In the 17th and 18th centuries, politics and religion were closely linked; it is impossible to understand differences between Engagers, Royalists or Kirk Party political views without an appreciation of these distinctions.
'Presbyterian' versus 'Episcopalian' implied differences in governance, not doctrine. Episcopalian meant rule by bishops, appointed by the monarch; Presbyterian structures were controlled by Elders, nominated by their congregations. Arguments over structure or governance of the church were as much about politics and the power of the monarch as religious practice; political divisions often centred on different interpretations of this.[1]
The Protestant Reformation created a Church of Scotland, or 'kirk', Presbyterian in structure and governance, but predominantly Calvinist in doctrine. When James VI and I became king of England in 1603, a unified Church of Scotland and England governed by bishops became the first step in his vision of a centralised, Unionist state.[2] Although both churches were nominally Episcopalian, they were very different in doctrine; even Scottish bishops viewed many Church of England practices as little better than Catholicism.[3]
Efforts by Charles I to impose uniform practices led to the 1638 National Covenant, whose signatories pledged to resist liturgical 'innovations'. In December 1638, bishops were expelled from the kirk; when Charles attempted to use military force, he was defeated in the 1639 and 1640 Bishops' Wars, which left the Covenanter party in control of Scotland.[4]
Calvinists believed a 'well-ordered' monarchy was part of God's plan; as a result, the vast majority of Covenanters agreed monarchy itself was divinely ordered but disagreed on who held ultimate authority in clerical affairs.[5] Royalists and Engagers tended to argue the king held supreme authority, but that did not necessarily mean they supported bishops and individual motives were very complex. Many fought for both Covenant and king at different times, including Montrose.[6]
When the First English Civil War began in 1642, Scotland initially remained neutral, but became involved in the Irish Rebellion; the bitterness of this conflict radicalised views in Scotland and Ireland.[7] The Covenanter faction known as the Kirk Party, led by Argyll saw religious union with England as the best way to preserve a Presbyterian kirk and in October 1643, the Solemn League and Covenant agreed a Presbyterian Union in return for Scottish military support.[8]
Royalists and moderates in both Scotland and England opposed union, as did the religious Independents like Oliver Cromwell, who dominated the New Model Army and opposed any state-ordered church. Both Covenanters and their English allies saw the Independents as a bigger threat than the Royalists and when Charles surrendered in 1646, they began negotiations to restore him to the English throne.[9]
The Scots nominated three Commissioners to negotiate with Charles; Lauderdale, Lanark and Loudoun. In December 1647, Charles agreed to impose Presbyterianism in England for three years and suppress the Independents, but his refusal to take the Covenant himself split the Scots.[10] It was not until April 1648 the Engagers achieved a majority in the Scottish Parliament; Argyll's Kirk Party did not trust Charles, objected to an alliance with English and Scots Royalists, and denounced the Engagement as 'sinful.'[11]
Most of the Scottish army had been demobilised and efforts to recruit new regiments were undermined when many refused to serve, including their most experienced generals, Lord Leven and David Leslie. The inexperienced Duke of Hamilton was given command, with the Earl of Callendar as his subordinate. When deputy to Leven, Callendar's overestimation of his military abilities had led to constant conflict and this was repeated with Hamilton. His commander of infantry, William Baillie, had direct experience of the New Model Army and doubted their ability to defeat it.[12]
After dispersing Kirk Party dissidents at Mauchline Muir in June 1648, a poorly trained Engager army of 9,000 marched into England. The Second English Civil War was intended as a series of Royalist risings in England and Wales, with the Scots providing support. By the time Hamilton's army entered Lancashire in early August, the other revolts had been suppressed and Cromwell routed the Engagers at Preston on 19 August. Hamilton was taken prisoner and executed in March 1649.[13]
Aftermath
Defeat at Preston led to the collapse of the Engager regime; the Kirk Party took control of Edinburgh and although repulsed at Stirling in September, a new civil war seemed imminent. However, with Cromwell's support, Argyll took control and expelled his Engager opponents, with English troops being withdrawn.[13]
The 1649 Act of Classes banned Engagers and Royalists from holding political or military office and established the Kirk Party as the government of Scotland. However, the execution of Charles in January 1649 was viewed by Covenanters as an offence against God; they proclaimed his son Charles II King of Scotland and Great Britain. In the 1650 Treaty of Breda, they agreed to restore Charles to the English throne; in return he accepted the Covenant. Defeats at Dunbar and Worcester resulted with Scotland being incorporated into the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1654.[14]
References
^Main, David. . St Ninians Castle Douglas. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
Harris, Tim (2015). Rebellion: Britain's First Stuart Kings, 1567-1642. OUP Oxford. ISBN978-0198743118.
