expense of equipping such a fleet in the hope that
the king's demand would bring on war with Holland and with France. But
money had to be found at home, and as Charles would not hear of the
gathering of a Parliament means had to be got by a new stretch of
prerogative. The legal research of Noy, one of the law-officers of the
Crown, found precedents among the records in the Tower for the provision
of ships for the king's use by the port-towns of the kingdom, and for
the furnishing of their equipment by the maritime counties. The
precedents dated from times when no permanent fleet existed, and when
sea warfare could only be waged by vessels lent for the moment by the
various ports. But they were seized as a means of equipping a permanent
navy without cost to the Exchequer; the first demand of ships was soon
commuted into a demand of money for the provision of ships; and the
writs for the payment of ship-money which were issued to London and
other coast-towns were enforced by fine and imprisonment. The money was
paid, and in 1635 a fleet put to sea. The Spaniards however were too
poor to fulfil their share of the bargain; they sent neither money nor
vessels; and Charles shrank from a contest single-handed with France and
the Dutch. But with the death of the Earl of Portland a bolder hand
seized the reins of power. To Laud as to Wentworth the system of Weston
had hardly seemed government at all. In the correspondence which passed
between the two ministers the king was censured as over-cautious, the
Star Chamber as feeble, the judges as over-scrupulous. "I am for
Thorough," the one writes to the other in alternate fits of impatience
at the slow progress they are making. Wentworth was anxious that his
good work might not "be spoiled on that side." Laud echoed the wish,
while he envied the free course of the Lord Lieutenant. "You have a good
deal of humour here," he writes, "for your proceeding. Go on a' God's
name. I have done with expecting of Thorough on this side."

[Sidenote: The new ship-money.]

With feelings such as these Laud no sooner took the direction of affairs
than a more vigorous and unscrupulous impulse made itself felt. Far from
being drawn from his projects by the desertion of Spain, Charles was
encouraged to carry them out by his own efforts. It was determined to
strengthen the fleet; and funds for this purpose were raised by an
extension of the levy of ship-money. The pretence of precedents was
thrown asid