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Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 2 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
HOW MEN LIVED FOUR HUNDRED YEARS AGO .....................4
HENRY VII AND THE AGE OF DISCOVERY ...............................9
HOW HENRY VII RULED ENGLAND ......................................13
HOW HENRY VIII CHANGED THE OLD ORDER......................16
THOMAS CROMWELL AND THE MONASTERIES ......................20
VIOLENT CHANGES (1547-1558) ..........................................27
QUEEN ELIZABETH AND MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS .................34
SPAIN AND THE SEA-ROVERS ................................................37
THE SPANISH ARMADA (1588) .............................................40
THE DOINGS OF ELIZABETH'S SAILORS .................................47
ENGLAND'S GREATNESS IN THE DAYS OF ELIZABETH ...........49
THE GREAT DRAMA OF THE STUART PERIOD ........................54
ENGLAND THREE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.............................57
WHAT GUNPOWDER PLOT WAS (1605) ................................64
THE MISRULE OF THE STUARTS—JAMES I ...........................69
THE MISRULE OF THE STUARTS—CHARLES I .......................72
THE MISRULE OF THE STUARTS—ELEVEN YEARS' RULE .....75
THE STORY OF THE LONG PARLIAMENT ................................78
THE GREAT CIVIL WAR ........................................................82
TRIAL AND DEATH OF CHARLES I .........................................90
OLIVER CROMWELL AND THE COMMONWEALTH ..................93
THE REIGN OF CHARLES II ....................................................99
JAMES II AND THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION ........................104
WILLIAM III AND THE REVOLUTION SETTLEMENT ..............107
QUEEN ANNE AND MARLBOROUGH ....................................110
A REVIEW OF LIFE AND PROGRESS IN STUART TIMES .........113
THE TUDOR KINGS AND QUEENS.
SUMMARY OF CHIEF DATES ................................................116
QUESTIONS AND COMPOSITION EXERCISES.........................117

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 3 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 What was life in England like during these five reigns?
CHAPTER I We must first imagine a country without many of those modern
comforts which to-day we look upon as necessaries. To begin
with, there were no trains, no motors, no cabs, no steamers or
HOW MEN AND WOMEN LIVED FOUR bicycles. Thus people had to ride on horseback or walk or row
HUNDRED YEARS AGO on the rivers to get from one place to another. There was no
electric light or gas; so the Tudors had either to go to bed with
the sun, or work by means of candles and lamps. There were no
pavements or shops till Elizabeth's reign; the people bought and
sold on market-days in the open market or made what they
needed at home.
There were no libraries; books were expensive even for
the rich; many of the poor people were taught by the religious
orders and the clergy were largely recruited from the ranks of the
labouring classes. There were no letters or newspapers or post-
offices or pillar-boxes. Letters and messages were carried from
place to place by men on horseback, and no telegraph or
telephone wires disfigured the country.
Then again they had no tea or coffee to drink. All the
people (from monarch to peasant) drank beer; they drank beer
KING HENRY VIII, AT THE FIELD OF THE CLOTH OF GOLD. for breakfast, beer for dinner and beer for supper at six. They
had no potatoes, no cabbages, cauliflowers, carrots or lettuces;
It is always easier to grasp the great movements of they had no strawberries or rhubarb, no currants or lemons.
history when the figures moving across the ever-shifting scenes Neither had they tobacco to smoke, or soap to wash with, or
appear as real men and women; when we can picture to pencils to write with, or pianos to play.
ourselves their dress and their food, their manners and their
customs, the houses in which they lived, and the work in which And yet, without these things, which play so large a part
they were employed. Thus, and thus only can we live again in in our lives to-day, it was a "Merrie England" in the days of the
the ages that are past. Tudors, except when insurrections and religious persecution
brought misery to many homes. The monarchs delighted in the
It is four hundred and thirty years since the first Tudor rich display of pomp, in royal journeys through the land, in
began to reign. The period, known to history as the Tudor tournaments, and in Christmas revels, when England rang with
period, begins with Henry VII in 1485 and ends with Queen mirth from end to end. "Sports and fooleries, feasts and frolics,
Elizabeth in 1603. During this interval a whole family reigned in games and revels filled the joyous days from All Hallows' Eve to
turn, Henry VII, his son Henry VIII, and his three grandchildren the Feast of Pentecost."
Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 4 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 The beating of drums, the shrill blast of trumpets, the of furs, frills, ruffs and feathers; they wore doublets, or stuffed
ringing of many bells were as music in their ears. And when we garments, of gold-coloured cloth, coats of crimson satin, long
read that the musicians of Queen Elizabeth's household included hose, fur-lined hoods, rings, brooches, chains, jewelled caps and
eighteen trumpeters, seven violinists, six men who played flutes broad-toed shoes with Tudor ribbon roses on the instep. A
and six who played sackbuts, we feel there must have been some pointed beard and a large ruff marked the courtier of the
want of refinement in this matter. sixteenth century. Ruffs were also worn by women during the
reign of Elizabeth—their whole dress was stiff and unnatural.
But the people were light-hearted. Dancing was a very
They wore large round petticoats stiffened with whalebone, so
favourite amusement; every one danced, from the kings and
large round the hips that a sort of table was formed on which the
queens to the milkmaids; even grown men and women danced
arms could rest, while the upper part of the figure was squeezed
round the May-pole every May Day.
into a stiff pointed bodice with low neck and full sleeves.
They had not learnt to take pity on the suffering in those Equally elaborate were the head-dresses of the Tudor ladies, for
early days; so they saw no horrors in their favourite amusement they all wore wigs and dyed their hair in imitation of the queen.
of bear-baiting, and the pain of animals filled them with no pity.
Neither were their houses and palaces less elaborate.
They were familiar with public executions, which were
Hampton Court, built by Wolsey and given by him to Henry
performed by the local butcher on market-days, and they could
VIII, was typical of Tudor glory, containing rich tapestries,
look at martyrs burning at the stake without shrinking. It was an
cushions embroidered with gold and silver, counterpanes lined
age when different religious opinions were not tolerated, an age
with ermine. At Whitehall, famous for its library, books were
of torture by the horrible rack and thumbscrew, an age of human
bound in velvet studded with precious stones and clasped with
agony unrelieved by sympathy. "This is how we punish traitors
clasps of gold. There was no simplicity anywhere.
in England," Queen Elizabeth once informed a stranger, who had
counted three hundred heads hanging piked on London Bridge. Large four-post beds were a feature of the age; these
were made with massive pillars bearing a weight of heavy
To impress their subjects with a due respect for their
curtains edged with gold and silver lace. Small panes of glass
power, the Tudor sovereigns spent enormous sums of money on
were now used for the first time for the windows of the Tudor
display. Their clothes were magnificent, with their costly
palaces. Gardens too were laid out in front of the palaces—
splendour and brightness of colour. No King of England ever
gardens with stately terraces, broad flights of steps, vases and
rivaled Henry VIII's magnificence at the Field of the Cloth of,
fountains and yew hedges cut into strange shapes A great
Gold. No monarch, ever surpassed Queen Elizabeth in the
improvement which now became common was the use of
splendour and glory of her yearly progresses, or journeys,
chimneys to carry off the smoke. As much care was bestowed on
through the home counties from country house to country house.
the chimneys and gables as on the rest of the building, so as to
This extravagance in dress was copied; by the nobles of ensure a pleasing effect.
England. The gorgeous clothes of Wolsey rivaled those of his
Yet with all their luxuries and their wealth, and in spite
king. He wore crimson silks and satins, a tippet of costly sables,
of the picturesque gables and carved gateways of their houses, it
red silk gloves, a scarlet hat, and silver gilt shoes inlaid with
is strange to find a great want of refinement in the daily lives of
pearls and diamonds! Men in those Tudor times were as
the Tudors. They had no carpets in their rooms and their floors
particular about their dress as women. Their wardrobes were full
were covered with rushes or earth only changed once or twice a
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 5 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
year! It is true, fresh rushes were often strewn over the old ones, With all their want of cleanliness and sanitation, it is
but the smell in hot weather was almost unbearable and a hardly surprising to hear of frequent outbreaks of plague and
perfumer was called in to sweeten the air. There was dirt "sweating sickness." For the first time in history, it occurred to
everywhere: the streets were never cleaned; refuse and mud lay Tudor doctors to isolate patients to prevent infection—that is, to
about in heaps. The early Tudors seldom washed, they had no keep sick people apart to prevent the sickness from spreading.
baths; they ate with their knives and their fingers before forks They gave orders that the door of an infected house should be
came into use, though it is true that a basin of water was handed marked with a wisp, which later became a cross with the words:
round during meal-times to take the grease from their fingers. Lord have mercy upon us." A member from the plague-stricken
house had to carry a white rod for forty days, and the penalty for
concealment was death. Small-pox was very common during this
period, both among rich and poor. Elizabeth herself had it and
her dwarf lover, a French duke, was badly marked with it.

CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES AT HADDON HALL IN TUDOR DAYS.

Now this picture of social life in England four hundred

years ago has been mostly about the monarchs and nobility of
the realm. For very little was written in the Tudor period about
the poor people. During the early part of the time their lives were
very miserable, their wages very low. In country districts we are
VISITORS ARRIVING AT THE PORCH OF A MANSION, MONTACUTE,
SOMERSET, IN THE DAYS OF QUEEN ELIZABETH.
told "they were scarce able to live and pay their rents at the
proper days without selling of a cow or a horse."
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 6 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 The monasteries had looked after the poor up to the end carpets, and spices. So fast did England's foreign trade grow, that
of the fifteenth century, but with their destruction by Henry VIII after a time London became quite an important commercial
all alms and relief were stopped. The result was that beggars centre.
"increased mightily," until they became a trouble to society. At At last the Royal Exchange in the City was built by Sir
last Parliament had to deal with those who had been reduced to Thomas Gresham and opened in state by Queen Elizabeth. It was
poverty, and in the reign of Elizabeth some important Poor Laws a great brick building, roofed in slate, with galleries all round
were passed concerning the ever increasing band of paupers. containing shops, where all this foreign produce could be bought
But there was also the yeoman or farmer class, who were and sold. Here various new things were seen for the first time in
employers of labour. These played an important part in the England. Here, amongst other things, were turkeys, tobacco,
nation, before the rise of the wealthier traders of the middle potatoes, apricots and currants, beside Venetian silks and Turkey
classes, towards the end of our period. The farmers lived for the carpets, damasks, serges and stockings.
most part in houses of timber and wattled plaster—their rooms Thus merchants grew rich and prosperous and we get the
had no chimneys, they slept on straw covered with a coarse beginnings of that commercial activity which was to raise
coverlet or on a mattress of flock with a bolster of chaff. They England to such a proud position as the greatest commercial
dined off wooden plates and ate with wooden spoons. Their centre of the world at a later date.
bread was made of barley or rye, sometimes of peas, beans and
oats, for only the rich could afford wheaten bread.
We hear of the farmers' wives as patterns of industry. Not
only did they spin cloth from the wool and linen from the flax
produced on the farm, but they had to measure out the corn to be
ground. The poultry, pigs and cows were under their charge, and
they looked after the brewing and baking. The farmer's wife
grew herbs to lay on the floors and herbs for medicines, while
she might even be required to make hay, to drive the plough and
to sell butter and fowls at market.
Then we must remember that for a great part of the year
salt meat had to be eaten, for there was no food for the cattle in
winter-time. So the farmers' wives had a busy time curing and
salting their animals in the autumn.
But towards the end of our period, all the conditions of
life in England improved. The spirit of adventure that took A TUDOR HOUSE AND GARDEN&#COMPTON WYNYATES, NEAR
Elizabethan sailors to foreign lands also helped trade. Ships STRATFORD-ON-AVON.
sailed forth from London, Southampton, and Bristol, laden with It is hard to realize how difficult it was to get from place
woollen goods made in England, and returned from the to place in those days. The merchant could only transport his
Mediterranean ports laden with silks, oils, wines, Turkey wares by water or by packing them on the backs of horses. The
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 7 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
roads were almost impassable in winter and bad weather with In Elizabeth's time strict attendance at the new Church
mud and standing water. Thus every place became more or less services was insisted on. She imposed heavy fines on all who
self-contained, and had little trade with other places. As we have absented themselves for conscience' sake from them.
seen, men grew their own hay and corn, they bred their own But of the great changes in the English Church, as well
sheep and oxen. Women milked the cows, made butter and as of the New Learning, famous voyages and discoveries, the
cheese, spun their own linen and made their own clothes without defeat of the Spanish Armada and many other interesting events,
sewing machines. the following pages will tell.
There were few schools for the children of the poor.
Indeed, the suppression of the monasteries in the reign of Henry
VIII removed the centres of education where boys could learn
Latin and prepare to become priests. After this, there were
grammar schools built in some of the large towns, but still most
of the children in England were not taught to read or to write.
They were trained to use their hands, however, and were
apprenticed, sometimes at the age of seven, to carpenters,
joiners, builders, silversmiths and others.
The Tudor sovereigns were supreme. There was no
popular government, as there is to-day. There was a small House
of Lords, and a House of Commons, which assembled at the
bidding of the king or queen. The monarch could decline to let a
bill become law, even if passed by both Houses. Queen
Elizabeth declined to pass forty-eight bills out of ninety-five in
the course of her reign.
Perhaps at no period in our English history did the people
suffer from so many religious changes as they did in this Tudor
period. Yet through all the changes, we read that in the days of
the Tudors the English were a "God-fearing people, chivalrous
to women, kind to the stranger, hospitable, devoted to the queen
and willing to die for their country."
"Let your first action be the lifting up of your mind to
Almighty God in hearty prayer, with continual meditation and
thinking of Him to whom you pray," wrote Sir Henry Sidney to
his son Philip at Shrewsbury school.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 8 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 As soon as his throne was safe, Henry was anxious to
make England a real power abroad, which she could not be
CHAPTER II during the Wars of the Roses, and he did this mainly by peaceful
and tactful dealings with foreign kings and without fighting a
single battle. The time was now ripe to arrange two important
HENRY VII, COLUMBUS, AND CABOT. THE marriages which would further strengthen his position and his
AGE OF DISCOVERY family. In those days, countries were treated as if they were
princes' estates, and they often passed from one ruler to another
by marriage. So the marriages of princes and princesses were
very important events. The way in which Henry VII managed
the marriages of his children shows us much of his own
character and that of the times in which he lived. Months were
spent in deciding how much money the bride should bring to her
future husband, and Henry VII took care to gain every penny he
could in this way.
After the victory of Bosworth over Richard III, and after
the murder of the Earl of Warwick, the Spanish envoy could
report to his royal master that "not a doubtful drop of royal
blood" was left in England. So a marriage treaty with Spain
could be settled; and there was a solemn betrothal of Prince
Arthur of England and Princess Catharine of Aragon at
Woodstock, and later on the marriage was celebrated at St.
Paul's. London gave itself up for ten days to the enjoyment of
jousts and masques, mummeries and dancing, bowls and
archery, feasting and banqueting.
But Arthur died the next year, and arrangements were
THE CHILDREN OF HENRY VII. then made to betroth Catharine to the English king's second son,
Henry VII, the first Tudor sovereign, came to the throne who afterwards became Henry VIII. This alliance with Spain
in 1485, at the end of the Wars of the Roses. He was busy, lasted for forty years, until Henry VIII got tired of Catharine.
during the first twelve years of his reign, in and the making sure Let us now turn our attention to Scotland. The disorder of
of his throne; he had to put down two "pretenders," Lambert the Middle Ages lasted longer in Scotland than elsewhere. There
Simnel and Perkin Warbeck, and he determined to get rid was no unity in the country. The Lowlands were peopled by the
gradually of all those whose Yorkist blood made them dangerous children of the old Angles and Normans and were still ruled by
rivals. The young Earl of Warwick was beheaded after an feudal lords. The Highlands were the homes of the children of
imprisonment of fourteen years—his only crime was that he was the fierce old Picts and Scots and were still under the sway of
the last prince of the House of York.
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 9 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
tribal chiefs. These lords and chiefs were the real rulers of the on the seas, and now and then in set battles, especially when
country. England was at war with France. Thus, Scotland and England
were still separate kingdoms, each having its own king and fond
of fighting each other on every possible occasion.
Henry VII wisely aimed at a lasting peace with Scotland
which would end the long friendship of Scotland with France. It
was decided that Henry's daughter Margaret should be married
to the Scotch King James IV. From this marriage was descended
James VI of Scotland, who became later James I of England. In
this way Henry VII made the most important step towards the
real union of Great Britain since Parliament was set up in the
reign of Edward I.
It is not unlikely that Henry had in his mind the dream of
that Plantagenet king—a union of the two crowns—though there
could be no immediate prospect of this being realised, But under
his successors there was a break in the friendship and good
relations which Henry established with Scotland; the Scotch
were severely defeated at the battle of Flodden in Henry VIII's
reign, and there was a renewal of the long Scottish alliance with
France.
But by far the most famous events of Henry VII's reign
were the great discoveries and the great increase in trade and
commerce. English trade in those days was in its earliest and
humble stages. English ships did little more than ferry goods
across the narrow seas between this island and the Continent—
exporting Cornish tin and Derbyshire lead, and especially wool
to Flanders, and importing wine from Gascony and cloth from
Flanders. But even much of this trade, and all the trade with
distant parts, was in the hands of foreign shippers, except that
the men of Bristol carried on some business with Iceland.
THE LADY MARGARET, MOTHER OF KING HENRY VII.
But now a time of stir and adventure was beginning. In
Although kings of the House of Stuart had been on the all directions the English merchants found foreigners to oppose
Scottish throne for more than a hundred years, its kings were not them and they had to struggle hard to get a footing. The products
much stronger than some of the great Scottish lords. The of South Europe and the riches of India and China in the East
bitterness caused by Edward I's war with Scotland had never were brought to England each year in the fleets of the merchants
died out. The old quarrels went on—always on the borders and
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 10 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
of Venice. The Mediterranean trade was in the hands of the large lay beyond it, but the discovery of America soon made it a
ports of the South of Europe—Barcelona and Marseilles, Pisa highway between the Old and the New World.
and Genoa, Florence and Venice. The Baltic trade was jealously
The last quarter of the fifteenth century was a great age
guarded by the German merchants, who had their factories or of discovery. Portugal and Spain, who had for many centuries
stations all over North Europe—even so far north as at Bergen in been crusading against enemies in their own lands, now became
Norway and at Novgorod in Russia. The Steelyard, situated eager to discover new lands, and to make Christians of the
where Cannon Street Station now stands, was the Germans' heathen peoples. The sailors of Portugal ventured eastwards over
headquarters in London. The English merchants hated these the sea round the west coast of Africa towards India, While
Germans, and so strong was the feeling against the foreigners Spain made for the west in the opposite direction.
that at one time they dared scarcely show their faces in the
streets of London. The Portuguese sailors had already got as far south as the
mouth of the Gambia River in West Africa. But in the year after
But English trade and shipping was now receiving a great Henry VII came to the throne, the Portuguese sailor,
stimulus from voyages of discovery, It was in Henry VII's reign Bartholomew Diaz, got much further south and found a Cape of
that the most important discovery in all history was made— Storms, as he had good reason to call it, at the extreme southwest
when Columbus reached the Discovery; West Indies and thus coast of Africa. The supposed great wealth of India still tempted
opened the way to a New World, and won for Spain the largest the Portuguese mariners. Their king decided that the Cape of
share of the riches of this New World. Five years later, John Storms must be called the Cape of Good Hope, and twelve years
Cabot sailed into the "sea of darkness" (as the Atlantic was later Diaz found his way round South Africa right across the
called) and reached the mainland of North America, and Henry ocean to India, and the good hope was at last realised.
VII showed his interest in these wonderful over-sea voyages by
rewarding Cabot. The next year Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese Meanwhile, the famous navigator of Genoa, Christopher
mariner, found a sea-route to India round the Cape of Good Columbus, had been making up his mind that as the world was
Hope. round, it must be possible to reach India more easily by sailing
West, instead of East as the Portuguese were doing. It was now
Let us see what these great discoveries meant to Europe very important to find another and easy way to India, as the
and England. Almost all parts of the world are now known to us, hated Turks barred the way to it overland. At last, after much
except the South Pole. This makes it very difficult for us disappointment and trouble, he found a friend in the Queen of
nowadays to realise that five hundred years ago very little of the Castile (Spain). In 1492, his three little ships sailed from Palos
world was known to men in Europe. Men's exact knowledge of near Cadiz to try their fortunes on the "sea of darkness."
geography at that time did not go beyond Europe and the Columbus himself commanded the largest vessel, the Santa
countries round the Mediterranean, and the West Coast of Maria, which had a crew of fifty men. About two months from
Africa. the date of setting out, Columbus sighted a little island, which he
The huge Continent of Asia was still unknown except by thought was a part of India or Cathay (China), and the group of
hearsay and by the reports of the famous travellers of the Middle islands to which it belongs has ever since been called the "West
Ages, the brothers Polo of Venice. Their accounts of the strange Indies." But though he did not know it, he had really found a
lands they visited in the thirteenth century we can still read. The New World—America, as you will see if you look at a map of
Atlantic had been "a sea of darkness," and nobody knew what the world.
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 11 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 meet the cruel Turks. The nations therefore who could reach
India quickest by the new sea routes would now reap the rewards
of the Eastern trade. Spain drew great wealth from the newly-
found mines of America, and Portugal founded a brilliant if
short-lived empire in India and grew fat on its trade.
What was England doing while all this was going on?
She was not yet ready for her full share in the New World. For
she was troubled by the Wars of the Roses, and later on by the
religious strife of Henry VIII's reign. It was not till Elizabeth's
time that England was ready to enter the race with Spain and
Portugal, never to turn back again. But even now England
showed great interest in the story of these marvellous voyages.
Sir Thomas More goes so far as to say that books about these
discoveries were in every man's hands. Henry VII himself
helped and rewarded the Cabots, father and son.
THE SANTA MARIA, FLAGSHIP OF COLUMBUS. John Cabot was born in Genoa, but he lived his early life
It was not till after his death that men realised what the in Venice. He tried, but without success, to get Spain or Portugal
great discovery meant, and the brave Columbus was badly to help him in his adventures over the seas. So he left Venice for
treated by the nation he had made wealthy. Bristol, which was then the second town in England and the port
most interested in discoveries. This town was already famous for
These wonderful discoveries had far-reaching effects. its voyages in search of the famous "Seven Cities of the East"
Italy and the Mediterranean were no longer the centre of the and the "Island of Brazil," which were said to be immensely
world, and their great merchant cities would no longer have the wealthy.
rich trade of the East all to themselves.
Henry VII sent the Cabots on a voyage of discovery, and
Up till now the luxuries of the East—its spices, silks and the next year they returned with the report that they had found
velvets, gems and jewels, scented woods, etc.—had been land on the other side of the ocean. Whether this land was
brought to Europe overland from China and India by Arab Labrador or the Island of Newfoundland is not quite clear. They
traders. From the Arabs, these Eastern goods reached Venice by had at any rate discovered a part of the mainland of North
way of Egypt and the Red Sea, and Genoa by way of America, but they thought it was the land of the great Khan, that
Constantinople and the Black Sea. From Venice and Genoa they is, the Emperor of China.
were sent through Central Europe to the North German traders,
and by them they were handed on to the nations of the north. Think a moment what these discoveries meant in those
days! This voyage was made with one small sailing ship and
But the Turks took Constantinople in 1453 and Egypt eighteen men of Bristol. They had for many a long day and night
came under their rule some fifty years later. The European to brave without charts the terrors of unknown seas and the icy
traders were afraid to go by the old routes where they would winds, just as the men of Columbus had had to do. Then they

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 12 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
only found dreary shores where they saw no human beings,
although they did find a kind of fishing net. Well might the men CHAPTER III
of Bristol make a great fuss of Cabot on his return. "He is styled
the great Admiral," writes the Venetian envoy, "vast honour is
paid to him; he dresses in silk and the English run after him like HOW HENRY VII RULED ENGLAND AND
mad people." In the next year Cabot again crossed the ocean to PREPARED THE WAY FOR HENRY VIII
try and find a North-West Passage from Europe to India, but the
ice and the snow off the coasts of Greenland drove him back, as We have seen how King Henry VII secured his throne,
they did many another brave sailor who followed his example, how he allied himself with Spain and Scotland, and how he
even to our own days. encouraged commerce. It is now time to learn how he governed
The Cabots were not solely in the service of England. this country after the end of civil strife.
Sebastian Cabot, the son, was employed by the King of Spain, Henry did not consult Parliament very much. What the
and by the Emperor Charles V, and the Venetians; and he made country needed after the Wars of the Roses was not new laws
several voyages of discovery for them. He was map-maker to but obedience to the laws already made. Murders and riots were
King Henry VIII, who sent him to try again to discover the very frequent. The coroners neglected their duties and murderers
North-West Passage. Edward VI made this great Venetian the often escaped without punishment. Land was still being
Grand Pilot of England, and gave him a pension. The merchants enclosed—that is, the old half-acre strips of land were thrown
of London were now growing in wealth and influence, and together and hedges put round the whole so as to enclose it.
Sebastian Cabot settled a great dispute between them and the Waste lands and common lands, which belonged to the villagers,
merchants of Germany. Later came Elizabeth, who not only gave were also often enclosed or hedged in. In this way the plough
Charters to numerous trading companies, but also shared in the land was constantly being turned into sheep runs. It took fewer
gains from their voyages and in the treasure seized from Spanish men to look after the sheep than to plough the land and to sow
ships by her "sea-dogs." and reap the corn; so the dispossessed villagers and discharged
Thus all the Tudor sovereigns showed their interest in the ploughmen had nothing to do but to join the large crowd of
new lands and new trades across the great ocean. All this time, wandering beggars. Sometimes the peasants, in their anger at
ships were being made, and sailors and pilots were being trained. enclosures, would pull down the hedges and fill in the ditches
Such were the tiny beginnings of our great Empire. which had been made when the land was enclosed for sheep
runs.
A visitor to England from Venice wrote that there were
more thieves and robbers in England at this time than in any
other country in the world. Few people, he said, dared go alone
into the country except in the middle of the day, and fewer still
dared go out in the towns at night, and least of all in London.
Henry VII tried to deal with these disorders. It was the
duty of the Justices of the Peace—who were gentlemen with

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landed estates—to help to rule the country districts. These men Henry used the middle class rather than the nobles to
were now made to do their duty in a better way, and to keep the help him in his work. The nobles could spend their time at his
ale-houses in order, where men played cards and dice, and bowls court in gay pageants, tournaments or tilting matches, and other
and tennis. A law was also made that beggars were to be set in amusements, such as hunting and hawking. But the king chose
the stocks for three days, for it was found much too costly to his servants from the clergy and lawyers, "vigilant men and
keep all these wanderers in prisons. secret, and such as kept watch with him upon almost all other
men," says Bacon.
If Henry did not often call Parliament, where did he get
the money for the expenses of his government, for fighting his
foes, and for the safe-guarding of the sea? His first Parliament
gave him tonnage and poundage for life, that is, the old taxes on
commerce. This Parliament also gave him power to get back all
crown lands which had been granted away since the Wars of the
Roses began. This was a handsome present, for many of the old
crown lands had passed into other hands during these wars.
Henry, as king, also took the property of his enemies who had
been accused of treason against him. For in those days, when a
baron or great landholder rebelled, or was on the losing side in a
battle, his property was confiscated or taken over by the king.
When Henry wanted further funds, he tried all other
kinds of ways to get money. His favourite trick was to ask for
free-will offerings from the wealthy, which they had to give
whether they liked it or not. When Henry invaded France, he
gave orders that "the sparing were to be pressed for money
because they saved, and the lavish because they spent."
Another device for getting money was by fines. Henry
was once visiting his friend the Earl of Oxford, when the earl
drew up his little army of retainers to line the route in honour of
the king. But this broke the king's law against the keeping of
armed retainers. The king enjoyed the earl's good fare, but
before parting he said to him : "My lord, I thank you for your
good cheer, but I may not have my laws broken in my sight; my
attorney must speak with you." The earl was fined £10,000!
AN ENTERTAINMENT IN THE HALL AT OCKWELLS, BERKSHIRE, IN THE
TIME OF HENRY VII. In Henry's later days, after the death of his wife
Elizabeth, people were made to pay fines, for all sorts of

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offences, by his hated agents Empson and Dudley. These men who were priests but all whose work was reckoned to be in any
were looked upon as "ravening wolves, horseleeches and way ecclesiastical. As the punishments which the Church
shearers," from whom no man was safe. It was the greedy and inflicted were lighter than the very severe penalties by which the
crafty Henry VII who through these men started that state king tried to enforce order, it was possible for criminals
robbing and pillaging which went on in the next two reigns. sometimes to evade the punishments which most men thought
What with the Star Chamber (a new court to deal with the their crimes warranted.
nobles) and Henry's demands for fines and loans, the great men Towards the end of Henry's reign some famous men, like
of England had indeed a hard time of it, and many of them found Sir Thomas More, thought it was better that the king should be
themselves made so poor that they were imprisoned for debt. the responsible authority for maintaining justice and order in his
Henry's chief vice was greed. He knew that he and his kingdom, and viewed with approval the limitation of the rights
son could not be free from the control of Parliament unless they of sanctuary and benefit of clergy, as they were less necessary in
had a well-filled treasury. But he could spend when he thought it the sixteenth than they had been in the twelfth century.
worth while, as indeed is shown by the building of his beautiful In the general decay of the Church organization at the
chapel in Westminster Abbey, where his body rests. He close of the Middle Ages other abuses had crept in, which
encouraged traders and craftsmen, and so, while he kept the earnest churchmen desired to have remedied. In Britain some of
nobles poor in order to break their power, the country generally the clergy entered the service of great noblemen and landowners,
prospered. and were more devoted to getting in the rents for their masters
We have seen that the power of the king got stronger and than to their spiritual duties. The monasteries, too, had grown
stronger during Henry's reign. He was able to deal many blows very wealthy, being amongst the largest landowners in the
at the great nobles, and we shall see that his son Henry VIII tried country. Prosperity had made certain abbots worldly in their
to bring the clergy and the Church also under the rule of the outlook, so that they set a bad example in exacting high rents,
king. and in enclosing common fields to extend still further the
production of the high quality of wool for which English farmers
The Church claimed certain old privileges which
and some of the monasteries in particular were famous. On the
sometimes interfered with the course of justice, as did the old
other hand, the monasteries still performed a useful service in
privileges of the great lords. In England the Pope insisted,
relieving the poor, and maintaining schools and libraries.
among other things, that (1) clergymen who were guilty of
crimes should be tried as a rule only in the Church Courts, and Henry VII sent Sir Edward Poynings to Ireland as Lord
that (2) the king's officers could not arrest people in churches. Deputy, and the new governor applied his master's policy of
The first of these claims was known as Benefit of Clergy and the curbing the nobles by prohibiting maintenance of large retainers,
second as Right of Sanctuary. Anyone then who could claim that and getting the statute passed known as Poynings' Law, which
he was a clergyman could insist on trial in the Church Courts, forbade the Irish parliament from passing any laws which had
and anyone who fled to a church was safe from the king's not received the king's approval.
officers. Henry VII died at the age of fifty-two in 1509. Although
This independence of the clergy was, of course, liable to his reign has no great event like the Armada, he did important
be abused by scoundrels. Clergymen included not only those work for England, and without it the glories of the reign

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 15 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
Elizabeth would not have been possible. He not only united
England, but he prepared also for future union with Scotland. He CHAPTER IV
was, certainly a tyrant, crafty and greedy, and he ruled the
barons with a rod of iron. But he took care that there should not
be a whole host of other tyrants to trouble the land. He found HOW HENRY VIII CHANGED THE OLD
England weak and cut off from all influence in Europe, and he ORDER; OR THE BREACH WITH ROME
left her strong and ready to take the first place.
Henry VII was succeeded on the throne by his son Henry
VIII, whose reign is one of the most important in English
History.
His first minister was Thomas Wolsey; he was the son of
an Ipswich wool merchant, and soon all Europe was ringing with
his fame. So much power did he obtain that it was said he "ruled
both the King and the whole realm." Honors were heaped upon
him; he was made in quick succession Archbishop of York and
Chancellor by the King, and Cardinal and Papal Legate (or
Ambassador) by the Pope,
So long as he was useful to his royal master, his power
and influence increased; but so soon as he could not carry out
the King's wishes, he fell from power. Henry VIII grew tired of
his first wife, Catharine of Aragon, and fell in love with her
maid Anne Boleyn; so Henry sought from the Pope, as supreme
judge in Canon Law, that is the law of the Church, a declaration
that his marriage with Catharine, his brother's widow, was not
valid, or sound in law. This the Pope refused, but he appointed
judges to hear the evidence. As Wolsey failed to get the divorce,
Henry VIII soon found some pretext to have him arrested.
Before he could be tried, he fell ill and died suddenly at
Leicester Abbey.
Henry VIII now determined to try other methods—to get
his way with or without the Pope.
From the days of William the Conqueror, English kings
had on many occasions tried to limit the power of the Church in
this country. The Church, however, invariably resisted these
encroachments on her privileges, but frequently agreed to a
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 16 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
working arrangement by which the king's legitimate interests now we have well seen that they are but half our subjects."
might be safeguarded. This happened, as you will remember, in Henry VIII determined to finish the work of Henry II, who
the dispute between Henry I and Anselm respecting the quarrelled with Becket about the rights of the Church. The
investiture of bishops. clergy should be put severely under him, just as the nobles had
been.
The Parliament that assembled in 1529 was one of the
most important in our history. The same year was also a
landmark in the history of Europe, for it was then that the
followers of the German monk Luther became Protestants. That
is, they took what was then the strong step of "protesting"
against the Emperor's decree against Luther, which made all
religious changes in Germany unlawful. Luther had already
made serious attacks on the Pope and burned before a large
crowd, the papal bull issued against him.
This Long Parliament was not chosen freely like the
Parliaments in our day. The king sent down letters ordering the
electors to choose certain persons named by him. A Parliament
so elected was bound to be favourable to the king and willing to
carry out the wishes of such a strong ruler as Henry had proved
himself to be.
At its very first meeting, Parliament attacked the clergy
and limited their fees. The clergy replied that the "Commons
WOLSEY'S ARRIVAL AT LEICESTER ABBEY. seek the goods, not the good, of the Church."
By the time Wolsey's career had ended, Henry VIII had The next year there was no meeting, for Henry tried once
learned how great were his powers. He had now made up his more to get the Pope to divorce him. But the Pope was
mind to get rid of Catharine, so that he might marry Anne immovable. The Emperor Charles would not be bribed by
Boleyn. To get his way, he was determined to subject the Church Henry, for he was not, he said, a merchant to sell the honour of
and, the clergy to his own authority and continue to be the his aunt (Queen Catharine). The queen herself stood up
absolute ruler not only of the State but of the Church also. passionately for her rights—"Go where I will, I shall still be his
So far he had worked with the Pope. Now he intended to lawful wife."
become master of Parliament and of the Church, and through Two new advisers to the king now came to the front.
these to threaten the Pope. If, after many threats, the Pope would One, Thomas Cranmer, had been a chaplain in the Boleyn
not divorce him, then he would have no more of the Pope in family, and had suggested to the king that he should find out
England. "Well-beloved subjects," said the king, "we thought what the universities of Europe thought about his divorce.
that the clergy of our realm had been our subjects wholly, but
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 17 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 Cranmer now became archbishop, and the foremost of far as the law of Christ allows, supreme head of the Church,"
the Reformers in England. He was a man of great caution and and to agree to make no new Church laws without the king's
succeeded in winning Henry's confidence completely. He consent. The first great blow was thus struck at the freedom of
wanted the king, rather than the Pope, to be supreme in the the Church, and the king took the Pope's place in the English
Church in England. He believed that it was best that the King of Church.
England should be the sole lord in his own land, and now helped At the next session, the king carried the war against the
the king to become supreme. Pope still further, for he would not allow anything or anybody to
thwart his will and desires. The clergy were at last under his
thumb. Henry now had a law passed that the clergy should no
longer pay their first year's incomes to the Pope, as had been the
custom for many centuries. But the Pope was still the Emperor's
prisoner. The next year Henry took the law into his own hands
and married Anne Boleyn. Soon afterwards, Archbishop
Cranmer declared that the marriage with Catharine was void
from the first. At the end of the year, the Princess Elizabeth was
born and the Pope excommunicated both her parents. It seemed
as if a crusade of Catholic nations would be sent against Henry,
but the Emperor and the King of France were too busy with their
own quarrels to march against England.
Parliament had already passed a law against the right of
the clergy to appeal from the English courts to the Pope at
LUTHER BURNING THE POPE'S BULL AT WITTENBERG. Rome. The clergy could therefore no longer ask a foreign court
to protect them, and the King of England was supreme over all
The other new favourite, Thomas Cromwell, gave the
in his own realm. At last the Pope gave his sentence against
king a hint that he might first make himself master of the Church
Henry, amid great rejoicings and the firing of cannon at Rome.
and then get it to divorce him. Cromwell, like Wolsey of old,
But the crafty Henry knew how to take his revenge. In the fifth
soon began to rule in everything concerning Church and State.
and most famous meeting of this Parliament, the breach with the
The next year, in the Long Parliament's second session, Pope was made final.
the first step was taken to make the king head of the Church,
An Act was passed declaring that Anne Boleyn's children
and, as he hoped, to frighten the Pope to do what he wanted. The
should succeed to the throne, thus shutting out Mary, the
nation was now accused of breaking the same law as Wolsey had
daughter of Catharine. Then came an Act of Supremacy, which
broken, for they had recognised. Wolsey as the Pope's Legate. It
summed up all the previous laws against the clergy and the
made no difference to this self-seeking king that he himself had
Pope. The king became the "only Supreme Head on earth of the
asked the Pope to make Wolsey legate. The king pretended to
Church of England," and all the powers and wealth in England
pardon the nation, but the clergy had to buy their pardon by
which once belonged to the Pope now passed to the king.
paying him huge sums. They were also made to call Henry "as

