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the cause of liberty, for which he had origin- A.D. 1640. ally been an advocate and sufferer,) and the bill for continuing the parliament, (for which the frequent and abrupt dissolutions had furnished a plea,) none of the laws now passed had the least appearance of violence, or have been since complained of. They were all just, salutary, and constitutional. Though they preserved the rights of the people, they did not interfere with the interest of the crown. The parliament had hitherto A.D. 1641. proceeded with zeal for the constitution, without derogating from the honour of the king, or offer

ing him any personal indignity.

That marvellous calm, which, Lord Clarendon says, ensued, both within doors and without, after passing these laws, might have been perpetual, and would in all probability have continued, if the king's subsequent conduct had not again raised the storm. He had declared to his parliament The king's up journey that he would take a journey into Scotland. The into Scotnecessity of this did not appear; and any step so extraordinary, which was not necessary, at so critical a time, must consequently breed suspicions. The parliament could not be free from these: and accordingly, in an address, they desired him to lay aside his design of going; but without effect.

VOL. I.

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land.

A:D. 1641. They therefore sent a committee of both houses, Lord Howard for the lords, Mr. Hampden and Sir Philip Stapleton for the commons, to attend him in his journey. 30 Whilst he was in Scotland, he made it his study to gain over those who had been most active against him; and particularly Lesley, general of the Scotch army, whom he at that time made an earl. He was so liberal of his favours, that, as Lord Clarendon says, "he seemed to have made his progress into Scotland only that he might make a perfect deed of gift of that kingdom." The way to obtain any favours from him was open; for the same author says, "that many of that nation were whispering in his ear, and assuring him, that, as soon as the troubles of the late storm could be perfectly calmed, they would reverse and repeal whatsoever was now unreasonably extorted from him." Of these insinuations the committee could not be ignorant: the king's receiving and encouraging such insinuations, and

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30 Besides the members mentioned in the text, this committee included the Earl of Bedford, Sir William Armyne, and Mr. Fiennes. For the appointment of this committee, and for other precautions, the houses sat on Sunday; but they cautiously apologized to their constituents for this irregularity, which they excused by stating that they were engaged upon a work of necessity.

making them the steps to his favour, afforded an A.D.1641. indirect declaration of his intentions. The parliament, knowing this, must know that they could not be secure without proceeding farther; and that the people could not depend on the enjoyment of those laws they had obtained, without depriving the king of the power to break them again. They saw that his assent to them was but a temporary compliance, which, indeed, was consonant to the whole tenor of his former conduct.

The king, before his journey into Scotland, had countenanced a design of some officers to inflame the English army against the parliament; * a circumstance which had revived the distrust the public had of his sincerity. This unnecessary journey into Scotland, and extraordinary liberality to the Scotch general and others, increased this distrust; and the Irish rebellion, which broke out during his stay in Scotland, unhappily confirmed it. Above one hundred and fifty thousand protestants, according to the general accounts, were Irish masmassacred by the Irish papists," with all the cir

* Rapin.

31 Clarendon says, forty or fifty thousand, and the number was, doubtless, very much less. Mr. O'Driscol's patriotism is too conspicuous in this part of his history.

sacre.

A.D. 1641. cumstances of cruelty which a superstitious rage

could inspire. The leaders among the Irish published in a circular letter, that the English protestants, especially the parliament, had been guilty of divers great and heinous affronts to the king's person and prerogative; and that therefore the king had granted them a commission to possess themselves of all places of strength in the kingdom of Ireland. Whether the assertion that the king had granted such a commission was true or false, it had a fatal influence upon the minds of the people of England; and as the Irish in their declaration made the English parliament the great object of their resentment, this document naturally induced the public to regard the parliament as their principal bulwark against the fury of the papists.

Affairs were in this fatal situation, and the people in this unhappy disposition, at the king's return from Scotland. If the parliament, from the private views or resentment of any particular members, had been ever so ill disposed towards the king, nothing could have enabled them to

*It cannot be thought that the king was privy to the massacre; but it is apparent that, in the war which afterwards ensued between him and the

parliament, he intended to make use of those Irish who had been actors in the destruction of the protestants.

pursue, the extreme measures which they after- A.D. 1641. wards took, but the assistance and affections of

the public; and nothing but the king's want of sincerity, of which he had given the strongest proofs,* could have so closely united the public

*The following instances, among others, of the king's violating his promise were remarkable.

March 24, 1641-2, he repealed his grant for passing the bill of tonnage and poundage. Whitlocke, p. 55.

March the 4th, 1642-3, commissioners for a treaty of peace, the Earl of Northumberland, Mr. Pierpoint, Sir William Armyne, Sir John Holland, and Bulstrode Whitlocke were sent to Oxford. Whitlocke, in p. 65, says, upon one of the most material points they pressed his majesty with their reasons, and best arguments they could use, to grant what they desired. The king said, "he was fully satisfied; and promised to give them his answer in writing according to their desire; but because it was then past midnight, and too late to put into writing, he would have it drawn up the next morning, and then he would give them his answer in writing, as it was now

agreed upon." They waited upon him the next morning at the hour appointed; but, instead of that answer which they expected, and were promised, the king gave them a paper quite contrary to what was concluded the night before, and very much tending to the breach of the treaty. They did humbly expostulate this with his majesty, and pressed him "upon his royal word," and the ill consequences which they feared would follow upon this his new paper; but the king told them "he had altered his mind," and that the paper which he now gave them was his answer, which he was now resolved to make upon their last debate; and they could obtain no other from him; which occasioned much sadness and trouble to them. Some of his own friends informed thera, that after they were gone from the king, and his council were also gone away, some of his bed-chamber, (and they went higher,) being

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