o invade that country.

[Footnote 159: The various expedients to which both
Henry and his father were driven to raise supplies
in any way commensurate with their wants, have
repeatedly reminded the Author of the similar means
to which their unhappy successor Charles, in his
days of far more urgent need and necessity, had
recourse. The reader may perhaps be interested by
the following document. It is a copy of the letter
in which Charles applies to the Provost and Fellows
of Oriel College for a loan of their plate. The
King's letter is dated January 6th, 1642; and the
society, assembled in the chapel on the 8th, vote
unanimously to put their silver and gilt vessels at
the disposal of their sovereign, scarcely retaining
one single piece of plate. (Allocata sunt ad usum
serenissimi vasa argentea et deaurata paene ad unum
omnia.) The one retained is said to have been the
chalice for the holy communion.

(Extracted from the Register of Oriel College.)

"To our trusty and well-beloved the Provost
and Fellowes of Oriel Colledge, in our
University of Oxon: Charles R.

"Trusty and well-beloved, wee greete you
well. Wee are so well satisfied with your
readiness and affection to our service, that
wee cannot doubt but you will take all
occasions to expresse the same; and as wee
are ready to sell or engage any of our land,
so have wee melted downe our plate for the
paiment of our army, raised for our defence,
and the preservation of our kingdome. And
having received severall quantityes of plate
from divers of our loving subjects, we have
removed our mint hither to our citty of
Oxford, for the coyning thereof.

"And we do hereby desire you that you will