Skip to main content

Primary sourceDocument1642

Nineteen Propositions

Long Parliament · 1642

A 1642 document in which Parliament demanded control over Charles I's ministers, the militia and the church, just before civil war broke out.

These parliamentary demands, which Charles I rejected, show how far Parliament sought to limit his power just before civil war began.

Ask Charles I about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Title page of a printed document in black type on a light background with an ornate decorative border. Text reads: Nineteen Propositions Made By both Houses of Parliament, to the Kings most Excellent Majestie: With His Majesties Answer thereunto. By the King. Printed by his Majesties special command at Cambridge, by Roger Daniel, printer to the famous University, 1642.
Nineteen Propositions Made By both Houses of Parliament, to the Kings most Excellent Majestie, printed at Cambridge by Roger Daniel, 1642.

About this source

What it is

The Nineteen Propositions were demands made by both Houses of Parliament to Charles I in 1642, along with his printed answer. This copy was printed by royal command at Cambridge by Roger Daniel, printer to the university.

Why it matters

The Propositions asked Charles to give up control of his ministers, the army and the church to Parliament, demands that went far beyond earlier disputes and that Charles could not accept without giving up much of his royal power. His rejection of these terms helped trigger the outbreak of the English Civil War later that year, showing how deep the breakdown of trust between king and Parliament had become.

Look closer

  • Why would Parliament want control over the militia in particular?
  • What does the fact that Charles's answer was printed alongside the propositions suggest about the dispute?
  • Why might Charles have seen these demands as impossible to accept?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Charles I on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Charles I sources

Meet the AI Charles I →
Photograph of a parchment document with handwritten text in brown ink, a column of signatures on the lower half, and rows of red wax seals hanging down the signature area. The text begins 'Whereas Charles Stewart'. The parchment lies on a grey background.Document

Primary source

Death Warrant of King Charles I

High Court of Justice commissioners · 29 January 1649

Title page of a 1649 printed pamphlet, 'King Charls his Speech made upon the Scaffold at Whitehall-Gate', printed by Peter Cole in London. A library stamp from the Royal Irish Academy overlays the text. Decorative floral borders frame the page.Speech

Primary source

King Charles his Speech made upon the Scaffold at Whitehall-Gate

Charles I · 30 January 1649

Title page of Eikon Basilike, 1648 reprint. Greek heading 'Eikon Basilike' above English title 'The Pourtraicture of His Sacred Majestie in His Solitudes and Sufferings', with Romans 8 'More then Conquerour, &c.', a Latin motto 'Bona agere, & mala pati, Regium est', and 'Reprinted In R.M. Anno Dom. 1648'.Book

Secondary source

Eikon Basilike

Attributed to Charles I (possibly John Gauden) · 1649

Scan of the handwritten Petition of Right manuscript on aged parchment. Ornate decorated initial letters begin with the words 'To the King's most Excellent Majestie' at top. Dense brown ink script fills most of the page, with a larger decorated 'H' initial starting the lower paragraph.Document

Primary source

Petition of Right

Edward Coke (drafting committee) · 7 June 1628

Scanned title page of 'A Perfect Narrative of the Whole Proceedings of the High Court of Justice in the Tryall of the King', printed text in black on white paper, with handwritten number 12 at top left. Imprimatur by Gilbert Mabbot, printed for John Playford, London, dated Jan. 23, 1649.Document

Primary source

A Perfect Narrative of the Whole Proceedings of the High Court of Justice in the Tryal of the King

Published by order of the High Court of Justice · 23 January 1649

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Charles I now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions