Britain. affent to give it the force of a law. The king accordingly came to the house of peers, fent for the commons, and being leated in the chair of ftate, the petition was read to him. In answer to it, he faid, "The king willeth, that right be done according to the laws and cu ftoms of the realm, and that the ftatutes be put into execution; that his fubjects may have no caufe to complain of any wrong or oppreffion contrary to their juft rights and liberties, to the prefervation whereof he holds himself in confcience as much obliged as of his own prerogative."

This equivocal anfwer was highly refented. The commons returned in very ill humour. Their indignation would undoubtedly have fallen on the unfortunate Catholics, had not their petition against them already received a fatisfactory anfwer. To give vent to their prefent wrath, therefore, they fell on Dr Manwaring, who had preached a fermon, and, at the fpecial command of the king, printed it; which was now found to contain doctrines fubverfive of all civil liberty. It taught, that though property was commonly lodged in the fubject, yet, whenever any exigency required fupply, all property was transferred to the fovereign; that the confent of parliament was not neceffary for the impofition of taxes; and that the divine laws required compliance with every demand, however irregular, which the prince should make upon his fubjects. For thefe doctrines Manwaring was fentenced to be imprifoned during the pleasure of the houfe; to be fined 1000l. to the king; make fubmiffion and acknowledgment for his offence; be fufpended three years; be incapable of holding any ecclefiaftical dignity or fecular office; and that his book be called in and burnt. No fooner, however, was the feffion ended, than Manwaring received a pardon, and was promoted to a living of confiderable value. Some years afterwards he was He at last promoted to the fee of St Afaph. At last, the king, gives his af- feeing it was impoffible to carry his point, yielded to fent to the the importunities of parliament. He came to the petition. houfe of peers, and pronouncing the ufual form of words, "Let it be law as is defired," gave full fanction and authority to the petition. The house refounded with acclamations, and the bill for five subfidies immediately paffed.

68

The commons, however, were not yet fatisfied; they began again to attack Buckingham, against whom they were implacable: they alfo afferted, that the levying of tonnage and poundage without confent of parliament was a palpable violation of the ancient liberties of the people, and an open infringement of the petition of right fo lately granted. The king, in order to prevent a reParliament monftrance on that fubject, fuddenly prorogued the parliament, on June 26. 1628.

69

prorogued.

70

dered.

BuckingThe commons foon got rid of their enemy Bucking ham mur. ham; who was murdered on the 23d of Auguft this fame year, by one Felton who had formerly ferved under him as a lieutenant. The king did not appear much concerned at his death, but retained an affection for his family throughout his whole lifetime. He defired alfo that Felton might be tortured, in order to extort from him a discovery of his accomplices; but the judges declared, that though that practice had been formerly very common, it was altogether illegal.

71 Contentions about

In 1629, the ufual contentions between the king tonnage and and his parliament continued. The great article on poundage

which the commons broke with their fovereign, and Britain. which finally created in him a difguft at all parliaments, was their claims with regard to tonnage and poundage. The difpute was, whether this tax could be levied without confent of parliament or not. Charles, fupported by multitudes of precedents, maintained that it might; and the parliament, in confequence of their petition of right, afferted that it could not. The commons were refolved to fupport their rights: and the difputes concerning tonnage and poundage went hand in hand with fome theological controverfies; particularly concerning Arminianifm, which the Puritans, who now formed the majority of the nation, oppofed with the greateft violence; and which confequently crept in among those who profeffed Epifcopacy, where it hath ftill maintained its ground more than in any other party.

The commons began with fummoning before them the officers of the custom-house, to give an account by what authority they had feized the goods of those merchants who had refused to pay the duties of tonnage and poundage. The barons of exchequer were queftioned with regard to their decrees on that head. The fheriff of London was committed to the Tower for his activity in fupporting the officers of the cuftom-house. The goods of Rolles, a merchant, and member of the houfe, being feized for his refufal to pay the duties, complaints were made of this violence, as if it were a breach of privilege. Charles, on the other hand, fupported his officers in all these measures, and the quarrel between him and the commons became every day higher. Sir John Elliot framed a remonftrance against tonnage and poundage, which he offered to the clerk to read; but it was refufed, and he then read it himfelf. The question being called for, Sir John Finch the speaker said, that he had a command from the king to adjourn, and to put no question; upon which he rofe and left the chair. The whole house was in an uproar; the speaker was pushed back into the chair, and forcibly held in it, till a fhort remonftrance was formed, which was inftantaneously paffed by almost universal acclamation. Papifts and Arminians were now declared capital enemies to the commonwealth. Those who levied tonnage and poundage were branded with the fame epithet. And even the merchants, who should voluntarily pay thefe duties, were declared betrayers of English liberty, and public enemies. The doors being locked, the gentleman-ufher of the house of lords, who was fent by the king, could get no admittance till this remonftrance was finished. By the king's order he took Parliam the mace from the table, which put an end to their pro- diffolved ceedings, and on the 10th of March the parliament was diffolved. Some of the members were imprisoned and fined; but this severity ferved only to increase the general difcontent, and point out the fufferers as proper leaders for the popular party.

