had feveral national affemblies. These affemblies being convened at different times and places, for this and other reasons never could have acted in concert; and the power of withholding fubfidies, a power fo important, when it is that of difabling the fovereign, and binding him down to inaction, would then have only been the destructive privilege of irritating a mafter, who would have easily found means to obtain fupplies from other quarters.

"The different parliaments or affemblies of these several states having thenceforth no means

of recommending themfelves to their fovereign, but their forwardnefs in complying with his demands, would have vied with each other in granting what it would not only have been fruitless, but even highly dangerous to refuse. The king would not have failed foon to demand as a tribute a gift he must have been confident to obtain; and the outward form of confent would have been left to the people only, as an additional means of oppreffing them without danger.

"But the king of England continued, even in the time of the Tudors, to have but one affembly, before which he could lay his wants, and apply for relief. How great foever the increase of his power was, a single parliament

alone

They never gave up the

ing fubfidies.

alone could furnish him with the means of: exercifing it; and whether it was, that the right of grant- members of this parliament entertained a deep fenfe of their advantages, or whether private interest exerted itself in aid of patriotifm, they at all times vindicated the right of granting, or rather refusing fubfidies; and, amidst the general wreck of every thing they ought to have held dear, they at least clung obftinately to the plank, which was destined to prove the inftrument of their preferva

Henry VIII. laws of treason abolished by Edward VI.

tion.

ty

"Under Edward the Sixth the abfurd rannical laws against high treason instituted under Henry the Eighth his predeceffor were abolished. But this young and virtuous prince having foon paffed away, the blood-thirsty Mary astonished the world with cruelties, which nothing but the fanaticism of a part of her fubjects could have enabled her

to execute.

"Under the long and brilliant reign of Elizabeth England began to breath anew; and the proteftant religion being feated once more on the throne brought with it fome. more freedom and toleration.

"The ftar chamber, that effectual inftrument of the tyranny of the two Henrys, yet continued to fubfift; the inquifitorial tribunal of

the high commiffion was even inftituted; and the yoke of arbitrary power lay ftill heavy on

the fubject. But the general affection of the people for a queen, whofe former misfortunes had created fuch a general concern, the imminent dangers, which England escaped, and the extreme glory attending that reign leffened the sense of fuch exertions of authority, as would in thefe days appear the height of tyranny, and ferved at that time to juftify, as they ftill do excufe a princess, whose great talents, though not her principles of government, render her worthy of being ranked among the greatest sovereigns.

Arbitrary

though prof

perous reign of

Elizabeth.

of the king's

"Under the reign of the Stuarts the nation began to recover from its long lethargy. James the Firft, a prince rather imprudent James I, boasts than tyrannical drew back the veil, which prerogatives. had hitherto disguised fo many ufurpations, and made an oftentatious difplay of what his predeceffors had been contented to enjoy.

"He was inceffantly afferting, that the authority of kings was not to be controuled, any more than that of God himself. Like him they were omnipotent; and those privileges, to which the people fo clamorously laid claim, as their inheritance and birthright,

were

Publication of

thefe high no

tions of royalty

be canvaffed.

were no more than an effect of the grace and toleration of his royal ancestors*.

"Those principles hitherto only filently adopted in the cabinet, and in the courts of justice had maintained their ground in confequence of this very obfcurity. Being now announced from the throne, and refounded caufed them to from the pulpit they fpread an univerfal aların. Commerce befides with its attendant arts, and above all that of printing, diffused more falutary notions throughout all orders of the people; a new light began to rise upon the nation; and the spirit of oppofition frequently displayed itself in this reign, to which the English monarchs had not for a long time past been accustomed.

Storm gathered under James which burft upon Charles I.

Improvements

tion under

"But the ftorm, which was only gathering in clouds during the reign of James, began to mutter under Charles the First his fucceffor; and the scene, which opened to view on the acceffion of that prince presented the most formidable aspect.”

"By the famous act, called the petition in the conftitu- of right, and another pofterior act, to both which he affented, the compulfory loans and taxes disguised under the name of benevo

Charles I.

See his declaration made in Parliament, in the years 1610 and 1621.

+ De Lolme, p. 50. & feq.

I

lences

lences were declared to be contrary to law; arbitrary imprisonments, and the exercise of the martial law were abolished; the court of high commission, and the star-chamber were fuppreffed*; and the conftitution freed from the apparatus of defpotic powers, with which the Tudors had obfcured it, was reftored to its ancient luftre. Happy had been the people if their leaders, after having executed fo noble a work, had contented themfelves with the glory of being the benefactors of their country. Happy had been the king, if obliged at last to submit, his fubmiffion had been fincere, and if he had become fufficiently fenfible, that the only resource he had left was the affection of his subjects.

"But Charles knew not how to furvive the lofs of a power he had conceived to be indifputable; he could not reconcile himself to limitations and reftraints fo injurious according to his notions to fovereign authority. His difcourfe and conduct betrayed his secret

The ftar-chamber differed from all the other courts of law in this; the latter were governed only by the common law, or immemorial custom, and acts of parliament; whereas the former often admitted for law the proclamations of the king in council, and grounded its judgments upon them. The abolition of this tribunal therefore was juftly looked upon as a great victory over regal authority,

defigns;