was likewise formed for discovering the north-west passage, and a new charter was granted to the East India Company, which enlarged its stock, and increased the number of its ships, one of which was of the large burthen of 1200 tons. Another important incident of James's reign was the establishment of the American colonies, which, although commenced by Elizabeth, made no progress until a company, formed for that purpose in London and Bristol, began a settlement in 1606, after which other settlements were formed, and were maintained with heroic constancy, under the greatest difficulties and privations. The Poor Law, although it received some valuable improvements in the reign of James the First, does not appear to have been yet in full operation in every part of the country. Indeed there were places in which no rate was made for twenty, thirty, and forty years after the passing of 43 Elizabeth. In a pamphlet attributed to Dekker, published in 1622, and entitled Grievous Groans for the Poor, it is stated that, "though the number of the poor do daily increase, all things yet worketh for the worst in their behalf; for there hath been no collection for them, no, not these seven years, in many parishes of this land, especially in the country towns; but many of these parishes turneth forth their poor, yea, and their lusty labourers that will not work, or for any misdemeanour want work, to beg, filch, and steal for their maintenance, so that the country is pitifully pestered with them." This is too probably a correct representation, and it ought not to excite surprise that the law was thus in some places neglected, and in others abused. It must have required time for the people in the various parishes to become acquainted with the details of the law, and possibly a still longer period before they would be reconciled to the imposition of a poor-rate. The measure was not only new, but was in some respects burthensome, and therefore certain to meet with disfavour, if not frequently with evasion. But the evils which are above said to have resulted from a neglect of the law ought to have been, and in the main probably were, sufficient to ensure its general enforcement. CHAPTER VI A.D. 1625-1660 Accession of Charles I.-Observance of Sunday-Enactment against tippling-" Petition of Rights "-Dread of Popery-Parish apprenticeship-Disuse of parliaments-Commission for relief of the poor, and punishment of rogues, etc.-" Orders" and "Directions" of the commissioners-Proclamations-Fasts-Sports and Pastimes-Ship-money -The Long Parliament-Tonnage and poundage-Poll-tax- Irish rebellion-" Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom"-The civil war --Population in 1660-Proclamation of Charles II.-State of England during the Commonwealth and Protectorate-Colonisation-Trade of Manchester in 1641-Increase of London-Hackney coaches--A post established-Navigation Act-Reduction of interest-Improvements in agriculture-Woollen trade-Price of wheat-Rate of wages-Comparison of wages and cost of subsistence-Constitutional principle finally established. V CHARLES THE FIRST was in his twenty-fifth year when 1625-1649. he succeeded his father. The parliament assembled in Charles I. June, but shortly afterwards adjourned to Oxford, on account of the plague, which had broken out in London. The king was urgent to obtain supplies; the parliament were resolute for redress of grievances; and thus the conflict of the last reign was renewed with increased earnestness. 1 Chas. I. cap. 1. The first Act of this first parliament affords proof 1625. of the strong religious feeling which prevailed. It declares, that "there is nothing more acceptable to God than the true and sincere service and worship of Him according to his holy will, and that the holy keeping of the Lord's day is a principal part of the true service of God, which in very many places of this realm hath been, and now is, profaned and neglected by a disorderly sort of people, in exercising and ings, etc., on the 1625. 1 Chas. I. cap. 4. Bear-bait frequenting bear - baitings, bull - baitings, interludes, prohibited common plays, and other unlawful exercises and Lord's day. pastimes." Wherefore it is enacted, that there shall be no meetings or assemblies of people for any sports or pastimes out of their own parish on the Lord's day, nor any bear-baiting, bull-baiting, interludes, common plays, or other unlawful exercises used by any persons within their own parishes, under a penalty of 3s. 4d., leviable by distress, or in default punishment by the stocks. Another Act of this parliament deserves notice. The 1 Charles I. cap. 4, "For the further restraint of tippling in Inns, Alehouses, and other Victualling-houses," recites the penalties against tippling, etc., enacted by the three statutes of the last reign,1 and then extends the same "to all inn, alehouse, and tavern keepers and victuallers, that shall permit or suffer tippling contrary to the true intent of any or either of the said statutes." It is not unlikely that the first of these Acts was intended as a covert kind of censure upon the late king, who had written a book in recommendation of Sunday sports. His habits were moreover calculated rather to encourage than discountenance tippling. 1625. War with The parliament which had assembled at Oxford on the 1st of August was dissolved on the 12th of that month. But the king's necessities soon compelled him to assemble another, the unfortunate expedition to Cadiz, undertaken with the view of intercepting the Plate fleet, having exhausted all the money he could raise, whilst a war with Spain thus commenced brought upon him large additional demands. The new parliament met in February 1626, and shortly afterwards proceeded to impeach the Duke of Buckingham, who was regarded as a chief cause of the existing evils. Charles came to the rescue of his favourite, and on the 1 Ante, pp. 215, 225, and 226-1 James I. cap. 9; 4 James I. cap. 5; 21 James I. cap. 7. Parliament 15th of June dissolved this his second parliament, 1626. without any Act having been passed. Having thus dissolved. failed of obtaining supplies from parliament, the king resorted to other methods for meeting the wants of his government. He levied contributions, imposed forced loans, commanded the seaport towns to furnish ships; and many persons who refused to contribute, were imprisoned. In some places resistance was made, and people shouted in the avenues of the Court, "A parliament, a parliament-no parliament, no money!" Yet, undeterred by the difficulties at home, Charles plunged 1627. into a war with France, thereby adding to his difficul- France. ties abroad as well. His finances were soon exhausted, 1628. and he was again compelled to call a parliament, which parlia assembled in March 1628. War with A new ment. 1628. 3 Chas. I. cap. 1. The House of Commons at its meeting was crowded, and the aggregate property of its members is said to have been above three times greater than that of the House of Lords-a proof of the increase of wealth, and of the importance attained by the third estate, who were henceforth destined to take a prominent part in the government of the country. The first Act of this parliament was the celebrated "Petition of Rights,' justly deemed a second Magna Charta. After many Petition of delays, this important Act, by which personal liberty and the inviolability of property were secured, at length received the royal assent, to the great delight of the nation. This statute (3 Charles I. cap. 1) does not call for particular comment in reference to our present subject. It is sufficient to notice it as an important incident in our national history. Rights. 1628. The religious feelings of the country, not satisfied with the prohibition of pastimes on Sunday, required a still stricter observance of that day, and 3 Charles I. cap. 2, was now accordingly passed, entitled "An Act for the further Reformation of sundry Abuses com- Strict mitted on the Lord's Day." By this Act, carriers, of Sunday. 3 Chas. 1. cap. 2. observance |