h no king that ever was in England could be more careful of your
privileges than I shall be, yet in cases of treason no person has
privilege. Therefore am I come to tell you, that I must have these men
wheresoever I can find them. Well, since I see all the birds are flown,
I do expect that you will send them to me as soon as they return. But
I assure you, on the word of a king, I never did intend any force, but
shall proceed against them in a fair and legal way; for I never meant
any other. And now, since I see I cannot do what I came for, I think
this is no unfit occasion to repeat what I have said formerly, that
whatever I have done in favor and to the good of my subjects, I do
intend to maintain it."[*]

When the king was looking around for the accused members, he asked
the speaker, who stood below, whether any of these persons were in the
house. The speaker, falling on his knee, prudently replied, "I have,
sir, neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place, but as the
house is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am. And I humbly ask
pardon, that I cannot give any other answer to what your majesty is
pleased to demand of me."[**]

The commons were in the utmost disorder; and when the king was
departing, some members cried aloud, so as he might hear them,
"Privilege! privilege!" And the house immediately adjourned till next
day.[***]

* Whitloeke, p. 50.

** Whitlocke, p. 50. May, book ii. p. 20.

*** Whitlocke, p. 51.

That evening the accused members, to show the greater apprehension,
removed into the city, which was their fortress. The citizens were the
whole night in arms. Some people, who were appointed for that purpose,
or perhaps actuated by their own terrors, ran from gate to gate, crying
out that the cavaliers were coming to burn the city, and that the king
himself was at their head.

Next morning, Charles sent to the mayor, and ordered him to call a
common council immediately. About ten o'clock, he himself, attended only
by three or four lords, went to Guildhall. He told the common council,
that he was sorry to hear of the apprehensions entertained of him; that
he was come to them without any guard, in order to show how much he
relied on their affections; and that he had accused certain men of high
treason, against whom he would proceed in a legal way, and therefore
presumed that they would not meet with protection in the city. After
many other gracious expressions, he told