Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/480

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356 General History of Europe obliged to summon a Parliament. This, owing to the length of time it remained in session, was called the Long Parliament. The Long Parliament began by imprisoning Archbishop Laud in the Tower of London. It declared him guilty of treason, and he was executed in 1645 m s pite f Charles's efforts to save him. Parliament drew up a " Grand Remonstrance" in which all of Charles's errors were enumerated and a demand was made that the king's ministers should thereafter be responsible to Parliament. 606. The Beginning of Civil War (1542); Cavaliers and Roundheads. Matters grew rapidly worse, and both Charles and Parliament now began to gather troops for the inevitable conflict, which plunged England into civil war. Those who supported Charles were called Cavaliers. They included not only most of the aristocracy and the Catholic party but also a number of mem- bers of the House of Commons who were fearful lest Presby- terianism should succeed in doing away with the English Church. The parliamentary party was popularly known as the Round- heads, since some of them cropped their hair close because of their dislike for the long locks of their more aristocratic and worldly opponents. The Cavaliers in turn scorned the Round- heads as a set of hypocrites, on account of their solemn ways and for liking to go to meeting and singing psalms instead of trying to have a' good time. 607. Oliver Cromwell; Defeat of Charles's Armies at Marston Moor and Naseby. The Roundheads soon found a dis- tinguished leader in Oliver Cromwell (b. 1599), a country gentle- man and member of Parliament, who was later to become the most powerful ruler of his time. Cromwell organized a compact army of God-fearing men, who were not permitted to indulge in profane words or light talk, as is the wont of soldiers, but advanced upon their enemies singing psalms. The king enjoyed the support of northern England and also looked for help from Ireland, where the royal and Catholic causes were popular. The war continued for several years and, after the first year, went in general against the Cavaliers. Finally, the king, defeated