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 18 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 But Henry could not allow anybody to differ from him, and were always ready to help themselves to bribes and to the
for fear the people should rebel against his new power. A new gold and silver crosses of the abbeys and monasteries.
and terrible Treasons Act was passed, thundering out terrible
Their visits were paid to the numerous monasteries very
and hideous penalties against those who should even suggest in hurriedly in a single summer, and their reports were so bad that
speaking or writing that the king was a heretic or a tyrant. they were called the Black Book.
The king still called himself the Defender of the Faith, The monks were looked upon as the soldiers of the Pope
and said that there was no separation in England from the and the abbeys were so many of his garrisons in this country.
Catholic faith of all Christian countries, though the Pope had no The king and his advisers therefore thought they were very
more power here. dangerous to the king's rule over the Church. It was claimed that
Thomas Cromwell now became Vicar-General of the the smaller houses were of little use, and in some cases there
Church, and acted as chief officer over both Church and State. may have been vice.
He was not slow to show what the king's supremacy meant. A All was now ready for Parliament to condemn the
visit to all churches, monasteries, and colleges was decided monasteries. Cromwell took steps to inflame the citizens of
upon, but it was the turn of the monasteries first. London against the monks by giving them numerous pamphlets
For many centuries, the abbeys and monasteries had done and sermons. The king told the House of Commons "that he
a most important work for the country. They helped the poor in would either have the Bill or some of their heads." So the Long
the days before workhouses; they tended the sick, and acted as Parliament at its last meeting passed an Act destroying the
doctors; they were the only inns for travellers, both rich and smaller monasteries. The people fondly hoped that when the
poor. They acted as bankers, taking care of valuables. They were king had got the wealth of the abbeys there would be fewer taxes
pioneer farmers and wool-traders; and for many centuries they to pay. But although about three hundred and seventy-six houses
had been the centres of learning and education. were destroyed, most of the wealth went to the king and his
friends.
However, no chronicler existed in the abbeys in Henry's
days. The abbeys were very wealthy; the king and others cast By the destruction of the abbeys, poverty and misery
longing eyes on their possessions. Vague charges were made were increased. The poor lost some of their best friends, and
against the abbeys, that many of the monks were idle and lazy, some ten thousand people, monks and their dependents, lost their
that their charity had been carelessly given, that thereby "sturdy living. The poor nuns were cast adrift with a gown apiece, and
vagabonds were encouraged," and these vagabonds were the others fared not much better. The wealth of the monks went to
plague of the country-side. With the rise of the middle class, make new nobles, who would therefore have a lasting though
there were many men who saw with envy and greed the broad selfish interest in the breach with Rome. In this way the
acres of the abbeys, and these men would be only too glad to Reformation would not be undone.
share in the plunder. This memorable Parliament had now finished its work.
So Cromwell sent some men round to the monasteries to Henry VIII had compelled the clergy and the nation to make him
report to them of their condition. But these men were dishonest supreme ruler in the Church as well as in the State, and the
and untrustworthy. They thought most of pleasing their master, greatest change in our history had now been effected. With all its
cruelty, hard-heartedness and pillaging, we should not nowadays
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 19 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
call the Age of the Reformation a religious age. Still we must
take care not to judge by modern ideas the doings of three
hundred years ago. There were many devout people then as now, CHAPTER V
and the services of the old Church still held sway over the hearts
of the nation.
There existed a strong religious life and feeling; even
THOMAS CROMWELL AND THE
memories of the teachings of Wycliffe and of the Lollards had DESTRUCTION OF THE MONASTERIES
never been quite lost. These memories were now being revived
and strengthened by the teachings of the German Reformer Sir Thomas More had given Cromwell good advice when
Luther which were gradually becoming known in this country. he entered, the King's Council. "Master Cromwell, you are now
entered in the service' of a most noble, wise, and liberal prince.
If you will follow my poor advice, you shall, in your counsel-
giving to his Grace, ever tell him what he ought to do, but never
what he is able to do. For if the lion knew his own strength, hard
were it for any man to rule him."
The lion already knew his strength. He had used
Cromwell to help him to cast off the Pope and had so taken the
first and greatest step towards forming a National Church. The
time was now come when he would show the nation that
LANTERN OF TEH EARLY TUDOR PERIOD.
everybody—whether clergyman, noble, or the humblest follower
of Wycliffe or Luther, nay even Parliament itself—must bend to
the king's will.
A terrible reign of terror, such as England fortunately has
seldom if ever known in her history, marks this gloomy middle
period of Henry VIII's reign. Cromwell now took steps, at his
master's bidding, to "tune the pulpits"; that is, priests were
compelled to preach such sermons as should cause men to
favour the king's rule over the Church. Schoolmasters were
made to revile the Pope in the presence of their scholars.
Cromwell's spies were all over the country, ready to report to
their master every word, written or spoken, which could be
regarded as an offence. Erasmus might well say that "men felt as
though a scorpion lay beneath every stone."
One of the first martyrs for the old Church was Elizabeth
Barton, known as the Holy Maid of Kent. Although only a

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 20 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
servant, she became famed for her saintliness. Miracles were More became Chancellor and the chief minister of Henry VIII,
said to be done by her, and she had the gift of prophecy. In those but he soon resigned.
days people were much disturbed by what was passing and
perhaps easily believed the prophecies of such a far-famed
person. She spoke against the divorce and predicted the king's
death. This could have a very dangerous effect on the nation at
such a time of ferment. The king decided that she must be
executed and made an example to others.
Bishop Fisher and Sir Thomas More were accused of
knowing of her predictions and not revealing them to the king,
who tried to have them both condemned as traitors without a
trial. But Parliament would not agree to this.
Now More was one of the most learned and best known
men in England. When he was young he had prepared himself
for a religious life by scourging himself with rods, and wearing a
hair shirt and sleeping upon bare boards. He did not, however,
become a priest, but he gained great fame not only as a lecturer
and author, but also as a lawyer and statesman. "What did
Nature," wrote Erasmus, "ever fashion daintier, sweeter, or
happier than the character of Thomas More?" In the early years
of his reign, Henry VIII was very devoted to More. He used
often to visit and dine with More in his house at Chelsea,
walking in his garden with his arm round More's neck.
But More knew the character of his royal friend. "I have
no cause to be proud of the king's friendship," said More to his
son-in-law Roper, "for if my head would win him a castle in
France, it should not fail to go."
Wolsey made him Speaker in the House of Commons,
and as Speaker, More showed his great courage to do what was
SIR THOMAS MORE ON HIS WAY TO THE TOWER AFTER BEING
right. When Wolsey went in all his pomp to the House of SENTENCED TO DEATH.
Commons to demand a great grant of money for the king, the SIR THOMAS MORE, FORMERLY CHANCELLOR TO HENRY VIII, WOULD NOT
Speaker was not afraid to stand up for the rights of Parliament. ACKNOWLEDGE THE KING AS HEAD OF THE CHURCH. HE WAS SENT TO THE
"Would you had been in Rome, Master More, when I made you TOWER AND AFTERWARDS TAKEN TO WESTMINSTER HALL TO BE TRIED, AND
Speaker," remarked Wolsey afterwards. After Wolsey's fall, WAS THERE CONDEMNED TO DEATH. AFTER THE TRIAL, WHEN HE WAS
BEING TAKEN BACK TO THE TOWER, HIS DAUGHTER, MARGARET, BROKE
THROUGH THE GUARDS TO EMBRACE HIM.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 21 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 As a loyal subject of the king, he was quite ready now to
accept Anne Boleyn as queen. But neither he nor Bishop Fisher
could take the oath which Henry demanded, because they truly
believed that the Pope was the Vicar of Christ on earth, and that
Henry could not be the Head of the Church. It was a very serious
thing for the king to be opposed by men like Fisher and More,
whose learning and piety were renowned through Europe.
All possible means, fair and foul, were taken to compel
these two brave and good men to call Henry Head of the Church.
Bishop Fisher was the old friend of the Tudor family. But he had
been fearless in supporting Catharine and the liberty of the
Church. Neither of these men would go against his conscience,
and the king at last had them both executed—to the horror and
disgust of all Europe. "Had we been master of such a servant,"
said the Emperor Charles when he heard of More's death, "we
would rather have lost the best city of our lands than have lost
such a worthy councillor." AN OLD VIEW OF TEH CHARTERHOUSE.

The friars at this time did most of the preaching in the Meanwhile, Luther's teachings were spreading in the
country. All their houses were now visited, so that they might country. Heresy, (which Henry considered the 'reformed'
take the oath acknowledging Henry as Head of the Church. teachings of Christianity') was very common, especially in the
Many of them submitted. eastern counties, where a great many Flemish weavers had
The monks of the famous Abbey of the Charterhouse in settled, for (it was said) every weaver was a heretic. All over the
London were the most renowned and the most pious in the country, Lollard and Lutheran books were secretly read. More
country. These stood their ground against the self-willed king, preaching went on in the villages than was ever known before,
just as Fisher and More had done. Their prior, everywhere for sermons had seldom been heard except at Lent. Men in the
known for the beauty and piety of his character, was sent to the towns gathered together in the ale-houses to discuss the
Tower. Cromwell compelled a jury to say that the prior and his Scriptures rather than to drink ale, as they used to do.
brethren were guilty, and these pious, noble men were hanged, The burning of forbidden books and of heretics went on
drawn, and quartered at Tyburn, in accordance with the as usual. Some Cambridge gospellers, devoted to the study of
barbarous custom of those days. the Bible, were burnt by the Bishop of Norwich. Tyndale
Thus the most learned and pious men in the realm were offended Henry by calling the Bible the "Head of the Church."
struck down. Men had almost lost their most simple rights of The heretics used his English New Testament, and Henry took
liberty. Not even Henry VIII could persuade his Parliament to care that he too should suffer burning, even though he was living
agree to this butchery without a good deal of murmuring and in Flanders.
questioning.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 22 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 All these changes and troubles caused much discontent in Everywhere the clergy were terrified of the king. The
the country, especially in the North and West. There were fewer poor had lost some good friends in the monks. The nobles hated
towns and roads in those parts, new ideas spread more slowly the new men, such as Cromwell, in the council. Cromwell was
than in the South, and so the North the North and West remained told to his face that he was the cause of all this rebellion and
the most backward and West districts till the days of steam and wickedness, and that he was daily trying to strike off men's
factories in the nineteenth century. And as there were fewer heads.
roads and larger wastes, the monasteries were very badly missed His servants were at this time roaming all over England,
by travellers. destroying beautiful abbeys, taking away their valuables, tearing
the lead off the roofs and pulling down the bells to sell them to
the highest bidders. The storm now burst, first in Lincolnshire,
where thirty-seven abbeys had been destroyed, then in
Yorkshire, where no less than fifty-three abbeys had been
spoiled. These two counties had been in the midst of all this
terrible havoc.
The men of Louth, in Lincolnshire, seized the king's
officer, put his register on the bonfires, and ordered all the
English Testaments to be burnt, for they were afraid of heresy.
The movement spread throughout the county. The king sent his
ambassador to say he was horrified that his business should be
stopped by the "rude commons of one shire, and that the most
beastly and brute in the whole realm." The ringleaders Were
captured and some fifty were gibbeted in the various towns of
Lincolnshire.
In the same year a much more serious rising took place in
Yorkshire and soon spread to all the northern counties. This was
called the Pilgrimage of Grace: Men complained that their
abbeys had been destroyed. Their kind landlords, the abbots, had
been turned adrift; and now there was no one to build them
bridges and highways and provide meat for strangers. The men
of the North hated heresy and image-breaking, and loathed
Cromwell and his men, but they stated that they were thoroughly
loyal to their king.
These pilgrim rebels wore as a badge the Five Wounds of
Christ. They lit beacons all over the wolds, and rang the church
TYNDALE TRANSLATING THE NEW TESTAMENT INTO ENGLISH. bells to tell their friends of their rising. Led by a brave young

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 23 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
lawyer named Robert Aske, they marched through Yorkshire, The men of the North had taken up the cause of the
York and Hull opened their gates to them, and with an army of monks, and Cromwell and his master now decided that the larger
thirty thousand men they reached Doncaster. Here they were met monasteries must share the fate of the smaller. The Long
by the king's forces, and after some discussions, pardons were Parliament had specially, spared them because of their "good
offered them. conduct," Yet it was now given out that they were to be
destroyed because of the "slothful and ungodly lives of the
monks." Most of the, monks submitted; those who did not were
accused of wickedness or treason.

BRIDGE ON THE URE, IN YORKSHIRE, BUILT IN TEH REIGN OF HENRY

VIII.

But the faithless king did not keep his word, and there
wasp a second rising. A terrible and barbarous revenge was now
taken. The king told his officers that the people of every rebel THE GREAT GATE OF READING ABBEY.
town, village, and hamlet were to be hanged up on the trees, and
their heads were to be set up in every town. They were to do this The brave and noble abbots of Reading, Colchester, and
without pity or respect. Abbots, friars, landowners—all the Glastonbury would not give in to the cruel king. They were
leaders of this religious crusade, were executed. Seventy-four accused of treason, and a sham trial was held.
rebels were hanged in Carlisle alone. Some of the finest abbeys, In reality they were murdered by the king and Cromwell.
including the magnificent Furness Abbey in Lancashire, were We can still see Cromwell's notebook, in which he had written
now destroyed by the king's orders. "The Abbot of Glaston to be tried at Glaston, and to be executed
Henry VIII had thus, in his cruel and heartless way, there." This saintly old abbot, whose only offence was that he
crushed out the first serious rebellion in England since the days had obeyed his conscience, was actually tied to a hurdle and
when the Cornishmen marched to Blackheath some fifty years dragged past his abbey, and then beheaded on the hill near the
before. village.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 24 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 Some six hundred and sixteen abbeys were handed over Although Cromwell had only just been made Earl of
to the king. In lands and rents they were worth about twenty Essex for getting rid of the abbeys, he was now condemned for
million pounds, reckoned in our money. Men hoped again that treason and heresy. The king had him executed without a trial—
taxes would not be wanted, that the poor would be provided for, in the same way as others had been executed.
and that new schools and bishoprics would be founded. The
Navy was indeed strengthened, and half a dozen new bishoprics
were founded. But, as before, most of the wealth went to the
king and his courtiers, and new nobles and landlords grew fat on
the property of the monasteries. Such men would take care that
the English Reformation should never be undone. The thirty-one
mitred abbots no longer sat in the House of Lords, and for the
first time the other nobles had a majority in that House.
And this was the end of the monastic system in England.
There is scarcely a town or village in this land where we cannot
still find traces and sometimes beautiful remains of the splendid
abbeys of the Middle Ages. The monasteries had done a great
work in the land. The destruction of the larger abbeys was one of
the blackest deeds in this cruel reign, and many noble men and
women were made to suffer terrible hardships through no fault
of their own.
On account of Henry's treatment of the Church, the Pope
expected that France, Scotland and the Emperor would combine
to attack England. The terrible Henry replied to the Pope by
destroying the family and relatives of the man who was trying
hard to bring about this European invasion. This was Cardinal
Pole, once Henry's friend and now his bitterest foe. Pole's aged
mother, the Countess of Salisbury, was thrown into prison, and
two years later she was beheaded without a trial—perhaps the
most wicked and cruel crime of this reign. Both at the beginning and the end of Henry's reign there
was war with France and Scotland. His most successful martial
The king also beheaded Anne Boleyn, the mother of achievement was the invasion of France in 1512, when he routed
Elizabeth, and the very next day he married Jane Seymour. Jane the French cavalry at the Battle of Spurs. That was in his young
died soon after the birth of her son, Prince Edward. Cromwell days, when he took great delight in manly and warlike exercises.
then persuaded Henry to marry a German princess, Anne of He was then fond of tennis and archery and skilled in the use of
Cleves, who was a follower of Luther. The famous artist, the sword; armour that he wore is still in existence.
Holbein, had painted a flattering picture of her, but Henry
disliked her from the first, and soon got her to retire.
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 25 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 Scotland was humbled at the Battle of Flodden. The forced loans and made men pay "free-will offerings" or
French king later tried to secure the friendship of Henry, but the benevolences; and yet he was always in want of money.
famous meeting between the two kings at the gorgeous Field of
We may all agree with a great historian that Henry VIII
the Cloth of Gold came to nothing. It is to Henry's credit that was a man of iron will and determined purpose, and a man who
throughout his reign he kept England free from the horrors of would have been infinitely greater and better and more fortunate
civil war and from foreign invasion—at a time, too, when there if he would have lived for his people and not for himself. That
was very real danger of both. This had a beneficial effect on the he was able to retain the respect of his people, and even the love
trade of the country, and in spite of his many acts of cruelty, of many of them, was due to the fact that in a great measure he
Henry retained his popularity to the end of his days. was like themselves—free, open, and merry, with a hearty
friendly manner towards rich and poor alike.
"The habits of all classes," says Froude (a famous
modern writer on this period), "were open, free, and liberal. We
read of 'merrie England' of these days and of the glory of
hospitality, by the rules of which all tables, from the table of the
freeholder to the table of the baron's hall and abbey refectory,
were open at dinner-hour to all comers, without constraint or
reserve. To every man according to his degree there was free
beer and free lodging; bread, beef, and beer for his dinner; for
his lodging perhaps only a mat of rushes in a spare corner of the
hall, with a billet of wood for a pillow, but freely offered and
freely given; the guest probably fared much as his host fared,
neither worse nor better. There was little fear of abuse of such
licence; for any man found at large, and unable to give a
sufficient account of himself, there were the ever-ready parish
stocks or town gaol.
"The hour of rising, winter and summer, was four
o'clock, with breakfast at five. In the country every unknown
COMPLETE SUIT OF ARMOR OF THE TIME OF HENRY VIII. face was challenged and examined; if the account given was
But Henry's reign was very wasteful. It is said that he insufficient, he was brought before the justice. Thieves were
took more money from the realm than all his predecessors on the then hanged so fast, Sir Thomas More tells us, that there were
throne. He plundered no less than six hundred monasteries, sometimes twenty on one gibbet. If the village shop-keeper sold
ninety guilds, and one hundred and ten hospitals. He took bad wares, if the village cobbler made 'unhonest' shoes, if
pensions from France, he issued coins which were not up to servants and masters quarreled, all used to be looked after by the
standard value, and he made poor men suffer thereby. He raised justice. At twelve the country gentleman, the justice of the
peace, dined; after dinner he went hunting, or to his farm."

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 26 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 Throughout all the changes of this and the succeeding
reigns the country gentleman remained a power in the land. It
was he who chiefly benefited from the material destruction CHAPTER VI
wrought by the Reformation. Some of the old abbeys, in the
hands of their new owners, were transformed into luxurious
mansions. While the Reformers pulled down Gothic churches THE PROTESTANT EDWARD VI AND THE
and monasteries, the country gentlemen built palatial houses for CATHOLIC QUEEN MARY; VIOLENT
themselves in a new style derived from Italy.
CHANGES (1547-1558)
EDWARD VI (1547-1553)

Edward VI was only nine when his father, Henry VIII,

died, and the story of his six years' reign is a story of disorder
and misrule. But it was not the boy's fault; he was like clay in the
hands of his ministers. His father had appointed him, in his will,
a council of advisers, in which men of moderate views evenly
balanced the extreme men. Unfortunately, there was not a single
man strong and wise enough to rule the country in such difficult
times.
For the first three years of the reign, Edward's uncle,
Hertford, now created Duke of Somerset, managed to get the
lead. In this short time he ruined the of attempts made by
AFTER THE DISSOLUTION: WROXTON ABBEY, OXFORDSHIRE, AT THE
Edward's father and grandfather to bring Scotland closer to
END OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. England, and he went to war with France. In 1549 there was in
the West a great rising against the imposition of the new
religion; this rising was put down with the utmost barbarity.
After Somerset's fall, Warwick, Duke of
Northumberland, took his place, and intrigued to get his own
daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey, recognised as the young king's
successor. She was Edward's cousin, and being Lady Jane very
fond of Lady Jane, he was persuaded to give his consent to settle
the crown on her. Somerset was at least a sincere Protestant, and
he had real sympathy with the poor, though he was a weak but
not a cowardly man. Of Northumberland it is difficult to say
anything that is good. Under both men the real power was in the

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 27 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
hands of a set of grasping, selfish, hard-hearted nobles, who The Protestant religious teachers of the time were sincere
"embezzled, plotted, and misgoverned" while pretending to and well-meaning men, but the actual men who carried out whop
reform the Church and to found a purer religion. these violent changes were nothing but greedy rogues.
"Thousands became gospellers for the sake of the Church lands,"
As soon as the late king's strong hand was removed, a
said Latimer, the greatest of the Protestant Reformers, who did
crowd of foreign Protestant teachers burst into the country. The
not hesitate to denounce the Government. In one of his sermons
robber nobles, who formed the Government, took advantage of
Latimer told the Court that "we of the clergy had too much, but
the turmoil, and proceeded to rob the Church still further.
now we have too little. Schools are not maintained, the
Another reign of terror began. The, young king was fond of
preaching office decays. The gentry take the profits of the
learning and of study, and his teachers had made him a strong
Church, and benefices (church livings) are given to servants for
and sincere Protestant. But he was not able to restrain his wicked
keeping of hawks, hounds, and horses. The clergy are forced to
nobles, who spoiled the churches while pretending to reform
put themselves into gentlemen's houses and serve as clerks of
religion.
kitchens, surveyors, or receivers of rents."
A royal visitation of all churches was ordered in 1547,
with the object of eradicating all Catholic usages. Processions
were forbidden; new communion tables of wood were set up
instead of the old stone altars. Images and pictures and precious
manuscripts were destroyed; the plate and valuables of the
churches were looted. Beautiful old painted windows, which
could never be replaced, were smashed. The people naturally
hated all this destruction of what they regarded as sacred and
precious relics, which their forefathers had loved. Many of the
treasures in the parish churches had been made by their
ancestors' own hands, for they had loved to work for and adorn
the churches in which they worshipped. Almost every church,
large or small, lost some treasure in the great pillage of Edward
VI's reign.
But that was not all. The property of hospitals was taken
away from them, and even the guilds were robbed. These guilds KING EDWARD VI. AND HIS COUNCIL.
were clubs for self-help, to which artisans and other workers The whole country was in a wretched state. The violent
paid their savings, so that they and their families might not be changes, not only in religion but also in village farming, were
left without help when sickness or death or other troubles upsetting home-life everywhere. Enclosures of village lands and
overtook them. Henry VIII had destroyed the monks, the friends of commons had been going on at a rapid rate, and many tenants
of the poor and needy, and now Edward VI's robber nobles took had been turned out, and many of the new landlords were
away the funds of the people's mutual help societies. harsher than the old easy-going abbots. "Sheep," as More had
written, "which are naturally mild and easily kept in order, may

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 28 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
be said to devour men and unpeople not only villages but their labour, could not with the sweat of their brows get a living.
towns." For sheep-farming needed fewer labourers to see after All kinds of victuals were very dear—pigs, geese, capons,
the sheep on the pasture-land than did the ploughing, the sowing, chickens, and eggs. Not only were the clergy poor, not only did
and the harvesting when it was arable or plough land. Labourers the agricultural labourers suffer, but the yeomen farmers, the
lost their work, because there was more competition for work sturdiest class in the country, found themselves equally badly
now when there was less of it, and wages fell. Yet the price of off.
food and necessaries kept on rising. "My father was a yeoman," said Latimer, "and had no
lands of his own. He had only a farm rented at three or four
pounds a year at the utmost, and of his farm he tilled so much as
kept half a dozen men. He had a walk for a hundred sheep, and
my mother milked thirty kine. He was able to find the king
harness for himself and his horses, and I can remember that I
buckled on his harness when he went to Blackheath Field. He
kept me at school, or else I should not have been able to preach
before the king's majesty now. He kept hospitality for his poorer
neighbours, and some alms he gave to the poor. All this he did
on the said farm. Whereas, he that now has it pays sixteen
pounds or more each year for rent. He is not able to do anything
for his king, for himself, nor for his children, or give a cup of
drink to the poor." Such was Latimer's account of his own
father's farm and of the poor condition of the farmer who came
after his father.
An important measure carried out by the Protestants
LATIMER PREACHING BEFORE EDWARD VI. under Edward VI was the introduction of a new Church service-
book in the English language for national use. Edward VI's first
No wonder the country was full of sturdy beggars or Prayer Book was issued in 1549. An Act of Uniformity to
vagabonds. These went on increasing in numbers in spite of the enforce its use was also passed by Parliament, which suppressed
terrible penalties which were now imposed upon them. Any the Latin Mass book of old and ordered that there should be a
person found loitering for three days was to be branded with a uniform Church service in English throughout the land.
"V" (for vagabond) on his breast. The man who found him
But all these rapid changes only served to upset the
loitering might have him for a slave and keep him on bread and
people, who had for many years been also suffering from
water and broken meat. If the slave attempted to run away, then
poverty and misery; and there were rebellions during this reign
he was to be branded with an "S" on his cheek and forehead, to
both in the South-West and in the East of England. The rising in
show that he was a slave for ever.
Norfolk was by far the most serious. Gentlemen were even
Bishop Latimer, in another of his outspoken sermons, hanged under the "Oak of Reformation," on Mousehold Hill at
told the landlords and rent-raisers that poor men, who lived on Norwich, for the wrongs they had done to the people, that is, for
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 29 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
enclosing villages and commons. The revolt was headed by been brought up in the new Protestant' doctrines and remained in
Robert Ket, a farmer and banker of Wymondham, who called that belief till his death in his sixteenth year.
himself King of Norfolk and Suffolk. Ket and his followers
The rule of the Protestant nobles had ended in disgrace.
seized Norwich, but it was not long before the Earl of Warwick The sweeping changes imposed upon the people in regard to
suppressed the rising, and Ket might be seen hanging in chains their religion, the dissolution of the monasteries and confiscation
from Norwich Castle. of the religious endowments of the craft-gilds, aggravated the
violent social upheaval already in progress, due to changes in
village farming through enclosure and the conversion of arable
land into pasture.

HER FRIENDS AND RELATIONS PRESSING LADY JANE GREY TO ACCEPT

THE CROWN.

After the death of the young king, the selfish Duke of

Northumberland tried to make Lady Jane Grey queen—she was
the granddaughter of Henry VIII's sister Mary and she had
BISHOP LATIMER. married the duke's son. She was a charming, gentle, and clever
THE SON OF A YEOMAN, HE BECAME PREACHER TO KING EDWARD VI., AND
woman, fond of books and study, and she did not desire the
WAS BURNED IN THE REIGN OF MARY.
crown thus forced upon her by relatives who were greedy for
The Earl of Warwick, soon to be the Duke of power. For her own part, she had no wish to live any other life
Northumberland, after this took the first place in the King's but that of a peaceful English gentlewoman. The people, too,
Council". The boy king had been ailing for some time he had refused to acknowledge her, and rallied round the Princess Mary,
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 30 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
the eldest daughter of Henry VIII. "The Lady Mary hath a better daughter of Anne Boleyn, was arrested, and it was only by the
title," said the Londoners, and the duke's scheme failed. special wish of Philip that her life was saved.

QUEEN MARY AND KING PHILIP OF SPAIN (1558-1558)

All England knew the new queen was a staunch Catholic.

She had not hidden the religion "which" (she said) "God and the
world knoweth she hath ever professed from her infancy." All
England welcomed her as the daughter of Henry VIII. She had
opposed the religious changes produced by her brother's
ministers, and was determined to restore the old religion.
The new queen soon got Parliament to undo all the acts
of Edward's reign concerning the Church. The Latin Mass was
restored, and five Catholic bishops were at once brought back.
Now Mary had set her heart on marrying Philip King of
Spain; but to this there was much opposition in Parliament and
the country. Spain at this time was the strongest of the Catholic
countries in Europe, and weak England would simply become a
province of Spain.
Risings and plots took place all over the country—in the
Midlands, on the Welsh border, in Kent, and in the West. Sir
Thomas Wyatt headed a rebellion in Kent to save the country
from "Spanish fleets and Spanish slavery," and to make
Elizabeth queen. But Mary threw herself on the protection of the
citizens of London. "Good subjects," she said to them, "pluck up
your hearts and stand by your sovereign like true men. Fear not
these rebels, for I assure you, I fear them not at all!"
The daughter of Henry VIII triumphed, and the Spanish
marriage was celebrated in July, 1554. Wyatt's rising failed, for
his men would not be traitors and fight against their queen.
Some hundred of the rebels suffered death. Poor young Lady
Jane Grey and her husband were beheaded, and in ten days her LADY JANE GREY.
father and Wyatt suffered the same fate. The Princess Elizabeth,

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 31 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 Soon after the marriage, Cardinal Pole came to restore The heresy laws of Henry IV and Henry V became again
the nation to the communion of the Church of Rome. Parliament the laws of the land; and these laws sanctioned the fearful
knelt to him at Westminster, a Parliament that Mary had taken punishment of heretics by burning at the stake.
care, like her father, to fill with men of a "wise, grave, and Neither Catholics nor Protestants had learned to tolerate
Catholic sort." All Henry VIII's laws against Rome were now the views of men who differed from them in religious matters. It
repealed. was commonly believed that those who thought wrongly about
religion—heretics, as they were called—were enemies of
society, and should therefore be put to death. Mary in particular
was very bitter against heretics, and insisted on carrying out
executions even when the bishops and others who had to try
those accused of heresy advised her to exercise clemency.
Between two and three hundred Protestants, convicted of
heresy, suffered death by burning in the last years of her reign
(1555—1558). Among these were Cranmer, who had been
Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII and
Edward VI, and others like Ridley and Latimer, famous as
preachers and bishops. Cranmer, having joined in the first
rebellion against Mary, could have been executed for high
treason. Latimer and Bishop Hooper of Gloucester had refused
to take part in such conspiracies, but their loyalty in that respect
did not save them from the queen's severity. The continual
burnings had not the desired effect of rooting out heresy; on the
other hand, the sympathy which they evoked for the Protestants
who thus suffered made it easier for Elizabeth, when she came to
the throne, to reverse the religious policy of her sister.
Mary's marriage with Philip involved her in a
Continental war which proved very disastrous for England. The
English lost Calais in 1558 and Mary died shortly after.
As the second daughter of Henry VIII, Elizabeth stood
next to the throne. She had a very unhappy time under her sister,
Queen Mary. She had been arrested, brought to London, and
taken in a barge to the Tower. She trembled at the thought of
PHILIP II. OF SPAIN AND QUEEN MARY. being detained in the Tower, for she knew too well the fate of
others sent there by the stern queen.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 32 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 Later on, Elizabeth was taken from the Tower by water interest, therefore, to be friendly and respectful in his manner
to Richmond and carried in the queen's own litter by easy stages towards her. She was now allowed to go back to her books and
to Woodstock, where she was shut up and guarded by soldiers her studies, for she had a real love of learning, spoke French
night and day, so that there was no chance of escape. She was well, and read Greek and Latin books with her tutors. And, like
allowed no books, no pens, no ink, no paper, and as the months all accomplished young ladies of that time, she was skilled in
went by, she envied even the milking maids, whose songs needlework, and derived pleasure from playing on the lute and
reached her from the distance, crying that their lot was indeed the virginal.
happier than hers. Mary's life was drawing to a close. During the summer of
1558 she was very ill, and when autumn came it was clear she
was dying. In the grey twilight of a November morning Mary
passed away. Messengers hastily rode to carry the news to
Elizabeth, who, falling on her knees, cried aloud in Latin: "This
is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes."

ELIZABETH RECEIVING THE NEWS OF HER ACCESSION.

One day she was taken to Hampton Court and summoned

to her sister's bedroom. She had not seen the queen for two
years. She at once threw herself on her knees before her, and
declared that she had never plotted against her. "I humbly
beseech your Majesty to have a good opinion of me to be your
true subject, not only from the beginning hitherto, but for ever."
The queen was much touched by this, and Elizabeth was set free.
Once more she appeared at Court, and was honoured by the
queen. Philip too treated her with all respect, not from any
feelings of affection, but because he realised that she would
probably be Queen of England after Mary's death. It was to his

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 33 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 family that had always been loyal to the Tudor monarchs, no
matter what their religion might be. He himself had served under
CHAPTER VII the new queen's father, Henry VIII, her, brother Edward, and her
sister Mary. "This judgment I have of you, that you will not be
corrupted with any manner of gifts; that you will be faithful to
ELIZABETH QUEEN OF ENGLAND, MARY the State; that without respect of any private will, you will give
QUEEN OF SCOTS, AND THE NATIONAL me that counsel that you think best."

