THE PARLIAMENT. CCC1 



storm in which the state was involved, and which he vainly 

 thought that he had the power to calm. It is scarcely 

 possible for any Chancellor to have been placed in a 

 situation of greater difficulty. He knew the work that 

 must be done and the nature of his materials. 



The King, who was utterly dependent upon the people, 

 was every day resorting to expedients which widened the 

 breach between them: despotic without dignity, and pro 

 fuse without magnificence, meanly grasping, and idly 

 scattering, neither winning their love, nor commanding 

 their reverence, he seemed in all things the reverse of his 

 illustrious predecessor, except in what could be well spared, 

 the arbitrary spirit common to them both. While the 

 people were harassed and pillaged by the wretches to 

 whom the King had delegated his authority, he reaped 

 only part of the spoil, but all the odium. 



The Chancellor had repeatedly assured the King that 

 his best interests, which consisted in a good understanding 

 with his subjects, could be maintained only by calling 

 frequent parliaments: advice not likely to be acceptable 

 to a monarch who had issued a proclamation, (a) com 

 manding all his people, from the highest to the lowest, 



brought to Adam in paradise to see what he should call 

 them,* yet such an attempt is beyond the reach of our 

 limited natures.&quot; To proceed, however, with certainty, 

 the collection and comparison of similar natures must be 

 made, and is made by society at large, when, after the 

 lapse of centuries, the instances having been collected and 

 examined, we arrive at a sound conclusion, not unfre- 

 quently at the same time, by different persons at different 

 parts of the globe, 

 (a) 23rd Nov. 1620. 



* See Advancement of Learning, vol. ii. p. 55. 



