The storm came in the form of a war upon Scotland, to enforce the
established Church, which it had cast out "root and branch" for the
Presbyterianism which pleased it. The Loyalists were alarmed by rumors
that Scotland was holding treasonable communication with her old ally,
France; and after an interval of eleven years, a Parliament was
summoned, which was destined to outlive the King.

[Sidenote: Long Parliament. Strafford Impeached.]

The Commons came together in stern temper, Pym standing promptly at the
Bar of the House of Lords with Strafford's impeachment for High
Treason. The great Earl's apologists among the Lords, his own ingenious
and powerful pleadings, the King's entreaties and worthless promises,
all were in vain.

The King saw the whole fabric of tyranny crumbling before his eyes. He
was overawed and dared not refuse his signature to the fatal paper. It
is said that as Strafford passed to the block, Laud, who was at the
window of the room where he too was a prisoner, fainted as his old
companion in cruelty stopped to say farewell to him.

There were a few moments of silence, then,--a wild exultant shout. "His
head is off--His head is off."

[Sidenote: Strafford's Death. Death of Laud.]

The execution of the Archbishop swiftly followed, then the abolition of
the Star Chamber, and of the High Commission Court; then a bill was
passed requiring that Parliament be summoned once in three years, and a
law enacted _forbidding its dissolution except by its own