CHURCH In these words the new queen addressed her minister,

who indeed served her right well for the next forty years. And it
is interesting to remember that a descendant of this very Cecil,
"Few rulers," it has been said, "ever ascended a throne
Lord Salisbury, served Queen Victoria, some three hundred
better prepared for her task than did Elizabeth." Like the nation,
years later, for an even longer term of years.
she had suffered deeply. She had certainly been in danger of
execution for a time, and had been under restraint more or less Elizabeth realised that she must destroy a great deal of
stringent throughout Mary's reign; during this period she had Mary's work and build up much that she had destroyed. Her
outwardly conformed to the Catholic religion, whatever her coronation took place at Westminster on Sunday, January 15th,
private opinions might have been. She had learnt to depend on and thus the first Protestant Queen of England commenced her
no one but herself. She loved England as she loved nothing else reign. Very gradually Elizabeth began to introduce those
in the world beside herself, and she was resolved to make her changes that govern the public worship of England to-day.
country great and flourishing. Before the first year of The Church made her reign was over, the
Act of Uniformity was passed in order to keep the Church
But she was called to no easy task this November
services uniform. It ordered all to use the new Prayer Book of
morning in 1558. Never had England been in greater trouble
Edward VI, as revised by a small body of Protestants at
than when Elizabeth mounted the throne. Here is an account of
Elizabeth's request. An Act of Supremacy was also passed, and
the country at this time: "The queen poor; the realm exhausted;
in this Elizabeth took the title of "Governor" instead of
the nobles poor and decayed; good captains and soldiers
"Supreme Head" of the Church, but she insisted on keeping the
wanting; the people out of order; justice not executed; all things
management of Church affairs in her own hands. Those who
dear: division among ourselves; war with France and Scotland;
offered objections she answered loftily: "I will do as my father
the French king bestriding the realm, having one foot in Scotland
did."
and the other on Calais."
In the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Matthew Parker,
England's hope lay in the new queen. The people had
she had a tower of strength. Bishops, driven abroad during the
watched her growing in their midst from childhood to
reign of Mary, returned home. Eleven Catholic bishops were
womanhood. Her twenty-fifth birthday had just passed. They
deprived of their sees and imprisoned, and their sees filled by
knew her to be "a bold horsewoman, a good shot, a graceful
Protestant bishops.
dancer, a skilled musician, and an accomplished scholar."
The sudden death of the King of France had set Mary of
She at once showed her wisdom by appointing Sir
Scotland and her husband Francis II on the French throne, and
William Cecil her chief minister. He belonged to an old Welsh
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 34 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
the new Queen of France assumed the royal arms of England. before the shores of the land she loved had faded quite away. As
Elizabeth sent to object, but the answer was that "the Queen of daylight dawned they wakened her, and looking out over the
Scotland bore those arms as the descendant of Margaret Tudor, summer sea, she cried once more: "It is past. Farewell! farewell
her grandmother, the eldest daughter of Henry VII." Elizabeth to France, beloved land which I shall behold no more!"
herself bore, amid other titles, that of "Queen of France," and The English fleet was on her track, but a thick fog
Mary urged that the French arms should be taken off the English protected her little ship, and after a dangerous voyage of four
shield, and the title dropped, if the royal arms of England were days, Mary landed in Scotland early one morning in the summer
to be given up by her. Twelve sovereigns of England have borne of 1561. She had left her home as a happy little queen of six
the arms and style of France," replied Elizabeth proudly, "and I years old. She returned to her kingdom, after twelve years, a
will not resign them" And so began the life-long quarrel between childless widow, alone, unprotected.
Elizabeth and her cousin Mary.
During the absence in France of Mary Queen of Scots,
her mother had been acting regent in Scotland, and had been
collecting French troops for the protection of the realm. This
reached the ears of Elizabeth, and she at once sent ships to
Berwick with troops in case of possible invasion. The French
army was besieged in Leith.
The Treaty of Edinburgh was the result. By it, all French
troops were withdrawn from Scotland and a council of twelve
nobles, partly appointed by Elizabeth, were to carry on the
government. It was also decided that "since the kingdoms of
England and Ireland rightly belonged to the serene Elizabeth,"
therefore the King and Queen of France should not use the title
or arms of England. But everything was changed when the King
of France died, and soon after Mary returned to her own
kingdom in Scotland. JOHN KNOX'S HOUSE, EDINBURGH

Mary's grief at leaving France was pitiful. She was to sail During these twelve years of Mary's absence, the
from Calais to Leith to avoid risks of capture from English ships. Reformation, which had made itself felt in other countries, had
At the sight of the ships at Calais ready to take her away from taken strong hold in Scotland. The great leader of the Protestant
France, she burst into tears. Indeed, all those present were party in that country was John Knox, a stern and unbending
weeping as she stepped on board, accompanied by her four Reformer. Mary, the queen, was a staunch Roman Catholic.
Marys, who had attended her to France twelve years before. The Though she put up with the Psalm-singing of Knox's choir under
sails were set and the galley was getting out to sea, when Mary her windows at Holyrood for the first three nights after her
cried through her tears: "Adieu, France! beloved France, adieu!" arrival, it was impossible that she and Knox should ever really
The breeze died away, "the weary rowers slumbered on their agree. She tried to get rid of him by bringing an accusation of
oars." Mary had cried herself to sleep, begging to be awakened treason against him, but Knox was acquitted.
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 Now comes a terrible tragedy which will ever remain a
blot on the history of Scotland. Eleven months after the murder
of Rizzio, Darnley himself was found murdered in a building
outside Edinburgh. The whole world was horrified, and it was
not less horrified when, two months later, Mary became the wife
of Bothwell, who was regarded as the murderer of her late
husband and the "foulest ruffian among her subjects.'' A shudder
ran through the whole country and the Scottish nobles turned
against her.

THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE READING THE CHARGE OF TREASON BROUGHT

AGAINST KNOX.

The realm of Scotland now passed through an unhappy

RIZZIO AND MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.
time. Mary married her young Roman Catholic cousin, Lord
Darnley; both Elizabeth and Knox strongly objected. Before The Scottish Reformers were determined that Mary
long, Darnley became jealous of Mary's secretary, Rizzio, and should resign the crown, on which she had brought such
the secretary was murdered in the presence of the queen and her disgrace. She had her choice between that or death, and thus she
husband. was forced to give up the throne in favour of her infant son. So
Three months after this tragedy, a son was born to Mary the baby prince was crowned James VI of Scotland, when little
and Darnley—destined to be King James VI of Scotland and over a year old. He was taken to Stirling Castle to be educated,
James I of England. But even the arrival of a fair son did not while Mary's half-brother, Murray, acted as regent.
bring the unhappy couple together.
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 Mary escaped from Lochleven Castle, where she had
been imprisoned; then followed the defeat of her troops by the CHAPTER VIII
Regent Murray at Langside and her flight into England. A pitiful
letter from her found its way to Elizabeth: "I entreat you to send
for me as soon as possible," she wrote, "for I am in a pitiable SPAIN AND THE SEA-ROVERS
condition, not only for a queen, but even for a gentlewoman,
having nothing in the world but the clothes in which I escaped, The imprisonment of Mary was not merely an unfriendly
riding sixty miles the first day . . . Have compassion on my great act between two queens. There was conflict between Catholics
misfortunes and permit me to come to you. Your very faithful and Protestants in several European countries at the time.
and affectionate good sister and cousin and escaped prisoner, Elizabeth on the throne of England represented the Protestants.
Marie, Queen." The Catholics hoped, if Mary came to the throne, the old religion
and the Pope's authority would be brought back to England.
Elizabeth had a difficult part to play. She was sorry for
the hapless plight of her royal kinswoman. But she was most All Europe was looking on. Abroad the struggle was still
anxious she should be closely guarded in Carlisle Castle, and not fiercer. Spain, under Elizabeth's brother-in-law Philip, had
allowed to escape a second time. From Carlisle, Elizabeth had managed to kill or exile most of the Protestants of that country.
her removed to Bolton Castle, in Yorkshire. Though she was It was a harder task to banish them from the Netherlands, which
allowed a household of her own, she was strongly guarded by was at this time subject to the King of Spain. The Dutch fought
Elizabeth's orders. Mary was now but twenty-seven. She never hard for their Reformed religion, and numbers of Englishmen
had her freedom again. crossed over to help them, secretly encouraged by Elizabeth.
In France the conflict took a yet more deadly turn. Here
the Protestants were known under the name of Huguenots, and
these too had been secretly encouraged by Elizabeth.
On the night of August 24, 1572, a terrible massacre of
Huguenots occurred in Paris. For long the Huguenots and
Catholics had been at war, and when the Huguenots seemed to
be gaining political supremacy, the French king's mother took
this cruel means to prevent it. Elizabeth, on receiving the news,
plunged into mourning, but she could not afford to quarrel with
France, when Spain, as we shall, soon see, was none too
friendly.
As the great Spanish invasion and the defeat of the
Armada rank among the most famous events of Elizabeth's
glorious reign, we must see what circumstances led up to them.

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 Charles Kingsley wrote a well-known story called for gold was urging on her merchants, and stories of adventure
"Westward Ho!" These two words contain the secret of the were firing her young men. All eyes were gazing out to sea
strained relations between Spain and England. "Westward Ho!" was the cry. "Whosoever commands the sea,
commands the trade of the new world, commands the riches of
the world, and consequently the world itself," said Raleigh,
whose half-brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, five years before the
Armada, founded the first British colony in Newfoundland.
At Elizabeth's accession, the new spirit of adventure
showed itself in acts of piracy and plundering in the "Narrow
Seas," as the English Channel was called those days. Here hardy
mariners would sail forth from the southern ports of England, to
harry and plunder Spanish ships plying between Lisbon and
Antwerp or London. Their only care was to worry the Spaniard
and fill their own pockets.

QUEEN ELIZABETH KNIGHTING DRAKE ON BOARD THE GOLDEN HIND.

Up to this time Spain was, without doubt, mistress of the

sea. She had built the best ships and sent off the best sailors to
discover new worlds. She ruled over Portugal, over part of Italy,
Sicily, the Netherlands and those parts of North and South
America that she had conquered. Her ships were in every part of
the known world, and she was growing rich with trade and
treasure, This sunny land of Spain, "washed by the waters of the
great Atlantic on one side and the blue Mediterranean on the
other, was yet looking round for new worlds to conquer, when as
yet the other nations of Europe had scarce ventured beyond their PLYMOUTH HARBOUR IN THE DAYS OF DRAKE.
own fishing-grounds."
Elizabeth could not recognize these sea-rovers, who
But for some time past England had been waking up; the swept the Channel, and yet she liked the courage of the sailors
blood of the old Vikings was stirring in her people, The desire who had the pluck to attack great Spanish galleons, five times
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the size of the little English ships. She admired the reckless sailed alone into Plymouth harbour one day early in the New
daring that drove them forth to their life of plunder. If they Year of 1569. Hawkins followed some days later. From this time
failed, they got their deserts—torture, dungeon, and death at the onwards, Hawkins and Drake were sworn enemies of the
stake. But soon the Narrow Seas were too small for their treacherous Spaniards and thirsting for revenge.
ambitious spirits, and they roused the fury of the Spaniards by Meanwhile England and Spain were getting every day
crossing the Atlantic to trade and plunder in the West Indies. nearer to war, but Elizabeth was still trying to keep on good
Francis Drake is a name familiar to every child. Who terms with France. Drake did not improve matters by his voyage
does not know that this was the Drake who sailed right round the in 1572. He now left Plymouth with a little fleet and a crew of
world in an English ship, and brought the Spanish treasure to his seventy-three men and boys on a desperate venture. They went
country and his queen? Here he is, a young man of twenty-two, to the place where the Spaniards collected the treasure from their
sailing out of Plymouth harbour on this October day, about three mines, and Drake meant to fill his ships with gold and silver or
hundred and fifty years ago, on as daring a venture as any young die in the attempt. He very nearly lost his life, for as he and his
sailor could find. Brought up in his Devonshire home, Drake had lads from Devon stood at last on Spanish ground, gazing at piles
early acquired hostile feelings for the Spaniards. Queen Mary's of gold and silver, such as the world had never dreamt of before,
marriage to Philip of Spain was unpopular in the West. he suddenly grew faint from loss of blood from a wounded leg.
His lads carried him to the ship and they sailed away from the
As a lad, he had seen the pirates sail out from Plymouth
dangerous spot.
on their perilous ventures. He had sailed himself in a trading
vessel to the Netherlands, and he had been in West Indian But before he left Central America, he was guided by a
waters. Now he was sailing with Hawkins out into the West to native to the highest ridge in the Isthmus of Panama. Here he
the "Treasure House of the World," hoarded by the Spanish. found a tree of giant growth having steps hewn in it for ascent,
After filling their ships with negroes from the West Coast of and from the top Drake gazed on the Pacific Ocean. It was the
Africa, the little fleet under Hawkins and Drake reached the first time that any Englishman had looked on the boundless
West Indies and the slaves were secretly sold to the Spaniards. waters of that vast ocean.
On they went to the coast of Mexico with a hundred "Almighty God of His goodness give me life and leave to
negroes still left for sale. Here they found twelve large Spanish sail once in an English ship on that sea," he cried, falling on his
ships laden with gold and silver. They were at the mercy of knees. And some years later his prayer was fulfilled.
Hawkins, but he did not touch them. He only got leave from the
Spaniards to repair his battered ships before returning to
England.
Suddenly the Englishmen were attacked by the
Spaniards, five hundred of the crews were slain, and it was with
the greatest difficulty that Hawkins and Drake with three of their
ships managed to escape and get out to sea. But a great storm
arose and scattered their ships. Drake in his little fifty-ton
Judith ploughed his way across the broad Atlantic Ocean, and

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 39 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 Netherlands. This England seemed to him to be "going ahead"
CHAPTER IX too fast. A new energy was arising, and Englishmen were
exploring outside their island-home for the first time in history.
On this new energy Spain looked with a jealous eye. Spain was
THE SPANISH ARMADA (1588) supreme by land and sea—the greatest force in Europe at this
time. Philip was anxious to keep up his unequalled position and
Philip of Spain continued his preparations for invading maintain the Catholic religion throughout the world.
England. He felt that the conquest of Elizabeth's kingdom would
enable him to complete his triumph over the obstinate people of
the Netherlands. His warlike plans were known to all.
Plots for murdering Elizabeth and placing Mary Queen
of Scots on the English throne were discovered. This brings us to
the last chapter in the life of the unfortunate Queen of Scots,
who never lived to see the disastrous end of Philip's ambition.
Mary had been moved from castle to castle. The cold
bleak air of one of these, Sheffield Castle, told on her health and
she suffered great pain from acute rheumatism. To the end of her
life she remained stiff and lame from rheumatic pains. She had
been continually begging Elizabeth to grant her freedom, yet all
the time she was corresponding somehow with her Catholic
friend the Duke of Norfolk, in order to effect her escape from
her long imprisonment.
The Duke of Norfolk was now executed. Mary was
accused of plotting against Elizabeth.
The rest of the story is soon told. Mary was tried in the
great hall of Fotheringay Castle, declared guilty, and executed.
A very outburst of horror at the deed arose over Europe.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE INVASION

Philip of Spain pushed on his preparations for the

conquest of England. Not only did he wish to overthrow SPANISH SOLDIERS IN BLACK ARMOUR.
Elizabeth and suppress the Protestant religion in England, but The news of coming invasion started off Drake on a new
also to put an end to English smuggling and interference in enterprise. With some twenty-five ships supplied by merchant
Spanish America and to stay the hands of Englishmen in the adventurers, and four supplied by the queen herself, he went off
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in 1587 to divide the gathering fleet of Spain and if possible to bread and wines are so great as will suffice forty thousand men a
stop the supply of food. Elizabeth had given her consent. But whole year," he wrote home.
hardly had Drake passed out of Plymouth harbour than she
The English sea-rover was soon at his old work, and his
repented having allowed such a vigorous pirate as Drake to exploits in Cadiz harbour made the world ring with admiration
make war on Philip in his own waters. It was too late—Drake of his daring. He sank great Spanish galleons; he burnt large
was already hurrying to Cadiz—where he found Spanish vessels laden with biscuits, wheat, and wine; he created terror
preparation already well-advanced. among the Spanish seamen and discovered for his country the
strength of the foe.
"I have singed the King of Spain's beard," he said on his
return home. He had done more than this. He had stimulated the
Spanish to still greater effort for the overthrow of England.
Philip was now irritated beyond endurance, and he put out all his
strength to accomplish his life's desire and defeat England.
While his ships were getting ready to sail, let us see how
England was preparing for this great ordeal.
The hundred "beef-eaters" and Yeomen of the Guard at
court formed the only standing army in England paid by the
crown at this time. The very year before Elizabeth's accession,
Philip and Mary had created a lord-lieutenant in every county in
England. It was the duty of this magnate to choose officers for
his county, to decide on the number of able-bodied men to be
supplied by each parish, and to take command of the militia, as it
was called, in case of war. To-day, the Territorials are under the
lord-lieutenant of each county. The men as a rule volunteered
when danger was at hand, but the full number had to be made up
by compulsion.
When formed, the troops were divided into "bands" of
about two hundred men under a captain. Later on, these were
formed into, "regiments." The men had no regular uniform—the
only feature common to all was the red St. George's Cross worn
on their jackets.
MILITIA-MEN OF THE REIGN OF ELIZABETH.
BILLMAN, HALBERDIER, MUSKETEER, ARCHER. For the past eight years the regular militia had been
trained in the use of fire-arms—bows and arrows were fast
"The like preparation was never heard of, nor known, as disappearing, though pikes and halberds were still carried.
the King of Spain hath to invade England. His provisions of
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 41 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 The English volunteers had learnt the art of was in valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over
France, Flanders, and Ireland, where military schools had been the enemies of my God, of my kingdom and of my people."
formed, and the volunteers had drilled the, sons of knights and
squires at home. Thus it was, when the long-talked-of peril was
near, a hundred thousand armed men sprang into being at a few
days' notice.
"How many men and ships must we provide? asked the
City of London. "Five thousand men and fifteen ships" was the
answer.
At the end of two days double this number, ten thousand
men, and thirty ships, were placed at the queen's disposal. Such
was the loyal feeling of Elizabeth's people in the face of danger.
The queen herself reviewed her land forces. The troops
assembled at Tilbury in great spirits, longing to fight the
Spaniards. Mounted on a war-horse, in a breast-plate of
glittering steel, with a general's truncheon in her hand,
"Elizabeth rode bare-headed through the ranks. She was greeted
with thunders of applause—a just reward for her courage, for
those in authority had begged her not to appear in public at this
critical hour.
"My loving people," she cried, let tyrants' fear! I have
always so behaved myself, that under God, I have placed my
chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and goodwill
of my subjects. Therefore; I am come amongst you at this time, .
. . for I am resolved, in the midst of heat and battle, to live or die
amongst you all; to lay down for my God and for my kingdom
and for my people, my honour and my blood even in the dust. I
know that I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I
have the heart of a king and a king of England too, and think
foul scorn that Spain . . . should dare to invade the borders of my
realm. Rather than any dishonour to the kingdom should come
by me, I myself will take up arms. I myself will be your general,
the judge and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. .
. . I do not doubt but by your obedience to my general and your QUEEN ELIZABETH AT TILBURY.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 42 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 But the land forces had nothing to do, for already the would help his cause were doomed to disappointment, for
ships of England had dispersed the "Invincible Armada." Catholics and Protestants alike came forward to resist the
Elizabeth's "sea-dogs" had done the work and driven the Spanish invader.
ships to destruction. They were men trained in the rough school The whole of the great Spanish fleet was under the
of Hawkins and Drake, such as Frobisher, Raleigh, Grenville, command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia. He had in vain
men with reckless daring and genuine seaman's skill. assured his king that he knew nothing about the sea and nothing
England had no proper navy at this time. Elizabeth of war.
owned thirty-four ships of varying sizes and shapes, but these
were in bad repair and she always grudged spending money on
them. Indeed, she was so mean and indifferent over her sailors,
that she was actually trying to reduce her naval expenses by
giving her seamen fish, oil, and peas, instead of meat, when, her
very country was in danger!
At last delay was no longer possible.
Every ship fit for service was hastily manned. Merchants
came forward with their little craft ready to bear all expenses
themselves in a very outburst of patriotism. Supplies were
hastily issued, and a very mixed little English fleet of some two
hundred ships got ready to meet the greatest fleet in the world
that had ever put to sea. But the English ships were manned by
men of grit and power—men trained on the sea, schooled in
storm and tempest, hardened by want and endurance. As a
builder of ships, Hawkins had no equal; for skill in seamanship
none could touch Sir Francis Drake. The whole fleet was under THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF MEDINA SIDONIA.
the command of Lord Howard; Sir John Hawkins commanded Bad weather and the clumsiness of the great ships
the Victory, Sir Martin Frobisher the Triumph—Drake as vice- delayed the fleet. Three weeks were spent in passing from
admiral was on the Revenge. In the hands of these men lay the Lisbon to Cape Finisterre, and it was not till, Friday evening,
safety of England. July 19th, that they sighted Lizard Point in Cornwall. They
intended to take possession of England on the morrow.
HOW THE ARMADA WAS DEFEATED
But they had already been sighted by a Cornish fishing-
Meanwhile the great Spanish Armada had sailed at last boat, and report of the enemy's approach soon reached
from the harbour with a light wind, the sun shining on the Plymouth. It is said when the news arrived the English admiral
numerous sails and lighting up the red crosses. Every seaman, was playing bowls at Plymouth Hoe with his captains. Lord
officer and soldier had been through a solemn service before Howard would have started off at once, for he knew the English
joining the fleet. But Philip's hopes that the English Catholics
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ships were all riding at anchor in ports along the English weary with wafting them and the ocean groaning under their
Channel at the mercy of the foe. But Drake refused to be hurried. weight."
"There is time to finish the game first and beat the The Spaniards soon found that they had been seen and
Spaniards afterwards," said Drake. there was no chance of surprising Plymouth, as they had
intended. So they resolved to make their way to the Isle of Wight
So the famous game was finished and then the old sea
and effect a landing there.
captains got to their work in good earnest. There was no sleep in
England that Friday night. Bonfires were lit all round the coast, Howard allowed them to get within sight of Plymouth.
ports and harbours filled rapidly with armed men, bells rang out, Then on Sunday morning he hoisted sail and led his sixty or
horsemen gathered in the villages, swift messengers flew from seventy ships to the rear of the great Armada. The first shot was
point to point. fired, and soon Drake, Hawkins, and Frobisher were sailing
round the outskirts of the unwieldy Spanish galleons, firing into
them and inflicting injury, while the Spanish guns from high
decks fired over their heads. For six hours that Sunday afternoon
fighting continued and by three o'clock the invaders were in
great confusion. On Monday the high-towered galleons moved
onward, "like Thames barges piled with hay." The low English
ships, sailing double the pace, again harried them and shot away,
as if by magic, before the wind.
On Tuesday the Armada had reached St. Alban's Head
(Dorsetshire). A famous crowd of Elizabeth's courtiers,
including Sir Walter Raleigh, had hurried to the coast. They
sailed out, into the Channel to help the English fleet in their
work of skirmishing and harrying the rear of the Spanish fleet.
By Thursday the Armada was off the Isle of Wight and
there was some sharp fighting, which forced the Spanish
flagship to retreat. Thence the two fleets passed onwards quietly
along the coast of Sussex to Boulogne. To the Prince of Parma,
THE SPANISH FLEET SAILING UP THE CHANNEL IN THE FORM OF A HALF who was waiting with troops on the coast of the Netherlands to
MOON, WITH THE ENGLISH FLEET PURSUING IT. join him, the poor Duke of Medina Sidonia wrote: "The enemy
pursue me. They fire upon me most days from morning till
By daybreak on Saturday everything was ready. But the nightfall. They have men and ammunition in abundance. I must
Spanish fleet did not come into sight till three o'clock that request your excellency to send me two shiploads of shot and
afternoon. To English eyes it looked like a vast array of floating powder immediately. I am in urgent need of it."
castles arranged in the form of a crescent or half-moon, the
horns of which were some seven miles apart. It approached On Saturday the 27th the wind rose the Spanish admiral
"very slowly, though with full sails, the winds being, as it were, knew nothing of our dangerous coast and decided to anchor in
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the Calais Roads. Amid squalls and driving showers from the English reported that "the last cartridge was spent and every man
west, the Armada ran across to the French coast. The English was weary with labour." Every Spanish ship received its share of
followed, but they were not yet strong enough to attack. The injury; three great vessels were hopelessly wrecked. Drake
captains held a council of war—the fate of England depended on thought that five thousand at least must have perished by
their verdict. "Considering their hugeness," said one, "'twill not gunshot or drowning.
be possible to remove them but by a device."
This device was to drive the Spanish Armada out to sea
by means of fireships. Some said it was Queen Elizabeth's own
idea. Anyhow, some old ships were filled with gunpowder,
pitch, and brimstone, and their masts were smeared with pitch.
They were then conducted near to Calais and at a given signal
they were set on fire. The wind was rising, rain pelted down, and
in black darkness the fierce south-wester blew the blazing
fireships into the centre of the crescent fleet of Spain.
"Cut your cables! Get up your anchors!" shouted the
captains of the Spanish ships in an agony of fear.
With sails set, amid confusion and panic, the Spanish
ships were driven out by wind and tide into the angry sea of
Ostend. "God hath given us so good a day in forcing the enemy
so far to leeward," wrote Drake hurriedly. "God bless her
THE DEFEAT OF THE SPANISH ARMADA.
Majesty, our gracious sovereign. This day's service hath much
appalled the enemy." Still "their force is wonderful great and strong," wrote the
This was Sunday night. The Spaniards had suffered a admiral, "but we pluck their feathers by little and little."
severe loss in the Capitana, "the very glory and stay of the The Spaniards themselves were now hopeless. With sails
Spanish navy." Then on Monday, July 29th, they were attacked torn and masts shot away, the once crowded ships were helpless.
off Gravelines by the English fleet led by Drake in the Revenge. The Duke of Medina Sidonia was in despair.
The fighting of this day decided the fate of the Armada. The
"We are lost," he cried to one of the bravest captains.
battle began at nine in the morning, while the enemy were
"What are we to do?"
struggling to regain their crescent form in a strong north-west
wind and a heavy tide. "Let others talk of being lost," was the courageous
answer. "Your Excellency has only to order up fresh cartridges."
All through that summer day firing went on. Spanish
guns, which were worked on high rolling platforms by soldiers But a council of war decided to hurry the Armada back to
unused to the sea, sent their shot into the air or into the water, Spain by the north of Scotland, for the wind was against their
while the little English ships poured into the great galleons a return by the Channel, neither did they care to encounter the
continuous rain of shot. For six long hours they fought, until the English again. So the Armada sped northward in full sail.
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 45 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
"Notwithstanding that powder and shot was well near all spent," over it in the shape of a crown on four pillars, in front of which
said Howard, "we set on a brave countenance and gave them stood a lion and dragon supporting the arms of England. The
chase." chariot was drawn by two milk-white horses.
The chase lasted from Monday to Friday. "Thou didst blow with Thy winds and they were
scattered," preached the Bishop of Salisbury at St. Paul's. A
"We have the army of Spain before us," wrote Drake on
more suitable text could hardly have been chosen, and it was
the Wednesday. "There was never anything pleased me better
inscribed on many of the medals issued after the Armada.
than seeing the enemy flying with a southerly wind to the
northwards." Though the Armada had failed, the spirit of Philip was
unbroken. After the first outburst of grief, he was making fresh
Driven onwards by a strong wind, the English ships sped
preparations for action. "It is not honourable for her Majesty to
on after the Spaniards, right up through the wild North Sea, till
seem to be in any fear of the King of Spain," said the people, and
they reached the Firth of Forth. But the work of destruction was
expedition after expedition left England to seize treasure, and
reserved for a mightier foe than Drake. No sooner had he given
pillage the Spaniards, wherever they might be. Some were
up the chase owing to want of food and powder, than a violent
successful and some failed, but Elizabeth's "sea-dogs "were not
storm arose, "more violent than was ever seen before at that time
to be daunted.
of the year." Among the lonely Orkneys, the storms of the
northern seas broke on the flying Armada like a fury. Amid
driving squalls of wind and rain, the Spaniards at last guided
their shattered ships to the great rollers of the Atlantic, only to
meet greater perils on the Irish coast.
They had no pilot to warn them of the dangers of the way
and the wind blew them hither and thither. Some eight thousand
men perished off the Giant's Causeway in the north of Ireland,
and many a stout galleon was dashed to pieces.
At last some fifty battered ships reached Spain out of the
hundred and thirty-two that had started. They had ten thousand
sick and stricken men out of the thirty thousand that had left her
shores for the conquest of England some months before. And it
is not surprising to hear that Philip of Spain shut himself up in
his royal palace near Madrid, and "no one dared to speak to
him."
Coins and medals were now struck to commemorate the
victory. In November a great thanksgiving service was held at
St. Paul's, which was attended by the queen in full state. She was
taken through the streets seated in a triumphal car with a canopy

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 "The little Revenge ran on sheer into the heart of the foe,
CHAPTER X With her hundred fighters on deck and her ninety sick below."
(noindent) But the Spanish ships closed round the
THE DOINGS OF ELIZABETH'S SAILORS Revenge. Sir Richard with his handful of men fought hand-to-
AFTER THE ARMADA
hand for their lives, as even Englishmen had rarely fought
before. The fight, which had begun at three in the afternoon, did
not end till daybreak.
It would take too long to tell of all the Spanish treasure
"And the sun went down, and the stars came out far over the summer
that found its way into English harbours, and of all the
sea,
adventures that befell the Elizabethan explorers. But one story
But never a moment ceased the fight of the one and the fifty-three.
must be told, as it has come to us from the pen of Sir Walter
Ship after ship, the whole night long, their high-built galleons came;
Raleigh. It has been made the subject of a poem by Lord
Ship after ship, the whole night long, with her battle-thunder and
Tennyson, called the "The Revenge—a Ballad of the Fleet," and
flame;
this tells us in beautiful verse of the daring seamanship of
Ship after ship, the whole night long, drew back with her dead and
Englishmen under the Tudors.
her shame,
It was three years after the defeat of the Armada when For some were sunk and many were shatter'd, and so could fight us
Sir Thomas Howard and Sir Richard Grenville started off on a no more
private enterprise to seize the West Indian fleet returning to God of battles, was ever a battle like this in the world before?"
Spain with its treasure. The queen had encouraged the enterprise
by finding seven ships, and Sir Walter Raleigh had fitted out "Fight on! Fight on!" cried Sir Richard, though he had
one; so the little fleet left Plymouth in the spring of 1591 bound been badly wounded and was in great pain. "All the powder to
for the West Indies. the lash barrel was now spent, all the pikes broken, forty of the
best men slain and most of the rest hurt," says Sir Walter
Hearing of the plan, King Philip sent out a large fleet of Raleigh. They had fought for fifteen hours and could fight no
fifty sail to conduct the treasure ship safely home and defeat the more. And—
English pirates. And so it fell out one day that when Howard was
"Sir Richard cried in his English pride,
cruising about among the West India Islands, a Spanish fleet
'We have fought such a fight for a day and a night
bore down on the little English ships. Being totally unprepared
As may never be fought again!
for battle, Howard sailed away. But somehow Grenville did not We have won great glory, my men!
set off in time and the fifty great ships sailed towards him. It was And a day less or more
too late to escape and soon the Spanish ships were close, and At sea or ashore,
they were about three times as large as the Revenge. We die—does it matter when?
Sir Richard refused to turn from the enemy, for he felt Sink me the ship, master gunner—sink her, split her in twain!
that he would rather die than dishonour himself, his country and Fall into the hands of God, not into the hands of Spain!'"
her Majesty's ship. He thought he could fight his way through
the fleet, and— But the men had wives and children at home, and they
would not let the gunner sink the ship. Sir Richard lay dying,
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and they carried him on board one of the Spanish galleons. The But they laid him down, and one January day in 1596, "as quiet
Spanish Admiral treated him with every care and courtesy, and as a sleeping child, the sea-king died."
did all that was possible to soothe his sufferings.
Elizabeth's three leading mariners, Frobisher, Drake, and
"And they praised him to his face with their courtly foreign grace; Hawkins, were now all dead But Sir Walter Raleigh lived. He
But he rose upon their decks, and he cried: had loved the sea and was ready for adventure, but he had higher
'I have fought for queen and faith like a valiant man and true; aims than these daring sea-rovers who dreamt of revenge and
I have only done my duty as a man is bound to do: gold. Throughout his life Raleigh sought to plant English
With a joyful spirit I, Sir Richard Grenville, die! colonies in America. He had failed in Virginia, but he had
And he fell upon their decks and he died." himself since reached the Isthmus of Darien in Central American
"All England was soon ringing with this story. Sir and only returned when summoned by the queen. He had fallen
Richard Grenville was dead—he had lost the fight, lost his men, into disgrace by marrying secretly one of Elizabeth's maids-of-
lost his ship, lost his very life. But he had gained such glory for honour, for which offence he was thrown into the Tower of
England, for England's ships, for England's seamen, as the world London.
had never seen before. It is said that the action of this one little
English ship struck a deeper terror into the hearts of the
Spaniards than even the destruction of the Armada itself."
The Revenge had gone down in a terrific storm that
broke over the Western Isles before she could be taken into port,
and as the Revenge sank "she seemed to summon Drake to his
doom." She was the most famous ship in all England's navy, and
on her model all new ships had been based. She had been given
and commanded by Drake, who was now longing to punish the
Spaniards for her loss. It was known that Philip was preparing a
new Armada, and the queen did not like to allow Drake to go far
away from England. But at last she gave leave: so Drake and
Hawkins started off on a joint venture to capture a disabled
Spanish treasure ship of enormous value lying at Puerto Rico.
It was to be their last voyage. The enemy was again
prepared. The expedition failed and Hawkins, now an old man of THE ENGLISH ATTACK ON CADIZ IN 1596.
seventy-five, died of "combined disease and grief." Drake only
lived eleven weeks longer. Failure had come to him who had After his release, he left England to search for a city
never failed before. Sickness broke out on board, and at last, supposed to exist in South America and called El Dorado, or the
broken in spirit as he was at the death of his old friend, it took golden city. This city was said to be richer than Peru, and the
hold of him. Delirium seized him. He rose from the bed where Spaniards had so far failed to find it. Raleigh failed too, but he
they had laid him, and called like a "dying Viking for his arms." discovered lands up the great Orinoco.

