Author: Stephen Roberts

Stuart, 17th Century history, Interregnum, James I to Restoration, Military history, Oliver Cromwell, Religious history

The ‘Story of Parliament’: Civil War leaders

Earlier this year the History published ‘The Story of Parliament: Celebrating 750 years of parliament in Britain’ to mark the anniversary of Simon de Montfort’s parliament in 1265. The book is a brief introduction to the full 750 years of parliamentary history, aimed at the general reader, and available to purchase from the Houses of Parliament bookshop.  On this blog we are publishing some tasters … Continue reading The ‘Story of Parliament’: Civil War leaders

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Conferences, Seminars and Events, 17th Century history, James I to Restoration, Stuart

Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Stephen Roberts, ‘The uses of a parliamentary diary in the making of a royalist: the case of Henry Townshend of Worcestershire’

Dr Stephen Roberts, editor of the Commons 1640-60 section, reports on his paper given at our last ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ seminar: ‘The uses of a parliamentary diary in the making of a royalist: the case of Henry Townshend of Worcestershire, 1640-3’… Henry Townshend (c. 1602-1663) was a Worcestershire gentleman who lived in Elmley Lovett, a village ten miles north of Worcester. He was the … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Stephen Roberts, ‘The uses of a parliamentary diary in the making of a royalist: the case of Henry Townshend of Worcestershire’

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James I to Restoration, 17th Century history, Interregnum, Religious history, Social history

Christmas Day in the Commons, 1656

For those of you still working in Christmas week, Dr Stephen Roberts, editor of the Commons 1640-60 section, discusses the Commons’ debates on Christmas day, 1656: still sitting, of course, and rather disappointed that the rest of the country seemed to have taken the day off… On Christmas day 1656, the second parliament of Oliver Cromwell’s protectorate met as usual to transact business. Some years … Continue reading Christmas Day in the Commons, 1656

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James I to Restoration, 17th Century history, Social history, Welsh History

An Early Welsh Manifesto

To celebrate St David’s Day tomorrow, Dr Stephen Roberts, the editor of our Commons 1640-1660 section, discusses a text used in the Civil War to try and win over the primarily royalist-supporting Wales to the Presbyterian cause in Parliament… Unique among Cardiganshire people in exploiting the printing press to promote Parliament after the civil war was John Lewis of Glasgrug, Llanbardarn Fawr. His book, Contemplations upon … Continue reading An Early Welsh Manifesto

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Interregnum, 17th Century history, Social history

Parliament and Christmas during the Civil War

One  of the worst insults today thrown at Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans in the mid-17th Century House of Commons is that they ‘cancelled Christmas’ (although I’m sure some of you fighting in the shops or eating yet another mince pie may have some sympathy!) In this post, Dr Stephen Roberts, editor of the House of Commons 1640-1660 section, puts the record straight about the … Continue reading Parliament and Christmas during the Civil War

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Interregnum, 17th Century history, Legal history, Social history

Marriage in the English Revolution

As same-sex marriage legislation receives royal consent today, Dr Stephen Roberts, the editor of our Commons 1640-1660 section, looks back at debates over marriage laws during the 17th Century… ‘Marriage is best left to the churches, not politicians.’ The view of newspaper columnist Trevor Kavanagh (BBC Radio 4, Any Questions, 24 May 2013) was expressed at a time when forms of marriage are in contention. … Continue reading Marriage in the English Revolution

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Stuart, 17th Century history, Interregnum, Parliamentary Life

Col. Thomas Rainborowe: ‘The poorest he that is in England hath a right to live as the greatest he’

Today’s In Our Time programme on Radio Four focuses on the Putney Debates 0f 1647. Dr Stephen Roberts sheds more light on one of the key figures, Col. Thomas Rainborowe (also Rainborough or Rainsborough)… Surely the most enduring words to have been spoken at the Putney Debates (28-29 Oct. 1647) between the junior and senior officers of the new model army were those of Col. … Continue reading Col. Thomas Rainborowe: ‘The poorest he that is in England hath a right to live as the greatest he’

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Interregnum, 17th Century history, Elections, Electoral Reform, Welsh History

Welsh Electoral Arithmetic, 1640-1660

As today is St David’s day, and in preparation for the upcoming ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ seminar in which Rhodri Morgan, the former First Minister for Wales, will speak, our blogs will focus on Wales. In our first blog, Dr Stephen Roberts discusses Welsh representation in Parliament during the Cromwellian Protectorate. Wales was not well represented at the time, with the notable (and brief!) exception of Swansea; a very different … Continue reading Welsh Electoral Arithmetic, 1640-1660

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17th Century history, Interregnum, Parliamentary Life, Stuart

The power of the Long Parliament’s Committees

Dr Stephen Roberts, editor of our Commons 1640-1660 section, shares some of the new research they are doing into the Long Parliament’s committees, and what effect they had on Parliament’s relationship with the King… The History of Parliament House of Commons 1640-1660 team have been looking at the powerful executive committees of the Long Parliament, which were established as a response to the crisis of … Continue reading The power of the Long Parliament’s Committees

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Stuart, 17th Century history, Charles I, Factions, Interregnum, Military history, Parliamentary Life

6 December, 1648: Pride’s Purge

Dr Stephen Roberts, editor of the HOP’s House of Commons 1640-60 project, explains the importance of “Pride’s Purge” which took place on this day in 1648. Since the victories by the New Model Army which brought the first civil war between Parliament and King Charles I to an end in 1646, relations between the soldiers and their parliamentary employers had been uneasy. Many of the … Continue reading 6 December, 1648: Pride’s Purge

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