Doesthispreamble，doesasinglefactofthecase，justifyhistoriansintalkingofthese'king'sdebts'injustthesametoneasthatinwhichtheywouldhavespokeniftheKinghadsquanderedthemoneyonprivatepleasures？Perhapsmostpeoplewhowritesmallhistoriesbelievethatthisreallywasthecase。TheycertainlywouldgathernootherimpressionfromthepagesofMr。Hallam。Nodoubttheactmusthavebeenburdensomeonsomepeople。Many，wearetold，hadbequeathedtheirpromissorynotestotheirchildren，usedtheirreversionaryinterestintheloaninmanyways;andthese，ofcourse，feltthechangeveryheavily。Nodoubt:butwhyhavewenotarighttosupposethattheParliamentwereawareofthatfact;butchoseitasthelessofthetwoevils？TheKinghadspentthemoney;
　　hewasunabletorecoveritfromFrancis;couldonlyrefunditbyraisingsomefreshtaxorbenevolence:andwhymaynottheParliamenthaveconsideredthereleaseofoldtaxeslikelytooffendfewerpeoplethantheimpositionofnewones？Itiscertainlyanuglythingtobreakpublicfaith;buttoprovethatpublicfaithwasbroken，wemustprovethatHenrycompelledtheParliamenttoreleasehim;iftheactwasoftheirownfreewill，nopublicfaithwasbroken，fortheyweretherepresentativesofthenation，andthroughthemthenationforgaveitsowndebt。Andwhatevidencehavewethattheydidnotrepresentthenation，andthat，onthewhole，wemustsuppose，asweshouldinthecaseofanyothermen，thattheybestknewtheirownbusiness？Maywenotapplytothiscase，andtoothers，mutatismutandis，theargumentwhichMr。FroudeusessoboldlyandwellinthecaseofAnneBoleyn'strial——'TheEnglishnationalso，aswellas……deservesjusticeatourhands？'
　　Certainlyitdoes:butitisadisagreeabletokenofthemethodonwhichwehavebeenaccustomedtowritethehistoryofourownforefathers，thatMr。Froudeshouldfinditnecessarytostateformallysoverysimpleatruth。
　　Whatproof，weaskagain，istherethatthisoldParliamentwas'servile'？Hadthatbeenso，Wolseywouldnothavebeenafraidtosummonit。ThespecificreasonfornotsummoningaParliamentforsixyearsafterthatof1524wasthattheywerenotservile;thatwhen（herewearequotingMr。Hallam，andnotMr。Froude）WolseyenteredtheHouseofCommonswithagreattrain，seeminglyforthepurposeofintimidation，they'madenootheranswertohisharanguesthanthatitwastheirusagetodebateonlyamongthemselves。'Thedebatesonthisoccasionlastedfifteenorsixteendays，duringwhich，saysaneye—witness，'therehasbeenthegreatestandsorestholdintheLowerHouse，''thematterdebatedandbeaten';'suchholdthattheHousewasliketohavebeendissevered';inaword，hardfighting——andwhynothonestfighting？——betweenthecourtpartyandtheOpposition，'whichended，'saysMr。Hallam，'inthecourtpartyobtaining，withtheutmostdifficulty，agrantmuchinferiortotheCardinal'soriginalrequisition。'Whattokenofservilityishere？
　　AndisitreasonabletosupposethatafterWolseywasconquered，andacomparativelypopularministryhadsucceeded，andthatmemorableParliamentof1529（whichMr。Froude，notunjustly，thinksmorememorablethantheLongParliamentitself）beganitsgreatworkwithahighhand，backednotmerelybytheKing，butbythepublicopinionofthemajorityofEngland，theirdecisionsarelikelytohavebeenmoreservilethanbefore？IftheyresistedtheKingwhentheydisagreedwithhim，aretheytobeaccusedofservilitybecausetheyworkedwithhimwhentheyagreedwithhim？IsanOppositionalwaysintheright;aministerialpartyalwaysinthewrong？Isitanoffenceagainstthepeopletoagreewiththemonarch，evenwhenheagreeswiththepeoplehimself？Simpleasthesequestionsare，onemustreallystoptoaskthem。
