Unit 2: English Civil War
Day 1: Chapter Introduction
Activities
Quiz: (Approx 20 q.)
Reading: “The Amethyst Ring”; Q #2
Provide with vocabulary sheet:
 Go through and check in the columns either: Can Define, Have Seen, or
Don’t Know
 Write in definitions YOU know; mark with a star
 Write in the others as you go through. PUT INTO YOUR OWN
WORDS
Notes: Introduction to the chapter (overheads, cool pictures?)
 Fill in vocabulary into chart
Assignment: Readings
 Regions of G.B (pg. 19) to pg. 23
 Questions in duotang
Key Terms from: “Introduction”
Democracy
Civil Rights
Civil War
Republic
Magna Carta
Monarch
Constitutional Monarchy
Time
20
15
15
10
Key Terms: Chapter 2
The English Civil War
For each of the following terms, identify the ones that you KNOW and would be able to
define with a K, that you RECOGNIZE but wouldn’t be able to define with an R and the
ones that you DON’T KNOW at all with a D. Place this sheet in your homework duotang
to be handed in at the end of the chapter. As you complete each reading that the teacher
assigns, write in the definitions from those pages IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
Abdicate: _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Absolute Monarch: _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Ally: ___________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Blue Laws: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Calvinist: _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Church of England: _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Civil Rights: _____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Civil War: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Colonize: _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Congregation: ___________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Constitutional Monarchy: __________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Covenant: _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Democracy: _____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Guild: _________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Magna Carta: ____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Militia: _________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Original Sin: _____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Presbyterian: ____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Regicide: _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Republic: _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Ship Money: _____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Test Act: ________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Title: ___________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Tunnage and Poundage: ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Tyrant: _________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 2 Introduction:
The Fight for Democracy
& the English Civil War
 Democracy and Civil Rights have not always existed
 Magna Carta: signed in 1215
o One of the most important steps for democracy
o Individual freedoms; king must consult elected
parliament and rule lawfully
 Tudor era Monarchs (Elizabeth I) accepted democracy
& kept parliament on their side
 17th C: England under Stuart rule
o Conflicts due to Stuarts not following parliament
policy:
 Civil War, beheaded a king, became a
republic, deposed a king (“Glorious
Revolution”)
 End of 17th C: England a Constitutional Monarchy
 Democratic traditions and ideals brought to Canada &
US due to emigration by British
Magna Carta (1215)
...here is a law which is above the King and which even he must not break.
This reaffirmation of a supreme law and its expression in a general charter
is the great work of Magna Carta; and this alone justifies the respect in
which men have held it.
--Winston Churchill, 1956
The Princess Elizabeth, aged about 13 (1546)
Elizabeth I (Tudor)
"The Pelican Portrait" c. 1575-1580
Elizabeth I's signature
To the reader
IF thou doest rede thys whole worke, beholde rather the matter and excuse
the speeche, considering it is the worke of a woman wiche hath in her
neyther science or knowledge, but a desyre that eche one might se what they
gifte of god doth when it pleaseth hym to justifie the harte of a man. For
what thinge is a man (as for hys owne strenght) before that he hath receyved
the gifte of fayth wherby onely hath the knowledge of the goodnes, wisedom
and power of god, and as soone as he knowethe the truthe, than is his hart
full of love, and charitie. So that by the ferventenes therof he doth exclude
all vayne feare, and stedfastely doth hope upon god unfaynedly. Even so the
gifte the wich oure creatoure giveth at the beginninge doth never reste tyll he
hath made hym godly, wich putteth hys trust in god. O the hapy gifte wich
causeth a ma[n] to be like unto god and to possesse hys so desyred
dwellinge. Alas no man coulde never understande it, ones by this gifte god
hathe given hym it and he hath great cause to doubte of it, onles god hath
made hym fele it into hys harte. Therfore reader, with a godly mynde: i
beseche the to take it pacientely to peruse this worke, wich is but lytell, and
taste nothinge but the frutte of it: praieng to god, full of all goodnes, that I
your harte he will plante the lively fayth.
Day 2:
The Regions of Great Britain & English Society in the 17th C
Activities
Current Event (magazine/weekly)
Notes: Regions of GB/English Society
Background info: pictures of dress/sports/hobbies/interesting facts
Mapping Assignment: Europe
 See attached assignment sheet
Time
15
20
15
25
Key Terms from: “The Regions of Great Britain & English Society in the 17th C”:
Spanish Armada
to Colonize
Guild
Regions of Great Britain




Today: United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland
Great Britain: 244 000 km2, 965 km (north-south), 508 km (east-west)
English Channel, 8000 km coastline, rivers as transport routes
Britain:
o Lowland: south and east, fertile land, warmer climate (Gulf
Stream)
 More heavily populated = more important politically
o Highland: north and west, hilly & mountainous, thin soils
English Society in the Seventeenth Century
 1603: England growing powerful and wealthy
 1588: defeat of Spanish Armada
 Became a colonizing nation – North America, India, South
Africa.
