Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 3.djvu/236

222 him to become, not a constitutional king, but "the most absolute monarch that ever reigned." We have detailed the attempts in England, Scotland, and Ireland, to bring about this end. They have all failed; one of the authors of the "Thorough" has fallen, the other awaits the same fate. Scotland has resisted the same attempt on her liberties, and marched at the call of parliament, to prevent a like catastrophe in England.

King Charles passing through the City.

It has become a necessity of parliament to secure itself against the king, whose numberless treacheries have destroyed the nation's faith in him, not by withstanding ancient rights, but by depriving him of such of those as he is most inclined to use to crush the bulwark of the people—parliament. These are, the power of proroguing parliament at any moment, thus defeating all their efforts, and the power of calling forth an army to annihilate them. Thus, in defence of popular right, they have been compelled to invade the royal right. But Charles, though professing to assent to this arrangement, is still really plotting to upset it. He has coquetted with the Scotch, who had shown the value of their alliance, and scattered honours and promises amongst their leaders, especially those of the army. Old Leslie is now earl of Leven. He had intrigued with the Irish army to the same end, and once more hints of his allies. But these wide-awake and indomitable men have again discovered his intrigues and defeated them. The Scotch are alarmed; their deputies are once more in London