A document is extant which indisputably sets forth this intention. This is the Book of Canons, drawn up in the Convocation of the clergy, which held its deliberations at the same time as the Parliament. In this book a theory as to the royal authority, not very unlike the views which Richelieu and his adherents were then contending for in France, was strongly asserted as the doctrine of the Church. It is therein said that the monarchy is the highest and most sacred Estate, is of divine right, is expressly instituted in the Old and New Testament for ruling over every one, of whatever rank and position he might be, and is entrusted even with the supreme government of the Church. Whoever wished to set up a power independent of the King’s, whether of Papal or popular character, thereby placed himself, it was said, in opposition to the Divine ordinance[180]: it was consonant with the law of nature, the law of nations, and the law of God, that people should repay the protection which they enjoyed from the King with tribute, tolls, and subsidies: for them to bear arms against the King, not merely in order to attack him, but [A.D. 1640.] even in order to defend themselves against him, was to resist the ordinance of God. These views, which condemned the resistance of the Scots, as well as the agitation of the popular spirit in England, were proclaimed as the doctrines of the Church; and an oath in keeping with them was imposed on the clergy and on the graduates of the universities. The ecclesiastical ideas of Laud, and the political ideas of Strafford, were in complete harmony with one another. Though it was perhaps still possible to unite a form of parliamentary government with the monarchy, such as they would have made it, yet the former could only have been such as would have been unconditionally subservient to the views of the crown, and would have regarded their promotion as its own province. Strafford and Laud were still determined to carry these plans into execution, and that, in the first instance, by means of the war in Scotland; and without being really conscious of the powerful forces which were opposed to them, they cherished the confident hope of succeeding in their attempt. FOOTNOTES: [164] George Radcliffe (An Essay towards the life of my Lord Strafford, Letters app. 433) names himself, Charles Greenwood, and Christopher Wandsford as the principal counsellors. ‘They met almost daily and debated all businesses and designs pro et contra.’ [165] Hamilton’s Advise, July 5. ‘If the kingly way be taken,--how money may be levied--and if that be feasible without a parliament.’ Burnet 145. [166] Windebank to Hoxton, Dec. 14: Clarendon Papers ii. 82. [167] Hugo Grotius, Dec. 1639: ‘In Anglia arma parantur, in Scotos an in Gallos ambiguis conjecturis’ (589).