Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/277

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Struggle for Constitutional Government 239 their miseries, departed out of the kingdom, some into New England and other parts of America, others into Holland. . . . This faction was grown to that height and entireness Objects of of power that now they began to think of finishing their Charles' late work, which consisted of these three parts : I. The government must be set free from all restraint of laws concerning our persons and estates. II. There must be a conjunction betw-een papists and Protestants in doctrine, discipline, and. ceremonies, only it must not yet be called popery. III. The Puritans, under which name they include all that desire to preserve the laws and liberties of the king- dom and to maintain religion in the power of it, must be either rooted out of the kingdom with force or driven out with fear. For the affecting of this it was thought necessary to Scottish reduce Scotland to such popish superstitions and innova- tions as might make them apt to join with England in that great change which was intended. Whereupon new canons and a new liturgy were pressed upon them, and when they refused to admit of them an army was raised to force them to it, towards which the clergy and the papists were very forward in their contribution. 1 wars. V. The Civil War On August 22, 1642, the king raised his standard at Nottingham, and the settlement of the deadlock between him and Parliament was intrusted to the fortunes of war. The first stage of the contest lasted until the middle of 1646. During this period the famous battles of Edge- hill (1642), Marston Moor (1644), and Naseby 2 (1645) 1 The Parliament, after enumerating the abuses here given and many others, reviews at length the legislation of preceding months by which it has sought to establish the government on a firm and legal basis. 2 A description of the battle of Naseby by a member of the Long Parliament is to be found in Kendall, Source Book, pp. 245 sqq.