Page 26 - Hampdens Monument Unveiled

who issued an order, April 6 1638, by which masters of ships
were prohibited to carry passengers to America, without special
licence. It has often been dwelt on as a very remarkable
circumstance, that Hampden, and his cousin Oliver Cromwell,
were at this time actually embarked for New England on board
one of the eight ships then lying in the river and freighted
with emigrants, and that these eight ships were specially
ordered to be detained.

Consequences of Episcopacy on Scotland

A dawn of better times appeared, when in consequence of the
King's rash attempt to impose the English ritual upon Scotland,
and restore Episcopacy, that country rose in rebellion. The
expenses of the war rendered it imperative to obtain supplies;
and Charles, fearing at this juncture to resort to fresh
impositions, saw no resource except in summoning that which is
commonly called the Short Parliament, which met in April 1640.
Hampden was returned for Buckinghamshire. About this time he
had married his second wife, Letitia Vachell; but the quiet
happiness of his home was henceforth entirely broken up by the
disturbances of the times, and he never returned to any settled
residence at his paternal mansion. In the short and energetic
session of this spring he displayed his usual diligence and
activity : and his influence was much increased in consequence
of his -resistance to the demand of ship-money, which had
attracted such notice, that Clarendon, in speaking of the
opening of the Long Parliament in November following, observes,
" the eyes of all men were fixed upon him as their Pater
Patrie, and the pilot that must steer the vessel through
tempests and rocks which threatened it. And I am persuaded his
power and interest, at that time, was greater to do good or
hurt, than any man in the kingdom, or than any man of his rank
hath held in any time : for his reputation of honesty was
universal, and his affections seemed so publicly guided, that
no corrupt or private ends could bias them."

King’s Treachery at Rochelle

But it will be impossible, to form a just estimation of the
character of Hampden without marking, however briefly, the
early character of the reign of Charles I; and while his
resistance to the demand for "Ship-Money," on the ground of its
illegality, and as implying the power of the King, and his
minions, to abolish a branch of the constitution, and to alter
the form of government -while on these accounts the patriotic
resistance of HAMPDEN is based on principles of the highest
importance, yet there were considerations which, though
secondary, were more than enough to stimulate a high hearted
English Gentleman to a resistance of this illegal demand : it
was impossible that any man of honourable mind should not feel,
that Humanity and Religion had been outraged, and England
disgraced by the unexampled perfidy and cruelty of Charles I