McDonald, Alan (1998). The Jacobean Kirk, 1567–1625: Sovereignty, Polity and Liturgy. Routledge. ISBN185928373X.
Mackie, JD, Lenman, Bruce, Parker, Geoffrey (1986). A History of Scotland. Hippocrene Books. ISBN978-0880290401.
Macloed, Donald (Autumn 2009). "The influence of Calvinism on politics". Theology in Scotland. XVI (2).
Mitchison, Rosalind, Fry, Peter Fry, Fiona (2002). A History of Scotland. Routledge. ISBN978-1138174146.
Royle, Trevor (2005). Civil War: The War of the Three Kingdoms 1638-1660. Abacus. ISBN0349115648.
Stephen, Jeffrey (January 2010). "Scottish Nationalism and Stuart Unionism". Journal of British Studies. 49 (1, Scottish Special). doi:10.1086/644534. S2CID 144730991.
External links
Plant, David (1 November 2008). "The Engagement, 1647-8". BCW Project. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
"Gardiner: Constitutional Documents of the Puritan Revolution". Constitution Society. 1 June 1999. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
January 31, 2023
engagers, engagement, with, english, parliament, 1649, engagement, controversy, were, faction, scottish, covenanters, made, engagement, with, king, charles, december, 1647, while, imprisoned, carisbrooke, castle, english, parliamentarians, after, defeat, first. For the engagement with the English parliament of 1649 see engagement controversy 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 The EngagersA Covenanter s helmet from the period in the Museum of EdinburghFoundedDecember 1647Dissolved1651Split fromCovenantersReligionPresbyterianism Church of Scotland Politics of ScotlandPolitical partiesElections Contents 1 Background 2 The Engagement 3 Aftermath 4 References 5 Sources 6 External linksBackground Edit The Solemn League and Covenant agreed by English and Scottish Presbyterians in 1643 In the 17th and 18th centuries politics and religion were closely linked it is impossible to understand differences between Engagers Royalists or Kirk Party political views without an appreciation of these distinctions Presbyterian versus Episcopalian implied differences in governance not doctrine Episcopalian meant rule by bishops appointed by the monarch Presbyterian structures were controlled by Elders nominated by their congregations Arguments over structure or governance of the church were as much about politics and the power of the monarch as religious practice political divisions often centred on different interpretations of this 1 The Protestant Reformation created a Church of Scotland or kirk Presbyterian in structure and governance but predominantly Calvinist in doctrine When James VI and I became king of England in 1603 a unified Church of Scotland and England governed by bishops became the first step in his vision of a centralised Unionist state 2 Although both churches were nominally Episcopalian they were very different in doctrine even Scottish bishops viewed many Church of England practices as little better than Catholicism 3 James Graham Marquis of Montrose Royalist commander in Scotland 1644 1645 but a Covenanter general 1638 to 1640 Efforts by Charles I to impose uniform practices led to the 1638 National Covenant whose signatories pledged to resist liturgical innovations In December 1638 bishops were expelled from the kirk when Charles attempted to use military force he was defeated in the 1639 and 1640 Bishops Wars which left the Covenanter party in control of Scotland 4 Calvinists believed a well ordered monarchy was part of God s plan as a result the vast majority of Covenanters agreed monarchy itself was divinely ordered but disagreed on who held ultimate authority in clerical affairs 5 Royalists and Engagers tended to argue the king held supreme authority but that did not necessarily mean they supported bishops and individual motives were very complex Many fought for both Covenant and king at different times including Montrose 6 When the First English Civil War began in 1642 Scotland initially remained neutral but became involved in the Irish Rebellion the bitterness of this conflict radicalised views in Scotland and Ireland 7 The Covenanter faction known as the Kirk Party led by Argyll saw religious union with England as the best way to preserve a Presbyterian kirk and in October 1643 the Solemn League and Covenant agreed a Presbyterian Union in return for Scottish military support 8 Royalists and moderates in both Scotland and England opposed union as did the religious Independents like Oliver Cromwell who dominated the New Model Army and opposed any state