the people might know the charges against the government, there was a great tumult. Only the wise words of Hampden prevented the members from actually coming to blows.

A few days after, Charles returned to London, and was warmly welcomed by the citizens. Englishmen generally side with the weak, and there was a feeling that Parliament was disposed to require too much of the king. Had he henceforth governed according to the laws all his past errors would have been forgiven, but he soon showed that his temper had not changed. He caused Lord Kimbolton and 3 five members of the House of Commons to be accused of treason before the House of Lords. The peers were amazed, and said they wanted time to consider the accusation. The same day a messenger appeared before the House of Commons and demanded that the five members should be given up. The House replied that they "should be forthcoming as soon as a legal charge should be preferred against them.”

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The next afternoon Charles, attended by about five hundred armed men, went to the House himself. Leaving his followers outside, he entered and walked up to the Speaker's chair. Standing in front of it, he said he had "to see if come any of those persons whom he had accused were there, for he had resolved to have them, wheresoever he should find them." As he could not see the offending members he asked the Speaker if they were present. "Upon this," says an eye-witness, "the Speaker fell on his knees and desired his excuse, for he was the servant of the House, and had neither eyes nor tongue to see or say anything but what they commanded him. Then the king told him he thought his own eyes were as good as his, and then

said his birds had flown, but he did expect the House should send them to him." The cries of 5“ Privilege which were raised as he was leaving must have shown him that his expectation was vain.

1 Remonstrance, earnest advice or reproof. 2 confide, to trust. 3 five members, Pym, Hampden, Haselrig, Holles, and Strode. prefer, to make or bring a charge against. privilege, a right not enjoyed by all.

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BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR. THE folly of Charles I. in trying to seize the five members led to a great and sudden change of feeling. The citizens who, six days before, had warmly welcomed the king, now as warmly welcomed the Commons; citizens mounted guard outside the room where a committee of the House met, and citizens watched over the safety of the five members. The feeling was the same throughout the country. On hearing of the danger which threatened their beloved Hampden, four thousand Buckingham freeholders rode to London, "to live and die in just defence of the honourable House of Commons."

The king's daring and needless attempt upon its liberties made parliament eager in demanding what it had already asked for-that it should be allowed to appoint the officers of militia. There was then no regular army in England, the only soldiers being men who spent the greater part of the year about their ordinary business, but once every twelve months were called together for drill. These men were the militia. From the most ancient times the king had exercised the right of choosing the officers; now the two Houses wanted to deprive him of that right from a fear that he might choose officers who would uphold him in wrong-doing. Charles would not leave himself at the

mercy of parliament, and parliament would not trust Charles; parliament was trying to lessen his power, while he was trying to recover the power he had already Neither party was willing to yield, so the weaker party would have to; which was the weaker party could only be discovered by an appeal to force. In

August, 1642, Charles raised his standard at Nottingham, and the great Civil War began.

Those who supported the king were called 1 Cavaliers or Royalists. Nearly half the House of Commons and more than half the House of Lords joined him, and most of the gentry took his side. The supporters of the parliament (who were called 2 Roundheads or

Parliamentarians) consisted chiefly of the merchants, farmers, and shop-keepers. At first the king's followers were by far the best soldiers. His officers were mostly country squires, accustomed already "to fencing, to the use of firearms, to bold riding, and to manly and perilous sport"; while the grooms, gamekeepers, and huntsmen who formed the rank and file would fight with spirit in their masters' company. In the beginning, therefore, the Royalists were successful.

Edgehill, in Warwickshire, was the scene of the first battle. Neither side could claim the victory, but what advantage there was lay with Charles, for his opponents retreated towards London. The king went to Oxford, which he made his headquarters. Thence he marched towards the capital, and got as far as 3 Brentford, but when he saw the city 4 train-bands drawn up at 5 Turnham Green, orderly and confident, he did not think it wise to fight, and drew back.

The war dragged on through 1643 without any notable victory being won by either side. But in that year each party suffered a great loss: John Hampden, the wisest and noblest of the parliamentary leaders, was slain in a skirmish at Chalgrove, near Oxford; while Lord Falkland, the wisest and noblest of the king's supporters, was slain in a battle at Newbury. In the same year Pym died, worn out with labour and anxiety. No man possessed so much influence in parliament; "King Pym," the name which friends and enemies alike gave him, marked the greatness of his power.

1 Cavalier, at first meant a horseman. 2 Roundheads, said to be so called because they kept their hair cropped short, while the Cavaliers wore theirs in flowing ringlets. 3 Brentford, on the north bank of the Thames, a little below Richmond. 4 train-bands, the city militia. 5 Turnham Green, on the London side of Brentford. Newbury, in Berkshire.

OLIVER CROMWELL.

THE year 1644 proved that the parliamentary army had a great soldier in its ranks. This was Oliver Cromwell, the cousin of Hampden. Born at Huntingdon in 1599, he was first educated at the Grammar School of his native town, and then in the University of Cambridge. He was a man of enormous energy. Having a thoroughly practical mind he did not trouble himself about what might be best for other places or other times, but only cared about what might be best for the place and time