for the slow progress of the great impeachment. If the King had consented to the dissolution of the Irish army, the debate might have ended in a more decided demonstration against the Scots.

On the 24th Strafford appeared at the bar of the Lords to present his answer to the articles against him. To the surprise of many, Charles took his seat on the throne to hear Feb. 24. Strafford's it read. This was generally believed to be a demonanswer read. stration in favour of the prisoner. It was noticed that he gave signs of satisfaction whenever a point was made in the defence.2 His conduct was not likely to affect the peers favourably. They did their best to preserve their character as judges. As soon as the King had left the House, they resolved that all that had been done in his presence was null and void, and ordered the articles of the Commons and the prisoner's reply to be read over again.3

On the same day articles of impeachment were voted in the Commons against Laud. He, too, it was alleged, had been guilty of treason in attempting to alter religion and Impeachment of the fundamental laws of the realm. The vote was unanimous. Men who wished to support a reformed Episcopacy had no sympathy with Laud.

Laud.

The Scottish

ers declare

The antagonism on ecclesiastical questions was as strong as ever. Just at this time an action of the Scottish Commissioners came to increase the general confusion. Voices had Commission- been raised amongst the Root-and-Branch party accusing them of being ready to desert their English Episcopacy friends, and to go home as soon as the money due to them was paid. As an answer to this attack, the Commissioners directed Henderson to draw up a declaration of their wish to see Episcopacy abolished in England as well

against

in England.

1 Salvetti speaks of the vote as a check to the Puritans, and this seems to be borne out by the record of the debate in D'Ewes's Diary, Harl. MSS. clxii. fol. 243. The names of the tellers, too, point in the same direction.

2 Giustinian to the Doge,

Feb. 26

March 8'

Ven. Transcripts, R. O.

3 L. F. iv. 171.

1641

THE SCOTS UNPOPULAR.

297

as at home. The declaration was printed for circulation among the members of Parliament, and a copy was allowed to fall into the hands of a stationer, who at once printed further copies for sale.1 Charles was indignant at this interference, and for once his indignation found an echo in the House of Commons. The Scots were assured by their friends that a majority would be against them. The bishops' party was so confiExcitement dent of success, that they demanded that Henderson's paper should be read with a view to its condemnation. The demand was, however, rejected, after having raised, as D'Ewes noted, 'one of the greatest distempersin the House' that he had ever seen.2

Feb. 26.

in the Commons.

March 3.

Growing dissatisfac

tion with the Scots.

The Scottish Commissioners felt themselves to be treading on delicate ground. "The estate of business here,” they wrote to Leslie, "is very uncertain. The paper which we gave in hath much offended many in the Parliament, even some that are not friends to Episcopacy; for though the paper be nothing so hard as the charge against Canterbury, yet the times are changed. Then they thought the progress and success of their affairs had some dependence upon our army, but now they have gotten their triennial Parliaments established, and some of them have fallen in to have hand with the King; and though they be enemies to Episcopacy and friends to reformation, yet they think it will be to their discredit that reformation should be wrought here, as it were, by our sword." 3

March 1.

If Charles could count on some support on this question of Episcopacy, it was evident that he could not count on support on any other. The Lords had already joined the Commons in asking for the dispersion of the Irish army, for the Laud sent to disarmament of the English Catholics, and for the the Tower. dismissal of the Queen's Catholic attendants. On March 1 Laud was committed to the Tower. As he passed through the streets the mob rushed at the carriage to drag

1 Baillie, i. 305.

2 D'Ewes's Diary, Harl. MSS. clxiv. fol. 271.

The Scottish Commissioners in London to Leslie, March 13, Adv. Libr. Edin. 33, 4, 6.

March 2.

him out, and it was with difficulty that he was saved from brutal outrage by the firmness of the guard.1 On Reparation the following day the Commons voted that reparation should be made to Bastwick for the wrong done to him by the Star Chamber, and a similar resolution was subsequently adopted in the cases of the other victims.

to be made to Prynne, Burton,

Bastwick, Leighton, and

Lilburne.

March 1. The Lords' committee on ecclesiastical innovations.

On the day of Laud's committal to the Tower, a step was taken in the direction of an ecclesiastical settlement. Whatever else might be done, it was evident that Laud's action in the removal of the communion-tables to the east end of the churches could not possibly be sustained. The Lords now issued an order directing the bishops to see that the table should 'stand decently in the ancient place where it ought to do by the law, and as it hath done for the greater part of these three-score years last past.' The order was not free from ambiguity, but it was evidently intended to enforce the ideas of Bishop Williams. At Saye's motion a committee was named to take into consideration ‘all innovations in the Church concerning religion,' and the temper of the new committee was shown by its selection of Williams as its chairman.2

The Lords had presented themselves as mediators in the great controversy of the time. Whether they would succeed or not depended on many things, and most of all upon the hearty co-operation of the King. It could not fail to be noticed that Charles gave neither word nor sign of approbation.