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 The last expedition for his queen, in 1596, was
successful. A league between England, France, and the
Netherlands had been planned to withstand the power of Spain. CHAPTER XI
Suddenly news ran through England that Philip had captured
Calais from the French. This must be revenged and at once. An
expedition was fitted out by Howard, Raleigh, and Essex to ENGLAND'S GREATNESS IN THE DAYS OF
repeat Drake's exploit of "singeing the King of Spain's beard." It ELIZABETH; SPENSER AND THE GREAT
was the largest fleet ever prepared by England against Spain.
Elizabeth contributed seventeen ships, and seventy-six were SHAKESPEARE
hired and volunteered. On a Sunday in June, Lord Admiral
Howard, who was in command of one hundred and fifty ships, Rebellion in Ireland took over one of the queen's
reached Cadiz and anchored quietly in the harbour, to the utter subjects, Edmund Spenser. Another rebellion sent him back to
amazement of the Spaniards. Next day a great battle was fought, England. During the intervening years, he wrote one of
beginning at five in the morning. By one o'clock all was over England's greatest poems, called the "Fairie Queene." He had
and the Spaniards were defeated by sea. Then Essex, in gone to Ireland as secretary with Lord Grey, Elizabeth's new
command of three thousand soldiers, leapt on shore, Cadiz was Viceroy. The misery, and poverty of the Irish at once struck him.
taken and sacked and the English returned home victorious. He contrasted the unhappy country with his own "merrie
England," with its peace and order, its thriving homesteads,
"You have made me famous, dreadful, and renowned,"
wealthy cities and contented people.
wrote the queen to her victors, "not more for your victory than
for your courage. Never was there heard in so few days so great When Elizabeth decided to plant English colonies in
a gain obtained. I charge you let the army know, both on sea and Munster, Spenser received three thousand acres in Cork. He
land, that I care not so much for being queen, as that I am queen made his home at Kilcolman Castle. The queen's viceroy grew in
of such subjects." his mind as the image of perfect justice, and in the "Fairie
Queen" he becomes the great Knight of Justice.
With the death of Philip of Spain in 1598, all danger
from that quarter was over. "I die like a good Catholic," he At Kilcolman, Spenser was quietly working out his great
murmured as he lay dying, "in faith and obedience to the Holy poem, when his old friend Raleigh came to visit him in his quiet
Roman Church." He had failed either to convert or to conquer retreat. Spenser showed him the first three books of the "Fairie
England, and his death affected but little the country over which Queene." Raleigh at once saw its merit. He saw that the new
he had once ruled as king. poem was immensely better than anything that had appeared in
England since the days of Chaucer, and hurried Spenser off to
England. The queen must hear it, for Elizabeth was Gloriana, the
"Fairie Queene "herself. Elizabeth was pleased—she allowed the
poet a pension of £50 a year, and the poem was dedicated to her.
The poem was received with quite a thunder of applause
the silence of two hundred years had been broken and Spenser's
name was on every lip. Here was a new world—a new England.
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Hearts were stirred by the deeds of men, the spirit of adventure being at this time. The Elizabethans themselves had no idea what
was everywhere, fearless sailors were exploring unknown seas. a really great man was their poor writer of plays, Shakespeare.
In the new poem men found a world of "lofty enterprise, of The drama was new to them, but we know to-day that he was the
ceaseless labour and conflict for a great aim," yet over all greatest dramatist the world has ever seen in any country or in
reigned "an air of quietness and peace." any age, and that his plays are among England's most priceless
possessions.
Of the man himself, we know very little. He was born in
1564 at Stratford-on-Avon, but obtained his living in London as
an actor and play-writer. He had little book-learning, "small
Latin and less Greek," but he knew mankind, he understood
human nature, and the art of expression. Spenser leads us into a
world of dreams, with dim unreal figures passing across a
shadowy stage. But Shakespeare gives us a world of real men
and women; they are flesh and blood like ourselves, they have
joys and sorrows and anxieties, they live and they die.
The Spanish Armada had come and gone before
Shakespeare wrote his first play, but he had come to London as a
young man of about twenty-two, probably as an actor, a year or
two before. At this time there were only two theatres in
London—"Burbage's Theatre" and "The Curtain," though a little
later the Globe Theatre in Southwark was built. But Elizabeth
had always loved plays, and quite early in her reign we find her
SPENSER READING THE FAIRIE QUEENE TO RALEIGH. using her choir boys of Chapel Royal to act plays to her on
Spenser, later on, brought three more books of his poem Sundays. The Puritans found fault with her for this, but she tried
to England, where they were eagerly read. But a little later to reform not by putting an end to plays, but by encouraging
Kilcolman Castle was attacked during an Irish rebellion and set better ones.
on fire. Though Spenser and his wife escaped to England, it is Many a time young Shakespeare must have acted in the
said their new-born child perished in the flames. Anyhow, three courtyard of inns, which were used right through the reign of
weeks later Spenser died utterly ruined and broken-hearted. But Elizabeth for the performance of plays. The poorest part of the
he had left his imperishable life-work behind to refresh and audience sat or stood under the open sky in the court-yard or
inspire many a tired generation—long after both he and his "pit" as it was called, while there were covered seats in the
queen had been laid to rest in Westminster Abbey. galleries running round the pit for the more wealthy onlookers.
But if the age of Elizabeth produced Spenser and his And the new theatres were made in that way.
great poem, the "Fairie Queene," yet more important to the Plays began at one o'clock, they were advertised by bills
world at large were the plays of Shakespeare, which sprang into in the town, while the hoisting of a flag told the people that the

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play was about to begin. In between the acts the audience ate Historical plays followed, and Shakespeare's historical
apples, cracked nuts, played cards or smoked. The stage fittings plays were magnificent. They were immensely popular. Their
were rough. Foreign countries were shown by labels, a few loyalty and devotion to England delighted the patriotic subjects
flowers represented a garden, heroes rode in on hobby-horses. of the queen. Such lines as these had never been heard on any
The parts were taken by men and boys—no woman acted in the stage before:—
days of Queen Elizabeth. "This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars.
This other Eden, demi-paradise;
This fortress, built by Nature for herself,
Against infection and the hand of war;
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
RICHARD II.

Then there was the famous Falstaff in "Henry IV." It is

said that Queen Elizabeth was so pleased with him, that she
ordered Shakespeare to write a play showing Falstaff in love,
which he did in the "Merry Wives of Windsor."
But as the reign drew to its close, a change came over the
poet. He was only thirty-six, but he could no longer write the
THE GLOBE THEATRE AS IN WAS IN SHAKESPEARE'S TIME. light comedy of his earlier days. "The outer world suddenly
darkened around him." His friends passed away; Essex fell on
All the world was there. The stage was crowded with the scaffold; some of his patrons were exiled from court.
nobles and courtiers, while apprentices and citizens thronged the Shakespeare suffered acutely.
benches in the yard below.
Then he began to write tragedies; and the audiences no
There are few more startling facts in the age of Elizabeth longer laughed and made merry over his plays. The year before
than this sudden rise of the English drama. The way had been the death of the queen, one of his greatest tragedies called
prepared by others, but Shakespeare soon out-topped them. He "Hamlet" appeared. He wrote his play of "Henry VIII" after
thoroughly understood the brilliant life that had gathered round Elizabeth's death.
Elizabeth. It was a world of comedy, of wits, of fun and
laughter. "Love's Labour Lost" was played before the queen at Elizabeth was a great queen. She ruled over England
Christmas, 1590. A "Comedy of Errors" and the "Taming of the during one of our most critical periods, and she brought her
Shrew," which quickly followed, must have set the audiences country successfully through its troubles. When she rode into
laughing from beginning to end. In "The Midsummer-Night's London, a young woman of five-and twenty, to take up her
Dream," Shakespeare dealt with a fairyland of his own creation. duties as queen, the fortunes of the country were low. Spain was
growing daily more powerful in Europe and in the New World
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of America. When she died forty-five years later, the power of
Spain was broken, the Reformed Church was established, the
New World was opened to Englishmen. It must be remembered
that England was England only in those days. There were as yet
no colonies. Scotland and Ireland had each its own Parliament.
This was the England over which Elizabeth ruled. She never left
it, and never travelled to Ireland or Scotland.
Yet she delighted in the spirit of adventure that inspired
the mariners of her day to sail hither and thither in search of gold
and fame. She herself would wave them a last farewell; she was
the first to welcome them if they ever returned. Thus did the
"Queen of the Northern Seas" gather round her person devoted
and faithful friends. The new awakening inspired Englishmen in
every direction, but all enterprise centred round Elizabeth's
court. Thither Spenser brought his "Fairie Queene," Bacon his
Essays, Sir Philip Sidney his sonnets, Sir Walter Raleigh his
great schemes for founding colonies.
The expeditions of Hawkins, Drake, Davis, Frobisher, Sir
Humphrey Gilbert, Sir Richard Grenville, Sir Walter Raleigh
were all undertaken with her sanction and help. She sent
Leicester to the Netherlands to help the Dutch and Essex to
Ireland to enforce her rule, though both failed in the end. Before THE LAST MOMENTS OF QUEEN ELIZABETH.
her Shakespeare acted his plays, and it was her interest and Such was England's great queen. But what of England's
encouragement that helped to raise the drama to its height. And people? And how did they live during these momentous years of
moving quietly behind the flash and pomp of Elizabeth was the our history? There was movement and activity everywhere, and
stately Lord Burghley, faithful, firm, far-seeing, loving God and it was a time of progress for the working classes. A growing
Queen and Country. demand for English wool gave more work to the increasing
The old statesman and faithful servant passed away, and populations of the country. Waste lands were made fit for
Elizabeth could never speak of him without shedding tears. But pasture, more and more sheep were reared, more and more men
heavy with grief though she was, she kept up her queenly and women toiled in their homes to turn the home-grown wool
splendour, and continued her wonderful progresses from country into flannel and cloth for clothes.
house to country house. In various parts of England to-day there are still houses
When Elizabeth was sixty-nine and had reigned for forty- which remind us of that old cloth-weaving industry. Lavenham,
three years, she passed away—the last of the Tudors. in Suffolk, is famous for its quaint old cottages, in some of
which the inhabitants still use the old hand-looms for the making

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of a kind of horse-hair cloth; but the most picturesque building Housing was improving, but the dwellings of the people
in this interesting village is the hall of the Guild of Corpus were nearly all of wood. The richer classes built fine mansions
Christi, where the clothiers' guild (or club) held its meetings, of brick and stone, of which imposing gateways and porches
admitted the apprentices, regulated work, prices, and wages, and were always a feature. The roads were still poor and travelling
occasionally feasted together. difficult. Only noblemen and very rich people could afford
carriages; and it was a common sight to see two people riding
the same horse, a woman being often seated behind a man on a
cushion called a pillion.
But the country was terribly overrun with beggars at this
time, for the closing of the monasteries, and the ever-increasing
practice of sheep farming in place of corn growing, had caused
many men to be turned adrift. Elizabeth passed some famous
Poor Laws, which have remained in force for several hundred
years. Those who could work, but would not work, were
punished by being beaten with whips, and sent back to their
native village, "there to put themselves to labour as true men
ought to do." Every parish was thus forced to support and
maintain its own "paupers," as these people were called, and the
workhouse system grew up in our midst.
So we see that the "Merrie England" of Elizabeth had its
THE ORIGIN OF THE STOCKING LOOM.
darker side, that the poor were very poor and the rich were very
The little homesteads of the rural workers were mostly rich. But between the two was rising that important class of
self-contained; nearly every family grew its own corn and made people known to history as the "middle class"—honest traders,
its own bread, reared sheep and spun the wool into cloth, shop-keepers and manufacturers, who played their great part in
pastured cattle and made its own butter and cheese. The children the commercial development of our great country.
all helped, for there was no schooling; they were taught and
trained by their parents. As yet, there were no large towns full of
shops like ours; markets were held at stalls in the open street,
and it was a sign of prosperity that the townsmen were now
going to the expense of building shelters at the market crosses.
There were no great tall chimneys, no manufactories, and
machinery to be worked by steam was not invented. There was
not much encouragement to inventors, and William Lee, who
invented the stocking-frame by watching the movements of his
wife's fingers when knitting, had to go to Paris, where he was
befriended by the French king, Henry IV.
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 53 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 wanderers. Both lived to be kings; but one of them, James II,
CHAPTER XII driven from his throne and country, lived out his old age as a
pensioner at the Court of his cousin, England's greatest enemy,
Louis XIV of France.
THE GREAT DRAMA OF THE STUART PERIOD Nevertheless, both the daughters of James II became
queens of England. Mary, with her husband, James's own
The Stuart period begins with the accession of James I,
nephew, reigned whilst her father was in exile at a foreign Court.
and ends with the death of his great-granddaughter, Queen Anne.
Anne was made queen by an Act of Parliament, which excluded
It covers a little more than a century, so that the "Age of the
James's son, for by that time Parliament was strong enough to
Stuarts" and the "Seventeenth Century" mean practically the
make and unmake sovereigns.
same thing.
Whether on the throne or off, the Stuarts were born to
The Stuarts had been kings in Scotland for more than two
wring trouble into England. Civil war had brought one king to
hundred years. They became kings of England because the
the block. Revolution had driven another from the throne. Yet
Tudors left no direct heirs. They ceased to be kings because they
for two more generations the plots and insurrections of the
entered into conflict with Parliament, and Parliament proved too
"Jacobites"—those who upheld the cause of the dethroned and
strong for them.
exiled Stuarts—kept their Hanoverian successors, George I and
The period is one of the richest in all our long history. It George II, constantly on the watch.
is full of stirring incidents; plots, insurrections, civil wars,
One event of the seventeenth century can never be
revolutions, restorations, follow one another with startling
forgotten. Only once in a thousand years has the succession of
rapidity. The political changes were so important that they have
kings and queens in England been broken; and that was in the
affected the whole life of the nation, and their consequences can
eleven years from 1649 to 1660, when the monarchy was thrown
be seen in the government of every civilised country to-day.
down and a Republic or Commonwealth was set up. That fact
The fortunes of the reigning family, the Stuarts, were so alone tells us much, for such great changes never occur without
striking that they have furnished material for hundreds of great causes. The whole history of the seventeenth century
romances and stories. The mother of James I, Mary Queen of centres round the long and mighty struggle between king and
Scots, had been beheaded by Elizabeth; yet James, on the death Church on the one side, and Parliament and Puritans on the
of Elizabeth, was raised from the throne of a small, wild, poor, other. The events of the whole period may be pictured as the five
and turbulent country, to be the ruler of three kingdoms, at a acts of a great drama.
time when the rest of Europe was so distracted by war and civil
In the first act, the actors take their places on the stage,
strife that he might have become one of the greatest monarchs in
and the cause of strife appears. James I and Charles I, with their
Christendom, But "the wisest fool in Christendom," as a French
courtiers and statesmen, find themselves more and more opposed
king called James I, achieved nothing, and his son, Charles I,
to the Commons in Parliament; whilst the bishops are opposed to
after vainly attempting to rule as a despot, like the kings of
the Puritans. King and Church join hands. Charles, with his bold
France or Spain, ended his days on the scaffold—the only king
statesman, the Earl of Strafford, and Laud, the Archbishop of
in all our history publicly put to death. His two sons, Charles II
Canterbury, are joined by all who rally to the cry of "Church and
and James II, spent nearly half their lives as exiles and
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Crown." Opposed to them stand those who wish for government The age was essentially one of conflict and revolution,
by Parliament, and a reformed "Puritan" Church. John Pym, and such things try the temper and character of a nation.
John Hampden, John Eliot, and Oliver Cromwell stand forth as Englishmen may well, therefore, be proud that, even in the hour
the leaders of a new Church and a new State. of strife and civil war, her soldiers and statesmen were of noble
mould. Few men could escape the struggle, and everyman risked
In the second act, the country is a field of battle for seven
his life for the cause in which he believed.
weary years. Parliament triumphs over the king; the army
triumphs over Parliament; Cromwell, the successful general, Eliot, the first leader of the Commons, died in the Tower.
triumphs over both Parliament, and army, and becomes the Strafford, the king's faithful and brave, but misguided servant,
dictator of England, under the title of Protector of the died like his master, Charles, on the scaffold. Archbishop Laud
Commonwealth, and England for eleven years has no king. paid for his zeal by his life. Hampden died of the wounds he
received on the battlefield. Falkland, one of the noblest of the
In the third act, the chief figure is Cromwell. Like a giant
king's supporters, rushed to a welcome death at Newbury.
he struggles to create a new England. The king is dead; the royal
Rupert, the prince of Cavaliers, and Cromwell, the great captain
family is in exile; the old Church of England is silenced; the
of the Roundheads, came almost unharmed through a hundred
Cavaliers, or followers of the Stuarts, are deprived of all power
fierce fights. Never did men take up arms with purer motives on
and their estates impoverished. The protector, with the aid of his
both sides, and never was civil war waged with greater courage
Puritan soldiers, enforces order, and attempts to rule England
and humanity.
with the sword in one hand and the Bible in the other. For ten
years a small religious sect, the Independents, armed and led by Even apart from the severe conflicts and passions of the
a great general and statesman, hold the chief power in the realm. age, it was very rich in great and noble names. Shakespeare's
The death of Cromwell is the end of the third act. finest work belongs as much to James's reign as to Elizabeth's.
Raleigh, the last of the great Elizabethan adventurers, lived until
In the fourth act all is quickly changed. The stern and
1618. Bacon wrote his greatest works, and Ben Jonson his
sombre Puritan gives place to the "Merrie Monarch," Charles II,
greatest plays, after Elizabeth's death. Milton lived through the
who is restored to the throne of his ancestors. The Church of
Civil War and far into the reign of Charles II. In this age Bunyan
England is restored too, and in its triumph the Church once more
produced his "Pilgrim's Progress." In this age George Fox
turns to persecuting Puritan clergymen and preachers—John
founded the "Society of Friends." The events of the time and the
Bunyan amongst others.
character of the people are handed down to us by famous writers
So far the, course of events had been, (i) Preparation, (ii) of diaries like Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn; historians like
Strife, (iii) the Triumph of Puritanism, (iv) the Triumph of the Lord Clarendon; writers of memoirs like Mrs. Hutchinson;
restored Church and king. The last act was (v) Reconciliation. chroniclers like Rushworth. We can thus read in the words of
This last revolution, that of 1689, preserved the monarchy, but eye-witnesses the whole story of the century.
preserved Parliament too, with all its rights. It preserved the
John Evelyn himself saw the meeting of the famous Long
national Church, but it also preserved the Nonconformist
Parliament in 1640, with the king riding in state to its opening.
Churches. Persecution gave place to toleration for all but Roman
Six months afterwards, "on the 12th of May," he writes, "I
Catholics. In all its main points the settlement of 1689, in both
beheld on Tower Hill the fatal stroke which severed the wisest
Church and State, is the settlement ender which we still live.
head in England from the shoulders of the Earl of Strafford." He
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saw the beginning of the Civil War, and then went abroad. But long civil war, insurrections and, plots without number; and
he was in England on the 30th of January, 1649, the day of the which could produce characters as diverse as Laud and George
king's execution, and kept himself indoors, fasting and praying. Fox; Strafford and John Lilburne, the Leveller; Pym, the first
He saw too "the superb funeral of the protector, Oliver, lying in leader of the House of Commons, and Montrose, the royalist
effigy, in royal robes and crowned with a crown, sceptre, and poet and Cavalier; Charles II, and John Milton. Nor can the age
globe, like a king." In 1660 he was present at the entry of that saw the establishment of Parliamentary government, and the
Charles II into London. "I stood in the Strand and beheld it, and beginnings of our American Colonies, be wanting in importance
blessed God." in the history of the world.
Many other less pleasing sights he witnessed; for It is of this famous age that the following chapters will
example, in 1665, when the Great Plague was raging in London. tell you.
In 1666 he saw the "whole south part of the city burning, from
Cheapside to the Thames and all along Cornhill, Tower Street,
Fenchurch Street, Gracious Street, and so along to Baynard's
Castle, and now taking hold of St. Paul's Church, to which the
scaffolds contributed exceedingly."
"God grant," he says, "mine eyes may never behold the
like, who now saw above 10,000 houses all in one flame."
Again, he tells us of a year later, when the Dutch sailed up to
Chatham,, "a dreadful spectacle as ever Englishman saw, and a
dishonour never to be wiped off."
Nearly twenty years later, on the death of Charles II, he
says, "I can never forget the inexpressible luxury and
profaneness, gaming, and all dissoluteness, and total
forgetfulness of God, it being Sunday evening six days before
the king's death, which I was witness of . . . a French boy singing
love songs, in that glorious gallery [in Whitehall], whilst about
twenty of the great courtiers and dissolute persons were at a
game of Basset round a large table, a bank of at least £2,000 in
gold before them. . . Six days later was all in the dust."
Hardly any event of note did he miss, and as a very old
man, in 1704, he saw the rejoicings on the news of the Battle of
Blenheim, and "the queen in a rich coach with eight horses none
with her but the Duchess of Marlborough."
An age cannot be lacking in interest that includes Gun-
powder Plot and the Battle of Blenheim, three revolutions, a
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 56 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 parish churches, mansions, even cottages and inns, that were in
CHAPTER XIII daily use in King James I's days. The gabled and timbered
houses, with their heavy oak beams, their paneled rooms, their
galleries and staircases, their carved chimney-pieces and huge
A PICTURE OF ENGLAND THREE HUNDRED open fireplaces, are still to be found in hundreds. We can still
YEARS AGO see the very pictures and portraits that hung on the walls of
mansion and manor-house, and the carved furniture that adorned
In that month of April, 1603, when King James I was the rooms. We can still walk on the terraces and garden-paths
enjoying his first taste of English hospitality in the houses of laid out by the famous gardeners of that age, and enjoy the shade
great noblemen and wealthy gentlemen, whilst passing on his of the very trees they planted.
way from Edinburgh to London, Cromwell was a boy of four, Yet for all that, what we can see to-day are mere relics of
perhaps playing about the house of his rich uncle, another Oliver a bygone England, and if we could go back to that age we should
Cromwell, who feasted King James for two nights at feel as if we were in a foreign country. It must have looked very
Hinchinbrook, in Huntingdon. John Hampden, Cromwell's, different even in the open country; for the now familiar hedges
cousin, an orphan, nine years old, the heir to great and ancient did not then divide the fields, except in the few districts where
estates in Buckinghamshire, was beginning to go to school. at scientific farming was beginning. The old open-field system of
Thame. Wentworth, a year older, the eldest son of a rich farming—without hedges and without rotation of crops—was
Yorkshire baronet, was already preparing for Cambridge still largely practised.
University, Laud was a clergyman and a learned Fellow of St.
Wastes and commons, and woods of great extent, were
John's College, Oxford. Charles, the future "royal martyr," was a
plentiful even in the south and middle of England, whilst the
baby of three.
north was almost a wilderness, A few wild boars were still to be
Of the other great actors in the struggle that was to make found in the royal forests; the last wolf had not yet been killed in
the age famous, only John Pym was at this time a grown man. the north; foxes were so plentiful as to be shot and trapped as
Rupert and Fairfax, the rival cavalry leaders; Falkland and Hyde, vermin; deer wandered in great herds. Badgers and wild cats
the worthiest counsellors of the royalist cause, were not yet born. were not uncommon. Eagles and bustards were numerous, and in
Many things were in preparation for the coming struggle in the fens clouds of cranes sometimes darkened the sky.
James's reign of twenty-two years, and it was the people then
The south and east of England were then the most
growing up who made the great Puritan Revolution. What sort of
civilised parts. They contained the richest and most thickly
an England was it that they saw around them? How did the men
peopled counties. The north was a wild region, thinly peopled,
and women of that time live, and what were they thinking and
possessing only a few cities such as York, Newcastle, and
doing?
Carlisle, and a few new manufacturing towns such as Leeds,
In its outward appearance the country has not wholly Sheffield, and Manchester. The population of England and
changed even in three hundred years, and those who will use Wales to-day is over thirty-six millions. It was then only about
their eyes can still see much that our forefathers saw then. In four millions—less than the population of London to-day. The
every cathedral city, in every large town, in all our older greatest towns were London, with 400,000; Bristol and Norwich,
villages, there still stand the very buildings, cathedrals, old with about 25,000 each. Few other cities had a population of
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 57 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 10,000. Besides York, Newcastle, Exeter, and Plymouth, the In spite of ever-growing trade, all but the very largest
chief towns lay in the middle and south—Oxford Gloucester, towns were still almost self-supporting. To-day every town
Nottingham, Lincoln, Coventry, Leicester, Southampton, draws its food and other supplies from the whole world, whilst
Portsmouth, and Shrewsbury. Hull was a great port. Chester was its special manufactures are carried in turn to supply the needs of
then more important than Liverpool. Manchester and Sheffield, other towns and countries. In those days trade was still chiefly
Birmingham and Leeds, were old villages rising into new towns, local. Flour, beef, mutton, bacon, poultry, eggs, butter, and
through their manufactures of cloth and hardware. But the cheese, came into each place from the immediate
biggest of them had not more than 4,000 inhabitants. neighbourhood. Beer was home-brewed. Workmen of almost
every imaginable trade worked in their own homes or in small
The old walls still stood round the ancient cities of York,
workshops with a master craftsman, a few journeymen, and two
Oxford, Exeter, Lincoln, Chester, and Colchester, whilst many
or three apprentices.
English and Welsh towns still had standing large portions of the
old defences and gates, of which there is now little trace. The
walls were generally too weak to admit of defence by artillery;
but as the Civil War proved, they were still useful. For nearly all
these cities withstood regular sieges, as did also a score of old
castles that had lasted since the Middle Ages. Such were the
castles of Pembroke, Harlech, Raglan, Pontefract, Scarborough,
Beeston, Sherborne, Arundel, as well as others less famous.
Even more modern houses could still be fortified. Lathom,
Basing, Faringdon, Wardour, Lacock, and many others, resisted
for weeks, and sometimes months, the local forces brought
against them.
The towns themselves were picturesque. No rows of
houses, every one alike, existed as nowadays. Huge gables,
quaint windows, beams arranged to form a pattern, porches and
pillars, allowed plenty of scope for individual taste. But the
streets were narrow, and the houses consequently dark; drainage
was bad, and so floods and damp were a constant evil; open
sewers were a great danger to health.
"Long in populous city pent,
Where houses thick and sewers annoy the air,"

wrote Milton, thinking of his own London. Want of proper sanitation A ROYAL PROCESSION PASSING CHEAPSIDE CROSS IN THE DAYS OF
made plague and fever a constant scourge. CHARLES I.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 58 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 Saddlers, painters, coach-builders, wheelwrights, joiners, became in places a mere cart-track. Travellers between one town
weavers, dyers, combers, spinners, embroiderers, skinners, and another often lost their way in rough weather. After rain,
glovers, cutlers, shoemakers, plumbers, founders, goldsmiths, coaches stuck fast, and had to be rescued by a team of oxen
blacksmiths, farriers, pewterers, brewers, bakers, coopers, brought from a neighbouring farm. The floods between even
masons, carpenters, etc., were all to be found in every big town. London and Ware, in Hertfordshire, sometimes compelled
A few places were noted for special wares, and the cloth trade passengers to swim for their lives. A. traveller at Stamford was
was gradually spreading from the Eastern Counties to the stopped four days by floods, and only attempted to proceed
Northern, but no factories had yet arisen. when he found a company of fourteen members of Parliament,
with guides, on their way to Westminster. A viceroy going to
By far the larger number, probably three-quarters, of the
Ireland took five hours to travel fourteen miles between St.
people, lived not in the towns, as nowadays, but in the villages
Asaph and Conway.
and the countryside. And life in the country was simpler and
ruder than in the towns. Even the oldest industry, farming, was
conducted very clumsily, although new ideas were coming in
from a country which taught England many things in the
seventeenth century. Most of the improvements in the common
arts of life came to us just then from Holland. Farming,
gardening, various methods in manufacture, painting, ship-
building, draining, banking, and many other things, including
republican ideas and religious doctrines, were influenced by
contact with Holland during the whole of the century.
It was in James's reign that root crops began to be
properly cultivated. This gave better supplies of food to the
cattle in winter. Hitherto large numbers of cattle had to be killed
and salted before winter, for want of good cattle food.
Consequently people ate salt meat throughout the winter. The
sheep and cattle of those days were much smaller than ours; for
it is only through special selection and breeding that our modern
THE GRAND STAIRCASE, HATFIELD HOUSE.
beasts have been produced. The best breeds of horses came from
abroad, and the Netherlands furnished some of the finest. For all but the heaviest goods, pack-horses were the best
One of the greatest hindrances to trade, and to progress in means of transit, as they were less dependent than coaches or
other ways, was the badness of the roads. A horseman might waggons on the state of the roads. The age of stage-coaches had
gallop, with frequent changes on the road, from London to not yet begun. Only in the days of the Commonwealth did
Edinburgh in three days, as, did the man who carried the news of hackney coaches first appear. The state coaches of royal
Elizabeth's death to James. But a journey by coach or waggon personages and of the nobles and great gentlemen were oftener
was an affair of weeks. In winter, even the few main roads were seen in the towns than on the country roads.
often impassable. Beyond the Trent, even the Great North Road
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 Not only were the roads bad; they were dangerous from
another cause. The days of the most famous highwaymen were
not until after the Civil War, but already the roads were infested
by robbers, many of them being younger sons of gentlemen. Bad
roads and the absence of any real system of police made
highway robbery a secure and profitable employment, whilst
inn-keepers in remote parts were often suspected of being in
league with the thieves. The parish constable, who was often at
the same time a small farmer, would raise the hue and cry among
his neighbours when a robbery was heard of but the pursuit
ended at the parish boundary, and the tired farmer and his rustics
would be glad to sit down and then return to their farms,
thankful to be rid of a troublesome fellow and to have escaped a
broken head or a shot from a pistol.
John Evelyn tells a story of riding within three miles of
Bromley, in Kent, when two cut-throats started out of a thicket,
and striking with long staves at his horse, threw him down, took
his sword, and hauled him into the wood, where they could rob
him securely. "After robbing me," he says, "they bound my
hands behind me and my feet, having pulled off my boots. They
then set me up against an oak with most terrible threats to cut my
throat if I offered to cry out. They told me they had pistols and
long guns and were fourteen companions!" This was in populous
Kent.
In the wild Northern Counties rough private warfare had
only just died out, and on the Scotch borders moss-trooping and
marauding still went on occasionally. Bands of robbers long
STUART EMBROIDERERS.
survived in Northumberland and Yorkshire. Even in Charles II's
time it was still the custom for the judges on circuit, with the Nevertheless the country was growing richer and more
whole body of barristers, country, attorneys clerks, and serving- peaceful. The Tudor period had seen the decay of the castle and
men, to travel from Newcastle to Carlisle armed and escorted as the rise of the palace and mansion. Old castles might still be
if in an enemy's country. No wonder that houses were still defended in a civil war, but no nobleman now ever dreamt of
fortified, and that the inmates slept with arms by their sides. building a new castle. Palaces and mansions, like that of the
Cecils at Hatfield, Holland House at Kensington, or the houses
of that famous lady called Bess of Hardwick at Bolsover,
Hardwick, and Chatsworth, were being built not for defence, but
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 60 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
for beauty and comfort. The famous architect, Inigo Jones, was country; No standing army existed. The county train-bands or
employed by the first two Stuart kings and their nobles. He built militia had never seen actual warfare, and were badly equipped
largely in the Italian style, and the Banqueting House, Whitehall, and officered. On special occasions men were "impressed" or
designed to be part of a new royal palace which was never compelled to serve as soldiers or sailors. It was the question of
completed, is the best example of his work. the raising and control of an army and navy that, amongst other
things, brought Charles I into conflict with the Parliament and
The feudal system had all but gone. There were still
led to civil war.
relics in the shape of troublesome customs. But Parliament was
already bargaining with the king to get rid of them. How were soldiers armed, and how did they fight? The
foot-soldiers relied chiefly upon the pike and the musket. The
The nobility no longer possessed the great powers they
days of archers were over a generation ago. The pikemen wore
had enjoyed in the Middle Ages; the Tudors had done away with
steel caps, breast-plates and back-plates, and a covering of steel
all. that. But they were still the leaders of social life, and
for the thighs. The musketeers had enough to do to carry and use
supplied most of the great politicians and statesmen, except
their muskets without burdening themselves with armour, so
during the Commonwealth. In the Civil War they raised troops
their coats of mail and steel plates were not used. The musket
from their own tenantry. One of them, the Marquis of Hertford,
itself was a clumsy and rather ineffective weapon. It was so long
was rich enough to furnish £120,000 at one time to the king's
and heavy that few men were strong enough to hold one and take
war-chest, whilst the Marquis of Newcastle estimated what he
aim steadily. So the barrel was laid in a forked rest, which, of
spent in the same cause at nearly a million pounds sterling.
course, had to be carried. As there were no cartridges, the soldier
These sums would equal five or six times the same amount in
had to carry a smouldering string—the match. What with his
our money.
bullets in a pouch and his powder in a flask, his wads of paper or
Yet it was the other side, the side of the more numerous rag, his burning match, his forked rest, and the heavy musket
middle classes, that won. The country gentry, and the middle itself—remembering that the shot did not after all carry very
classes, and the merchants and citizens in the towns were rising far—the musketeer was not by any means the most dangerous
both in wealth and in influence in the State. It was mostly the sort of enemy.
country squires of good family, like Hampden, Cromwell,
No wonder such soldiers were swept off the field by
Hutchinson, and Ludlow, who came to the front in the war and
horse-soldiers or cavalry. The pikemen, when trained to stand
in Parliament.
firm, did far more damage in a battle, and, in fact, pikemen were
The greatest changes since the early seventeenth century always used to protect the musketry while they fell back to
have taken place in the position and influence of the towns. Life reload their guns.
and society in the country have changed far less. Labourers,
The knights, of olden days had given place to the more
tenant-farmers, freeholders, squires, and great landowners,
quickly-moving cavalry. Generals and a few of the higher
whose families have been settled in one spot since the Norman
officers still wore suits of complete armour, as is shown by a
Conquest, are still found all over England.
visit to the Tower of London, where some of the very suits worn
In every county some great nobleman was lord-lieutenant at that time are kept. But the bulk of the cavalry only helmet,
and responsible for raising and arming the militia, which was breast-plate and back-plate, and tasset for the thighs, carried a
then the principal and almost the only armed force in the
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 61 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
couple of pistols, and, instead of a lance, relied chiefly on the with the Pilgrim Fathers, the founders of New England, across
sword. the Atlantic Ocean.
Dragoons—that is, horsemen armed with a short and
light musket—were used to precede an army, sometimes by
acting as dismounted infantry and seizing positions before the
regular foot-soldiers could come up. The seventeenth century
was, however, the great age of cavalry, and most of the
important battles of the Civil War were chiefly decided by the
skilful use of horse and sword, not by gunpowder.
Under James I the navy was in a poor state. The
Admiralty was not only inefficient, but so dishonest that money
voted for ships and stores was pocketed by officers and
contractors, whilst the ships were rotting and their sailors were
disbanded. Charles I made many improvements, and the famous
"ship-money" was spent in building and equipping a better fleet
than had ever been sent out.
Charles's finest ship, the Sovereign of the Seas, was, a
three-decker, 230 feet long and of 1,700 tons burden, and carried
about 130 guns, the heaviest being 60-pounders. This ship had a
long life. It was rebuilt, and at different times it was under the
command of Blake, Monk, Penn, the Duke of York, Rupert,
Russell, and others. At last it was burnt by accident. The
common ships of that time were small vessels of 200 to 500
tons. Compare these with our huge "Dreadnoughts" of to-day!
Far away in the West Indies and the Spanish Main, JOHN MILTON.
Englishmen were still carrying on in their own fashion the
If we turn from what men were doing to what they were
traditions of Drake and Hawkins, but the sea-dogs of Elizabeth
thinking and saying, we come upon some striking facts. The
were becoming buccaneers, that is, adventurers; who were mere
plays of Shakespeare and Ben Jonson, written mostly in the early
pirates; under self-appointed leaders. More respectable
years of the seventeenth century, are full of thoughts so modern
adventurers and traders were exploring North America and the
that they might have been uttered to-day. Both writers had left
East Indies, where they came in conflict with the Dutch.
the Middle Ages behind them, and would have felt at home with
Elizabeth had sanctioned the formation of the East India
the writers and thinkers of the nineteenth century. There are
Company in 1600. Virginia and Newfoundland were beginning
passages in both writers that might have been written as a
to be colonised. Baffin and Hudson left their names in Baffin's
satire—to poke fun at many of the popular notions put forward
Bay and Hudson's Bay, whilst in 1620 the Mayflower sailed
in the last century, and even in our own days. Of a somewhat
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 62 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
different character were the writings of the great Puritan poet, called witches are said to have been put to death—many of them
John Milton, whose lofty verse gave expression to all that was by being burnt alive—in less that eighty years.
best in the religious thought of the age.
It was to be an age of strife, but the strife was not for
There were two main directions in which men's thoughts ignoble things, and it produced heroes in plenty on both sides.
were bent, especially during the first half of the century; and Well might a later poet cry:—
there were two great passions that left their mark on our history. "Great men have been among us: hands that penned,
Ever since the country had, been set free from the danger of And tongues that uttered wisdom,—better none:
invasion by the defeat of the Spanish Armada, people had had The later Sidney, Marvel, Harrington,
time to think about the internal affairs of the nation and to brood Young Vane, and others who called Milton friend
over religion. They began to wish for more freedom in both These moralists could act and comprehend:
politics and religion. They wanted a greater share in government They knew how genuine glory was put on;
and in deciding what the national religion should be. We shall Taught us how rightfully a nation shone
find these two passions asserting themselves over and over again In splendour: what strength was, that would not bend
throughout the age of the Stuarts. Religion and politics are But in magnanimous meekness."
mingled in almost every great event Thus, the Pilgrim Fathers
and many of the later American colonists were religious
refugees; the wars with Scotland were "Bishops' Wars," fought
for the sake of establishing bishops in Scotland; the great Civil
War was a war of Church and Crown against Puritans and
Parliament. Cavaliers were Churchmen; Roundheads were
Nonconformists; and these two eventually merged into Tories
and Whigs, names which will become very familiar to us from
the reign of Charles II onwards.
It was to be an age of intense seriousness on one side,
and of licence and dissipation on the other. Puritans, who
thought it sinful to play games, who turned Sunday into a
sombre and joyless day, who made of the Bible a guide for the
smallest concerns of life, and who found in prayer-meetings
inspiration for the execution of a king, were to match themselves
against dissolute pleasure-lovers, who scoffed at praying tinkers
and preaching soldiers. There were, of course, saints and sober
Christians on both sides, but the two parties had very different
ideals of life.
The greatest learning and the noblest poetry existed side
by side with the grossest superstition. Nearly eighty thousand so-

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 63 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 between rival branches of the Protestant Church, ending in some
CHAPTER XIV sort of toleration for all except Catholics. It took more than
another century for Catholics to gain toleration in England.

