his loyal subjects, which, with God's
blessing, he doubted not would recover all the rest." Collecting,
therefore, some forces, he advanced southwards; and at Nottingham he
erected his royal standard, the open signal of discord and civil war
throughout the kingdom.

* Rush. vol. v. p. 722. May, book ii. p. 54.

** Rush. vol. v, p. 728. Warwick, p, 189.

CHAPTER LVI.

CHARLES I.

{1642.} When two names so sacred in the English constitution as those of
king and parliament were placed in opposition, no wonder the people
were divided in their choice, and were agitated with the most violent
animosities and factions.

The nobility and more considerable gentry, dreading a total confusion
of rank from the fury of the populace, enlisted themselves in defence of
the monarch, from whom they received and to whom they communicated their
lustre. Animated with the spirit of loyalty derived from their ancestors
they adhered to the ancient principles of the constitution, and valued
themselves on exerting the maxims, as well as inheriting the possessions
of the old English families. And while they passed their time mostly at
their country seats, they were surprised to hear of opinions prevailing
with which they had ever been unacquainted, and which implied not a
limitation, but an abolition almost total of monarchical authority.

The city of London, on the other hand, and most of the great
corporations, took part with the parliament, and adopted with zeal those
democratical principles, on which the pretensions of that assembly were
founded. The government of cities, which even under absolute monarchies
is commonly republican, inclined them to this party: the small
hereditary influence which can be retained over the industrious
inhabitants of towns, the natural independence of citizens, and the
force of popular currents over those more numerous associations of
mankind; all these causes gave their authority to the new principles
propagated throughout the nation. Many families, too, which had lately
been enriched by commerce, saw with indignation that, notwithstanding
their opulence, they could not raise themselves to a level with the
ancient gentry: they therefore adhered to a power by whose success they
hoped to acquire rank and consideration.[*] And the new splendor and
glory of the Dutch commonwealth, where liberty so happily supported
industry, made the commercial part af the nation desire to see a like