In 1640s effective government control of the
press collapsed. Then there were many pamphlets and newspapers
with all variety of interpretation of the Bible and all sorts of
political opinion, such as on taxation, law and the liberties of
the subject, religion, land and trade, and authority and property.
Twenty-two pamphlets were published in 1640 and 1,996 in 1642.
In 1640 the canons of the church included a requirement for
parsons to exclaim divine right of kings every year. The Commons
soon resolved that this was contrary to the fundamental laws and
liberties of the realm.
The Short Parliament of 1640 was dissolved soon because the
Commons demanded redress of its grievances. The Long Parliament of
1640-1653 requested by the House of Lords was agreed to by Charles
because he still wanted money. In election of members to the Long
Parliament, voters wanted to know where contenders stood on
certain political issues. In this Parliament, the Commons ceased
to agree on all issues and started to rely on majority rule.
The House of Commons was led by John Pym, a middle class
landholder with extensive commercial interests. The Commons
treated the King's refusal to act with them as a relinquishment of
his power to Parliament. When it met at the Long Parliament, Pym
expressed the grievances of the King's actions against the
privileges of Parliament, against religion, and against the
liberties of the subjects.
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