XVIL

RISE OF THE CIVIL WARS.

Charles a martyr to his own insincerity and crimes.

Attempts to impose a Liturgy upon Scotland. Uproar in St. Giles'. Solemn League and Covenant. The Episcopal War Charles forced to call a Parliament. Laud impeached. Divine right of Episcopacy discussed. Smectymnuus. Irish Massacre. Appeal to Arms.

THE English Church celebrates the "Martyrdom of King Charles I." But in no sense did King Charles sacrifice his life for the cause of religion. His political crimes against the laws and the Constitution; his falsehoods and treacheries; his utter want of faith in his solemn engagements to his indignant people; these were the causes of his ruin. His people found no redress, save in arms: and when their monarch was overthrown, his known insincerity and treachery forbade them to hope for any safety but in his death. King Charles was a martyr to his own insincerity and crimes. He fell, in endeavoring to erect an absolute despotism over a free-spirited and indignant people. He had cast his life upon the die; and either his people must be reduced to slavery, or he must perish: there was no other possible alternative. But perhaps by the celebration of his "martyrdom," it is designed to intimate that he lost his life in the cause of "The Church," or (which they claim as the same thing) of Episcopacy; which High Churchmen seem to consider as nearly synonymous with religion. How then was Charles a martyr for "the Church?" Under the covert of his authority, corruptions were introduced into its doctrines; a wide and fundamental departure was made from the original sense of its articles; its rites and ceremonies were nearly assimilated to those of Rome. The power of the prelates was greatly augmented at the expense both of the royal prerogatives and of the popular rights. Charles was one of those kings, who in this manner delight to "Give their glory to the Beast." In the reign of Henry VIII., the bishops were content to hold even their spiritual superiority over presbyters, from the civil power. But in passing sentence on Bastwick, the bishops, with the allowance of Charles, denied that they held the

jurisdiction of their courts from the king. At the instance of Laud, Charles permitted the bishops to hold their ecclesiastical courts in their own names, without the king's letters patent under the great seal. The design of this was fully to realize the idea that bishops hold their authority not from the crown, but, jure divino, from God himself. Half the business of Chancery was drawn into the hands of the bishops' officers. The king allowed the bishops to frame new articles of visitation, and to administer new oaths of inquiry. "In this manner," says Hetherington,* "the prelates became possessed of extensive jurisdiction, both civil and ecclesiastical, not only independent of the Crown and Parliament, but based upon the assumption of a divine right, which rendered them entirely irresponsible, and beyond the control of human law. Had not the spirit of liberty, civil and religious, been at that time vigilant and strong, these prelatic usurpations must have soon reduced England to a state of the most abject slavery."

For this abject devotion to the interests of an aspiring and domineering hierarchy, the prelates of the Church of England have had the address to persuade the people of that Church to forget the crimes of King Charles, and to celebrate him as a saint and martyr!

They have a further show of reason for so doing, from the fact that it was the foolish attempt of Charles to impose an Episcopacy and a Liturgy upon Scotland that roused up the civil wars, which overturned Episcopacy" root and branch," and in which the king lost both throne and life.

Freedom still breathed amid the hills of Scotland. A hierarchy had been established there, but its prelates were prelates only in name; circumscribed and watched by a jealous and undaunted people, while the ministers of the Scottish Church regarded episcopal jurisdiction as a mere mischievous usurpation.

Laud now persuaded the king that it would be a good and pious work to establish a liturgy and Episcopacy in full form over the people of Scotland. A liturgy was prepared, modelled mainly after the English, but altered and fashioned in such a way as to suit the genius of Laud, and of a cast more popish than that of England. In the office for the Lord's Supper (which was made closely to resemble a mass), the priest, taking the bread and wine into his hands, and reciting the words of the original institution of the Lord's Supper, is made to say, "WHICH

WE NOW OFFER UNTO THEE THAT THEY MAY BECOME THE

BODY AND BLOOD OF THY MOST DEARLY BELOVED SON; these words being printed in large capitals to mark their significance." The compilers of this liturgy were ordered to retain * London Christian Observer, April, 1843. † Hist. Assembly of Divines.

such Catholic saints in the calendar as were retained in the English; and in no case to omit St. George and St. Patrick. Sundry lessons out of the Apocrypha were inserted.* "There was a benediction or thanksgiving for departed saints, and rubricks were added instructing the people when to sit, when to stand, and when to kneel."

Such was the Liturgy sent up to be imposed upon the people of Scotland. Due notice was given; and on the Sabbath, July 23, 1637, in the great church of St. Giles, was assembled a mighty concourse of people, with both the archbishops, several bishops, lords and magistrates, to witness the setting up of the new liturgy. The dean, arrayed in his surplice, began the service. No sooner had he opened the book than there began a mighty uproar among the lowest of the people; clapping of hands, cries of "A pape-a pape," "Antichrist-antichrist." The Bishop of Edinburgh stepped forward to the pulpit, hoping to appease the people. A resolute Scots woman hurled a stool at his head, shouting, "What, ye villain; will ye say mass in my lug?" "A pape-a pape," cried the multitude. The magistrates succeeded, partly by force, in expelling the people, and the dean went on with the service, while a rapping at the doors, and throwing of stones, and cries of "A pape-a pape," were kept up by the populace without.

