rence on his part,
and their refusal was so emphatic that James never brought the matter
up again.

The King, however, was so determined to shut out members whom he did
not like that he attempted to gain his ends by having such persons
seized on charges of debt and thrown into prison. The Commons, on the
other hand, not only insisted that their ancient privilege of
exemption from arrest in such cases should be respected, but they
passed a special law (1604) to clinch the privilege.

Ten years later (1614) James, pressed for money, called a Parliament
to get supplies. He had taken precautions to get a majority of
members elected who would, he hoped, vote for him what he wanted. But
to his dismay the Commons declined to grant him a penny unless he
would promise to cease imposing illegal duties on merchandise. The
King angrily refused and dissolved the so-called "Addled Parliament."[1]

[1] This Parliament was nicknamed the "Addled Parliament," because it
did not enact a single law, though it most effectually "addled" the
King's plans (S424).

Finally, in order to show James that it would not be trifled with, a
later Parliament (1621) revived the right of impeachment, which had
not been resorted to since 1450.[2] The Commons now charged Lord
Chancellor Bacon, judge of the High Court of Chancery, and "keeper of
the King's conscience," with accepting bribes. Bacon held the highest
office in the gift of the Crown, and the real object of the
impeachment was to strike the King through the person of his chief
official and supporter. Bacon confessed his crime, saying, "I was the
justest judge that was in England these fifty years, but it was the
justest censure in Parliament that was these two hundred years."

[2] See S13 of this Summary

James tried his best to save his servile favorite, but it was useless,
and Bacon was convicted, disgraced, and partially punished (S425).

The Commons of the same Parliament petitioned the King against the
alleged growth of the Catholic religion in the knigdom, and especially
against the proposed marriage of the Prince of Wales to a Spanish
Catholic princess. James ordered the Commons to let mysteries of the
state alone. They claimed liberty of speech. The King asserted that
they had no liberties except such as the royal power saw fit to
grant. Then the Commons drew up their famous Protest, in which they
declared that their liberties were not derived from the King, but were
"t