Brethren in Scotland that they should be enforced also to conform to the utter destruction of their Sion there To qualifie this News another Proclamation comes out in September after against such calumnious surmises That the King will not alter that Form of Government proper for their constitution without Counsel there and so refers mens â—xpectation to the general Assembly to meet at Dundee in Scotland in July after It was usual with the Presbyters in Scotland to have a general Assembly once a year and oftner pro re nata upon any urgent occasion The last was a little before the Kings coming hither 1602. And the next this appointed at Aberdene this year and therefore then adjourns that Meeting unto which he especially had an eye as mistrusting their ill humors to this Summer 1604. And now also prorogues it to a longer day by Proclamation in Scotland Notwithstanding thirteen of them convene at Aberdene and in spite of the Council Authority they formallized their Judicature by constituting a Moderator a Clerk and other essential Members The Privy Council there send a Messenger accompanied with a Herald of Arms to discharge and dissolve their Meeting These holy Fathers in this Sanhedrim protested They would not nor could give way to the Kings sacrilegious power usurped which properly belonged to the Church virtual the Assembly and so sat still till they pleased and after appointed a day for the next Assembly The King hears of this and commands them to be cited and punished These men undanted appear with a Protestation a Declination from the Kings Council and appeal to their own next General Assembly as the sole and competent Judg and were therefore pursued criminally before their Lord Iustice General upon the Act of Parliament 1584. for Treason Some of them acknowledged their fault the rest Zelots were convict ad terrorem and banished and after upon submission were restored to better Benefices The excellent Acts and Laws in this Session prorogâ—ed to the fifth of November I finde our voluminous Historian passes over excepting against their number too tedious for his brevity being unwilling to mention any thing of so much honour to the King though he can waste time and paper to tell you that the blessing of his Initiation Peace and Plenty brought idle people to Luxury Roaring-boys Bravadoes Roisters and makes it a fault in the King that he breeds his People no better The Parliament began the 19. of March 1603. and continued untill the 7. of Iuly 1604. and then prorogued unto the 7. of February In this Parliament they made a Recognition of the lawfull descending of the Crown to the King his Progeny and Posterity Commissioners of England and Scotland for to treat of the Union That no Bishop should assure Lands to the King Former Statutes against Recusants to be executed Divers other Statutes concerning the City and several Towns Corporate as also other Statutes for the good of the Land And conclude with a Subsidy of Tunnage and Poundage of Wools c. The Kings second Son Charls heretofore in Scotland created Duke of Albany Marquess of Ormond Count Ross and Lord of Ardmannoth is now this year created Duke of York by the girding of the Sword Cap and Circlet of Gold put upon his Head and golden Verge into his Hand to him and his Heirs males for ever with the Fee of fourty pounds per annum out of the issue and profits of that County He is made by Patent and witnessed by all the Lords of the Privy Council and other Peers of the Realm at Westminster the 6. of Ianuary 2. Iac. 1604. K. Edw. 3. by his Charter created Edward his eldest Son the black Prince Duke of Cornwall cum feodo to him and his Heirs the first begotten Sons and Dukes of the same place so that he that is hereditable Duke of Cornwall is Dux natus non creatus and the first day of his birth is in Law presumed to be of full age and may sue out his Livery as at one and twenty years and this was the first Duke in England the reason may be because the Norman Kings themselves were Dukes of Normandy for a long time they adorned none with this Honour of Duke The Papists had very evil success in all their Designs heretofore against Queen Elizabeth and her Religion and were somewhat quieted in hopes that the Kings reception hither might prove troublesom and so proper for them to work in such waters but the Kings late Speech was desperately understood for they being denied Toleration plot his and the whole States destruction by blowing up all in the House of Parliament A story so horrid and therefore so necessary to be communicated to the memorial of our Childrens Children The Parliament having been twice prorogued already in regard of the Seasons of the year and the Terms The time drawing near their Sitting upon Saturday ten days before about seven of the clock at night a Letter sealed was delivered by an unknown Fellow unto a Foot-man of the Lord Mounteagle Son and