i 3 8 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

chap. mons, that they violated the plainest and mostlxv. established maxims of civil policy, which require,i6-o. that, in all criminal prosecutions, favor shouldalways be given to the prisoner.

The affair of Skinner still remained a groundof quarrel between the two houses; but the kingprevailed with the peers to accept of the expedi-ent proposed by the commons, that a generalrafure should be made of all the transactions withregard to that disputed question.

Some attempts were made by the king to effecta union between England and Scotland : Thoughthey were too feeble to remove all the difficulties,which obstructed that useful and important un-dertaking. Commissioners were appointed tomeet, in order to regulate the conditions: Butthe design, chiefly by the intrigues ofLauderdale,soon aster came to nothing.

The king, about this time, began frequentlyto attend the debates of the house of peers. Hesaid, that they amused him, and that he foundthem no less entertaining than a play. But deeperdesigns were suspected. As he seemed to interesthimself extremely in the cause of lord Roos, whohad obtained a divorce from his wife on theaccusation of adultery, and applied to parliamentfor leave to marry again; people imagined, thatCharles intended to make a precedent of the cafe,and that some other pretence would be foundfor getting rid of the queen. Many proposalsto this purpose, it is said, were made him byBuckingham: But the king, how little scrupulous