g would not consent to, should be called an ORDINANCE,
and should be as much a law as if he did consent to it. The King
protested against this, and gave notice that these ordinances were not to
be obeyed. The King, attended by the majority of the House of Peers, and
by many members of the House of Commons, established himself at York. The
Chancellor went to him with the Great Seal, and the Parliament made a new
Great Seal. The Queen sent over a ship full of arms and ammunition, and
the King issued letters to borrow money at high interest. The Parliament
raised twenty regiments of foot and seventy-five troops of horse; and the
people willingly aided them with their money, plate, jewellery, and
trinkets--the married women even with their wedding-rings. Every member
of Parliament who could raise a troop or a regiment in his own part of
the country, dressed it according to his taste and in his own colours,
and commanded it. Foremost among them all, OLIVER CROMWELL raised a
troop of horse--thoroughly in earnest and thoroughly well armed--who
were, perhaps, the best soldiers that ever were seen.

In some of their proceedings, this famous Parliament passed the bounds of
previous law and custom, yielded to and favoured riotous assemblages of
the people, and acted tyrannically in imprisoning some who differed from
the popular leaders. But again, you are always to remember that the
twelve years during which the King had had his own wilful way, had gone
before; and that nothing could make the times what they might, could,
would, or should have been, if those twelve years had never rolled away.

THIRD PART

I shall not try to relate the particulars of the great civil war between
King Charles the First and the Long Parliament, which lasted nearly four
years, and a full account of which would fill many large books. It was a
sad thing that Englishmen should once more be fighting against Englishmen
on English ground; but, it is some consolation to know that on both sides
there was great humanity, forbearance, and honour. The soldiers of the
Parliament were far more remarkable for these good qualities than the
soldiers of the King (many of whom fought for mere pay without much
caring for the cause); but those of the nobility and gentry who were on
the King's side were so brave, and so faithful to him, that their conduct
cannot but command our highest admiration. Among them were great numbers
of Catholics, who took the