Page 30 - Hampdens Monument Unveiled

Berwick, on the 17th June 1639. But this agreement Charles, with
his characteristic faithlessness and folly, disowned upon his
arrival in London, and ordered it to be burnt, by the hands of
the hangman. Hoping to rouse the old national jealousies, and
to induce the English Parliament to aid him in his designs upon
the Scottish nation, Charles summoned one to meet at
Westminster on the 3rd of April 1640, which sitting but a
little time, thereby obtained the name of ''the Short
Parliament." This Parliament, sensible of the former ill-usage
of the King, and of the supportable burthens and oppressions
they lay under, refused to grant any subsides till their
grievances should be redressed whereupon Charles put an end to
their sitting : and listened to the advice of the traitor
Stratford, who told the King that he was clear between God to
take by force the money which, on these grounds, Parliament had
wisely and rightfully refused.

John Hampden Parliamentarian

At this time HAMPDEN with other leading persons of the
popular party, was engaged in active correspondence with the
leaders of the Scottish insurrection, in whose success as
tending to the further embarrassment of the King, they placed
their best hope of obtaining security for the maintenance of
the liberties and privileges of the English people. Of the
first great act of that Parliament, the impeachment of
Stratford, he was a zealous supporter, and a member of the
committee of twelve appointed to arrange the evidence, and to
conduct that memorable trial. After the Commons, for reasons
which have never been satisfactorily explained, thought fit to
change the method of proceeding by introducing a bill of
attainder, the name of Hampden appears in none of the records;
and it is probable that he abstained from taking any part in
the business. It is important to keep this in mind, because the
censure, which has justly been cast upon the proceedings of the
House of Commons against Lord Stratford, applies so to the
attainder, not to impeachment. To the question why, if Hampden
disapproved of the attainder, he did not as resolutely oppose
it as he had supported the impeachment, the following
hypothetical answer is supplied by Lord Nugent. "In a case
doubtful to him only as matter of precedent : but clear to him
in respect of the guilt of the accused person: in a case in
which the accused person, in his estimation, deserved death,
and in which all law, except that of the sceptre and the sword,
was at an end if he escaped it : when all the ordinary
protection of the law to the subject throughout the country was
suspended, and suspended mainly by the counsels of Strafford
himself Hampden was not prepared to heroically immolate the
liberties of England in order to save the life of him who would
have destroyed them. Hampden probably considered the bill which
took away Stratford's life (and indeed it must in fairness be