Westminster Assembly

The Westminster Assembly of Divines 1643 was appointed by the Long Parliament to restructure the Church of England. The Puritan faction in Parliament made five attempts to appoint an assembly between June 1642 and May 1643, but each time King Charles refused to sign the bill. A sixth bill was prepared and passed as an ordinance of the House of Commons; and, with the agreement of the House of Lords it became effective without the king's assent in June 1643. The Assembly consisted of 30 laymen (10 lords and 20 commoners) and 121 divines or clergymen.