from his eager and unswerving advance to Rome. Undaunted and undeterred by discontents and tumults, never did he and the other bishops follow up that purpose more actively than in those six memorable months. If any before could have doubted what they aimed at, now it was made plain to all. For now it was that, with the authority of a so-called provincial synod, canons were put forth declaring things lawful which had no warrant of law; justifying altar-worship, and other superstitious innovations; setting at defiance the usages and the statutes of the realm; trampling alike on the property and liberty of the subject, the rights of parliament, and the prerogative of the King; and showing that they who would set the crown above the laws, would also set themselves above the crown. They imposed new oaths; they taxed the great mass of the clergy for the King's supply; they fomented the quarrel with Scotland, which they fondly styled Bellum Episcopale; they composed, and enjoined to be read in the churches, a prayer against the Scots as rebels, of which the object was to drive the two nations to irreconcileable bloodshed; and, above all, upon authority of their pretended canons and constitutions, they proceeded to such extremities of suspension, excommunication, and deprivation against good ministers and wellaffected people, as left the passage easier than it yet had seemed to their design of reconciliation with Rome. (Clauses 85, 86, 87.)

3

1 "They would evaporate and "dispirit the power and vigour of re'ligion, by drawing it out into solemn "specious formalities, into obsolete 66 'antiquated ceremonies new furbished "up."-Sir Benjamin Rudyard, 7th Nov. 1640.

2 "Sir, imagine it!" exclaimed Mr. Harbottle Grimston. "See what "a pitch they have flown. A synod "called together upon pretence of "reconciling and settling contro"versies in religion, take upon them"selves the boldness, out of parlia"ment, to grant subsidies and to

For it was part of the design that the Papists at this time should receive peculiar exemptions from the penal laws, besides many other encouragements and court favours.' They possessed, in the King's secretary of state, Sir Francis Windebank, a powerful agent for speeding all their desires. They had a resident Pope's Nuncio, by whose authority, under direct instructions and influences from Rome itself, all the most influential of the nobility, gentry, and clergy of that persuasion held secret convocations after the manner of a parliament. So led and

strengthened, they erected new jurisdictions of Romish Archbishops; levied taxes; secretly stored up arms and munition; and were able to set in motion such powerful agencies, at the Court and in the Council, that it actually there became matter of debate whether or not to issue to

1 The celebration of mass, though illegal, was openly connived at; but woe to the protestant who declined attendance at his parish church because he would not bow to the altar! He was punished first by fine, and, on a repetition of his refusal, by transportation. "It hath been more dan66 gerous,' ,"exclaimed Falkland, in his speech upon grievances in the Short Parliament, "for men to go to some neighbour's parish when they had

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no sermon in their own, than to be "obstinate and perpetual recusants. "While masses have been said in se"curity, a conventicle hath been a "crime; and, which is yet more, the "conforming to Ceremonies hath been "more exacted than the conforming to "Christianity." In like manner the Roman Catholics were singled out for special concessions of monopolies. "They grew," says Clarendon, "not "only secret contrivers but public pro"fessed promoters of, and ministers "in, the most grievous projects; as that "of soap, formed, framed, and exe"cuted by almost a corporation of that "religion, which, under that license "and notion, might be, and were sus"pected to be, qualified for other agi"tations" (i. 262). Fancy the monopoly

of such a necessity as soap in the hands of a corporation of Roman Catholics, using it to impose the worst articles at the highest price upon all classes of the people. "Continual complaints "rise up," writes Garrard to Lord Deputy Wentworth, "that it burns

linen, scalds the laundress's fingers, "and wastes infinitely in keeping, "being full of lime and tallow." And fancy the same sort of thing going on with respect to every conceivable thing on which a tax could be laid, or out of which a monopoly could be formed. Salt, starch, coals, iron, wine, pens, cards, dice, beavers, belts, bone-lace, meat dressed in taverns (the vintners of London gave the King 6000l. for freedom from this horrible imposition), tobacco, wine casks, game, brewing and distilling, lamprons, weighing of hay and straw in London, guaging of red herrings, butter-casks, kelp and seaweed, linen cloth, rags, hops, buttons, hats, gut-string, spectacles, combs, tobacco-pipes, sedan chairs and hackney coaches (now first invented), saltpetre, gunpowder, down to the privilege of gathering rags exclusively all these things were subject to monopolies, and all heavily taxed!

some great men of the party, under private conditions and instructions, a commission for the raising of soldiers. And thus there was moulded within this State another State independent in Government, opposed in affection. and interest, secretly corrupting the careless, actively combining against the vigilant, and in this posture waiting the opportunity to destroy those whom it could not hope to seduce.' (Clauses 88 to 94 inclusive.)

But a crisis came unexpectedly. At the moment when any further illegal pressure on the subject seemed hope

1 The close and powerful reasoning of the Remonstrance shows how inseparable Religion and Politics had become. Each was to be stabbed only through the side of the other. Wherever, indeed, any writer, such as Hume, has sought to put a distinction between the modes of regarding these subjects pursued by the statesmen of this Parliament, contrasting their profound capacity, undaunted courage, and largeness of view in civil affairs, with their supposed narrowness and bigotry in religion, he has simply shown how imperfect and narrow had been his own study and preparation for the task of doing justice to such men. Let me illustrate what is said in the text by one of the most masterly expositions ever made of the true state of the case, and of the real issue that was then to be determined. "Sir," said Sir Benjamin Rudyard, in perhaps the most eloquent of all the speeches delivered in the great debates of November 1640, "if we 66 secure our Religion, we shall cut off "and defeat many plots that are now

