The Act of Classes was passed by the
Parliament of Scotland
In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
on 23 January 1649. It was probably drafted by
Lord Warriston
Archibald Johnston, Lord Wariston (1611 – 1663) was a Scottish judge and statesman.
He assisted Alexander Henderson (theologian), Alexander Henderson in writing the Scottish National Covenant in 1638, and was appointed Procurator of the Ki ...
, a leading member of the
Kirk Party
The Kirk Party were a radical Presbyterian faction of the Scottish Covenanters during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. They came to the fore after the defeat of the Engagers faction in 1648 at the hands of Oliver Cromwell and the English Parlia ...
, who along with the
Marquess of Argyll were leading proponents of its clauses. It banned Royalists and those who had supported
the Engagement from holding public office including positions in the army. Against sizeable opposition the rescinding of the Act took effect on 13 August 1650.
Royalists banned from holding public office
The act banned Royalists from holding public office. Its broad wording not only banned those who had fought with or supported Royalists such as
Marquess of Montrose
A marquess (; ) is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German-language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or widow ...
, it also banned those who had supported the Engagement (now discredited and political weakened after the Engager's army's defeat at the
Battle of Preston (1648)
The battle of Preston was fought on 17 August 1648 during the Second English Civil War. A Roundhead, Parliamentarian army commanded by Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom), Lieutenant General Oliver Cromwell attacked a considerably larger force ...
), those who had not vehemently protested against the Engagement and those not of upright character.
Rescinding
The rescinding of the Act of Classes in 1651 led to a serious breach in the ranks of the Scottish clergy. The Resolutioners, or supporters of the resolution to rescind that act (such as
James Sharp), were opposed by the Protesters, the rigid adherents to the strictest interpretation of the Covenant (such as
Patrick Gillespie and
James Guthrie). The period of the
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...
was filled with the strife between these two parties, its bitterness not lessened by the fact that the assembly, dissolved in 1653 by
Cromwell's soldiers, was not allowed to meet again in
his protectorate.
See also
*
Third Civil War in
Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
Between 1639 and 1652, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland was involved in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a series of conflicts which included the Bishops' Wars, the Irish Rebellion of 1641, the English Civil War, the Irish Confederate Wars and fi ...
*
English invasion of Scotland in
Third English Civil War
*
Western Remonstrance
The Western Remonstrance was drawn up on 17 October 1650 by Scotsmen who demanded that the Act of Classes (1649) was enforced (removing Engagers from the army and other influential positions) and remonstrating against Charles, the son of the rece ...
Notes
References
*
*
*
* (also main DNB vol. 30 p. 56)
*
;Attribution
*
1649 in Scotland
1649 in law
Acts of the Parliament of Scotland
Scottish monarchy
Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
{{UK-statute-stub