. Chap,XII. the HISTORY of the PURITANS. it for ever, had they been good hufhands of the public treafure, and not K.Cha brought upon themfelves the armed force of a neighbouring nation. The 1648:: politics of thefeflatfnen were very unaccountable, for as long as they could fubfift without a parliamentary fupply, they went on with their fhipmoney, court and'conda8-money, monopolies, and fuch like refources of the prerogative ; as loon as the parliament fat thefe were fufpended, in, expedation of,a fupply from the two houles, before they had enquired into the late inroads upon the conftitution ; but when they found this could not be obtained, they broke up the parliament in difguft, fined and imprifoned the members for their freedom of fpeech, and returned to their former methods of arbitrary government. All king Charles's par- liaments had been thus diffolved, even to the prevent, which would un- doubtedly have been treated in the fame manner, had it not been for the aEt of continuation. On the other hand, a fpirit ofenglifh liberty had been growing in the Warmfpirits= nation for fome years, and the late opprefions inftead of extinguifhing it, in the houfe. had only kept it under ground, till having collected more ftrength, it burli of commons° out with the greater violence; the patriots of the confutation watched all opportunities to recover it ; yet when they had obtained a parliament by the interpofition,of the fcots, were difpofed to take a fevere revenge upon their late_oppreffors, and to enter upon too violent meafures in order to prevent the return of power into thofe hands that had fo fhamefully abu- fed it. The five members of the houle of commons, and their friends, who were concerned in inviting thefcots into England, law their danger long before the king came to the houle to feize them, which put them upon concerting meafures not only to reflore the conßitution, but to layfur ther limitations upon the royalpowerfor a time, that they might not be expofed to the mercy of an rneenfed prince, as loon as he fhould be deli- vered from the prefent parliament. 'Tis true, his majefty offered a ge- neral pardon at the breaking up of the feffion, but thefe members were afraid to rely upon it, becaufe (as was Paid) there was no appearance that his majefty would govern by law for the future, any more than he had done before. The king being made leafrble of the defigns and fpirit of the commons, watched all, opportunities to difperfe them, and not being able to gain- his point, refolved to leave the two houles, and all no longer in concert with them, which was in effelt to determine their power; for to what' purpofe fhould they fit, if the king will pats none of their bills; and forbidhis fubjelts to obey any of their votes or ordinances till they had received the royal aflent ? It was this difinembered and broke the conftitu- tion, and reduced the parliament to this dilemma, either to return home, and leave all things in the hands of the kingand queen, and their late - miniftry;, ora
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