72

73

Charles being now difgufted with parliaments, refol- Peace w ved to call no more; but finding himself deftitute France of refources, was obliged to make peace with the two Spain, powers with which he was at war. A treaty was figned with France on the 14th of April, and another with Spain on the 5th of November 1630, by which Charles bound himself to obferve a neutrality with regard to the affairs on the continent. His conduct to his subjects cannot now appear entirely blameless, nor the general discontent

74

king

ere.

Stain difcontent altogether without foundation. As if, how ever, he had refolved to ruin himself, and to lose the fmall degrees of affection which remained among his fubjects, Charles now began to fet about making innovations in religion. Archbishop Laud had obtained a nots to prodigious afcendency over the king; and, by his fudace perftitious attachment to foolish ceremonies, led him into religia conduct that proved fatal to himself and to the kingdom in general. The humour of the nation ran at that time in a channel perfectly the reverse of fuperftition. The ancient ceremonies which had been fanctified by the permiflion and practice of the first reformers, could scarce be retained in divine fervice. Laud chose this time, of all others the most improper, for renewing the ceremonies of the fourth and fifth century, when the Christian church, as is well known, was funk into the fuperftitions which were afterwards continued and augmented by the policy of the church of Rome. So openly were these tenets efpoufed, that not only the difcontented Puritans believed the church of England to be relapfing faft into the Romish fuperftition, but the court of Rome itfelf entertained hopes of regaining its authority in this island. To forward Laud's good intentions, an offer was twice made him, in private, of a cardinal's hat; which he declined accepting. His anfwer was (as he fays himfelf), that "fomething dwelt within him which would not fuffer his compliance till Rome was other than it is." It must be confeffed, however, that though Laud deferved not the appellation of a Papist, the genius of his religion was, though in a lefs degree, the fame with that of the Romish. The fane profound refpect was exacted to the facerdotal character; the fame fubmiffion to the creeds and decrees of fynods and councils required; the fame pomp and ceremony was affected in worship; and the fame fuperftitious regard to days, poftures, meats, and veftments. Orders were given, and rigorously infisted on, that the communion-table fhould be removed from the middle of the area where it had hitherto flood in all churches except cathedrals. It was placed at the east end, railed in, and denominated an altar; as the clergyman who officiated commonly received the appellation of priest. All kinds of ornaments, especially pictures, were introduced. Some of thefe, upon inquiry, were found to be the very fame that were to be met with in the mafs-book. The crucifix too, that perpetual confolation of all pious Catholics, and terror to all found Proteftants, was not forgot on this occafion.

In return for Charles's indulgence towards the church, Laud and his followers took care to magnify on every occafion the regal authority, and to treat with the utmost difdain or deteftation all puritanical pretenfions to a free and independent conftitution. From this fubjection, however, they took care to exclude themselves, and infited upon a divine and apoftolical charter in preference to a legal and parliamentary one. The facerdotal character was magnified as facred and indefeafible; all right to fpiritual authority, or even to private judgment in fpiritual fubjects, was refused to profane laymen: ecclefiaftical courts were held by bishops in their own name, without any notice taken of the king's authority: and Charles, though extremely jealous of every claim in popular affemblies,

feemed rather to encourage than reprefs thofe encroach-Britain. ments of his clergy.

