o refuse any bills which should be
presented him. See Rush. vol. v. p. 580.

**** Whitlocke, p. 55. Rush. vol. v. p. 565 etc. May, book
ii p. 51.

The county of York levied a guard for the king of six hundred men;
for the kings of England had hitherto lived among their subjects like
fathers among their children, and had derived all their security from
the dignity of their character, and from the protection of the laws. The
two houses, though they had already levied a guard for themselves, had
attempted to seize all the military power, all the navy, and all the
forts of the kingdom, and had openly employed their authority in every
kind of warlike preparations, yet immediately voted, "That the king,
seduced by wicked counsel, intended to make war against his parliament,
who, in all their consultations and actions, had proposed no other
end but the care of his kingdoms, and the performance of all duty and
loyalty to his person; that this attempt was a breach of the trust
reposed in him by his people, contrary to his oath, and tending to a
dissolution of the government; and that whoever should assist him in
such a war, were traitors to the fundamental laws of the kingdom."[*]

The armies which had been everywhere raised on pretence of the service
in Ireland, were henceforth more openly enlisted by the parliament for
their own purposes, and the command of them was given to the earl
of Essex. In London, no less than four thousand men enlisted in one
day.[**] And the parliament voted a declaration, which they required
every member to subscribe, that they would live and die with their
general.

They issued orders for bringing in loans of money and plate, in order
to maintain forces which should defend the king and both houses of
parliament; for this style they still preserved. Within ten days, vast
quantities of plate were brought to their treasurers. Hardly were there
men enough to receive it, or room sufficient to stow it; and many with
regret were obliged to carry back their offerings, and wait till the
treasurers could find leisure to receive them; such zeal animated the
pious partisans of the parliament, especially in the city. The women
gave up all the plate and ornaments of their houses, and even their
silver thimbles and bodkins, "in order to support the good cause against
the malignants."[***]

* Whitlocke, p. 57. Rush. vol. v. p. 717. Dugdale, p. 93.
May, book 11. p. 54.

** Vicar