upon his ſubjects.—He not only by a long ſeries of actions, but alſo in plain terms, aſſerted an abſolute uncontrollable power; ſaying even in one of his ſpeeches to parliament, that as it was blaſphemy to diſpute what God might do; ſo it was ſedition in ſubjects to diſpute what the king might do.—Towards the end of his tyranny, he came to the houſe of commons with an armed force,[1] and demanded five of its principal members to be delivered up to him—And this was a prelude to that unnatural war which he ſoon after levied againſt his own dutiful ſubjects; whom he was bound by all the laws of honor, humanity, piety, and I might add, of intereſt alſo, to defend and cheriſh with a paternal affection—I have only time to hint at theſe facts in a general way, all which, and many more of the ſame tenor, may be proved by good authorities: So that the figurative language which St. John uſes concerning the juſt and beneficent deeds of our bleſſed Saviour, may be applied to the unrighteous and execrable deeds of this prince, viz. And there are alſo many other things which king Charles did, the which, if they ſhould be written every one, I ſuppoſe that even the world itſelf, could not contain the books that ſhould be written. Now it was on account of king Charles's thus aſſuming a power above the laws, in direct contradiction to his coronation oath, and governing the greateſt part of his time, in the moſt arbitrary oppreſſive manner; it was upon this account, that that reſiſtance was made
- ↑ Hiſtorians are not agreed what number of ſoldiers attended him in this monſtrous invaſion of the privileges of parliament. Some ſay 300, ſome 400: And the author of The Hiſtory of the Kings of Scotland, ſays 500.
