patriot, who spoke words which stirred the hearts of his fellow-members, moved to have Buckingham impeached for wasting the king’s revenues. The Commons were proceeding with the impeachment when Charles, to save his favourite, once more dissolved Parliament.
3. Forced Loans.—Charles now tried to get money without asking his Parliament’s consent. He had much need of it, for urged by Buckingham, he had begun a war against France in aid of the French Protestants of La Rochelle. So he began to levy tonnage and poundage, and to force people to lend him money although he had no intention of ever paying it back. In this way he collected a large sum, although many refused to pay and were punished in various ways. Some were fined and imprisoned, others were forced into the army and navy, or had soldiers billeted in their houses. In this way Buckingham got money enough to raise an army and fleet to go to La Rochelle, where the English were so badly defeated and suffered so heavy a loss that they had to return home.
4. Petition of Right.—Parliament now had to be summoned to get supplies, and when it met, it at once began to complain of the way the king had collected money and imprisoned those who had refused to pay his forced loans. Sir John Eliot was again the chief spokesman, and under his guidance Parliament drew up a “Petition of Right,” in which they demanded of the king that no man should be asked for a loan without consent of Parliament; that no man should be sent to prison without cause being shown; that soldiers should not be billeted in private houses, and that martial law should cease. The king did not want to agree to this petition, but he was so much in need of money that he finally yielded. On June 7, 1628, the Petition of Right became law, and the people were so delighted that they rang the bells and lighted great bonfires. Parliament, too, granted Charles the money he wanted; but it did not cease its attack on Buckingham, who now began to prepare another expedition for La Rochelle. This disturber of the peace of the nation was, however, to trouble them no longer. When on the point of leaving Portsmouth for France, he was stabbed to the heart by one John Felton, who had a private grudge against him, and blamed him for all England’s woes.
