608 The HISTORY of the PuRITANS. Chap. V. K. Charles I. dize. The country was fo farfrom growing rich andwealthy, that it was 1637 every year draining off its inhabitants and fubftance, as appears not only t lay the lofs of the foreign manufa&urers, but by his majefty's proclama- tions, forbidding any of his fubje&s to tranfport themfelves and their ef- feéts to NewEngland without his fpecial licenfe. Was it pofiìble that trade could fourUh, when almoft every branch of it was engrolfed, and Sold by the crown for large fums of money, and when the property of the fubje&was fo precarious that the king might call for it upon any oc- cafion, and in cafe of refufal ruin the proprietor by exorbitant fines and imprifonment ? Did no englifh manwear a mourning gown in theft times, when the Seldens, the Hollis's, the Elliots, the Strouds, the Hobarts, the Valentines, the Coritons, and other patriots, were taken out of the par- liament-houfe, and Phut up for many years in dole prifons, where force of them perifhed ? How many of the nobility and gentry were puni(hed with exhorbitant fines in the Star -Chamber? How many hundred minif- ters and others were ruined in the high commißion, or forced from their .native country into banifhment, contrary to law ? The goals in the feve- ral counties were never free from Rate or church prifoners during the paft twelve years of his majefty's reign, and yet it Teems no englifh man wore s mourning gown through his occafion ? Is it poffible to believe, that the reputation of the greatnefi and power of king Charles L with foreign princes, (however harnalefs, pious, fiber, chajie andmerciful be might be) was equal to that of Queen Elizabeth or king Henry VIII? What fervice did he do by his arms or counfels for the proteftant religion, or for the liberties or tranquillity of Europe? When his majefty's affairs were in the greateft diftrefs, what credit had he abroad? Or where was the foreign prince (except his own fon in law) that would lend him either men or money ? If the prote/lant religion was advanced in fpeculation by the wri- tings of archbiAop Laud and Chillingworth ; is it not fufficiently evident that the roman catholicks were prodigioufly encreafed in numbers repu Cation and influence? Upon the whole, the people of England were fo far from enjoying a full meafure of felicity, that they groaned under a yoke of the heavieft opprefl'ion, and were prepared to lay hold of any oppor- tunity to afíert their liberties ; fo that to make his lordfhip's reprefentation of the times confiftent with truth, or with his own behaviour in the be- ginning of the long parliament, one is almoft tempted to fufpe& it muff have received force amendments or colourings from the hands of his edi- tors. This was the Efate ofaffairs at the end of the pacifick part of this reign, and forwards to the beginning of the long parliament. CHAP.
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