use immediately thought proper to vote so unprecedented an
interposition to be a breach of privilege.[*] Charles, in order to bring
the matter of supply to some issue, solicited the house by new messages:
and finding that ship money gave great alarm and disgust; besides
informing them, that he never intended to make a constant revenue of
it, that all the money levied had been regularly, with other great sums,
expended on equipping the navy; he now went so far as to offer them a
total abolition of that obnoxious claim, by any law which the commons
should think proper to present to him. In return, he only asked for his
necessities a supply of twelve subsidies,--about six hundred thousand
pounds,--and that payable in three years; but at the same time he let
them know, that, considering the situation of his affairs, a delay would
be equivalent to a denial.[**] The king though the majority was against
him, never had more friends in any house of commons; and the debate was
carried on for two days, with great zeal and warmth on both sides.

* Clarendon, vol. i. p. 134.

** Clarendon, vol. 1. p. 135. Rush. vol. iii p. 1154.

It was urged by the partisans of the court, that the happiest occasion
which the fondest wishes could suggest, was now presented for removing
all disgusts and jealousies between king and people, and for reconciling
their sovereign forever to the use of parliaments: that if they, on
their part, laid aside all enormous claims and pretensions, and provided
in a reasonable manner for the public necessities, they needed entertain
no suspicion of any insatiable ambition or illegal usurpation in the
crown: that though due regard had not always been paid, during this
reign, to the rights of the people, yet no invasion of them had been
altogether deliberate and voluntary; much less the result of wanton
tyranny and injustice; and still less of a formal design to subvert the
constitution. That to repose a reasonable confidence in the king, and
generously to supply his present wants, which proceeded neither from
prodigality nor misconduct, would be the true means of gaining on his
generous nature, and extorting, by a gentle violence, such concessions
as were requisite for the establishment of public liberty: that he
had promised, not only on the word of a prince, but also on that of
a gentleman, (the expression which he had been pleased to use,) that,
after the supply was granted the parliament should still