　　NodoubtpainswereoftentakentosecureelectionsfavourabletotheGovernment。Arenonetakennow？Arenotmoretakennow？Willanyhistorianshowusthedocumentswhichprovetheexistence，inthesixteenthcentury，ofReformClub，CarltonClub，whippers—inandnominees，governmentalandopposition，andalltherestofthebeautifulmachinerywhichprotectsourReformedParliamentfromtheevilinfluencesofbriberyandcorruption？Pah！——WehavesomewhattoomuchglassinourmodernHousetoaffordtothrowstonesatourforefathers'oldSt。Stephen's。Attheworst，whatwasdonethenbutthatwithoutwhichitissaidtobeimpossibletocarryonaGovernmentnow？TakeaninstancefromtheParliamentof1539，oneinwhichthereisnodoubtGovernmentinfluencewasusedinordertopreventasmuchaspossiblethereturnofmembersfavourabletotheclergy——forthegoodreasonthattheclergywerenodoubt，ontheirownside，intimidatingvotersbyallthoseterrorsoftheunseenworldwhichhadsolongbeentothemasourceofboundlessprofitandpower。
　　CromwellwritestotheKingtosaythathehassecuredaseatforacertainSirRichardMorrison;butforwhatpurpose？Asonewhonodoubt'shouldbereadytoanswerandtakeupsuchasshouldcrackorfacewithliteratureoflearning，ifanysuchshouldbe。'Therewas，then，freediscussion;theyexpectedcleverandlearnedspeakersintheOpposition，andonsubjectsofthedeepestimport，notmerelypolitical，butspiritual;andtheGovernmentneededmentoanswersuch。Whatmorenaturalthanthatsocloseonthe'PilgrimageofGrace，'andinthemidstofsogreatdangersathomeandabroad，theGovernmentshouldhavedonetheirbesttosecureawell—disposedHouse（onewouldliketoknowwhentheywouldnot）？Butsurelytheveryeffort（confessedlyexceptional）andtheacknowledgeddifficultyprovethatParliamentwerenomere'registrarsofedicts。'
　　ButthestrongestargumentagainstthetyrannyoftheTudors，andespeciallyofHenryVIII。inhis'benevolences，'isderivedfromthestateofthepeoplethemselves。Ifthesebenevolenceshadbeenreallyunpopular，theywouldnothavebeenpaid。Inonecasewehaveseen，abenevolencewasnotpaidforthatveryreason。ForthemethodoftheTudorsovereigns，likethatoftheirpredecessors，wastheveryoppositetothatoftyrantsineveryageandcountry。Thefirstactofatyranthasalwaysbeentodisarmthepeople，andtosurroundhimselfwithastandingarmy。TheTudormethodwas，asMr。
　　Froudeshowsusbymanyinterestingfacts，tokeepthepeoplearmedanddrilled，eventocompelthemtolearntheuseofweapons。
　　ThroughoutEnglandspreadonevastmilitaryorganisation，whichmadeeveryadultasoldier，andenabledhimtofind，ataday'snotice，hiscommandingofficer，whetherlandlord，sheriff，orlieutenantofthecounty;sothat，asaforeignambassadorofthetimeremarkswithastonishment（wequotefrommemory），'Englandisthestrongestnationonearth，forthoughtheKinghasnotasinglemercenarysoldier，hecanraiseinthreedaysanarmyoftwohundredthousandmen。'
　　Andofwhattemperthosemenwereitiswellknownenough。Mr。
　　Froudecallsthem——andwebegleavetoendorse，withoutexception，Mr。Froude'sopinion——'Asturdyhigh—heartedrace，soundinbodyandfierceinspirit，andfurnishedwiththewsandsinewswhich，underthestimulusofthose"greatshinsofbeef，"theircommondiet，werethewonderoftheage。''Whatcomynfolkeinallthisworld，'saysaStatePaperin1515，'maycomparewiththecomynsofEnglandinriches，freedom，liberty，welfare，andallprosperity？Whatcomynfolkissomighty，sostronginthefelde，asthecomynsofEngland？'