WHAT GUNPOWDER PLOT WAS (1605)

The memory of Gunpowder Plot has been kept alive by
boys and girls for more than three hundred years, and the story is
so well known that it would hardly be worth telling again, except
for the information we can gather from it about several matters
that affected the lives of our forefathers.
Those who have read the history of the Tudor period will
know that all through the sixteenth century a struggle went on
between Catholics and Protestants, and that in Elizabeth's reign
the Protestants gained the upper hand, made the Church of
England a Protestant Church, and passed severe laws against the
Catholics. In the rest of Europe the conflict was not yet decided,
and the greatest "wars of religion" had still to be fought.
Frederick, the Elector Palatine, and leader of the German
Protestants, was a son-in-law of James I, but the English king
gave him little support. For thirty years (1618-1648) half the
Continent was devastated through war, and many thousands of
lives were lost before Protestants and Catholics settled down in
peace. Even long after the Thirty Years' War, the fear that
"Popery" would be revived in England was one of the strongest
influences affecting our national history, as we shall see.
Persecution on account of religion has now almost
ceased. But in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it was still FREDERICK, ELECTOR PALANTINE, SON-IN-LAW OF JAMES I.
the practice for the rulers of each nation to decide what the State
religion should be, and to compel every person to conform to the Persecution takes many forms. One of the mildest forms
religion of the national Church. If the rulers were Catholics, the is the exclusion of men and women from certain offices and
practice of the Protestant religion was put down; if they were positions on account of their religious belief. A stronger form of
Protestant, then the Catholics were persecuted. The idea of persecution is to fine and imprison people for conducting their
allowing or tolerating more than one religion in the same religious services in public. A still stronger form of persecution
country was hardly thought of. The history of England in the is to banish, or imprison, or put to death all who refuse to attend
seventeenth century was very largely occupied by disputes the services of the national Church. The worst persecution of all

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 64 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
is the torture and execution of people who are suspected of not be an outburst of priest-hunting. Rascals, who cared nothing for
believing in the doctrines of the Church, although they may be religion, would join Protestant fanatics who thought they were
willing to attend its services. obeying the commands of the Old Testament against idolaters,
and go in bands to search the houses of suspected Catholics,
All these forms of persecution have been practised in
destroying furniture and carrying off valuables and clothing.
England. In the reigns of Elizabeth and James I the laws against
the Catholics included all but the worst form of persecution. The Catholics were thus in the position of criminals,
Except in the case of specially favoured persons, Catholics were liable at times to be seized and imprisoned, whilst their priests
not allowed to hold any office in the State. The public were in danger of being hanged. Only where some great Catholic
performance of the mass could be punished by heavy fines, and nobleman could keep out the mischievous rabble did the
even by death. A priest caught conducting his services in Catholics manage to live in peace. It is fairly safe to assume that
England could be hung, drawn, and quartered for treason. Even wherever to-day we find a Catholic community in our villages,
to hear mass in secret made any person liable to a fine and they have maintained themselves ever since the days when the
imprisonment for a year, whilst to assert that the Pope had any Catholic squires kept their chapels and priests, hidden away
power in England was an act of treason. from their neighbours, through nearly two centuries of bitter
persecution and we can find many such villages in Derbyshire,
Catholics could not even stay at home and be quiet. They
Yorkshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, and Lancashire.
were compelled to attend the national Church service. If they
had sufficient property they could be fined £20 a month until When James I became king it was an anxious time for
they complied with the law. Less wealthy people were liable to both Catholics and Protestants. All Elizabeth's laws against
lose two-thirds of their lands, and even poor people could be Catholics were still in force, and the Puritans, who were growing
fined and imprisoned. in numbers and strength, were eager to crush out Catholicism in
England. James had not quite made up his mind what he meant
How, it may be asked, after forty years of such treatment,
to do. Before he gained the throne he had had friendly talks with
did any Catholics manage, to survive?
several leading Catholics, and had certainly led them to expect
Just as there was no regular police system to detect and that he would not continue to persecute. Personally he was in
catch criminals, so there was no regular means of enforcing the favour of some scheme of toleration, or even of joining
laws against the Catholics. Except when some special alarm was Protestants and Catholics in some sort of common religion.
raised, the laws were left to be carried out by the local
The Catholics hoped much from the new king. The
magistrates, who were the country gentry and landowners. In
extreme Protestants, on the other hand, felt very doubtful. His
many parts, especially in the north and west, and on the borders
mother had been a Catholic; his wife was secretly a Catholic; but
of Wales, there were numbers of Catholic noblemen and
as the Scottish Church was a Presbyterian Church, and therefore
gentlemen whose neighbours did not care to put the laws in force
thoroughly Protestant, the Puritans hoped James would favour
against them.
the extreme Protestant section in England.
Hence for generations, in scores of country mansions, the
Before he had been on the throne a year, James had
Catholic religion was secretly, and sometimes openly, preserved.
offended both the Puritans and the Catholics. He offended the
Priests were kept as chaplains, and in times of danger they could
Puritans by refusing to allow any further reforms in the Church.
easily be hidden in secret chambers. Occasionally there would
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 65 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
He disappointed the Catholics by denying his promises and alive the bitter hatred of the Catholics for generations
allowing the fines against them to be collected. When this was afterwards.
followed by persecution, when priest-hunting began again, and
when Jesuits and priests were banished, the anger of the
Catholics was aroused.
In our own times, whenever a law is felt to be unjust,
there are means whereby those who suffer can make known their
grievances, and get them removed without doing violence.
Freedom of speech, the right to hold public meetings, the
freedom of the Press, and the influence that can be brought to
bear upon members of Parliament, all make in our days any
resort to violence both wicked and foolish. In those times even
the right of petitioning the king was hardly allowed, for we
know that ten Puritans who signed the famous Millenary Petition
were thrown into prison. When men cannot gain their ends by
open means, they generally resort to secret plots. In the Middle
THE GUNDPOWDER CONSPIRATORS.
Ages, and even until modern times, secret plots to capture or
overturn the government were common in every country in The story of the plot itself is simple. Robert Catesby, a
Europe. In 1604 a few reckless Catholics began to look about for Warwickshire squire, had been mixed up in Essex's rebellion in
a remedy, for they were in despair of gaining toleration for their Elizabeth's reign. He had been imprisoned and all but ruined by
religion from a king who had broken his word and from a House the heavy fines imposed on him. He had become a fanatical
of Commons that hated the Catholics. Catholic; he was a bold soldier, and inspired courage and
First a certain priest, William Watson, formed a very confidence amongst his friends. He gathered about him a small
foolish plot to seize the king at Greenwich and compel him to band of friends. Thomas and Robert Winter were among the first
grant toleration. The plot was revealed to James. Watson and to join him; the former was a soldier and a scholar, who, after
another priest were hanged and for about a year the Catholics fighting against Spain, had become a Catholic, and had been on
were looked upon with favour by James, because they had a mission to Spain to get help for the English Catholics.
refused to agree with Watson's plot. But as the persecution soon Thomas Percy, a violent and arrogant man, the steward
began again, another plot was set on foot. This was the famous of the Duke of Northumberland, to whom he was distantly
Gunpowder Plot. related, was another who early joined in the plot. He was one of
The chief facts to notice about the plot are, that it was not those to whom James had promised some sort of toleration, and
a widespread conspiracy, but was confined to a few persons; that in his disappointment he had declared to Catesby that he would
these were mostly gentlemen of means and of good family; that kill the king. Catesby persuaded him to wait and join in a greater
the proposal to blow up Parliament was only a means to gain adventure.
possession of the government and to set up a new Catholic Guy Fawkes was at first not one of the principal
government; and that the memory of the plot helped to keep conspirators. He was the son of a lawyer at York. Becoming a
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 66 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
Catholic, he served in the Spanish army in Flanders. When, in There were still nearly six months to wait. The
1604, Catesby and Winter wanted a trustworthy soldier to help conspirators were in want of money to secure horses and arms
them to carry out their plot, he was chosen, and engaged to serve and to enlist supporters for the rising that was to follow. They
them faithfully. therefore introduced to the conspiracy some wealthy young
Catholics, including Sir Everard Digby and Francis Tresham.
The intention was to blow up the king, lords, and
commons assembled in the Houses of Parliament, as soon as During the summer there were disturbances among the
they met for the second session, which was expected to be in Catholics on the Welsh border. There was wild talk of an
February, 1605. This was to be the signal for a great Catholic insurrection. Priests were found preaching to large
rising. One of the princes was to be seized and proclaimed king, congregations, in spite of the law. The sheriff of Herefordshire
with a council of Catholic noblemen to govern the country. The had a conflict with a large body of Catholics, and under the old
second part of the plot was the more important, but all the penal laws three men were executed for attempting to convert
preparation they were ever able to make was to arrange for an their neighbours.
assembly of about eighty Catholic gentlemen at Dunchurch, in Meanwhile the plot was ripening, when, happily, it was
Warwickshire, under pretence of holding a hunting match. betrayed to the Government. Francis Tresham, and others too,
The first part of the plot almost succeeded. About March, felt that they ought to warn the Catholic noblemen who were
1604, five conspirators, including Catesby, Thomas Percy, and members of Parliament. Tresham sent a warning to his brother-
Guy Fawkes, met in a lonely house behind St. Clement's, in-law, Lord Monteagle. Everybody has heard of the curious
London, swore an oath of secrecy, and took the sacrament from letter which Lord Monteagle received, just as he was going to
a Jesuit priest, who knew nothing of the plot. They hired a house supper at his house at Hoxton, from a mysterious tall
close to the Parliament House, but they did not get possession gentleman:—
until December. Then they began to dig a mine underneath the "My lord, out of the love i beare to some of youere frends
Houses, storing their materials in another hired house placed in i have a caer of youer preservation therefor i would advyse yowe
charge of a new member of the plot. It was slow work. No as yowe tender youer lyf to devys some excuse to shift of youer
labourers could be engaged. All the gentlemen worked with their attendance at this parleament . . . for thowghe theare be no
hands, and the rubbish which they dug out was buried in the apparance of anni stir yet i say e they shall receyve a terrible
garden at night. Fawkes kept watch as a sentinel. blowe this parleament and yet they shall not seie who hurts
At Christmas they learnt that Parliament was not to meet them."
until October. In March, whilst working at their mine, they heard Lord Monteagle sent the letter to Cecil (Lord Salisbury),
a loud rumbling noise. Their fears were changed to hopes when the king's chief minister. The plotters knew that the letter had
they learnt that it came from an adjoining cellar, which ran right been sent, but, like men bereft of all sense, they supposed its
under the Parliament House, and that it was possible to hire this contents would not be understood, and that it was still safe to go
and so gain access to the very spot they wanted to reach. Percy on. Several, including Guy Fawkes, remained in London. Others
immediately got a lease of the cellar, and shortly twenty or thirty went into the country to prepare the rising.
barrels of gunpowder were carried into it and covered with
billets of wood and faggots. Lord Salisbury, however, knew all he wanted; but to
flatter the king he showed him the letter, and allowed him to
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enjoy. the credit of discovering its meaning. James, on reading than Salisbury knew already. All the arrested conspirators were
the letter, of course instantly suspected gunpowder. The cellars executed, except Tresham, who died in prison before his trial.
underneath the Houses were searched on the night before
The effect of the plot was to increase the hostility of the
Parliament was to sit. The barrels of gunpowder were nation against the Catholics. The penal laws were again
discovered. Fawkes, still on guard, was seized and carried to, the enforced. Catholics who had begun to attend Church were now
king. required to take the sacrament. Churchwardens and constables
Before dawn, on the 5th of November, the streets of were fined if they did not prosecute known recusants, and were
Westminster were alive with people, alarmed at the rumour of a rewarded for their success. New fines were inflicted on those
Catholic rising. They mobbed the Spanish ambassador's. house. who kept Catholic servants. Recusants were forbidden to come
The trained bands were called out. The sheriffs were ordered to within ten miles of London. They were forbidden to practise as
capture the conspirators, who by this time were racing along the attorneys or physicians; they could not be executors of a will,
highroad towards Worcester. nor guardians of children. They might not be married except in
the Church of England.
Digby had assembled his hunting party—about eighty,
including retainers—at Dunchurch. When Catesby arrived he Their books could be destroyed, and their houses visited
announced the discovery of the plot, and tried to persuade his by the magistrates in search of arms. It is said that courtiers
friends to rise in insurrection. But the party rapidly dispersed. bought from the king the shameful privilege of seizing land and
The leaders and a number of serving-men fled to Holbeach, in property belonging to the wealthier Catholics.
Staffordshire, where they took refuge in the house of Stephen
For another century the Catholics were persecuted and
Lyttleton. On the way they seized arms and armour at Hewell were cut off from public life. Gunpowder Plot had sealed their
Grange. At Holbeach a slight explosion of gunpowder caused an fate, and had given new life to the popular hatred, which burst
alarm, and raised their fears. The sheriff and his soldiers out time after time. Even in the days of George III—when the
surrounded the house. Gordon Riots, with the cry "No Popery," placed London in the
Two of the conspirators escaped. Catesby and two others hands of a howling mob for three days and nights—popular fury
were killed by the sheriff's men. Percy was wounded, and died in against Rome was still a living force in England.
a day or two. Digby and, four others were captured and taken to
London. Robert Winter and Stephen Lyttleton, after reaching
Hagley, where they hid for two months, were betrayed by a
servant. Two Jesuit priests, suspected of being concerned in the
plot, were caught near Worcester, in a secret room behind a
gentlewoman's chamber.
The plot had utterly failed, and the prisoners could only
expect the vengeance of the Government. It was still usual to
torture prisoners suspected of treason. The faithful Fawkes was
tortured, and so was one of the priests. But little more was learnt

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 disputes about the privileges of Parliament; bargains about
CHAPTER XV feudal dues; protests by the Commons against "monopolies,"
against "benevolences "; protests in defence of their right to
advise the king; petitions against marrying the Prince of Wales
THE MISRULE OF THE STUARTS—JAMES I to a Catholic; and such like matters.
(1603—1625)
The word "king" has many different meanings. It may
mean a "constitutional king," who reigns in state as king, but
does not govern except through ministers and a parliament. It
may mean an absolute despot, whose subjects' lives and property
are at the disposal of his will and caprice. Or it may mean
anything between these two extremes.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the power of
kings, instead of growing less, appeared to be growing greater.
This is shown by the despotic rule of Henry VIII in England,
which has been described in a previous chapter; and, in the
middle of the seventeenth century, by the rise of a great French
king, Louis XIV, who became the most powerful and absolute
monarch France had seen for nearly a thousand years.
So far from kingship being dead, gunpowder and
standing armies had put new weapons in its hands. Parliaments
still existed, but most men believed that a strong king was
needed to keep the nation in order and defend it against enemies
abroad. So long as men believed this, the supreme power would
lie with kings and not with parliaments.
Such was the state of things when James I became king
at the beginning of the seventeenth century.
Most of the troubles of James's reign would have been
soon forgotten, if they had not had such important effects in his
son's reign. By themselves, they seem like trivial quarrels that
might have been settled by a little common sense and JAMES I. AND HIS QUEEN, ANNE OF DENMARK.
forbearance. What are the affairs that all the history books about
But these apparently petty conflicts between an angry
James's reign are full of? A petition of Puritan clergymen to
and talkative king and his solemn Puritan Parliaments, jealous
abolish some of the ceremonies and practices of the Church;
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about the smallest of their, rights, were signs of the times such as Others, whom we shall call Puritans, wished to be
a wise man would have taken to heart. They were the beginnings completely separated from Rome. They looked upon the Roman
of that great struggle, the Civil War, which altered the whole Church as wicked and idolatrous. They wished to simplify the
destiny of the English race. James's reign is therefore like the services of the Church, and wanted to do away with what they
first act in the play; we see its meaning only in the light of what regarded as image-worship. Instead of altars they wanted
happens farther on. communion tables; instead of rich vestments and surplices, they
preferred a plain black gown for their clergymen. As for bishops,
The first thing to understand is this trouble between the
whilst some were willing to keep them, others wished to have
Puritans and the bishops. We need not believe that either side
ministers chosen by the congregation, and to have an assembly
was entirely in the right; but when people believe in a thing so
of ministers and laymen to make rules for the Church, without
thoroughly that they are willing to lay down their lives in
any interference either from bishop or king.
defence of it, even if they happen to be in the wrong, it is well to
take notice of them. When there are two such sets of people, and Probably the mass of the people had no very strong
their beliefs are opposed to one another, only two courses are opinions, and were willing to accept whatever was arranged for
open. The first course is to allow both parties to keep their own them by their lawful rulers. But most of those who thought
opinions, and to try to live side by side without quarrelling. That seriously about their religion came to belong either to the first
is toleration. The other course is for the two parties to fight it party or the second. This broad division is important, because in
out, either by persecution or by open war. after-times there arose out of it our existing Church of England
on the one hand and the various Nonconformist Churches on the
It seems strange enough now that two branches of the
other.
Christian Church should have fought one another like heathens.
But in those times nearly every nation clung to the view that Queen Elizabeth had attempted to make the Church
there ought to be one religion only within the same state. "comprehensive," that is, she tried to adopt such doctrines and
Therefore, just as Christians had fought against heathens, just as services as would enable everybody to belong to the national
Catholics had fought against Protestants, so, when two parties Church. And for a long time many people believed that the
arose within the English Church, they too began to fight. Church could be made to suit all kinds of people. When James
became king, there were many proposals for adapting the
Ever since the Reformation, there had been two sorts of
Church services to meet the wishes of all sections. But when
Protestants in England, although the division was not clearly
they began to discuss the proposals, it soon became clear that the
marked at first. Some, whom we shall call the Anglicans, desired
differences of opinion were too great to be settled in such a way.
to be free from the Pope and Rome, but though they did not
accept the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church and the The Anglicans thought it would be sinful to give up the
authority of the Pope, they wished to keep as much as possible ancient ceremonies and sacraments, whilst the Puritans thought
of the old ceremonies, prayers, sacraments, and Church it was idolatry to pay attention to them. Hence it became a
government. They regarded the Church of England as still part struggle between these two religious parties for the control of the
of the true Catholic Church, and attached great importance to the national Church. Whichever got the upper hand would be likely
proper succession of bishops. to persecute the other, as we shall see, for this struggle in
different ways goes on throughout the century. One of the very
first incidents in this struggle was the famous "Hampton Court
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Conference," held by James I as a result of the Millenary From this time we see the Puritan party becoming not
Petition, signed by a thousand Puritan ministers who desired only a Church or religious party, but also a State or political
certain changes in the Church. party, which was largely in opposition to the king. The alliance
between the king and the bishops thus led to that other alliance
The English system gave great power to the king. There
between Puritans and Parliament. Many things led to this. The
was no pope to interfere on the one hand, and no general
High Church party, or Anglicans, were to some extent in
assembly on the other. He alone appointed the bishops; the
sympathy with the Catholics. Their own most loved ceremonies
bishops controlled the rest of the clergy, whilst the
were very much like those. of the Roman Catholic Church. The
congregations had no voice in the matter. James saw from the
Puritans, on the other hand, hated the Catholics intensely. They
first the great advantage of this system to himself, and
were constantly urging the Government to put the penal laws in
determined not to give in at all to those reformers whom he
force against the Catholics. They wished to sweep them out of
regarded as Presbyterians in disguise. "No bishop: no king," he
the country. They believed that many of the Anglicans were
said pithily. He declared that he would make the Puritans
really Catholics trying to betray the Church of England to Rome.
conform to the Church or he would "harry them out of the land."
They saw Catholics favoured at Court. They knew that there
His temper towards the Puritans was shown by the fact that ten
were many secret Catholics; the queen herself was one. They
of those who had presented the Millenary Petition were
were therefore full of suspicion, and their suspicions of a great
committed to prison.
Catholic conspiracy haunted the minds of the Puritans for many
From the conference the Puritans had gained nothing, years.
except the king's consent to a new translation of the Bible, a few
The temper of the Puritans was sharpened by
trifling alterations in the Prayer Book, and the promise of an
persecution. Their own habits of life marked them out from their
enquiry into the best means of obtaining a preaching clergy. The
neighbours and tended to draw them together. They turned
new translation of the Bible was a great event, for it gave us the
themselves to Bible-reading, preaching, and private prayer. They
"authorised version," which has been read by all the English-
abstained from many simple amusements, denounced dancing
speaking world for three centuries.
and stage plays as wicked, as, in fact, many of the plays of the
On the other hand, the Puritans lost a great deal; for as time were. They turned the old-fashioned English Sunday into a
the king had supported the Anglicans, so they now supported the day on which nothing was to be done but what belonged to
king where he claimed the most extraordinary powers. This religious worship.
alliance between king and bishops was to have a great effect on
These men thus lived a life of severe restraint. They
the nation's affairs for the next two generations. The laws which
believed that they had the direct guidance of God in the meaning
compelled men to use the services of the Established Church
they placed upon their reading of the Bible, and they used
were made more binding upon the clergy, and three hundred of
certain texts as plain commandments, regarding themselves as
them gave up their livings rather than make the promises
required from them. Some went to Holland to join those the "Elect of God" and their opponents as idolaters. Such men
were enemies worth the respect of the most absolute king. When
"Separatist" Churches founded by the "Dissenters" of Elizabeth's
they turned their attention to politics they showed the same
time. Most of the Puritans remained in the Church, but the
seriousness, the same intense faith, and the same hatred of
discontent went on growing.
compromise that they felt in religion.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 71 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 The House of Commons was their stronghold, for, from
the latter days of Elizabeth, a majority of its 450 members were CHAPTER XVI
either Puritans or in sympathy with Puritans. When men are out
of sympathy with one another it does not need great occasions to
make them quarrel. The House of Commons was extremely THE MISRULE OF THE STUARTS—CHARLES I
jealous of its customs and privileges. Even the Tudor sovereigns AND THE PETITION OF RIGHT (1625—1628)
had respected these—they might have used the House of
Commons as a tool, but they generally took care neither to The events of James's reign were, except in their remote
disturb its customs nor violate its privileges. James had none of consequences, dull and tedious. Charles's reign was the most
the Tudors' tact. He was in reality far less of a tyrant, but he dramatic and tragic in our whole history. From the first year of
wanted to have his powers acknowledged, and he liked to lecture his reign events moved rapidly, until the nation was plunged into
Parliament on his own supremacy. civil war and revolution. The causes were great, Crown and
Church against Parliament and the Puritan religion; and the men
on both sides were noble.
Charles himself, with all his faults, was a tragic figure.
Born with the century, he was twenty-five when his father died.
He was tall and athletic, good at tennis, and a fine horseman, a
good shot, and a good sportsman. His face was dark, but
handsome and dignified. His melancholy fate, and the genius of
his portrait painter, Vandyke, have made his face more familiar
to posterity than that of any English king. His manners were
refined, and his bearing towards his friends was full of charm.
He was much more serious than his father, more attentive to his
business as a king, less wide in his ideas, but held more strongly
to his purposes.
He purified the Court of the drunkards and revellers of
his father's time; his personal friends were better men than
James's boon companions. He loved beautiful things, and was
almost the first collector of our national art treasures. He was
religious, and his personal life was pure; he was a generous
husband and father. He was not cruel, and although obstinate, he
was no Henry VIII crushing a nation under his brutal will. He
even believed himself to be the protector of the nation's welfare
and the saviour of the national Church.

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 How was it, then, that with these qualities he was fated to Charles wished Parliament to vote supplies and to rely on
be the one king in our history executed as the enemy of the his promise "to maintain all his subjects in the just freedom of
people? The answer is to be found in two different their persons, and safety of their estates." At this, the Commons
circumstances. The first is one over which he had little control. determined to go further. Wentworth's bill had merely proposed
A contest of some kind between king and parliament was a new law, saying nothing about the king's misdeeds. Sir Edward
unavoidable. Charles was, as it were, born into this great Coke, who had been Chief Justice of England; Sir John Eliot, the
struggle. The second is that his abilities were not such as to Cornish squire, once Vice-Admiral of Devon, and more than
make him a successful tyrant when matched against men like once imprisoned for his bold speeches; John Pym, a Wiltshire
Pym, Eliot, Hampden, and Cromwell. And his member, and the future leader of the House; John Selden, the
untrustworthiness, when he got into difficulties, caused his most learned lawyer in the land; these now led the Commons.
enemies to think it unsafe to have further dealings with him. They drew up the famous Petition of Right, which was really a
statement that the king had already broken the laws of the land
Nearly every mistake that James made in dealing with
by "(1) levying gifts, loans, benevolences, and taxes without the
the affairs of the nation, Charles repeated and carried much
consent of Parliament; (2) imprisoning persons without showing
further. He quarrelled with his Parliaments, and he dismissed the
cause; (3) billeting soldiers on householders against their wills;
first and second after each had been assembled for a few months
and (4) issuing unlawful commands for ruling by martial law."
only.
In this petition the Lords agreed. The Parliament was so
His third Parliament made itself famous by winning the
united that Charles saw he must give way or lose the grants—
first decisive victory in the long contest, for it secured the
five subsidies, probably the most liberal grant ever voted up to
passing of the Petition of Right into an Act of Parliament. It is
that time.
worthy of note that at this time Charles had no supporters at all
in the House of Commons, except a few officials who The victory of Parliament had been gained. The news
represented the king's government. Wentworth, who was soon to was shouted in the streets. The City churches rang their bells;
become Charles's greatest minister, was the leader of the bonfires were lighted, and men thought that strife was over. In
Commons when a Bill was proposed to make it unlawful in reality it had only just begun. Before many days disputes arose
future to imprison men without trial, or to raise loans, or to billet again. Charles was angry, and prorogued Parliament until
soldiers on householders. January, 1629. When Parliament assembled in January, they at
once took up the tale of grievances, both in State and Church. In
The billeting of soldiers was no light grievance in times
March the king ordered the Commons to adjourn, and a strange
when soldiers were often undisciplined ruffians, who had;
scene occurred.
received no pay, and who lived on a sort of free plunder. "In my
county," said Sir Walter Earle, of Dorsetshire, "under colour of Without the presence of the Speaker, sitting in the chair,
placing a soldier, there came twenty in a troop to take sheep. no business could be transacted. The Speaker—Finch—rose to
They disturb markets and fairs, rob men on the highway, insult obey the king's order. The members wished to continue their
women, breaking houses in the night, and enforcing men to discussion, if only for a few minutes. Two members held down
ransom themselves, killing men that have assisted constables to the Speaker in the chair, whilst Eliot moved three resolutions:
keep the peace." "(1) That whosoever shall bring in innovation in religion, or seek
to extend Popery, (2) whosoever shall counsel the taking and
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levying of the subsidies of Tonnage and Poundage, not being The king dissolved Parliament. He had made up his mind
granted by Parliament, (3) whosoever shall voluntarily pay the to call no more, and for eleven years no Parliament sat. Eliot,
said subsidies of Tonnage and Poundage, shall be reputed a Holles, and Valentine were sent to the Tower, where Eliot died
capital enemy to this Kingdom and Commonwealth, and a four years later.
betrayer of the liberty of England." Thus, the first session of Charles's Third Parliament had
seen the granting of the Petition of Right. The second session
ended in scenes of violence, and Parliament was dismissed by
the king, with threats that "the vipers amongst them should meet
with their reward."
Between the two sessions, two striking events had
happened. Buckingham, the vain, incompetent, foolish favourite
of the king, was assassinated. Wentworth, the strong-willed,
ambitious statesman, had entered the service of the king.

THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

In the tumult that followed, Eliot threw his paper of

resolutions into the fire, despairing of the House voting on them.
The king's messenger was knocking at the door to take away the
Speaker's mace. Holies remembered the resolutions, word for
word, and put them himself to the vote, which was carried.
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 74 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 John Hampden, refused to pay his share, which was a small sum
CHAPTER XVII of perhaps thirty or forty shillings. He refused in order that the
question of the lawfulness of the tax might be tried in the law
courts. The case would not have been of great importance, but
THE MISRULE OF THE STUARTS—CHARLES I for the extraordinary judgment delivered by the king's judges.
AND THE ELEVEN YEARS' RULE WITHOUT One of them, Finch, declared that "Acts of Parliament are void
which bind the king not to command his subjects, their persons
PARLIAMENT (1629—1640) and goods, and I say their money too, for no Acts of Parliament
make any difference."
The eleven years in which Charles ruled without calling
any Parliament was the next stage in the great struggle. It would
be wrong to suppose that in this time the king's government was
so tyrannical and oppressive that the nation was goaded into
insurrection. The rebellion, when it did come, was not a rising
against a cruel despot by men who had suffered in person, but a
struggle for principles which men believed were necessary, if the
greatness and happiness of the whole nation were to be
preserved.
In this time, as at all others, Charles showed that he was
a poor statesman. He thought that if he only suspended
Parliament for some years, the people would be ready to come
round to his views and accept his terms. He tried the experiment
of governing without a Parliament, before he had taken any
sufficient measures for securing a revenue. In his efforts to raise
money, he adopted such foolish expedients that the very men
most likely to rally round him were irritated and offended.
Under old and obsolete laws he imposed fines on the
gentry for not having had themselves made knights. He called
upon the ports, the coast shires, and finally upon the inland
shires as well, to pay "Ship-money," to raise money with which
to improve and strengthen the navy.
This was the tax that caused most noise. At first, many
people paid the tax, considering it either as a customary due or
as a sort of voluntary gift. When, however, the County of
Buckinghamshire was taxed to the amount of £4,500, one of the
richest squires of the county, a gentleman of an ancient family, VANDYKE PAINTING THE PORTRAIT OF CHARLES I.
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 In spite of all his efforts, Charles found that his income having a real episcopal church in Scotland, and in this project
was insufficient to carry on any war, and in the affairs of Europe Laud eagerly supported him. By 1637 the whole scheme was
England ceased for a time to be of any account. Very soon, ready. New laws for the government of the Scottish Church were
within his own kingdom, he found himself helpless from the proclaimed, insisting on the strictest observance of the new
same cause. For whilst entering upon a struggle against Prayer Book.
Parliament for control over taxation, Charles committed the folly The first attempt to read the new Prayer Book was not
of entering upon another struggle against the same people, and a made until July. By this time the Scots were prepared for it, but
more dangerous struggle, for it concerned their religion. not in the sense Charles and Laud desired.
For a whole generation the majority of the House of
Commons had been Puritan in religion. Charles gave his support
to the opposite party, led by Bishop Laud; and at the very time
when the nation was angered by his quarrels with Parliament, he
gave Laud his whole support and allowed him a free hand to do
what he would with the Puritans. Next to Charles himself, it was
Laud more than any man who ruined the royal cause, for he
stirred up fiercer passions than all Charles's tax-gatherers.
Not only were the idle and worthless clergy punished,
but the preachers of Puritan doctrines were silenced by being
brought before the Church courts. Some congregations did not
like the views of the parish clergyman, so they supported a
lecturer who preached more to their taste, and spread Puritan
teaching among the humbler classes. Laud promptly suppressed
them. Some wealthier Puritans kept private chaplains: he forbade
the practice. Others took to holding services in private houses or
other buildings, sometimes in the midst of London and the
towns, sometimes in the country. Laud rooted out these most
strictly.
Puritans who wished to emigrate to New England in
America found themselves stopped by Orders in Council but
they were Laud's orders. His fiercest wrath was reserved for the
writers of books and pamphlets.
In 1633 Charles had gone to Edinburgh to be crowned as
King of Scotland. He found the Scottish Church still
Presbyterian, in spite of the existence of some bishops whom
James had set up. He wished to carry out his father's plan of PORTRAIT OF CHARLES I.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 76 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 Covenant, and the mass of the Scottish nation followed their
example. The Covenant was a protest against Popery, and it was
because Laud's religion was regarded by the Puritans, English
and Scotch alike, as in reality the same thing as Popery, that it
roused such passionate hatred.
The signing of the Covenant was an act of rebellion. A
war for the bishops and Prayer Book in Scotland followed. Then
Charles called a Parliament—the "Short" Parliament—but its
members would not grant him money until he satisfied them. A
second "Bishops' War" followed; then the Long Parliament was
called.

