The relation of parties was not yet fully defined by this, for many Presbyterians had fled and returned with the rest. Still it is obvious how great an advantage the Independents had won thereby. The army, which should have been disbanded, took up a dominant position (it occupied Southwark and Hammersmith) over against the city, in which the entire strength of its opponents was concentrated.
FOOTNOTES:
[477] Charles to Henrietta Maria, in Bruce 71. ‘They will introduce that doctrine, which makes rebellion to be lawfull, and that the supreme power is the people, to whom kings ought to give account and be corrected when they do amiss.’
[478] Baillie ii. 391. ‘The money must be borrowed in the city—they are our loving friends, but before they will part with more money, they will press [as] hard the disbanding of their own Armie as ours: if they obtain this, the sectaries will be broken.’ Aug. 18, 1646.
[479] Journals of Commons v. 107, 108.
[480] The petition of the officers and souldiers, with the several votes of the council of war, together with a letter from His Excellency to the House of Commons. (King’s Pamphlets 383.)
[481] Cp. Rushworth vi. 464 sq.
[482] Bellièvre to Brienne, Feb. 8, 1647. ‘Les indépendants ne veulent point de roi, et croyent avoir jetté les fondemens de leur république par le projet de traité qu’ils ont avec l’ambassadeur d’Espagne.’
[483] Brienne to Bellièvre, Feb. 16, 1647. ‘La reine a peine de conseiller au roi de se conformer à ce qu’on desire de lui, mais les articles expliqués il pourroit bien avoir lieu d’y entendre.’
[484] Charles I to Bellièvre, Feb. 26: ‘Quand je serai une personne libre, je tâcherai de donner tout le contentement à mon parlement que je puis faire avec honneur et conscience.’ May 20: ‘C’est le temps pour mes amis de témoigner ce qu’ils veulent faire pour moi, car il y a encore moyen par la grâce de Dieu de faire quelque chose de bon.’ This correspondence would be worth a special discussion.