ordered church Both Covenanters and their English allies saw the Independents as a bigger threat than the Royalists and when Charles surrendered in 1646 they began negotiations to restore him to the English throne 9 The Engagement Edit Marquess of Argyll whose Kirk Party opposed the Engagement The Scots nominated three Commissioners to negotiate with Charles Lauderdale Lanark and Loudoun In December 1647 Charles agreed to impose Presbyterianism in England for three years and suppress the Independents but his refusal to take the Covenant himself split the Scots 10 It was not until April 1648 the Engagers achieved a majority in the Scottish Parliament Argyll s Kirk Party did not trust Charles objected to an alliance with English and Scots Royalists and denounced the Engagement as sinful 11 Most of the Scottish army had been demobilised and efforts to recruit new regiments were undermined when many refused to serve including their most experienced generals Lord Leven and David Leslie The inexperienced Duke of Hamilton was given command with the Earl of Callendar as his subordinate When deputy to Leven Callendar s overestimation of his military abilities had led to constant conflict and this was repeated with Hamilton His commander of infantry William Baillie had direct experience of the New Model Army and doubted their ability to defeat it 12 After dispersing Kirk Party dissidents at Mauchline Muir in June 1648 a poorly trained Engager army of 9 000 marched into England The Second English Civil War was intended as a series of Royalist risings in England and Wales with the Scots providing support By the time Hamilton s army entered Lancashire in early August the other revolts had been suppressed and Cromwell routed the Engagers at Preston on 19 August Hamilton was taken prisoner and executed in March 1649 13 Aftermath EditDefeat at Preston led to the collapse of the Engager regime the Kirk Party took control of Edinburgh and although repulsed at Stirling in September a new civil war seemed imminent However with Cromwell s support Argyll took control and expelled his Engager opponents with English troops being withdrawn 13 The 1649 Act of Classes banned Engagers and Royalists from holding political or military office and established the Kirk Party as the government of Scotland However the execution of Charles in January 1649 was viewed by Covenanters as an offence against God they proclaimed his son Charles II King of Scotland and Great Britain In the 1650 Treaty of Breda they agreed to restore Charles to the English throne in return he accepted the Covenant Defeats at Dunbar and Worcester resulted with Scotland being incorporated into the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland in 1654 14 References Edit Main David The Origins of the Scottish Episcopal Church St Ninians Castle Douglas Archived from the original on 7 April 2019 Retrieved 14 January 2020 Stephen 2010 pp 55 58 McDonald 1998 pp 75 76 Mackie Lenman 1986 pp 204 205 sfn error no target CITEREFMackie Lenman1986 help Macloed 2009 pp 5 19 passim Harris 2015 pp 53 54 Royle 2005 p 142 Robertson 2014 p 125 sfn error no target CITEREFRobertson2014 help Royle 2005 pp 420 423 Gardiner Constitutional Documents of the Puritan Revolution Constitution Society 1 June 1999 Retrieved 27 June 2018 Mitchison Fry 2002 pp 223 224 sfn error no target CITEREFMitchison Fry2002 help Royle 2005 p 424 a b Royle 2005 p 470 Royle 2005 p 520 Sources EditHarris Tim 2015 Rebellion Britain s First Stuart Kings 1567 1642 OUP Oxford ISBN 978 0198743118 McDonald Alan 1998 The Jacobean Kirk 1567 1625 Sovereignty Polity and Liturgy Routledge ISBN 185928373X Mackie JD Lenman Bruce Parker Geoffrey 1986 A History of Scotland Hippocrene Books ISBN 978 0880290401 Macloed Donald Autumn 2009 The influence of Calvinism on politics Theology in Scotland XVI 2 Mitchison Rosalind Fry Peter Fry Fiona 2002 A History of Scotland Routledge ISBN 978 1138174146 Royle Trevor 2005 Civil War The War of the Three Kingdoms 1638 1660 Abacus ISBN 0349115648 Stephen Jeffrey January 2010 Scottish Nationalism and Stuart Unionism Journal of British Studies 49 1 Scottish Special doi 10 1086 644534 S2CID 144730991 External links EditPlant David 1 November 2008 The Engagement 1647 8 BCW Project Retrieved 27 June 2018 Gardiner Constitutional Documents of the Puritan Revolution Constitution Society 1 June 1999 Retrieved 27 June 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Engagers amp oldid 1123381986, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
