g. in the Baptist
and Anabaptist religions and, until 1660, prophetesses. These
sects were mostly composed of the lower echelons of society.
The poor people did not respond to sermons as did the well-to-do.
Nor were they as involved in church activity, attending church
only for marriages, baptisms, and funerals.
Charles I not only believed in the divine right of kings and was
authoritarian; he was the ultimate autocrat. He had an unalterable
conviction that he was superior to other men, who were
insignificant and privileged to revolve around him. He issued
directives to reverse jury verdicts. Parliamentarians Oliver
Cromwell and other educated men opposed this view. The Commons
voted not to grant Charles the usual custom-dues for life, making
it instead renewable each year, conditioned on the king's
behavior. Charles dissolved Parliament before this passed. He
continued to take tonnage and poundage.
He wanted money for war so he imposed many taxes, but without the
consent of Parliament. They included many of which had fallen into
disuse. He imposed a compulsory "loan" on private individuals,
which the courts held was illegal, and imprisoned, those who
refused. Bail was denied to these men. Simpler people who refused
were threatened with impressment into the Navy, which included
being landed on shore to fight as marines and soldiers. They
sought to revive the old writ of habeas corpus [produce the body]
to get released, but to no avail.
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