75

76

He attempts to

establish

The principles which exalted prerogative were put His arbitra. in practice during the whole time that Charles ruled ry and unwithout parliaments. He wanted money for the fup- popular go port of government; and he levied it, either by the re-vernment, vival of obfolete laws, or by violations of the privileges. Though humane and gentle in his nature, he gave way to severities in the ftar-chamber and high commiffion, which feemed neceffary in order to fupport the present mode of administration, and suppress the rifing spirit of liberty throughout the kingdom. Tonnage and poundage were continued to be levied by royal authority alone. The former arbitrary impofitions were still exacted; and even new impofitions laid upon the different kinds of merchandise. The custom-house officers received orders from the council to enter into any houfe, warehouse, or cellar; to fearch any trunk or cheft; and to break any bulk whatever, in default of the payment of customs. In order to exercise the militia, each county, by an edict of the council, was affeffed in a certain fum for maintaining a mufter-mafter appointed for that fervice. Compofitions were openly made with recufants, and the Popish religion became a regular part of the revenue. A commiffion was granted for compounding with fuch as were poffeffed of crown-lands on defective titles; and on this pretence fome money was exacted of the people, &c. While the English were in the utmost difcontent, and almost ready to break out in open rebellion by thefe arbitrary proceedings, Charles thought proper Epifcopacy to attempt setting up Epifcopacy in Scotland. The in Scotland. canons for established ecclefiaftical jurifdiction were promulgated in 1635, and were received without much appearance of oppofition; yet with great inward ap. prehenfion and discontent. The first reading of the liturgy was attempted in the cathedral church of St Giles in Edinburgh, in 1637; but this produced fuch a tumult, that it was not thought fafe to repeat the experiment. An univerfal combination against the religious innovations began immediately to take place; but Charles, as if obftinately bent on his own deftruction, continued inflexible in his purpofe, though he had nothing to oppofe to the united force of the kingdom but a proclamation, in which he pardoned all past offences, and exhorted the people to be more obedient for the future, and to submit peaceably to the use of the 77 liturgy. This proclamation haftened forward the in- Which oc4furrection which had been flowly advancing before. infurrecFour tables, as they were called, were formed in Edin- tion. burgh. One confifted of nobility, another of gentry, a third of minifters, and the fourth of burgeffes. The table of gentry was divided into many fubordinate ones, according to the different counties. In the hands of the four tables, the authority of the whole kingdom was placed. Orders were iffued by them, and everywhere obeved with the utmoft regularity; and among the first acts of their government was the production of the COVENANT.

cafions an

nant.

78 This famous covenant confifted of a renunciation of Accountof Popery, formerly figned by James in his youth, and the cove. filled with many virulent invectives against that party. A bond of union followed, by which the fubfcribers obliged themfelves to refift all religious innovations,

and

Britain. and to defend each other against all oppofition whatfoever: And all this for the greater glory of God, and the greater honour and advantage of their king and country. The covenant was fubfcribed by people of all ranks and conditions. Few difapproved of it in their hearts, and ftill fewer dared openly to condemn it, The king's minifters and counsellors themselves were moftly of the fame way of thinking; and none but rebels to God, and traitors to their country, it was thought, would withdraw themselves from fo falutary and pious a combination.

79

Charles attempts to appease the

Covenanters.

80 Covenant

entered in

to by the royalifts.

81 Violent

The king now began to be alarmed. He fent the marquis of Hamilton, as commiffioner, with authority to treat with the covenanters. He required the covenant to be renounced and recalled; and he thought that on his part he made very fatisfactory conceffions, when he offered to fufpend the canons and liturgy till in a fair and legal way they could be received, and fo to model the high commiffion that it should no longer give offence to his fubjects. In anfwer to this demand the covenanters told him, they would fooner renounce their baptifm; and invited the commiffioner himself to fign it. Hamilton returned to London; made another fruitless journey with new conclufions to Edinburgh; returned again to London, and was immediately fent back with ftill more fatisfactory conceffions. The king was now willing to abolish entirely the canons, the liturgy, and the high commiffion court; he even refolved to limit extremely the power of the bishops, and was content if on any terms he could retain that order in the church of Scotland. And to enfure all thefe gracious offers, he gave Hamilton authority to fummon first an affembly, and then a parliament, where every national grievance fhould be redreffed.-Thefe fucceffive conceflions only fhowed the weakness of the king, and encouraged the malcontents to rife in their demands. The offer, however, of an affembly and a parliament, in which they expected to be entirely mafters, was very willingly embraced by the covenanters.