 Wealth & power: businesses & agriculture grew; entrepreneurs
(merchants, manufacturers, landholders) became wealthy
 Created classes in English society:
1) Upper Class: king, king’s advisors, nobles, high church
officials; lived in fine houses filled with valuable imported
items
2) Middle Class: merchants, manufacturers, landowners,
professionals, military officers
3) Lower Class: ordinary workers
 Guilds: organizations to protect skilled workers such as carpenters,
blacksmiths, stone masons, dress makers, etc.
 Agriculture & ordinary workers worked long hours with little
pay (10 pennies/day) and lived in terrible conditions
 Food:
 Poor: mostly bread & beer, occasionally meat & cheese
 Wealthy: mostly meat (strongly flavoured to hide un-freshness)
 Fruits & vegetables unpopular
 Forks just coming into fashion
 New imported foods: pineapples, maize, potatoes, coffee, tea,
chocolate
 Coffee houses became popular
SS 9
Chpt. #2 Map Assignment
Name __________________
Date ___________________
On the accompanying map of the British Isles label the following.
Scotland
Glasgow
Northern Ireland
Bristol
Irish Sea
North Sea
The Lowlands
Newcastle
Dublin
Wales
London
Atlantic Ocean
Birmingham
Cardiff
The Highlands
England
Edinburgh
The Irish Republic
Plymouth
English Channel
Belfast
Drogheda
1. Give your map a title.
2. Where is the greatest concentration of population on the largest island of the
British Isles?
3. What three former countries make up the largest island of the British Isles?
4. What were the major economic activities of this period?
5. Indicate the locations of these economic activities on the map and provide a
legend.
6. What is the relationship between economic activity and population? Can you
think of reasons for this relationship?
Day 3: Statistical Analysis
Activities
Current Event: Teacher shares a current event
Notes: English Society in Seventeenth Century
Jigsaw Activity: The details of life during the early modern age…
 Students will be placed in small groups of three or four
 Each group will be provided with information or a handout regarding
English society during the early modern age
 The groups will be asked to present their information to the class
Assignment:
 Students will be assigned to write a paragraph in which they compare
English society during the early modern age to contemporary Western
society. They must use specific examples to defend a position of whether
they would have preferred to live then or now
Readings for next day: pg. 26-28
 Questions: 1-2 (pg. 28)
(Heads up: Reading for Wednesday = up to 37)
Extension Plan: Activity (pgs 24-25): IN PARTNERS
Time
15
20
30
15
Day 4: The Role of Religion & Witches
Activities
Teacher shares CE (newspaper?)/students read
 Summarize (give instructions/brainstorm: how do you summarize?)
Brainstorm: What do you know about witches?
Notes +read article
Free Write: 4-5 qu.; time, 3 minutes each.
Class discussion: Their thoughts
Readings for next class: pg. 28 (early Stuarts)-pg 30 (extension: in-class?)
Key Terms from: “The Role of Religion & Witches”:
Protestant
Congregation
Church of England
Original Sin
Time
20
30
15
10
Calvinist
Witchcraft Related Free Writes:
1) What do you believe to be the main reason or reasons behind the witch burnings that
occurred in Europe and North America? Explain the reasons for your belief.
2) Do you think that there could ever be another period in history that compares to the
witch burnings in Europe and North America? Why or why not?
3) What things can you personally do to prevent another event like the witch hunts from
happening?
4) What is your opinion of the Wicca philosophy? Why do you think that a group of
people would embrace such a title after the sufferings of their predecessors?
5) Is magic or sorcery real? If you could have magical powers, what would they be?
Role of Religion
17th C England: Religion very important
 Most Protestants (many congregations)
 Some Roman Catholics
 Official Church: Church of England (Anglican Church)
 Puritans: large & powerful group of dissenting Protestants
 Calvinists: believed religion should be simple &
plain
 Appealed to business people & smaller
landowners
At times, Puritans tolerated; other times, it was illegal for them to
hold services
 Many fled for religious freedom; Holland,
America (Plymouth Rock – New England)
 North America’s history & culture founded on
these Puritan religious values
Witches
“Witches”: believed to be the personification of the devil
Authorities: Suspicious of anyone who didn’t fit into society
 Puritans especially suspicious of women (original sin)
 17th C witch-hunt hysteria – 100s of people persecuted &
executed
 Most persecuted: social misfits, unmarried women, women
wise in traditional countryside medicine, old women living
alone or with a pet
 Drowned, hanged, burned, pressed to death
 Witchcraft trials: only to find guilt
Witch hunting – profitable business
 Matthew Hopkins: “Witch-Finder General” (fraud!)
 Emotion & fear overrule ration
Does anyone recognize these witches?
