Treaty of Ripon

Last updated

Treaty of Ripon
TreatyOfRiponPlaque.jpg
Plaque commemorating the signing of the treaty
Context Bishops' Wars
Drafted16 October 1640
Signed28 October 1640
Location Ripon
Negotiators
Original
signatories		 Charles I
Parties

The Treaty of Ripon was a truce between Charles I, King of England, and the Covenanters, a Scottish political movement, which brought a cessation of hostilities to the Second Bishops' War.

Contents

The Covenanter movement had arisen in opposition to attempts by Charles, who was also King of Scotland, to reform the Church of Scotland to bring it into closer alignment with the Church of England. In 1638, the Covenanters gained political supremacy in Scotland and the next year Charles mobilised to restore his authority over Scotland by force. Though a truce was negotiated in June 1639 it did not resolve fundamental issues and the political struggle continued into the next year. To gain the funds for a second military action against the Scots, Charles called a new English parliament - the first in 11 years. However, when it assembled in April 1640, the parliament would not agree to supply funds for his renewed war effort unless he first addressed various long-standing grievances. Unwilling to do so, Charles dissolved what became known as the Short Parliament after only three weeks and again prepared for war using his own resources.

In August 1640, a Scots Covenanter army invaded England, won a decisive victory at the Battle of Newburn and proceeded to occupy Northumberland, County Durham, and Newcastle upon Tyne. Charles assembled the Great Council of Peers to negotiate with the Scots. The two sides met in Ripon near York where the Scots agreed to a cessation of hostilities provided they were paid daily expenses indefinitely until a final settlement could be negotiated and ratified by a new English parliament.

Over the next year, further negotiations in London led eventually to a formal peace treaty ending the Bishops' Wars. Meanwhile, the Long Parliament, as it became known, was strongly opposed to the King and his government and passed a series of acts which meant Charles could no longer dissolve it at will. Antagonism between the King and the Parliament escalated to armed conflict in 1642: the start of the English Civil War.

Background

National Covenant

Signing of the National Covenant in Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh The Signing of the National Covenant in Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh.jpg
Signing of the National Covenant in Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh

The Protestant Reformation created a Church of Scotland, or 'kirk', Presbyterian in structure, and Calvinist in doctrine. While 'Presbyterian' and 'Episcopalian' now implies differences in both governance and doctrine, this was not the case in the 17th century. Episcopalian structures were governed by bishops, usually appointed by the monarch, Presbyterian by presbyters, elected by ministers and elders. [1] Arguments over the role of bishops were as much about politics and the power of the monarch as religious practice. [2]

When James VI and I succeeded as king of England in 1603, he viewed a unified Church of Scotland and England as the first step in creating a centralised, Unionist state. [3] This policy was adopted by his son, Charles I, but the two were very different in doctrine, while English Puritans also objected to proposed reforms to the Church of England. [4]

In 1636, a new Book of Canons replaced John Knox's Book of Discipline and excommunicated anyone who denied the King's supremacy in church matters. [5] Charles failed to consult either the kirk or the Scottish Parliament, and these reforms caused outrage in Scotland. [6] When followed in 1637 by a new Book of Common Prayer, it resulted in riots, and in February 1638, representatives from all sections of Scottish society agreed a National Covenant, pledging resistance to liturgical 'innovations.' [7] It tapped into widespread dissatisfaction with the policies advocated by a largely absentee monarch, and the loss of Scottish political influence to England. [8] The Covenant was supported by most of the nobility, including the Marquess of Argyll and six other members of the Scottish Privy Council. [9]

Although Charles agreed to defer discussion of the new canons to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, he made it clear he had no intention of making any concessions. When the Assembly gathered in Glasgow in December it rejected the changes, expelled bishops from the kirk, and affirmed its right to meet annually, not just when the king agreed. The Marquis of Hamilton advised Charles there was now no alternative to war. [10] With the Scottish Parliament recruiting soldiers and seeking support from foreign governments and English Puritans, Charles decided to treat this as an act of rebellion and responded by gathering an army to march on Scotland. [11]

Bishops' Wars

In March 1639 Covenanter forces seized Edinburgh and other Scottish towns, starting the First Bishops' War, which ended without a battle in June by the Treaty of Berwick. [12] Following this, Charles called the Short Parliament in April 1640, seeking funds for a second campaign; when Parliament refused to approve taxes until he had agreed to address other issues, it was dissolved after only three weeks, ahead of a debate likely to result in a petition against the war in Scotland. [13] Instead, Charles turned to the Parliament of Ireland for funds, [14] and planned another invasion of Scotland supported by an army from Ireland, a naval blockade of the Forth, and an uprising in the Highlands. [11]

The success of the Covenanters in asserting the rights of Parliament in Scotland emboldened Charles' English opponents, led by John Pym, who began secret talks with the Scots. Seeking to limit royal authority in England, this group represented a much broader body of dissenters who had been alienated by Charles' policies during his over a decade-long period of Personal Rule. [15] With this invitation, and warned about the king's plans by allies from within the English parliament, the Covenanters launched an invasion of England, bypassing the heavily defended city of Berwick, starting the Second Bishops’ War. [16] At the Battle of Newburn, 28 August 1640, the English army was routed by Scottish forces who then captured Newcastle two days later [14] before continuing their advance south, occupying Durham and establishing an advanced line on the River Tees on 18 September. [17]