Charles, perceiving what advantage his enemies had reaped from their covenant, refolved to have a covenant also on his fide; and he ordered one to be drawn up for that purpose. It confifted of the fame violent renunciation of Popery with the other; which, though the king did not approve of it, he thought proper to adopt, in order to remove all the fufpicions entertained against him. As the covenanters, in their bond of mutual defence against all oppofition, had been careful not to except the king; Charles had formed a bond which was annexed to this renunciation, and which expreffed the fubfcribers loyalty and duty to his majefty. But the covenanters perceiving that this new covenant was only meant to weaken and divide them, received it with the utmost fcorn and deteftation. And, without delay, they proceeded to model the affembly from which fuch great achievements were expected.

The affembly met at Glasgow in 1638. A firm deproceedings termination had been entered into of utterly abolishing

of the afLembly.

Epifcopacy; and, as a preparative to it, there was laid before the prefbytery of Edinburgh, and folemnly read in all the churches of the kingdom, an accufation against the bishops, as guilty, all of them, of herefy, fimony, bribery, perjury, cheating, inceft, adultery, fornica

tion, common-fwearing, drunkennefs, gaming, breach Britain of the fabbath, and every other crime which had occurred to the accufers. The bishops fent a proteft, declining the authority of the affembly; the commiffioner too protefted against that court, as illegally conftituted and elected; and, in his majesty's name, dif folved it. This measure was foreseen, and little regarded. The court ftill continued to fit and do bufinefs. All the acts of affembly, fince the acceffion of James to the crown of England, were, upon pretty reasonable grounds, declared null and invalid. The acts of parliaments which affected ecclefiaftical affairs were on that very account supposed to have no authority. And thus the whole fabric which James and Charles, in a long courfe of years, had been rearing with much care and policy, fell at once to the ground. The covenant likewife was ordered to he figned by every one, under pain of excommunication. In 1639, the covenanters prepared in earnest for Prepara The earl of Argyle, though he long feemed to tions for temporife, at laft embraced the covenant; and he be- war byt came the chief leader of that party. The earls of Rothes, Caffils, Montrofe, Lothian, the lords Lindefey, Loudon, Yefter, and Balmerino, also distinguished themselves. Many of their officers had acquired reputation in the German wars, particularly under Guftavus; and these were invited over to affift their country in its prefent neceffity. The command was entrusted to Lefly, a foldier of experience and ability. Forces were regularly enlifted and disciplined. Arms were commiffioned and imported from foreign countries. A few caftles which belonged to the king, being unprovided of victuals, ammunition, and garrifons, were foon feized. And the whole country, except a fmall part where the marquis of Huntly ftill adhered to the king, being in the covenanters hands, was foon put into a tolerable posture of defence.

war.

82

covenam

Charles, on the other hand, was not deficient in his By the endeavours to oppose this formidable combination. By regular economy he had not only paid all the debts contracted in the French and Spanish wars, but had amaffed a fum of 200,000l.; which he had reserved for any fudden exigency. The queen had great intereft with the Catholics, both from the fympathy of religion, and from the favours and indulgences which she had been able to procure them. She now employed her credit, and perfuaded them, that it was reasonable to give large contributions, as a mark of their duty to the king, during this urgent neceffity: And thus, to the great scandal of the Puritans, a confiderable fupply was gained. The king's fleet was formidable and well fupplied. Having put 5000 land forces on board, he intrusted it to the marquis of Hamilton, who had orders to fail to the frith of Forth, and caufe a diverfion in the forces of the malcontents. An army was levied of near 20,000 foot and 3000 horfe; and was put under the command of the earl of Arundel, a nobleman of great family, but celebrated neither for military nor political abilities. The earl of Effex, a man of ftrict honour, and extremely popular, efpecially among the foldiery, was appointed lieutenant-general: The earl of Holland was general of the horfe. The king himfelf joined the army, and he fummoned all the peers of England to attend him. The whole had

the

The Scottish army was equally numerous with that of the king, but inferior in cavalry. The officers had more experience; and the foldiers, though ill difciplined and armed, were animated, as well by the national averfion to England, and the dread of becoming a province to their old enemy, as by that religious enthufiafm which was the occafion of the war. Yet fo prudent were their leaders, that they immediately fent very submissive messages to the king, and craved leave to be admitted to a treaty.-Charles, as ufual, took luded. the worst courfe. He concluded a fudden pacification, in which it was ftipulated, that he should withdraw his fleet and army; that within 48 hours the Scots fhould difmifs their forces; that the king's forts fhould be restored to him; his authority be acknow. ledged; and a general affembly and parliament be immediately fummoned, in order to compose all differ

Peace con

ences.

