upon his
knees before the great potentate who had addressed him, and said, "I
have, sir, neither eyes to see, nor tongue to speak, in this place,
but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am. And I
humbly ask pardon that I can not give any other answer to what your
majesty is pleased to demand of me."

The House was immediately in a state of great excitement and
confusion. They called out "_Privilege! privilege!_" meaning that
their privileges were violated. They immediately adjourned. News of
the affair spread every where with the greatest rapidity, and produced
universal and intense excitement. The king's friends were astonished
at such an act of rashness and folly, which, it is said, only _one_ of
the king's advisers knew anything about, and he immediately fled. The
five members accused went that night into the city of London, and
called on the government and people of London to protect them. The
people armed themselves. In a word, the king found at night that he
had raised a very threatening and terrible storm.

The Commons met the next morning, but did not attempt to transact
business. They simply voted that it was useless for them to proceed
with their deliberations, while exposed to such violations of their
rights. They appointed a committee of twenty-four to inquire into and
report the circumstances of the king's intrusion into their councils,
and to consider how this breach of their privileges could be repaired.
They ordered this committee to sit in the city of London, where they
might hope to be safe from such interruptions, and then the House
adjourned for a week, to await the result of the committee's
deliberations.

The committee went to London. In the mean time, news went all over the
kingdom that the House of Commons had been compelled to suspend its
sittings on account of an illegal and unwarrantable interference with
their proceedings on the part of the king. The king was alarmed; but
those who had advised him to adopt this measure told him that he must
not falter now. He must persevere and carry his point, or all would be
lost.

He accordingly did persevere. He brought troops and arms to his palace
at Whitehall, to be ready to defend it in case of attack. He sent in
to London, and ordered the lord mayor to assemble the city authorities
at the Guildhall, which is the great city hall of London; and then,
with a retinue of noblemen, he went in to meet them. The people
shouted, "_Pri