ABSTRACT
Among the Puritan gentry there were differing views about the nature of the internal political divisions which became more pronounced as Parliament began to gain the upper hand in its struggle with the king. Bulstrode Whitelocke was markedly reluctant to use the terms ‘Presbyterian’ and ‘Independent’ in a political sense but he was well aware that there were factions in the Commons. The key element in the so-called Presbyterian party in the Commons was a caucus of political activists who feared the growing power of the Independents in the army and whose prime objective was the conclusion of a peace treaty with the king which would secure the restoration of order and stability in both Church and State. Contemporary commentators were generally agreed that the objective of securing liberty of conscience was one of the main distinguishing features of the Independent faction in Parliament.
