CHART. E S II.

247

good squadron, and thereby put the nation insecurity, till farther resolutions should be taken.

Rut this concession fell far short of the king’sexpectations. He therefore informed them, that,unless they granted him the sum of 600,000 poundsupon new funds, it would not be possible forhim, without exposing the nation to manifestdanger, to speak or acl those things , which wouldanswer the end of their several addresses. Thehouse took this message into consideration : Butbefore they came to any resolution , the king sentfor them to Whitehall, where he told them,upon the word of a king, that they should notrepent any trust, which they would repose inhim for the safety of his kingdom; that he wouldnot for any consideration break credit with them,or employ their money to other uses, than thosefor which they intended it; but that he wouldnot hazard , either his own safety or theirs , bytaking any vigorous measures , or forming newalliances, till he were in a better condition bothto defend his subjects, and offend his enemies.This speech brought affairs to a short issue. Theking required them to trust him with a largesum: He pawned his royal word for their security:They must either run the risk of losing theirmoney, or sail of those alliances which they hadprojected, and at the same time declare to all theworld the highest distrust of their sovereign.

But there were many reasons which determin-ed the house of commons to put no trust in theking. They considered , that the pretence of

K 4

CHAT.

LXVI.

1677 .

Parlia-ment's dis.trust of. the

king.