is reason,
openly professed their intention of retaining these invaders, till all
their own enemies should be suppressed, and all their purposes effected.
"We cannot yet spare the Scots," said Strode plainly in the house,
"the sons of Zeruiah are still too strong for us;"[**] an allusion to a
passage of Scripture, according to the mode of that age. Eighty thousand
pounds a month were requisite for the subsistence of the two armies; a
sum much greater than the subject had ever been accustomed in any former
period to pay to the public. And though several subsidies, together
with a poll-tax, were from time to time voted to answer the charge,
the commons still took care to be in debt, in order to render the
continuance of the session the more necessary.

* It appears that a subsidy was now fallen to fifty thousand
pounds.

** Dugdale, p. 71.

The Scots being such useful allies to the malecontent party in England,
no wonder they were courted with the most unlimited complaisance and
the most important services. The king, having in his first speech called
them rebels, observed that he had given great offence to the parliament;
and he was immediately obliged to soften, and even retract the
expression.

The Scottish commissioners, of whom the most considerable were the earl
of Rothes and Lord Loudon, found every advantage in conducting their
treaty; yet made no haste in bringing it to an issue. They were lodged
in the city, and kept an intimate correspondence, as well with the
magistrates who were extremely disaffected, as with the popular leaders
in both houses. St. Antholine's church was assigned them for their
devotions; and their chaplains here began openly to practise the
Presbyterian form of worship, which, except in foreign languages, had
never hitherto been allowed any indulgence or toleration. So violent was
the general propensity towards this new religion, that multitudes of all
ranks crowded to the church. Those who were so happy as to find access
early in the morning, kept their places the whole day, those who were
excluded clung to the doors or windows, in hopes of catching at least
some distant murmur or broken phrases of the holy rhetoric.[*] All the
eloquence of parliament, now well refined from pedantry, animated with
the spirit of liberty and employed in the most important interests, was
not attended to with such insatiable avidity, as were these lectures,
delivered with ridiculous cant and