Oliver Cromwell
...one of wealthiest and influential in the area. Oliver went to Huntingdon Grammar School and Cambridge University. He was a strict Puritan that stayed loyal to his church his entire life. Puritans was the name given in the sixteenth century to the more extreme Protestants within the Church of England who thought the English Reformation had not gone far enough to reforming the doctrines and structure of the Church. The Puritans wanted to “purify” their national church by eliminating every piece of the Catholic influence. Cromwell’s life and actions had a radical edge of springing from his strong religious faith.
In 1620, a few months after his twenty-first birthday, Cromwell married Elizabeth Bourchier. His early years were ordinary, but at age 27 he was seized by a sense of divine destiny. He became suddenly zealous for God. He was a country squire, bronze faced man of property, He worked on his farm, prayed and fasted often, and occasionally exhorted the local congregation during church meetings. He was a quiet, simple, serious minded person that spoke little. But when he did break his silence, it was with great authority he commanded obedience with question or dispute. As a justice he gained attention by collaring loafers at a tavern and forcing them to join in on singing the hymn. This exploit along with quieting a disturbance at the neighboring town of Cambridge, earned him the respect of the Puritan locals and they sent him to parliament as their representative.
Cromwell made a name for himself by serving in both the Long Parliament and the Short Parliament. His strong voice and leadership skills made him very influential on the other members of Parliament. Long Parliament refused to authorize and funding until King Charles I was brought to heel. The Triennial Act of 1641 assured that parliament would be summoned at least every three years. In 1642...
View Full Essay
