Charles I came to the throne full of his father's lofty ideas of the
Divine Right of Kings to govern as they pleased. In private life he
was conscientious, but in his public policy he was a man "of dark and
crooked ways."
He had married a French Catholic princess, and the Puritans, who were
now very strong in the House of Commons, suspected that the King
secretly sympathized with the Queen's religion. This was not the
case; for Charles, after his peculiar fashion, was a sincere
Protestant, though he favored the introduction into the English Church
of some of the ceremonies peculiar to Catholic worship.
The Commons showed their distrust of the King by voting him the tax of
tonnage and poundage (certain duties levied on wine and merchandise),
for a single year only, instead of for life, as had been their
custom. The Lords refused to assent to such a limited grant,[1] and
Charles deliberately collected the tax without the authority of
Parliament. Failing, however, to get a sufficient supply in that way,
the King forced men of property to grant him "benevolences," and to
loan him large sums of money with no hope of its return. Those who
dared to refuse were thrown into prison on some pretended charge, or
had squads of brutal soldiers quartered in their houses.
[1] See Taswell-Langmead (revised edition), p. 557, note.
When even these measures failed to supply his wants, Charles was
forced to summon a Parliament, and ask for help. Instead of granting
it, the Commons drew up the Petition of Right[2] of 1628, as an
indignant remonstrance, and as a safeguard against further acts of
tyranny. This Petition has been called the "Second Great Charter of
the Liberties of England." It declared: (1) That no one should be
compelled to pay any tax or to supply the King with money, except by
order of act of Parliament. (2) That neither soldiers nor sailors
should be quartered in private houses.[3] (3) That no one should be
imprisoned or punished contrary to law. Charles was forced by his
need of money to assent to this Petition, which thus became a most
important part of the English constitution. But the King did not keep
his word. When Parliament next met (1629), it refused to grant money
unless Charles would renew his pledge not to violate the law. The
King made some concessions, but finally resolved to adjourn
Parliament. Several members of the Commons held the Speaker in the
chair by force,--thus preventing the adjournment of the House,--until
resolutions offered by Sir John Eliot were passed (S434). These
resolutions were aimed directly at the King. They declared: (1) that
he is a traitor who attempts any change in the established religion of
the kingdom;[4] (2) who levies any tax not voted by Parliament; (3) or
who voluntarily pays such a tax. Parliament then adjourned.
[2] Petition of Right: see S432, and Constitutional Documents, p.xxx.
[3] The King was also deprived of the power to press citizens into the
army and navy.
[4] The Puritans had come to believe that the King wished to restore
the Catholic religion as the Established Church of England, but in
this idea they were mistaken.