　　InauthenticstoriesofactionsunderHenryVIII。——and，wewilladd，underElizabethlikewise——wheretheaccuracyoftheaccountisundeniable，nodisparityofforcemadeEnglishmenshrinkfromenemieswhenevertheycouldmeetthem。AgainandagainafewthousandsofthemcarrieddismayintotheheartofFrance。Fourhundredadventurers，vagabondapprenticesofLondon，whoformedavolunteercorpsintheCalaisgarrison，wereforyears，Hallsays，theterrorofNormandy。Intheveryfrolicofconsciouspowertheyfoughtandplunderedwithoutpay，withoutreward，savewhattheycouldwinforthemselves;andwhentheyfellatlast，theyfellonlywhensurroundedbysixtimestheirnumber，andwerecuttopiecesincarelessdesperation。Invariably，byfriendandfoealike，theEnglisharedescribedasthefiercestpeopleinallEurope——EnglishwildbeastsBenvenutoCellinicallsthem;andthisgreatphysicalpowertheyowedtotheprofuseabundanceinwhichtheylived，tothesoldier'straininginwhicheveryoneofthemwasbredfromchildhood。
　　Mr。Froude'snovelassertionaboutprofuseabundancemustbeweighedbythosewhohavereadhisinvaluableintroductorychapter。Butwemustaskatoncehowitwaspossibletolevyonsuchanarmedpopulaceataxwhichtheyweredeterminednottopay，andfeltthattheywerenotboundtopay，eitherinlaworjustice？ConceiveLordPalmerston'ssendingdowntodemanda'benevolence'fromthearmyatAldershot，beginningwiththegeneralincommandanddescendingtotheprivates……Whatwouldbetheconsequences？Uglyenough:butgentleincomparisonwiththoseofanyattempttoexactareallyunpopulartaxfromanationofwell—armedEnglishmen，unlessthey，onthewhole，thoughtthetaxfittobepaid。Theywouldgrumble，ofcourse，whethertheyintendedtopayornot，——forweretheynotEnglishmen，ourownfleshandblood？——andgrumbleallthemoreinperson，becausetheyhadnoPresstogrumbleforthem:butwhatistherethenintheM。P。'slettertoLordSurrey，quotedbyMr。Hallam，p。25，orinthemorepointedletterofWarham's，twopageson，whichwedonotseelyingonourbreakfasttablesinhalfthenewspaperseveryweek？Poor，pedantic，obstructiveoldWarham，himselfveryangryatsomuchbeingaskedofhisbrotherclergymen，andattheirbeingswornastothevalueoftheirgoods（solikeareoldtimestonewones）;andbeing，onthewhole，ofopinionthattheworld（theChurchincluded）isgoingtothedevil，saysthatashehasbeen'showedinasecretmannerofhisfriends，thepeoplesoregrudgethandmurmureth，andspeakethcursedlyamongthemselves，asfarastheydare，sayingtheyshallneverhaverestofpaymentsaslongassomeliveth，andthattheyhadbetterdiethanthusbecontinuallyhanded，reckoningthemselves，theirwivesandchildren，asdespoulit，andnotgreatlycaringwhattheydo，orwhatbecomesofthem。'
　　Verydreadful——iftrue:whichlastpointdependsverymuchuponwhoWarhamwas。Now，onreadingMr。Froude'soranyothergoodhistory，weshallfindthatWarhamwasoneoftheleadersofthatdespondentpartywhichwillalwayshaveitsantitypeinEngland。Havewe，too，notheardwithinthelastsevenyearssimilarpropheciesofdesolation，mourning，andwoe——oftheChurchtotteringonthevergeofruin，thepeasantrystarvingunderthehorrorsoffreetrade，noblefamiliesreducedtothevergeofbeggarybydoubleincome—tax？
　　EvensuchaprophetseemsWarhamtohavebeen——ofallpeopleinthatday，oneofthelastwhomonewouldhaveaskedforanopinion。
　　PooroldWarham，however，wasnotsofarwronginthisparticularcase;forthe'despoulit'slavesofSuffolk，notcontentwithgrumbling，roseupwithswordandbow，andvowedthattheywouldnotpay。Whereonthebloatedtyrantsenthispraetorians，andenforcedpaymentbyscourgeandthumbscrew？Notintheleast。Theywouldnotpay;andtherefore，beingfreemen，nobodycouldmakethempay;andalthoughintheneighbouringcountyofNorfolk，fromtwentypounds（i。e。200poundsofourmoney）upward——forthetaxwasnotleviedonmenoflesssubstance——therewerenottwentybutwhathadconsented;
