enquiries relative to war, taxes, administration, monopolies, religion, &c., and to draw up a statement of grievances. Even on this occasion it was observed, that formerly under Elizabeth every enterprise had succeeded, and glory had been spread over the kingdom. Now, nobody would risk his money or his person, through well-founded distrust of the new, and entirely different system of government.

Nearly at the same time, Pym, president of the committee of religious affairs, complained of two books written by the King's chaplain, Montague, because they contained expressions concerning the Pope, image-worship, transubstantiation, &c., which seemed to be entirely incompatible with the principles of the English church. Instead of suffering the affair to take its course, the King looked on it as an attack upon himself, and thought himself called upon to defend his chaplain, which only increased the irritation.(7) Montague was, in the end, summoned before the House of Commons, and severely reprimanded, because his book was contrary to true religion, and tended to the dishonour of the King, and to confusion in Church and State.

Meantime Charles wrote to the Speaker of the House of Commons, "that as every delay was very injurious, and the necessity was evident, he wished that the grant of supplies might be accelerated as much as possible." The House, in its polite an

swer declared, "We beg your Majesty to be convinced that there never was a King more beloved by his people, and no people ever more desirous to increase the honour and greatness of its sovereign. Your Majesty will certainly receive graciously the faithful and necessary advice of your Parliament, which can have no other object than to serve your Majesty and the kingdom, by our denouncing the evils which led to your Majesty's necessities and the complaints of the people; while we, at the same time, propose means to remedy them. Confidently relying on their future removal we unanimously declare, though we depart from the former proceedings of Parliament, that we will support your Majesty with supplies in such a manner and so amply, that you will be safe at home and formidable abroad. We will also hasten this affair, as your Majesty's urgent wish and present circumstances require."

Though, on the one hand, these friendly promises were very welcome to the King, he could not avoid, on the other, feeling some uneasiness at the continued enquiry of the House of Commons into the conduct of the administration, which in particular threatened the Duke of Buckingham. In returning thanks to the Parliament, Charles added, "If you connect the grants of the supplies with the statement of your grievances, I consider this as an intimation and not as a condition. In order, how

ever, to answer this point, I tell you, I am as ready as my predecessors to listen to your grievances, provided that you endeavour to find remedies for defects really existing, and do not merely look for the express purpose of discovering some grievance. You must know also that I will not permit my officers to be questioned or called to account by you, and least of all those who are in high posts and about my person. Formerly it was asked, 'What shall be done for the man whom the King delighteth to honour?' Now, some persons take trouble to enquire what can be done against the man whom the King thinks fit to honour. Formerly you extolled Buckingham, for what reason will you now accuse him? He is still the same, and has done nothing without my express command. I wish you to hasten in granting the supplies, for every delay will be most injurious to yourselves, and if any evil arises from it, I think I shall be the last to feel it."

This letter of the King was liable to many objections. It was evident that he claimed the grant of supplies as an unconditional right, but considered the redress of grievances as a secondary consideration and a matter of favour. That in certain respects he placed himself in respect to the Parliament in a position, which, if not hostile, was yet constrained and unsuitable; while he so identified himself with his servants and officers, that there

could be no idea of their responsibility, or even of an examination of their administration, without offence to the King himself.

In this state of things the House of Commons believed itself called upon to perform its duty in two points at the same time; it therefore provisionally voted three subsidies and three-fifteenths to put an end to the embarrassments of the Treasury; but added, that the bill should not be passed till the King had heard and answered the grievances of the Parliament. The House likewise continued its enquiries into the conduct of the administration, in which Mr. Turner, and Mr. Coke in particular, declared most decidedly against Buckingham. The King persisted in considering all this as an improper attack on his government and that of his father. He therefore summoned the Parliament to Whitehall on the 28th of May, and thanking the Upper House, expressed his approbation of its proceedings. He regretted that he could not say the same of the Lower House, and had summoned it for the purpose of reproving it for its errors and unparliamentary conduct. He hoped, however, that they would all return to the right way after the Lord Keeper had clearly proved that they had been wrong. The Lord Keeper in his speech said, "The King will readily hear and answer your just complaints if they are laid before him in a legal manner, for no King loves his people more than he

does, but none is more jealous of his rights, which he will never suffer to be violated under the pretext of Parliamentary freedom. You have the rights of a deliberative, not of a controlling authority, and there is a difference between liberty and the abuse of it. With respect to the Duke of Buckingham, the King is best acquainted with his conduct and services, and feels that the measures directed against him are an insult to himself and to his father, King James. He therefore commands you to end this unparliamentary enquiry, and to leave to his wisdom and care the future reform of those things, which you suppose to be otherwise than they ought to be.

"The grants cannot and must not be delayed till after the redress of the grievances, and the King expects a final answer before next Saturday. If he does not receive it by that time, his Majesty cannot expect aid in that way, nor will he promise that the session shall be continued any longer."

To this speech the King added that he had conducted the foreign affairs according to the wishes of the Parliament, and formerly no person had been more in favour with the House than Buckingham. Delays and dissensions must necessarily be attended with the most fatal consequences; a friendly disposition, on the other hand, would encourage him to go with the Parliament. Mr. Coke had said, it was better to be ruined by a foreign than a domestic