The History of Witchcraft
Witchcraft is defined as a form of sorcery, or the magical manipulation of nature
for self-aggrandizement, or for the benefit or harm of a client. This manipulation often
involves the use of spirit-helpers, or familiars. Public uses of magic are generally
considered beneficial; sorcery, on the other hand, is commonly practiced in private and is
usually considered malevolent. Nevertheless, accusations of sorcery are frequently public
and explicit. Anthropologists have observed that in societies that lack formal political
processes, sorcery accusations are often an indication of other social and economic
tensions and conflicts. They have analyzed the killing of accused sorcerers as a form of
control through which antisocial people are eliminated and social cohesion is reinforced.
Anthropologists distinguish sorcerers, who acquire their powers through study and
initiation, from witches, who inherit their powers. In some cultures, especially European,
however, the two terms are used interchangeably.
European diabolical witchcraft was a form of sorcery that appealed to pre-Christian
symbolism and was associated by Church leaders with heresy. The origins of witchcraft
in Europe are found in the pre-Christian, pagan cults such as the Teutonic nature cults;
the Roman religion, and others. These religions and philosophies believed in a power of
evil and a power of good within the universe. Later, among certain sects, the worship of
good was repudiated as false and misleading.
Religious persecution of supposed witches commenced early in the 14th century.
Trials, convictions, and executions became common throughout Europe and reached a
peak during the 16th and 17th cent. Under the authority of the Spanish Inquisition, as
many as 100 persons were burned as witches in a single day. The auto-da-fé, as this mass
burning was called, took on the qualities of a carnival, where one could buy souvenirs,
rosaries, holy images, and food. Suspicion also fell on many who were interested in
scientific experimentation. The colonies of North America shared in this fanaticism,
particularly in Salem, Mass., where in 1692, 20 persons were executed as witches. (The
state exonerated all the accused men and women in 1711.)
Early students of European diabolical witchcraft viewed it alternately as an invention
of elites who used accusations of sorcery as an excuse to persecute people for material
gain, or as a survival of pre-Christian folk religion. Scholars today seek to interpret it not
as a single phenomenon but rather as a complex pattern of beliefs and practices that have
been used in different ways at different times. Thus, during the Hundred Year Wars,
Catholics and Protestants accused each other of witchcraft.
In the 20th century there has been a revival of witchcraft known as Wicca, or
neopaganism. This form of witchcraft has nothing to do with sorcery, and is instead based
on a reverence for nature, the worship of a fertility goddess, a restrained hedonism, and
group magic aimed at healing. It rejects a belief in Satan as a product of Christian
doctrine that is incompatible with paganism.
Day 5: The Early Stuarts (James I & Charles I)
Activities
Review: Give point form/questions…everything learned so far
Notes: +supplement with family tree: the British monarchy
Discussion: The Divine Right of Kings
Character Sketch: James I (Activity Sheet 2-3)
In-class reading: up to pg. 37
Time
10
20
10
20
15
Key Terms from: “The Early Stuarts (James I & Charles I)”:
Absolute Monarch
to Ally
Tyrant
Discussion Questions: The Divine Right of Kings
1. Why do you think that Monarchs in Britain were so convinced about the Divine Right
of Kings?
2. Why do you think that so many people also supported the notion of the Divine Right
of Kings?
3. Is it ever “right” to enforce leadership on a country that is based on religious
conviction that is not shared by all?
4. Think about something that you believed in absolutely—for example, I believe that
the world is round. What if someone else believed differently? What would you do?
What if you felt that their belief put you in jeopardy?
5. Consider from the opposite perspective; how hard must it be for people who do have
strong religious convictions.
6. What should be the policy of our society in regards to this as a result? (Should we
allow everyone to have their own beliefs, even if the majority believes they are foolish?)
