CHARLES I.

273

founded all regard to ease, safety, interest; auddissolved every moral and civil obligation

Each party was now willing to throw on itsantagonist the odium of commencing a civil war;but both of them prepared for an event whichthey deemed inevitable. To gain the people’sfavor and good opinion, was the chief point onboth sides. Never was there a people lesscorrupted by vice, and more actuated by prin-ciple , than the English during that period tNever were there individuals who possessed morecapacity , more courage , more public spirit ,more disinterested zeal. The infusion of qneingredient, in too large a proportion, had cor-rupted all these noble principles , and convertedthem into the most virulent poison. To determinehis choice in the approaching contests , everyman hearkened with avidity to the reasons pro-posed on both sides. The war of the penpreceded that of the sword, and daily sharpenedthe humors of the opposite parties. Besides pri-vate adventurers without number, the king andparliament themselves carried on the controversy,by messages, remonstrances, and declarations;where the nation was really the party, to whomall arguments were addressed. Charles had herea double advantage- Not only his cause wasmore favorable, as supporting the ancient govern-ment in church and state against the most illegalpretensions: It was also defended with more art

; h a p.

LV *

1641 .

" See note [ F ] at the end of the volume.

Vol. IX. T