lords
petitioned for its continuance, he warmly and angrily exclaimed, "Not a
moment longer!" It was dissolved in June, 1626.

The patriots abandoned their sovereign to his fate, and retreated home
sullen, indignant, and ready to conspire among themselves for the
assumption of their disputed or their defrauded liberties. They
industriously dispersed their remonstrance, and the king replied by a
declaration; but an attack is always more vigorous than a defence. The
declaration is spiritless, and evidently composed under suppressed
feelings, which, perhaps, knew not how to shape themselves. The
"Remonstrance" was commanded everywhere to be burnt; and the effect
which it produced on the people we shall shortly witness.

The king was left amidst the most pressing exigencies. At the
dissolution of the first parliament he had been compelled to practise a
humiliating economy. Hume has alluded to the numerous wants of the young
monarch; but he certainly was not acquainted with the king's extreme
necessities. His coronation seemed rather a private than a public
ceremony. To save the expenses of the procession from the Tower through
the city to Whitehall, that customary pomp was omitted; and the reason
alleged was "to save the charge for more noble undertakings!" that is,
for means to carry on the Spanish war without supplies! But now the most
extraordinary changes appeared at court. The king mortgaged his lands in
Cornwall to the aldermen and companies of London. A rumour spread that
the small pension list must be revoked; and the royal distress was
carried so far, that all the tables at court were laid down, and the
courtiers put on board-wages! I have seen a letter which gives an
account of "the funeral supper at Whitehall, whereat twenty-three tables
were buried, being from henceforth converted to board-wages;" and there
I learn, that "since this dissolving of house-keeping, his majesty is
but slenderly attended." Another writer, who describes himself to be
only a looker-on, regrets, that while the men of the law spent ten
thousand pounds on a single masque, they did not rather make the king
rich; and adds, "I see a rich commonwealth, a rich people, and the crown
poor!" This strange poverty of the court of Charles seems to have
escaped the notice of our general historians. Charles was now to victual
his fleet with the savings of the board-wages! for this "surplusage" was
taken into account!

The fatal descent on the Isle