The Early Stuarts
 James VI (Scotland) → James I (England)
 Stuarts disliked democratic traditions – James I wanted to
rule as absolute monarch with the idea of Divine Right of
Kings
 England parliament
o House of Lords: inherited seat (bishops, high officials
of Anglican church)
o House of Commons: elected seat (wealthy landowners
& townspeople)
James I
 Intelligent but did not make a good impression
 Useful: version of Bible
 Negative: acted like a tyrant, selected incompetent advisors,
short of money
 Allied with Church of England & disliked Puritans
 Created a divided nation
Charles I
 Dignified, charming, narrow-minded, extravagant lifestyle
 Relied on his favourite, the Duke of Buckingham, for advice
o Buckingham: unliked due to bad decisions
 Alienated many previous supporters
Charles I
James VI / James I
The British Monarchy Family Tree: From 1500 to Present
1, HENRY VIII
1509-1547
King James IV of Scotland
______|_____________________________
|
|
|
3. MARY I 4. ELIZABETH I
2. EDWARD VI
1553-1558
1558-1603
1547-1553
Margaret Tudor
[m]
|
|
James V
King of Scotland
|
Mary Queen of Scotland
[m] Henry Lord Darnley of Lennox
|
5. JAMES I
1603-1625
__________________________________________|_______________________
|
|
6. CHARLES I
Elizabeth
1625-1649
(Interim: Cromwell and the Civil War)
[m] Friedrich V of Pfalz
______|____________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
7. CHARLES II
Mary
8. JAMES II
Sophia
1660-1685
[m] William II of Orange
1685-1689
[m] Ernst August I of Hannover
|
_________________|_______
|
|
|
|
|
|
9. WILLIAM III [m] MARY II 10.ANNE
James
11.GEORGE I
1689-1702
1689-1694
1702-1714
Old Pretender
1714-1727
|
12. GEORGE II
1727-1760
|
13. GEORGE III ----------1760-1820
____________________________________|______
|
|
|
14. GEORGE IV 15. WILLIAM IV
Edward
1820-1830
1830-1837
Duke of Kent
|
16. VICTORIA [m] Albrecht of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
1837-1901 |
|
17. EDWARD VII
1901-1910
|
18. GEORGE V
1910-1936
_________________________|
|
|
19.EDWARD VIII
20.GEORGE VI
1936
1936-1952
|
|
ELIZABETH II [m] Philip Mountbatten Duke of Edinburgh Prince of Greece
1952- Present
Day 6:
The Fight with Parliament & The Long Parliament
Activities
Teacher shares News CE
 Students: Thought provoking Q
Notes:
 Comparison Organizer: Different types of government (2-8)
 Students fill in/generate ideas as a class
 “The Fight with Parliament
Introduce Activity: pamphlet/broad side
 picture with symbols
 2 short articles
 must take a position
Key Terms from: “The Fight with Parliament & The Long Parlaiment”:
Favourite
Ship Money
Presbyterian
Covenant
Tunnage & Poundage
Title
Time
20
30
25
The Fight with Parliament
 Problems: money needed, wanted to rule without parliament
 Used many illegal tactics to raise money for himself
o Ship money, forced loans to crown, mortgaged royal
properties, collected customs fees (tunnage and
poundage), billeted his soldiers, increased gov’t service
fees, sold noble titles to anyone with the means
 Parliament dissolved by Charles I because wouldn’t
cooperate (wanted him to sign “Petition of Right”)
 Lord Strafford helped Charles I (after Buckingham
assassinated), obtained money through “Strafford’s Fork”
 Puritans protested – destroyed churches
o Destroyed carvings, books, paintings, rails, stained
glass windows
The Long Parliament
 Charles I now alienated Scottish people (wanted them to
worship Church of England)
 Presbyterian revolt and money needed to stop it
 1640: “Short Parliament” called to obtain money, then shut
down (sympathized with the Scots)
 “Long Parliament” called
o Laud & Strafford executed
o Grand Remonstrance: wanted to limit king’s power
 House of Commons divided (radicals vs.
traditionals)
 Charles invaded & prepared to make war on
parliament
Creative Moment: Make a Broadside!
Just like people during the times of Charles I, you must create a broadside to
spread your message. The purpose of your broadside must to be to persuade people,
either to support the King, or to support the Roundheads and the revolution. You
may choose to work in partners or on your own. If you work with somebody, my
expectations will be higher. You might choose to add elements that are not “required.”
The front of your broadside must include the following:
1. Two well-written articles of approximately 150 words each. These should use specific
information from the textbook.
 One should be persuasive
 One should be describe an event that reflects your cause
2. A piece of art which uses at least four symbols. (See pages 40-41 to give you ideas of
how to do this.) Explain each of the four symbols in point form on the back of your
broadside.
3. Lay out all of the information neatly on one side of a piece of 8 ½ x11 (letter size) or
8½ x 14 (legal size) paper.
4. Remember: Don’t be afraid to be creative! Add extra elements of art, funny quotes or
jokes or anything that you can think of. This is the key to success!
