Christmas is Cancelled! - The National Archives...Christmas is Cancelled! What were Cromwell’s...
17
The National Archives Education Service Christmas is Cancelled! What were Cromwell’s main political and religious aims for the Commonwealth 1650- 1660? Cromwell standing in State as shown in Cromwelliana
Transcript of Christmas is Cancelled! - The National Archives...Christmas is Cancelled! What were Cromwell’s...
The National Archives
Education Service
Christmas is
Cancelled!
What were Cromwell’s main political and religious aims for the Commonwealth 1650-1660?
Cromwell standing in
State as shown in
Cromwelliana
Christmas is Cancelled! What were Cromwell’s main political and religious aims?
2
Background 3
Teacher’s notes 4
Curriculum Connections 5
Source List 5
Tasks 6
Source 1 7
Source 2 9
Source 3 10
Source 4 11
Source 5 12
Source 6 13
Source 7 14
Source 8 15
Source 9 16
This resource was produced using documents from the collections of The National Archives. It can be freely modified and reproduced for use in the classroom only.
Contents
Christmas is Cancelled! What were Cromwell’s main political and religious aims?
3
On 30 January 1649 Charles I the King of England was executed. Since 1642 civil war had raged in England, Scotland and Ireland and men on opposite sides (Royalists and Parliamentarians) fought in battles and sieges that claimed the lives of many. Charles I was viewed by some to be the man responsible for the bloodshed and therefore could not be trusted on the throne any longer. A trial resulted in a guilty verdict and he was executed outside Banqueting House in Whitehall. During the wars Oliver Cromwell had risen amongst Army ranks and he led the successful New Model Army which had helped to secure Parliament’s eventual victory. Cromwell also achieved widespread political influence and was a high profile supporter of the trial and execution of the King. After the King’s execution England remained politically instable. For example, Charles I’s son joined with the Scots in a failed attempt to recapture the throne at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. The Parliament then in power was known as the ‘Rump Parliament’ because it was made up of men who had been elected in 1640 (‘The Long Parliament’) but now only contained those who had been allowed to stay after a purge of Parliament in 1648 by the Army. Over the course of the war the leaders of the Army were increasingly radicalised and soon became impatient with the inactivity of this parliament. In 1653 Oliver Cromwell forcibly removed ‘The Rump’ from power and replaced it with a new group called the Nominated Assembly (also known as ‘Barebone’s Parliament’ or the ‘Parliament of Saints’). This was religiously motivated and designed to put in government those who would push forward religious reform in line with Puritan ideas. These men were unelected, and despite initial feelings of optimism, the experiment failed and lasted less than six months. A new constitution was proposed: an elected governor known as The Lord Protector who would rule with the assistance of a Council of State. In December 1653 Oliver Cromwell was installed as Lord Protector and he moved into the former residence of Charles I at Whitehall Palace. The regime gradually gained more of the trappings of monarchy and there were those who thought Cromwell should be offered the crown in order to promote stability and peace. Cromwell refused to be made King but when he was re-installed as Lord Protector in 1657 his ceremony was reminiscent of a traditional coronation. He also named his heir and successor: his son Richard Cromwell. In September 1658 Oliver Cromwell died and the government was thrown into turmoil. His elected successor Richard came into power but his reign was fraught with difficulties and in less than a year he resigned as Lord Protector. The ‘Rump Parliament’ was reinstated but soon there were calls for the original members, who had been expelled by the Army in 1648, to be reinstated. In February 1660 these men were allowed to return and so the original ‘Long Parliament’ (elected in 1640) once again sat in Westminster and was now known as the Convention Parliament. In May 1660 this Parliament declared Charles II to have been King since the execution of Charles I and invited him to return to England to take up the throne. The decade between the execution of Charles I and the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 was a turbulent period in British history. There were many in the country who wanted to see reforms in religion to make it more Puritan and less like the Catholic Church. However, some groups of people took these ideas further and formed radical groups such as the Quakers who were seen by many as a threat to the regime. There were also political differences over how the country should be governed and whether Cromwell should rule as a monarch rather than as Lord Protector. Finally, despite the end of the civil wars, warfare continued. Parliament embarked on a series of wars with the Dutch Republic over trade and Cromwell went on campaigns in Scotland and Ireland to try to establish the Commonwealth and subdue opposition. This resource contains original sources written by people who observed and reported on these events. Their accounts contain clues about Cromwell’s main aims during this period, as well as the difficulties that he came up against trying to implement them.
