Wrong but Wromantic/Right but Repulsive - Part 2 Quiz

Answer: Putney

In August 1647, the Army seized London from the English Presbyterians. Following this, radical elements of the Army published their proposals for a new constitution featuring ideas such as universal male suffrage - a belief primarily held by the Levellers - biennial parliaments, supreme authority vested in the House of Commons rather than the Sovereign and House of Lords, freedom of conscience and equality before the law. Agents of the radical members of the Army were subsequently invited to discuss these proposals with the Army Council at Putney in October 1647.

Although a modified agreement between the two sides was reached, the escape of the King from custody meant more pressing matters became apparent.

Answer: Parliament

In November 1647, the King escaped the custody of the Army and made his way to Southampton Water, where he made contact with Robert Hammond, the Governor of the Isle of Wight, whom he believed to be sympathetic to the Royalist cause. However, Hammond confined Charles in Carisbrooke Castle and informed Parliament that he had captured the King.

Answer: New Model Army

Following the end of the First Civil War, Parliament sought to curb the increasing power of the Army through disbanding it, which would also reduce the power of the religious Independents within it. These Independents sought to introduce ideas of local congregational control and religious toleration that were anathema to both the Royalist Episcopalians and Parliamentary Presbyterians.

As a result, these disparate groups joined together in an effort to crush the influence of the Army.

Answer: Pembroke Castle

Colonel John Poyer, the governor of Pembroke Castle, had been ordered to turn command over to an officer of the New Model Army, but refused, and was soon joined in this act of disobedience by several hundreds of his officers and men. This encouraged further rebellion in many areas of England, Ireland and Scotland, leading to Poyer openly declaring support for the King and leading a revolt throughout South Wales.

Answer: A Royalist deserter

The revolt in Kent had led to Royalist forces taking the castles at Walmer, Deal and Sandown. Although the Parliamentary force, under Colonel Nathaniel Rich, was able to retake Walmer Castle, it was insufficient to successfully besiege both Deal and Sandown simultaneously. Additionally, Rich's force at Deal was bombarded by warships in the English Channel.

These ships were primarily there to land Royalist reinforcements in secret. However, the element of surprise was lost when a deserter informed the Parliamentary forces of the plan. Of the 800 soldiers landed, less than 100 managed to escape to the ships, with another 300 reaching Sandown Castle.

Answer: Prince of Wales

Following a period living in Europe, the Prince of Wales became more active in fighting and, following the Naval Mutiny of June 1648, took command of the small force of warships from Chatham that had declared loyalty to the King. The fleet sailed from the Netherlands in July, but met with little success.

The attempted naval action came to a head in August when the Prince of Wales's force was met by a small fleet commanded by the Earl of Warwick, the commander of Parliament's naval forces, in the Thames Estuary. Any attempt at fighting was prevented by bad weather, and the Prince's fleet returned to the Netherlands on 31 August.

Answer: John Lambert

Lambert's force of approximately 4,000 was significantly outnumbered by the Duke of Hamilton's army, but was reinforced by Oliver Cromwell, who brought up to 5,000 additional soldiers following the capture of Pembroke Castle. However, the poor weather conditions led to significant numbers of Hamilton's army deserting. Upon Cromwell's arrival, he assumed command of the overall Parliamentary army from Lambert.

This was Cromwell's first action in sole command, and resulted in a decisive victory.

Answer: Forty days

Although a maximum of forty days was set out for the negotiations, extensions were granted as there was significant desire for agreement to be reached. Although the negotiations reached a seventieth day, with Presbyterian MPs prepared to continue, radicals in the Army lost patience and saw no conclusion reachable via this method.

When Parliament suggested that the King be brought to London to conclude the negotiations, the Army instead took the decision to move the King into their custody at Hurst Castle, before setting in motion plans to put the King on trial.

Answer: Rump Parliament

Colonel Thomas Pride, under orders from Henry Ireton, forcibly removed roughly half of the sitting members of the House of Commons, with 45 of them placed under arrest. This left approximately 200 MPs in total, creating what became known as the Rump Parliament.

This was the first recorded use of the word "rump", normally meaning the hind-end of a mammal, in this context, when the Parliament was described by Clement Walker in "Anarchia Anglicana" in 1649 as "This fagge end, this Rump of a Parliament with corrupt Maggots in it."

Answer: Fifty-nine

Following the conclusion of the trial, 57 of the commissioners sitting in judgement over the King signed the death warrant, with two more adding their names subsequently. On 30 January 1649, the day after the submission of the death warrant, the King was beheaded outside the Banqueting House of the Palace of Whitehall. On the same day, Parliament passed an Act preventing any other individual from claiming the title of King, while on 17 March 1649 a further Act was passed abolishing the monarchy itself. With this, England became a republic.