Somerset's loyalties on the eve of Civil War

Somerset in 1641 was a heady mix of supporters of bishops and their ancient system of governance (known as episcopacy), the King, Parliament and those who supported combinations thereof, as well as neutrally-minded people. This book examines, for the first time, the loyalties of the people of Somerset, including the gentry and clergy on the eve of the First English Civil War. Alongside this analysis are transcripts of key documents from that most turbulent period. The subject of episcopacy and its effects on the Diocese of Bath and Wells is examined in detail through the analysis of unpublished testimonies of contemporary Somerset folk. Also included is an account of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, including his time spent in the Tower of London.

Using a wide variety of original sources, and a different approach to analysing petitions, the traditional thoughts about people's loyalties in those turbulent years are challenged. One of the key sources is a petition from over 230 clergy and 14,350 lay men in response to Somerset's and London's 'root and branch' petitions of 1640. Somerset's petition, organised by a faction of local royalist gentry and clergy, was presented at a key moment in the constitutional history of England. It reflected not only the supporters of King Charles but also those who wanted to change the way the Church was run. This edition of the December 1641 petition shows the extent of Royalist support on the eve of civil war. Complementing this are some hitherto unpublished records showing how Somerset reacted to the Irish Rebellion of 1641. These include the names of those in the east of the county who gave money in support of the distressed Protestants who had suffered during the Catholic uprising, and others demonstrating how Parliamentary supporters gained financially from the sale of lands in Ireland.

The original documents transcribed and reproduced in this volume are mainly drawn from the Parliamentary Archives, The National Archives of England and Wales, the Archive of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society, the Diocese of Bath and Wells and a private collection.

Read about the events concerning the vicar of Pitminster, Christmas at Barrington, the Bishops Wars, strange preachers at Chew Stoke, cuckoo pipes at Bruton, militiamen, fighting clergy, Ship Money, the bishop's registrar, communion tables, petitioners from Beckington, Taunton and Bath investors, MPs, coded petitions, riots at Neroche, Royalists and Roundheads, Assize courts, poor clergymen, protestations, silver-tongued Sydenham, church courts and much more.