641 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. VII. C H A P. VII. The charaEler -of the long parliament. Their arguments againft the late convocation and canons. The impeach- ment of Dr. William Laud, archhifhop of Canter-. bury. Votes of the Houfe of Commons againfl the promoters of the late innovations. K Charles I. j E are now entring upon the proceedings of the long parliament, 1640. 0/®/ which continued fitting with fame little intermiffion for above The eighteen years, and occafioned fuch prodigious revolutions in church and &meat.. date, as were the furprize and wonder of all Europe. The houle of commons have been feverely cenfured for the ill fuccefs of their endea- vours to recover and fecure the conftitution of their country ; but the attempt was glorious, though a train of unforefeen accidents rendered it fatal in the event. The members confided chiefly of country gentlemen, whohad no attachment to the court ; for as Whitlock obferves, though the court laboured to bring in their friends, yet thofe who " hadmolt favour with them, had lead in the country ; and it was not " a little drange to fee what a fpirit of oppofition to the court proceed- " ings, was in the hearts and aéfions of molt of the people, fo that '= very few of that party had the favour of being chofen members of " this parliament." Mr. Eachard infinuates fome unfair methods of ele&ion, which might be true on both fides; butboth he and lord Cla- rendon admit, that there were many great and worthy PATRIOTS in the houfe, and as eminent as any age had ever produced; men of gravity, . of wifdom, and of great and plentiful fortunes, who would have been fatisfied with Tome few amendments in church and Elate. Before the opening of the fefiion the principal members confulted meafures forfecuring the frequency ofparliaments ; for redrjng ofgrie- vances in church and/late and for bringing the king's arbitrary mini/lero tojuflice ; to accomplifh which it was thought necefiary to let Yome bounds to the prerogative, and to letfen the power of the bithops, but it never entered into their thoughts to overturn the civil or ecclefiaflical contiitution, as will appear from the concurrent tetlimony of the mofe unexceptionable hiftorians. Theirreli- " As to their religion (lays the noble hiftorian,) they were all mem- gnrus charge- a bers of the eflablifhed church, and almoll to a man for epifcopal go- " V.ernment. Though they were undevoted enough to the court, they " had.
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