The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-04-05

ploNluou blo
willed what he willed, but otherwise
quite resolved to rule by "other coun-
sells"
The nation was in anill-humor for such
ASSUMPTIONS; aud it was evident from the
first, to all calmly-reasoning men, that
there was nothing for II but to frank "
and sincerely accept the situation as II
presented itself, and submit TO conduct
the affairs Of the Kingdom in accordance
with the views of the Commons House,
now grown too powerful to be permanent
ly controlled, much less ignored, by the
sovereign. The new king thought ether
wise; and when his first Parliament, which
met in 1925, after granting the usual sub
sidy, showed q disposition toinquire into
"grievances;" especially that grievance
of grievances" the Duke of Buckingham,
whose insolence and power and manifold
corruptions had not only disguised the
nation with the favorite, but partially
alienated rs affections from the crown,
Charles, under the pretense of the plague
then raging, hastily dissolvedit. In 1926
a new Parliament, "a great, warm, ruffllng
Parliament" as Whitelock calls 1t, was
summoned to Westminster to aid the
king with counsel and money. The
former part of their duty they set about
with alacrity, a Committee ofgriev 'nces"
was appointed and an unmislakable de-
termination shown to put an end to the
government of favoritism and corruption
which marked the commencement OF the
young kings reign.
Are not honors," exclaimed Sir John
Elliot Of famous memory, sold and
made despicableP Are not judicial
places sold, and do they not sell justice
again?"
The Kings rage was excessive. "I must
let you know" said his majesty, "that !
will not allow any of my servants to be
questioned amongst you, much less such as
are of eminent place and near my person.
I see you especially aim at the Duke OF
Buckingham. would have you hasten
my supply or else It will be worse for
yourselves"
Brave words, these, but utterly thrown
away on the stubborn Commons. The
preparations to impeach the Duke OF
Buckingham, "the source from which all
this bitterness flows" went on as vigor-
ously as ever. Amongst the other crimes
Buckingham was indirectly accused of
assassinating the late king by administer.
ing to him "a plaster and posset-drink"
withoutthe knowledge or authority ofthe
royal physicians.
In transport Of fury, the king arrested
Sir John Elliot and Sir Dudley Digges,
and committed them to the Tower. This
manifest breach of privilege" the mon
arch had speedily reason to regret. The
Commons not only declared their approx.
al of all the imprisoned members had
said, butrefused to proceed without them.
After eight days confinement, they were
and the accusation against Buck
ingham was pressed as earnestly as before.
All efforts to subdue the spirit or mollify
the resentment Of the Commons having
failed, the Parliament was dissolved, the
king determining thenCeforth to be gov
erned by the new counsels," +" ofwhlch he
had previously forewarned the oppressors
of his will.
The new counsels, it soon appeared,
were simply counsels to mulct and OPP
press the people, under form and color of
law, and by the naked exercise of the
Forced loans, as they were
termed, were demanded,
chiefly Of gentlemen obnoxious to the
court party, under threat of imprison-
ment. Commissions were appointed,
armed with the most inquisitorial powers
for extricating "Benevolences" from re-
uctant subjects In the words of the
royal warrant, "They were to treat apart
with every one OF those who We're to lend
Or should make delay or excuses and per
,ist in their obstinacy; that they examine
such persons on their oath, whether they
had been dealt with to deny, to refuse,
or to delay to lend, or make an excuse for
not lending" -.
Charles, moreover, in order to give his
new counsels fair chance of success, in
imitation of the practice of Elizabeth,
tuned" his pulpits, as it was popularly
termed, and reverend doctors were found
10 preach illimitable obedience to the
king, under pain ofillimitable damnation.
Those of the clergy that refused to lend
themselves to so impious device were
1ersecuted without mercy, at the sugges-
ion of William Laud, then Bath and
Wells. who had drawn up the instructions
or tue clergy, and who, not very long
.fterward, for that essential service, was
made Archbishop Of Canterbury.
Beside the loans. tonnage and pound
lge, or rimport and export duties, unvoted
1y Parliament, were forcibly levied. The
,ity of London was peremptorily COM
handed to furnish the kings majesty with
el20.000; the outports were compelled to
.uujp number of war vessels. under
,retense of danger of invasion; and the
ords-lieutenant Of the counties were or
Tered to impress and train men to arms
o put down civil tumult.
These lawless proceedings, instead OF
served but to infame and
the public mind. Mr.. John
Of Buckinghamshire, refu ed
o subscribe TO the kings loan, so did Sir
Thomas Wentworth, John Pym, Sir John
elliot; and more than a hundred others
# the principal gentry of the kingdom.
they were all thrown into prison for their
efusal. Hampden was first confined in
he Gate.House, London, and afterward
Imprisoned in Hampshire. Wentworth
nd Pym were incarcerated in the coun-
ry. Mr.. George Catesby of Northamp-
on, when imprisoned in the Gate House
vas visited by the Lord President, to
whom he pleaded that he did not care for
he money required of him, but that he
cared to violate Magma Charta, and that
lis compliance might be construed as
PRECEDENT. The Lord President told the
nan in bonds that "he liedp II came
lot here to dispute with your lord
hip" was Catesby's answer, "but to suf-
err W
As for the common file who resisted,
hey we're sent to serve in the kings
hips, impressed as soldiers, treated, in
hort, as the trusty and well-beloVed
commissioners deemed fitting and pro-
Der.
The parasites of the Court were espec-
ally delighted to find that the judges of
he land were all on their side. Law, if
ts dignitaries were to be believed, was
clearly against gentlemen imprisoned for