Page:Public School History of England and Canada (1892).djvu/98

 broken off because Spain would not interfere in the interests of Frederick.

6. The Parliament of 1621.—Before this had taken place, James had called his third Parliament to get supplies. Many famous men came up to this Parliament; among others, John Pym, John Hampden, Sir John Eliot, Sir Thomas Wentworth, and Coke and Seldon the famous lawyers. They at once began to complain of the fines, taxes, and monopolies with which the king and Buckingham had been oppressing the people. They also impeached Lord Bacon, the Lord Chancellor, for taking bribes from suitors. Bacon, who was the greatest thinker of his day, had just written a famous book—The Novum Organum—on the best way to study science, He acknowledged his guilt, and was fined and driven in disgrace from the bench. Parliament was very much in earnest, and made James give up the monopolies. Besides, it told the king he should break off the proposed match with the Spanish princess and give his aid to Frederick. James thought it impertinent to give him advice on foreign affairs, and when Parliament claimed the right to discuss anything of interest to the people, he tore the protestation out of the Journals of the House and dissolved it. It was about this time (1622) the first weekly newspaper appeared.

7. Close of James’ Reign.—Hardly was Parliament dissolved when Charles and Buckingham came back from Spain. They were eager for war and forced James to call another Parliament to get the necessary supplies. A small sum was voted and then Parliament adjourned. Charles had now arranged to marry Henrietta Maria, the daughter of Henry IV. of France, and James was unwilling to call Parliament again because he knew the feeling against the heir to the throne marrying a Roman Catholic. So he did not wait for Parliament to give a larger grant, but sent 12,000 men under Count Mansfield to aid Frederick in the Palatinate. The expedition was a great failure, and most of the men died of disease brought on from want of proper food and clothing. This sad failure hastened the King’s end, and he died of ague in 1625, leaving to his son Charles his throne, and a standing quarrel with his Parliament.