The last parliament of James, amidst all their joy and festivity, had given him a supply very disproportioned to his demand, and to the occasion.

And as every house of commons which was elected during forty years, succeeded to all the passions and principles of their predecessors, we ought rather to account for this obstinacy from the general situation of the kingdom during that whole period, than from any circumstances which attended this particular conjuncture.
The nation was very little accustomed at that time to the burden of taxes, and had never opened their purses in any degree for supporting their sovereign.

Even Elizabeth, notwithstanding her vigor and frugality, and the necessary wars in which she was engaged, had reason to complain of the commons in this particular; nor could the authority of that princess, which was otherwise almost absolute, ever extort from them the requisite supplies.

Habits, more than reason, we find in every thing to be the governing principle of mankind.

In this view, likewise, the sinking of the value of subsidies must be considered as a loss to the king.