capital necessary for the maintenance of great armies
and navies, who knew how to handle the almighty weapon called "credit,"
had no such fear. They were willing to pit the "Divine Right" of their
own good money against the "Divine Right" of any Habsburg or Bourbon
or Stuart. They knew that their guilders and shillings could beat the
clumsy feudal armies which were the only weapons of the King. They dared
to act, where others were condemned to suffer in silence or run the risk
of the scaffold.

When the Stuarts began to annoy the people of England with their
claim that they had a right to do what they pleased and never mind the
responsibility, the English middle classes used the House of Commons as
their first line of defence against this abuse of the Royal Power. The
Crown refused to give in and the King sent Parliament about its own
business. Eleven long years, Charles I ruled alone. He levied taxes
which most people regarded as illegal and he managed his British kingdom
as if it had been his own country estate. He had capable assistants and
we must say that he had the courage of his convictions.

Unfortunately, instead of assuring himself of the support of his
faithful Scottish subjects, Charles became involved in a quarrel with
the Scotch Presbyterians. Much against his will, but forced by his need
for ready cash, Charles was at last obliged to call Parliament together
once more. It met in April of 1640 and showed an ugly temper. It was
dissolved a few weeks later. A new Parliament convened in November. This
one was even less pliable than the first one. The members understood
that the question of "Government by Divine Right" or "Government by
Parliament" must be fought out for good and all. They attacked the
King in his chief councillors and executed half a dozen of them. They
announced that they would not allow themselves to be dissolved without
their own approval. Finally on December 1, 1641, they presented to the
King a "Grand Remonstrance" which gave a detailed account of the many
grievances of the people against their Ruler.

Charles, hoping to derive some support for his own policy in the country
districts, left London in January of 1642. Each side organised an army
and prepared for open warfare between the absolute power of the crown
and the absolute power of Parliament. During this struggle, the most
powerful religious element of England, called the Puritans, (they were
Anglicans who had tried to purify th