The Hampden Case

• John Hampden was a prominent puritan MP and had been imprisoned briefly for refusing to pay the forced loan. He was a friend of Sir John Elliot
• In November 1637, he was taken into court by Charles for refusing to pay ship money. Hampden's lawyer, Oliver St John claimed Parliament could have been called to grand a subsidy between the time it was called and enforced
• This was a subtle attack on the king as this did not challenge his right to take action in an emergency or decide if it should not exist- it was a question of timing
• Judgement took 6 months to reach and ended in 12 judges ruling 7 to 5 in Charles' favour
• However, this became a moral victory for Hampden as complaince fell from 80% in 1638 to 25% in 1639 causing a debate over constitutional issues nationally