1641-42] THE HOUSE OF STUART 
103 
were in the majority—felt that they had endured as long as 
they could, and that they could put no confidence in any- 
thing that he might promise. "They drew up a document 
nalled the “Grand Remonstrance,” which named, one 
after another, the acts of Charles that they considered 
were against the laws of the land. 
Just at this point the king might have recovered his 
power. "There was a party in Parliament that favourcd him, 
while his opponents were divided into religious factions; his 
agreement to the demands of the Seottish Parliament had 
made him friends, and his assent to the measures of the 
Commons had won him support in London, He now took a 
step which destroyed his influence. The queen urged him 
to seize five members of Parliament who had been 
leaders in passing the Remonstrance, Her only idea of 
a king was that he should be absolute, as the king of 
France was. She advised him to go and “pull those 
rogues out by the ears.” 
The king went to the House with several hundred armed 
men. He left them at the door, advanced to the Speaker’s 
desk, and inquired for Pym, Hampden, and three other 
members, whom he accusecd of treasonable correspondence 
with the Scots. The Speaker replicd, “Sir, I have neither 
eyes to see, nor cars to hear, except as the House shall 
direct me.’ "The five members, warned of their danger, 
had been safely conccaled in the city, and the king was 
obliged to retire without them. He had forcibly and unlaw- 
fully invaded the rights of the House and had failed. The 
citizens were roused; an armed force was raised, and the five 
members were escorted back to Westminster. 
168. The Civil War breaks out.—Affairs had now cCOMC to 
a point where neither party would yield. any further, and 
there was nothing to do. but to fight. Setting up his 
standard at Nottingham in 1642, the king called upon 
all loyal subjeets to join him. Every man in the kingdom 
must stand on one sida or the other, About once third of 
the Commons and more than one half of the Lords sup- 
ported the king, while the remainder of the Lords and Com- 
mons, a large number of country gentlemen of high social