CHARLES I.

9

In the former situation of the English govern-ment, when the sovereign was in a great measureindependent of his subjects , the king chose hisministers, either from personal favor, or from anopinion of their abilities; without any regard to' their parliamentary interest or talents. It has sincebeen the maxinP of princes, wherever popularleaders encroach too much on royal authority,to confer offices on them ; in expectation that theywill afterwards become more careful not todiminish that power, which has become theirown. These politics were now embraced byCharles ; a sure proof that a secret revolution hadhappened in the constitution , and had necessitatedthe prince to adopt new maxims of governmentBut the views of the king were at this time sorepugnant to those of the puritans , that theleaders, whom he gained, lost, from that moment,all interest with their party, and were even pur-sued as traitors, with implacable hatred andresentment. This was the cafe with Sir ThomasWentworth , whom the king created , first abaron , then a viscount, and afterwards earl ofStrafford; made him president of the council ofYork, and deputy of Ireland ; and regarded himas his chief minister and counsellor. By hiseminent talents and abilities, Strafford merited allthe confidence , which his master reposed in him;His character was stately and austere; more fittedto procure esteem than love: His fidelity to the

CHAP.

LII.

M30.

Strafford

* Sir Edw. Walker, p. 328.