HISTORY OF ENGLAND FROM THE ACCESSION OF JAMES I. TO THE OUTBREAK OF THE CIVIL WAR 1603-1642 BY SAMUEL R. GARDINER, LL.D. HONORARY STUDENT OF CHRIST CHURCH PROFESSOR OF MODERN HISTORY AT KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND OF THE ROYAL BOHEMIAN SOCIETY OF SCIENCES PREFACE TO THE FOURTH VOLUME In telling the story of the important Parliament of 1621, I have been able to make use of the notes of Henry Elsing, which allow us a glimpse into the interior of the House of Lords during the last two Parliaments of James, and the second and third Parliaments of Charles. With the exception of those relating to the Parliament of 1628, these have been edited by me for the Camden Society. I have also made considerable use of the unpublished papers of the House of Lords. For the House of Commons we have the well-known report of the debates of the Lower House, printed at Oxford in 1766, which is proved, by comparison with a fragment amongst the State Papers (Dom. cxxv.), to have come from the pen of Edward Nicholas. As, however, this fact is not generally known, I have referred to the volumes simply as Proceedings and Debates. An application to Mr. DIGBY of Sherborne Castle for leave to examine any papers which might have come down to him from the first Earl of Bristol, was most generously acceded to. Not only was I permitted to see and copy whatever I pleased, but I was allowed to bring the documents with me to London, |