Western Remonstrance facts for kids
The Western Remonstrance was an important document created by a group of Scotsmen on October 17, 1650. They wanted to make sure that a law called the Act of Classes (from 1649) was followed. This law was about removing certain people, known as Engagers, from important jobs in the army and government. The Remonstrance also protested against Charles II becoming King of Scotland. Charles II was the son of King Charles I, who had recently been executed.
The word "remonstrance" means a formal statement of complaints or strong disagreement, usually given to a government or a ruler. The people who supported this document were called Remonstrants or Remonstraters. Sir George Maxwell presented the Remonstrance to the Committee of Estates in Stirling on October 22.
What Was the Remonstrance?
Patrick Gillespie, a minister, was the main writer of the Remonstrance. It was sent to the Scottish Parliament by a group of "gentlemen, commanders, and ministers" from the western part of Scotland. They complained about the government leaders and disagreed with the agreement made with King Charles II. They also said they would not support Charles II against Oliver Cromwell, who was leading the English army.
The Remonstrants believed that God was upset with the Scottish people because they had not fully followed the National Covenant. They called this "the great and mother sin of the nation." To fix this, they wanted to remove "malignants" from around the king, from the courts, and from the army. "Malignants" were people seen as enemies of their cause, often those who had supported the king against the Scottish Parliament. The Remonstrants felt that some government leaders were letting these "malignants" become too powerful again.
The Committee of Estates did not pay attention to this first Remonstrance. This made Archibald Johnston, Lord Warriston and the leaders of the Western Association army very angry. So, they wrote another, even stronger Remonstrance on October 30 in Dumfries. They had moved their army there because Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army was moving into the west.
In this new Remonstrance, the Remonstrants clearly stated that King Charles II was against their religious beliefs and agreements (the Covenants). They said they would not support him or his interests in their fight against the English invaders. They believed the king should not be allowed to rule in Scotland until he truly changed his ways. They also wanted to stop him from joining forces with the "malignant party" and to find out why he had recently tried to escape. They demanded that "malignants" should never again be allowed to harm the work and people of God.
On November 19, a request was sent to the Committee of Estates asking for a clear answer to the first Remonstrance. On November 25, the King and the Committee released a joint statement. They said that the Remonstrance was "scandalous and injurious" to the king and harmful to his power. The church leaders (the commission of the General Assembly) were asked for their opinion on the religious parts of the Remonstrance. They agreed that it contained "many sad truths" about the sins of the king and his family. However, they also said they were unhappy with the Remonstrance because they thought it would cause arguments and divisions within the church and the country.
What Happened Next?
The General Assembly, which was the main church body, not only agreed with the commission's statement but also made an important decision. They decided that in such a dangerous time, all Scotsmen could be allowed to defend their country. This meant they supported getting rid of the Act of Classes (1649). This act had stopped Engagers and Royalists from joining the fight against the English invasion. They did make an exception for people who were "excommunicated" (kicked out of the church), "notoriously profane" (very disrespectful), or clear enemies of their cause. But this still allowed many "malignants" to join. The Act of Classes was officially cancelled on August 13, 1650.
Gillespie and other Remonstraters protested against this decision by the General Assembly. When the General Assembly met again in July 1651, they protested that the meeting was not legal. Because of this, Gillespie and two others were removed from their positions as ministers. They and their supporters ignored this punishment and caused a split in the church.
Gillespie and those who shared his views became known as Protestors because they protested against the decision to cancel the Act of Classes. Those who supported the decision to cancel the act became known as Resolutioners.
These divisions within the Scottish church and nation made it easier for the English to take control of Scotland. The English New Model Army could fight and defeat different Scottish armies one by one. Politically, the English Commonwealth was able to use this disunity to gain an advantage over both groups of Scots.
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