Chap. XI. The HIS T OR Y of the PURITANS. The command of the militia had been ufually in the crown ; tho' the K. Charles. I. 765 law had not pofitively determined in whom that great power was lodged, as rbt ti Mr. Whitlock undertook to prove before the commiffioners at Uxbridge : Debases the king claimed the foie difpofal of it ; whereas the parliament inf fled but the mili. that it was not in the king alone, but in the king and, parliament jointly ; and that when the kingdom is in imminent danger, if the royal power is nor exerted in its defence, the militaryforce may be railed without it.' But waving the queftionof right, the parliament defired the command of the militia might be put into fuch hands as they could confide in only for two years, till the prefentdiforders werequieted ; thisthe kingrefufed unlets the houle would firft give up the queftion of right, and veft the foie com- mand of the militia in the crown by form of law ; which the parliament declined, and voted the advifers of that anfwer, enemies of the kingdom. Multitudes of petitions were prefented to the houls from the city fPetitions to, London, and from the counties of Middlefex, Hertford, Effex, &c, be menrtopro- feeching them to provide for the fafety of the nation by difarming pa- vide for the pifts, by taking care ofthe proteftants in Ireland, by bringingevil counfel- fafe/y of the lors to punifhtnent, by putting the kingdom into a pofture of defence, norm". and by committing the forts and caftles ofthe kingdom to fuch perfons as both houles could confide in ; but their hands were tied, becaufe the king who has the foie executionof the laws, would a t no longer in concert with his parliament. The commons encouraged by the fpirit of the peo- `Their pro-- ple, petitioned afecund time for the militia, and framed an ordinance with eeedings: a lift of the names of fuch perfons in whom they could confide. His majefty in order to amufe the houle and gain time told them, that he could not dive_ himfelfof that ;tuft power that God and the laws of the king- dom hadplaced in him for the defence of his people for any indefinite time... After this they prefented a.third petition to the king at Theobalds [March , I.] in which they proteft, that of his majfy perffls in that denial, the:-Rufhw; dangers and dfempers of the kingdomwere fuch as would endure no longer p. 523 delay.; and.therefore ifhis majfly will notfatisfy their delres ,.. they_hall be inforced for the fafety of the kingdom, to difpcfe of the militia by authority cfboth holes ofparliament andthey refolve to do it accordingly : Befeeching his majefty at the fame time to refide near his parliament. The king was foenflamed with this proteftation that he told them, be was amazedat their ib. p. meffage but fhould not alter his refolution in any point. And inflead of re. frding near his parliament, he removed toNew-Market, and by degrees to York. Upon this the commons voted March 4. that the kingdom be Rapin, forthwithput into a pofiure ofdefence by authority of both boufes infuch a P. 374 way as is already agreed upon by both houfei ofparliament; and next day they publilhed au ordinance for that purpofe. March g. both houfei: prefented a declaration to the king at New Market, " expreffing the Ruff>wc. caufeaP 5afz .
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