ing his demand, but deliberating thereon, he in great haste dissolved them to the dissatisfaction of his friends and the joy of your majesty "." And in a letter to secretary Windebank, dated Ap. 4th, of the same year, being on board the pinnace for his return to England, he has the same kind of expressions. "I have left that people as fully satisfied, and as well affected to his majesty's person and service, as can possibly be wished for, notwithstanding the philosophy of some amongst you there in the court, who must needs have it believed, true or false, that that people are infinitely distasted with the present government, and hating of me; which error I can very easily remit unto them, considering that thereby the truth will be more clearly understood unto all, and in conclusion the shame fall upon themselves. I have also used all possible diligence in setting on the levies, and making all other provisions incident for the transportation of the eight thousand foot and one thousand horse, and ready they will be, I trust, by the midst of July, always provided that the conditions, mentioned in my former letters, be complied withall. And this I am able to assure his majesty, that I find that people as forward to venture their persons, as they have been to open their purses, and inlarge their engagements towards the instant occasion, infinitely disdaining his majesty should be so insolently proceeded with, and unworthily provoked by those covenanters: to which I will only add thus much (if truth may be spoken without offence to such as would have it thought to be otherwise), that not only the standing officers and soldiers of that army, but the Irishry themselves also will VOL. II. a Strafforde's Letters, vol. II. p. 402, A a his adversaries. Whereupon, being still bent on carrying on the war, he had recourse to his usual methods of supplying go (to speak modestly) as willingly and gladly, under my command, as of any other English subject whatsoever"." No doubt Charles was pleased with Strafforde's success in Ireland, and animated by these positive assurances of the affection and assistance to be relied on, though the event plainly shewed that the lord lieutenant was imposed on himself, or deceived his majesty, who had a very high opinion of his abilities. The parliament of England met on the 13th day of April, 1640; and his majesty assured them, that "there never was a king that had a more great and weighty cause to call his people together, than himself."-The lord keeper was referred to by him for the particulars. It is well known this parliament was soon dissolved. Charles wanted supplies for his Scotish expedition; the house of commons insisted on a redress of their manifold grievances. He being not then disposed to grant the one, they were as little disposed to give him the other; though they are represented as men well attached to the crown both by lord Clarendon, and other historians.-The behaviour of Charles towards this parliament, Bolingbroke has well represented in the words following: "That the civil war, which followed, might have been prevented, appeared very manifestly in the temper and proceedings of the parliament, which met in April 1640, when all had been done, which could be done, to destroy the constitution; for if the king had been able to continue to govern without parliaments, the constitution had been * Strafforde's Letters, vol. II. p. 403. b Clarendon, vol. I. p. 133, &c. himself by the prerogative. No sooner was destroyed: and when calling a parliament was visibly the effect of necessity and fear, not choice, the parliament, which was called, shewed wonderful order and sobriety in their whole behaviour. If some passion had appeared in their debates, it might have been well excused in an house of commons, assembled at such a time: and yet scarce an angry word was thrown out. The few, that escaped from some, were either silently disliked, or openly disapproved. The king, even in this crisis of affairs, preserved the same carriage he had formerly used towards them, and shewed too plainly that he regarded them only as tax-layers. In a word, in about a month after their meeting, he dissolved them; and as soon as he had dissolved them, he repented, but he repented too late, of his rashness. Well might he repent; for the vessel was now full, and this last drop made the waters of bitterness overflow" A message to the house of commons by Sir Henry Vane the elder, secretary of state and treasurer of the houshold, on the 4th of May, will best explain this carriage, which his lordship refers to it. It is in the following words." Whereas, upon Saturday last, his majesty was pleased to send a message to this house, desiring you to give a present answer concerning his supply; to which his majesty hath yet no other answer, but that upon this day you will again take it into further consideration: therefore his majesty (the better to facilitate your resolutions) this day hath thought fit to let you know, that of his grace and favour he is pleased, upon your granting twelve subsidies to be presently passed, and to be paid in three years, with a proviso, that it shall not determine the a Craftsman, vol. VII. p. 394.. the parliament dissolved, but some mem sessions, his majesty will not only, for the present, forbear the levying of any ship-money, but will give way to the utter abolishing of it, by any course that yourselves shall like best. And for your grievances, his majesty will (according to his royal promise) give you as much time as may be now, and the next Michaelmas; and he expects a present and positive answer, upon which he may rely, his affairs being in such a condition as can endure no longer delay. Hereupon the house was turned into a grand committee, and spent the whole day till six at night in debate of this message; but came to no resolution, and desired Sir Henry Vane to acquaint his majesty, that they intended the next day to proceed in the further consideration thereof." But on the next day (the king being enraged at their not immediately complying,) as I have before observed, they were dissolved in an angry manner; his majesty telling the lords, "That it had been the malicious cunning of some few seditiously affected men [in the house of commons], that had been the cause of the misunderstanding "."—Thus if the king had great and weighty cause to call together this parliament, for a very small, or rather no cause, did he part from it; " for," says Clarendon, "no man could imagine what offence the commons had given, which put the king upon that resolution." But Charles was wont to act rashly and precipitately, to come suddenly and hastily to a resolution, and as suddenly to repent of it. His end, indeed, he kept steadily in view; but the means to accomplish it were, for the most part, illjudged, and ill-conducted. No wonder, therefore, he was unhappy! C Rushworth, vol. III. p. 1154. b Id. p. 1155. Clarendon, vol. I. p. 140. bers of the house of commons were summoned before the council 59, on account of what had passed there; and, not answering to his majesty's satisfaction, were imprisoned. Ship-money now was exacted with great rigour; and such sheriffs as were 59 Some members of the house of commons were summoned before the council, and-imprisoned.] Charles had a very high opinion of the regal power, and a very contemptible one of the power of parliaments. This has been proved in the notes 48 and 49. Here follows still farther proof of it, as well as of his violating the privileges of the members of that most illustrious body. Soon after the parliament was dissolved, his majesty published a declaration to all his loving subjects, of the causes which moved him to dissolve the last parliament. In this declaration he treats with great severity of language his former parliaments; shews the end he had in view in calling this last, even the raising money to support the army to be raised against the Scots; his willingness to have redressed their grievances, even before they had given him a supply, if the great necessity of his occasions would have permitted; the neglect of the commons to give him content, notwithstanding they were pressed to do it by himself and the lords, and that he had declared he would afterwards redress their grievances: I say, after having set forth these things, he observes, "Those ill-affected members of the house of commons, instead of an humble and dutiful way of presenting their grievances to his majesty, have taken upon them to be the guiders and directors in all matters that concern his majestie's government, both temporal and ecclesiastical: and (as if kings were |