Negotiations

With Newcastle, along with most of Northumberland and Durham, under the control of the Covenanters, Charles called a meeting of the Great Council of Peers in York, the first time this body had met for a century. [11] [16] The Council declined to assume the functions of Parliament, but did negotiate the treaty with the Covenanters. [18]

Meanwhile, the Scottish army was facing shortages of supply and started collecting moneys from the nearby shires and church properties, as well as from Newcastle itself in order to pay for the continued upkeep of the army. This shortage of supplies did confer a negotiating advantage to the Covenanters though. With incidents of pillaging by soldiers already being reported, the English lords did not want to see the army become a mob living in the area of Newcastle, but Charles could not afford to pay the invaders' demands without the tax-raising powers of Parliament, making a settlement involving both king and Parliament inevitable. [17] In collaboration with the king's opponents the Covenanters also refused to withdraw until Charles summoned the English Parliament. [19]

Terms

Map showing territorial implications of the treaty. In light blue is territory occupied by Scotland following the treaty. Treaty of Ripon.svg
Map showing territorial implications of the treaty. In light blue is territory occupied by Scotland following the treaty.

Under the terms of the treaty the Scots continued to occupy Northumberland and Durham, and were to receive expenses of £850 a day starting from 16 October paid from England, but agreed to a temporary cessation of hostilities. [20] [21] This situation was to continue until a full settlement was agreed. [20] The Scottish Government was also to be reimbursed for its expenses in the war. [22]

Though humiliating for Charles, he was desperate to stop the Covenanters from taking York and, with little support from his peers, his options were limited, and he was compelled to agree terms. [16] [23]

Terms were finalised on 16 October, and accepted by Charles on the 28th. [17] Negotiations on the permanent settlement would continue for another 10 months until August 1641, when the Treaty of London was signed. [22]

Aftermath

Charles issued writs for what became known as the Long Parliament, which assembled on 3 November 1640. Since the Scots made it clear they would only return home once paid, and would only agree terms with Parliament, Charles was now faced with a body that he could not dissolve at will. [11] [14] During this time the Covenanters used their army's continued presence in England to strengthen the position of the king's English opponents. [20]

Over the next few months, Parliament voted to ensure it could not be dissolved without its own consent, imprisoned Archbishop Laud, and executed the Earl of Strafford. [24] Only then did it agree the Treaty of London on 10 August 1641, which agreed to pay the Scots £300,000 to cover the costs of the war. [22] The Covenanters' army then returned to Scotland, where most of it was disbanded. [20]

Disputes between Charles and Parliament continued to escalate, culminating in the attempted arrest of the Five Members in January 1642. Charles left London and began rallying support for his cause; the First English Civil War began on 22 August 1642. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English Civil War</span> Series of wars in England, 1642–1651

The English Civil War refers to a series of civil wars and political machinations between Royalists and Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms, the struggle consisted of the First English Civil War and the Second English Civil War. The Anglo-Scottish War of 1650 to 1652 is sometimes referred to as the Third English Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solemn League and Covenant</span> 1643 agreement between Scottish Covenanters and English Parliamentarians

The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians in 1643 during the First English Civil War, a theatre of conflict in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. On 17 August 1643, the Church of Scotland accepted it and on 25 September 1643 so did the English Parliament and the Westminster Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle</span> English soldier and politician (1608–1670)

George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle KG PC JP was an English soldier, who fought on both sides during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A prominent military figure under the Commonwealth, his support was crucial to the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, who rewarded him with the title Duke of Albemarle and other senior positions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Newburn</span> Battle on 28 August 1640, during the Second Bishops War

The Battle of Newburn, also known as the Battle of Newburn Ford, took place on 28 August 1640, during the Second Bishops' War. It was fought at Newburn, just outside Newcastle, where a ford crossed the River Tyne. A Scottish Covenanter army of 20,000 under Alexander Leslie defeated an English force of 5,000, led by Lord Conway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wars of the Three Kingdoms</span> British civil wars, 1639–1653

The Wars of the Three Kingdoms, sometimes known as the British Civil Wars, were a series of intertwined conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, then separate entities united in a personal union under Charles I. They include the 1639 to 1640 Bishops' Wars, the First and Second English Civil Wars, the Irish Confederate Wars, the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland and the Anglo-Scottish War of 1650–1652. They resulted in victory for the Parliamentarian army, the execution of Charles I, the abolition of monarchy, and founding of the Commonwealth of England, a unitary state which controlled the British Isles until the Stuart Restoration in 1660.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First English Civil War</span> Part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms (1642–1646)

The First English Civil War took place in England and Wales from 1642 to 1646, and forms part of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. An estimated 15% to 20% of adult males in England and Wales served in the military at some point between 1639 and 1653, while around 4% of the total population died from war-related causes. These figures illustrate the widespread impact of the conflict on society, and the bitterness it engendered as a result.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms</span> Role of Scotland during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms (1639–1653)

