ifested in a newly
assembled House, the power of the King was obliged to bend. James had
already often felt the ascendancy of Parliament. The schemes of union
with Scotland, which filled his soul with ambition, had been shattered
by the resistance of that body. The exclusively Protestant disposition
which prevailed there had made it impossible for him to give a legal
sanction to the favour which he entertained for the Catholics, and
which his views of policy naturally disposed him to show. He had been
obliged to desist from the attempt to secure financial independence by
surrendering the feudal privileges of the crown. The Parliament raised
claims which the King regarded as attacks on the prerogative of the
crown: even his advances to it had been met by a stubborn resistance.
In the ordinary course of things he would never again have summoned
Parliament together.

This complication in foreign affairs then arose. All parties,
including even the King himself, were convinced that England must step
forth armed among the contending powers of the world: and that, not in
the fashion of the last expedition, so little in keeping with the
situation, when private support and tacit sympathy found the means,
but on a large scale, as the position of the kingdom among the great
powers demanded. But without Parliamentary grants this was impossible.
The summoning of a new Parliament was therefore an incontestable
necessity.

[Sidenote: A.D. 1621.]

But on the other hand there was not wanting reasons for hesitation,
for it could not be disguised that concessions would be inevitable.
King James saw that as plainly as any one, and declared himself
beforehand ready to make them. In contradiction to his former
assertions he gave out that he would this time allow grievances to be
freely alleged, and would give his best assistance in removing them.
He said that he wished to meet Parliament half way, and that it should
find him an honourable man. From the investigation of abuses the less
was feared because the late opposition was ascribed to a factious
resistance to Somerset's administration. But that favourite had since
fallen: and of the leaders of that opposition several had gone over to
the government, and some had died.[407] The declared purpose of arming
for the reconquest of the Palatinate was in accordance with the
feelings of the nation and of the Protestants: no doubt was felt that
it would win universal sympathy.

This was in f