ENGl 
them, he had him ele&ed chancellor of the univerfity 
of Cambridge, and wrote that venerable body a letter of 
thanks for electing him. He allured the commons, that 
if they would not comply with his demands, he would 
try new councils. But what enraged them beyond mea- 
fure was, when two of their members, (ir Dudley Digges 
and fir John Elliot, complained of this partiality in favour 
of a man odious to the nation, the king ordered both to 
be committed for feditious behaviour. It was now that 
the commons violently exclaimed .that their privileges 
were infringed, and all freedom of debate deftroyed. 
They prorefied in the mod folemn manner, that neither 
of their members had faid any thing difrefpeitful ot the 
king ; and they made preparations for publiiliing their 
vindication. The king, whole character it was to fliew 
a readinefs to undertake harfii meafures, but not to (up- 
port them, releafed the two members ; and this compli¬ 
ance confirmed that obftinacy in the houfe, which was af¬ 
terwards his ruin. The earl of Arundel, for being guilty 
of the fame offence in the houfe of lords, had alfo been 
imprifoned, and as tamely difmiffed by the king. Thus 
the two houfes having refilled the levies without previous 
conditions, the king, rather than give up his favourite, 
chofe to be without the fupply, and therefore once more 
diffolved the parliament. 
The new councils which Charles had hinted to the 
parliament were now to be tried, in order to fupply his 
necellities. Inftead of making peace with Spain, and thus 
abridging his expences, he refolved to carry on the war, 
and to keep up a Handing army for this purpofe. In or¬ 
der, therefore, to gain time and money, a cOmmiffion was 
openly granted to compound with the catholics, and 
agree for a difpenfation of the penal laws again!! them. 
He borrowed a hum of money from the nobikity, whofe 
contributions came in but (lowly. But the greateft 
firetch of his power was in levying Jhip-money. In or¬ 
der to equip a fleet, (at lead this was the pretence made,) 
each of the maritime towns was required, with the affift- 
ance of the adjacent counties, to arm as many velfels as 
were appointed them. The city of London was rated at 
twenty (hips. This was the commencement of a tax, 
which,- being afterwards carried to great lengths, created 
fuch violent difcontents in the nation. But the extor¬ 
tions of the miniftry did not red here. Perfons of birth 
and rank, who refilled the loan, were fummoned before 
the counc I ; and, upon per(1 Hi *g in a refufal, were put 
tinder confinement. Five perfons alone undertook to de¬ 
fend the caufe of the public ; and, at the hazard of their 
lives and fortunes, were refoived to try whether the king 
had a right to confine their perfons, without an infringe¬ 
ment of the law. The names of thefe patriots were, fir 
Thomas Darnel, fir John Corbet, fir Walter Earl, fir 
John Haveningham, and fir Edward Hambden. Their 
caufe was brought to a folemn trial before the king’s- 
bench, and the whole kingdom was abforbed in attention 
So fo important a trial. 
From the pleadings on this memorable trial It appear¬ 
ed, that perfonal liberty had been fecured by no lefs titan 
fix different (latutes, previous to that of the Great Char¬ 
ter itlelf; but that, in times of turbulence and fedition, 
the princes had infringed upon thofe laws: and of this 
alfo many examples were produced. The difficulty now 
lay, to determine when fuch violent meafures were ex¬ 
pedient ; but of that the court pretended to be the fu- 
preme judge. As it was deemed legal, therefore, that 
thefe five gentlemen fhould plead the ftatute, by which 
they might demand bail, fo it was thought expedient in 
4 he court to remand them to prifon, without determining 
on the neceffity of taking bail for the prefent. This was 
a cruel evalion of juftice, and, in fail, fatisfied neither 
the court nor the people. The court infilled that no 
bail could be taken . the country loudly exclaimed that 
the prifoners ffiould be fet free. Under thefe embarraff- 
ments, it was not without amazement that the country 
faw their king enter into an unprovoked war with France, 
s 
AND. G67 
with which he had fo lately formed the mod natural al¬ 
liance. But Charles, among the foibles of a good difpo- 
(ition, relied too much on the infidious- advice of Buck¬ 
ingham. All hiftoriuns agree that this minifter had con¬ 
ceived hopes of gaining the heart of the queen of France, 
widow of Henry IV. and mother to the queen of Eng¬ 
land ; while, at the fame time, cardinal Richelieu afpired 
to the fame honour. The rivalry of thefe favourites pro¬ 
duced an inveterate enmity ; and, from a private quarrel, 
they refolved to involve their refpe&ive nations in the, 
difpute. War was declared againft France ; and Charles 
was taught to hope, that hoftilities with that kingdom 
would be the fureft means of producing unanimity at 
home. 