Background
Christmas is Cancelled! What were Cromwell’s main political and religious aims?
4
This lesson could be used as part of a teaching programme for any of the thematic studies for the GCSE
history courses relating to the study of Warfare and British society or Power and Authority. The documents
provided here give some insight into aspects of domestic and foreign policy during the Commonwealth period
under Oliver Cromwell when England was a republic. The sources for example reveal the impact of puritan
beliefs on the celebration of Christmas, the nature of martial law, Cromwell’s treatment of royalist supporters,
his foreign policy and its effects at home. Other documents provide evidence of Charles II’s court in exile and
some detail surrounding the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.
We hope that these records will offer students a chance to develop their powers of evaluation and analysis.
Teachers may also wish to use the sources to develop their own lessons in a different way or combine with
them other sources available from our Civil War website which has a whole section devoted to Oliver
Cromwell based on extracts of his speeches and letters and sources from others writing about him.
All sources in this lesson have been provided with a transcript (modernised in some cases) and more difficult
language has been explained in square brackets to support students. Obvious differences in the spelling have
not been altered. Each source is captioned and dated to provide a sense of what the document is about.
Please note that some of the letters in this lesson were written to or from somebody called ‘Secretary
Nicholas’. He was Secretary of State for Charles II, son of the executed Charles I. ‘Secretary Nicholas’ was
living in exile in Europe and he kept in regular contact with people in England to keep informed about what
was happening and the likelihood of Charles II returning to the throne. Therefore teachers could by way of
extension ask their students to:
Re-look at the letters and identify which ones were to or from ‘Secretary Nicholas’.
Consider if this might affect the accuracy of the information contained within the letters and/or if
they might alter any of their answers to the questions.
Consider why some of these letters are now included in government papers.
Finally, all of the letters used in this lesson were written to inform their readers about England in the 1650s.
Some were written by people loyal to Cromwell and others written by Royalists, were not. Thus, students
could also write their own letter using the sources:
Imagine you are living in England in the 1650s and have a friend living abroad who wants to know
what life was like. Use the sources in this activity to compile your own account.
Decide if you want to support Cromwell and his regime or the exiled King Charles II and try to make
your report persuasive.
External links
The National Archives’ Civil War website
(http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/civilwar/)
Oliver Cromwell: his life, legacy and significance (http://www.olivercromwell.org/) Professor John Morrill considers why Oliver Cromwell remains one of the country’s most controversial public figures (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/cromwell_01.shtml)
Teacher’s notes
Christmas is Cancelled! What were Cromwell’s main political and religious aims?
5
Key stage 3 The development of Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745 Key stage 4 AQA GCSE History (8145) Thematic study 2B Britain: Power and the People c1170 to the present day, part two: Challenging royal authority: the short and long term impact of the English Revolution including the significance of trial and execution of Charles I and Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth. Edexcel GCSE History (9-1) Unit: Warfare and British Society, c1250-present, option 12, Warfare and English Society in the Early Modern Period: the experience of war. OCR GCSE History A, Explaining the Modern World (J410). Unit: War and British Society c.790-2010: Charles I’s personal rule 1629–1640; the Civil Wars and the abolition of the monarchy; the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660. Source 1: Report of Sir Henry Mildmay to the Council of State, 15 December 1650 (SP 25/15 pp. 54-55) Source 2: Extract from a letter from Sir George Radcliffe to [Secretary Nicholas], 2 September 1650 (SP 18/11 f2) Source 3: Letter George Dawson to the Admiralty Committee, 12 May 1652 (SP 18/36, ff. 79-80) Source 4: Extract from a letter [Secretary Nicholas] to Jos. Jane, 4 March 1655 (SP 18/125, ff. 9-11) Source 5: Extract from a letter [Secretary Nicholas] to Jos. Jane, 4 March 1655 (SP 18/125, ff. 9-11) Source 6: Letter from Captain Henry Hatsell to Colonel Jno. Clarke, Admiralty Chamber, Whitehall, 18 April 1655 (SP 18/96 f. 78) Source 7: Extract from letter to Charles Perrott to Jos. Williamson, Saumur, 25 January 1657 (SP 18/153, ff. 97-98) Source 8: Extract from letter from Charles Perrott to Williamson, 6 March 1657 (SP 18/154, f. 25) Source 9: Letter from William Downeman alias Mr. Mills to Thomas Betts [alias Sec. Nicholas] 16 March, 1660 ‘Flanders Correspondence’ (SP 77/33 ff. 31-33)
Connections to the Curriculum
Sources
Christmas is Cancelled! What were Cromwell’s main political and religious aims?
