Cromwell, Ireton, and all of the Parliamentarian top brass were either gentry or nobility. For them it would have been anathema, and Professor Champion is correct about the nature of 17th century English (nay global) society.
"...a very hierarchical world..." interesting use of phrase. Hierarchy is not a construct in and of itself. Since all individuals are different (i.e. have different IQs, physical attributes, geographical locations, strengths, weaknesses, etc, etc) hierarchies are inevitable. Certain forms of particular "organised" hierarchies do exist (e.g. a monarchical system), but hierarchy itself is just a product of individual differences and is manifest in any society.
Fairfax was under control of an army that ordered 500 women who were starving to strip naked so they could see there assets at the siege of colchester. I was born in colchester and live in putney, which is kinda crazy as both were instrumental in the civil war. However as colchester was parliamentarians and the parliamentarians treated starving women and children like pawns who were in support of them makes me juxtaposed. Who does a colchester born citizen like myself support?!
