Second Protectorate Parliament facts for kids
The Second Protectorate Parliament was a special meeting of the English government. It met in two parts, or "sessions," from September 17, 1656, to February 4, 1658. During this time, Thomas Widdrington was the Speaker, like the leader of a school debate.
In its first session, only the House of Commons was active. But in the second session, a new group called the Other House was added. This new group could say "no" to decisions made by the Commons.
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Why This Parliament Met
The Second Protectorate Parliament was called by Oliver Cromwell, who was the leader of England at the time, known as the Lord Protector. He didn't really want to call it. He was advised by his military leaders, called the Major-Generals, who were in charge of different parts of the country.
The Major-Generals thought a parliament would help them get money. They needed funds for the army and navy, especially because England was fighting a war with Spain, called the Anglo-Spanish War (1654–1660).
The elections for this Parliament followed a new set of rules called the Instrument of Government. This new rulebook allowed up to 30 members from Scotland and 30 from Ireland to join. People who supported the King (Royalists) and Catholics were not allowed to vote or become members.
After the election, a group called the Council of State stopped about 100 elected members from taking their seats. They said these members were not "of known integrity, fearing God." Another 50 members left in protest. This meant only about 250 members started the first session.
First Session: What Happened?
The first session began in December 1656. At first, the government didn't have many new laws to propose. So, the Parliament spent its time on smaller issues. However, three big topics soon took over:
- The Militia Bill
- The Naylor case
- Changes to the government rules (called the Humble Petition and Advice)
These issues showed that Parliament was less tolerant of different religious beliefs than the new rules allowed.
The Militia Bill Debate
On January 29, 1657, Parliament voted against a bill called the "Militia Bill." This bill was proposed by Major-General John Desborough. It would have kept a special tax that paid for the army's mounted soldiers. This tax was collected by Cromwell's Major-Generals. When the bill failed, it meant the Major-Generals lost their power to rule the counties.
New Government Rules: The Humble Petition and Advice
Since the special tax was rejected, it was clear that the Major-Generals could not continue to run the country. In February 1657, Parliament offered Cromwell a new set of government rules called the Humble Petition and Advice. They even offered him the crown, meaning they wanted him to become King.
The Naylor Case: A Religious Controversy
In 1656, a Quaker named James Naylor did something that caused a lot of trouble. On a Sunday before Easter, he rode a horse into Bristol with followers singing and laying clothes on the ground. It looked like he was pretending to be Jesus entering Jerusalem.
Even though Naylor said he wasn't trying to be Jesus, many in Parliament were very upset. They saw it as an act of disrespect towards religion. Everyone in Parliament agreed Naylor should be punished.
Parliament debated if they had the power to act like a court and punish someone, since the old House of Lords (which used to do this) was gone. After much discussion, they decided they did have this right. They tried Naylor and decided on a punishment for what they called his "blasphemy."
The punishment was very strict. He was to be put in a public stockade, whipped, have his tongue pierced, and be branded with a letter "B." He would then be paraded through Bristol and sent to prison to do hard labor.
=Cromwell Accepts New Rules (Mostly)
After thinking about it, Cromwell decided not to accept the crown. The Naylor case had shown him that Parliament members were not as open-minded about religion as the new rules intended. Also, Parliament acting like a court worried many people, including Cromwell and the powerful army leaders called Grandees.
So, Cromwell, with the support of the Grandees, pushed Parliament to create a second chamber (like a second house of representatives).
After some changes were made to the Humble Petition, Cromwell agreed to the new government rules. In June 1657, he was officially made Lord Protector again under these new rules. Parliament then took a break for the summer.
Second Session: New Challenges
When Parliament returned, the army Grandees agreed to let the members who had been excluded earlier take their seats. But to make sure Parliament would agree with their plans, Cromwell chose 63 members for the new "Other House." Forty-two of them accepted, and 37 came to the first meeting.
This new "Other House" caused many people who believed in a republic (a country without a king or protector) to protest. These protests spread even to the regular soldiers. People worried about new plots against the government and a group called the Levellers causing trouble.
Because of these fears, and using the power given to him by the Humble Petition and Advice, Oliver Cromwell closed Parliament on February 4, 1658.
Parliament's Place in History
The Second Protectorate Parliament came after the First Protectorate Parliament and was followed by the Third Protectorate Parliament.
Images for kids
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Sir Thomas Widdrington, the Speaker of the House of Commons.
See also