Between 1639 and 1652, Scotland was involved in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a series of wars starting with the Bishops' Wars, the Irish Rebellion of 1641, the English Civil War, the Irish Confederate Wars, and finally the subjugation of Ireland and Scotland by the English Roundhead New Model Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Urry (soldier)</span> Scottish soldier

Sir John Urry, also known as Hurry, was a Scottish professional soldier who at various times during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms fought for Scots Covenanters, Engagers and Royalists, as well as both English Parliamentarians and Royalists. Captured at Carbisdale in April 1650, he was executed in Edinburgh on 29 May 1650.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engagers</span> Political party in Scotland

The Engagers were a faction of the Scottish Covenanters, who made "The Engagement" with King Charles I in December 1647 while he was imprisoned in Carisbrooke Castle by the English Parliamentarians after his defeat in the First Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treaty of Breda (1650)</span> 1650 treaty between Charles II and Scottish Covenanters

The Treaty of Breda (1650) was signed on 1 May 1650 between Charles II, exiled king of England, Scotland and Ireland, and the Scottish Covenanter government. Under its terms, they agreed to install Charles II as King of Scotland and Britain, while Charles undertook to establish a Presbyterian Church of England, and guarantee the rights of the Church of Scotland.

The Treaty of Berwick was an agreement between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, signed on 18 June 1639, which ended the First Bishops' War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishops' Wars</span> British wars 1639–1640 concerning religion in Scotland

The Bishops' Wars were two distinct but related conflicts in 1639 and 1640 fought between Scotland and England with minor factional skirmishing within Scotland. These were the first of what became the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms, which also included the First and Second English Civil Wars, and the 1650 to 1652 Anglo-Scottish War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Preston (1648)</span> Battle of the Second English Civil War

The Battle of Preston, fought largely at Walton-le-Dale near Preston in Lancashire, resulted in a victory for the New Model Army under the command of Oliver Cromwell over the Royalists and Scots Engagers commanded by the Duke of Hamilton. The Parliamentarian victory presaged the end of the Second English Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Covenanters</span> 17th-century Scottish Presbyterians

Covenanters were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from covenant, a biblical term for a bond or agreement with God.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish religion in the seventeenth century</span> Religious organisation and belief in the Kingdom of Scotland in the 17th century

Scottish religion in the seventeenth century includes all forms of religious organisation and belief in the Kingdom of Scotland in the seventeenth century. The 16th century Reformation created a Church of Scotland, popularly known as the kirk, predominantly Calvinist in doctrine and Presbyterian in structure, to which James VI added a layer of bishops in 1584.

This is a timeline of events leading up to, culminating in, and resulting from the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of the Brig of Dee</span> 1639 battle in the First Bishops War

The Battle of the Brig of Dee took place on 18–19 June 1639 at the Bridge of Dee in Scotland, and was the only serious military action of the First Bishops' War. It featured a Royalist force under James Gordon, 2nd Viscount Aboyne, opposed by Covenanters led by James Graham, 5th Earl of Montrose, and resulted in a Covenanter victory.

The Treaty of London of 1641 was an agreement between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland which formally ended the 1639 to 1640 Bishops' Wars.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the wars of the Three Kingdoms:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Covenant</span> 1638 opposition to Scottish Church reform

The National Covenant was an agreement signed by many people of Scotland during 1638, opposing the proposed reforms of the Church of Scotland by King Charles I. The king's efforts to impose changes on the church in the 1630s caused widespread protests across Scotland, leading to the organisation of committees to coordinate opposition to the king. Facing royal opposition, its leaders arranged the creation of the National Covenant to bolster the movement by tapping into patriotic fervour. It became widely adopted throughout most of Scotland with supporters henceforth known as Covenanters.

References

  1. ↑ Bannerman 1868b, pp. 260– 295.
  2. ↑ Harris 2014, pp. 39–41.
  3. ↑ Stephen 2010, pp. 55–58.
  4. ↑ McDonald 1998, pp. 75–76.
  5. ↑ Stevenson 1973, pp. 45–46.
  6. ↑ Plant 2006.
  7. ↑ Mackie, Lenman & Parker 1986, p. 204.
  8. ↑ Mason 2007.
  9. ↑ Mackie, Lenman & Parker 1986, pp. 205–206.
  10. ↑ Harris 2014, p. 372.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Kishlansky & Morrill 2008.
  12. ↑ Helicon 2018b.
  13. ↑ Britannica.
  14. 1 2 3 Matthews 2003.
  15. ↑ HistoryExtra 2012.
  16. 1 2 3 OpenLearn 2001.
  17. 1 2 3 Gericke 2001.
  18. ↑ Arnold-Baker 2001.
  19. ↑ Lockyer 2009.
  20. 1 2 3 4 Goodare 2015.
  21. ↑ Cust 2015.
  22. 1 2 3 Plant 2010.
  23. ↑ Healey 2018.
  24. ↑ Helicon 2018a.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.