Their position as mediators.

1 L. J. iv. 172. Salvetti's News-Letter, March One of the Scot

tish Commissioners to

5 15

Feb. 23, Wodrow MSS. xxv. No. 146.

2 One of the Scottish Commissioners, writing on March 9 (Wodrow MSS. xxv. No. 149), speaks of a debate on Saturday, which ought most probably to be Monday, March 1. He says that in it Saye spoke 'very freely against Episcopacy and the Liturgy, constantly averring that he would never hear it. Bristol answered that there were some indifferent things pressed on men's consciences which must be taken away; but what was established by law no man might separate from it. Saye replied that they were now in loco et tempore mutationis, and therefore desired that a committee might be appointed for that effect.'

1641

March 10. The Commons resolve

should not

March 11. or exercise temporal functions.

DEMANDS OF THE SCOTS.

299

The Commons, too, were taking their own way. Whilst the Lords were turning their attention to ecclesiastical ceremonial, the Commons were attacking ecclesiastical institutions. On March 10, on the report of the that bishops committee to which the two petitions had been resit in Parlia- ferred, they resolved that the legislative and judicial ment, power of the bishops in the Upper House was a great hindrance to the discharge of their spiritual functions, and was also prejudicial to the commonwealth. The next day they resolved that no judicial functions of any kind should be exercised by the clergy. Episcopacy itself was not challenged. The Root-and-Branch party knew well that they could not, for the present at least, count on a majority. Pym and his political associates would be no Outlook of parties to raising a question on which they had not themselves made up their minds, and which would party. be certain to stir up unnecessary strife. Yet the Root-and-Branch party was in good heart. The House, they said, was now taking down the roof of ecclesiastical government, and would soon come to the walls.

the Root

and-Branch

The Scots

At this time a new difficulty had arisen with the Scots. In order to stop the King from issuing a proclamation to call in their paper on Episcopacy, they had drawn up ask for unity a mollifying explanation' of their meaning. The. of religion. English Commissioners threatened to print this, in order to bring them into disrepute with their English friends; and Henderson was therefore set to work to draw up a longer memorial, setting forth the desire of the Scots for unity of religion between the kingdoms.2 On March 10 this was presented to the English Commissioners with a request that it might be laid before Parliament. The Scots were told that if this was done so the King would give his reasons in reply. Essex added that by the course they were taking they might breed distractions among the two Houses.' In the face of these objections the Scots unwillingly 1 C. F. ii. 101, 102. D'Ewes's Diary, Harl. MSS. clxii. 304, 307, clxiv. 134 b.

March 10.

March 16.

2 Argument Persuading Conformity of Church Government (E. 157, 2).

gave way, and their explanations were suppressed, whilst the King on his part took no further steps in condemnation of their original offence.1

Relations with Scotland.

The relations between Scotland and England were bringing into prominence the unfitness of a large assembly without definite leadership to deal with complicated affairs. During the first three weeks of March the feeling .of the Commons shifted from day to day. The Scots naturally demanded that their troops should be paid as long as the negotiation was still on foot. At one time the Commons seemed anxious to provide the money. At another time they had something else to think of. There was a sense of insecurity abroad which made it hard to find capitalists who were ready to lend. If the friends of Episcopacy were anxious to get money together that the Scots might be finally paid off and sent across the Tweed, the enemies of Episcopacy feared lest, if money were collected, they might lose the support of such good allies. The King had ceased to govern, and there was no one who had undertaken the work in his stead. There was no Chancellor of the Exchequer in the House to strike the balance of advantage or disadvantage in incurring any particular expenditure, and to press upon the House the absolute necessity of deciding once for all upon the mode in which its financial engagements were to be satisfied. To the Scots themselves the situation was becoming well-nigh intolerable. On the 20th the Commons March 20. had to listen to a sharp demand for payment from the Scottish Commissioners. By this time the House was in an increased state of irritation at the continued delays in the commencement of Strafford's trial. Henry Marten, a son of the Judge of the Court of Arches, who was morally separated from the Puritans by his gay and dissolute Henry Marten and life, but who was at one with them in his trenchant Strode bring the debate to opposition to the King, thought this a good opportunity to urge forward the Lords by the threat of bringing the Scottish army upon them by stopping supplies, in

The Scots

demand money.

a close.

1 Baillie, i. 307. Borough's Notes, March 10, 16, Harl. MSS. cccclvii. 75, 78. The Scottish Commissioners to the Committee at Newcastle, Feb. 27, Adv. Libr. Edin. 33, 4, 6.