　　andthoughtherewas'greatlikelihoodthatthisgrantshouldbemuchmorethantheloanwas'（the'salttears'shedbythegentlemenofNorfolkproceeding，saysexpresslytheDukeofNorfolk，'onlyfromdoubthowtofindmoneytocontenttheKing'sHighness'）;yettheKingandWolseygavewayfranklyandatonce，andthecontributionwasremitted，althoughtheDukesofNorfolkandSuffolk，writingtoWolsey，treattheinsurrectionlightly，andseemtoobjecttotheremissionasneedless。
　　Fromallwhichfacts——theyareMr。Hallam's，notMr。Froude's——wecandeducenottyranny，butlenity，goodsense，andthefrankwithdrawalfromawrongpositionassoonastheunwillingnessofthepeopleprovedittobeawrongone。
　　Thisinstanceiswellbroughtforward（thoughonlyinalineortwo，byMr。Froude）asoneamongmanyproofsthattheworkingclassesinHenrytheEighth'stime'enjoyedanabundancefarbeyondthatwhichingeneralfallstothelotofthatorderinlong—settledcountries，incomparablybeyondwhatthesameclasswereenjoyingatthatverytimeinGermanyorFrance。Thelawssecuredthem;andthatthelawswereputinforce，wehavethedirectevidenceofsuccessiveactsoftheLegislature，justifyingthegeneralpolicybyitssuccess:andwehavealsotheindirectevidenceofthecontentedloyaltyofthegreatbodyofthepeople，atatimewhen，iftheyhadbeendiscontented，theyheldintheirownhandsthemeansofassertingwhatthelawacknowledgedtobetheirright。'TheGovernment，'aswehavejustshownatlength，'hadnopowertocompelinjustice……Ifthepeasantryhadbeensufferingunderanyrealgrievancesweshouldhaveheardofthemwhenthereligiousrebellionsfurnishedsofairanopportunitytopressthemforward。Complaintwasloudenough，whencomplaintwasjust，undertheSomersetProtectorate。'
　　Suchbroadfactsasthese——forfactstheyare——oughttomakeuspauseereweboastofthegreaterlibertyenjoyedbyEnglishmenofthepresentday，ascomparedwiththetyrannyofTudortimes。ThankGod，thereisnolackofthatblessingnow:butwasthereanyreallackofitthen？Certainlytheoutwardnotesofatyrannyexistnowinfargreatercompletenessthanthen。Astandingarmy，aGovernmentpolice，ministrieswhobearnolovetoamilitia，andwouldconsiderthecompulsoryarminganddrillingofthepeopleasadangerousinsanity，donotlookatfirstsightasmuchlike'freeinstitutions'
　　asaGovernmentwhich，thoughagainandagainindangernotmerelyofrebellion，butofinternecinewarsofsuccession，sotrustedthepeopleastoforceweaponsintotheirhandsfromboyhood。Letusnotbemistaken:wearenohankerersafterretrogression:thepresentsystemworksverywell;letitbe;allthatwesayisthattheimputationofdespoticinstitutionslies，primafacie，ratheragainstthereignofQueenVictoriathanagainstthatofKingHenrytheEighth。Ofcourseitisnotsoinfact。Manymodernmethods，whicharedespoticinappearance，arenotsoinpractice。Letusbelievethatthesamewasthecaseinthesixteenthcentury。Ourgovernorsnowunderstandtheirownbusinessbest，andmakeaveryfaircompromisebetweendisciplineandfreedom。Letusbelievethatthemenofthesixteenthcenturydidsolikewise。Allweaskisthatourforefathersshouldbejudgedaswewishtobejudgedourselves，'notaccordingtooutwardappearance，butwithrighteousjudgment。'
　　Mr。FroudefindsthecauseofthisgeneralcontentmentandloyaltyofthemassesintheextremecarewhichtheGovernmenttookoftheirwell—being。Theintroductorychapter，inwhichheprovestohisownsatisfactionthecorrectnessofhisopinion，iswellworththestudyofourpoliticaleconomists。Thefactswhichhebringsseemcertainlyoverwhelming;ofcourse，theycanonlybemetbycounter—
　　facts;andourknowledgedoesnotenableuseithertocorroborateorrefutehisstatements。Thechiefargumentusedagainstthemseemstous，atleast，toshowthatforsomecauseorothertheworkingclasseswereprosperousenough。ItissaidtheActsofParliamentregulatingwagesdonotfixtheminimumofwages，butthemaximum。