6
Source One: Questions What is the attitude of author of this report towards the celebration of Christmas Day? Can you explain his views? What does this report reveal about popular attitudes towards the celebration of Christmas? How would you explain them? Source Two: Questions What does this letter suggest about the success of Cromwell’s armies in Scotland and Ireland? Source Three: Questions How did the keelmen feel towards naval service? How might you explain this? How did they try to avoid being put on board ships? Source Four: Questions What purpose would Cromwell and the Major Generals have had for punishing those who had fought for the King by taking away their estates? Do you think that the writer of this letter supported the rule of the Major Generals? Explain your answer. Source Five: Questions According to this letter, do you think the men who went to sea for the Western Design supported Cromwell? What is going to happen to “2,000 young women of England”? The author writes that these women had “lent the rebellious State” their “silver thimbles and bodkins” because many women gave their family silver to the Parliamentarian war effort in the 1640s. What do you think the writer of this letter thought of that? Source Six: Questions What does this source tell us about the way in which Penruddock was dealt with by the government following his failed uprising? What reasons do you think Penruddock would have had to rise up in rebellion against the government? What does this source reveal about the judicial system during the Commonwealth? Source Seven: Questions What do you think the writer meant by the phrase “that would have sent the Protector to heaven in a fiery chariot”. What might have been the causes of these plots and treasons in Cromwell’s England? Source Eight: Questions What might the reasons have been for people wanting Cromwell to become King of England? What might the reasons have been for people not wanting Cromwell to becoming King of England? Source Nine: Questions Does this letter suggest that people in the country at large were pleased that England would have a King again? What tells you this? Is there any reason to doubt if this letter is a complete picture of the opinions of ordinary people in 1660?
Tasks
So
urc
e O
ne
- R
ep
ort
of
Sir
He
nry
Mil
dm
ay
to
th
e C
ou
nci
l o
f S
tate
, 15
De
cem
be
r 1
65
0
Ch
rist
mas
is
Can
cell
ed!
Wh
at w
ere
Cro
mw
ell’s
main
po
liti
cal an
d r
elig
iou
s ai
ms?
7
Sir Hen. Mildmay to report to Parliament that Council have received informations that there was very wilful and strict observation of the day commonly called Christmas Day, throughout the cities of London and Westminster, by a general keeping of shops shut up; and that there were contemptuous [disrespectful] speeches used by some in favour thereof, which Council conceives to be upon the old grounds of superstition [belief usually founded on ignorance or fear] and malignancy [evil/hostile], and tending to the avowing of the same, and contempt of the present laws and Government, and therefore request Parliament to consider further provisions [laws] and penalties for abolishing and punishing those old superstitious observations, and meeting with such malicious contradiction of offenders in that behalf. Also that they have received information of frequent resort and exercise of the idolatrous [worship of idols or false gods] mass [celebration of the Eucharist in the Catholic Church], to the great dishonour of Almighty God, notorious breach of the laws, and scandal of the Government, wherein they have already taken some course, and desire Parliament to take that matter also into consideration, for further remedies and suppression of that idolatry. That Council are also informed that the arms and pictures of the late King still remain in several churches and halls, and upon the gates and other public places of the city of London, and request Parliament to appoint some person to see the same taken down and defaced, and give an account of the execution of the same within a limited time as they shall think right to allow for that purpose.
Source One: Transcript
Christmas is Cancelled! What were Cromwell’s main political and religious aims?
Ch
rist
mas
is
Can
cell
ed!
Wh
at w
ere
Cro
mw
ell’s
main
po
liti
cal an
d r
elig
iou
s ai
ms?
