nnot be effected by the mere force of
argument and reasoning; and that factions being once excited, men can
neither so firmly regulate the tempers of others, nor their own, as to
insure themselves against all exorbitances.

The parliament now came to a pause. The king had promised his Scottish
subjects that he would this summer pay them a visit, in order to settle
their government; and though the English parliament was very importunate
with him, that he should lay aside that journey, they could not prevail
with him so much as to delay it. As he must necessarily, in his journey,
have passed through the troops of both nations, the commons seem to have
entertained great jealousy on that account, and to have now hurried
on, as much as they formerly delayed, the disbanding of the armies. The
arrears, therefore, of the Scots were fully paid them; and those of the
English in part. The Scots returned home, and the English were separated
into their several counties, and dismissed.

After this, the parliament adjourned to the twentieth of October; and
a committee of both houses--a thing unprecedented--was appointed to sit
during the recess, with very ample powers.[*] Pym was elected chairman
of the committee of the lower house. Further attempts were made by the
parliament while it sat, and even by the commons alone for assuming
sovereign executive powers, and publishing their ordinances, as they
called them, instead of laws. The committee too, on their part, was
ready to imitate the example.

A small committee of both houses was appointed to attend the king
into Scotland, in order, as was pretended, to see that the articles of
pacification were executed; but really to be spies upon him, and extend
still further the ideas of parliamentary authority, as well as eclipse
the majesty of the king. The earl of Bedford, Lord Howard, Sir Philip
Stapleton, Sir William Armyne, Fiennes, and Hambden, were the persons
chosen.[**]

* Rush. vol. v. p. 387.

** Rush. vol. v. p. 376

Endeavors were used, before Charles's departure, to have a protector of
the kingdom appointed, with a power to pass laws without having recourse
to the king: so little regard was now paid to royal authority, or to the
established constitution of the kingdom.

Amidst the great variety of affairs which occurred during this busy
period, we have almost overlooked the marriage of the princess Mary with
William, prince of Orange. The king concluded not thi