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66 on foot by them and others. "Believe it, Sir, Religion hath been "for a long time, and still is, the

great design upon this kingdom. "It is a known and practised prin'ciple, that they who would intro"duce another religion into the 66 Church, must first trouble and dis"order the government of the State, "that so they may work their ends

worse than the former. And there, "Sir, we are at this instant. They "have almost spoiled the best insti"tuted Government in the world, for 66 sovereignty in a king, for liberty to "the subject; the proportionable tem66 per of both which, makes the hap"piest State for power, for riches, "for duration."

less, his Majesty's treasure was found to be consumed, and his entire revenue to be anticipated. Though the prisons were filled with commitments from the Council Table,' yet "multitudes" who had refused illegal payments still hung in attendance at its doors. Several of the sheriffs had been dragged up into the Star Chamber from their respective counties, and some had been imprisoned for not having levied ship-money with sufficient vigour. In a word, the source of non-parliamentary supply was exhausted. The people, with no visible hope left but in desperation, languished, beginning to seem passive under grief and fear; and the King's chief advisers suggested a subscription to supply his wants, to which they made very large personal contribution. But the example was lost on the class to which alone with any effect the appeal could be made. For now the Nobility themselves, weary of their silence and patience, began to be sensible of the duty and trust which belonged to them as hereditary counsellors of the Crown; and some of the most ancient of them petitioned his Majesty for the redress to which his subjects were entitled.2 Which Petition had yet borne no

1 "Many are daily imprisoned "for refusing to lend the King, so "that the prisons in London are full; "and it's thought they shall be sent "and imprisoned in divers gaols in "the country, remote from their own "dwellings."-Walter Yonge's Diary,

p. 105.

2 This memorable Petition, which was afterwards the subject of special thanks in both houses, which bore attached to it the names of the Earls of Bedford, Bristol, Hertford, Essex, Mulgrave, Paget, Warwick, and Bolingbroke, of the Viscounts Say and Seale and Mandeville, and of the Lords Brook and Howard, has never been so correctly printed as in the copy now subjoined. Every word has its weight and value.

"The humble Petition of your Ma"jesty's most loyal subjects, whose

"names are here underwritten, in be"halfe of themselves and many others.

'Most Gracious Sovereign:

'The sense of that duty and service 'which we owe unto your Majesty, and our earnest affection to the good and 'welfare of this your realm of England, 'have moved us, in all humility, to 'beseech your Majesty to give us leave 'to offer unto your most princely wis'dom, the apprehension which we, and 'other your faithful subjects, have con'ceived, of the great distempers and dangers now threatening the Church and State, and your Royal Person, and of 'the fittest means by which they may 'be removed and prevented.

fruit, when the Scots, oppressed in their consciences, restrained in their trades, impoverished by the seizure of their ships in English and Irish ports, and hopeless of satisfying the King by any naked unsupported supplication, forced the passage of the Tyne at Newburn with a powerful army, and having possessed themselves of Newcastle, there, out of brotherly love to the English nation, stayed their march, and gave the King leisure to entertain better counsels. A cessation of arms was determined upon for a certain fixed period, and all differences were referred in the interval to the wisdom and care of the ancient council of the nation. A Parliament was summoned to meet on the 3rd November, 1640. (Clauses 95 to 104 inclusive.)

The great deeds done by this memorable assembly during the first twelve months of its existence, are then, in no boastful or vainglorious spirit, detailed by their authors. History speaks to us, here, while yet in the very process of creation; and, by a rare privilege, records

'several parts in this your realm by the 'souldiers raised for that service; and your whole kingdom become full of care and discontent.

2. The sundry innovations in matters of Religion, the Oath and Canons lately imposed upon the clergy, and 'other your Majesty's subjects.

3. The great Increase of Popery; and 'Employing of Popish Recusants, and 'others ill-affected to the Religion by 'Law established, in places of power and

trust, especially in commanding of Men 'and Armes both in the Field and iu 'sundry Counties of this your realm: 'whereas by the Laws they are not per'mitted to have Armes in their own 'houses.

4. The great mischief which may fall upon this kingdom, if the Intention, 'which hath been credibly reported, of 'bringing in of Irish and foreign forces 'should take effect.

5. The urging of Ship-money, and 'prosecution of some sheriffs in the Star'chamber for not Levying of it.

6. The heavy charges upon Merchandize, to the discouraging of Trade. The 'multitude of Monopolies, and other Patents, whereby the Commodities and Manufactures of the Kingdom are much 'burthened, to the great and universal Grievance of your people.

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7. The great grief of your subjects by the long Intermission of Parliaments, ' and the late and former Dissolving of 'such as have been called, without the happy effects which otherwise they might have produced.

For remedy whereof, and prevention of the danger that may ensue to your Royal person, and to the whole State,

'We do, in all humility and faithful'ness, beseech your most excellent Ma'jesty, that you would be pleased to summon a Parliament within some 'short and convenient time, whereby the Icause of these and other great grievances which your people and your poor 'Petitioners now lye under, may be 'taken away, and the Authours and 'Councellours of them may be there 'brought to such Legal Tryal and condign punishment as the nature of their several offences shall require; and that 'the present War may be composed by your Majesties wisdom without effusion of blood, in such manner as may conduce to the honour and safety of your Majes'ties person, the content of your people, 'and the unity of both of your realms against common enemies of the Re'formed Religion.'

"And your Majesty's Petitioners shall "always pray, &c."