So
urc
e T
wo
- Ex
tra
ct f
rom
a l
ett
er
to S
ecr
eta
ry N
ich
ola
s, S
ep
tem
be
r 1
65
0
…C
rom
wel
l m
ust
fig
ht
or
be
go
ne
[fro
m
Sco
tlan
d]. H
is m
en e
at n
oth
ing b
ut
bre
ad
and
ch
eese
, dri
nk
ill
wat
er, a
nd
lie
on
th
e gro
un
d w
ith
ou
t h
uts
, wh
ich
th
ey w
ill n
ot
lon
g e
nd
ure
. He
has
pro
bab
ly l
ost
2,0
00
m
en i
n k
ille
d, w
ou
nd
ed, a
nd
ru
n a
way
; 4
00
of
his
men
cam
e o
ver
to t
he
Sco
ts;
they
wo
uld
no
t su
ffer
th
em t
o s
tay in
th
e ar
my, b
ut
sen
t th
em in
to g
oo
d q
uar
ters
, u
nd
er t
he
com
man
d o
f W
eld
on
. Th
ey a
re
thin
kin
g o
f a
mo
del
fo
r an
arm
y t
o w
ait
on
th
e K
ing in
to E
ngla
nd
, bu
t C
rom
wel
l m
ust
be
bea
ten
or
reti
re f
irst
. So
mu
ch f
or
Sco
tlan
d.
Ou
t o
f Ir
elan
d a
ll I
hea
r is
th
at t
he
pla
gu
e h
as m
ade
a h
orr
id d
eso
lati
on
th
ere;
1,1
00
a
wee
k d
ied
in
Du
bli
n; C
on
nau
gh
t is
cle
ar,
and
kep
t b
y L
ord
Cla
nri
card
e, w
ho
has
a
pre
tty [
skilfu
l] a
rmy, a
nd
so
has
C
astl
ehav
en; b
ut
they
hav
e n
o m
ean
s to
h
old
th
em in
a b
od
y t
hre
e w
eeks
to
get
her
, b
ut
mu
st q
uar
ter
them
ab
road
. Hu
gh
O’
Nei
le, (
nep
hew
of
Ow
en, w
ho
def
end
ed
Clo
nm
el s
o g
alla
ntl
y),
has
gat
her
ed u
p
2,0
00
or
3,0
00
men
, th
e re
lics
of
the
Bis
ho
p o
f C
logh
er’s
arm
y in
Uls
ter,
an
d is
con
sid
erab
le t
o t
he
enem
y. O
n t
he
oth
er
sid
e, I
reto
n [
Cro
mw
ell’s
off
icer
] is
wea
k in
fo
ot;
on
ly t
he
Sco
ts h
ave
no
w r
ecru
ited
h
im in
Uls
ter,
bu
t h
e h
as 6
,00
0 h
ors
e [t
roo
ps
that
fo
ugh
t m
ou
nte
d a
s ca
valr
y]
in
seve
ral
pla
ces.
Th
ere
was
a t
alk
that
th
ree
regim
ents
of
the
ho
rse
wo
uld
be
sen
t to
En
gla
nd
. 9
So
urc
e T
hre
e -
Le
tte
r to
th
e A
dm
ira
lty
Co
mm
itte
e, M
ay
16
52
Mr
Taylo
r ha
th a
ll th
e a
ssis
tan
ce
th
e M
ayo
r or
myse
lf c
an
affo
rd h
im in t
his
rais
ing o
f m
en
. It is s
ad
to
th
ink w
ha
t an
un
willin
gne
ss
we
fin
d in
marine
rs (
how
th
ey h
ide
th
em
se
lves).
Non
e is g
otte
n b
ut a
s t
he
y a
re ta
ken
ou
t of
the
ir b
ed
s a
t m
idn
igh
t. A
fte
r, a
bo
ut 3
0 o
r
40
are
gott
en
an
d a
s th
ey a
re t
ake
n, a
nd
im
pre
sse
d m
one
y [
mon
ey p
aid
aft
er
men
ha
ve
ente
red
se
rvic
e]
giv
en
, th
ey r
un
aw
ay. S
o
no
w w
e a
re c
on
str
ain
ed
to
se
nd
the
m d
ow
n to
Tyn
mo
uth
Ca
stle
and
the
re s
ha
ll b
e k
ep
t un
til th
e f
irst
sh
ips th
at
ca
ll h
ere
an
d t
he
n
sh
all
be s
en
t o
n b
oa
rd. S
om
e w
ere
so
refr
acto
ry [stu
bb
orn
or
un
man
age
ab
le]
tha
t th
e m
ayo
r w
as c
on
str
ain
ed
to s
en
d th
em
to
priso
n a
nd
fro
m th
en
ce w
ill b
e s
en
t d
ow
n t
o T
yn
mo
uth
Ca
stle
and
so o
nbo
ard
.
