culties to "make their own game." "I pray you not
to be deceived," he said, "it is not a parliamentary way, nor 'tis not a
way to deal with a king. Remember that parliaments are altogether in my
power for their calling, sitting, and dissolution; therefore as I find
the fruits of them good or evil, they are to continue or not to be."
Charles, however, was worsted in several collisions with the two houses,
with a consequent loss of influence. He was obliged by the peers to set
at liberty Thomas Howard, earl of Arundel, whom he had put into the
Tower, and to send a summons to the earl of Bristol, whom he had
attempted to exclude from parliament, while the Commons compelled him,
with a threat of doing no business, to liberate Eliot and Digges, the
managers of Buckingham's impeachment, whom he had imprisoned. Finally in
June the Commons answered Charles's demand for money by a remonstrance
asking for Buckingham's dismissal, which they decided must precede the
grant of supply. They claimed responsible ministers, while Charles
considered himself the executive and the sole and unfettered judge of
the necessities of the state. Accordingly on the 15th Charles dissolved
the parliament.

The king was now in great need of money. He was at war with Spain and
had promised to pay L30,000 a month to Christian IV. of Denmark in
support of the Protestant campaign in Germany. To these necessities was
now added a war with France. Charles had never kept his promise
concerning the recusants; disputes arose in consequence with his wife,
and on the 31st of July 1626 he ordered all her French attendants to be
expelled from Whitehall and sent back to France. At the same time
several French ships carrying contraband goods to the Spanish
Netherlands were seized by English warships. On the 27th of June 1627
Buckingham with a large expedition sailed to the Isle of Re to relieve
La Rochelle, then besieged by the forces of Louis XIII. Though the
success of the French Protestants was an object much desired in England,
Buckingham's unpopularity prevented support being given to the
expedition, and the duke returned to Plymouth on the 11th of November
completely defeated. Meanwhile Charles had endeavoured to get the money
refused to him by parliament by means of a forced loan, dismissing Chief
Justice Crewe for declining to support its legality, and imprisoning
several of the leaders of the opposition for refusing to subscribe to
it. These summary measures