their opinions and resolutions were not
dependent on the influence of some few men. For all Buckingham's
efforts to prevent it, on this occasion also those opinions were in
the ascendant which he wished to oppose. In the place of the members
excluded others arose, and at times they were the very men from whom
he feared nothing. A great impression was made when a personal friend
of Buckingham, his vice-admiral in Devonshire, John Eliot, came
forward as his decided political opponent. He first brought under
discussion the mismanagement of the money granted, which was laid to
the charge of the First Minister. With this was connected a
transaction of great importance which affected the general relation
between the Parliament and the Crown.

In the year 1624 a council of war, consisting of seven members, had
been nominated to manage the money then granted. They were now
summoned to account for it. Although this measure appeared an
innovation, yet the government could do nothing against it--it had
even consented to it: but Parliament at the same time submitted to the
members the invidious question, whether their advice for the
attainment of the ends in view had always been followed. King James
had said on a former occasion, that if Parliament granted him
subsidies, he had to account to it for their disposal as little as to
a merchant from whom he received money; for he loved to lay as much
emphasis upon his prerogative as possible. How entirely opposed to the
prerogative were the claims which Parliament now advanced! It is clear
that if the members of the council should make the communications they
were asked for, all freedom of action on the part of the minister and
of the King himself would be called in question.

[Sidenote: A.D. 1626.]

The members of the new council for war were thrown into great
embarrassment. They answered that they must first consult the lawyers
on the subject, and the King conveyed to them his approval of this
declaration. He informed them that he had had the Act of Parliament
laid before him: that they were bound to submit to questions only
about the application of the money, but about nothing else: he even
threatened them with his displeasure if they should go beyond this.
The president of the council for war, George Carew, called his
attention to the probability that the grant of the subsidies which he
demanded from Parliament might be hindered by such an answer: it would
be better, he said, t