yes appeared good. He at last thanked his instructors for
their lesson, and only asked in mercy to be allowed before his
execution to do penance in sackcloth with ashes on his head, and a
cord round his neck, in presence of all the world.

In public King Charles never lost his calmness of demeanour for a
moment. He appeared to accept the event as a dispensation of Heaven;
but afterwards he shut himself up for two whole days, and gave way to
his sorrow.

The expedition against Rochelle now put to sea under the command of
the Earl of Lindsay. But the captains did not properly obey their
chief: orders which had been planned and issued remained unexecuted:
the fire-ships, which were intended to break through the defences of
the enemy, were ill-managed. The intention was then formed of waiting
for a higher tide, in order to attempt another attack; but meanwhile
the very last resources of the town were exhausted, and it found
itself obliged to capitulate. England's position in the world was
immeasurably lowered when Rochelle was conquered by Richelieu. What
further schemes of maritime supremacy had Buckingham latterly
connected with the maintenance of this town! The ideas of Buckingham
vanished as completely as if they had never been: the ideas of
Richelieu became the foundation of a new order in the world.

[Sidenote: A.D. 1629.]

Krempe also fell, which had hitherto been deemed impregnable, the spot
which, with Gluckstadt, was still the principal stay of Danish
independence, and to which Buckingham's attention had been constantly
directed. It is thought that about 8000 men would have sufficed to
relieve it, but as they were not forthcoming, the fortress fell into
the hands of the enemy in November 1628.

And Charles I, instead of placing himself in a position to repair
these losses of his allies, embarked on a new domestic quarrel with
the Parliament.

As the customs had not been fixed by the advice of Parliament, and
tonnage and poundage had not been regularly granted at all, some
London merchants had refused to satisfy the Custom House. On this the
Lords of the Treasury laid their property under seizure. Of course the
persons affected declared this proceeding also illegal, and filled the
country with their complaints. On this occasion it was not, as almost
always hitherto, the want of an immediate subsidy, but the necessity
of removing this constitutional difficulty, which caused Parliament to
be assembled in Janu