolve Parliament and return to the path of confusion, in which their own wicked intentions could most likely count on prosperity and success ...

79. After Parliament was dissolved on May 5, 1640, the said party became so bold that they advised the king to raise funds by withdrawing them from the property of his subjects by his own power, at his own will, without their consent.

83. An attempt was made to obtain money in the City of London by forced borrowing.

84. The Lord Mayor and the Aldermans were ordered to file in their departments lists of persons whom they considered fit to take part in the loan, indicating the sums to which they were to subscribe. Those who refused to do so were prisoners.

92. The Roman archbishops introduced new courts, established taxes, created a state within a state, independent of a government with interests and sympathies opposed to ours; they secretly dismantled the uneducated or negligent mentors of our religion, and united themselves closely against those who firmly held their posts, waiting for an opportunity to destroy by force those whom they had no hope of seducing.

95. His Majesty's treasury was exhausted, his income was squandered before it arrived...

98. The prisons were overcrowded with prisoners; many sheriffs were called to the Star Chamber, and some got swayed because they weren't getting the ship's money fast enough; people perished from grief and fear, there was no hope left.

99. The nobility began to lose patience and were weary of their silence, coming to the realization of their duty and the trust placed in them. Therefore, some of the most ancient families of the nobility submitted a petition to His Majesty ...

105. At the first session of the [Long] Parliament, it seemed that all opposition had disappeared...

106. It was necessary to judge and correct numerous manifestations of evil and decay for 15 years.

111. Six subsidies were granted and a head tax bill was passed.

112. In addition, we solicited a loan from the Scots for £220,000. Art.

113. Ship's dues, which brought the kingdom about 200,000l. Art. per year, were canceled ...

115. All monopolies, some of which have done much harm to the people, have been abolished...

120. Still more virtuous than all this, was to extract the root of all these evils - the claim that his Majesty has an unlimited right to tax his subjects or their property without the consent of Parliament; by a resolution of both chambers and an act of parliament, this was declared to be contrary to the law ...

139. The king's revenues were put on solid ground and put in order, the abuses of officials and unnecessary expenses were eliminated, and the necessary expenses for maintaining the dignity of the king, for protecting the administration of the kingdom were firmly secured.

140. The work of justices of the peace has been regulated and both the red tape and the costs of carrying out trials have been reduced.

141. Reasonable measures have been taken to prevent the export of gold and silver from the country, as well as to prevent the unfavorable exchange rates for international exchange...for the growth of industry and a favorable balance in foreign trade...

143. The opposition, obstruction and other difficulties which we have encountered and which still stand in our way are as follows: the malicious party, which we have previously described as the perpetrators and accomplices of all our misfortunes, has again perked up...

154. We acknowledge with great gratitude that his majesty has approved more good laws for the benefit of his subjects than have been issued in many decades ...

156. In both Houses, we may say with truthfulness and modesty at any rate this: We have always taken great pains not to express any desires that would weaken the crown, both in respect of its revenues and useful power.

158. A well-known limitation of royal power regarding the dissolution of parliament: the crown is not deprived of this right, but its use is delayed - only for this time and this case.

195. For the better protection of the laws and liberties of the realm, it is necessary that all unlawful abuses and claims be judged and punished in sessions and asises.

196. Sheriffs and judges must be sworn that they will carry out the Petition of Right and other laws...

197. That his majesty, in accordance with the respectful request of both houses, appoint those councillors, ambassadors, and others officials for the conduct of his affairs at home and abroad, in whom Parliament had reason to trust, without which we cannot grant subsidies to His Majesty.

204. It is necessary to ensure that his Majesty has reason to love good advice and good people to see your people united in the awareness of duty towards them and in the pursuit of the public good; and to behold that happiness, wealth, peace and security reign in his kingdom.