This peace was of no long duration. Charles could not prevail on himself to abandon the caufe of Epifcopacy, and fecretly intended to feize every favourable opportunity to recover the ground he had loft. The affembly, on the other hand, proceeded with the utmoft fury and violence. They voted Epifcopacy to be unlawful in the church of Scotland: they ftigmatized the canons and liturgy as popifh: they denominated the high commiffion tyranny. The parliament, which fat after the affembly, advanced pretenfions which tended to diminish the civil power of the monarch; and, what probably affected Charles ftill more, they were proceeding to ratify the acts of affembly, when by the king's inftructions Traquaire the commiffioner prorogued them. And on account of these claims, which War again might have been eafily foreseen, war was recommenced

declared. the fame year.

85

A parlia

No fooner had Charles concluded the peace, than he found himself obliged to difband his army, on account of his want of money; and as the foldiers had been held together merely by mercenary views, it was not poffible, without great trouble, expence, and lofs of time, to reaffemble them. On the contrary, the covenanters, in difmiffing their troops, had been careful to preferve nothing but the appearance of a pacification. The officers had orders to be ready on the first fummons: The foldiers were warned not to think the nation fecure from an English invafion: And the religious zeal which animated all ranks of men made them immediately fly to their ftandards, as foon as the trumpet was founded by their spiritual and temporal leaders.

In 1640, however, the king made fhift to draw an ment called army together; but finding himself unable to fupport them, was obliged to call a parliament after an intermiffion of about 11 years. As the fole defign of the king's calling this parliament was to obtain a fupply, and the only reafon they had for attending was to procure a redress of grievances, it is not to be fuppofed there could be any good agreement between them. Difolved. The king accordingly infifted for money, and the parliament on their grievances, till a diffolution enfued. -To add to the unpopularity of this measure, the king, notwithstanding his diffolving the parliament, allowed VOL. IV. Part II.

87

88

money.

The king difappointed of parliamentary fubfidies, Charles dif was obliged to have recourfe to other expedients. The trefled for ecclefiaftical fubfidies ferved him in fome ftead; and it feemed but just that the clergy should contribute to the expence of a war which had been in a great meafure of their own raifing. He borrowed money from his ministers and courtiers; and fo much was he beloved among them, that above 300,000l. were fubfcribed in a few days. Some attempts were made towards forcing a loan from the citizens; but still repelled by the fpirit of liberty, which was now become unconquerable. A loan of 40,00cl. was extorted from the Spanish merchants who had bullion in the tower. Coat and conduct money for the foldiery was levied on the counties; an ancient practice, but which was fupposed to be abolished by the petition of right. All the pepper was bought from the East India Company upon truft; and fold, at a great difcount, for ready money. A fcheme was propofed for coining two or three hundred thousand pounds of base money. Such were the extremities to which Charles was reduced. The fresh difficulties, which amidst the prefent diftreffes were every day raised, with regard to the payment of thipmoney, obliged him to exert continual acts of authority, augmented extremely the difcontents of the people, and increafed his indigence and neceffities.

The prefent expedients, however, enabled the king, though with great difficulty, to march his army, confifting of 19,000 foot and 2000 horfe. The earl of Northumberland was appointed general; the earl of Strafford, who was called over from Ireland, lieutenantgeneral; Lord Conway, general of the horse. A small fleet was thought fufficient to ferve the purpofes of this expedition. The Scots, though fomewhat fuperior, were fooner ready than the king's army, and marched to the borders of England. Notwithstanding their warlike preparations and hoftile attempts, the covenanters ftill preferved the most fubmiflive language to the king; and entered England with no other defign, they faid, than to obtain accefs to the king's prefence, and lay their humble petition at his royal feet. At Newburn upon Tyne they were oppofed by a detachment of 4500 Royalists men under Conway, who feemed refolute to difpute defeated at with them the paffage of the river. The Scots firft en- Newburn, treated them, with great civility, not to stop them in their march to their gracious fovereign; and then attacked them with great bravery, killed feveral, and chafed the reft from their ground. Such a panic feized the whole English army, that the forces at Newcastle fled immediately to Durham; and not yet thinking themfelves fafe, they deferted that town, and retreated into Yorkshire.

3 L

The

89