faced? And what remedy
at all times against such force, but to oppose to it a force which is
superior? Even allowing that the king intended to employ violence,
not authority, for seizing the members; though at that time, and ever
afterwards, he positively asserted the contrary; yet will his conduct
admit of excuse. That the hall where the parliament assembles is an
inviolable sanctuary, was never yet pretended. And if the commons
complain of the affront offered them, by an attempt to arrest their
members in their very presence, the blame must lie entirely on
themselves! who had formerly refused compliance with the king's message,
when he peaceably demanded these members. The sovereign is the great
executor of the laws; and his presence was here legally employed, both
in order to prevent opposition, and to protect the house against those
insults which their disobedience had so well merited.

Charles knew to how little purpose he should urge these reasons against
the present fury of the commons. He proposed, therefore, by a message,
that they would agree upon a legal method by which he might carry on his
prosecution against the members, lest further misunderstandings happen
with regard to privilege. They desired him to lay the grounds of
accusation before the house; and pretended that they must first judge
whether it were proper to give up their members, to a legal trial.
The king then informed them, that he would waive, for the present, all
prosecution: by successive messages he afterwards offered a pardon to
the members; offered to concur in any law that should acquit or secure
them; offered any reparation to the house for the beach of privilege,
of which, he acknowledged, they had reason to complain.[*] They were
resolved to accept of no satisfaction, unless he would discover his
advisers in that illegal measure; a condition to which, they knew that,
without rendering himself forever vile and contemptible, he could
not possibly submit. Meanwhile, they continued to thunder against the
violation of parliamentary privileges, and by their violent outcries
to inflame the whole nation. The secret reason of their displeasure,
however obvious, they carefully concealed. In the king's accusation
of the members, they plainly saw his judgment of late parliamentary
proceedings; and every adherent of the ruling faction dreaded the same
fate, should royal authority be reestablished in its ancient lustre. By
the most unhappy conduct,