But as, from the opposition which it encountered among the Peers, it's success in the Upper House was extremely doubtful, on the twenty-fourth a petition was presented to both Houses, subscribed by above forty thousand inhabitants of London, setting forth that justice was not yet executed upon the Earl of Strafford, and that there was reason to dread some secret plot against the parliament.' Four days afterward, the Commons informed the Lords, they had received intelligence that the Earl designed to make his escape out of the Tower, as the guard about him was weak;' and desired that he might be kept with greater vigilance, to which the Lords consented.

On the first of May, the King addressed his parlia ment in the following speech;

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"I had not any intention to have spoken to you of this business this day, which is the great business of the Earl of Strafford, because I would do nothing that might serve to hinder your occasions: but now it comes to pass that, seeing of necessity I must have part in the judgement, I think it most necessary for me to declare my conscience therein. I am sure you all know, that I have been present at the hearing of this great case, from the one end to the other; and I must tell you, that I cannot condemn him of high-treason. It is not fit for me to

their posterity, they added to the bill a clause, providing that ' nothing done in the present case should hereafter be drawn into a precedent.' As a warning to the Lords, it may be added, the names of the minority were posted up in conspicuous places with the superscription, The Straffordians, the men who to save a traitor would betray their country,'

argue the business; I am sure you will not expect that a positive doctrine best becomes the mouth of a prince. Yet I must tell you three great truths, which I am sure nobody knows so well as myself.

"First, That I never had any intention of bring ing over the Irish army into England; nor ever was advised by any body so to do. Secondly, That there was never any debate before me, neither in public council nor at private committee, of the disloyalty of my English subjects; nor ever had I any suspicion of them. Thirdly, I was never counselled by any one to alter the least of any of the laws of England, much less to alter all the laws. Nay, I must tell you this, I think nobody durst ever be so impudent to move me in it: for, if they had, I should have put such a mark upon them, and made them such an example, that all posterity should know my intentions by it; for my intention was, ever to govern according to law, and no otherwise.

"I desire to be rightly understood. I told you, in my conscience I cannot condemn him of hightreason; yet I cannot say, I can clear him of misdemeanors: therefore I hope you may find a way to satisfy justice and your own fears, and not press upon my conscience. Yet I must declare unto you that, to satisfy my people, I would do great matters; but this of conscience, no fear, no respect, whatever shall ever make me go against it. Certainly I have not so ill deserved of the parliament at this time, that they should press me in this tender point, and therefore I cannot expect that you will go about it. Nay, I must confess, for matters of misdemeanors, I am so clear in that, that though I will not chalk out the way, yet let me tell you, that I do think my Lord

of Strafford is not fit hereafter to serve me or the commonwealth in any place of trust; no, not so much as that of a constable: therefore I leave it to you, my Lords, to find some such way as may bring me out of this great streight, and keep ourselves and the kingdom from such great inconveniences. Certainly he, that thinks him guilty of high-treason, in his conscience may condemn him of misdemeanors."

The Earl of Clarendon insinuates, that Lord Say advised Charles to make this speech, in order to draw him into a snare, and to render the Earl of Strafford's ruin more sure. It is certain, when Strafford was informed by his overjoyed friends, that his Majesty had spoken in his favour,' he received it as his doom: the King's kindness,' he told them, 'had ruined him, and he had little else to do but to prepare himself for death.' The Commons, indeed, were highly offended with the royal harangue; saying, 'It was an unprecedented thing, that he should meddle with bills before they were presented to him, and that it had a tendency to take away the freedom of votes:' and adjourned till Monday, the third of May; on which day, a great multitude at Westminster insulted and threatened the Lords, as they were going to the house, crying out, Justice! Justice!'

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A petition, also, was presented by the people the same day to the Upper House, demanding that their Lordships would free them from their fear of a conspiracy: while a second stated, that the Tower was about to receive a garrison of men, not from the Hamlets as usual, but consisting of other persons under the command of a friend of Strafford's, with a view (as was suggested) of facilitating that nobleman's escape,'

Upon this, the House sent six peers to examine Sir William Balfour, Lieutenant of the Tower; who answered, that he had undoubtedly his Majesty's order to receive into the Tower one hundred men, of the selection and under the command of Captain Billingsley; but that, understanding now their Lordships' pleasure, he would admit no other than the usual guard.'

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The Lords farther declared, at a conference with the Commons, that they were drawing to a conclusion of the bill of attainder, but were so encompassed with the mob that they might be conceived not to be free;' and therefore they desired the Commons to join with them, in devising some method to send the people to their homes. Upon this the Commons debated the Protestation, which had previously been drawn up in order to be signed by all the members, purporting that each member should to the utmost of his power defend the religion of the church of England and the privileges of parliament; and, likewise, bring to condign punishment all, who by force or conspiracy should do any thing against either." This Protestation being passed, and taken by four hundred and thirty three Commoners, and one hundred and six Lords (including the Bishops, and Judges) they ordered Dr. Burgess to communicate the intelligence to the multitude, on which they immediately dispersed. When the bill came to a vote, of eighty Lords who had been present during the whole trial, only forty six ventured to attend; and of these eleven voted in the negative.

The parliament of Ireland, on learning that the Earl of Strafford was confined in the Tower, had sent a committee of both Houses to England, with a re

monstrance concerning the grievances which they had endured under his administration. In the mean while, Charles fruitlessly endeavoured to snatch his minister from his fate. Mobs, armed with clubs and swords, surrounded his palace, crying out, 'Justice! Justice!' and demanding the royal assent to the bill. The Commons, imagining that he had no other expedient left to extricate himself from his difficulties except a dissolution of parliament, with a view to deprive him of this refuge ordered the bringing-in of a bill, enacting that it might not be dissolved without the consent of both Houses.'

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The King then called together his Privy Council, with his lawyers, and laid before them the reasons which ought to prevent him from giving his assent: but Juxon, Bishop of London, was the only one, who ventured to advise him to reject a bill presented to him by both Houses.' All the rest did their utmost to persuade him to satisfy his people, alleging, that ' no individual life ought to be put in the balance with the safety of his kingdom. With regard to his religious scruples, his Bishops (they told him) would give him the best advice.'

Upon this occasion Neile, Archbishop of York (it is said) observed, that there was a private and a public conscience; that his public conscience, as a King, might not only dispense with, but oblige him to do that, which was against his private conscience as a man; and so in plain terms he advised him, even for conscience' sake, to pass the act.'

What contributed most decisively, however, to determine Charles, was a letter from Strafford himself; who, hearing of his Sovereign's perplexities, humbly besought him to remove him out of the way toward