Page Commerce and Manufactures-Inftitu- tions for National Defence-Different Effect of thefe in Britain, and upon Syftem was Effected by the State of Reli- CHAP. IV. Progress of the Difputes be- ́`· tween the King and Parliament, during the Reigns of James I. and of Charles I. 149 SECT. I. The Reign of James I. and that of Charles I. from his Acceffion to the Meeting of the Long Parliament....... ..151 SECT. III. Of the Reign of Charles I. from the Meeting of the Long Parliament to the Commencement of the Civil War 227 SECT. IV. Of the Run of Charles I. AN AN HISTORICAL VIEW, OF THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT, FROM THE ACCESSION OF THE HOUSE OF STUART, TO THE PRESENT TIME. FRO INTRODUCTION, ROM the acceffion of James the First, to the English throne, we may date the commencement of what, in a former part of this inquiry, I have called the Commercial Government of England. The progrefs of commerce and manufactures had now begun to change. the manners and political state of the inhabitants. Different arrangements of property had contributed to emancipate the people of inferior inferior condition, and to undermine the authority of the fuperior ranks. A new order of things was introduced; the feudal inftitutions natural to a rude nation, were, in great measure, abolished and forgotten; and, upon the venerable stock of our ancient conftitution, were engrafted other customs and regulations more confiftent with the genius and circumstances of a civilized and opulent kingdom. The commercial improvements which about the fame time took place in other parts of Europe, were also attended with great political changes. These, however, were, in each country, accommodated to the peculiar state of society, and therefore exhibited very different combinations and modes of government: According..as mankind have been more fuccesful in cultivating the arts of life, their political fems are likely to be more diverfified; and afford a more interesting picture. The attention of a rude people is confined to few objects; and the precautions which occur to them for preventing injustice, and for maintaining good order and tranquillity, are fimple and uniform. By experience and obfervation, by the gradual expanfion of the human human understanding, new measures are discovered for the removal of particular inconveniences: while, from the various pursuits in which men are engaged, and the wealth of different kinds which they accumulate, a variety of regulations are fuggested for the fecurity and enjoyment of their several acquifitions. Their fystems of policy are thus rendered more comprehenfive, and, to the eye of the philofopher, present a richer field of inftruction and entertainment. The historical æra from which the present inquiry fets out, is further distinguished by an accidental event of great importance; the union of the crowns of England and of Scotland. By the acceffion of the house of Stuart to the English throne, the whole island of Great Britain, which had long been divided into two separate kingdoms, independent of each other, and frequently engaged in mutual depredations, was reduced under one fovereign, by whofe authority their future. animofities were effectually restrained, and their military force invariably directed against their common enemies. That this federal union was highly beneficial to both nations, by exalting their power and confideration among foreign states, as well as by promoting their fecurity, together with their trade and opulence at home, appears abundantly maniféft. How far it affected their political circumftances, and contributed to improve the form of their government, I fhall afterwards endeavour to explain. The whole period of English hiftory from the acceffion of James the First to the present time, may be divided into two branches the one comprehending the occurrences prior to the revolution in 1688; the other the occurrences pofterior to that great event. The former contains the rife and progrefs of the long contest between the king and parliament concerning the extent of prerogative; a conteft which, after involving the nation in a - civil war, and after producing various political changes and turns of fortune, was at laft happily terminated by a judicious and moderate correction of the ancient limited monarchy. We have here an opportunity of confidering the condition of England and of Scotland, after the union of the two crowns; the circumftances in the ftate of fociety, which encouraged |