A fleet was now fent out, under the command of Buck¬ 
ingham, to relieve Rochelle, which had long'enjoyed its 
privileges independent ,of the crown of France, but had 
embraced the reformed religion, and was therefore be- 
(ieged by the catholic parly. This expedition proved 
as unfortunate as that on the coaft of Spain. The duke’s 
meafures were fo ill concerted, that the inhabitants (hut 
their gates againff the Engliff), fearful of admitting allies, 
ot whofe approach they had received no previous infor, 
mation. Inftead of attacking the ifland of Oleron, which 
was fertile and defencelefs, he bent his courfe to the ille 
of Rhe, which was garrifoned, and well fortified. Fie 
attempted alio to fhirve out the garrifon of St. Martin’s 
caftle, which was copioufly fupplied witlpprovifions. In 
the mean while the French landed their forces privately 
at another part of the ifland ; and Buckingham was obliged 
to retreat with fucli precipitation, that two-thirds of his 
army were cut to pieces before they could reach their 
(hips. The failure of this expedition ferved to render 
the duke Hill more obnoxious, and the king more needy. 
He therefore refolved to call a third parliament, A. D. 
1628; and in a conciliating fpeech, but with dignity and 
fpirit, demanded fupplies. The members, however, were 
dill diffatisfied. They boldly inveighed again ft the late 
loans, benevolences, taxes without confent of parliament, 
arbitrary imprifonments, billeting of foldiers, and martial 
laws : thefe were the grievances of which they complain¬ 
ed, and againft thefe they infilled that an eternal remedy 
ffiould be provided. An immunity from thefe vexations 
they alleged to be the inherent right of the fubjeift; and 
the fchedule of their prefent demands, was called a pe¬ 
tition of right, as implying privileges they had before 
been polfelfed of. Nothing could therefore be more juft 
than the ena&ing this petition into a law. The Great 
Charter, and the old (latutes, were fufficiently clear in 
favour of liberty ; but as all the kings of England had 
been more or lefs accuftomed to elude them; and as 
Charles, in many inftances had violated them; it was 
quiie requifite to enaft a new law, which might prevent 
thefe innovations for the future. 
Charles was taught to confider this requifition as the 
mod violent encroachment on his prerogative ; yet when 
he found that nothing but his affent would fatisfy the 
houfe, he gave it ; but in fuch ambiguous terms, as left 
him (till in pofleffion of his former power. At length, 
however, to fereen his favourite Buckingham, he thought 
proper to give it without refervation. He came there¬ 
fore to the houfe, and pronouncing the ufual form of 
words, “ Soit comme il ejl dejire, Let it be law as it is de- 
fired,” he gave the petition of right all the fanftion that 
was necelfary to pals it into a law. The acclamations 
which followed, fufficiently teftified the joy of the people; 
and an immediate grant'of five fubfidies was the ftrongeft 
mark of parliamentary approbation. The commons, hav¬ 
ing thus recognized their eftate in the conftitution, pre¬ 
pared to reprels its future violation. They objected to 
the commiflion for railing money for the introduction of 
a thoufand German horfe, which, with juft reafon, they 
feared might be turned againft the liberties of ihe people. 
They refumed alfo their cenfure of Buckingham, whom 
they refolved implacably to purfue. They afl'erted, that 
•" 3 ' tlie 
