Browning's England Part 17

Did I make kings? set up, the first, a man To represent the mult.i.tude, receive All love in right of them--supplant them so, Until you love the man and not the king---- The man with the mild voice and mournful eyes Which send me forth.

--To breast the b.l.o.o.d.y sea That sweeps before me: with one star for guide.

Night has its first, supreme, forsaken star.

During the third act, the long Parliament is in session, and Pym is making his great speech impeaching Wentworth.

The conditions of affairs at the time of this Parliament were well-nigh desperate for Charles and Wentworth. Things had not gone well with the Scottish war and Wentworth was falling more and more into disfavor.

England was now threatened with a Scottish invasion. Still, even with this danger to face it was impossible to raise money to support the army. The English had a suspicion that the Scotch cause was their own.

The universal demand for a Parliament could no longer be ignored; the King, therefore, summoned it to meet on the third of November. As Firth observes, "To Strafford this meant ruin, but he hardly realized the greatness of the danger in which he stood. On October 8, the Scotch Commissioners in a public paper denounced him as an incendiary, and declared that they meant to insist on his punishment.

"As soon as the Parliament opened Charles discovered that it was necessary for his service to have Strafford again by his side, and summoned him to London. There is evidence that his friends urged him to pa.s.s over to Ireland where the army rested at his devotion, or to transport himself to foreign Kingdoms till fairer weather here should invite him home. The Marquis of Hamilton advised him to fly, but as Hamilton told the King, the Earl was too great-hearted to fear. Though conscious of the peril of obedience, he set out to London to stand by his Master."

The enmity of the Court party to Strafford is touched upon in the first scene, and in the second, Strafford's return, unsuspecting of the great blow that awaits him. He had indeed meditated a blow on his own part.

According to Firth, he felt that "One desperate resource remained. The intrigues of the parliamentary leaders with the Scots had come to Strafford's knowledge, and he had determined to impeach them of high treason. He could prove that Pym and his friends had secretly communicated with the rebels, and invited them to bring a Scottish army into England. Strafford arrived in London on Monday, November 9, 1640, and spent Tuesday in resting after his journey. On the morning of Wednesday the 11th, he took his seat in the House of Lords, but did not strike the blow." Upon that day he was impeached of high treason by Pym.

Gardiner's account here has much the same dramatic force as the play.

"Followed by a crowd of approving members, Pym carried up the message.

Whilst the Lords were still debating on this unusual request for imprisonment before the charge had been set forth, the news of the impeachment was carried to Strafford. 'I will go,' he proudly said 'and look my accusers in the face.' With haughty mien and scowling brow he strode up the floor of the House to his place of honor. There were those amongst the Peers who had no wish to allow him to speak, lest he should accuse them of complicity with the Scots. The Lords, as a body, felt even more personally aggrieved by his method of government than the Commons. Shouts of 'Withdraw! withdraw!' rose from every side. As soon as he was gone an order was pa.s.sed sequestering the Lord-Lieutenant from his place in the House and committing him to the custody of the Gentleman Usher. He was then called in and bidden to kneel whilst the order was read. He asked permission to speak, but his request was sternly refused. Maxwell, the Usher of the Black Rod, took from him his sword, and conducted him out of the House. The crowd outside gazed pitilessly on the fallen minister, 'No man capping to him, before whom that morning the greatest in England would have stood dis-covered.'

'What is the matter?' they asked. 'A small matter, I warrant you,'

replied Strafford with forced levity. 'Yes, indeed,' answered a bystander, 'high treason is a small matter.'"

This pa.s.sage brings up the scene in a manner so similar to that of the play, it is safe to say that Gardiner was here influenced by Browning, the history having been written many years after the play.

SCENE II.--_Whitehall._

_The QUEEN and +Lady+ CARLISLE._

_Queen._ It cannot be.

_Lady Carlisle._ It is so.

_Queen._ Why, the House Have hardly met.

_Lady Carlisle._ They met for that.

_Queen._ No, no!

Meet to impeach Lord Strafford? 'Tis a jest.

_Lady Carlisle._ A bitter one.

_Queen._ Consider! 'Tis the House We summoned so reluctantly, which nothing But the disastrous issue of the war Persuaded us to summon. They'll wreak all Their spite on us, no doubt; but the old way Is to begin by talk of grievances: They have their grievances to busy them.

_Lady Carlisle._ Pym has begun his speech.

_Queen._ Where's Vane?--That is, Pym will impeach Lord Strafford if he leaves His Presidency; he's at York, we know, Since the Scots beat him: why should he leave York?

_Lady Carlisle._ Because the King sent for him.

_Queen._ Ah--but if The King did send for him, he let him know We had been forced to call a Parliament-- A step which Strafford, now I come to think, Was vehement against.

_Lady Carlisle._ The policy Escaped him, of first striking Parliaments To earth, then setting them upon their feet And giving them a sword: but this is idle.

Did the King send for Strafford? He will come.

_Queen._ And what am I to do?

_Lady Carlisle._ What do? Fail, madam!

Be ruined for his sake! what matters how, So it but stand on record that you made An effort, only one?

_Queen._ The King away At Theobald's!

_Lady Carlisle._ Send for him at once: he must Dissolve the House.

_Queen._ Wait till Vane finds the truth Of the report: then....

_Lady Carlisle._ --It will matter little What the King does. Strafford that lends his arm And breaks his heart for you!

_+Sir+ H. VANE enters._

_Vane._ The Commons, madam, Are sitting with closed doors. A huge debate, No lack of noise; but nothing, I should guess, Concerning Strafford: Pym has certainly Not spoken yet.

_Queen_ [_to +Lady+ CARLISLE_]. You hear?

_Lady Carlisle._ I do not hear That the King's sent for!

_Vane._ Savile will be able To tell you more.

_HOLLAND enters._

_Queen._ The last news, Holland?

_Holland._ Pym Is raging like a fire. The whole House means To follow him together to Whitehall And force the King to give up Strafford.

_Queen._ Strafford?

_Holland._ If they content themselves with Strafford! Laud Is talked of, Cottington and Windebank too.

Pym has not left out one of them--I would You heard Pym raging!

_Queen._ Vane, go find the King!

Tell the King, Vane, the People follow Pym To brave us at Whitehall!

_SAVILE enters._

_Savile._ Not to Whitehall-- 'Tis to the Lords they go: they seek redress On Strafford from his peers--the legal way, They call it.

_Queen._ (Wait, Vane!)

_Savile._ But the adage gives Long life to threatened men. Strafford can save Himself so readily: at York, remember, In his own country: what has he to fear?

The Commons only mean to frighten him From leaving York. Surely, he will not come.