Dissenters, Radicals, Heretics and Blasphemers: The Flame of Revolt That Shines Through English History PDF
Preview Dissenters, Radicals, Heretics and Blasphemers: The Flame of Revolt That Shines Through English History
D DISSENTERS, i s RADICALS, “ A BRILLIANT AND EXHILARATING WORK. s e HERETICS, AND A COUNTER TO THE POLITICS OF PASSIVITY ” n BLASPHEMERS HELENA KENNEDY QC t e r s , R . a DISSENTERS A stream of dissent, protest, uprising or even rebellion d is a central strand of UK history. Taking key events over i c RADICALS time John Hostettler demon strates how when legitimate a l avenues of opposition to the actions of the powerful s , HERETICS AND • Soshft aostwteas na tdnhidne g tih muepp p otorowt atehnrecf eu l. arrige hctlos sine do tdhoewr nw athyes.n people are bound to assert their Here BLASPHEMERS • Dtaaeckmqeuonin rfesotdrr atghtrerason uhtgeohdw tw hrieegr het s Toqhfu ipse obnwotloye krl,e srdhe potowr epsso shsiooitwniv, eat y ctrrhaaandnnitgyioe o.n Sr o omfm cishec taoilmlnedensug ctihnt ighs aamsb iufgrsheet- tics a • aianAcondtf idri ova enmicmdsqou iuovnaifedle smdes, cereo edonrnigftcc saate.hnt.eeizd ad tainognes rs ntrohourotp wsthieooa wvnrse,h ei nh.oja uwpsetpirceeen ,p einrdee pbqauurate ldfito ytr,oJ sto htshatetan ena -Hcdstpo oioosutnntess tao togrlefea dtrinh visesitl l faceionwry-, nd Blasph RTEHVRTOOHLHUTEIG S TFHTHLO AAERTMNY SGEHL OIISFNH E S e one of the UK’s most m acclaimed authors on e John Hostettler demonstrates how at various times legal history and biog- r in history the state has reacted in different ways to ‘trouble s raphy. Here he brings causers’, ‘fanatics’ and ‘activists’, sometimes with tolerance or J his immense learning o good humour or at others with arrest, violence, censorship, oppressive laws and the severest of punishments. to bear in order to hn N NONO! O! ! describe the many H advances which have From the sometimes iconic events of the past to the catch o resulted from power s all delegated powers of the modern-day, John Hostettler and authority being te provides a first-rate account of why vigilance is necessary called to account. t and a proud tradition of dissent should never be lost. tl JOHN HOSTETTLER e r www.WatersidePress.co.uk W ISBN 978-1-904380-82-5 A T WATERSIDE PRESS ER SID WATERSIDE PRESS Putting justice into words E P R E 9 781904380825 SS Dissenters, Radicals, Heretics and Blasphemers The Flame of Revolt that Shines Through English History John Hostettler DISSENTERS, RADICALS, HERETICS AND BLASPHEMERS Dissenters, Radicals, Heretics and Blasphemers The Flame of Revolt that Shines Through English History John Hostettler ISBN 978-1-904380-82-5 (Paperback) ISBN 978-1-908162-07-6 (E-book) Published 2012 by Waterside Press Ltd. Telephone +44(0)1256 882250 Sherfield Gables E-mail [email protected] Sherfield on Loddon Online catalogue WatersidePress.co.uk Hook, Hampshire United Kingdom RG27 0JG UK distributor Gardners Books, 1 Whittle Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 6QH. Tel: +44 (0)1323 521777; [email protected]; www.gardners.com North American distributor International Specialized Book Services (ISBS), 920 NE 58th Ave, Suite 300, Portland, Oregon, 97213-3786, USA. Tel: 1 800 944 6190 Fax 1 503 280 8832; [email protected]; www.isbs.com Copyright © 2012 This work is the copyright of John Hostettler. All intellectual property and associated rights are hereby asserted and reserved by the author in full compli- ance with UK, European and international law. No part of this book may be copied, reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, including in hard copy or via the internet, without the prior written permission of the publishers to whom all such rights have been assigned worldwide. Cover design © 2012 Waterside Press. Design by www.gibgob.com Cataloguing-In-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book can be obtained from the British Library. e-book Dissenters, Radicals, Heretics and Blasphemers is available as an ebook (ISBN 978-1- 908162-07-6) and also to subscribers of Myilibrary and Dawsonera. Printed by MPG Books Group, Bodmin and King’s Lynn. ii Dissenters, Radicals, Heretics and Blasphemers The Flame of Revolt that Shines Through English History John Hostettler WATERSIDE PRESS ALSO BY JOHN HOSTETTLER Sir William Garrow: His Life, Times and Fight for Justice (with Richard Braby) 2010 | Paperback ISBN 9781904380696 | Ebook ISBN 9781906534820 Champions of the Rule of Law 2011 | Paperback ISBN 9781904380689 | Ebook ISBN 9781908162021 A History of Criminal Justice in England and Wales 2009 | Paperback ISBN 9781904380511 | Ebook ISBN 9781906534790 Thomas Erskine and Trial by Jury Reissued 2010 | Paperback ISBN 9781904380597 | Ebook ISBN 9781906534868 and many more at WatersidePress.co.uk iv Contents About the author xiii Dedication xv 1. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Heroes ........................................................19 Dissenters ......................................................19 Radicals .......................................................20 Heretics .......................................................21 Blasphemers ....................................................22 Rebels .........................................................23 2. EARLY CONFLICT OF RELIGION AND POLITICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Introduction ....................................................25 Pelagius .......................................................25 English Nationalism ..............................................27 Independence ...................................................27 Charge of Heresy ................................................28 Indestructible Views ..............................................29 3. JOHN WYCLIFFE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Early Protestant .................................................31 John of Gaunt ..................................................32 Church Indulgences ..............................................33 Bible in English .................................................33 Politics ........................................................34 End of Pope’s Power of Inquisition ...................................36 Death .........................................................37 4. RELIGIOUS MARTYRDOM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Sir John Oldcastle ................................................39 Abuse of Criminal Law ........................................... 40 Transubstantiation ...............................................41 Found Guilty .................................................. 