Day 7: The Civil War & The Trial of the King
Activities
Teacher shares newspaper CE
Notes:
 Review previous day…
 Students generate notes: teacher puts approved ideas on board
Activity: pamphlet/broad side
 picture with symbols
 2 short articles
 must take a position
In-class reading:
 Triumph of Parliament…up to the Glorious Rev (46)
 Vocab and Q’s
Key Terms from: “The Civil War & The Trial of the King”:
Militia
Time
10
25
20
The Civil War
 People within a country fighting
 Began in 1642, lasted 7 years
 Charles’s supporters: “Royalists”/“Cavaliers” – from noble
families & used to fighting & riding
o Experienced commanders
 Parliament’s Troops: Militia – farmers & townspeople, no
military experience
o Controlled the navy & richest part of country
o Alliance with Scots, leader of “New Model Army”: Oliver
Cromwell
 New soldiers: “Roundheads” – defeated Royalists in
Marston Moor & Naseby
 Charles forced to flee Scotland – made prisoner, handed over to
Parliament
The Rump Parliament
 Parliament members against Grand Remonstrance: fought with
the king
 Parliament left: Presbyterians & Puritans
o Disagreed on many things:
 Presbyterians: limit Charles’s powers
 Puritans: end monarchy
 Colonel Pride sent to drive Presbyterian members out: “Pride’s
Purge”
o “Rump Parliament” remained
 King charged with treason, on trial for his life
The Trial of the King
 Treason: “act of trying to overthrow the king” = Charles on trial
for trying to overthrow himself
 Found guilty and sentenced to death
Day 8:
The Triumph of Parliament & the Lord Protector
Activities
Notes:
 Triumph of Parliament
 The Lord Protector
 The Restoration
Think, Pair, Share…
 What do you think that Cromwell and the Puritans would think of today’s
society?
 Do you agree that any aspects of our society are “too much” frivolity and
excess? Do you think that we would benefit from at least some degree of
the Puritan sentiment in today’s society?
Newspaper Scavenger Hunt: What do you think is the most important article in
the paper? Explain why in a well written paragraph (In duotangs):
Read: Homework—The glorious Revolution, Aphra Behn and John Locke (pg.
46-47)
Key Terms from: “The Triumph of Parliament & The Lord Protector”:
Blue Laws
Regicide
Test Act
Constitutional Monarchy
Time
15
30
20
H/W
The Triumph of Parliament:
The execution of Charles I did NOT automatically make England
into a republic
Rump Parliament
 Votes to abolish the monarchy and the House of Lords
 The new English republic is called “the Commonwealth”
 Rump is supported by the Roundhead Army (might makes
right!)
Ireland and Scotland
 Refuse to support new Commonwealth (Royalists)
 Oliver Cromwell successfully leads an army against them
Cromwell becomes the Lord Protector of England
 Rump Parliament proves ineffective
 Cromwell loses patience and drives them out of Parliament
 Lord Protector—military dictator?
Cromwell’s Reforms
 Divides country into regions, ruled by major generals
 Blue Laws: Outlaw Christmas, dancing, gambling, sports and
the theatre (these are unpopular)
 He regards himself as a failure
 When Cromwell dies, the republic dies with him
The Restoration
 Parliament is restored; a new one is elected
 Charles II is invited to return to the throne
 People rejoice: they are happy to get rid of the Blue Laws!
(Charles II likes to party!)
 Parliament insists on a CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY
 Charles II wants more power, but is not very successful
 Royal supporters: Tories
 Opponents: Whigs (first real political parties)
 Regicides: 13 men are hung, drawn and quartered
 The Test Act: makes the Church of England supreme and
forbids Catholics from holding public office.
James II
Day 9: The Glorious Revolution
Activities
Time
Teacher shares a current event: The News
20
 Review: What have we learned about current events and source validity
so far.
Notes:
10
 The Glorious Revolution
Activity:
15
 Have students work in pairs to summarize ALL information that has been
covered in the course so far. Have them create this in point form.
Review:
20
 Point form: Teacher provides categories that will be on the test and then
has students fill in the details
 Remind students that they will be creating a review game tomorrow
Vocabulary:
 Crossword Puzzle/Word Search
Key Terms from: “The Glorious Revolution”:
to Abdicate
The Glorious Revolution
 1685: Charles II dies
 Successor: James II
The Catholic Problem
 James is openly Catholic
 Fears of Catholic plot to
take over the nation
 James II puts Catholics in
positions of privilege,
regardless of the Test Act
Divine Right of Kings
 James believes in the Divine Right of Kings
 Tries to take power away from Parliament
 People rebel against James
Reign of Terror—“The Bloody Assizes”
 Anyone suspected of being a rebel is executed
The Glorious Revolution
 1688: James’ protestant daughter Mary, and her husband,
William of Orange, are invited to become King and Queen of
England.
 James abdicates and his supporters flee the country
 Mary and James agree to a new Bill of Rights
 The Divine Right of Kings is dead.
Day 10: Review/Game
 Beginning of class: a chance to share broadsides
Day 11: Unit Test (mar 2)
Funny/Interesting Anecdotes
Here is a list of funny facts and stories about some of the people who are highlighted in
Chapter 2. They can be used as a hook, filler, a comic break, or as a discussion starter.
Spanish Armada
1588
On July 19, 1588, Sir Francis Drake and several other English commanders were
playing "bowls" on Plymouth Hoe when news was brought that the Spanish Armada
had been spotted sailing up the English Channel.
Although Lord Howard of Effingham (the lord admiral) was determined to put to sea
at once, Drake insisted on finishing the game. "There is plenty of time to win this
game," Drake said, "and beat the Spaniards after."
