Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 3.djvu/15

CASSELL'S

ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF ENGLAND

VOLUME III.

 

KING JAMES I

CHAPTER I.

THE REIGN OF JAMES I.

James enters England—Receives Foreign Embassies—Lavish Distribution of Honours—Conspiracy against him—"The Main" and "The Bye"—Trials of the Conspirators—Execution of Watson. Clarke, and Brooke—Reprieve of Raleigh, Cobham, and Gray—Conference with Puritans—Persecution of Catholics and Puritans—Gunpowder Plot—Imprisonment of Earl of Northumberland—New Penal Code—Character of Anne of Denmark—Insurrection of the Levellers—Theobalds made over to Queen Anne by Cecil—Attempted Union of England and Scotland—Story of Arabella Stuart—Death of Prince Henry—Cave-the Scotch Favourite—Divorce of Earl and Countess of Essex—The Countess marries Carr, who is made Earl of Somerset—Rise of Villiers, the new Favourite—Arrest and Trial of Somerset and his Countess—Murder of Sir Thomas Overbury—Disgrace of Coke—Transactions with Holland—Synod of Dort—Episcopasy introduced into Scotland—Visit of James to Scotland—The Five Articles.

We open a new volume with a new dynasty, and an entirely new order of things. The direct line of the Tudors ceased in Elizabeth, and the collateral one of the Stuarts introduced the kings of Scotland to the English throne, After all the ages of conflict to unite the two kingdoms under one crown, it was effected, but in the reverse direction to that in which all the monarchs of England had striven. They had not mounted the throne of Scotland, but Scotland sent her king to rule over England. With Elizabeth and the Tudors terminated the reign of unresisted absolutism; with James commenced that mighty struggle for constitutional liberty which did not cease till it had expelled this dynasty from the throne, and placed on a firm basis the independence of the people.

With great haste various messengers flew to Scotland to announce the demise of Elizabeth; the winner in the race