Ch
rist
mas
is
Can
cell
ed!
W
hat
wer
e C
rom
wel
l’s
main
po
liti
cal an
d r
elig
iou
s ai
ms?
10
So
urc
e F
ou
r- E
xtr
act
fro
m a
le
tte
r to
Se
cre
tary
Nic
ho
las,
Ma
rch
16
55
Sev
eral
per
son
s ar
e n
ow
seq
ues
trat
ed [
hel
d in
cu
sto
dy a
nd
fo
rced
to
giv
e u
p t
hei
r es
tate
s] f
or
bei
ng in
th
e la
te K
ing’s
gar
riso
ns
in t
ime
of
war
, th
ou
gh
th
ey o
nly
liv
ed t
her
e b
ecau
se t
hei
r es
tate
s w
ere
ther
e, a
nd
nev
er a
cted
; bu
t n
oth
ing w
ill
sati
sfy t
he
Maj
ors
Gen
eral
, w
ho
se w
ills
are
law
s in
th
e co
un
try
. I a
m v
ery s
orr
y f
or
the
suff
erin
gs
of
thes
e n
eute
rs [
peo
ple
wh
o d
id n
ot
take
sid
es, w
ere
neu
tral
]. I
hea
r H
een
vlie
t’s
dau
gh
ter
is c
om
e to
Ho
llan
d t
o m
arry
So
mer
dik
e’s
son
, bu
t I
thin
k so
wis
e a
man
will
mar
ry h
is s
on
in
to s
om
e n
ob
le
fam
ily. W
hen
do
Hee
nvl
iet
and
his
lad
y g
o f
or
Fran
ce?
Lad
y H
um
e is
dan
ger
ou
sly ill. [
4 p
ages
; th
e it
alic
s ar
e in
cyp
her
, un
de
cyp
her
ed.]
Ch
rist
mas
is
Can
cell
ed!
Wh
at w
ere
Cro
mw
ell’s
main
po
liti
cal an
d r
elig
iou
s ai
ms?
11
So
urc
e F
ive
- Ex
tra
ct f
rom
a l
ett
er
to S
ecr
eta
ry N
ich
ola
s, M
arc
h 1
65
5 (
2)
Th
e fl
eet
in t
he
Do
wn
s is
ver
y m
uti
no
us.
B
lake
an
d M
on
tagu
e w
ere
sen
t b
y
Cro
mw
ell
to p
acif
y t
he
seam
en, w
ho
are
an
gry
bec
ause
Law
son
is
no
t V
ice-
adm
iral
. Cro
mw
ell
too
k h
is c
om
mis
sio
n
fro
m h
im, s
usp
ecti
ng h
im t
o h
ave
had
a
han
d in
las
t yea
r’s
mu
tin
y. B
adiley
tak
es
his
pla
ce, b
ut
is n
ot
so w
ell
bel
ove
d a
s th
e o
ther
. Th
e d
isco
nte
nt
amo
ng
seam
en is
so g
ener
al t
hat
, if
they
had
kn
ow
n t
hey
wo
uld
hav
e se
curi
ty in
th
e K
ing o
f Sp
ain
’s p
ort
s, b
y h
is h
avin
g
mad
e a
fast
co
nju
nct
ion
[jo
ined
] w
ith
o
ur
Kin
g, m
any, n
ay m
ost
of
the
flee
t w
ou
ld h
ave
aban
do
ned
Cro
mw
ell,
wh
o
is s
aid
to
be
mo
st o
dio
us
amo
ng t
he
seam
en. Y
ou
will h
ave
hea
rd o
f th
e
ord
ers
for
pre
ssin
g 2
,00
0 y
ou
ng w
om
en
in E
ngla
nd
to
be
sen
t to
th
e W
est
Ind
ies;
4
00
are
alr
ead
y p
ut
into
10
sh
ips
that
ar
e so
on
to
be
sen
t w
ith
pro
visi
on
s fo
r Ja
mai
ca. T
his
is
an e
xcel
len
t ex
ped
ien
t [a
pp
rop
riat
e so
luti
on
fo
r n
ow
] to
pay
th
e go
dly
wo
men
fo
r th
eir
silv
er
thim
ble
s an
d b
od
kin
s, len
t th
e re
bel
lio
us
Sta
te a
t th
e b
egin
nin
g o
f th
e re
bel
lio
n,
for
in t
ho
se In
die
s, t
hey
may
hav
e w
edges
an
d in
go
ts o
f si
lver
, to
mak
e th
imb
les
and
bo
dki
ns
for
all th
e h
oly
si
ster
s in
En
gla
nd
. Cap
t. C
arey
has
b
rou
gh
t in
to D
un
kirk
3 E
nglish
pri
zes,
w
ort
h 2
,00
0 l
. [£
2,0
00
] o
r 3
,00
0 l
.