[The game over, the English went to battle - and famously throttled their Spanish opponents.]
Drake, Sir Francis (?1540-1596) English admiral [noted for his role (as second in command) in the defeat of the
Spanish Armada (1588), for his circumnavigation of the globe, and for his plundering expeditions of Spanish
settlements in the New World]
James I
James 1:6
One day, a preacher famed for his fearless social criticism was invited to speak
before King James I. The man entered the pulpit and began:
"James One, Six. 'But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is
like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed.'"
"God's faith!" the king cried. "He's at me already."
Spinster?
One day a prodigious young girl was presented to King James I for his examination.
Though impressed by her proficiency in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, the king had only
one concern.
"These are rare attainments for a damsel," he remarked, "but pray tell me, can she
spin?"
James I: Hope, Faith, and Charity (long)
In 1606, a masque (representing the visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon) was
arranged to honor the visit of the King of Denmark to the Court of James I. Things
did not go as planned:
"Alass! as all earthly thinges do fail to poor mortals in enjoyment, so did prove our
presentment hereof. The Lady who did play the Queens part did carry most precious
gifts to both their Majesties; but, forgetting the steppes arising to the canopy,
overset her caskets into his Danish Majesties lap, and fell at his feet, tho I rather
think it was in his face. Much was the hurry and confusion; cloths and napkins were
at hand to make all clean. His Majesty then got up and woud dance with the Queen
of Sheba; but he fell down and humbled himself before her, and was carried to an
inner chamber and laid on a bed of state; which was not a little defiled with the
presents of the Queen which had been bestowed on his garments; such as wine,
cream, jelly, beverage, cakes, spices, and other good matters. The entertainment
and show went forward, and most of the presenters went backward, or fell down,
wine did so occupy their upper chambers. Now did appear, in rich dress, Hope, Faith,
and Charity: Hope did assay to speak, but wine rendered her endeavours so feeble
that she withdrew, and hoped the King would excuse her brevity. Faith was then all
alone, for I am certain she was not joyned with good works; and left the Court in a
staggering condition. Charity came to the Kings feet, and seemed to cover the
multitude of sins her sisters had committed: In some sorte she made obeysance and
brought giftes, but said she would return home again, as there was no gift which
heaven had not already given his Majesty; she then returned to Hope and Faith, who
were both sick and spewing in the lower hall. Next came Victory, in bright armour,
and presented a rich sword to the King, who did not accept it, but put it by with his
hand; and, by a strange medley of versification, did endeavour to make suit to the
King; but Victory did not tryumph long, for, after much lamentable utterance, she
was led away like a silly captive, and laid to sleep in the outer steps of the antichamber. Now did Peace make entry, and strive to get formoste to the King; but I
grieve to tell how great wrath she did discover unto those of her attendants, and,
much contrary to her own semblance, most rudely made war with her olive branch,
and laid on the pates of those who did oppose her coming."
Eviles of Smoke
No sooner had Sir Walter Raleigh introduced tobacco to England (in the late 16th
Century) than people began to protest against it.
Even King James I was moved to write a Counter-Blaste to Tobacco: "A custome
lothsome to the Eye, hatefull to the Nose, harmfull to the Braine, daungerous to the
Lungs," he declared, "and in the blacke stinking fume thereof, neerest resembling
the horrible Stigian smoke of the pit that is bottomelesse."
Oliver Cromwell
God help Us?
Following the parliamentarians' victory over Charles I during the English Civil War,
Oliver Cromwell signed the king's death warrant and assumed the office of Lord
Protector of the Commonwealth. Shortly thereafter new coins were minted bearing
the inscription 'God with Us' on one side, and 'The Republic of England' on the other.
One day a certain nobleman, a royalist and anti-Puritan to the core, was shown the
new coins. "Quite proper," he drily remarked, "that God and the Republic should be
on different sides."
[Trivia: On the day of Cromwell's death, a great storm raged all over England. His last words? "My design is to
make what haste I can to be gone."]
Cromwell's Portrait
While viewing an exhibition of paintings of English royalty by the renowned portrait
artist Jonathan Richardson one day, Queen Caroline was surprised to find a picture of
Oliver Cromwell - the lord protector who called for the execution of Charles I in 1649
(after the English Civil War) - hanging between Charles I and Charles II. "Surely,"
she exclaimed, "that personage is not a king." "No, madam, he's no king,"
Richardson tartly replied. "But it is good for kings to have him among them as a
memento."
Weighing-in Ceremony
To this day, the town of High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England, carries on a
curious "Weighing-in Ceremony." In early May, the town's mayor, mayoress, deputy
town mayor, deputy mayoress, town clerk, and district councilors (representing
wards within the town's boundaries) are literally weighed in order to determine
whether they have grown fat at the public trough.
