CHARLES I.

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and was willing , after so short a trust fromthem, to fall again into dependence, and to trustthem for his farther support and subsistence. Thatif he now seemed to desire something farther,be also made them , in return, a considerableoffer, and was willing, for the future, to dependon them for a revenue, which was quite neces-sary for public honor and security. That the na-ture of the English constitution supposed a mutualconfidence between king and parliament : Andif they should refuse it on their part, especiallywith circumstances of such outrage and indignity;what could be expected but a total dissolutionof government, and violent factions , followedby the most dangerous convulsions and intestinedisorders ?

In opposition to these arguments, it was urgedby the maleconcent party, that the court haddiscovered, on their part , but few symptoms ofthat mutual confidence to which they now sokindly invited the commons. That eleven yearsintermission of parliaments , the longest that wasto be found in the English annals, was a suf-ficient indication of the jealousy entertained againstthe people ; or rather of designs formed for thesuppression of all their liberties and privileges.That the ministers might well plead necessity,nor could any thing, indeed, be a stronger proofof some invincible necessity, than their embracinga measure, for which they had conceived so vio-lent an aversion , as the assembling of an Englishparliament. That this necessity, however, wasVol. IX. H

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