pillory and mutilate without restraint." A council at York under Wentworth "was armed, in defiance of law by a pure act of prerogative, with almost boundless power over the northern counties. All these tribunals insulted and defied the authority of Westminster Hall. There was hardly a man of note in the realm who had not personal experience of the harshness and greediness of the Star Chamber, and the tyranny of the council of York had made the Great Charter a dead letter to the north of the Trent."

With so firm and terrible a grasp did Charles now hold his subjects down. They were, indeed, sufficiently restive under the yoke. Irritation inflamed the public mind, but "men had become accustomed to the pursuits of peaceful industry, and, exasperated as they were, they hesitated long before they drew the sword."

"This was the conjuncture at which the liberties of our country were in the greatest peril. The opponents of the government began to despair of the destinies of their country, and many looked to the American wilderness as the only asylum in which they could enjoy civil and religious freedom."

All that was now wanted to seal the destiny of freedom in Europe for many (and who can say

how many?) a long day, was simply time-time to consolidate the despotism-time to familiarize the minds of the people with its sway, with the new methods in which Charles was becoming rapidly skilled of securing revenue-time, above all, to establish a standing army, which careful economy and avoidance of foreign wars would soon enable the king to support. Every passing day was hurrying the English Richelieu toward his goal. Indeed, even now the king could look almost without envy toward his brother despots on the Continent.

There was, however, one-insignificant to be sure, but still one-Mordecai sitting in the king's gate, who must be humbled, and that was Scotch Presbyterianism, or the little that was left of it. It was not to be tolerated that, with England and Ireland crouching at the foot of the throne, this northern bull of Bashan should toss his head defiantly and refuse to submit to the yoke. But the Book of Canons and the Liturgy, now to be made the law of Scotland, would supply all that was lacking to complete success; then farewell, freedomthen all hail, despotism!

But will this Presbyterianism submit? More than once during the reign of Elizabeth, when continental alliances in league with deep-laid conspi

racy among the English Papists had prepared the way for the overthrow of the Reformation, the whole scheme had been thwarted by this same Scotch Presbyterianism. More than once naught had been wanting for the return of the Papacy to her old dominion in England but a highway for invasion through Scotland; but Presbyterianism forbade, and the billows recoiled to break themselves in impotant wrath upon the shores whence they were first precipitated. And now the time has come for another trial of her strength and spirit. It was now to be seen whether, weakened and broken as she seemed to be by protracted and cruel persecution, she would meekly submit, or whether she would rise in her might and fling Prayer-book and Canons, king and prelate into the sea, and, as she had in other times saved the Reformation, now save the liberties of the world! With Charles and Laud the suggestion of serious resistance was preposterous. Of course Scotland will submit! "Where," exclaimed the English Rabshakeh, "where are the gods of those who have opposed us? I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures and put down their inhabitants, and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. As my

hand hath found England and Ireland, so shall my hand find Scotland also."

And so indeed it seemed. The two books had been proclaimed and published as the law of church government and worship, and what opposition was shown had expended itself in impotent murmurs and frowns. Instead of violent outbreak, there was naught but apparent meek-spirited submission.

THE EXPLOSION.

The advance of the king toward "Thorough" in the Church of Scotland had been continuous and sufficiently rapid. Taking up the work where his father had left it, he had pressed, in every possible way, subscription to the Perth Articles-had laid his plans for the revocation of the Church lands to secure thereby a revenue with which to reward and support his faithful creatures, the prelates-had largely remodelled the government, displacing from public office all who loved liberty and the national religion, and filling their places with men eager to carry his plans into execution-had established a Scottish Star Chamber and High Commission-had visited Scotland and ridden roughshod over all who had shown any symptoms of opposition-had issued the Book of Canons, and had now proceeded

to the final act of the drama in the proclamation of the Liturgy.

The mere proclamation, however, of this offensive instrument of tyranny had been followed by no outburst of popular indignation, for the Liturgy had not yet been printed off for distribution. And the apparent apathy of the people served to deepen the conviction in the minds of Laud and Charles that opposition was over and submission complete. Some of the more wary prelates, however, being nearer the scene of action and more familiar with the temper of the Scottish mind, were unable to blind themselves to the signs of a gathering tempest. They knew too well that among that people apparent hesitancy might indicate, instead of submission, a quiet, resolute gathering up of the powers for a tiger-leap into the midst of the prelatic camp. Among a people largely imbued with Anglo-Saxon spirit great national upheavings do not begin in a day. Such a people is neither unthinking nor impulsive. Of all styles of human character it is patient and enduring. It scans great measures long and well ere it issues the decree for change. With amazing patience it weighs great principles in the balance of meditation, and endures the lack or lopping off of minutes if only fundamen