CHAP. to consider the energy of the commons, as directed VI. by men who had conspired to deprive him of the 1629. most valuable attributes of sovereignty; and as the only theatre in which this opposing influence could manifest itself effectively was a parliament, it was resolved to try the experiment of governing without the intervention of such assemblies. In the proclamation, which was issued a few days after the dissolution of the last assembly of this kind, March 22. the king observed, "We have shown by our frequent meeting our people our love to the use of parliaments; yet the late abuse having driven us unwillingly out of that course, we shall account it presumption for any to prescribe any time unto us for parliaments, the calling, continuing, and dissolving of which is always in our power; and we shall be more inclinable to meet in parliament again, when our people shall see more clearly into our interests and actions." It is said, in vindication of this policy, that the patriots, who distinguished themselves in the three first parliaments of the present monarch, had formed a determined plan to abridge the constitutional authority of the crown. But is it not strange that an assertion, so often repeated, should be to this hour unsupported by proof? The present resolve of the king was clearly to unite the legislative and executive powers in his own person; and if this resolution did not involve a conspiracy against the liberties of the people, it is difficult to conceive in what that offence may be said to consist. But this course of proceeding was quite as much the effect of religious as of secular causes, and VI. 1629. before we come to notice the manner in which the CHAP. kingdom was governed, during the many years in which no parliament was convened, it will be proper to review the state of ecclesiastical affairs to the commencement of that period.* • One of Eliot's most spirited speeches, during the last parliament, was in opposing the assumption that the king and the bishops had "power to decree rites and ceremonies, and authority in controversies of faith." The memorable article on this subject had no place in the book of articles published under Edward VI., nor in the edition legalized by parliament in 1571. It appears to have been foisted in, for very obvious purposes, subsequently to the latter date; and, to 1628, was sometimes inserted and sometimes omitted in the authorised copies, but never obtained the sanction of the legislature. The edition published in 1628, under the superintendance of Laud, of course included it, and it was accompanied, moreover, by instructions with respect to doctrine and discipline, that were in perfect agreement with its spirit of dictation. (Biblioth. Regia, 213. Fuller, Book IX. 73, 74.) "I beseech you, mark," said Eliot," the ground of our religion is contained in these articles. If there be any difference of opinion concerning the interpretation of them, the bishops and clergy in convocation have a power admitted to them to do anything that shall concern the maintenance of the truth professed; which truth being contained in these articles, and these articles being different in the sense, if there be any dispute about that, it is in them to order which way they please; and, for aught I know, popery and arminianism may be a sense introduced by them, and then it must be received. Is this a slight thing, that the power of religion must be drawn to the persons of those men? honour their professions, and honour their persons; but give me leave to say, the truth we profess is not man's but God's, and God forbid that men should be made to judge of that truth." The effect of the debate on this important subject, was the passing of the following resolution: I "We, the commons, now in parliament assembled, do claim, profess, and avow for truth the sense of the articles of religion which were established in parliament in the reign of the late queen Elizabeth, which, by public act of the church of England, and by the general and concurrent exposition of the writers of our church, have been delivered to us; and we do reject the sense of the jesuits and arminians, wherein they differ from us.”—Parl. Hist. II. 452, 454. Jan. 29, 1629. CHAP. VII. ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS FROM THE ACCESSION OF PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE CATHOLICS. COMPLAINTS REGARDING MON- SIMPLE RITUAL. DIF 1625. against the CHAP. THE religious incidents which belong to this inVII. terval, are chiefly valuable as affording a further Proceedings illustration of the temper distinguishing the several catholics. parties into which the people and their rulers were divided. The intention of Charles, with regard to his catholic subjects, at the time of his accession, can only be conjectured. The expectations of Henrietta and of her attendants were sanguine, and not unreasonably so. But the proceedings of the king's first parliament, disclosed the national feeling in relation to that party, and suggested that any public measure in their favour would be impolitic and dangerous. The houses were no sooner assembled, than the lords spiritual and temporal were induced to join with the commons in a petition to the sovereign, praying " for the execution of the laws against popery, and for VII. 1625. advancing true religion." This petition was de- CHAP. signed to state the dangers arising from the alleged increase of popery, and was further meant to secure attention to the causes of the evil which it deplored, and to lead to the adoption of remedies. The catholics are described as regarding their efforts to subvert the church and state, in the light of religious duties; also, as men in a state of constant intrigue with powers hostile to this country; and as a faction ready to join in any conspiracy that may flatter them with the prospect of greater power. The causes which had tended to the increase of this evil are said to be found partly in the defectiveness of the statutes relating to it; but chiefly in the negligence or corruption of the persons intrusted with the execution of them. It was traced, also, to the frequent interference of foreign ambassadors in behalf of offenders; to the freedom with which the professors of this obnoxious creed were allowed to resort to the houses and chapels of such persons; to the practice of sending the children of English catholics to foreign seminaries; to the unlicensed publication of popish books; to the defective means of instruction provided for many of the people; and to the employment of persons in the most responsible offices of government who were known. to be unfriendly to the established religion. To remedy "this outrageous and dangerous disease," it was proposed that care should be taken to exclude all catholics from the office of schoolmasters, and to see that the children of catholics were educated within the kingdom; that a steady effort should be made to render a knowledge of VII. 1625. CHAP. the scriptures more general, and to lessen the evils of non-residence, pluralities, and commendams. It was also proposed that the bishops should be urged to use their influence to restore certain able ministers, whose conscientious scruples had been imprudently punished with suspension; that no popish recusant should be allowed to come within the verge of the court, unless by special invitation from the king; that all jesuits and seminary priests should be required to leave the kingdom by a certain day; and that after that day the penalties incurred by them, or by their favourers, should be strictly enforced. The petition further implored, that no ecclesiastical person deriving his authority from Rome should be allowed to exercise his ministry with regard to any of his majesty's subjects; that no English catholic should be allowed to appear at the religious services in the chapels of foreign ambassadors; that measures should be adopted to disarm all popish recusants, and to compel their removal from London, and their remaining within five miles of their residence in their respective counties. The fine of twelve pence was also to be required, according to the statute of Elizabeth, from every person absenting himself from the service of the church on Sunday, except from some just cause, the same to be given to the poor, as custom had prescribed. These regulations, said to be strictly necessary to heal the maladies of England, were, in conclusion, recommended as applicable to the still more disordered condition of Ireland. To these and some other proposals his majesty, |