Instrument of Government
The Instrument of Government included elements incorporated from an earlier document, "Heads of Proposals",[1][2] a set of propositions that had been agreed to by the Army Council in 1647, intended to be a basis for a constitutional settlement after King Charles I was defeated in the First English Civil War.[3] It was a simple declaration that Parliament would appoint "Officers and Ministers under them for the good of the People... without any King or House of Lords".Provision for a standing army was made "of 10,000 horse and dragoons, and 20,000 foot, in England, Scotland and Ireland, for the defence and security thereof" and "a convenient number of ships for guarding of the seas" (XXVII).The Instrument of Government was adopted by the Council of Officers on 15 December 1653 and Oliver Cromwell was installed as Lord Protector on the following day.In January 1655, Cromwell dissolved the first Protectorate Parliament, ushering in a period of military rule by the Major Generals.
Instrument of Government (disambiguation)ScotlandOther dominionsDate effectiveChambersExecutiveFirst legislatureRepealedHumble Petition and AdviceJohn LambertBarebone's ParliamentconstitutionMajor-General John LambertHeads of ProposalsArmy CouncilKing Charles IFirst English Civil War"Grandees"New Model ArmyAgreement of the PeoplePutney DebatesRump Parliamenttried and executedact abolishing the monarchyExecutive powerLord ProtectorEnglish Council of StatePrivy CouncilsCouncil of OfficersOliver Cromwellfirst Protectorate Parliamentmilitary ruleMajor GeneralscolonisedEnglishJamestownPlymouthProvisions of OxfordWikisourceUK legislationList of English statutesCharter of LibertiesMagna CartaActs of parliaments1225–12671275–13071308–1325Temp. incert.1327–13761377–13971399–14111413–14211422–1460Petition of RightInterregnum (1642–1660)Habeas Corpus ActBill of RightsUnion with Scotland ActRescinded (1639–1651)Claim of RightUnion with England ActKingdom of Great BritainParliament of Ireland1169–11921200–12991300–13991400–14991500–15991600–16901691–17001701–17101711–17201721–17301731–17401741–17501751–17601761–17701771–17801781–17901791–1800Acts of ParliamentHalsbury's StatutesLegislation.gov.ukShort titlesEuropean UnionEuropean Communities1972 to dateChurch of EnglandChurch of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919devolvedParliament of Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland Assembly (1973)Scottish ParliamentSenedd CymruNorthern Ireland AssemblySecondary legislationUnited Kingdom statutory instrumentsOrder in CouncilList of Privy Council ordersfor Northern IrelandScottish statutory instrumentsActs of SederuntActs of AdjournalChurch of England instrumentsWelsh statutory instruments