Heir to the Lord Morley charging him to give it to his Lords own hands who opening the same found it without Date or Subscription and in Letters not easily legible and the matter to him less intelligible but as God would have it he in this doubt repairs herewith to the Earl of Salisbury principal Secretary of State who also in some doubt of the construction the King being absent in his return from Roiston they acquainted the Lord Chamberlain the Earl of Suâ—folk herewith and after consultation they joyned the Lord Admiral the Earls of Worcester and Northampton but stayed all manner of proceeding untill the Kings coming Thursday night next after Salisbury shews it him The Letter was MY Lord out of the love I bear to some of your Friends I have a care of your preservation therefore I would advise you as you tender your Life to devise some Excuse to shift off your attendance this Parliament for God and Man have concurred to punish the wickedness of this Time And think not slightly of this Advertisement but retire your self into your Countrey where you may expect the event in safety for though there be no appearance of any sâ—ir yet I say they shall receive a terrible Blow this Parliament and yet they shall not see who hurts them This counsel is not to be contemned because it may do you good and can do you no harm for the danger is past so soon as you have burnt the Letter and I hope God will give you the grace to make good use of it to whose holy protection I commend you The King conceived the Letter not to be contemned the stile quick and pithy not usual with Libells and judged the words terrible Blow this Parliament and not see who hurts them to be meant by Gun-pouder joyning thereto the other words For the danger is past so soon as you have burnt the Letter
be repaired for securing it self and the Coasts That his children abroad eat no bread but by him His customs the best part of his Revenue in effect the substance of all are farmed with conditions if war follow their bargains sease and Subsidies ask time to bring in unless he take them up upon credit and so lose of their value In these cases he would be loath to shew his Teeth and cannot bite And refers the condition of his own Estate to his Treasurer And thus freely he opens his heart for their Hearts and Help let them shew the means and he will do what they direct referring the dispose of monies to their own Deputies and Treasurers and upon the offer of their Means he makes War he will wave the Prerogative of Kings of War and Peace and be advised by them in either for weapons breed peace He desires to be in Love with Parlaments to make good Laws reform abuses and maintain good Government and so blesses their labours to the end Thus far the King Here was plainess He had cause to fear for he foresaw his own hazard to be left in the lurch So that to set him forward without despair they soeak as they should mean and not long after give him this Declaration They first render thanks to his sacred Majesty for accepting their humble advice to assist him in a Parliamentary way with their persons and abilities And whereas his Majesty was pleased to descend to particular propositions for advance of so great a Buâ—iness upon his Majesties Declaration for dissolution and discharge of both Treaties and for defence of the Realm the securing Ireland the assisting the Netherlands and other his Majestyes Friends and Allyes and for the Navy For these they will grant him three intire Subsidies and three fifteens to be paid within a year The money to be in hands of Committes and Commissioners by them to be expended as shall be agreed upon this present Session The King was well pleased and tells them He is willing to dissolve the Treaties their Gift being sufficient to begin a War but when it will end God knowes That he will ingage his Successor his Son for the recovery of the Palatinate and in his old age will assist in Person if need be That as he is pleased the Committes should direct the disposing of the monies so the Design must not be acted by publick councells that is whether two thousanâ— or ten thousand by Sea or Land East or West by Diversion or Invasion upon the Emperour or Bavaria these be hopes must be left to the King Hereupon a Council of War is chosen of some antient Actors in the Militia of Ireland and other Nobility the Meeting at the Savor at the Lord Caries President of that Council who resolve of six thousand to be sent for the present into the Low Countreys to join with their forces against the Spanish under command of Spinola and so have a freer passage into Germany if need were hereafter The Spanish Ambassadour Marquess of Inojosâ— much perplexed at the even proceedings between the King and Parliament resolved to put in practice a Jesuite trick upon Buckingham by that means to distemper the Calm proceedings of this State We are told the Manner That