Content deleted Content added
No edit summary |
m Filled in 2 bare reference(s) with reFill () |
||
Line 10:
===Civil War revival===
Although long obsolete by the 17th century, the system was revived by King [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] in 1642 at the start of the [[English Civil War|Civil War]], in an unconstitutional manner, that is to say without [[Parliament of England|Parliament]] having been consulted, in order to counteract the equally unconstitutional [[Militia Ordinance]] enacted by Parliament in 1641 without the usual [[Royal Assent]]. Both decrees were issued in order to attempt to gain control of existing [[militia]] forces and to raise further troops. The Commission of Array issued by the king thus sought to muster a [[Cavalier|Royalist]] army at the onset of the [[English Civil War]].<ref name="auto">Andriette, Eugene A., Devon and Exeter in the Civil War, Newton Abbot, 1971, p.56</ref> Commissioners were appointed for each county, generally from leading members of the
local aristocracy and gentry who might be assumed to wield great influence over their feudal tenants and the population in general. The commissioners proceeded to the major population centres and read out in public gatherings the text of their commission. Frequently such innovative royal decrees, uncertain in precedent and purpose, were met with open hostility on the part of the local inhabitants who suspected them as being instruments designed for general suppression of the people. Opponents of the king, whilst playing down the role of the [[Militia Ordinance]] in augmenting civil strife, portrayed the Commission of Array as being a sign that it was the king and not Parliament who was the real aggressor in the developing conflict.<ref>Andriette, p.57</ref>
====Lists of Commissioners of Array====
=====Devon=====
28 Commissioners of Array were appointed in Devon on 19 July 1642, including:<ref
*[[Henry Bourchier, 5th Earl of Bath]]<ref
*[[Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester]]<ref
*George Southcote of Buckland Tout Saints, appointed but apparently never acted as he was appointed [[Sheriff of Devon]] during the [[Commonwealth]], father of [[Thomas Southcote]] (c.1622-64), of Buckland Tout Saints, MP.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1660-1690/member/southcote-thomas-1622-64|title=SOUTHCOTE, Thomas (c.1622-64), of Buckland Tout Saints, Devon. - History of Parliament Online|publisher=}}</ref>
*[[Sir John Acland, 1st Baronet]] (c.1591-1647)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1660-1690/member/acland-sir-hugh-1639-1714|title=ACLAND, Sir Hugh, 1st or 5th Bt. (c.1639-1714), of Killerton, Devon. - History of Parliament Online|publisher=}}</ref>
==See also==
| |||