The History of England Volume V

L. Charles I: A parliament at Westminster - At Oxford - Naval expedition against Spain - Second parliament - Impeachment of Buckingham - Violent measures of the court - War with France - Expedition to the isle of Rhe

HistEng5_151-200.indd 6 6/1/11 8:15 AM 1625. 27th March. A parliament at Westminster . I 8th june. L CHARLES I A parliament at WestminsterAt Oxford - Naval expedition against Spain Second parliament - Impeachment of Buckingham - Violent measures of the court War with France - Expedition to the isle of Rhe No SOONER HAD CHARLES taken into his hands the reins of government, than he showed an impatience to assemble the great council of the nation; and he would gladly, for the sake of dispatch, have called together the same parliament, which had sitten under his father, and which lay at that time under prorogation . But being told that this measure would appear unusual, he issued writs for summoning a new parliament on the 7th of May; and it was not without regret that the arrival of the princess Henrietta, whom he had espoused by proxy, obliged him to delay, by repeated prorogations, their meeting till the eighteenth of June, when they assembled at Westminster for the dispatch of business. The young prince, unexperienced and impolitic, regarded as sincere all the praises and caresses, with which he had been loaded, while active in procuring the rupture with the house of Austria. And besides that he laboured under great necessities, he hastened with alacrity to a period, when he might receive the most undoubted testimony of the dutiful attachment of his subjects . His discourse to the parliament was full of simplicity and HistEng5_151-200.indd 7 6/1/11 8:15 AM CHAPTER L cordiality. He lightly mentioned the occasion which he had for supply5 He employed no intrigue to influence the suffrages of the members. He would not even allow the officers of the crown, who had seats in the house to mention any particular sum, which might be expected by him. Secure of the affections of the commons, he was resolved, that their bounty should be intirely their own deed; unasked, unsolicited; the genuine fruit of sincere confidence and regard. The house of commons accordingly took into consideration the business of supply. They knew, that all the money granted by the last parliament had been expended on naval and military armaments ; and that great anticipations were likewise made on the revenues of the crown. They were not ignorant, that Charles was loaded with a large debt, contracted by his father, who had borrowed money both from his own subjects and from foreign princes. They had learned by experience, that the public revenue could with difficulty maintain the dignity of the crown, even under the ordinary charges of government. They were sensible, that the present war was, very lately, the result of their own importunate applications and intreaties, and that they had solemnly engaged to support their sovereign in the management of it. They were acquainted with the difficulty of military enterprizes, directed against the whole house of Austria; against the king of Spain, possessed of the greatest riches and most extensive dominions of any prince in Europe; against the emperor Ferdinand, hitherto the most fortunate monarch of his age, who had subdued and astonished Germany by the rapidity of his victories. Deep impressions they saw, must be made by the English sword, and a vigorous offensive war be waged against these mighty potentates, ere they would resign a principality, which they had now fully subdued, and which they held in secure possession, by its being surrounded with all their other territories. To answer, therefore, all these great and important ends; to satisfy their young king in the first request which he made them; to prove their sense of the many royal virtues, particularly economy , with which Charles was endued; the house of commons, conducted by the wisest and ablest senators that had ever flourq Rushworth, vol. i. p. 171. Pari. Hist. vol. vi. p. 346. Franklyn, p. 108. HistEng5_151-200.indd 8 6/1/11 8:15 AM HISTORY OF ENGLAND ished in England, thought proper to confer on the king a supply of two subsidies, amounting to 112,000 pounds.' This measure, which discovers rather a cruel mockery of Charles, than any serious design of supporting him, appears so extraordinary, when considered in all its circumstances, that it naturally summons up our attention, and raises an enquiry concerning the causes of a conduct, unprecedented in an English parliament. So numerous an assembly, composed of persons of various dispositions, was not, it is probable, wholly influenced by...