　　Theyarenotintendedtodefendtheemployedagainsttheemployer，buttheemployeragainsttheemployed，inadefectivestateofthelabourmarket，whentheworkmen，bythefewnessoftheirnumbers，wereenabledtomakeextravagantdemands。Letthisbethecase——wedonotsaythatitisso——whatisitbutatokenofprosperityamongtheworkingclasses？Alabourmarketsothinthatworkmencandemandtheirownpricefortheirlabour，tillParliamentiscompelledtobringthemtoreason，issurelyatimeofprosperitytotheemployed—
　　—atimeoffullworkandhighwages;offullstomachs，inclinedfromveryprosperityto'waxfatandkick。'If，however，anylearnedstatisticianshouldbeabletoadvance，ontheoppositesideofthequestion，enoughtoweakensomeofMr。Froude'sconclusions，hemuststill，ifhebeajustman，dohonourtothenoblemoralityofthismoststrikingchapter，couchedasitisinasperfectEnglishaswehaveeverhadthedelightofreading。Weshallleave，then，thebattleoffactstobefoughtoutbystatisticians，alwaysaskingMr。
　　Froude'sreaderstobearinmindthat，thoughotherfactsmaybetrue，yethisfactsarenolesstruelikewise;andweshallquoteatlength，bothasaspecimenofhismannerandofhismatter，thelastthreepagesofthisintroductorychapter，inwhich，afterspeakingoftheseverityofthelawsagainstvagrancy，andshowinghowtheywereexcusedbytheorganisationwhichfoundemploymentforeveryable—
　　bodiedman，hegoesontosay:—
　　'ItwasthereforetheexpressedconvictionoftheEnglishnationthatitwasbetterforamannottoliveatallthantoliveaprofitlessandworthlesslife。Thevagabondwasasorespotuponthecommonwealth，tobehealedbywholesaledisciplineifthegangrenewasnotincurable;tobecutawaywiththeknifeifthemildertreatmentofthecart—whipfailedtobeofprofit。
　　'Ameasuresoextremeinitsseveritywaspartlydictatedbypolicy。
　　Thestateofthecountrywascritical;andthedangerfromquestionablepersonstraversingit，unexaminedanduncontrolled，wasgreaterthanatordinarytimes。Butinpointofjusticeaswellasofprudenceitharmonisedwiththeirontemperoftheage，anditansweredwellforthegovernmentofafierceandpowerfulpeople，inwhoseheartslayanintensehatredofrascality，andamongwhomnoonecouldhavelapsedintoevilcoursesexceptbydeliberatepreferenceforthem。ThemoralsinewoftheEnglishmusthavebeenstrongindeedwhenitadmittedofsuchstringentbracing;but，onthewhole，theywereruledastheypreferredtoberuled;andifwisdomcanbetestedbysuccess，themannerinwhichtheypassedthegreatcrisisoftheReformationisthebestjustificationoftheirprinces。
　　TheerawasgreatthroughoutEurope。TheItaliansoftheageofMichaelAngelo，theSpaniardswhowerethecontemporariesofCortez，theGermanswhoshookoffthePopeatthecallofLuther，andthesplendidchivalryofFrancisI。ofFrance，werenocommonmen。Buttheywereallbroughtfacetofacewiththesametrials，andnonemetthemastheEnglishmetthem。TheEnglishaloneneverlosttheirself—possession，andiftheyowedsomethingtofortuneintheirescapefromanarchy，theyowedmoretothestronghandandsteadypurposeoftheirrulers。
　　'Toconcludethischapter，then。
　　'InthebriefreviewofthesystemunderwhichEnglandwasgoverned，wehaveseenastateofthingsinwhichtheprinciplesofpoliticaleconomywere，consciouslyorunconsciously，contradicted;whereanattempt，moreorlesssuccessful，wasmadetobringtheproductionanddistributionofwealthunderthemoralruleofrightorwrong;
　　andwherethoselawsofsupplyanddemand，whichwearenowtaughttoregardasimmutableordinancesofnature，wereabsorbedorsupersededbyahighercode。ItisnecessaryformetorepeatthatIamnotholdingupthesixteenthcenturyasamodelwhichthenineteenthmightsafelyfollow。Thepopulationhasbecometoolarge，andemploymenttoocomplicatedandfluctuating，toadmitofsuchcontrol;