Inojosa sent one Padre Majestre a Spanish Iesuit a great Statesman to King James that he under confession had found the King was by Buckingham or by his procurement to be killed but whether by Poison Pistol Dagger c. he could not tell Then that the King should say to Buckingham ah Stenny Stenny a term of favour wilt thou kill me the Duke in high passion being told that Padre Majestre had been with the King who being questioned by the Duke Inojosa undertook the quarrel and told the Duke he would maintain him the Traytor c. Another saies That the Ambassadour sent one to the King to let him know That the Duke of Buckingham had some dangerous Machination on foot that tended to his Destruction and the best He could expect would be a Conâ—inement to a Country House in some Park during his life the Prince being now ripe for Government c. and the Author concludes That such an attempt could not be done without the Princes privity and yet the King was willing to have the Brat strangled in the Womb though there was cause to suspect that the great intimacy and deerness between the Prince and Duke like the conjunction of two dreadfull Planets could not but portend the production of some dangerous effect to the Old King What horrid infamy is here cast on them both But this was the story and the truth for not a day passed then but that I was present and acquainted with all that transaction to the end It was well known how much it concerned the Ambassadour for his Masters honour to disimprove the value of Buckingham with the King and Parliament and cunningly meant to do it home and to involve the Prince too in one and the same act And therefore aspersed abroad a suspition which really also Inojosa devised to the Kings ear That Buckingham should have plotted this Parliament to over power the King which if resisted then by that authority to conâ—ine the King and to transfer soveraignty upon the Prince And thus Machevils rule lay the scandal high enough no matter to prove it Himself the Brocher to be free from Examination being qualified an Ambassadour A great noise there was I remember well more in the peoples resentment than any way considerable at Court. And yet the Duke was not so dull to neglect the means of satisfying Others Himself and Prince needed not nor truly did it any way interfear as it was devised to startle the King And being generally cryed down as a false scandal the power of all three could not question an Ambassadour though it was scanned at the Council Table and put to vote in the house too how to proceed with him That the Shield of his Ambassy was too weak to defend him from the Sword of Iustice for then he resolves into a private man The Duke not satisfyed had the opinion of a learned Antiquary who with much circumstance advised and directed a tedious Ceremony of State to be used therein Both Speakers to remonstrate to the Ambassadour the crime and if he reveal not the Informers then is he Author Scandali and so the Houses to petition the King to confine him and restrain his person till his Master know his offence and satisfy Iustice. If he does not then is it Transactio Criminis upon himself and draws a denounce of War But the wisdome of the King would have none of this Geer Yet the Prince and Duke complained hereof to Spain and a command returned to Inojosa to crave forgivenesse which he did and the Duke in confidence of his own Innocency suffered it to passe without much more trouble to seek satisfaction in publique for he
States who convene and a subsedy granted of twenty thousand punds or pounds levied also to pursue him but the great plague raging at Edenburgh that expedition for the present was put off till next year In this interim Queen Elizabeths favour declines from Arran the occasion being a Tumult arising between the Governours of the middle Marches Sr. Francis Russell son to the Earl of Bedford was killed neer the Borders the deed done by instigation of Arran and Farneyhast the slayer was denied to be rendred to the Queens justice yet not much insisted upon at that time but rather to contract former friendship by Ambassy of Sr. Edward Wotton offensive and defensive with the King in cause of Rebellion for then came on the Roman holy League so stiled with the Pope Spain and Guisits in France and others in Germany to exterpate the reformed Religion in all Christendome though principally aimed against Q. Elizabeth who courts Leagues with other Princes reformed Sr. Thomas Bodly treats therein with the King of Denmark Wotton with Scotland and at a Parliament in Iuly was by Act confirmed for ever supposed sufficient to return Wotton the sooner home But he had private comands countermines for the fugitive Lords restitution lately concluded before in England by the late Ambassadors with whom now he keeps private meetings gaining time by the occasion of certain Ambassadors from Denmark who under