CHARLES I.

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The nation was universally and highly discontented, chapT he army was discouraged , and began likewise Liu.to be discontented , both from the contagion of m ® ->general disgust , and as an excuse for their mis-behaviour, which they were desirous of repre-senting rather as want of will than of courageto fight. The treasury too was quite exhausted,and every expedient for supply had been tried tothe uttermost. No event had happened , butwhat might have been foreseen as necessary, atleast, as very probable; yet such was the king’s /situation, that no provision could be made, norwas even any resolution taken, against such anexigency.

In order to prevent the advance of the Scots Treaty atupon him , the king agreed to a treaty, and R ‘ I ’ poa ’named sixteen English noblemen, who met witheleven Scottish commissioners at Rippon. Theearls of Hertford, Bedford, Salisbury, Warwick,

Essex, Holland, Bristol, and Berkshire, the lordsKimbolton, Wharton, Dunsmore, Paget, Broke,

Saville , Paulet, and Howard of Escric , werechosen by the king; all of them popular men,and consequently supposed nowise averse to theScottish invasion , or unacceptable to that nation 77 .

An address arrived from the city of London,petitioning for a parliament; the great point towhich all men’s projects at this time tendecf 7 VTwelve noblemen" presented a petition t®

77 Clarendon, vol. i. p. 155.

” Rulhworth , vol. iia. x. 126}.

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