, however artfully disguised, contained so many
contradictory circumstances, as were sufficient to open the eyes of
all reasonable men; but it concurred so well with the passions and
prejudices of the parliament, that no scruple was made of immediately
adopting it.[*] Charmed with having obtained at length the opportunity,
so long wished for, of going to war with Papists, they little thought of
future consequences; but immediately advised the king to break off both
treaties with Spain, as well that which regarded the marriage, as that
for the restitution of the Palatinate.[**] The people, ever greedy of
war till they suffer by it, displayed their triumph at these violent
measures by public bonfires and rejoicings, and by insults on the
Spanish ministers. Buckingham was now the favorite of the public and of
the parliament. Sir Edward Coke, in the house of commons, called him the
savior of the nation.[***] Every place resounded with his praises. And
he himself, intoxicated by a popularity which he enjoyed so little time,
and which he so ill deserved, violated all duty to his indulgent master,
and entered into cabals with the Puritanical members, who had ever
opposed the royal authority. He even encouraged schemes for abolishing
the order of bishops, and selling the dean and chapter lands, in order
to defray the expenses of a Spanish war. And the king, though he still
entertained projects for temporizing, and for forming an accommodation
with Spain, was so borne down by the torrent of popular prejudices,
conducted and increased by Buckingham, that he was at last obliged, in
a speech to parliament, to declare in favor of hostile measures, if they
would engage to support him.[****] Doubts of their sincerity in this
respect, doubts which the event showed not to be ill grounded, had
probably been one cause of his former pacific and dilatory measures.

* Parl. Hist. vol. vi. p. 75.

** Franklyn, p. 98. Rushworth, vol. i. p. 128. Parl. Hist.
vol. vi. p. 103.

*** Clarendon, vol. i. p. 6.

**** Franklyn, p. 94, 95. Rushworth, vol. i. p. 129, 130.

In his speech on this occasion, the king began with lamenting his own
unhappiness, that, having so long valued himself on the epithet of the
pacific monarch, he should now, in his old age, be obliged to exchange
the blessings of peace for the inevitable calamities of war. He
represented to them the immense and continued expense requisite for
military armame