prevailed, and the house with one accord again betook themselves to the examination of grievances. The abolition of the star chamber, of the north court, the court of high commission, and of all arbitrary tribunals was definitively agreed to, and the king, after two days' hesitation, also gave his consent. Political reformation, such, at least, as had at first been wished for and conceived, now seemed to be accomplished; but what was the use of having passed it into a statute, if the execution of it was to be entrusted to its greatest enemies. The king's delays and hesitations, reports of plots and defections perceived or suspected in the army and the parliament, awakened new alarms; the parliamentary leaders thought that if they suffered the power they now possessed to pass out of their hands they should be ruined, as well as the cause they defended; to preserve their power the help of the people was necessary; and the people, devoted to the presbyterians, claimed also a share of the triumph. Motions against the church re-appeared; the Scots even began openly to solicit for uniformity of worship in the two nations. But these attempts failed; and this failure increasing the perplexity into which both houses were thrown by so many passions and unconnected designs, gave to their proceedings the appearance of weariness and uncertainty, out of which some promised themselves rest. But the religious struggle became daily more violent,

July 5th, 1641; Parl. Hist. vol. ii. col 853-855.

N

the sectaries grew bolder and the church weaker. Even in the upper house, where she had most friends, every thing attested her decline: the spiritual lords were no longer, according to ancient custom, mentioned separately at the head of the bills; when a bill was read, the speaker affected to turn his back to the seats of the bishops, and in public ceremonies the temporal lords assumed the precedence. These symptoms did not escape the observation of the byterian party, who, incessantly renewing their attacks, prevailed with the political reformers, whom they maintained in the possession of power, and, notwithstanding their apparent misfortunes, daily advanced their own success.

pres

The king, all at once, remembered his project of visiting Scotland, where, he said, the treaty of peace, which was, at last, on the point of being concluded, called for his presence. At the same time the news spread abroad, that the queen, giving the state of her health as a pretext, was preparing to depart for the continent. The king on his road would find the disaffected army; and the queen's connections with the continent had long been suspicious. These intended journeys, simultaneous and unexpected, gave the distrustful the occasion they wanted. Their suspicions were not without foundation. Charles, without influence or power in London, surrounded by useless courtiers and timid coun

z Neal, Hist. of the Puritans, vol. ii. pp. 410, 411.

The

sellors, had turned his thoughts towards the kingdom of his fathers, and towards the absolute monarchs of Europe. In Scotland he intended to gain the good-will of the people by giving way in all matters concerning the crown or the church, and to win the lords by loading them with favours: he thought also that his passage through the army and his behaviour towards it could but add to the number of his partisans. As to the continent, his views were not very clear; yet without foreseeing or even imagining war, he already sought money and allies. commons did not mention their suspicions; but they begged that the queen would not leave London, and that it would please the king to defer his departure". Charles manifested some displeasure, and affected to look upon this request as an unreasonable caprice. To show that he attached no importance to it he referred the commons for an answer to the queen herself, and to the Scottish commissioners, who, he said, solicited him to hasten his journey. The Scots willingly agreed to a delay, and the queen graciously promised not to depart. The fears of the commons were for a while quieted; and they now anxiously urged the disbanding of the army, which had hitherto been purposely delayed. Letters from the house promised the troops early payment; and to ensure its fulfilment some zealous citizens had their plate melted; fresh

a June 26th, 1641.

Parl. Hist. vol. ii. col. 846, 851, 852, 885, 890.

loans were ordered, and new taxes imposed. Yet the army were but slowly paid off, from the want of money, and through the ill-will of many of the officers. This secretly pleased the king; but drove the commons back to their fears. The delay which had been agreed upon had now expired. The commons solicited another, but without success; the king announced that he was about to depart. That business might not be suspended, they thought of requesting the nomination of a protector of the kingdom in the king's absence; but this idea had no result". The king merely named the earl of Essex captaingeneral south of the Trent, and departed on the 10th of August, betraying by his discourse hopes of which none could imagine the foundation.

sence.

The house soon discovered that they only lost time by sitting uncertain and inactive in his abIt was much more important to them to watch narrowly their adversaries and kindle the zeal of their partisans in the counties. After a fortnight of unimportant sittings, they resolved to adjourn. Many of the members wished to attend to their own private concerns, or to enjoy some repose; but the leaders allowed themselves

a

May, Hist. of the Long Parl. vol. i. p. 206; Parl. Hist. vol. ii. col. 841-843. The interest demanded for this loan was fixed at ten per cent.

с

Clarendon, Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. ii. p. 209.

August 8th, 1641; Parl. Hist. vol. ii. col. 897, 899. d Ibid. col. 892.

August 27th, 1641. The recess was to last from the 8th of September to the 20th of October; Parl. Hist. vol. ii. col. 904.

no rest. A committee, directed by Hampden, was sent to Scotland, to remain near the king, and watch over the interests of parliament'. Another committee, of which Pym was chairman, sat at Westminster in the interval of the two sessions. The house of lords took the same measures". A great many members went into the country; anxious to propagate their feelings and their fears. Both parties, under the appearance of a truce, were seeking more strength, for both meditated future contests.

In passing through the English army, which was disbanding, and the Scottish army, which was returning home, the king dared not tarry long. Still his attempts among the soldiers, particularly among the officers, were public enough to induce lord Holland, who presided over the payment of the troops, to write a letter full of alarm to the earl of Essex", adding, that on his return he would tell him more. When he arrived at Edinburgh, Charles granted all the concessions requested by the church and parliament of Scotland: a law for triennial parliaments, the resignation of the ancient prerogatives of the crown, prosecutions against the principal opponents of the covenant, and even the intervention of parliament in the choice

Parl. Hist. vol. ii. col. 902. This committee was composed of six members, namely the earl of Bedford, lord Howard, Sir William Armyn, Sir Philip Stapleton, Nathaniel Fiennes, and Hampden. Parl. Hist. vol. ii. col. 910.

b August 16th, 1641; Clarendon, Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. ii. p. 210.