74 The HISTORY if the PuRITANs. VoL. 11 K. ChaPfes L other hand, the king raifed contributions without form of law; ordered ~the removal of the courts of jnfl:ice from Weftmi'?fter; and that he might feem to aCl: in a parliamentary way, fummoned the members who had been expelled the houfes, and all others wilfing to withdraw from the re– belliou& city of London, to meet him at 04ord, J anuary 22, 1643-4. which was, in effeet, difanrmlling the act for continHing of the prefent parliam~1~t. In obedience to the proclamation, there appeared forty-nine peers, and one hundred forty-one of the houfe of commons, not reckonCiar. rem. ing thole employed in his majefiy's fervice, or abfent with leave. Lord P·· 16 5· Clarendon (ays, the appearance of both boufes wi~h the king, was fupe– rior in number, as well as quality, to thofe at Weftminjier; which mutt Mem. P· 76. be a mifiake; for though the majority of peers were on that fide, Mr. Whitlock affures us, that upon a call of the houfe of commons, the very day the others were to meet at Oiford, there were prefent two hundred and eighty members, not reckoning one hundred more, who were en– gaged in their fer vice in the ftveral counties. This is a very confiderable majority, tllough if there had been only forty, the king could not have Rulhw. P• prorogued or diifolved them, without their own confent. However the. 567~ 688. Oxford members fiiled thcmfelves the parliament, Lord Littleton being · Rapln, P· fpeaker for the peers, and fe1jeant Evers for the co::nmons. Their firfi: ~~~· s~~~;ts ftep was to fatisfy the world they defired peace, fucb a peace, to ufe the p. 246. 'king's own words, " wherei-n God's true religion may be fecured from " the danger of popery, feel:aries, and innovations; the crown may pof– " fefs thofe jull prerogatives, which may enable me to govern my people " according to law, and the fubjecl:s be con·firmed in fhofe rights which 1 " have granted them in parliament,~ to which I i11all be ready to add fuch " new graces, as I fhall find may moil: conduce to their happinefS.'" They laid an excife upon tobacco, wine, jlrong-waters, ale, cyder, gro– cery and mercery wares; joap,. .fidt, and butcher's meat, and fllbfcribed confiderable fums of money for fupport of the war; they declared the Scots then entering Englrmd with an army, traytors, and the lords and cwmrnons- at Wejlminjter, guilty of hig;h treafm , for inviting them, as. R n V 1 well as for counterfeiting tbe great .feal. On the other band, the parlia– / 1:.w3s3~ · ment at Wijtmi'?fier would not acknowledge the Oxford memb'ers, or Rapin, p. receive a meifage from them under the charaCter of a p<~ rliament, but ex– J.86, 192 • pelled them their houfe, except they returned to their feats within a lim.ited time. April I 6. the king prorogued· his Oxfordmembers, to No– 'lfte,mber following, when they fdl under his difpleafure, for advifi11g to paCific meafu.res at the treaty of Uxbridge, which was then upon the car– pet, and in a fair wa.y of produci11g an accommodation, This was fo difagreeable to the queen, and her roman catholic counfell ors, that they ru:v.er left off teazing t-he. unhappy king, till he. bad difmiffed them, and. broke
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