The lords of the council, who knew what stuff Scotsmen were made of, feared to attempt the reading of the Liturgy again. When the news reached Laud, he was furious, and hastened a message blaming them for suspending the Liturgy, and requiring its continuance. Again the indignant people poured into Edinburgh. The prelates' lives were in danger; nor would the people disperse till the council had promised to join with the other lords in petitioning the king against the service book. The king issued his proclamation, forbidding any more such petitions on pain of high treason. The barons, ministers, and burghers, assembled and signed a declaration of rights.

The hot blood of the Scots was now cooled. There were no more tumults; but cool and wary, every countenance bore the marks of a determination never to be overcome. The nation renewedly entered into the solemn league and covenant, subscribing with their hands their confession of faith, declaring their abhorrence of all kinds of papistry; of all rites and traditions brought into the kirk contrary to the Word of God. These things they engaged to oppose to their utmost power; "and to defend the ancient doctrine and discipline of the kirk ali the

*The English book of Common Prayer, as also the American Prayer-Book, still directs sundry portions of the Apocrypha to be read as portions of the Word of God! See" TABLES OF LESSONS FOR HOLY DAYS."

days of their lives, under the pains contained in the law, and danger both of body and soul in the day of God's fearful judg ment."

Every threatening and artifice the king tried, to move the Scots from their determination, but it was all in vain. The Scots had taken their stand. The king was forced to allow the calling of a general assembly, but when that assembly was found intractable, he dissolved it, and forbade the members to continue their session under the pains of high treason.

The assembly continued its sessions. The episcopacy, the high commission, the cannons, the liturgy, were thrown down and abolished. Like the acts of the Continental Congress in the American Revolution, the acts of that assembly were sustained by the determination of the people, and were therefore law. "Thus," says Hume, "the whole fabric which James and Charles, in a course of years, had been rearing with so much care and policy, fell to the ground."

You will fix in your minds the chronology of these events, by observing that they were cotemporaneous with the first settlements in Connecticut. These things occurred between the time when the few adventurers came through the wilderness from Watertown, in Massachusetts, and began the settlement of Weathersfield in 1635, and the beginning of the plantation of New Haven in 1638.

And now King Charles approaches the crisis that decides his final destiny. He proclaims his determination to take the field in person against the Scots Covenanters. The principal nobility are summoned to attend his Majesty. Every power of the prerogative is exerted to raise men and money. The bishops exhort the clergy to liberal efforts for his Majesty's support in what they do not scruple to call "The Episcopal War." The archbishop writes for a contribution from the civil courts; requiring his commissary to send him the names of such as should refuse. The queen and her friends undertake for the Roman Catholics; who well approve their zeal and liberality in so holy a cause. English nation is roused to a crusade for forcing bishops and a Liturgy upon the poor Scots; whose resources in money are nothing; and who have not three thousand stand of arms in the nation.

The

Every pulpit in Scotland rang with the "rights of conscience," and "freedom to worship God." Every Scotsman was a soldier, determined for freedom or a grave.

With a formidable fleet and a powerful army, King Charles came and looked on the Scots; and suddenly entered into a negotiation to withdraw his fleet and army, while the Scots should dismiss their forces. Charles was insincere: but the Scots were

wary. They ordered every officer to be ready at a moment's warning, and every soldier to make his account for another invasion.

With great difficulty Charles drew together another army. But his means were exhausted: his credit was gone. Thus ended his experiment of an arbitrary government for twelve years. He was forced to call a Parliament. The Parliament deemed it more their duty to redress the wrongs of their own nation, than to furnish the king with the means of renewing the Episcopal War.

The indomitable Pym called the attention of Parliament to the wrongs in Church and State. Inquiry was made concerning persons illegally detained in prison. The Parliament began to look into the affair of ship-money. The king, in anger, hastily dissolved the Parliament. He summoned the offending members before the council, and cast them into prison. He borrowed money. He forced loans. Every dishonorable and illegal method was resorted to, to furnish means; and being at length prepared, he marched his army once more against the Scots.

The Scots were ready, and advanced to meet him. Every man carried his week's provision of oatmeal; and they took a drove of cattle to furnish them with meat. They had no cannon, but a fertile invention supplied this deficiency. "They prepared," says Burnet,* "an invention of guns of white iron, tinned, and done about with leather, and corded so that they could serve for two or three discharges." These were light, and were carried on horses. Thus furnished, they advanced, they said, "To meet their gracious Sovereign ;" and with all coolness and civility, entreated the opposing troops not to stop them in their way. When these did not comply with their request, they attacked them with an irresistible onset. Those tinned guns saved the nation; proved the ruin of Charles; and perhaps saved the English liberties. The English, thinking the Scots destitute of artillery, were surprised and struck with a panic at the first discharge. Their whole army fled. The Scots pressed on to the collieries; and by cutting off the supply of fuel, had London at their mercy. They advanced to Durham; and maintaining the exactest discipline, plundering nothing, taking nothing without pay, they sent messengers with redoubled expressions of loyalty to their gracious sovereign; and made apologies full of sorrow and contrition for the necessity that had forced them to achieve the victory.

Thus ended the second crusade of King Charles I., for forcing Episcopacy and a Liturgy upon the Presbyterians of Scotland. His resources were now so exhausted, that he must either call a Parliament or cease to reign. The nation, injured, indignant,

* Burnet's Hist. of His Own Times.