The English Civil War, 1
Vocabulary
| troops | authority | time and again |
| loyal | crown (2) | wholehearted |
| await | vain (2) | parliament |
| gesture | warrant | come/came/come |
| arrest | majesty | charge (3) |
| suggest | issue (3) | immediately |
| resolve | divide (2) | member of parliament |
| lord | terminate | leave/left/left |
| at once | civil war | man-at-arms |
| aside | presence | stand/stood/stood (2) |
| halt | house (3) | in the name of theterminate |
| pardon | forward | infringement |
| detain | privilege | speaker (2) |
| treason | member | fly/flew/flown |
| tongue | neither | see/saw/seen |
| enemy | beseech | speak/spoke/spoken |
| against | declare | breech (2) |
| pray | action (2) | lay/laid/lain (2) |
| crime | move (3) | far/further/further |
| inform | defense | stand aside |
| require | no longer | express (2) |
| mercy | dissolve | Your Majesty |
| aware | civil (2) | arms/armed |
| control | contempt | honorable |
| pull (2) | decision | take/took/taken |
| brink | demand | think/thought/thought (2) |
| militia | state (4) | put/put/put |
| so be it | push (2) | posture (2) |
| let (3) | public (3) | gentlemen |
| terrible | strength |
Video
Transcript
Earl of Essex, Member of Parliament: This house has time and again expressed its wholehearted loyalty to the crown. This parliament awaits in vain for a gesture from the King . . .
Royal Official: The King is coming with a warrant for the arrest of you, John Hampden, Henry Ireton, Sir Arthur Esilridge and Oliver Cromwell on the charge of high treason.
I suggest you leave immediately.
Earl of Essex, Member of Parliament: That if the issues that divide the country be not soon resolved, then these issues may soon divide the nation.
Henry Ireton, MP: The King is coming with a warrant for our arrest.
Oliver Cromwell, Puritan and Member of Parliament: What!?!
Henry Ireton, Member of Parliament: We must leave at once!
Oliver, your name is on it!
Sir Arthur Esilridge, MP: Come!
Member of Parliament: My Lord! Gentlemen! The King comes! He comes with a hundred men-at-arms!
Captain of Royal Guards: Stand aside gentlemen, if you please!
Sergeant: Troops, halt!
Captain of Royal Guards: Open in the name of the King!
Captain of Royal Guards: Forward!
Charles I, King of England, Scotland and Ireland: Mr. Speaker. Gentlemen, you must pardon this infringement of your privilege, but I will not detain you long.
Mr. Speaker I must make bold of your chair.
I have here a warrant for the arrest of five members of this house: John Pym, Henry Ireton, John Hampden, Oliver Cromwell and Sir Arthur Esilridge, upon a charge of treason.
I see that the birds have flown.
Mr. Speaker, where are these gentlemen?
William Lenthall, Speaker of the House: May it please your majesty: I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place — but as this House is pleased to direct me.
Charles I, King of England: Well, Sir. I have eyes. And I see that one of them is here.
Captain, take him.
Royal Guards: Stand aside! Stand aside!
Oliver Cromwell, Puritan and MP: Any action against any member of his House is a breach of privilege. And I move that this House declare as public enemies any who lay hands on its members.
I further move . . . I further move that any such move against this House is considered a crime against its people — and treason against this nation!
Members of Parliament: Yes! Yes! Yes!
Charles I, King of England: So be it.
Mr. Speaker, you will inform the Members of this House that their presence is no longer required by the nation.
This Parliament is by my authority terminated. Dissolved.
Oliver Cromwell, MP: Your majesty! Are you aware that by your action in this House today, you may have pushed this nation to the brink of civil war!?!
Oliver Cromwell, Parliamentarian Leader: Now do we see in what contempt this King holds this House and this nation?
It be either your King or your Parliament, honorable Members. The decision is yours.
But I beseech you in the name of God, think well on it.
Earl of Essex: Gentlemen, I move that this House demand the control of the militia and that this country be put in an immediate posture of defense.
Oliver Cromwell: Roundhead Leader: Mr. Speaker. My Lords, honorable members. This nation is now in a state of civil war. And let us pray that God in His mercy will give us strength in this terrible and most unhappy hour.
Questions
King and Queen. In the beginning, were the Members of Parliament looking at documents?
Princess and Prince. An official had good news for some MPs. Is this right or wrong?
Royalty, Royal Family. What did the five MPs do?
Parliament, Houses of Parliament. The King, Charles I, made a royal entrance into the parliament chamber. True or false?
House of Commons. Did the King and Members of Parliament have a cordial (friendly) exchange? Did they have a nice, friendly discussion?
Member Of Parliament. “I see that the birds have flown.” Who said that? What did he mean by that? The Speaker and Oliver Cromwell obeyed the King. Is this correct or incorrect?
Speaker. Did everything end as everyone had hoped? Was there a crisis?
House of Lords. Was everyone in Parliament united? Were the MPs united or divided?
Conservative Party, Labour Party, Liberal Party. Is your country a republic or a (constitutional) monarchy, aristocracy, democracy, empire, autocracy, oligarchy, dictatorship, welfare state?
Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle. Is the government perfectly smooth and stable, are there debates, arguments and controversies, or chaos and instability?
Prime Minister. Does your government have any problems? Are there any problems with politicians and government officials and authorities?
Cabinet. Briefly describe the history, changes and evolution of your government.
Governor. What might happen in the future?
Nobility, Nobleman, Noblewoman. What could or should people and governments do? How can the government or system be improved?
