Page 29 - Hampdens Monument Unveiled

King’s Favourites Rewarded

About this time the most profitable preferments in the
English church were given to those of the clergy who were most
forward to promote the imposition of new ceremonies and
superstitions : an oath was enjoined by them with &c., several
new holy-days introduced, and required to be observed by the
people with all possible solemnity, at the same time that they
were encouraged to profane the Lord's day, by a book commonly
called the Book of Sports, printed and published by the King's
special command.

But this was not the only work of which the clergy were
judged capable, and therefore divers of them entered the lists
as champions of the prerogative, assuring that the possessions
and estates of the subject did of right belong to the king, and
that he might dispose of them at his pleasure; thereby vacating
and annulling, as much as in them lay, all the laws of England
that secure a propriety to the people. Arbitrary courts were
erected, and the power of others enlarged; such were the high
commission court, the star-chamber, the court of honour, the
court of wards, the court of requests, &c. Patents and
monopolies of almost everything were granted to private men, to
the great damage of the public. Knighthood, coat and conduct
money, and many other illegal methods were revived and put in
execution, to rob the people, in order to support the profusion
of the court. And that our liberties might be extirpated at
once, and we become tenants at wilt to the King, that rare
invention of ship-money was found out by Finch, whose
solicitations and importunities prevailed with the major part
of the judges of Westminster Hall to declare for law, that "for
the supply of shipping to defend the nation, the King might
impose a tax upon the people : that he was to be judge of the
necessity of such supply, and of the quantity to be imposed for
it: and that he might imprison as well as distrain in case of
refusal." Some there were who out of a hearty affection to the
service of their country, and true English spirit, opposed
these illegal proceedings: amongst whom Mr. John Hampden of
Buckinghamshire, Judge Coke, and Judge Hutton, were of the most
eminent.

The Bishop’s Wars

Our space will not permit us to enter upon the proceedings of
King Charles in Scotland, where at this period, 1638-9, he was
attempting to establish Episcopacy by force, and by doing so
excited that animosity toward himself and advisers in the
Scottish nation, which afterward brought a Scottish army into
England, in the interest of the Long Parliament, and
effectually broke the power of the would be arbitrary Monarch.
The evident dislike of the people, and of the officers and
soldiers of the King's army, to the war levied upon the
Scottish people by the King, for the establishment of Prelacy,
led to the conclusion of an agreement with the Scots at