OF BRITISH STATESMEN. BY JOHN MACDIARMID, Esq. AUTHOR OF AN INQUIRY INTO THE SYSTEM OF NATIONAL DEFENCE IN GREAT BRITAIN, AND OF AN INQUIRY INTO THE PRINCIPLES OF SUBORDINATION. SECOND EDITION. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON: PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, Rees, orme, AND BROWN, PATER-NOSTER ROW. CONTENTS OF VOLUME SECOND. THOMAS WENTWORTH, EARL OF STRAFFORD. PARENTAGE. Education at Cambridge. Travels. Disposition. At court. Knighted. Marriage and succession. Domestic avocations. Justice and Custos Rotulorum. His difference with Buckingham. Member of parliament. Historical sketch of the English constitution to the reign of James I. Despotic disposition of James. Wentworth's conduct in parliament. Again in parliament, 1624. His conduct. Illness. Rural retirement. In parliament, June 13, 1625. Discontent of the nation. Wentworth in opposition. Courted by Buckingham. Appointed sheriff against his wish. Moderate resolutions. Conduct as sheriff. Philosophic views. New overtures from Buckingham. Wentworth deprived of his office of Custos Rotulorum. Private advances to the king. The court demands a general loan. Wentworth dissuaded from opposing it. Reasons for his conduct. Imprisoned. Released. In parliament, 1628. Speech for popular rights. Promotes the Petition of Right. Overtures from the court-accepted by him. Made a peer and President of the Council of York. Death of Buckingham. Wentworth's conduct as President of the Council of York. His promotion to the government of Ireland in 1632. Disordered state of Ireland. Wentworth's dexterity in raising supplies. His principal objects. Instructions for his government. His treatment of the privy-council. Efforts to procure a parliament for Ireland. Methods to subdue opposition. Speech to parliament. Management of the Commons in the first session. Of the Lords in the second session. His exultation. Application for an earldom. Thwarted in his wish to continue the parliament. His measures for conformity. Introduction of the English laws. Amelioration of the military establishment. Expedients for improving the revenue-the customs-sale of tobacco-statutes of Wills and Uses-trade with Spainthe linen manufacture-the monopoly of salt-the discovery of defective titles. Arbitrary measures. Trial of Mountnorris. Death of Clanricarde and others. Went sures. worth's appearance at court. His zealous support of ship-money. New application for an earldom-refused. His mortification. Return to Ireland. Subsequent meaDomestic life. Marriages. Recreations. Temperance. Attention to his private fortune. Integrity. Splendour. Bodily infirmities. Vexations. Quarrel with Loftus. Consulted on the Spanish war. His reply. Affairs of Scotland. Wentworth's conduct to the Scots. Sent for by the king. Arrival in England, November 1639. Advises war with the Scots. And a parliament. Created Earl of Strafford, and Lord Lieutenant. Success with Irish parliament. Dangerous illness. In the English parliament, April 1640. Appointed to command the troops. Adverse affairs. His mistaken views. Difficul ties. Summoned to parliament, November 1640. Im |