elf, hesitated to fulfil the
expectations of the King.

It could not absolutely refuse to make any grant: it offered him two
subsidies, 'fruits of its love' as they were termed. But the King had
expected a far stronger proof of devotion. What importance could be
attached to such an insignificant sum in prospect of so tremendous an
undertaking as a war against Spain? The grant itself implied a sort of
refusal.

But the Lower House also attempted to introduce a most extensive
innovation in regard to finance. The customs formed one of the main
sources of the revenue of the crown, without which it could not be
supported. They had been increased by the last government on the
ground of its right to tonnage and poundage, although, as we saw, not
without opposition.[452] The constitutional question was whether the
customs were properly to be regarded as a tax, and accordingly
dependent on the grant of Parliament, or whether they were absolutely
appropriated to the crown by right derived from long prescription: for
since the time of Edward IV, tonnage and poundage had been granted to
every king for the whole period of his reign. The controversies
arising on the subject under James had brought to light the daily
increasing importance conferred by the growth of commerce on this
source of revenue, which certainly assured to the crown, if not for
extraordinary undertakings, yet for the conduct of the ordinary
business of the state, a certain independence of the grants of
Parliament. The Lower House was now disinclined, both on principle and
under the painful excitement of the moment, to renew the grant on
these terms: it therefore conferred the right to tonnage and poundage
on the King only for a year. But the import of this restriction was
plain enough. The popular leaders were not satisfied with granting the
King very inadequate support for the war, but they sought to make him
dependent even in time of peace on the goodwill of the Lower House.
The resolution was rejected by the Upper House, and it appeared to the
King himself as an affront. For why should he be refused what had been
secured to his predecessors during a century and a half? The granting
of supplies for life he regarded as a mere form, which after such long
prescription was not even necessary. He thought himself entitled, even
without such a grant, to have the duties levied in his own name as
before.

These were differences of the most thoroughgoing character, wh