by Larry Lounsbury

Created on: June 12, 2009   Last Updated: June 13, 2009

English Civil War

The English Civil War consisted of opposing forces that were unique to the country of England. Religion, tied with the new ideal of Calvinism, worked to bring together a new idea of liberty and freedom. This precept forced people to choose between the rebel or royalist forces, which in the end became the catalyst for a new model of democracy, building a stronger Parliament and a guide for future governments.

My family is puritan rebels that support the defense of Parliament. We wish for Charles to continue to reign, but only on terms that share governing our land with Parliament. We are indebted to Charles I for helping my grandfather, William Pennoyer in his business known as the "Company of Merchant Adventurers of London trading," involved in the shipping of cloth, spice, horses, and many other goods.[1] We have tow ships, the "Alum" and the "Paramoor," warships that serve us well. "...Charles I had given a patent to a group of merchants headed by Courteen and a royal favorite, courtier Endymion Porter, to trade where the East India Company had not yet established factories. Between 1642-1645, Maurice Thomson was linked with the Earl of Warwick and William Pennoyer with Capt. Jackson's second raid on the Spanish West Indies..."[2] This war was not planned, rather it was the amalgamation of various doctrines and political parties simmering underneath an already volatile mix. Many of us in England are related to each other through church, blood, or business. We have no ill will toward any of our fellow men, only we remember how we, as Puritans, have been treated by the Spanish Catholics in France, Germany, and other places. Furthermore, some of our own families remain faithful to the spiritual doctrine of one church, regarding neither Catholic nor Protestant above the other.[3] The nobility is tied to the Anglican Church and no longer has a vital military role to play in England. They are also losing their authority in government while the House of Commons is becoming the near equal of the House of Lords in Parliament. Finally, the nobility seems to be losing out in terms of England's increasing prosperity, as new elements, such as the gentry, enter the scene. Some of these new gentry, like my grandfather William Pennoyer, have the ability to be a good businessman, as well as keeping the laws of England and God. The gentry is a broad group of people that have done quite well since the early 16th century when they purchased

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