BRITAIN. 



A1LE9 I. 



1641. 



wllion 

 Ireland. 



lilts re- 

 nt to 

 idon. 

 av. 25. 



/imoni- 



(n the 

 (nrmni. 



.fir no- 

 1 1 pro- 



' 



In the midst of these transactions, intelligence ar- 

 rived of the Irish rebellion, an event unparalleled, 

 for horror and cruelty, in our own annals. The king 

 had not left Scotland when the first information of 

 this dreadful affair was transmitted to him, but the 

 extent of its enormity was not at first known. The 

 Scottish parliament has been represented as indif- 

 ferent to the fate of their fellow Protestants j but, 

 it seems, that Charles, unacquainted himself with the 

 extent of the rebellion, represented it as insignificant 

 to the parliament. The danger was no sooner dis- 

 covered, than they oflered 3000 stand of spare arms, 

 and 10,000 men for the relief of Ireland ; a relief 

 which, if timely accepted, might have proved suffi- 

 cient. 



The king, upon his return from Scotland, was re- 

 ceived in London with shouts and acclamations of 

 the people. Sir Richard Gournay, the lord mayor, 

 had promoted these favourable dispositions, and had 

 persuaded the populace to give some marks of affec- 

 tion to the king, so apparently inconsistent with 

 tluir past and subsequent contempt of him. But the 

 pleasure which Charles enjoyed from this reception 

 was speedily damped, by a remonstrance of the com- 

 m.ons, which was presented to him immediately on 

 his return. This remonstrance, which contained a 

 merciless and minute exposure of all that was unfor- 

 tunate, invidious, or faulty in his reign, was not vo- 

 ted in the commons without a warm debate of the 

 house, and carried by a majority of only eleven. 

 It concluded with recommending the appointment of 

 ministers, in whom the parliament might have reason 

 to confide. Although the acrimony of this remon- 

 strance was extreme, the conclusion shewed that a 

 constitutional remedy, if not certain, was at least 

 open to trial. The public confidence at that time 

 was denied to those ministers of Charles who had 

 deserted the public cause : it was withheld from the 

 servile insolence of Archbishop Williams, from the le- 

 vity of Digby, and the infamy of Saville ; but was re- 

 served for the unassuming, but inflexible virtues of 

 Hambden, the mild integrity of Kimbolton, the sin- 

 cere and ardent genius of Hollis, and the cool sa- 

 gacity of the aged Pym. 



From this period the proceedings of the commons 

 became more bold, determined, and violent. They 

 had accused thirteen bishops of high treason, for en- 

 acting canons without consent of parliament. They 

 brought a bill forward twice in the same session, for 

 taking away the votes of these bishops. This exclusion 

 of the popish and spiritual lords, was at last accom- 

 pli hed by popular tumults, which the commons kept 

 aliv b\ politic design, and to which the supporters 

 of loyalty and hierarchy only gave force by resist- 

 ance. The latter party were now denominated the 

 cavaliers; while their antagonists, from the short cut 

 of their hair, were contemptuously called round heads. 

 Several reduced officers, and young gentlemen of the 

 inns of court, during the menaces and assemblies of 

 the populace round Whitehall, offered their services 

 to the king ; and had frequent, and sometimes bloody, 

 tes with the people. 



581 



While the tumults raged, Williams, the archbishop 

 of York, exasperated at some indignities which lie had 

 received, hastily called a meeting of iiis brethren, and 

 by his advice, a protestation was addressed to the 

 Belting forth, that they had been menaced and 

 ited by an unruly multitude, and could no 

 longer exercise their right of attending and voting 

 in the hou-ie. For this reason, they protested against 

 all laws and resolutions that should be voted during 

 their constrained absence. As soon as the imprudent 

 protestation was presented, the peers desired a con- 

 ference with the other house. The commons imme- 

 diately sent up an impeachment of high treason 

 against the protesting bishops, for endeavouring to 

 subvert the fundamental laws, and to invalidate the 

 authority of the legislature. No man in either house 

 ventured to speak a word in their vindication, go 

 much was every one displeased at their egregious im- 

 prudence. 



A few days after, the king was betrayed into an 

 indiscretion still more fatal, to which Jl the ensuing 

 disorders and civil wars may be directly ascribed.* 

 This was the impeachment of Lord Kimbolton and 

 the five commoners, Hollis, Sir Arthur Hazlerig, 

 Hambden, Pym, and Strode. Charles is supposed 

 to have been impelled to this measure by the advice 

 of the queen and the court ladies, and of Lord 

 Digby. 



Herbert, attorney-general, appeared in the house 

 of peers, and in his majesty's name preferred articles 

 of impeachment against these six individuals ; import- 

 ing, that they had endeavoured to subvert the laws, 

 to deprive the king- of his just power, to draw his 

 army to disobedience ; that they had endeavoured 

 to compel the parliament by force and terrors to join 

 them, and had actually levied war against the king. 

 The injustice of attempting to punish the connection 

 of those men with the Scottish Covenanters, after an 

 act of oblivion, and all that had passed, could only 

 be equalled by the folly of attempting to seize them. 

 A Serjeant at arms demanded the five commoners 

 from their own assembly : he was sent back without 

 a positive answer. Messengers were employed to 

 search for the members, who sealed and locked their 

 trunks and private apartments. The king came nrxt 

 day in person to demand them of the house of com- 

 mons; but the five commoners had a private notice to 

 withdraw a moment before the king enteted.f The 

 king left his retinue of about ~MQ men, some with 

 halberts, others with walking swords .it the door, 

 and advanced alone through the hall, while all the 

 members rose to receive him. The speaker withdrew 

 from the chair, and the king took possession of it. 

 He repeated his resolution of sei/iug the accused 

 members wherever he could find them; of proceeding 

 against them in ;i fair and legal way ; and expected, 

 as he had not come to take them by force, but by 

 lawful authority, that the house would send them to 

 him. He then asked the -speaker, if they were in the 

 house. " Sir," answered the speaker, (falling on his 

 knee,) " I have neither eyes to see, nor tongue to 

 speak in this place, but as the house is pleased to di- 





I.ord Kiir- 

 bolton and 

 five rom- 

 moners im- 

 peai hed. 

 1642. 



The king 

 demands, 

 in \> raon, 

 frwm .he 

 commou3 

 (he im- 

 peached 

 member-. 



Hume. 



f The Countess of Carlisle, Northumberland's sister, was entrusted with information of the king'? intention, and 

 fee members to fce informed. 



