isonment for life.

These were some of the embellishments of the system called "Thorough,"
which was carried on by the two friends and confederates, Laud and
Strafford, who were in their pleasant letters to each other all the
time lamenting that the power of the "Star Chamber" was so limited, and
judges so timid! Is it strange that the plantation in Massachusetts
had fresh recruits?

But the more serious work was going on under Strafford's vigorous
management. {112} "Monopolies" were sold once more, with a fixed duty
on profits added to the price of the original concession. Every
article in use by the people was at last bought up by Monopolists, who
were compelled to add to the price of these commodities, to compensate
for the tax they must pay into the King's Treasury.

"_Ship Money_" was a tax supposably for the building of a Navy, for
which there was no accounting to the people, the amount and frequency
of the levy being discretionary with the King. It was always possible
and imminent, and was the most odious of all the methods adopted for
wringing money from the nation, while resistance to it, as to all other
such measures, was punished by the Star Chamber in such pleasant
fashion as would please Strafford and Laud, whose creatures the judges
were.

Hampden, as before, championed the rights of the people in his own
person, going to prison and facing death, if it were necessary, rather
than pay the amount of 20 shillings. But that the taxes were paid by
the people is evident, for so {113} successful was this scheme of
revenue that many predicted the King would never again call a
Parliament. What would be the need of a Parliament, if he did not
require money? The Royalists were pleased, and the people were wisely
patient, knowing that such a financial fabric must fall at the first
breath of a storm, and then their time would come.

{114}

CHAPTER IX

The storm came in the form of a war upon Scotland, to enforce the
established Church, which it had cast out "root and branch" for the
Presbyterianism which pleased it. The Loyalists were alarmed by rumors
that Scotland was holding treasonable communication with her old ally,
France; and after an interval of eleven years, a Parliament was
summoned, which was destined to outlive the King.

The Commons came together in stern temper, Pym standing promptly at the
Bar of the House of Lords with Strafford's impeachment for High
Treason. The great Earl's