Chapter VI

ON THE ENGLISH CONSTITUTION UNDER JAMES I.

Quiet Accession of James--Question of his Title to the
Crown--Legitimacy of the Earl of Hertford's Issue--Early
Unpopularity of the King--Conduct towards the Puritans
--Parliament convoked by an irregular Proclamation--Question
of Fortescue and Goodwin's Election--Shirley's Case of
Privilege--Complaints of Grievances--Commons' Vindication of
themselves--Session of 1605--Union with Scotland
debated--Continual Bickerings between the Crown and
Commons--Impositions on Merchandise without Consent of
Parliament--Remonstrances against these in Session of
1610--Doctrine of King's absolute Power inculcated by
Clergy--Articuli Cleri--Cowell's Interpreter--Renewed
Complaints of the Commons--Negotiation for giving up the
Feudal Revenue--Dissolution of Parliament--Character of
James--Death of Lord Salisbury--Foreign Politics of the
Government--Lord Coke's Alienation from the Court--Illegal
Proclamations--Means resorted to in order to avoid the
Meeting of Parliament--Parliament of 1614--Undertakers--It
is dissolved without passing a single Act--Benevolences
--Prosecution of Peacham--Dispute about the Jurisdiction of
the Court of Chancery--Case of Commendams--Arbitrary
Proceedings in Star-Chamber--Arabella Stuart--Somerset and
Overbury--Sir Walter Raleigh--Parliament of 1621
--Proceedings against Mompesson and Lord Bacon--Violence in
the Case of Floyd--Disagreement between the King and
Commons--Their Dissolution, after a strong Remonstrance
--Marriage-Treaty with Spain--Parliament of 1624
--Impeachment of Middlesex Page 266

CHAPTER VII

ON THE ENGLISH CONSTITUTION FROM THE ACCESSION OF CHARLES I.
TO THE DISSOLUTION OF HIS THIRD PARLIAMENT

Parliament of 1625--Its Dissolution--Another Parliament
called--Prosecution of Buckingham--Arbitrary Proceedings
towards the Earls of Arundel and Bristol--Loan demanded by
the King--Several committed for Refusal to contribute--They
sue for a Habeas Corpus--Arguments on this Question, which
is decided against them--A Parliament called in
1628--Petition of Right--King's Reluctance to grant
it--Tonnage and Poundage disputed--King dissolves
Parliament--Religious Differences--Prosecution of Puritans
by Bancroft--Growth of High-Church Tenets--Differences as to
the Observance of Sunday--Arminian Controversy--State
Catholics under James--Jealousy of the Court's Favour
towards them--Unconstitutional Tenets promulgated by the
High-Church Party--General Remarks Page 347