[£3
,00
0]
Ch
rist
mas
is
Can
cell
ed!
Wh
at w
ere
Cro
mw
ell’s
main
po
liti
cal an
d r
elig
iou
s ai
ms?
12
So
urc
e S
ix-
Lett
er
to t
he
Ad
mir
alt
y a
t W
hit
eh
all
, Ap
ril
16
55
(Lef
t) -
I c
ame
her
e yes
terd
ay, a
nd
th
e as
size
s co
mm
ence
d t
o-d
ay, w
hen
th
e ju
ries
wer
e em
pan
elle
d [
sele
cted
], a
nd
10
of
the
insu
rrec
tio
nis
ts
wer
e ar
raig
ned
[ca
lled
to
co
urt
], b
ut
on
ly P
enru
dd
ock
tri
ed; h
e w
as
fou
nd
gu
ilty
of
hig
h t
reas
on
; th
e o
ther
9 w
ill
be
trie
d t
om
orr
ow
.
(Bel
ow
) -
Pen
rud
do
ck c
hal
len
ged
22
ju
rym
en, w
ith
ou
t sh
ow
ing a
ny
cau
se, b
efo
re 1
2 c
ou
ld b
e sw
orn
, an
d a
s th
e re
st m
ay d
o t
he
sam
e, it
will
cau
se t
he
tria
ls t
o b
e lo
ng; b
ut
it is
the
law
, an
d o
ugh
t to
be
sub
mit
ted
to
. I m
ust
be
her
e, f
or
the
pri
son
ers
den
y a
t th
e b
ar w
hat
th
ey c
on
fess
ed a
t th
eir
firs
t ex
amin
atio
n.
Ch
rist
mas
is
Can
cell
ed!
Wh
at w
ere
Cro
mw
ell’s
main
po
liti
cal an
d r
elig
iou
s ai
ms?
13
So
urc
e S
ev
en
- Ex
tra
ct f
rom
le
tte
r w
ith
ne
ws
fro
m C
ha
rle
s II
in
ex
ile
, Ja
nu
ary
16
57
… I
wo
uld
sen
d y
ou
th
e G
azet
te [
off
icia
l jo
urn
al o
r n
ewsp
aper
] b
ut
it w
ill
on
ly t
ell
yo
u
ho
w t
he
Kin
g [
Ch
arle
s II
] d
ance
d, h
ow
his
gu
ard
o
f 1
00
gen
tlem
en l
iked
th
e b
lue
live
ry, a
nd
w
her
e th
e Q
uee
n [
Hen
riet
ta M
aria
, his
mo
ther
] sa
id h
er A
ve M
aria
s [C
ath
olic
Lati
n p
rayer
s]
Th
e n
ews
fro
m E
ngla
nd
is
of
plo
ts a
nd
tr
easo
ns,
yea
r o
f gu
np
ow
der
tre
aso
ns,
th
at
wo
uld
hav
e se
nt
the
Pro
tect
or
to h
eave
n in
a
fier
y c
har
iot.
Fiv
e o
f h
is g
uar
ds
are
imp
riso
ned
as
act
ors
in
th
e in
ten
ded
tra
ged
y, b
ut
the
pri
me
plo
tter
, th
ey s
ay, w
as L
amb
ert,
wh
o w
as
wit
hin
an
in
ch o
f ex
ecu
tio
n. T
his
new
s is
in
a
lett
er f
rom
yo
un
g D
e B
ou
rdea
ux
to h
is f
ath
er.
I su
pp
ose
yo
u h
ave
hear
d o
f th
e d
iffe
ren
ce
bet
wee
n t
he
Kin
g a
nd
th
e D
uke
of
Yo
rk
[Ch
arle
s’s
bro
ther
Jam
es]
abo
ut
Sir
Jo
hn
B
erkl
ey, t
he
Kin
g p
refe
rrin
g t
o l
eave
his
bro
ther
th
an p
art
wit
h s
uch
a s
erva
nt.
