CONTENTS From the meeting of the Long Parliament to its first adjourn- ment.-State of the Nation, &c.-Greivances detailed in the Lower House-Remonstrance of the Irish Parliament.-Im- peachment of Strafforde, Laud, Finch, &c.-Flight of Winde- bank and Finch.-Attack upon the hierarchy.-Triennial Bill. -Trial of Strafforde.-Plot to bring up the army against the Parliament.-Bill of Attainder against Strafforde, with his Execution.--Act for continuing the Parliament.-High Com- Secret Policy of the King.-Affairs of Scotland, and Conduct of, Montrose. The King's Journey to Scotland.-The incident; and Settlement of Affairs there.-The Irish Rebellion and Massacre. The re-meeting of the English Parliament.-Ge- neral Apprehensions of Plots, &c.-Return of Charles to Lon- don-his Reception there.-The Remonstrance.-Impeach- ment of the Bishops, and Proceedings in regard to Episcopacy. -Accusation of the Five Members.-Tumults.-Proceedings Commencement of the Civil War.-State of Parties.-Battle of Edge-hill.-King's Attempt on Brentford.-Negociation at Oxford.-Landing of the Queen.-Policy of Charles in regard to Ireland and Scotland.-Actions in various Quarters.-Fall of Reading.-Death of Hampden.-Battle of Stratton-of Lansdowne of Round-way Down.-Bristol taken.-Siege of Gloucester.-Battle of Newbury.-State of Affairs.-The State of the Court and Royal Army.-Assembly of the Mock or Mongrel Parliament at Oxford, and its Proceedings.-Ruin of the English-Irish Regiments brought by Charles to England. -Entrance of the Scots, and their Junction with Fairfax after his Victories at Selby.-Siege of York, and Junction of Man- chester's Army with Fairfax's and the Scottish Exploits of Rupert, and Battle of Marsden Moor.Character of Crom- well, and of the Independents.-Battle of Cropredy Bridge.— Essex's Forces disarmed. Second Battle of Newbury.-Self- HISTORY OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. BOOK VI. FROM THE MEETING OF THE LONG PARLIAMENT TILL State of the Nation, &c.-Grievances detailed in the Lower nation at the the Long THE calling of the last parliament, which was so State of the prematurely terminated, had diffused general satis- meeting of faction, as the precursor of a better system; but Parliament. wise men perceived that matters had not yet arrived at the crisis when the authority of the legislature could be effectually exerted against that horrid train of evils which the kingdom had so long groaned under; and the people at large, though they hoped much from a constitutional assembly, had been too greatly dispirited by oppression to feel confident of its power. The influence of the crown, therefore, together with that of the great families attached to arbitrary principles, operated considerably in elections; while, of those returned as members on more independent grounds, and who had not yet enlisted under the banners of administration, there were many who were politicly inclined not to forfeit their chance of preferment from a system which they deemed it impossible to controul. On the other hand, prudence dictated to the most public-spirited the propriety of preserving a tone of moderation, in order, if possible, to reclaim the monarch, and, at all events, to avoid affording him a pretext with any considerable portion of his subjects, for hurrying matters to an extremity which, however it might end, must, in the interim, be productive of national calamities. The course of elections even then, however, so disappointed Charles and his ministers, that the Earl of Northumberland, previous to the meeting of that parliament, predicted, in a private letter to the Earl of Leicester, that it would be short-lived, as unfit for the purposes of the executive *. But all saw Sidney, State Papers, vol. ii. p. 641. He writes, 19th March, 1639-40. "The elections that are generally made of knights and burgesses in this kingdome, giues us cause to feare that the parliament will not sitt long; for such as haue dependance upon the court, are in diuers places refused; and the most refrectorie persons chosen." Does not this prove that Sir H. Vane and Herbert were not singular in their opinion of that parliament ? |