42 v DISSENTERS, RADICALS, HERETICS AND BLASPHEMERS Death by Fire ...................................................43 Poor Priests .................................................... 44 5. WAT TYLER AND THE PEASANTS’ REVOLT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Hated Poll Tax ..................................................45 Black Death ................................................... 46 Wat Tyler and the March on London ................................ 47 Rebel Demands ................................................ 48 Meeting the King ............................................... 49 Vengeance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Heroic Message .................................................51 6. CROMWELL’S COMMONWEALTH AND PROTECTORATE . . . . . . . . .53 Undermining the Traditional Ethos ..................................53 John Lilburne and the Levellers .....................................55 The Putney Debates ..............................................57 Trials of “Freeborn John” ..........................................59 Judges are Ciphers ...............................................60 “Perverse Verdict” ................................................61 Women Levellers ................................................62 Second Prosecution of Lilburne .....................................63 Prophecy ..................................................... 64 The Diggers or True Levellers .......................................65 Gerard Wynstanley ...............................................65 St George’s Hill and Cobham .......................................67 Political Programme ..............................................68 7. THE ISLAND BEDLAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 The Seekers and Ranters ...........................................71 Scourges of the Wealthy ...........................................73 Abominable Practices .............................................75 Muggletonians ..................................................76 Fifth Monarchists ................................................77 Barebone’s Parliament .............................................77 vi THE FLAME OF REVOLT THAT SHINES THROUGH ENGLISH HISTORY 8. THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Quakers .......................................................81 Blasphemy .....................................................82 William Penn ...................................................83 Alleged Conspiracy ...............................................83 Common Law ................................................. 84 Incredible Scenes in Court .........................................85 Bushell’s Case ..................................................86 Changing Image .................................................88 9. JOHN COOKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Barrister-at-Law .................................................89 Solicitor-General ................................................90 Prosecuting the King .............................................91 “Refusal to Plead is a Confession” ....................................92 Trial of John Cooke ............................................. 94 Vitriol .........................................................95 10. JOHN MILTON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 Revolutionary Ardour .............................................97 Divorce Pamphlets ...............................................98 Secretary for Foreign Tongues .......................................99 Freedom of Speech ..............................................100 The Restoration ................................................101 Paradise Lost ..................................................101 Optimism .....................................................102 11. JOHN BUNYAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 From Tinker to Christian .........................................105 Soldier in the New Model Army ....................................106 Imprisonment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108 The Pilgrim’s Progress ............................................109 Milton, Bunyan, Defoe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Affinity with the Ranters .........................................110 vii DISSENTERS, RADICALS, HERETICS AND BLASPHEMERS 12. DANIEL DEFOE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Political Leanings ...............................................113 The True-born Englishman .......................................114 Defending Dissenters ............................................115 Robinson Crusoe ...............................................116 13. JOHN WILKES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 The Hellfire Club ...............................................119 The North Briton ...............................................120 Wilkes and Liberty! .............................................121 Absurd Ruling .................................................122 Massacre of St. George’s Fields .....................................122 Unconstitutional Ploy ............................................123 Unreformed Parliament ..........................................124 14. TOM PAINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 Common Sense ................................................127 The Rights of Man ..............................................128 Social Reform ..................................................129 Trial for Seditious Libel ..........................................130 Alleged Spy in France ............................................131 The Age of Reason ..............................................132 Return to America ..............................................134 15. WILLIAM WILBERFORCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135 The Clapham Sect ..............................................135 Crusade Against the Slave Trade ....................................136 Morality ......................................................139 The End ......................................................140 16. THOMAS HARDY AND THE TREASON TRIALS OF 1794 . . . . . . . . .141 Government Repression ..........................................141 Rehearsal in Scotland ............................................141 Reign of Terror .................................................144 Trial of the Shoemaker ...........................................144 viii
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