I h
ear
the
bu
sin
ess
is c
om
po
sed
, an
d t
he
Du
ke r
etu
rned
to
Bru
ges
, wh
ere
the
levi
es g
o o
n s
low
ly
eno
ugh
. Th
e Ir
ish
exp
ecte
d o
ut
of
the
Fren
ch
arm
y p
ay t
hei
r d
uty
in
exc
use
s; t
hei
r an
swer
—es
pec
iall
y y
ou
ng M
usk
erry
’s—
bei
ng t
hat
th
ey
kno
w n
ot
ho
w t
o d
isp
ense
wit
h t
hei
r en
gag
emen
t to
th
e Fr
ench
.
Ch
rist
mas
is
Can
cell
ed!
Wh
at w
ere
Cro
mw
ell’s
main
po
liti
cal an
d r
elig
iou
s ai
ms?
14
So
urc
e E
igh
t- E
xtr
act
fro
m l
ett
er
wit
h n
ew
s a
bo
ut
the
co
ron
ati
on
of
Cro
mw
ell
, Ma
rch
16
57
Th
ere
is m
uch
tal
k o
f a
coro
nat
ion
at
Lon
do
n; t
he
lett
ers
say it
has
bee
n v
ote
d in
Par
liam
ent,
op
po
sed
on
ly b
y 1
4, b
ut
his
Hig
hn
ess
[Cro
mw
ell]
will n
ot
acce
pt
it
un
less
it
pas
s n
em. c
on
. [La
tin
: ‘n
emin
e co
ntr
adic
ente
’ m
ean
ing w
ith
ou
t o
pp
osi
tio
n]
Th
e b
reac
h b
etw
een
th
e K
ing [
Ch
arle
s II]
and
Du
ke o
f Y
ork
[h
is y
ou
nger
b
roth
er J
ames
] is
no
t q
uit
e m
ade
up
; po
or
ho
pes
of
a ki
ngd
om
div
ided
, or
of
bro
ther
s w
her
e th
e b
on
d o
f u
nit
y is
bro
ken
.
P.S
.—M
r. F
ull
er, t
he
ambas
sad
or’
s ch
apla
in, t
ells
us
the
coro
nat
ion
is
a ce
rtai
n t
hin
g, a
nd
will su
rely
co
me
to p
ass
soo
n.
Ch
rist
mas
is
Can
cell
ed!
Wh
at w
ere
Cro
mw
ell’s
main
po
liti
cal an
d r
elig
iou
s ai
ms?
15
Source Nine - Letter to Secretary Nicholas about the restoration of the monarchy, March 1660
Christmas is Cancelled! What were Cromwell’s main political and religious aims?
16
This day the House was expected to dissolve, according to their votes and engagements to the General and
nation, but the militias of the counties not being yet passed, and other business unperfected, they voted the
General 20,000l., haply not so much to preserve Hampton Court to the right owner, as to oblige him to
tolerate their longer sitting, that they may do what they see now must be done, — accommodate with the
King for the public weal [welfare] and their own. The votes of the House that dissolved the House of Peers are
now dissolved themselves, and the engagement for a Republic, without King or House of Lords, is null [void]
and vacated, so that now we have King and Lords in formality of their own law, though not yet in present
sitting and splendour. Yesterday the very characters “Exit tyrannus” that murdered the late King [Charles I] ,
and were set over the place for his statue in the Old Change, were by order publicly obliterated at noon, and
“Vive le Roy” put up instead. There were bonfires in and about the Change.
The pulpits, the press, the people in city and counties, with much impatience call for their King, and a sure
peace in him, and seemingly the chief powers incline that way. I presume the present Parliament understands
their interests so well that they will use all their master-art to be the instrument of restoring the nation
thereto. Many knowing men think that Monk [George Monck] aims at that honour himself.
The secluded members are unwilling to run the hazard of the elections. The counties have more honesty and
wit than they had, and they paid dearly for it. They would fain [be compelled] cast off those heavy chains of
an immortal [everlasting] Parliament.
Source Nine - Transcript
Christmas is Cancelled! What were Cromwell’s main political and religious aims?
17
