Masters Theses

Scott Hendrix

Date of Award

12-2001

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

History

Major Professor

Paul Pinckney

Committee Members

John Bohstedt, Robert Bast

Abstract

In November of 1650 an insurrection broke out in Norfolk that is now known as the Winter Insurrection. This county had been a center of Parliamentary support throughout the First and Second Civil Wars. Therefore, the question that must be asked is why this revolt occurred in Norfolk, which had received a Parliamentary citation for the support the county had rendered as recently as 1644, and why the revolt occurred in 1650 rather than in conjunction with the Second Civil War of 1648 when revolts had broken out across England and Wales. This thesis addresses these questions through an analysis of important economic and social stresses that created tension within the county community of Norfolk, as well as the aggravation caused by the centralizing efforts of the government at Winchester. These stresses included high taxation during a period of high unemployment, famine level food prices produced by repeated crop failures during the years 1646 through 1649, and the resultant outbreaks of disease. In addition to these serious problems, strains were placed on the fabric of the county social structure as new men rose to prominence and challenged the men who were accustomed to the exercise of authority within Norfolk. These tensions were compounded by the meddling of central government in such areas as the local ministry and in local elections. These stresses are examined within the context of both local county society and the problems that affected the nation as a whole. All of England was experiencing economic strain and facing serious turmoil due to the Civil Wars. This turmoil was reflected in the local community and expressed itself through opposition to the actions of the central and local government in a number of ways. One method of resistance was through the use of riot. Two large-scale riots are analyzed, in 1646 and 1648. The riots are considered as representing opposition to taxation practices as well as, in the case of the latter, opposition to the infringement of traditional local liberties. In addition an analysis is made of the differences in the modes of violence employed in these riots and in the 1650 insurrection. These differences led the central government to respond much more harshly to the events of 1650, hanging twenty-five men, than to either of the earlier incidents (eight men were hanged in 1648 and none in 1646). The final analysis concludes that the Winter insurrection was the result of plotting that was partially orchestrated by moderate royalists in support of prince Charles Stuart (the future Charles II). This made up only part of the impetus to revolt, however, as the majority of those who revolted were driven more by frustration at a government in which they received only limited representation after Pride's Purge of 1648 and that carried out policies they were not in agreement with, such as the execution of King Charles I in 1649. In addition, this government taxed them heavily. It is most telling that the 1650 insurrection occurred only days after a dramatic tax increase.

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