of
these were framed, and a strict scrutiny was every where carried on. It
is to be remarked that, before the beginning of this century, when the
commons assumed less influence and authority, complaints of grievances
were usually presented to the house by any members who had had
particular opportunity of observing them. These general committees,
which were a kind of inquisitorial courts, had not then been
established; and we find that the king, in a former declaration.[*]
complains loudly of this innovation, so little favorable to royal
authority. But never was so much multiplied, as at present, the use
of these committees; and the commons, though themselves the greatest
innovators, employed the usual artifice of complaining against
innovations, and pretending to recover the ancient and established
government.

* Published on dissolving the third parliament. See Parl.
Hist, vol. viii. p. 347.

From the reports of their committees, the house daily passed votes
which mortified and astonished the court, and inflamed and animated
the nation. Ship money was declared illegal and arbitrary; the sentence
against Hambden cancelled; the court of York abolished; compositions
for knighthood stigmatized; the enlargement of the forests
condemned; patents for monopolies annulled; and every late measure of
administration treated with reproach and obloquy. To-day a sentence of
the star chamber was exclaimed against; to-morrow a decree of the
high commission. Every discretionary act of council was represented
as arbitrary and tyrannical; and the general inference was still
inculcated, that a formed design had been laid to subvert the laws and
constitution of the kingdom.

From necessity the king remained entirely passive during all these
violent operations. The few servants who continued faithful to him, were
seized with astonishment at the rapid progress made by the commons in
power and popularity, and were glad, by their inactive and inoffensive
behavior, to compound for impunity. The torrent rising to so dreadful
and unexpected a height, despair seized all those who from interest or
habit were most attached to monarchy. And as for those who maintained
their duty to the king merely from their regard to the constitution,
they seemed by their concurrence to swell that inundation which began
already to deluge every thing. "You have taken the whole machine of
government in pieces," said Charles, in a discourse to the parliame