d at the first
opportunity. His opponents were quick to feel the king's resolve of a
counter-revolution; and both Houses, in their terror, swore to defend
the Protestant religion and the public liberties, an oath which was
subsequently exacted from every one engaged in civil employment, and
voluntarily taken by the great mass of the people. The same terror of a
counter-revolution induced even Hyde and the "moderate men" in the
Commons to bring in a bill providing that the present Parliament should
not be dissolved but by its own consent; and the same commission which
gave the king's assent to Strafford's attainder gave his assent to this
bill for perpetuating the Parliament.

[Sidenote: Charles in Scotland.]

Of all the demands of the Parliament this was the first that could be
called distinctly revolutionary. To consent to it was to establish a
power permanently co-ordinate with the Crown. But Charles signed the
bill without protest. He had ceased to look on his acts as those of a
free agent; and he was already planning the means of breaking the
Parliament. What had hitherto held him down was the revolt of Scotland
and the pressure of the Scotch army across the border. But its payment
and withdrawal could no longer be delayed. The death of Strafford was
immediately followed by the conclusion of a pacification between the two
countries; and the sum required for the disbanding of both armies was
provided by a poll-tax. Meanwhile the Houses hastened to complete their
task of reform. The civil and judicial jurisdiction of the Star Chamber
and the Court of High Commission, the irregular jurisdictions of the
Council of the North, the Duchy of Lancaster, the County of Chester,
were summarily abolished with a crowd of lesser tribunals. The work was
pushed hastily on, for haste was needed. On the sixth of August the two
armies were alike disbanded; and the Scots were no sooner on their way
homeward than the king resolved to prevent their return. In spite of
prayers from the Parliament, he left London for Edinburgh, yielded to
every demand of the Assembly and the Scotch Estates, attended the
Presbyterian worship, lavished titles and favours on the Earl of Argyle
and the patriot leaders, and gained for a while a popularity which
spread dismay in the English Parliament. Their dread of his designs was
increased when he was found to have been intriguing all the while with
the Earl of Montrose--whose conspiracy had been discovered b