The tradition has been observed every year for several centuries, except when it was
briefly banned (in the seventeenth century) by Cromwell and the Puritans.
[The present weighing machine was a giit of a greengrocer. It consists of a plush seat suspended from an
overhead spring-loaded dial attached to a large brass tripod.]
Charles II: Trampling Cromwell
Observant visitors to Ripon (in North Yorkshire) may notice something unusual about
the city's statue (moved from London in 1738) depicting Charles II trampling his
nemesis, Oliver Cromwell.
"The Italian statue originally depicted the king of Poland trampling a Turkish soldier
underfoot. Unforutnately, the Poles could not afford the monument, so the sculptor
was stuck with a large and unusual statue, he made some minor changes in the
statue and succeeded in selling it to the British as a statue of Charles II and Oliver
Cromwell. However, he neglected to change one detail: Cromwell is wearing a
turban!"
Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell once sat for the portrait artist Peter Lely, renowned for his portraits
of the noblemen and ladies of Charles I's court. "Mr. Lely," Cromwell counselled the
painter, "I desire you would use all your skill to paint my picture truly like me, and
not flatter me at all; but remark all these roughnesses, pimples, warts, and
everything as you see me, otherwise I will never pay a farthing for it."
[Trivia: At the Battle of Edgehill in 1642, Oliver Cromwell rallied his troops: "Put your trust in God," he told them,
"but keep your powder dry!"]
Trust but Verify
While preparing to cross a river to attack the enemy one day, Oliver Cromwell
stopped and turned to address his troops. "Put your trust in God," he famously
declared, "but mind you, keep your powder dry."
Cromwell's Bauble
Although Oliver Cromwell initially sought a reconciliation with Charles I, he
eventually signed the king's death warrant. The civil war which followed, however,
compelled Cromwell to assume the office of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth and
in April 1653, after more than a decade of chaos, his forces dissolved the Long
Parliament by force.
As the musketeers led the Speaker away, Cromwell took up the mace in front of the
Speaker's chair. "What shall we do with this bauble?" Cromwell mused, coldly
regarding the emblem of parliamentary authority. "Take it away."
[Cromwell's death heralded the collapse of the Commonwealth and the restoration of the monarchy.]
Dark Figure
According to legend, in the wee hours on the night after the execution of Charles I, a
dark figure entered the banqueting hall (in Whitehall) and gazed upon the face of the
dead king.
The Earl of Southampton and the other man keeping vigil by the body allegedly
heard the figure sigh and utter "Cruel necessity!" before gliding from the room.
The earl swore that the mysterious visitor had the figure and gait of Cromwell.
[According to other sources, the king's body was hustled away to the embalmers immediately after he was
beheaded.]
Charles II
Nosy Subject
"Arise Evans had a fungous nose, and said, it was revealed to him, that the king's
hand would cure him, and at the first coming of King Charles II into St. James's
Park, he kissed the king's hand, and rubbed his nose with it which disturbed the
king, but cured him."
Charles II, (1630-1685) English monarch, king of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1660-85)
Charles II
Charles II was a voluble man who took immense pleasure in recounting anecdotes
about his life. His courtiers, who had heard the king's stories many times, often
withdrew when they were able. The Earl of Rochester once remarked that it was a
wonder that a man could so well remember every minute detail of a story while
failing to remember that he had related it to the same people the day before.
Charles II: Sillibub
"The king [Charles II] did some of his court honour to dine or sup with them, and a
select company, agreeable to his pleasant and witty humour. This lord [the Duke of
Lauderdale], although not invited, ever intruded himself. A Courtier Lord... desired of
the king to do him that honour, which he accepted, 'but' said he 'we shall be
pestered with such a one.' The inviter replied 'If your majesty will give way to it, I
have invented a means to disgust him so at my house that Your Majesty, no doubt,
for ever after will be freed from him.'
"That person ordered a double sillibub glass, and it was concerted that the king, after
having drunk plentifully, should ask the master of the house for a sillibub to refresh
him; and by a token the king knew which of the two to take, and commending it
greatly, the Duke Lauderdale, for such was his title then, took the double glass in his
hand, he having a great share of confidence (very natural to one of his country) and
drinking the other half which was prepared with horse urine, swore that no person
had such a taste as his majesty. In some little time it worked as it was natural, and
the king perceiving it, cried out, 'My lord, Lauderdale is sick,' and they carried him
away, and the king was never troubled more with him on such diverting occasions."
Charles II: By George!
From the diary of Dr. Edward Lake, chaplain and tutor to the Princesses Mary and
Anne, daughters of the Duke of York (afterwards James II), brother of King Charles
II:
"October 21st 1677 - The Duke of York din'd at Whitehall; after dinner return'd to
Saint James: took Lady Mary into her closet, and told her of the marriage designed
between her and the Prince of Orange; whereupon her highness wept all that
afternoon and the following day...