PORTRAIT OF HENRIETTA MARIA.

In no church was the service undisturbed; and it was

plainly impossible to make the Scots accept the Prayer Book
without a. war. For after months of protests and petitions, the
Prayer Book meanwhile not being read, the Scots bound
themselves by a renewal of the Covenant, or agreement to
defend the Church against all new customs. On the evening of
February 28th, 1638, on a tombstone in Greyfriars Churchyard,
the people of Edinburgh began to sign their names to the
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 Strafford, and when Strafford went to take his place in the Lords,
CHAPTER XVIII he was ordered to withdraw, and was put under arrest. The
Commons kept strict watch that he was not allowed to escape.

THE STORY OF THE LONG PARLIAMENT

The meeting of the Long Parliament was one of the
greatest events in all history. Never before and never since has
such a situation arisen. For anything at all like it, we must go
back to Simon de Montfort's summoning of the first Parliament,
or forward to the calling of the States-General in the French
Revolution (1789).
Previous Parliaments had met to vote supplies for the
work of the Government, and to seek redress of grievances
before the passing of new laws. The Long Parliament met to
carry out a revolution, although few of the members would have
dreamt of calling their intention by that name.
The first six months were occupied chiefly by a
tremendous struggle to secure the death of Strafford—a struggle
for life between Parliament and its most dangerous enemy. The
chief charges against Strafford were that he had, whilst President
of the Council of the North, and especially whilst ruling in STRAFFORD ON HIS WAY TO EXECUTION RECEIVING THE BLESSING OF
Ireland, made use of a "tyrannous power above and against the ARCHBISHOP LAUD.
laws, over the lives of his Majesty's subjects. He had slandered Laud was also sent to the Tower and accused of high
the House of Commons to his Majesty, and did advise his treason by the Commons. Not until March did Strafford's trial
Majesty that he, the king, was free from all rules of government, begin. The Commons in the meantime prepared their charges
and that he had an army in Ireland which he might employ to against him, and passed resolutions to limit the power of the
reduce this kingdom. And he had also encouraged the wars bishops, and to put an end to the unlawful taxes, and to secure
between England and Scotland." What all this meant was that that henceforth Parliament should be called at least every three
Strafford had been the chief adviser when the king tried to do years. Strafford was executed on May 12th, before an immense
away with the ancient liberties of the nation and to set up a crowd of the citizens of London.
despotic rule.
The Long Parliament had struck down its most
In November, 1640, Strafford arrived in London. He at dangerous enemy. After the death of Strafford no minister could
once advised the king to accuse the leaders of the Commons of ever set Parliament at defiance again. It secured that the king's
treason for their correspondence with the Scots. The secret was right to call Parliament as he wished should cease. An Act—the
betrayed to Pym. Next day Pym moved his impeachment of Triennial Act—was passed, which said that if the king called no
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 78 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
Parliament for three years it should assemble without the royal It was this bill that gave the king his party. For whilst the
summons. more conservative House of Lords was willing to cut down the
power of the bishops, a strong section in both Houses would on
In the terror inspired by the army plots Parliament went
no account agree to sweeping changes in the government and
further. It compelled Charles to agree that the "present
services of the Church. Sir Edward Hyde and Lord Falkland
Parliament should never be dissolved except with its own
were the leaders of this section. The Root and Branch Bill only
consent." The collecting of taxes without consent of Parliament
passed the Commons by a small majority, and was rejected by
was made illegal. Ship-money was finally made unlawful. The
the Lords, and later on dropped.
Courts of High Commission, the Star Chamber, and the Council
of the North, and other similar courts were abolished. By these The king declared boldly that he would die in the
means an end was put to all the practices of levying taxes maintenance of the Church of England. From that moment
without consent of Parliament, all the prosecution of persons by Parliament was divided into two parties: Puritans on the one
illegal courts, all the exercise of power, except in the Church, by side, who stood for the Parliament and a reformed Church; on
the bishops. The king was no longer the supreme power in the the other side a Church or Anglican party, who stood for the
realm. Church first and for agreement with the king.
The Long Parliament set itself as actively to reform the Ever since the death of Strafford, Charles had been
Church as to limit the king's power in State matters. From the constantly making plans and listening to plots, to get the better
time of the Hampton Court Conference the bishops had been the of the English Parliament. He knew that there were fierce
staunchest allies of the king. Led by Laud, the clergy had even divisions among the Scottish nobles, and he had reason to think
granted liberal supplies of money to Charles when the Short he could create a royalist party in Scotland. If only he could get
Parliament had refused them; and had passed new laws declaring a Scottish army on his side he could beat the Parliament by its
that the most high and sacred order of kings is of divine right, own weapon. For it was by the support of the Scots that the
and that for subjects to bear arms against their king is to resist English Parliament had got the upper hand.
the power ordained by God. Charles tried to win the affection of the Scots by granting
When, however, the Parliament decided to reform the everything the Presbyterians wanted, whilst he intrigued with
Church, it was found easier to denounce the bishops and to their enemies. But Argyle, the leader of the Scottish Parliament,
curtail their powers than to agree upon what the Church of was too shrewd, and defeated Charles's plans. Then occurred an
England should be. How should it be governed? What should its event which seemed to bring discredit on the king. A plot was
services be? What should its doctrines be? The more extreme formed to seize—and probably to murder—Argyle, and place his
Puritans wanted to do away with bishops altogether, and to have power in the king's hands. The plot was betrayed. The king's part
the Churches governed by some laymen and some clergymen, in in it was never known, but in England it was regarded as a proof
place of the bishops. In December, 1640, a petition from 15,000 that the king was ready for any step which would give him the
London citizens had asked that episcopacy might be destroyed advantage over Parliament.
"root and branch." This phrase gave its name to the bill brought Charles returned to London in November, but before that
into the House of Commons by the extreme Puritans, including time other important events happened. Among Charles's
Cromwell. After some time the bill was supported by Pym and schemes had been one to bring over the Irish army to help him
Hampden.
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against the Scots (and perhaps against the English Parliament power to command the trained bands in defence of the kingdom.
too). The queen had encouraged him to bargain with the Irish Pym and his party pressed forward a further attack on the king,
Catholics for help. Many of the Irish Catholics believed that, by in the shape of a Grand Remonstrance.
rising in rebellion, they would be able to throw off the hated The Grand Remonstrance was a long recital of all the
Protestant settlers, who governed Ireland solely in the Protestant misdoings of Charles and his councillors in Church and State
interest. Undoubtedly Charles's dealings with the Catholics had since the beginning of the reign. But the real importance of if
raised their hopes and indirectly led to the insurrection. was that it proposed to take away the king's power to do wrong,
by making him choose only such councillors as the Parliament
could confide in. It also demanded that the Church should be
reformed by a general assembly of the most grave and learned
clergy.
It was clear from the debates that the men who were most
eager for a Puritan reformation of the Church—Cromwell, Pym,
Hampden, St. John, Hazelrig, Strode, and others—were also
most eager to take from the king his power over the army and
the appointment of all officers in the State. The Church party
were, therefore, almost driven to side with the king, when he
declared for the maintenance of the Church as it already existed.
The two parties were narrowly divided. The
Remonstrance was carried in the Commons at midnight in
November, 1641, by a majority of only eleven. The division was
now a division between Parliamentarians and Royalists. For the
SIGNING THE COVENENT IN THE GREYFRIARS CHURCHYARD, Puritans, though reduced to a small majority, were determined to
EDINBURGH, IN 1638. force their way. "If the Remonstrance had not passed," said
Cromwell, "I would have sold all I had the next morning, and
As the rebellion went on unchecked for months, the
never have seen England any more."
terror it inspired was only equaled by that of the Indian Mutiny
two hundred years after, London was in a panic; and the effect Charles had now a splendid opportunity for both good
on the House of Commons was to hurry on the revolution. The and evil. The Church party was ready to his hand. By acting in
Irish rebellion was perhaps, so they thought, a sign of a great open alliance with it, but avoiding all plots and appeals to force,
Catholic plot. The king had intrigued with the Scots; might he he might soon have regained his position. But within a few
not be in the same way responsible for the Irish rising? months he had made a worse mistake than ever.
At any rate, it would not be safe to entrust the king with Charles had at his command a body-guard composed of
an army, even to put down the Irish rebellion. The king must be reckless ruffians. He had tried to place the Tower of London in
made to appoint only such councillors as were approved by charge of one of the worst of these soldiers named Lunsford, and
Parliament. Cromwell moved that the Earl of Essex should have Charles only dismissed him after a warning that the London
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apprentices would storm the Tower unless Lunsford were But the news of his plans leaked out. The members took
removed. One affray had already taken place between Lunsford refuge in the City. Charles hesitated until his foolish, but high-
and the citizens, and the Commons had asked the king for a spirited wife urged him. "Go, you coward, and pull these rogues
guard to protect the Houses of Parliament. out by the ears, or never see my face again."
At three o'clock on January 4th he threw himself into a
coach at Whitehall, and, followed by hundreds of his armed
soldiers (among them many noted ruffians), went to the House
of Commons.
No king had ever before entered the House of Commons.
The soldiers remained at the doors. "By your leave, Mr. Speaker,
I must borrow your chair a little," he said. "Gentlemen, I am
sorry for the occasion of coming unto you. . . . No king that ever
was in England shall be more careful of your privileges, . . . yet
you must know that in cases of treason, no person hath a
privilege, and therefore I am come to know if any of those
persons that were accused are here.
"Is Mr. Pym here?" There was no answer.
"Are any of these persons in the House?"
"May it please your Majesty," answered Lenthall, the
Speaker, "I have neither eyes to see, nor tongue to speak in this
place, but as this House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I
am here."
"Well," said the king, "I think my eyes are as good as
another's. I see all the birds are flown. I do expect from you that
ARCHBISHOP LAUD. you shall send them unto me as soon as they return hither."

Charles answered that "the security of all and every one As he retired, cries of "Privilege" were raised. The
of you is as much our care as the preservation of us and our soldiers had waited impatiently. "They had come," said one of
children." Yet, within a few days, fearing that some Puritan them afterwards, because they heard that the House of Commons
members intended to impeach the queen, he had Lord would not obey the king, and therefore they came to force them
Kimbolton, together with the Five Members, Pym, Hampden, to it. If the word had been given, they should certainly have
Holles, Hazelrig, and Strode, impeached of high treason, for fallen upon the House of Commons."
plotting with the Scots to invade England. Charles intended, by Next day the king went to the City to demand from the
having the leaders thrown into prison, to strike terror into his Common Council in the Guildhall the Five Members. The streets
enemies. were crowded, and there were cries of "Privilege of Parliament."
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On his way back, a bold man threw into his coach a paper, on
which were written the ominous words, "To your tents, O CHAPTER XIX
Israel."
That night a large number of the trained bands, and many
other citizens armed with halberds, swords and clubs, appeared
THE GREAT CIVIL WAR
in the streets, prepared to resist any attack by Royalist guards,
THE CHARACTER OF THE WAR
and to defend the Parliament against any further assaults. The
House of Commons accepted, as guard, companies of the City
As the Civil War is the central fact in the history of the
trained bands. Some thousands of Buckinghamshire squires and
Stuart family, it is worth while trying to understand how it was
yeomen, Hampden's friends, marched into London to protect
fought. A number of questions arise. Who fought for the king?
their hero.
Who for the Parliament? Which parts of England did each party
The king prepared for flight, and on January 10th he left occupy? Did the war consist of a few big battles, or was it raging
Whitehall. It was not until seven years afterwards that he entered everywhere at once? Was it fought by professional soldiers?
once more the palace of Whitehall, a prisoner, on his way to trial What part did the ordinary citizens and peasants play?
in Westminster Hall.
First, then, who fought for the king? It was the attacks of
the Puritans on the Church and the bishops that drove over to the
king's side nearly all those who wished to preserve the Church of
England. It was as the defender of the Church that Charles
gained his best supporters. This is the clearest division of all.
The Anglicans were, almost to a man, on the Royalist side. Of
the members of the House of Commons, about 175 joined the
king. The great majority, about 300, remained at Westminster, or
took part in the war on the Parliamentary side.
The Catholics all joined the king, and the reason must be
evident to those who have read the preceding chapters. The
greater number of the peers, some eighty or more, also joined the
king, and so did the bulk of the country squires, except in the
Eastern and in some of the Southern counties.
Who fought for the Parliament? First, the Puritans. These
were of all ranks, but chiefly from the middle classes both in
town and country. There were amongst them a few peers: the
Earls of Essex, Manchester, Warwick, Denbigh; Lords Brooke
and Fairfax, and some others, in all about thirty. Large numbers
of the most prominent citizens in London and the large towns,
large numbers of freeholders and yeomen (especially in the
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 82 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
Eastern counties), merchants and manufacturers, the the First Civil War, the Parliamentary army never got firm hold
corporations of Puritan towns even in the West of England: all of the country north and west of that line.
these supported the Parliament.
But it must not be overlooked that there were many
Royalists in the East and South, and many Puritans in the West
and in Yorkshire. Even in Puritan London there was a king's
party, and even in Charles's headquarters at Oxford and York
there was a Puritan party. There were Puritan towns such as
Plymouth, Bath, Gloucester, Dorchester, Nottingham, Liverpool,
Manchester, Hull, Scarborough, and others, surrounded by
districts in the Royalists' hands; and Royalist towns in Sussex,
Hampshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire, surrounded by the
Parliamentary forces. Parliament held nearly all the ports, and
thus with its hold on the navy and its possession of the chief seat
of government, it had an immense advantage.

A MAP OF ENGLAND AND WALES, SHOWING THE CHIEF PLACES WHERE

BATTLES ADN SIEGES TOOK PLACE DURING THE CIVIL WAR.

How was England divided geographically between the

THE DEFENSE OF WARDOUR CASTLE AGAINST THE ROUNDHEADS.
two parties? Speaking quite generally, a line drawn from
Scarborough to Southampton represents the main Geographical How was the war fought? A mere list of the great battles
division. Parliament held nearly all to the east and south of this gives little idea of what really happened. In nearly every part of
line, and so they had what was in those days by far the richer and England there stands some castle or manor house; which has its
more thickly peopled half of the country. Until after the end of story of fighting in the Civil War: Basing House in Hampshire;

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 83 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
Lathom House in Lancashire; Wardour Castle in Wiltshire; with the Parliamentary army, was in Northamptonshire, but he
Cawood, Pontefract, and Scarborough Castles in Yorkshire; moved westward to keep a check on the king.
Sherborne Castle in Dorset; Pendennis Castle in Cornwall;
From Shrewsbury, Rupert made a dash on Worcester,
Beeston Castle in Cheshire; Raglan Castle in Monmouth; Flint, and at Powicke Bridge, in a slight skirmish, he proved the
Denbigh, Conway, Chirk, Harlech, Pembroke, and Montgomery, superiority of the Royalist horsemen over the Roundheads. This
in Wales; these are but a few of the isolated strongholds that had the effect of giving the Cavaliers greater confidence when
stood sieges and assaults in the Civil War. Again, hardly a town they met the Roundheads a month later at Edgehill. By this time
in England failed to witness some incident that helped to decide Charles had about 15,000 men round him, and thought himself
the issue. London, Colchester, Gloucester, Exeter, Oxford, York, strong enough to march straight for London.
Nottingham, Hull, Leicester, Manchester, Liverpool, Stockport,
Bolton, Coventry, Bristol, Reading, and many others, saw active
fighting, whilst some underwent regular sieges.
In most of the great battles there were from 10,000 to
20,000 engaged on each side; but at the same time, in bands and
small garrisons all over the country, there were several times this
number under arms. For if the Roundheads (Puritans) withdrew
their forces from Lincolnshire or Wiltshire, the Royalists would
step in and occupy the district; or if the Royalists relaxed their
hold of Somerset or Warwickshire, the Roundheads immediately
rushed in.
Alongside of the great campaigns there went on, in half
the counties, hundreds of local skirmishes and assaults on houses
and castles.

BATTLES OF EDGEHILL, MARSTON MOOR, AND NASEBY

A PURITAN SOLDIER PREACHING.
If we take as the opening of the war the setting up of the
Royal Standard at Nottingham on August 22nd, 1642, we find On October 21st he reached Southam (in Warwickshire).
that the first nine weeks were spent by each side in marching and Essex's army marched in the same direction to prevent the king
counter-marching. reaching London. On the 22nd, a Saturday, Charles encamped at
Charles stayed until September 13th at Nottingham. Edgecot. If he proceeded further in the same direction he would
Prince Rupert, the dashing cavalry leader, whose soldiers from have to march into what was the enemy's country, with the
the first gained a bad name for plundering and riotous behaviour, Puritan army behind him. He therefore decided to turn round and
levied a contribution of £500 from Puritan Leicester. Then meet Essex, who was now at Kineton (South Warwickshire). By
Charles fell back through South Derbyshire and Staffordshire to Rupert's advice he took up a strong position at Edgehill, and
Shrewsbury, gathering troops and money. Meanwhile Essex, about one o'clock on Sunday afternoon the battle began.
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 84 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 In most of the pitched battles of this war, the main body Parliamentary troops who could have attacked him in flank. But
of foot-soldiers was placed in the middle, with forces of cavalry Essex acted with caution, perhaps rightly, and Charles had to
on each side. So it was here. Prince Rupert commanded the withdraw, first to Reading, then to Oxford, leaving garrisons at
Royalist right, facing Sir Faithful Fortescue. His dashing Reading, Wallingford, and Abingdon.
Cavaliers carried all before them. Sir Faithful turned traitor and It was now that Oxford became the king's headquarters,
joined Rupert against his own side. On the left wing, too, the from December, 1642, until June, 1646, and the memory of that
Royalist horse had an easy victory. The victorious cavalry occupation is still preserved. The old walls were then complete,
rushed on in pursuit for miles, leaving the two bodies of infantry and earthworks were thrown up outside from the present Balliol
struggling in the middle. Here the slaughter was great, but the College cricket ground and the "King's Mound" to St. Giles's
Parliament's men held their own. Church and beyond. The citizens and scholars helped in the
The result of the whole fighting was a doubtful gain to work. The waters of the river on the south and east sides could
the king. He was able to resume his march towards London, be turned to the defence of the city.
seize Banbury Castle, and enter Oxford without a blow. But For nearly two years, until Marston Moor, the events of
Essex's main army, strengthened by the regiments following the war are difficult to follow, and we can only see any
from Worcester, was still as strong as the king's, and was connection between the different operations if we try to
following at his heels. understand Charles's plan. He had his own headquarters at
The excitement in the Puritan counties and London was Oxford and held most of the country round it. Another Royalist
now tremendous. If Charles should enter London all would be army, led by the Marquis of Newcastle, held Yorkshire and the
lost. Messengers were sent from Parliament to open negotiations North of England. A third under Sir Ralph Hopton occupied
with him, but he refused to receive them. Rupert tried to take Cornwall and the West of England.
Windsor Castle by storm, but failed. Already the reputation of Now if Charles could bring these three armies towards
his soldiers for plundering, and excesses of other kinds, had London at the same time, he could probably defeat any army of
alarmed the Londoners, who quickly assembled in thousands to the Parliament and capture London itself. That done, he had little
defend their beloved city. more to fear. His plan, however, never succeeded because,
Six thousand new recruits joined Essex, who had firstly, Newcastle could never shake off the Roundheads under
managed to reach London before the royal army. On November Lord Fairfax and his more famous son, Sir Thomas Fairfax; nor
11th Rupert was at Brentford, where on the 12th he smashed up could he break through the Puritan forces of the Eastern
two regiments, fell on the town, and sacked it, although many of Association (Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridge, Herts, Hunts,
the inhabitants were Royalists. But the prompt succour sent by and Lincoln), led by Cromwell, who was becoming noted as the
the City of London saved the capital and the Parliamentary finest cavalry leader on the Puritan side. Secondly, Hopton could
cause. not venture to leave the West whilst strong towns like Bristol,
Gloucester, Plymouth, Taunton, and others remained in the
On the morning of the 13th November, 24,000 men stood
hands of the Roundheads. Thirdly, because if the northern and
under arms at Turnham Green. Had they all been trained soldiers
western armies did not act with him, Charles's own forces could
and led by an enterprising general, the king would have been
never be strong enough. Nevertheless, for most of the time
caught in a trap; for Kingston Bridge was held by 3,000

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 85 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
before Marston Moor, the Parliamentary armies were acting on Westminster, on September 25th, 1643. They sent an army under
the defensive. Alexander Leslie (Lord Leven) and his cousin, the more famous
David Leslie, to check Newcastle's forces in the North (January,
There was a skirmish at Chalgrove (June 18th, 1643),
1644). Cromwell had already prevented their attack on the
and a Royalist victory at Newbury (September 20th, 1643).
Eastern Counties by his victory at Winceby.
Chalgrove had struck down Hampden; Newbury claimed another
noble victim, this time from the king's side, the gentle and The way was shortly open for a forward movement by
chivalrous Falkland. Weary of the strife and turmoil of the times, the Roundheads, and it soon began. The campaign that ended in
fearing the bigotry of the fanatic Puritans, and mistrustful of the the battle of Marston Moor began like a game of chess. For
shifty king, he rode gladly to his death, hoping to find peace in a months the Roundheads in Lancashire, helped by Fairfax, had
soldier's grave. overpowered the Royalists everywhere except at Lathom House
(near Ormskirk), defended by the Countess of Derby. Rupert had
to wait until May before he could leave the Midlands for its
relief, and by that time other troubles had arisen. The Royalists
were shut up in York and besieged by the Roundheads.
Rupert now determined on a bold stroke, which relieved
Lathom House and left him free to proceed to York. This city
was reached on July 1st. The Royalist Marquis of Newcastle
could now escape, and the two royal armies at once took up their
quarters at Marston, six or seven miles west of York; the Scots
and Fairfax, now joined by the Earl of Manchester and
Cromwell, drawing off a little to the south.
It looked as if Rupert's movement had been a complete
success, But he was not content with relieving the Northern
army; he wished to inflict a decisive defeat on the
THE STORMING OF BRISTOL BY THE ROYALISTS. Parliamentarians. He told the more cautious Newcastle that he
Between Newbury in September, 1643, and Marston had the king's most positive orders to fight at all costs. But the
Moor in July, 1644, several notable events happened. A treaty king was ignorant of the circumstances. Newcastle, Rupert, and
was patched up with the Irish rebels and the king got some Goring had not more than eighteen thousand men, whilst
regiments from Ireland. Pym, the great Parliamentary leader of Manchester and Cromwell, the Fairfaxes and the Leslies
the House of Commons, died in 1643. He was the man who had mustered about twenty-seven thousand. Rupert, however, had
organised everything from the impeachment of Buckingham, the his way. He seized a strong position with open ground in front,
Petition of Right, and the Attainder of Strafford, down to the where his cavalry could move easily.
alliance with the Scots. The Parliamentary army had also a good position on a
The Scottish Presbyterians now allied themselves to the slope or ridge between Tockwith and Long Marston. A ditch and
Parliament by the signing of the Solemn League and Covenant at hedge hindered their attack, and neither side wished to risk being

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 86 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
caught there. For hours on the afternoon of July 2nd the armies Fairfax. Cromwell was only in subordinate command, but as
lay facing one another. They were in the usual sort of order, events turned out it was his battle. "Is Cromwell there?" asked
foot-soldiers in the middle and cavalry on each side. Manchester Rupert of a prisoner. "And will they fight? If they will, they shall
was in chief command. Cromwell and David Leslie, with 4,000 have fighting enough." "If it please God," said Cromwell, "so
horsemen, were on the left; next them came Manchester's foot; shall he."
next the Scottish foot under Alexander Leslie; next Lord At six o'clock no movement had been made. "We will
Fairfax's foot; and on the right wing Sir Thomas Fairfax's charge them to-morrow morning," said Rupert, and went off to
Yorkshire cavalry. supper. In a few minutes Cromwell had begun the attack.
Sending a body of dragoons to clear the way over the ditch and
hedge, he followed up rapidly with some heavy cavalry. A
regiment of Rupert's horse met them and were swept back. This
brought, Rupert himself to the front, rallying his men. And now
the stoutest and fiercest troopers on both sides charged with all
their force.
"We came down the hill in the bravest order and with the
greatest resolution that ever was seen," wrote one of them
afterwards. "Cromwell's division of 300, in which himself was in
person, charged the first division of Prince Rupert's, in which
himself was in person. Cromwell's own division had a hard pull
of it. They stood at the sword's point a pretty while, hacking one
another, but at the last, so it pleased God, he brake through them,
scattering them before him like a little dust."
David Leslie, with another body of cavalry, was now
supporting Cromwell, and together they routed Rupert's
horsemen completely, although Cromwell was wounded on the
neck and for a time disabled.
This, however, was only part of the battle. Further along
the line Manchester's foot, led by Crawford, had made a
successful attack, but in the centre, the Scottish foot, led by
Alexander Leslie (Lord Leven) and William Baillie, were hard
pressed by Newcastle's Whitecoats, and so also were Lord
Fairfax's foot; whilst on the extreme right, Sir Thomas Fairfax's
THE BATTLE OF MARSTON MOOR. cavalry were being swept off the field by Goring's horse. The
Opposite them Rupert's own cavalry faced Cromwell's; bulk of Goring's men pursued Fairfax's retreating regiments for
Newcastle's foot faced the middle, and Goring's cavalry faced miles. On that side the Royalists believed themselves sure of

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 87 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
victory, and already sent off messengers to Oxford to announce After Marston Moor, Cromwell persuaded Parliament to
it; and no wonder, for many had fled as far as Tadcaster, and old reorganise the army, and a fine "New Model Army" was the
Leven reached Wetherby thinking the battle was entirely lost. result; the half-hearted leaders were also got rid of.
Meanwhile Fairfax, wounded and almost alone, managed to Soon the two armies again met in the decisive battle of
reach Cromwell to tell him the news of the disaster. Naseby. Charles, with Rupert and Langdale and Astley—for
By this time the left wing, Cromwell's and Leslie's Goring was unable to join in time—had only 9,000 men. Fairfax
cavalry, were occupying the ground from which they had swept had 14,000. But the king had heard of the new army, and thought
Rupert. They could thus wheel round still further and close in his own old soldiers would make short work of it. He despised
upon the Royalist infantry—Newcastle's—who were in a deadly Fairfax, the new "brutish general," as he called him. And,
struggle against Crawford and a few Scottish regiments. indeed, but for Cromwell's unerring judgment and resolution, the
Crawford's foot had from the first pressed back the enemy, and king's confidence might have been justified. It was, compared
with the Scottish regiments who kept their ground, he saved the with some others, a simple battle.
situation, until Cromwell and Leslie with the victorious cavalry On the Parliamentary side, Skippon was in the middle
could come to their help. with the infantry. Ireton had some cavalry on the left. Cromwell,
The decisive movement was Cromwell's. First clearing with over 3,000 horse, had the right wing. On the opposite side
the ground of the few undefeated horsemen who had not joined Rupert faced Ireton, Astley faced Skippon, and Sir Marmaduke
in the pursuit of Fairfax, he and Leslie now bore down on the Langdale faced Cromwell.
mass of Newcastle's foot, and caught them between his own
Rupert swept all before him, and Ireton, with five
horsemen and Crawford and Baillie's foot. The slaughter was regiments, was driven back. Ireton himself was wounded, and
terrible. Newcastle's finest regiments made a gallant and was for a time a prisoner. But, as usual, Rupert went too far.
desperate stand. "By mere valour, for one whole hour, they kept Whilst he was capturing the baggage train, the main action was
the troops of horse from entering amongst them at near push of being neglected. Astley's foot held the centre in check, and on
pike; and when the horse did enter, they would have no quarter, the side where Rupert's horse had swept off Ireton, the
but fought it out until there was not thirty of them living." Roundheads were exposed to a flank attack. Skippon himself
By nine o'clock all was over. Four thousand Royalists was severely wounded.
had been killed. Newcastle rode off to Scarborough and took It was Cromwell who, by the same tactics as he had used
ship to the Continent. Rupert collected the remnants of his army,
at Marston, once more turned the scale. He sent forward
6,000 men, left York to the Roundheads, and rode off towards Whalley, with a regiment of Ironsides, to charge Langdale. They
Chester. It was the first great and decisive victory of the carried all before them, and this left Cromwell, with his reserve
Parliamentary armies, and whilst many had fought bravely, the cavalry, free to charge the Royalist centre. Joined by Fairfax, he
victory was chiefly due to Cromwell's judgment and resolution soon made an end of the king's foot regiments. Before Rupert
and to the irresistible onslaught of his Ironsides. It was in this could return, whole regiments had surrendered, and the rest were
battle that Rupert gave Cromwell the nickname "Old Ironside," flying back towards Leicester. A thousand had been killed. Five
and his own soldiers accepted it. "We never charged but we thousand prisoners, the king's baggage, his artillery, and his
routed the enemy. God made them as stubble to our swords"; so letters, fell into the Parliament's hands.
wrote Cromwell in describing the battle.
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 From Naseby to the end of the first civil war, the time difficulty. In a few hours Charles had surrendered himself a
was spent in crushing out isolated fragments of the Royalist prisoner to the Scottish army encamped at Newark. The Scots
army, and in capturing fortified houses and castles. Goring was had now a great prize in their hands, and moved off to
finally crushed at Langport, in Somerset, while Bristol, defended Newcastle,
by Rupert, capitulated early in September. Bridgwater, Lyme,
Taunton, Bath, Winchester, Devizes, Sherborne, all fell in a few BARGAINING BETWEEN KING, PARLIAMENT, SCOTS, AND ARMY
weeks. (MARCH. 1646, TO APRIL, 1648)

Charles was a prisoner with the Scottish army from May

to December, 1646. Long. discussions went on, and the
Presbyterians tried to convert the king to their form of religion.
But Charles refused to come to terms, as they asked him to give
up the English Church and establish Presbyterianism, at least for
ten years. The English Parliament, also largely Presbyterian,
bargained with the king and with the Scots. It was arranged that
the Scots should hand over the king to the English Parliament,
on receiving payment of their arrears. In January, 1647,
therefore, Charles was lodged under guard at Holmby House, in
Northamptonshire, and the Scots went home.
And now there began a most extraordinary series of
bargainings between king, Parliament, and army. The two latter
quarrelled; Cromwell threw in his lot with the army and had
Charles seized and brought to the army headquarters at
Newmarket.
KING CHARLES ON HIS WAY TO THE SCOTS: HIS MASTER'S PAPERS
BEING EXAMINED BY A ROUNDHEAD PATROL. The army was now supreme, and made Charles an offer
Long and tedious were the attempts that Charles made to called the Heads of the Proposals. The king was to be restored,
get terms from the Parliament, and meanwhile he kept up the but for ten years Parliament was to control the militia, and the
game of trying to secure support, now from the Irish, now from appointment of ministers of the Crown. These terms were
the Scots. At length, at three in the morning of April 27th, 1646, refused. The quarrels between the different parties continued,
disguised as a servant, with his beard and hair closely trimmed, Charles escaped to the Isle of Wight, and early in 1648 the
Charles rode out of Oxford, over Magdalen Bridge, and by a second civil war broke out, after Charles had managed a treaty
roundabout route, passing through Slough, Harrow, St. Albans, with the Scots.
Melton Mowbray, and Stamford, reached Southwell on May 7th The Royalists were besieged at Colchester, and
at seven in the morning. The distinguished personage who was Cromwell gained a decisive victory over the Scots at Preston,
supposed to be his master pretended to be on the Parliament's and the second civil war (April–August, 1648) was soon over.
side, and thus got through the Roundhead patrols with little
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 CHAPTER XX

TRIAL AND DEATH OF CHARLES I

Meanwhile the king was removed from Carisbrooke to
Hurst Castle, and on December 23rd was brought to Windsor.
During the next week his fate was discussed. Cromwell tried
hard to find a way by which the king's life could be spared.
When he found that Charles would rather part with his life than
give up his kingly power, and that the leading officers were
equally determined to accept no terms proposed by the king,
Cromwell took the firm resolution that the king must die. When
someone objected that the king could not be tried by the court
set up by the Rump Parliament, "I tell you," said Cromwell, "we
will cut off his head with the crown upon it."
COLONEL PRIDE REFUSING ADMISSION TO THE PRESBYTERIAN MEMBERS
OF PARLIAMENT. The trial of the king was a strange and terrible scene.
Before he could be tried at all, several revolutionary measures
After this there was little hope of mercy for the king. The were necessary, even though the House of Commons had been
army had made up its mind that Charles was responsible for all made a mere shadow of the army when Colonel Pride "purged"
the blood shed during the second civil war. The Presbyterians it. First the Commons passed an Ordinance to form a special
still wished to treat with the king, but the army officers on court for the king's trial. The House of Lords, also reduced to a
December 6th sent Colonel Pride to Westminster to turn out the shadow—there were now only seven members—rejected the
Presbyterians by force. Standing with a guard of soldiers at the Ordinance. The Commons then passed resolutions that the
entrance to the Parliament House, he arrested forty-five people are, under God, the origin of all just power, and that the
members, turned back ninety-six others, and admitted only Commons, in Parliament assembled, have the supreme power.
those, about fifty or sixty, who were known to be in agreement Their acts were to have the force of law, even without the
with the wishes of the army. This action of Colonel Pride is agreement of the Lords and the king.
known as "Pride's Purge."
On January 6th, 1649, the Act was passed, creating a
High Court of Justice for the trial. The Act stated all the king's
crimes; these were—that he had tried to ruin the ancient laws
and liberties of this nation, and had carried out his design with
fire and sword, and had levied and maintained a cruel war in the
land against the Parliament and kingdom.

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 Of the 138 Commissioners named to act as the judges at A chair covered with crimson velvet was placed directly
the trial, only sixty-eight appeared on the day of the trial, in front of the President, and in it sat the king guarded by
January 20th. At one o'clock the Court assembled in Colonel Hacker. Colonel Axtell with a large body of soldiers
Westminster Hall. At the south end a wooden platform was kept back the crowd of spectators. John Cook, the Solicitor of
erected on which sat the whole body of the king's judges, with the Commonwealth, read the charges against Charles Stuart and
Bradshaw as President of the Court. impeached him as a tyrant, traitor, murderer, and a public and
implacable enemy of the Commonwealth of England. Whilst this
was read, Charles attempted to interrupt by touching the solicitor
with his silver-headed staff. But the head fell off, and no one
offering to pick it up for him, he stooped down for it himself.
Hearing himself styled a traitor, he burst into a laugh.
Charles demanded of his judges by what authority he had
been brought to the bar. Bradshaw replied, "By the authority of
the people of England."

