Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/275

 Struggle for Constitutional Governmetit 237 and more probable supports of their own ecclesiastical tyranny and usurpation. 3. Such councilors and courtiers as for private ends have engaged themselves to further the interests of some foreign princes or states to the prejudice of his Majesty and the state at home. . . . In the beginning of his Majesty's reign, the [Catholic] party began to revive and flourish again, having been somewhat damped by the breach with Spain in the last year of King James, and by his Majesty's marriage with France. . ., the papists of England, having ever been more addicted to Spain than France ; yet they still retained a purpose and resolution to weaken the Protestant parties in all parts, and even in France, whereby to make way for the change of religion which they intended at home. . . . [The effects and evidence of their recovery have been:] The Petition of Right, which was granted in full Parlia- The Petition ment, blasted with an illegal declaration to make it destruc- of Ri § ht tive to itself, to the power of Parliament, to the liberty of nuga tory. the subject, and to that purpose printed with it, and the petition made of no use but to show the bold and presump- tuous injustice of such ministers as durst break the laws and suppress the liberties of the kingdom, after they had been so solemnly and evidently declared. . . . After the breach of the Parliament in the fourth [year] of his Majesty, injustice, oppression, and violence broke in upon us without any restraint or moderation, and yet the first project was the great sums exacted through the whole kingdom for the default of knighthood, which seemed to have some color and shadow of a law, yet if it be rightly examined by that obsolete law which was pretended for it, it will be found to be against all the rules of justice. . . . Tonnage and poundage 1 hath been received without color or pretense of law ; many other heavy impositions continued against law, and some so unreasonable that the sum of the charge exceeds the value of the goods. . . . 1 For an explanation of these royal exactions on imports and exports, see Cheyney, Short History of England p. 417.