PARLIAMENT met on 3 November, and it soon became evi-
dent that, now as six months ago, grievances were to have
precedence over all other questions. Once again Pym gave
a masterly analysis of the misrule that had prevailed. His advice
was to seek out and punish the authors of a design to alter both
the religion and the government of the kingdom, which was
the highest treason, and to land an Irish army 'to bring us to
a better order'. ¹ The need to move very quickly soon became
evident, for Pym learnt that Strafford had formed the daring
design of anticipating his own plan of impeaching the king's
ministers by accusing the parliamentary leaders of treasonable
relations with the Scots, a charge of which the evidence has
never come to light.

When the house met, wildly excited by this and other rumours,
the speeches betrayed the fear the members felt lest some coup
d'état was intended. Immediately, the resolution to impeach
Strafford was taken, mainly on account of his alleged intention
to bring the Irish army over to subdue England.

News that the commons had requested the lords to sequester
him reached Strafford at the court. Hastily he went to the house
of lords, and was proceeding to his seat, when many voices bid-
ding him withdraw forced him in confusion to stand at the door
until he was called in. Then he was commanded to kneel and
was delivered to James Maxwell, Black Rod, to be kept a prisoner
until the commons were ready to proceed with his trial. He
offered to speak, but was ordered to be gone without a word.
Deprived of his sword by Maxwell, Strafford made his way
through the throng of people to his coach. All eyes were fixed
on him, but no one 'capped to him before whom that morning
the greatest of England would have stood uncovered'. To the
general question, 'What's the matter?' he answered, 'A small
matter, I warrant you'; and the spectators replied, 'Yes, indeed,
high treason is a small matter.' ² Then he was taken to the Tower
amid the scorn of the insulting multitude. ³

-99-