THE BANQUETING HOUSE, WHITEHALL.

Charles refused to plead, except before a lawful

authority. "It is not my case alone," he said; "it is the freedom
and liberty of the people of England; and do you pretend what
KING CHARLES ON THE SCAFFOLD SPEAKING TO BISHOP JUXON.
you will, I stand more for their liberties. For if power without
law may make laws, and may alter the fundamental laws of the
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 91 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
kingdom, I do not know what subject he is in England that can Bishop Juxon read the morning service, and Charles
be sure of his life, or anything that he calls his own." continued in prayer until Colonel Hacker knocked at the door to
summon him to Whitehall. Accompanied by the bishop, Colonel
On the 27th, after nearly a week of private discussion,
Tomlinson, and Herbert, he walked across St. James's Park
the Court delivered sentence, that the king was guilty and must
between a double row of soldiers. At Whitehall he had to wait
be beheaded as a traitor. He had refused to plead before the
some hours, for the scaffold had to be prepared, so as to make
Court, but he asked that he might address the Lords and
any attempt at resistance impossible.
Commons instead. After the sentence he attempted to speak.
"Your time is now past," replied Bradshaw. He struggled to be
heard. "Guard, withdraw your prisoner," ordered Bradshaw. "I
am not suffered to speak," cried Charles. "Expect what justice
other people will have."
Even yet there was a faint hope for the king's life. The
night after the trial he slept at Whitehall for the last time. On
Sunday the 28th he listened to the prayers of the Church read to
him by Bishop Juxon. At five o'clock he was led to St. James's
Palace, perhaps to be out of earshot whilst his scaffold was
prepared. Meanwhile the regicides (or king-killers), as the king's
judges came to be called, were almost overwhelmed by appeals
and protests and petitions to spare the king's life.
The Prince of Wales sent a blank sheet of paper signed
and sealed by himself, on which the Parliament might inscribe
any terms they pleased. The death-warrant had not yet been
signed by nearly all the judges, and many repented having
signed it. It was Cromwell's stern unbending will that forced the
judges to carry out their own sentence.
KING CHARLES'S LAST INTERVIEW WITH HIS CHILDREN.
The king bore himself with great dignity. He spent much
time in prayer, burnt his papers, distributed various gifts, and About two o'clock the king stepped forth, probably from
Execution of took leave of his children. His wife he had not seen the central window of the Banqueting House. Juxon was still
for nearly five years. On Monday night he slept at St. James's, with him. The others on the scaffold were Colonels Hacker and
and on the last day, Tuesday, he rose before daylight. "Let me Tomlinson and the two masked executioners. Around the
have a shirt, more than ordinary," he said to his servant Thomas scaffold were troops of horse and foot, and behind them surged
Herbert. "The season is so sharp as probably may make me the crowd.
shake, which some will imagine proceeds from fear. Death is not Charles could not be heard below, but addressing himself
terrible to me. I bless my God I am prepared." to Juxon and Tomlinson, he declared that "Not he but the
Parliament had originated the Civil War." He prayed that his
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enemies might be forgiven. "For the people . . . I must tell you
that their liberty and freedom consists in having government, CHAPTER XXI
those laws by which their lives and their goods may be most
their own. It is not their having a share in the government: that is
nothing appertaining unto them." OLIVER CROMWELL, THE COMMONWEALTH,
He then knelt down, placed his neck on the block, and in AND THE TRIUMPH OF PURITANISM (1649-
a moment all was over. "Behold the head of a traitor," cried the
executioner. A groan of horror arose, and the troops began to
1660)
patrol the street and to disperse the angry crowd.
During the, ten years that followed the death of Charles,
A poet living at that time—Andrew Marvell, whose the history of England depended largely upon the conduct of one
sympathies were with the Parliament—wrote these lines on the man, Oliver Cromwell.
king's death:—
The country gentlemen, neither poor nor noble, together
He nothing common did or mean with the trading and manufacturing classes, formed the backbone
Upon that memorable scene, of the Puritan cause, and like most of the leading Puritans,
But with his keener eye Cromwell sprang from this middle class. In appearance he was a
The axe's edge did try; strongly built man about 5 feet 10 inches, with a fine head. His
Nor called the gods, with vulgar spite, face was not handsome, but his large, rough-hewn features had a
To vindicate his hopeless right; kindly expression, as you can see in his portraits. His nose was
But bowed his comely head large, his eyes a blue-grey, his mouth large and firm; he wore his
Down as upon a bed. hair long, as was usual in his time. He dressed plainly and
sometimes carelessly, but even his enemies admitted his
dignified bearing on all great occasions.
Cromwell himself was descended from the sister of
Thomas Cromwell, the famous minister of King Henry VIII. He
was educated at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, entering the
University on the very day on which Shakespeare died at
Stratford. Afterwards he went to Lincoln's Inn, London,
according to the custom which made the study of law common
amongst English gentlemen. He inherited two small estates near
Huntingdon, which he managed himself. He married the
daughter of a well-to-do city merchant, and at twenty-nine was
elected Member of Parliament for Huntingdon.
From the first, long before the Civil War, Cromwell's
chief interest lay in supporting the cause of the Puritan religion.
It is, in fact, in the lives of individual men, such as Cromwell,
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Eliot, Pym, Hutchinson, Fairfax, and hundreds more, that we see Indignant as he was with those who, he thought, had caused the
how much religion had to do with the revolution. Cromwell second civil war, his personal feelings towards Charles softened.
spent much time in prayer and Bible-reading and in hearing He risked his own popularity with the army and the
sermons. He subscribed to maintain Puritan preachers or Independents in trying to secure terms for the king and to
lecturers, for many of the clergy were not to the liking of their preserve his life. But he shared the same superstitious feelings as
Puritan congregations. most of the army leaders, and believed that it was God's
command that the king should be brought to trial. When he was
convinced that the execution of the king was a duty imposed by
God, he struck down all opposition until the deed was done.
With the death of the king a new chapter in Cromwell's
career opens. Hitherto the revolution had been destructive. But
in every revolution a time comes when new forms of
government must be created and new rulers set up.
Cromwell was no anarchist; he was not even a
Republican like Ludlow, whose sole idea was "that the nation
might be governed by its own consent." His chief aims were to
secure "liberty of conscience" for what he called the "people of
God," by which he meant all Protestants. He believed in order
and good government, and wished to see Parliament once more
restored to what it had been before the war. But he recognized
that for the present a strong authority must be set up.
In February, 1649, the House of Commons voted that the
House of Lords was useless, dangerous, and ought to be
abolished. The House of Commons at that moment was simply
the Rump, that is, the members left after Pride's Purge, and not
even all those, for some had not come back after the king's
execution. On February 8th the office of king was voted, by the
same authority, to be unnecessary, burdensome, and dangerous.
And after thus getting rid of the king and the lords, an Act
established the English Commonwealth or Republic. It was
intended that a new Parliament should be elected in due course,
but for the present the remnant of the old Long Parliament was
to make the laws, and a council of forty-one—of whom only
OLIVER CROMWELL.
about fifteen sat regularly—was to see the laws carried out.
Of his conduct down to the death of the king, after what
has been related in the last chapter, little more need be said.
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 94 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 For three years this was the Commonwealth of England. taxes had to be levied, and the Royalists were ruined by having
It was surrounded by enemies. The royalists were ready to rise. to pay heavy fines.
The Scots were preparing to invade England. The extreme
The first trouble came from the Levellers. Cromwell saw
democrats, called the Levellers, the most famous of whom was that they must be put down. "I tell you," he said, thumping the
John Lilburne, were ready to overturn the Government and set Council table, you have no other way to deal with these men but
up a pure democracy, that is, a government of annual to break them or they will break you." Lilburne, the leader, was
Parliaments elected by manhood suffrage, every man having a sent to the Tower, but mutiny broke out in the army. Three of the
vote, and with Parliamentary control over everything. ringleaders were shot in Burford churchyard. The rest were
pardoned, and the trouble was over for the present.
The next business was to finish the war in Ireland, which
had begun with the Irish rebellion of 1641. The Royalist forces
were led by James Butler, Earl, Marquis, and finally Duke of
Ormonde, and after the king's execution he had proclaimed the
Prince of Wales as Charles II. The situation was one of hopeless
confusion when Cromwell sailed for Ireland in August, 1649,
having been delayed four months by the task of equipping his
army of 12,000. Ormonde and the Royalists were now allied
with the native Irish, and if they had acted promptly, they might
have swept the Parliamentary forces out of Ireland. But
Ormonde was kept too busy with his enemies to face Cromwell
on his arrival. He could only throw a garrison into Drogheda,
which Cromwell slaughtered without mercy, when he stormed it
on September 10th. Wexford and Dundalk were soon captured.
CROMWELL REFUSING THE CROWN. Waterford held out until 1650, when Cromwell sailed for
Considering its great difficulties, the new Council of England, leaving the rest of Ireland to be subdued by his
State managed its affairs well. It had an army of 44,000 men, the lieutenants.
best troops in Europe. The navy was strengthened, new ships His next workday in Scotland. The danger from Scotland
were built, the sailors were better paid and better fed than ever was far greater than from Ireland, for already, in 1648, the Scots
before, and England began to be a great sea power. had sent a great army into England, which only Cromwell's
But it was useless to pretend that it was a popular astonishing success at Preston had defeated. The danger was
Government. Even the liberty and worship that was allowed was imminent. But Cromwell won a great battle over Charles II and
hateful to the Presbyterians. Without the powerful army the the Scots at Dunbar (September 3rd, 1650), and delivered his
Government could not have existed a single week. The expenses final blow at Worcester on the same day in the following year.
were greater than they had ever been under Charles I. Heavy The young king escaped after Worcester with a troop of
Scottish horse. The Earl of Derby directed him to a safe retreat at

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Boscobel. Here, with Colonel Careless, he spent a day in a large country, while General Monk reduced Scotland to a province of
oak-tree, whilst the woodman Penderel and his wife kept watch. England, and thus for the first and only time conquered it.
Soldiers passed near in search of Royalist fugitives, but the king Whatever may have been his views in earlier days, Cromwell
was not discovered. From Boscobel, mounted on a miller's now realised that the country needed a strong ruler. After all the
horse, and in a threadbare coat and breeches of coarse green anarchy of the last few years, no government of any sort could
cloth, he rode to Moseley, accompanied by the six brothers of exist without the help of the sword. He realised, what the men of
the Penderel family. the Rump did not realise, that the existing (so-called) Parliament
was a sham; that it exercised its powers simply by leave of the
In the night, Charles proceeded to Bentley disguised as
army; and that until the whole nation was at peace with itself the
the servant of Mistress Lane, and three days after reached
army would be the real ruler of the country.
Abbotsleigh. After many adventures, aided by loyal friends who
risked their lives to save him, he reached Bridport, hoping to get These ideas were shared by a majority in the army, so
a ship. But the shipmaster was suspicious, and Charles had to that Cromwell was able to count upon its support. But the Rump,
hide, first near Salisbury, and then make his way to Brighton, instead of dissolving itself in order to make room for a new
where a loyal merchant got him a vessel, and the owner— Parliament that the army leaders had been asking for ever since
although he had discovered who his passenger was—carried him the king's execution, now proceeded to pass a bill to ensure all
across to the Norman coast. its members a seat in the new Parliament without re-election.
Cromwell lost patience. He dissolved the Rump and was
declared Lord Protector of the Commonwealth by another
Parliament.
Despairing of a "healing and settling" by Parliament,
Cromwell determined at all costs to keep the nation from civil
war. Plots were forming. The leader of the Scottish mutineers
was sent to the Tower. General Harrison, the man who fed on
prophecies and believed the second coming of Christ was at
hand, had to be put in prison to prevent another rising. The
leader of the Levellers was seeking to raise a rebellion against
"the tyrant Cromwell." Royalists in the West were proclaiming
Charles II. Swiftly Cromwell crushed out these dangerous fires
and, boldly throwing off all appearance of legal right, he began
to act as a great Constable set by God to keep order over the
nation.
CROMWELL'S FAMILY LISTENING TO MILTON PLAYING THE ORGAN AT He now used the army as his police officers and divided
HAMPTON COURT. England into ten or twelve large districts, over each of which he
set a major-general. For about two years, whilst Cromwell used
Worcester was the last stage of the Civil War in England,
despotic power, the major-generals kept the whole of England
and Cromwell now turned his attention to the government of the
under military rule. Dangerous Royalists were placed under
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arrest; special taxes or fines (10 per cent. of their property) were exclude a hundred of the most troublesome members. Next year
levied from former Cavaliers. Races, cock-fights, and bear- he withdrew the major-generals. The Parliament by "the Humble
baitings were prohibited to prevent seditious meetings. Ale- Petition and Advice" begged him to assume the title of king and
houses were closely watched and many were closed; rogues and to rule by a Parliament of two Houses, It was not a mere name
vagabonds were put into the stocks. The old ejected clergy of. that they were thinking of. They believed that the new-fangled
the Anglican Church were forbidden to act as chaplains or Governments of the last few years would never take root, but
tutors; the use of the Common Prayer Book was forbidden; that if the old Government of King, Lords and Commons could
newspapers were restricted. be restored, with Cromwell as king, the country would get used
to it.
To the Cavaliers it seemed a reign of terror. Yet, except
for the repression of the Anglican and Catholic worship and the Cromwell would have accepted the crown, for he had
fines levied on the old Cavaliers—acts for which long afterwards long been convinced that a king, under some title or other, was
the Puritans paid dearly—the stern rule of the despotic protector necessary. But his strongest supporters, the army officers, were
and the major-generals was a time of peace and prosperity. opposed to the name, and he was unwilling to risk the loss of
their support. He was now installed "protector," and there was a
An Act was passed to give servants, apprentices, and
ceremony, almost like a royal coronation.
scholars a holiday once a month. Cromwell himself hunted,
hawked and played bowls. Education was encouraged, and the But like all the previous schemes, it was destroyed by the
protector wished to set up a new university for the North of quarrels of the various sections of Parliament and army. For
England either at York or Manchester, and he actually founded a when the two Houses met, all the old red-hot Republicans in the
college at Durham. If the Anglicans were hardly treated, the new Commons broke out again in disputes. Fearing that the divisions
sects had great liberty. George Fox won Cromwell's sympathy, in Parliament were encouraging the Royalists once more to
and by his protection went on with his preaching and rebel, Cromwell urged them to cease their quarrels.
prophesying, founding the Society of Friends, commonly called When he heard that the Republicans were making claims
Quakers. that had never been made before, nor have ever been made since,
Whatever may be said in defence of Cromwell's rule by Cromwell in anger took coach to the House of Lords, summoned
the major-generals as a measure to prevent the outbreak of civil the Commons to the Painted Chamber, and put an end to their
war, it was the most unpopular of his acts, and it made sitting. "I do dissolve this Parliament," he said, "and let God be
Englishmen hate the name of a standing army for two judge between you and me."
generations. For the common people and the Cavaliers resented For seven more months Cromwell reigned alone, but his
the interference with their daily habits. The country gentry were strength was exhausted. The long campaigns of the Civil War
indignant at the fines they had to pay. had more than once brought him to death's door, but he had
Cromwell himself disliked this military despotism, but he recovered. He was now nearly sixty, and the incessant work and
believed that it was necessary. It was his firm intention to retain the terrible anxieties which the constant struggles with his
power until the nation was "healed and settled," and could once Parliaments caused him, wore him out. "A great place, a great
more be governed lawfully by a king through Parliament. In authority, is a great burden," he said. "I can say in the presence
September, 1656, he called a second Parliament, but took care to of God I would have lived under my woodside, to have kept a

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 97 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
flock of sheep, rather than undertake such a government as this Tromp fought a drawn battle against Blake, off Hastings, and
is." drove him into the Channel, flaunting a broom at his mast-head.
But Blake soon drove the Dutch to their own shores, and, after
Whilst a great storm, long remembered, was raging over
further fighting, a favourable peace was concluded. The English
London, his mighty spirit, humbled like a little child's, was
admirals, Blake and others, chased Prince Rupert from the seas,
passing away. He prayed for "God's cause and God's people."
where he had begun to wage a semi-piratical war on English
"Thou hast made me, though very unworthy, a mean instrument
ships.
to do them some good and Thee service. And many of them have
set too high a value upon me, though others wish and would be
glad of my death. But, Lord, however Thou dost dispose of me,
continue and go on to do good for them. Give them constancy of
judgment, one heart, and mutual love, and go on to deliver them.
Teach those who look too much upon Thy instruments to depend
more upon Thyself. Pardon such as desire to trample upon the
dust of a poor worm, for they are Thy people too. And pardon
the folly of this short prayer, even for Jesus Christ's sake, and
give us a good night, if it be Thy pleasure."
He was buried in Westminster Abbey, in the Chapel of
Henry VII, amongst kings; for he had been a king and more than
a king. No statesman ever had greater trials to endure and none
ever devoted himself more whole-heartedly to serve his nation.
In spite of all the unpopularity of the Puritans, the nine
GENERAL MONK AND LORD FAIRFAX.
years of Cromwell's rule had made the Commonwealth
Government secure against all foes from without. The army was Cromwell made the courts of France and Spain bid for
an invincible host, such as no English king had ever previously his support; he demanded from Spain freedom to trade with
commanded. The navy was such as Charles I had only dreamt of. Spanish America, and freedom of religion for Englishmen in all
Early in the days of the Commonwealth the Dutch had given Spanish dominions. "You might as well ask for my master's two
shelter to Charles, insulted the English representatives, allowed eyes," declared the Spanish Ambassador; so Cromwell turned to
the English ambassador to be murdered, acted as lords of the sea, the French alliance and sent out a fleet to the West Indies. That
and refused all the proposals for friendship put forward by the expedition was a failure, but on its way back the fleet seized
Commonwealth. A short war, in the course of which the Jamaica. Blake in the Mediterranean put down the pirates of
Commonwealth greatly strengthened the navy, soon taught the Tunis. He also destroyed the Spanish West India fleet at Santa
Dutch to respect the English flag. Cruz in Teneriffe—the greatest naval victory since the Armada.
The Navigation Act (1651) closed the English and The prestige of the Commonwealth was so great abroad
Colonial ports to Dutch ships; and Robert Blake fought for two- that the French, at Cromwell's wish, compelled the Regent of
years against the famous Admirals Tromp and Ruyter. Admiral Savoy to stop the persecution of the Protestants in the Vaudois.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 98 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
Six thousand Ironsides went to help the French against Spain,
and won a great victory at the Dunes outside Dunkirk. The CHAPTER XXII
reward for this was that the English held Dunkirk, until Charles
II was pleased to sell it, a few years after his Restoration.
Foreign nations looked upon Cromwell's Government as
THE REIGN OF CHARLES II—THE "MERRIE
a firmly settled power, and the exiled wanderer, Charles, with MONARCH" (1660—1685)
scarcely bread enough to eat, shifted about from place to place.
The Royalists had almost ceased to hope, when Cromwell died. We read that in May, 1660, Charles II entered London in
Even then they could effect nothing until the quarrels of the triumph, and that the whole nation seemed to give itself up to
Republicans themselves opened the door for the king. feasting and revelry. John Evelyn, who saw it, writes: "Shouting
with inexpressible joy, the ways strewed with flowers, the bells
Cromwell had named his eldest son, Richard, as his
ringing, the streets hung with tapestry, fountains running with
successor: But it was not long before General Monk, the
wine, the mayor, aldermen, and all the companies, in their
governor of Scotland, marched to London, and proclaimed a free
liveries, chains of gold, and banners; lords and nobles, clad in
Parliament, which invited Charles II to return as king.
cloth of silver, gold, and velvet; the windows and balconies all
On his birthday, May 29th, Charles entered London: set with ladies; trumpets, music, and myriads of people flocking,
Everywhere flags were flying, bells and music sounding. "But in even so far as Rochester . . . I stood in the Strand and beheld it
the midst of the general joy, one spot presented a dark and and blessed God. And all this was done without one drop of
threatening aspect. On Blackheath the army was drawn up to blood shed . . . but it was the Lord's doing."
welcome the sovereign. He smiled, bowed, and extended his
We may well ask what it all really meant. Did it mean
hand graciously to the lips of the colonels and majors. But all his
that the Civil War had been a mistake, and that the nation wished
courtesy was vain.
to be ruled by kings, as it had been in the days of the Tudors and
"Betrayed by their general, abandoned by their leaders, the Yorkists?
surrounded as they were by a nation in arms, the gloomy silence
Doubtless many of the old Cavaliers thought so. But
of their ranks awed even the careless king with a sense of
when they saw the king restored, they forgot that he had been
danger. But none of the victories of the New Model were so
restored, not by a royalist victory, but by a parliamentary general
glorious as the victory which it won over itself. Quietly and
(Monk).
without a struggle, the farmers and traders who had dashed
Rupert's chivalry to pieces, who had mastered the Parliament, The king was restored without any of those treaties such
and held even Cromwell in awe, became farmers and traders as had been discussed years before between Charles I and the
again, and were known among their fellow-men by no other sign Parliament. His promise that everything should be settled by a
than their greater soberness and industry." free Parliament was thought to be more satisfactory than any
treaty. The Restoration was therefore the restoration of
Parliament as well as of Monarchy, and the fact that the
Parliament turned out to be composed of Royalists was due to
the temper of the nation and to nothing else.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 99 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 There is no doubt that the event known as the towns. This act compelled all members of town councils or
"Restoration" was a very important crisis in our history. It was a corporations, mayors, aldermen, councillors, and other officers,
revolution, just as the setting up of the Commonwealth had been; to receive the Holy Communion according to the rites of the
and, just as the character of Cromwell in that period influenced Church of England. They had also to call the king Supreme
the destinies of the whole nation, so the character of Charles II Head of the Church and to take the oaths of allegiance and non-
helped to decide the direction in which the nation was to resistance to the king. By this means all power in the boroughs
develop. But Charles influenced our history as much by what he was placed in the hands of Anglicans, who thus could see that
did not do, as by what he did. Had he been a king with a strong Anglican members were elected to Parliament.
will and a taste for hard work, he might have become a despot In the following year the old Act of Uniformity, passed in
like Louis XIV, his cousin, then reigning in France. It was 1559, was renewed. By this act it became impossible for any one
fortunate for England that Charles threw away the opportunities to hold a Church living, or to be a tutor or a schoolmaster, who
which a foolish nation placed in his hands. would not swear that he believed everything in the Book of
The newly elected Parliament was to meet in May. In the Common Prayer. All the clergy were also compelled to be
interval, the country was strongly royalist in feeling. It was then ordained by a bishop.
that the trial and execution of the Regicides took place. The More than 1,200 rectors and vicars gave up their livings
elections resulted in a strong Cavalier Parliament. Only about rather than conform to these laws, and for some years in many
sixty Presbyterians gained seats, although London continued to parts of the country it was difficult to find men able to take their
send four. This Parliament sat until 1679, and is known as the places.
Long Parliament of the Restoration. This, of course, was
contrary to the Triennial Act, but that Act was repealed as being It was, however, still possible for the Presbyterians and
a reflection on the king. Charles knew he was not likely to get a other Puritan sects to worship in their own chapels, and the
Parliament more favourable to him, so he took care not to ejected clergy swelled the ranks of these "Dissenters." So a
dissolve it for eighteen years. further act was now aimed at them. The Conventicle Act forbade
more than five persons besides the members of a household to
His first work was the restoration of the Church of meet for worship except according to the Prayer Book, under
England. Charles himself cared little about the Church. His penalties of fine and imprisonment. For a third offence the
private inclinations were towards Catholicism, and eventually he offenders could be sent out of the country.
became a secret Catholic. He wished to secure toleration for
Catholics, and would have agreed to some toleration for the Lastly, a Five Mile Act was passed, and this forbade
Presbyterians. But the temper of the House of Commons was "any nonconformist minister to come within five miles of any
now so violently Anglican, that even without Clarendon the corporate town (or borough), or of any place in which he had
restoration of the Church was certain. formerly held a living; unless he would swear that he believed it
to be unlawful to take up arms against the king, or try to change
The discredit of the famous persecuting statutes belongs the Government either in Church or State."
rather to the Commons than to Clarendon, the minister, although
it is true he opposed the king's desire for toleration. The first of These were harsh laws, but it was still possible to evade
these acts, the Corporation Act (1661), was directed against the them; and even without evading them, it was still possible for
Presbyterians, who were still numerous and influential in the Nonconformists to exist. Their numbers grew in spite of fine and
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 100 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
imprisonment. The persecution of the Dissenters, like that was in a panic, and those who were not frightened were
formerly practised against the Catholics, was never very ashamed.
systematic. Every now and then there would be an outburst of
In order to give toleration to the Catholics, Charles was
persecution, and the gaols would be filled with men whose only willing to give it to the Nonconformists. He issued a Declaration
offence was a conscientious objection to conform to the Prayer of Indulgence in 1672, which suspended the penalties against
Book. Even a single magistrate could harass and ruin any poor Catholics and Nonconformists alike. But the next year the
Dissenter in his neighbourhood. Protestant party passed the Test Act, requiring all officers of the
Foreign affairs, particularly our relations with France and crown to take the sacrament according to the Church of England.
Holland, were of great importance from Charles's accession until The Duke of York, the heir to the throne, had declared himself a
the end of the period (1715). The King of France, Louis XIV, Catholic. In 1678 the rumour of a great Popish plot was spread.
was Charles's cousin; and just about the time of Charles's The Whigs—as the Roundheads came to be called—introduced
restoration, he was by his own industry and ambition trying to the Exclusion Bill to exclude the duke from the throne, but the
make France the most powerful monarchy in Europe. The main Tories—the successors of the Cavaliers—rallied round the duke
fact in European history from that time until 1715 was the and the king. Charles II died in February, 1685.
struggle against Louis, who was seeking to make himself master The main course of events during the reign has been told,
of Spain, of the Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium), of the but it is difficult to see just how much had been gained or lost
States bordering on the Rhine, and even of Holland itself. during the twenty-five years since the Restoration. It must have
Alliances were formed, chiefly by Holland, to resist and break seemed to the Whigs that the Civil War had been fought in vain.
down the French power. In reality it was not so. More progress had been made than the
In 1665 this great struggle had not yet begun, but by his people of the time were aware of. First of all, Charles II had
attack on Holland, Charles foolishly played into Louis's hands. never attempted, as his father had, to oppose a united Parliament.
For Holland and England were the two strongest naval powers, He could only go as far as the Tory party would support him,
and Louis was glad to see them destroy each other. It was his and his power was therefore dependent on a party that frequently
policy to prevent England from allying with Holland. With this had half the nation on its side. Secondly, it was only by
purpose, after the first Dutch war was over, he bound Charles by accepting a pension from France that he had been able to
secret treaties not to ally with the Dutch. Charles was a clever maintain so much independence. Thirdly, he had to consent to
diplomatist, and extorted vast sums of money from Louis as the many things distasteful to him. Parliament insisted on its right
price of his agreement. But it was a shameful bargain, for it not only of fixing the amount of supplies for the Government,
meant that an English king was bribed to act against the real but of deciding upon what objects the money should be spent.
interests of the English nation, and to support a Catholic tyrant And it was in this reign that the House of Commons asserted the
against a free Protestant nation (Holland). right, against the House of Lords, that they alone had control
The Dutch war was the first stage in this dishonest, over all votes of money.
foolish foreign policy. In the year following the Great Fire of The Whigs had almost succeeded in altering the
London and the Plague, the Dutch actually sailed up the Thames succession to the throne. They did succeed in getting one law
and burned sixteen ships at the gates of Chatham Docks. London passed which ranks among the greatest laws in English history;
this was the great Habeas Corpus Act. Magna Charta had said,
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"No freeman shall be taken and imprisoned unless by the lawful
judgment of his peers, or by the law of the land." Nevertheless,
during hundreds of years it was possible for a king to evade the
law in the case of men arrested for political crimes. Many
attempts had been made by Parliament to prevent kings
interfering with the course of justice, and to secure either a
speedy trial or the release of such prisoners. The Habeas Corpus
Act now secured this end, by making judges and other officers
liable to a heavy fine if they refused to bring men to trial at the
first opportunity.
In addition to all this, Shaftesbury and the Whig lords
who acted with him had shown that, without resort to civil war, a
large party in Parliament, backed by the voters in the country,
could make it difficult for any Government to act in defiance of
the wishes of the people. Political parties had come into
existence; and in a few years that party which could secure a
majority of members on its side in the House of Commons would
be able to control the Government. For good and evil, this was THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON.
one of the greatest results of the political life of the reign of Next year, 1666, the Great Fire broke out. Pepys writes
Charles II. in his Diary, September 2nd, 1666: "Some of our maids, sitting
It remains to say something of some other matters of up late last night, called us up, about three in the morning, to tell
interest in this reign. The Great Plague has been mentioned. This us of a great fire they saw in the city. Bye and bye Jane comes
happened in 1665, during the war with the Dutch. There had and tells me she hears that above three hundred houses have
been many previous plagues. Indeed, in the Middle Ages plague been burnt down to-night, and that it is now burning all Fish
was seldom absent for any long time; and in the seventeenth Street by London Bridge. . . . So off I go to the Lieutenant of the
century London had suffered several times. Tower, who tells me it began this morning in the king's baker's
house in Pudding Lane . . . Everybody endeavouring to remove
The city itself was very unsanitary, and the new districts
their goods and flinging them into the river, or bringing them
that had grown up to the east and south were still worse than the
into lighters." His account is the most vivid we possess, but too
city. For months the plague raged. At the end of August the
long to quote in full.
streets were deserted, and business was almost suspended except
for the supply of food. All who could escaped from the plague- Charles II's reign was not fruitful in great men. In
stricken city, except a few doctors and Puritan clergymen. In literature, the one great name that stands out above all others is
September a thousand persons a day died, and altogether some that of John Milton. But although he lived on until 1674, and
eighty thousand, or about one-fifth of the whole city population, wrote his greatest poems in the early years of the Restoration
were carried off by the plague alone. period, he belongs to the earlier age, when Puritanism was
triumphing over its foes. He wrote in defence of the Parliament,
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and even justified the execution of the king. The Commonwealth Henry Purcell, the first notable English musician, lived at
appointed him Latin Secretary to the Council of State. But he this time. In natural science, Sir Isaac Newton and Robert Boyle
soon became blind, partly in consequence of his close attention began their researches and discoveries, and gathered round them
to his duties and to study. in the Royal Society, founded in 1662, a band of scientists—
careful thinkers and writers—who did much to spread an interest
When the Restoration came, misfortune fell upon him.
in real knowledge of the natural world.
He was imprisoned for a short time and lost much of his
property. He was, however, able to live in quietness and
obscurity, in a house in Artillery Walk, Bunhill Fields, London.
His greatest poems, "Paradise Lost," "Paradise Regained," and
"Samson Agonistes," were all written in this last period of his
life. No one who has not read these magnificent poems can
realise the grandeur of Puritanism at its highest and best.
Writers were not wanting in Charles II's reign. John
Bunyan wrote his marvellous "Pilgrim's Progress" and other
works, such as "The Holy War" and "Grace Abounding." But he,
too, belonged in sympathy to the previous age, and of all the
writings of the seventeenth century, his are the most expressive
of the popular Puritan spirit.
Dryden, Andrew Marvell, Otway, Cowley, Edmund
Waller, Butler, and other poets were a sad falling off from the
age of Shakespeare and Milton. Clarendon's History, the Diaries
of Pepys and Evelyn, and other memoirs give us wonderful
pictures of the men and manners of the time. But, with these
notable exceptions, books and plays were more frivolous, and
written mostly for amusement.
In art nearly all the greatest painters were foreign, and
these were greatly inferior to their predecessors, Rubens and
Vandyke, whom Charles I had employed. One very great
architect there was, Sir Christopher Wren, the, builder of St.
Paul's Cathedral, Greenwich Hospital, and scores of London
churches. The Fire of London furnished him with the greatest
opportunity any English architect has ever enjoyed, and Wren
has left more monuments of his genius than any of his
successors. CHRISTOPHER WREN.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 103 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 rejected by his next Parliament. With James, the desire for
CHAPTER XXIII toleration was a mere pretence. He wished to assert his power to
dispense with any law whatsoever, and to unite the Protestant
Dissenters with the Catholics to overthrow the power of the
JAMES II AND THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION English Church. In April, 1687, be published a Declaration of
(1688) Indulgence suspending all the laws against both Catholics and
Protestant Dissenters.
With the accession of James II we seem to take up the It was a great temptation to the Dissenters, but most of
thread of events, especially the struggle between King and them stood firm. They refused to accept a toleration that could
Parliament and the fight against Popery, that had been suspended only be got by sacrificing the laws of the country and the whole
by the Restoration. authority of Parliament to suit the schemes of a popish king.
The king's position was more secure than ever after the William Penn—the great Quaker, and the founder of
defeat of the Duke of Monmouth, the Whig candidate for the Pennsylvania—and a few others went over to the king's side; but
throne, who had raised rebellions for "the defense of the Richard Baxter, John Bunyan, and other leaders of the
Protestant religion." The rebellions Act had placed a standing persecuted sects, who had suffered imprisonment, were not to be
army in his hands. Parliament had voted ample supplies. The bought over, although James made great efforts to secure their
King of France, and the enemies of the King of France, were support. So the Dissenters supported the Church of England in
each anxious to secure his support. He now felt strong enough to resisting the Declaration, and as a result some of the old
effect the second part of his design. Had he attempted only to intolerance was weakened. Eminent Churchmen began to see
secure toleration for the Catholics, he would have met with little that the laws against the Protestant Dissenters must be relaxed.
opposition; and the more prudent of the Catholics, even the Pope In the next reign the Toleration Act put an end to a century of
himself, wished him to adopt this course. Instead, he began to set persecution, as far as the Protestants were concerned.
the Test Act at defiance. He granted places in the army to James's first Declaration failed. Next year he published.
zealous Catholics. He bluntly told the Parliament that he had another. Even yet he had not got to the end of his folly; for he
appointed officers who were not qualified by the law, but he now committed the most unwise act of his reign and one that
could guarantee their fidelity, and was determined to keep them cost him his crown. The clergy were ordered to read the
in his service. As Parliament—though a Tory one—refused to Declaration from their pulpits on the last two Sundays in May,
repeal the Test Act, he tried to get the judges to override the act 1688, in London, and on the first two Sundays in June
by deciding, in a famous lawsuit, that the king could "dispense'. elsewhere. The Dissenters in London joined with the other
with that or any other Act of Parliament. Next, he placed Roman clergy. Many of the greatest preachers of the age met in London
Catholics in important positions not only in the State, but in the and pledged themselves not to read the Declaration. A
English Church itself. He actually appointed an avowed Catholic memorable meeting took place at Lambeth round the table of the
to be Dean of Christ Church, Oxford. Archbishop of Canterbury. A few bishops and the Earl of
James's next step was a bid for popularity in another Clarendon were present. They decided to call together the most
direction. Charles II had often wished to secure toleration, and eminent leaders of the Church.
had therefore published a Declaration of Indulgence, which was
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 104 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 They little thought they were preparing a Revolution. The petition was carried to James himself by six of the
They met again, and there they drew up the Petition of the Seven bishops. Sancroft stayed behind, as he had been forbidden to
Bishops. Sancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury, Lloyd of St. come to court. James had heard that the bishops were disposed
Asaph, Turner of Ely, Lake of Chichester, Ken of Bath and to obey. He met them therefore in good humour, but when he
Wells, White of Peterborough, and Trelawney of Bristol, all read the petition he broke out in anger. "This is a standard of
signed. Compton of London, having been suspended, did not rebellion," he said.
sign. They stated that the Church was and ever had been faithful The bishops retired. The king kept the petition in his
to the throne, that the bishops would in Parliament show that hand; but some one had obtained a copy, and in a few hours it
they were in favour of granting some toleration, but that the was hawked in the streets and sold by thousands. When Sunday
Declaration was illegal, and that they could not in conscience came, out of a hundred London churches the Declaration was
publish an illegal Declaration in the house of God. read only in four, and in these the congregations hastily left the
church.
Before such signs of public indignation James hesitated.
Sunderland and the Catholic lords in his council advised that the
bishops should be merely reprimanded by the king. But Jeffreys
advised that they should be tried as criminals for "publishing a
seditious libel." They were first summoned to the Council
Chamber in the hope that they would retract. They refused.
James therefore gave orders to commit them to the Tower.
A week later they were brought before the Court of
King's Bench, passing on their way through great crowds of
admirers. The trial was not to take place before June 29th, and
Lord Halifax had already arranged that twenty-one of the
greatest peers of the realm would give bail for Bishops. The
country was raging with indignation. The peasants and miners of
Cornwall sang a ballad still remembered—
"And shall Trelawney die, and shall Trelawney die?
Then thirty thousand Cornish boys will know the reason why."
It was in these weeks before the trial of the Seven
Bishops that a son was born to James. Instead of rejoicing, the
nation was filled with rage and disappointment. Thousands had
been content to serve the king faithfully while he lived, because
they believed the Protestant cause was secure in the succession
PORTRAITS OF THE SEVEN BISHOPS. of James's Protestant daughter and the Prince of Orange. The
birth of a son, who would certainly be brought up in the Catholic
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faith, increased all that hatred and fear of the Catholic cause what was happening. Not until six in the morning were the jury
which the king's conduct had aroused. In another week it was agreed. At ten the court met again to hear the verdict.
rumoured, and the rumour was well founded, that Sunderland,
As the words "Not Guilty!" were heard, Lord Halifax,
the king's chief minister, had openly become a Catholic. This who was in court, sprang up and waved his hat. The ten
was at the very time that the greatest leaders of the National thousand persons who filled the great hall raised a mighty "Not
Church were awaiting their trial for obeying their consciences guilty!" shout. The crowd outside took it up, and the boats on the
and defending the Church. Thames answered with another. Guns were fired. Horsemen set
off to carry the news over the whole country. The churches were
opened, the bells were rang. All the following night London
gave itself up to rejoicings. Bonfires were ablaze everywhere.
James might well be disturbed by these signs of the
times. By his rashness and bigotry he had succeeded in doing
what neither his father nor his brother had done. He had united
the Church of England and the Protestant Dissenters, Tories and
Whigs, Cavaliers and Roundheads, in one spirit of resentment
against the crown.
On the very day that the bishops were acquitted, seven of
the leading noblemen despatched a letter inviting William,
Prince of Orange, to come at once to England to lead the nation
against James. This letter was the outcome of a conspiracy, but
one which deserves a place among the greatest events in our
history. It was conceived by men who had great claims to act in
TRIAL OF THE SEVEN BISHOPS.
the name of the nation, and who proved by their actions that they
The trial began before the four judges of the King's could carry out a revolution which preserved far more than it
Bench. Great lawyers were engaged on both sides. The court destroyed. James tried to make concessions; but he was now
was crowded with peers and members of Parliament. Even the deserted by his friends, including the rising general, John, Lord
judges themselves were awed by the solemnity of the occasion Churchill. William landed at Torbay (November 5th, 1688);
and the presence of the greatest and most powerful men in the James fled to France, and so abdicated the throne.
kingdom. After the speeches of the lawyers and the summing-up
of the judges, the whole nation waited for the verdict.
While the rest of the court went home, the jury remained
all night in a locked room under guard, without food or water—
such was the custom of the time—considering their decision.
Great numbers of people walked the neighbouring streets till
dawn. Messengers came every hour from Whitehall to know

