ette!
I should know best. He will strain every nerve,
And once a precedent established....

_Queen._ Notice
How sure he is of a long term of favor!
He'll see the next, and the next after that;
No end to Parliaments!

_Charles._ Well, it is done.
He talks it smoothly, doubtless. If, indeed,
The Commons here....

_Queen._ Here! you will summon them
Here? Would I were in France again to see
A King!

_Charles._ But, Henriette....

_Queen._ Oh, the Scots see clear!
Why should they bear your rule?

_Charles._ But listen, sweet!

_Queen._ Let Wentworth listen--you confide in him!

_Charles._ I do not, love,--I do not so confide!
The Parliament shall never trouble us
... Nay, hear me! I have schemes, such schemes: we'll buy
The leaders off: without that, Wentworth's counsel
Had ne'er prevailed on me. Perhaps I call it
To have excuse for breaking it for ever,
And whose will then the blame be? See you not?
Come, dearest!--look, the little fairy, now,
That cannot reach my shoulder! Dearest, come!

In the second act, the historical episode, which pervades the act is the
assembling and the dissolution of the Short Parliament. Only the salient
points of the political situation have been seized upon by Browning. As
in the first act, the popular party in private conclave is introduced.
From the talk it is gathered that feeling runs high against Strafford,
by whose advice the Parliament had been called, because of the
exorbitant demands made upon it for money to support an army, this army
to crush Scotland whose cause was so nearly like its own. The popular
party or the Faction had supposed the Parliament would be a means for
the redressing of its long list of grievances which had been
accumulating during the years since the last Parliament had been held.
Instead of that the Commons was deliberately informed by Charles that
there would be no discussions of its demands until it had granted the
subsidies for which it had been asked. The play gives one a much more
lively sense of the indignant feelings of the duped men than can
possibly be gained by reading many more pages of history with its
endless minor details. Upon this gathering, Pym suddenly enters again,
and to the reproaches of him for his belief in Strafford, makes the
reply that the Parliament has been dissolved, the