D.A.164 2. PART II. reft than the collecting of magazines, or the affembling of armies. But had he even been otherwise disposed, he would have found many difficulties to encounter ; for although he was attended by a splendid train of nobility, and by a numerous body of gentlemen of great landed property, fupplies could not be raised without a connection with the monied men, who were chiefly attached to the parliament, which had seized his revenues fince the beginning of the conteft concerning the militia bill. Yet was he not altogether unprepared. The queen, (by difpofing of the crown jewels, had been enabled to purchase a cargo of arms and ammunition in Holland. Part of thefe had arrived fafe; and Charles finding that the urgent neceffities of his fituation would no longer admit of delay, prepared himself for defence, and roufed his adherents to arms, with a spirit, activity, and addrefs, that alike furprised his friends and his enemies. The refources of his genius on this, as on all other occafions, feemed to increase in proportion to the obftacles to be overcome. He never appeared fo great as when plunged in diftrefs, or furrounded with perils. THE Commons, however, confcious of their fuperiority in force, and determined to take advantage of it, yet defirous to preferve the appearance of a pacific difpofition, fent the king conditions, on which they were willing to come to an agreement, but to which they knew he would not fubmit. Their demands, contained in nineteen propofitions, amounted to a total abolition of monarchical government, and would have involved in ruin the whole royal party. They required, That no man fhould remain in the privy council, who had not the approbation of parliament; that no deed of the fovereign fhould have validity, unless it paffed that council, and was attefted under its feal; that all the V. the principal officers of state and chief judges fhould LETTER be chosen with consent of parliament, and enjoy their offices during life; that none of the royal family should A. D. 1642. marry without confent of both houses of parliament; that the laws fhould be executed against catholics; that the votes of popish lords fhould be excluded; that the reformation of the liturgy and church-goverment should have place, according to the advice of parliament; that the parliamentary ordinance, with regard to the militia, be submitted to; that the juftice of parliament pafs upon all delinquents; that a general pardon be granted for all paft offences, with fuch exceptions as fhall be adv.fed by parliament; that the forts and caftles be difpofed of by confent of parliament; and that no peers be made but with the concurrence of both houfes 52. "SHOULD I grant thefe demands," faid Charles, in his animated reply, "I may be waited on bareheaded; "I may have my hand kiffed; the title of majefty may "be continued to me; and The King's Authority, figni"fied by both Houses, may ftill be the ftyle of your "commands: I may have fwords and maces carried "before me, and please myself with the fight of a "crown and feptre (though even thefe twigs would "not long florifh, when the ftock upon which they "grew was dead); but as to true and real power, I "fhould remain but the outfide, but the picture, but "the fign of a king'." He according refolved to support his authority by arms; war, at any disadvantage, being efteemed preferable, by himself and all his counsellors, to fo ignominious a peace. Collecting therefore fome forces, and advancing fouthward, he erected his royal standard at Nottingham. 52. Rushworth, vol. v. May, book ii. 53. Id. ibid. PART II. A D. 1642. THIS being confidered as the open signal of discord and civil war throughout the kingdom, the abettors of the adverfe parties began now more diftinctly to feparate themselves: and when two names fo facred in the English conftitution as those of KING and PARLIAMENT, were placed in oppofition to each other, little wonder the people were divided in their choice, and agitated with the moft violent animofities! THE greater part of the nobility, and the gentlemen of ancient families, fearing a total confufion of ranks from the fury of the populace, attached themselves to the throne, from which they derived their luftre, and to which it was again communicated. Proud of their birth, of their confequence in the ftate, and of the loyalty and virtue of their ancestors, they zealously adhered to the cause of their fovereign; which was also supported by moft men of a liberal education, or a liberal way of thinking, and by all who wifhed well to the church and monarchy. But, on the other hand, as the veneration for the commons was extreme throughout the kingdom, and the averfion against the hierarchy general, the city of London, and moft of the great corporations, took part with the parliament, and adopted with ardour thofe principles of freedom, on which that affembly had originally founded its pretenfions, and under colour of maintaining which it had taken up arms. Befide these corporations, many families that had lately been enriched by commerce, feeing with envious eyes the fuperior homage paid to the nobility and elder gentry, eagerly undertook the exaltation of a power, under whose dominion they hoped to acquire rank and diftinction 54. 54. Clarendon, vol. iii. THUS THUS determined in their choice, both parties, putting a close to argument, now referred the juftice of their cause to the decifion of the sword. LETTER VI. GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND, from the Commence- O conteft ever feemed more unequal, my dear LETTER N par VI. liament, when the fword was firft drawn. Almost every A. D. 1642. advantage lay on the fide of the latter. The parliamentary party being in poffeffion of the legal means of fupply, and of all the fea-ports except Newcastle, the cuftoms yielded them a certain and confiderable fum; and all contributions, loans, and impofitions, were more eafily raifed by the cities, which poffeffed the ready money, and were also chiefly in their hands, than they could be by the nobility and gentry, who adhered to the king. The feamen naturally followed the difpofition of the fea-ports to which they belonged; and the earl of Northumberland, lord high-admiral, having engaged in the cause of the commons, had named, at their defire, the earl of Warwick as his lieutenant. Warwick at once established his authority in the fleet, and kept the entire dominion of the fea in the hands of his party. They were likewife in poffeffion of all the magazines of arms and ammunition in the kingdom, and had intercepted part of the ftores the queen had purchased in Holland. VOL. III. A a THE PART II. A. D. 1642. THE king's only hope of counterbalancing fo many advantages, on the part of his adverfaries, arose from the supposed fuperiority of his adherents in mental and perfonal qualities. More courage and enterprize were expected from the generous and lofty fpirit of the ancient nobility and gentry, than from the base-born vulgar. Nor was it doubted but their tenants, whom they levied and armed at their own expence, would greatly furpass in valour and force the fedentary and enervated inhabitants of cities. But, in making this comparison, the mysterious and elevating influence of the double enthusiasm of religion and liberty was forgot: a kind of holy fury, arifing from apprehenfions of danger, and a confidence in fupernatural aid, which, accompanied with fuppofed illuminations, infpires the daring fanatic with the moft romantic bravery, and enables him to perform fuch acts of prowess as tranfcend the common ftandard of humanity; confirm him in his belief of divine affiftance, impel him to future exertions, and render his valour irresistible, when directed against those whom he regards as the enemies of God and of his country. Or the power of this enthufiaftic energy, in animating the moft grovelling minds, Charles had unhappily too much reason to become acquainted, during his hoftile ftruggle for dominion; and to learn, from fatal experience, in many a hard-fought field, that it was not inferior in efficacy even to the courage connected with greatness of foul or infused by nobility of birth. At present he had a contemptible idea of the parliamentary party, confidered as individuals; but their numbers, their refources, and their military preparations, were fufficient to fill him with the moft awful apprehenfions. He declared, however, against all ad |