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 106 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 Further, that elections to Parliament ought to be free; that speech
CHAPTER XXIV in Parliament ought to be free; that Parliaments ought to be held
frequently; and that no one but a Protestant should be king or
queen of England. They then offered the crown to William and
WILLIAM III AND THE REVOLUTION Mary as joint sovereigns, on their accepting and ratifying the
SETTLEMENT Declaration of Right. This was afterwards made into an Act of
Parliament, and so the "Bill of Rights" still stands as one Of the
William, Prince of Orange, was one of the greatest men few great Acts of Parliament upon which the British Constitution
of his own age, and one of the greatest kings who ever reigned rests.
over England. Yet he was never popular in England, and was Parliament for the first time declared its right freely to
worse served than the worst king who brought misers upon the dispose of the crown, and, acting on this right, it decided also the
nation he governed. succession to the throne. For it gave to William, and not to
Before proceeding with the narrative of William's career, Mary, the right to act as king, both whilst Mary lived and so long
there is one aspect of the Revolution that must receive attention. as he survived. It gave the succession first to the children of
For sixty years, if we go back no further than the Petition of William and Mary; then to her sister Anne and her children; then
Right in 1628, there had been strife between King and to any heir of William. The doctrine of divine right—of the
Parliament. There had been a long civil war, the execution of a Lord's Anointed—was thus put an end to by Act of Parliament.
king, the establishment of a republic, a military despotism, a All previous attempts to make kings dependent on
Restoration, and now another Revolution. James had been driven Parliament for their supplies had only been partially successful.
from the throne chiefly because of his attempt to overthrow the The king's revenue was now so ordered that he simply could not
Church of England and to impose Catholicism on the nation. carry on the ordinary government in time of peace without
Had James been a member of the Church of England, his civil frequent resort to Parliament. As for the army and navy, without
tyranny alone would never have provoked a revolution; for the the annual votes of supplies from Parliament it was absolutely
Parliament was prepared to support him. impossible to maintain them. As William's whole policy was
Nevertheless, now that the occasion had come, the Whigs dependent upon having an army to fight Louis on the Continent,
were desirous of setting the monarchy upon a new footing, and this made the control of Parliament perfectly secure.
of placing the power of Parliament beyond the reach of attack. Again, although William was free to choose his own
All previous attempts to arrive at a just balance of power ministers, and did so from both parties at the same time, he soon
between crown and Parliament had failed. With a man less wise found that it was better to choose his council from the party
and moderate than William, this attempt also would have failed. which had a majority in meat the House of Commons, for unless
The Convention Parliament drew up a Declaration of the House of Commons supported the acts of his ministers, all
Right, which stated what the chief illegal acts of James had been. sorts of obstacles could be put in his way. A general election
It went on to, declare that the king had no power to suspend or thus decided which party was to direct the government, for the
dispense with laws; nor to levy taxes without consent of Cabinet was now chosen from the party which had a majority in
Parliament; nor to keep a standing army in time of peace. the House of Commons; and this has ever since been the most
important feature in the Constitution of the country.
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 We can now turn to the chief events of William's reign.
In spite of the wrangling of parties and the intrigues of self-
seeking politicians, some good measures were enacted. Among
the first of these was the Toleration Act. It might have been
expected that the Dissenters, who had really done so much to
support the Revolution, would have been now rewarded by
complete toleration. William and the Whigs would have granted
this, but the Tory Churchmen would only consent to the penal
laws being suspended. The old penal laws were not repealed; but
any Dissenter who would take certain oaths was relieved from
the penalties. The Corporation and Test Acts were still retained,
and thus for a century more, although not persecuted, the
Dissenters were still excluded from office in the State, the
corporations, and the army. They were also excluded from the
Universities.

QUEEN MARY II.

But they submitted loyally and waited until the

nineteenth century for complete toleration. The Catholics, on the
other hand, hated by Whigs and Tories alike, were oppressed by
new laws, both in England and Ireland.
Scotland and Ireland both required William's attention.
Scotland was a separate kingdom. Its people were strongly
Presbyterian, but by means of packed Parliaments and the
special powers of the crown, the country had been ruled in the
interests of the followers of the bishops. The Scottish Parliament
took advantage of James's "desertion" to effect a more complete
revolution than had taken place in England. They abolished
KING WILLIAM III. "prelacy," or the rule of bishops, altered the constitution of their
Parliament, and put restrictions on the power of the crown,
before they offered it to William. He had no choice but to accept
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their terms, for the kingdom was divided by fiercer factions than repudiated the terms, though the Irish were entitled to them by
England; a "Jacobite" party was forming, supported by whole every sentiment of honour.
clans of the Highlanders.
Whilst William had been winning, the Battle of the
Boyne in Ireland, England had passed through a great danger.
On June 30th, the very day the two armies faced each other
across the Boyne, the English Admiral Herbert, now Lord
Torrington, was shamefully beaten by the French, under
Tourville. Torrington behaved badly, both by retreating before
the French fleet until he received positive orders from the
Government to fight at all costs, and by allowing the brunt of the
battle to fall upon his Dutch allies, who formed part of his fleet
of sixty ships. By the battle off Beachy Head, the French became
for the moment masters of the Channel, and burnt the town of
Teignmouth. It was two years before the English wiped out the
national disgrace by the great victory of La Hogue, won by
Admiral Russell in May, 1692.
To William the affairs of England were but a part of that
great struggle against France which was the supreme object of
his life. Louis had at his command the richest nation, the greatest
KING WILLIAM III. AT THE BATTLE OF THE BOYNE. army, the best generals, that had been seen in Europe for a
The Jacobites caught William's general at a disadvantage thousand years. William had to rely upon uncertain alliances
in the Pass of Killiecrankie (Perthshire), but the revolt soon died with Austria, Spain, Brandenburg, and England. To keep them
down. There followed, however; a terrible crime: because the faithful to their promises, to get them to act together, and with
Macdonalds of Glencoe did not take the oath to William in time, such means to hold in check the mighty power of France, was a
they were nearly all put to the sword at the terrible Massacre of great achievement.
Glencoe. Although war was declared against France in 1689,
Affairs in Ireland were worse than in Scotland. The William could not go to the Continent until two years
Ulstermen were cooped up in Londonderry, besieged by a afterwards. He was an unlucky general. He hardly ever won a
French and Irish army, and suffered the agonies of famine before victory. Yet he achieved his ends by holding on in spite of
they were relieved by William. Next year (1690), William defeat, and keeping his armies together. Consequently, although
defeated James at the Battle of the Boyne. Still Ireland took Louie won nearly all the battles, France was worn out and
another fifteen months to. conquer. defeated in the long run.
The war ended by the Treaty of Limerick, which The good queen, Mary, had died in 1694. In September,
promised the Catholics the privileges they had enjoyed in 1701, James II died at St. Germains. The last of Anne's children
Charles II's time. The Irish Protestant Parliament, however, had died in 1700. It was therefore necessary to decide the

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 109 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
question of the lawful succession to the throne. The Act of
Succession (or Act of Settlement) decided that the crown was to CHAPTER XXV
descend to Anne, then to Sophia, Electress or Princess of
Hanover (a grand-daughter of James I of England), and to her
heirs, being Protestants. It carried further the principles of the QUEEN ANNE AND MARLBOROUGH
Bill of Rights by providing that all future monarchs must belong
to the Church of England; that no English sovereign should It is difficult to describe Anne's character, except by
leave the kingdom without the consent of Parliament; that no saying what she was not. She was not clever, she was not
pensioner or placeman should serve as a member of Parliament; beautiful, she had no gifts of any kind; she had not behaved well
that no pardon under the Great Seal should prevent impeachment to her father, nor to her sister. Her piety was mixed with
by the Commons, and that the judges should hold their offices superstition; her honesty was spoiled by obstinacy. She had no
during good behaviour, and not be removed except by an address real independence of character, and always relied upon some one
from both Houses of Parliament. Thus we see that the efforts of to think for her and decide for her. From childhood she had been
the Long Parliament had after all not been in vain. William III entirely in the hands of a clever woman, Sarah Jennings, who
was the first "constitutional king," that is, the first king who married John Churchill—known to history as the first Duke of
really ruled through Parliament. Marlborough.
William died on March 8th, 1702, in consequence of a William's death left Marlborough to carry out his policy.
fall from his horse. He was preparing for a renewal of the great France was now more powerful than in the previous war, for
war against France, which was to be carried out by England's Spain and Bavaria were joined in alliance with her. Against them
greatest general in the next reign. were united Austria, Holland, the new kingdom of Prussia, a few
other small German States such as Hanover, Portugal, the Duchy
of Savoy (which furnished a great general, Eugene), and
England (which furnished an army, much money, and
Marlborough).
The war was fought in Italy, in Spain, in Germany, in
Flanders, and on the sea. The hero of it was Marlborough. He
had two great tasks—first, to keep the allies acting together;
next, to defeat the French on the battlefield. He found the second
task easier than the first. There was, in fact, only one of the allies
with whom it was possible to act in harmony. That was Eugene
of Savoy, with whom Marlborough struck up a great friendship.
The war was on a grand scale, for the opposing armies
often numbered sixty thousand on each side. Of these, not more
than about twelve thousand were Englishmen. Many were
veterans who had gained experience in William's wars, but there
were the usual supplies of raw recruits gathered from the gaols,
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 110 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
pressed-men, bankrupts, and able-bodied men who had no it. The importance of this great event was seen during the next
lawful calling or occupation, or visible means of support." Yet hundred years, for it enabled British fleets to hold the
out of such material Marlborough created the finest army of his Mediterranean.
age. As far as his means would allow, he looked after the For the next six years Marlborough conducted great
welfare of his men, and his discipline and training enabled his campaigns, chiefly in Flanders. He defeated the French at
troops to perform deeds that astonished his enemies. Ramillies (1706), Oudenarde (1708), and Malplaquet (1709).
War was declared in 1702. Marlborough drove back a But the achievements of the war after 1709 brought no further
great French army from the Lower Meuse, and took some strong advantage either to England or the Allies. At home the Tories
fortresses. Early in 1704, in secret conjunction with Eugene, he were planning for the overthrow of the Whig party and of
devised the most daring and brilliant of his campaigns, that of Marlborough himself. A new Parliament was elected, and this
Blenheim (August 13th, 1704). was strongly Tory, and Marlborough's power was over.
In 1713 the Peace of Utrecht was signed. England gained
from France valuable lands in North America—Hudson's Bay,
Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia, as well as St. Christopher in
the Leeward Isles. From Spain she gained Gibraltar and
Minorca, and—what must be read with shame, although it did
not seem shameful to our ancestors—the monopoly of the slave
trade to the Spanish colonies for thirty years. The French, too,
were to expel the Pretender (the son of James II) from France.
The original cause of the war, the Spanish Succession,
was settled by allowing Philip V to remain king: but Spain was
only to keep her colonies, not her other possessions in Europe. A
great part of the latter went to the Archduke, now Emperor of
Austria.
The greatest political event of the reign of Anne was the
Act of Union with Scotland.
THE ARTICLES OF THE ACT OF UNION PRESENTED BY THE
COMMISSIONERS TO QUEEN ANNE.
In the last reign great jealousy existed between the two
kingdoms. In matters of trade they were like two foreign
Marlborough's fame was spread over Europe. The queen countries, and thus the trading companies of the two countries
had already created him Duke of Marlborough after his first came into conflict with one another.
campaign. He now received further rewards, and began to build
In a few years, however, the Scots saw that they had
at Woodstock the great palace (Blenheim Palace) that still
more to gain in trade by a real union with England than they had
reminds us of his greatest victory. The very week before
to lose in independence. The Act of Union provided for forty-
Blenheim was fought, Admiral Rooke also captured Gibraltar,
five Scottish members to sit in the House of Commons and
and defeated soon after a French fleet that attempted to recover
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sixteen peers in the House of Lords. The Scottish Church, which equipped the fleet to protect the ports against Jacobite invasions.
was Presbyterian, was to remain as it was, and Scottish laws On August 1st the queen died.
which differed in several ways, from English, was also to remain
George I was at once proclaimed. A Whig Government
unchanged. But trade was to be free between the two countries, was formed, a new Whig Parliament was soon elected, and the
and taxes and coins were to be the same in each country. Age of the Stuarts passed away.
The last act in the drama of the Stuart period was now
nearly over. It ended in a strangely dramatic scene. The queen
herself was not only a Tory, but at heart a "Jacobite." If the
Pretender had been a Protestant, there is no doubt she would
have secured him as her successor, in spite of the Act of
Settlement. The Tories opened negotiations with James, in the
hope that he would declare himself a Protestant. To his honour,
he refused, then and always.
Notwithstanding his refusal, the Jacobite minister,
Bolingbroke, continued his plots. Harley, now Lord Oxford, was
undecided, and it was therefore necessary to remove him. For a
few days Bolingbroke was really Prime Minister. It looked as if
he would bring about a Jacobite revolution, for he put Jacobites
into office, and assured the Pretender of his support.
Suddenly, at the end of July, 1714, the queen had a fit of
apoplexy; she lay speechless, and was evidently dying. The
moment had come when a decisive blow must be struck either
for James or George of Hanover. The Whigs were preparing to
fight. The Cabinet met at Kensington. What they were going to
do will, perhaps, never be known, But a strange scene is said to
have taken place. The Whig Dukes of Argyle and Somerset
availed themselves of their privilege as Privy Councillors, and
appeared in the Council chamber. The Duke of Shrewsbury, an
old and respected Whig, who had of late years joined the Tory
governments of Anne, was present and welcomed them. They
called the physicians, who declared the queen was dying. The
Council resolved that Shrewsbury should be appointed Lord
Treasurer, and took upon them to summon all the Privy
Councillors, mostly Whigs, living in London. The dying queen
consented to Shrewsbury's appointment, and Bolingbroke was
baffled. The Whigs ordered four regiments to London, and
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 112 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 Not only had Parliament as a whole won its victory, but
CHAPTER XXVI the two great political parties, Whigs and Tories, had become so
well organised that the government could only be carried on by
one party at a time. That is to say, the monarch could no longer
A REVIEW OF LIFE AND PROGRESS IN choose his ministers from both parties. If the Whigs had a
STUART TIMES majority in the House of Commons, the king or queen must form
a Whig government. If the Tories had a majority, then the
Between the accession of James I and the death of Anne, government must be formed from the Tories. Thus we began to
a period of little over a century, great changes in the life of the have not only Parliamentary Government, but Party
nation were witnessed. Government.

James I and Charles I had begun by regarding Parliament In the Church also, a change equally great in its effect on
as a mere royal council, to be summoned and dismissed at will. the lives, of the people had taken, place. In 1604, every subject
By the time Anne came to the throne, the various revolutions of the king could, be compelled, by and imprisonment, to
had placed the sovereign in a much humbler position. The idea conform to the one national Church. In the middle of the
of ruling without Parliament was dead. Queen Anne could only century, the national Church had been overthrown and its
choose ministers who had the support of the House of services forbidden. With the restoration of monarchy, the
Commons. The great struggle between King and Parliament had national Church was restored, and the Nonconformists were
come to an end. The two Houses, united, were so strong that again persecuted. But by the time of Anne such persecution had
Anne only once ventured to refuse assent to a Bill, and since ceased, and toleration for all Protestants was secured. The laws
then the so-called "royal veto" on a Bill has never been against Catholics were not repealed. In practice, however,
exercised. Catholics were seldom disturbed, and although the exercise of
their religion was illegal, it was openly carried on.
Through the complete control over taxation, finally
gained at the Revolution by the Bill of Rights, the House of Personal liberty was much greater than it had ever been
Commons was the more powerful of the two. But for a long time before, and, greater than in any other country. The Habeas
the House of Lords played a very active part. Peers generally Corpus Act of 1679 secured people against being kept in prison
formed a majority in the royal council, which was becoming a by the orders of the crown. By this act; every prisoner could
real "Cabinet." The wealthier peers, who owned land in a large claim a speedy trial; or be released on bail. Besides that, the
number of the smaller boroughs, controlled the elections in these judges themselves could no longer be dismissed by the king:
towns, and thus had great influence over the House of only a vote of both Houses of Parliament could remove a judge
Commons. The House of Lords used its powers very freely, from his post. There were thus to be no, more judges like
especially in rejecting Bills from the Commons, and it exerted a Jeffreys, and no more decisions like that on "ship-money."
strong check on the House of Commons. But if it came to a People could speak their minds more freely. In James I's
contest the Commons could win, through their control over time, men discussed questions of politics with bated breath. In
taxes. Anne's time everybody was free to talk about everything.
Newspapers, first begun in, the days of the Civil War and the
Commonwealth, had become more common and cheaper. In
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 113 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
Anne's reign the first daily paper, called the Daily Courant, was whole nation. Coffee was introduced about the time of the Long
established. Coffee-houses were used as clubs, and the Parliament. Tea came a little later in Charles II's time, and was
interchange of ideas helped to create public opinion. in general use in Anne's day, except among the poor, for it still
cost from thirteen shillings to twenty shillings a pound. Silks,
Even the pulpit had become a popular institution. It was
spices, wines, tobacco, Chinese pottery, paper, glassware,
an, age of great preachers. Sermons, especially in London, were
calicoes and other cloths, mechanical inventions, works of art,
listened to as popular lectures are now. Missionary and other
foreign fashions in dress and manners, all helped to change the
societies flourished. Parish libraries began to be formed, and
habits of the rich and to stimulate our own industries.
movements for popular education spread to every part of the
country. Foreign refugees were continually coming into the
country, particularly the French Huguenots or Protestants, after
Wealth was increased by increased trade, both at home
Louis XIV banished thousands of them in 1685. They much
and abroad, and by improvements in industry and agriculture.
improved the silk manufacture, the linen trade, the manufacture
When James I became king there was no trade with America.
of sail-cloth, tapestry, hats and paper, surgeons' instruments, and
The first real colony at Jamestown was established in 1607 by
glassware. They introduced new kinds of pottery, and discovered
the newly formed London Company. In 1620 the Pilgrim Fathers
new processes which enabled the English potters soon to become
sailed and founded the New England States. By the time of
famous. Calico-printing, introduced at this time by foreigners,
Queen Anne the American colonies spread from the St.
was a new industry entirely.
Lawrence southwards along the American seaboard to the River
Savannah, and the trade with Britain was of great value. The Thus, both in trade and manufactures, we learned much
East India Company, founded in 1600, had gone on for. over a from the example of other nations, and especially from the
century, increasing its trade. Several islands in the West Indies Dutch and French. Even the great Bank of England, founded at
had been added to the British Dominions, and a foothold had this time, was an idea borrowed from the Dutch. William
been gained in Africa on the Gold Coast. Paterson, a Scotsman, brought it forward, and Charles Montagu,
William III's Chancellor of the Exchequer, in conjunction with
Trading companies made expeditions to Russia, Persia,
some of the leading London merchants, carried it out. The
and China, and explorers traversed the South Seas and
expenses of the Government in time of war were more than
discovered yet another new continent—Australia. Adventurers
could be met by the ordinary taxes. Money had to be borrowed.
and explorers were the necessary pioneers of trade and colonies.
Previous to this time, either the Government had to pay
The race of Elizabethan "sea-dogs" was succeeded by a race of
extravagant rates of interest, which in the long run came out of
buccaneers. These were naval adventurers, banded together in
the pockets of the taxpayers, or it did not pay at all, and that was
free companies and living by plundering foreign ships and
both dishonest and ruinous to the traders and merchants who had
towns, chiefly in the West Indies and South America. The
lent money.
distinction between piracy and adventure was not very clear, and
our own shipping was in constant danger from pirates. The idea now brought forward was to form a company
which was to lend over a million pounds to the Government,
Nevertheless, foreign trade increased. The imports of all
Interest at a reasonable rate was to be paid from the taxes called
kinds which found their way into the homes of Englishmen,
"customs"; and the company was given special privileges to
especially of the rich, gradually affected the mode of life of the
carry on the work of banking. Owing to the support of the
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 114 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
Government, the credit of the bank was so secure that people By such rascals, traveling all over the country was made
were willing to place their money in it to such an extent that the dangerous. But inns were generally good and plentiful. It
bank was able to lend more and more to the Government; and became more and more common for the well-to-do to visit
these loans to the Government became the famous National London with their families in the "season," and to go to the
Debt. newly created watering-places in the summer. Owing to Queen
Anne's patronage, and the genius of Beau Nash, who caused the
The importance of all these money schemes is that they
town to be specially adapted for the reception of visitors, Bath
show how much richer and more enterprising the people were
became the fashionable resort, for a long time.
becoming, and what a much greater part trade was occupying in
the national affairs. The theatres became a regular feature in the larger towns,
but London was the first home of the stage. At the Restoration,
Population increased more than in any preceding century,
there were only two theatres open in London, but by Anne's time
and although not more than one-sixth of the population lived in
there were several more, and the first opera was begun. The
the towns, it was the towns that grew most rapidly. London kept
great musician, Handel, came to England; and by his operas and
the lead with about 700,000 people; it was still about seventeen
oratorios, and concerts gave the first great impulse to popular
times the size of the next largest town, Bristol. Manchester had
music.
grown to about seven thousand, and Liverpool to six thousand.
The American trade was bringing prosperity to Liverpool, which In some ways the age of Anne was like our own times. If
began to build its first docks in 1709, and was soon to become we were to go back to James I's time we should find ourselves
the third port in the kingdom. Sheffield and Birmingham were strangers to the habits and thoughts of the early days of the
becoming what were then large towns of about five thousand Stuarts; but we would be more at home with the men and women
inhabitants. of Anne's time. They lived under a Constitutional Monarchy;
party politics played much the same part that they do now; trade
The roads were still bad, but communication was
and manufactures were becoming daily of more importance;
improving. Hackney coaches had been started in London during
their amusements and social life also were to some extent like
the Commonwealth, but it was in Charles II's day that stage
our own. On the other hand, we are richer; we can travel more
coaches became regular means of travel. "Flying" coaches began
easily; we live more in large towns, and work in factories,
to run about fifty miles a day of a charge of one shilling for five
instead of in our own homes. The seventeenth century had done
miles; but these only ran between the large towns in the south,
very much to produce Modern England, the England that we live
and on the Great North Road. The toll-bar system was then first
in, and to make us strangers to the Middle Ages.
set up—payments had to be made at the bars or gates—for the
improvement of the roads. But it was often necessary to engage
guides between one town and another, and a new profession
sprang up—that of the highwaymen. The most notorious of these
highway robbers, Claude Duval, a good swordsman. and a good
shot, made himself a terror to men, whilst to ladies he behaved
with the greatest politeness.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 115 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 1625-1649. Charles I

CHAPTER XXVII 1649-1660. Commonwealth

1660-1685. Charles II
SUMMARY OF CHIEF DATES—TUDOR AND 1685-1688. James II
STUART PERIODS 1689-1694. William and Mary
I. REVISION DATES 1694-1702. William III alone
1702-1714. Anne
410. Romans left Britain
901. King Alfred died CHIEF EVENTS
1066. Norman Conquest
1486. Cape of Good Hope discovered
1215. The Great Charter
1492. Columbus discovers the New World
1265. The First Parliament
1517. Luther makes his "Protest"
1314. Scottish Independence
1534. Act of Supremacy
1428. Joan of Arc saves France
1649. Edward's VI's First Prayer Book
1476. Caxton's Printing Press
1587. Mary Queen of Scots executed
II. TUDOR AND STUART SOVEREIGNS 1588. Spanish Armada defeated
1801. First Poor Law
1485-1509. Henry VII
1605. Gunpowder Plot
1509-1547. Henry VIII
1620. Puritans found New England (America)
1547-1553. Edward VI
1628. Petition of Right
1553-1568. Mary
1638. Scots sign National Covenant
1558-1603. Elizabeth
1642. Civil War begins
1603-1625. James I
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 116 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
1649, Trial and Execution of Charles I
CHAPTER XXVIII
1655. Jamaica captured
1660-
Acts against Nonconformists QUESTIONS AND COMPOSITION EXERCISES
1665.
1678- TUDOR PERIOD
Popery Plots and Riots
1685.
How Men and Women Lived Four Hundred Years Ago
1688. William of Orange invited by the Whigs
1689. Bill of Rights secures triumph of Parliament (1) With the help of the Table on page 22, make a genealogical tree of
the Tudor sovereigns (with dates).
Toleration Act—Toleration for (2) Compare the way people "shopped," delivered letters, and amused
Nonconformists themselves, in Tudor times and to-day.
Act of Settlement secures Protestant
1701.
Succession Henry VII, Columbus, Cabot, and the Age of Discovery
Battle of Blenheim. Marlborough defeats
1704. (1) Describe the map on page 30, so as to show what were men's ideas
the French
of the geography of the world. before the great discoveries.
Capture of Gibraltar by England (2) Imagine yourself one of the crew of the Santa Maria and describe
the voyage across the "Sea of Darkness."
1707. Union of Scotland and England

How Henry VII Ruled England

Describe England in the reign of Henry VII under these headings (a)
The peasants, (b) Nobles, (c) Clergy and monks.

How Henry VIII Changed the Old Order

(1) Name the chief things that Henry VIII did to separate the English
Church from the Pope.
(2) Find out from the book what two great events took place in 1529.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 117 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 Thomas Cromwell and the Destruction of the Monasteries spread; the fight in the Channel, the fireships, the storm and the
wrecks.)
(1) Give an account of the Destruction of the Monasteries.
(2) Why was Thomas Cromwell so much hated? Tell the story of his
fall. The Doings of Elizabeth's Sailors after the Armada

(1) Tell the story of the last voyage of Drake and Hawkins.
Protestant Edward VI and Catholic Queen Mary (2) How was it a second Armada did not come to England?

(1) State the object of the Act of Uniformity.

(2) Compare Mary's reign of terror with Thomas Cromwell's. England's Greatness in the Days of Elizabeth

(1) Describe the theatres and acting of Shakespeare's days.

Elizabeth Queen of England and Mary, Queen of Scots (2) Tell the story of any one of the plays which you have read.
(3) What do you think were the most important events in the reign of
(1) Describe the condition, of England in 1558, and compare it with Elizabeth?
the England of to-day. (4) Compare the position of (a) England, (b) Spain at the beginning
(2) Name the chief things that Elizabeth did to "establish" the National and end of Elizabeth's reign.
Church.
(3) Tell the story of Mary's return from France to Scotland as if you STUART PERIOD
had been with her all the time.
The Great Drama of the Stuart Period
Spain and the Sea-Rovers (1) Write down the Stuart sovereigns in order of their succession.
(2) Who was John Evelyn? Make a list of the events of which was an
Imagine yourself to be one of Drake's companions, and write a letter eye-witness.
home to tell your friends how Drake first saw the Pacific.

A Picture of England Three Hundred Years Ago

The Spanish Armada
(1) Write a description of England 300 years ago under these headings:
(1) What were the chief reasons why Philip of Spain decided to invade (a) Farming; (b) Appearance of country, wild animals, etc.; (c) Towns,
England? trade, and population; (d) Roads and travelling; (e) The "wild north";
(2) "The singeing of the King of Spain's beard"—what was that? (f) Army and navy.
(3) The Armada. Tell its story-taking care to make an outline first. (2) "Religion and politics are mingled in almost every great event"—
(Name and compare the leaders on each side, and their objects; the give examples of this.
famous Friday night in England and how the news of the Armada
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 (3) Describe any one battle of the Civil War, preferably that which
What Gunpowder Plot Was happened nearest your own home.
(4) Mention any incidents which throw light on the character of (a)
(1) Why was it there so much persecution in England 300 years ago? Rupert, (b) Cromwell, (c). Charles I
(2) What were the (a) object, (b) result of the Gunpowder Plot? How
was it betrayed?
Trial and Death of Charles I

Misrule of the Stuarts—James I (1) "The trial of the king was a strange and terrible scene." Describe it,
and show why.
(1) How did the Puritans differ from the Anglicans? (2) Write down your opinion of the character of Charles I, referring, to
any of his words or acts which you can remember, and showing his
good as well as his bad points.
Misrule of the Stuarts—Charles I

(1) Describe Charles I's third Parliament, and show what part Eliot Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth
took in it.
(1) Describe Charles II's escape and wanderings after the Battle of
Worcester.
Misrule of the Stuarts—The Eleven Year's Rule (2) Why was Cromwell's rule unpopular? Could this be avoided?
(3) May 29th, 1660. Describe the events of this day in London, as if
(1) Name some of Charles I's arbitrary acts during the Eleven Years. you had been present and were writing to tell a friend in the country.

The Story of the Long Parliament Charles II: The Merrie Monarch

(1) "The meeting of the Long. Parliament was one of the greatest (1) What was the Clarendon Code? And what is the strict meaning of
events in all history." Show this by making a list of its doings. the word "Nonconformist"?
(2) Give an account of the Arrest of the Five Members as if you had (2) Summarise the most important events of the reign of Charles II.
been an eye-witness.

James II and the Glorious Revolution

The Great Civil War
(1) "Then 30,000 Cornish boys will know the reason why." Explain
(1) Why do you think the Civil War was fought? this.
(2) Say briefly (a) how the country was divided between the two (2) What led to the invitation to William of Orange to become King of
parties; and (b) how the Civil War was fought. England?
Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 119 Distributed by Heritage History 2009
 William III and the Revolution Settlement

(1) Write some account of the Revolution Settlement under these

headings: (a) Control by Parliament; (b) Beginning of Party
Government; (c) Toleration for Dissenters.
(2) What was the Act of Settlement (1701)? What was its object?

Queen Anne and Marlborough

(1) How was it that the Duke of Marlborough was such an important
man? What had his European victories to do with England?
(2) Show how the country was in danger of Jacobite invasions towards
the end of Anne's life.

A Review of Life and Progress in Stuart Times

(1) Show what progress the country had made under the Stuart Rule
(1603—1714). Use these headings: (a) King, Parliament, Party
Government; (b) Church and Nonconformists; (c) Judges; (d) Life of
the people, amusements, etc.; (e) Travel and inns; (f) Towns and
population.
(2) Describe the characters of six of the most important men of the
Stuart period.
(3) Explain why Parliament was so much more important during the
Stuart period than during the Tudor period.
(4) What do you know of Milton, Bunyan, and Pepys?
(5) Describe the character, aims and difficulties of (a) Oliver
Cromwell, (b) William III.
(6) Whom do you prefer—Henry VIII or Charles I? State your reasons
fully.

Original Copyright 1912 by M. B. Synge and F.R. Hist S.. 120 Distributed by Heritage History 2009