European Pamphlets Volume 16 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1879 edition. Excerpt: ...judges to decide in favor of the king and against Hampden, in the great Ship-money case. Yet Lord Falkland stopped short of drawing his sword against the king, and fell fighting on his side at Newbury. Others there were who had joined the party of the Parliament, but who wished nothing better than a speedy peace founded upon mutual concessions; and many, no doubt, fought against the king from no dislike to monarchy, but because they could not accept such absolute monarchy as Charles appeared to consider as indispensable to his position. Some, doubtless, had an objection both to monarch and monarchy, but these were probably a small minority of the original supporters of the Parliament. Under these circumstances, the decided success of the Parliamentarian forces soon brought into prominence their existing differences, especially since the destruction of the king's power involved the construction of some alternative authority, and this necessity could not fail to create jealousies and difficulties among the victors. The Presbyterians, who preponderated in Parliament, feared and disliked the Independents, to whom the army was the chief source of strength, and with the latter Oliver Cromwell's interest was the most powerful. These are facts which we must bear in mind when we come to consider that part of Oliver's life and conduct which occupies the time between the close of the first civil war and the death of the king in January, 1649. During the first portion of this time lie seems to have endeavored to preserve the good feeling and agreement between the Parliament and the army; but, when this became impossible, he determined to control the former by means of the latter. It is very difficult to decide with accuracy upon the truth of the...