Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 3.djvu/243

1642.] The next shift was for the fleet. The earl of Northumberland being ill, or more probably indisposed, the commons commanded him to surrender his command to the earl of Warwick for the time. The lords hesitated, on account of the king's sanction being wanted for such an appointment but the commons settled it alone. Clarendon says that the king remained passive, confiding in the attachment of the sailors, whose pay he had advanced; but we hear from other sources that Charles had contrived to alienate the mariners as much as the rest of his subjects, by calling them "water-rats." His amount of popularity with them was soon put to the test, for he ordered the removal of Warwick, and that Pennington should take his place; but the sailors would not receive him. Without ammunition or arms, Charles's few forces were of little use, and the commons proclaimed any one who should bring such material without consent of parliament, or should bring in any money raised on the crown jewels, should be considered an enemy to the country,

Fight for the Standard at the Battle of Edge Hill.

The coasts being diligently watched by the fleet, Charles now turned to the Scots, the leaders of whom he hoped to win over to him by the honours and favours he had distributed on his last visit; and, in truth, the members of the council seemed quite inclined to fall in with his wishes; but the English commons being made aware of it, soon turned the scale, letting both council and people know that it was their interest, as much as that of England, that the king `