I certainly agree with Nigel as far as he goes.
The rebellion of the colonies was portrayed as a rebellion against god by
ministers of the state church not the dissenters. The sole purpose of the
state church was the control of the masses through religion. Most of the
land and wealth of England was in the hands of a few aristocrats, the king's
vassals. There was one lord in each parish that owned the land and was
responsible to control the people that lived on his estate. Selected
ministers were rewarded with a parish in return for upholding the archaic
feudal privileges of these lords. Religious dissenters were the first
rebels against feudalism. As the industrial revolution and capitalism picked
up steam it was realized that it was necessary to educate the masses to some
extent to maintain control. Gradually schools and teachers replaced the
church as the indoctrinators in the late 19th and early 20th century. In the
mid 20th century with the discovery of the power of advertising the mass
media replaced religion and schools.
Most of the colonists in north America before the revolution were dissenters
or the poor who had been disposed by the lords during the land enclosures
when people were replaced by the more profitable sheep. This practice is
still going on in third world countries where corporations and elites are
taking the land away from the indigenous people.
Most of the colonists at the time of the rebellion were disposed poor people
or their descendents. Most of these had come via the prisons, poor houses,
and orphanages, or as indentured servants, or slaves. The colonists rebelled
not just against British taxes but against the British system of an idle
class of parasitic aristocrats that was attempting to replicate itself in
the New England colonies.
Unfortunately as history reveals most of the land and wealth ended up in the
hands of a few anyway, no longer lords and ladies, now called capitalists.
My perspective as a student of history.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Parry, Nigel R" <nrp39559(a)glaxowellcome.co.uk>
To: <WLS-FLINTSHIRE-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2001 5:35 AM
Subject: RE: [FLN] Hanbury Parish Church Staffs - Ministerial inscription
1771-1783
I suspect that it was seen as a rebellion against God, not because it
was
a
rebellion against England, but because it was against the sovereignty
of
the
King. Even in 1776, some people still believed that the King's
right to
rule
was literally God given. This was a major factor in the English Civil
War
slightly over a century earlier, and even some Independents (rather than
the
extremist Puritans), such as Cromwell himself, were sometimes
troubled
that
they may be going against God's will.
Another factor may be that senior clergy at this time tended to come from
junior members of the wealthy classes, and the livings in a great number
of
parishes were in the gift of local landowners. Hence, the views of
the
clergy would tend to reflect those of their wealthy patrons who would have
had a vested interest in maintaining the status quo in the colonies where
they may have had investments.
I don't think any inference can be made from this tract as to to the views
of the Welsh on the Revolutionary War, as it was written by an English (?)
vicar of an English parish.
Regards,
Nigel Parry.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lynn Clarke [SMTP:isha2000@netzero.net]
> Sent: 23 August 2001 22:02
> To: WLS-FLINTSHIRE-L(a)rootsweb.com
> Subject: Re: [FLN] Hanbury Parish Church Staffs - Ministerial
> inscription 1771-1783
>
> How fun it was to read the entries, and to get a perspective from an
> individual instead of a history book! And interesting to see his opinion
> about the outcome of the war. :- ))
> Strange though that he viewed the rebellion from England as a rebellion
> towards God! On the contrary! He forgets why the Pilgrims and my
Puritans
> and my Hugonauts came here in the first place.
> My aristocratic ggg-grandmother, Francis Chesshyre was quoted to say,
"The
> Americans are naughty folks; they used to transport criminals to
America,
> like they do now to Botany Bay. That's why the people there
are so bad!"
>
> Enjoyed the reading!
>
> From a ungratefully rebellious Child,
>
> Lynn Clarke-Dallas, TX US
> email: isha2000(a)netzero.net
> My genealogy website:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~clarke
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Paul and Joan Day
> To: WLS-FLINTSHIRE-L(a)rootsweb.com
> Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2001 1:26 PM
> Subject: Re: [FLN] Hanbury Parish Church Staffs - Ministerial
> inscription 1771-1783
>
>
> Dear Anne,
>
> Thank you for that information. It is interesting to learn what some
of
> the
> Welsh thought about US (forgive the pun). I assumed they might be
more
> sympathetic, so this was a surprise.
>
> Regards,
> Joan Day
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "anne Clark-Stewart" <leisurelodge(a)sympatico.ca>
> To: <WLS-FLINTSHIRE-L(a)rootsweb.com>
> Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2001 4:11 AM
> Subject: [FLN] Hanbury Parish Church Staffs - Ministerial inscription
> 1771-1783
>
>
> > Dear Listers and fellow family historians,
> >
> > While searching the Parish Records in Hanbury this Spring, I came
> across a
> > very interesting commentary on the American Revolution from the
vicar,
> Hugh
> > Bailye. Since I have not come across anything like this in the
> hundreds
> of
> > other parish Records which I have scanned in the last four years, I
> thought
> > you would all be interested in one Englishman's most eloquent view
of
> the
> > state of affairs in Colonial America.
> >
> > The following is from St. Werburgh's Church, Hanbury, Staffordshire,
> Parish
> > Register, Volume IV, Baptisms and Burials, 1777-1812.
> >
> > (Please note that I have transcribed the text exactly as written.)
> >
> > The first Register belonging to the Church of Hanbury commences with
> the
> > year 1574 (O.S.) and ends with the year 1644.
