CHARLES I. ioi

pearance of moderation than this parliament had chitherto assumed.

An abrupt and violent dissolution naturallyexcites discontents among the people, who usuallyput entire confidence in their representatives, andexpect from them the redress of all grievances.As if there were not already sufficient groundsof complaint, the king persevered still in thosecdunsest , which , from experience, he mighthave been sensible, were so dangerous and unpo-pular. Bellasis and Sir John Hotham were sum-moned before the council ; and refusing to giveany account of their conduct in parliament werecommitted to prison. All the petitions and com-plaints, which had been sent to the committeeof religion, were demanded from Crew, chair-man of that committee, and on hisj’refusal to de-liver them, he was sent to the Tower. The studiesand even the pockets of the earl of Warwick andlord Broke , before the expiration of privilege,were searched, in expectation of finding trea-sonable papers. These acts of authority were in-terpreted , with some appearance of reason , tobe invasions on the right of national assemblies ! \But the king, after the first provocation whichhe met with , never sufficiently respected theprivileges of parliament; and by his example, hefarther confirmed their resolution , when theyshould acquire power, to pay like disregard tothe prerogatives of the crown.

HAP

LIII.

16 ^ 0 -

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Rushworth, vol. iii p. 1167. May, p. 6r.

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