The Nineteen Propositions, 1642

The Nineteen Propositions was a set of proposals sent from the Lords and Commons to King Charles in June 1642 after the King had left London and set up his court at York.

The Propositions were confrontational and uncompromising in tone:

• Parliament was to be responsible for the defence of the country; the King must accept Parliament's authority to raise armies
• Parliament was to supervise all foreign policy
• The King was publicly to pardon the Five Members
• Strict new laws against Roman Catholics were to be enforced
• Parliament was to supervise the education of royal children and to arrange their marriages
• All the King's ministers were to be made answerable to Parliament; no new peers could be appointed to the House of Lords without the approval of the Commons

Although moderate Parliamentarians regarded the Propositions as a basis for further discussion with the King, others regarded them as an ultimatum. Not unexpectedly, they were firmly rejected. The King's Answer was published on 18 June. It declared that Parliament's proposals threatened the ancient constitution of the kingdom. If the King agreed to them, he would effectively be deposing himself and his posterity.

After the rejection of the Nineteen Propositions, both sides began openly preparing for an armed confrontation.

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