> > The second commences with 1645 and ends with 1744.
> > The third commences with 1745 and ends with 1776 (N.S.)
> > The Marriage Registers commence with the Act of Parliament made for
> that
> > Purpose in 1754 ( written on inside cover.)
> >
> > ( please note: I think that O.S. and N.S. refer to the old and new
> system
> > of calendars.)
> >
> > Mem: Jan'y 1st 1777 Front Page
> > The last year (1776) has produced a very extraordinary & much to be
> > lamented, though not unexpected, Revolt. Thirteen of the British
> Colonies
> > in North-America, by an Act of their self-constituted General
> Assembly,
> > called the Congress, bearing date the 4th July, have thrown off all
> > Subjection to the Crown of these Realms, and declared themselves
> Independent
> > States. The Reason assigned by them for this unnatural proceeding
is
> a
> > Right, which is claimed by our King & Parliament, as the Supreme
> > Legislature, of Taxing them in all bases whatsoever ( inasmuch as
they
> have
> > been planted, supported and brought up to maturity by us at an
immense
> > Expense of Blood and Treasure); whereas the Colonies deny
that our
> King
> and
> > Parliament have any Right to tax them in any Case whatsoever; and in
> this
> > Denial they have been encouraged and supported by factious People at
> home.
> > But perhaps the true Reason of their Behaviour is that they look
upon
> the
> > Parent State to be overburthened with Debts and in declining
> Condition,
> and
> > they think that they shall now do much better by themselves. At
> present
> > however, it is a Matter of great Doubt, whether they will be able to
> > maintain their assured Independency, which has already made a
> considerable
> > Progress towards bringing back these ungratefully rebellious
Children
> to
> > their Duty.
> >
> > Jan'y 1st 1778 Isaiah Chap: 1.ver:2
> > (I looked this up for reference:
> > Hear, O heavens!
> > Listen, O earth!
> > For the Lord has spoken:
> > "I reared children and brought them up,
> > but they have rebelled against me.")
> >
> > The last year (1777) the British Arms have not been attended with
such
> > success against the rebellious Americans as was generally
expected:
on
> the
> > contrary, they have suffered greatly.
> >
> > Jan'y 1st 1779
> > In consequence of the Sureness of Rebellion the ever-perfidious
> French
> > (underlined) have, this last year (1778) joined the Americans, &
> contrary
> (
> > as it should seem) to the plain Dictates of the soundest Policy,
have
> > endeavoured to support them in their assumed
Independency
> > [Sed dirigit omnia Deus] = { indeed he separates all from God
> > - my translation}
> > Jan'y 1st 1783
> > To future Ages it will appear to be an incredible Thing, what
> however
> we
> > know to be a Fact, that these kingdoms shall maintain (as they have
> done)
> a
> > glorious, but unequal, Conflict for several years, with the most
> formidable
> > & unprovoked Confederacy that could be formed against them; viz.
> France,
> > Spain, the united Provinces of the Netherlands, & the 13 revolted
> Colonies
> > of North-America; for Spain and Holland did each in Turn unite their
> Arms
> > against this unhappy, divided Country. The Result is the
Dissolution
> of
> the
> > Empire; the Legislature having been obliged to acknowledge the
> Independency
> > of America. " I make it my humble and earnest prayer to Almighty
> God,"
> says
> > our pious and amiable Sovereign to his Parliament, (Decbr. 5, 1782)
> "that
> > Great Britain may not feel the Evils which result from so great a
> > Dismemberment of the Empire!"
> > Mark chap:3. ver:24
> > ( I have looked up the reference:
> > If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot
> stand.)
> >
> > Note: two blank pages follow.
> >
> > Then the Baptisms are listed starting in 1777.
> >
> > Since many of us have ancestors who were embroiled in this conflict
on
> both
> > sides, I thought it would be an interesting perspective to have in
our
> > files.
> >
> > Kindest regards,
> >
> > Anne CLARK-STEWART
> > researching :
> > STAFFS - WOOLLEY, SHAW, LAVEROCK, WINFIELD
> > DERBY - WOOLLEY, MERCHANT, HILL, BEECROFT
> > LINCS - CALLOWHILL
> > YORKS - CALLOWHILL, REED, WINFIELD, LOCKLEY
> > WORCESTER - CALLOWHILL, MERCHANT
> > MDSX - CALLOWHILL
> > LANCASHIRE - TAYLOR, BARBER
> > NOTHUMBERLAND - PARRY, BURDIS, NOBLE, STOREY
> > FLINTSHIRE - PARRY, JONES
> > ONTARIO - CALLOWHILL, CLARK, MELDRUM, KING, SMITH, CHOATE,MARR,
> MCCAMIS,
> > LOCKLEY, STEWART(HAMILTON)
> > NEW BRUNSWICK - CLARK(UNITED EMPIRE LOYALISTS)
> > QUEBEC - RHEAUME, BRISEBOIS
> > FRANCE - RHEAUME
> > USA - CALLOWHILL (ANYWHERE), CLARK - RHODE ISLAND
> > IRELAND - CALLOWHILL, STEWART ( co. Cavan), MCCAMIS( Co, Cavan, Co,
> > Monaghan)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ==== WLS-FLINTSHIRE Mailing List ====
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> >
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> >
> >
>
>
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