"Nov. 4th. - At nine o'clock at night the marriage was solemnised in her highness's
bed-chamber. The King, who gave her away, was very pleasant all the while; for he
desir'd that the bishop of London would make haste, lest his sister should be
delivered of a son, and so the marriage be disappointed; and when the prince
endowed her with all his worldly goods, he willed her to put all up in her pockett, for
'twas clear gains. At eleven o'clock they went to bed, and his majesty came and
drew the curtains, and said to the prince, 'Now, nephew, to your worke! Hey! St.
George for England!
Charles II's Hat
Charles II once encountered the famed Quaker William Penn, whose faith prohibited
him from removing his hat - as etiquette demanded of anyone in the monarch's
presence. When, having exchanged niceties, Penn's hat remained firmly ensconced
upon his head, the king - with a graceful flourish - removed his own. "Friend
Charles," the Quaker said, "why dost thou uncover thyself?" "Friend Penn," the king
replied, "in this place it is the custom for only one man at a time to keep his hat on."
Last Words of Charles II
King Charles II is said to have addressed his final words to various attendants and
notables assembled beside his deathbed: "I have been a most unconscionable time
dying," he muttered, "but I beg you to excuse it."
Old Rowley
Charles II was often lovingly satirized as "Old Rowley" - a stallion with a reputation
for breeding fine foals.
One day, one of his many mistresses was singing the satirical ballad "Old Rowley the
King" in her apartment when someone knocked at her door.
"Who's there?" she asked. It was Charles, who playfully replied: "Old Rowley himself,
madam!"
Elizabeth I
Air of Discontent?
One unfortunate day, in the midst of a low bow before Queen Elizabeth, Edward de
Vere, the Earl of Oxford, audibly broke wind. Understandably embarrassed, he
withdrew from the court and went abroad - for several years.
Having finally returned to England, he visited the court to pay his respects and was
welcomed by the queen: "My lord," she declared, "I had forgot the fart."
Majestic Forgiveness
Shortly after Elizabeth came to the throne, a knight who had treated her rudely while
she was living in disgrace (during the reign of her half-sister Mary) threw himself at
her feet and begged her pardon.
Elizabeth gestured for the man to rise. "Do you not know," she contemptuously
declared, "that we are descended of the lion, whose nature is not to prey upon the
mouse or any other such small vermin?"
[Trivia: Elizabeth suffered from anthophobia, a fear of roses.]
Social Climber
One day Sir Walter Raleigh, well on his way to becoming Elizabeth's favorite courtier,
used a diamond to scratch a note on a window of the royal palace: "Fain would I
climb, yet fear I to fall."
The queen, reading the line as intended, completed the couplet: "If thy heart fail
thee, climb not at all."
[Trivia: Elizabeth's last words? "All my possessions for a moment of time."]
Jester
Unlike most members of the royal court, Elizabeth's jester, Master Pace, was
permitted to say outrageous things as long as they made the queen laugh.
Even so, Pace once over-stepped the bounds of propriety and was banished from the
court for insulting Elizabeth before a group of foreign dignitaries.
Some time later, the queen welcomed him back into the royal fold: "Come now,
Pace," she remarked, "let us hear no more of our faults."
"No indeed, Madam," he replied, "For I myself never talk of what is discussed by all
the world."
Heretics of Ireland (long)
"Although he later reverted to Catholicism, under Henry VIII and Edward VI, Harry
Cole [dean of St. Paul's, London from 1556] acquiesced in the Reformation. In 1558,
Cole was given a commission to suppress the Protestants of Ireland. En route to
Dublin, he stopped for the night at Chester, where he lodged with the mayor, to
whom he showed his commission, boasting, 'Here is what shall lash the heretics of
Ireland.' The mayor's wife, overhearing these words, feared for her brother, a
Protestant living in Dublin. Seizing an opportunity when Cole's back was turned, she
opened the box, removed the commission, substituted a pack of playing cards, and
resealed the box. The following day Cole went on his way unsuspecting. As soon as
he landed in Ireland he went to a meeting of the Privy Council, where he announced
his errand to the lord deputy. When the lord deputy opened the box, all he found
was the pack of cards, with the knave lying uppermost. 'Let us have another
commission,' said he, 'and in the meantime we will shuffle the cards.' So Cole was
obliged to return to England, but before he could reach Ireland again with a fresh
commission Queen Mary died and Elizabeth ascended the throne. It is said that
Elizabeth gave the resourceful wife of the Chester mayor an annual pension for her
part in preserving the Irish Protestants from persecution."
Elizabeth I, (1533-1603) English monarch, queen of England and Ireland (1558-1603), daughter of Henry VIII
and Anne Boleyn [noted for her restoration of English glory after the troubled reign of her Roman Catholic halfsister Mary, for her defeat of the Spanish Armada (1588), and for her aggressive promotion of trade and
exploration in the New World]