pretence of remand to the Isles of Orknay and Shethland upon the Northern coast of Scotland alienated of old from that Crown But in truth they propounded reasons of State For a Mariage with the King and a Sister of Denmark happily effected 4 years after These Ambassadours taking leave the rumour grew high of the banished Lords Conspiracy which causes a Proclamation for a general Convention of all good Subjects to meet the King at the Castle of Crawford in October to repell the Rebels which the English Ambassadours craftily prevent whilest the Lords march apace and come to rendezvous at Linton in Tweeddale and there Covenant by Oath not to separate till they should seize the King and remove Arran and thither comes Maxwell with a thousand Horse and foot that served heretofore against Iohnston all the rest making up but so many more and to be even with the King they proclaim also the old and new Rebels rule Defence of the truth the deliverance of the King from evil Counsellors and add the Amity with England Interlacing each line with Odiums against Arran amongst other charges That he claimed descent from Duke Mordach beheaded by King Iames the first upon that title which Arran now takes up to be Heir to the Crown by the name of Iames seventh And indeed this was now enforced and a scandal which all men â—nderstood for whether he had feigned such a pretence the last year or others for him had formed it he was forced to purge himself then in Parliament by serious Protestation which truly in pride of heart he did rather to deceive the World with that folly Thus far Wootton plotted with the Revolters agents at Court and being almost discovered by Arran he departs hastily without leave towards Berwick and after him posts an Express who overtook him at Anwick expostulating Whether His Mistress directed him this mannerly departure He acknowledged to the Messenger that he could not grant that he came away Insalutato hospite seeing he performed that Office with Heart and Hand and would ever endeavour by all possible means that his suddain departure should rather help to maintain than to dissolve the amity betwixt his Soveraign and the King By the word Hand he referred to a Letter which he left for the King in which he so far complained that the cause lodged upon Arrans discredit who he said governed all By which Arran suspected somewhat amiâ—s and accused the Master Gray for hastening Wotton away The Lords Revolters that had intelligence of all march with speed to Sterlin and were let in by a back-way at Mid-night And whilest Arran was busie with the watch at the other end the Town was taken and rifled Arran and others escaped The King inclosed within the Castle sends out two Counsellors to tell them That humble Petitions better became the duly of Subjects Complaints and private address more fit than to force their Soveraign which violent forms they would find 〈◊〉 that should be extorted by force or fear and he never to want men and means hereafter to undo They not as yet let in were not to learn the art of dissembling excusing their actions by their miserable conditions reduced to this necessity to seek relief rather for the King than themselves His honour and safety highly endangered by evil Counsellors excepting them that were sent and labouring these with arguments to intercede for his Majesties grace and favour and to admit their address to his person The King knew their meaning and intending to say no more than willingly they should hear of For my self said the King I never liked the mans arrogancy meaning Arran but I must secure my Servants about me the quarrels betwixt Crawford and Glammis Angus and Montross and Col. Stuart as ill beloved for serving me No sooner said But they vow Not to arm for private quarrells of their own or any others not minding to mix particulars with the publique Upon which they get in fall down on their knees to the King and the Lord Hamilton being the best in blood was their spokesman who only craved mercy To whom My Lord said the King I never knew you till now and I am sorry to see your face in this fault you have been faithfull to my Mother in my Minority and I fear may suffer more than these As for you angerly browing upon Bothwell Francis what ailed thee that never could be injured But To you all that mean me no mischief I am pleased to hold out my hand and my heart carying your selves from henceforth as dutiful Subjects It was no time to do other and the next day in Council to confirm by Act their Pardon and their Assistants and so proclaimed Crawford and Montross delivered up to Hamilton and Col. Stuart permitted to depart Arran was gone before fled to Coil deprived of all honors lived from thenceforth privately And now new Lords and Laws share old offices The Guard was given to Glammis the Castle Dunbritton to Hamilton Sterlin restored to the Earl Mar and the Castle of Edenburgh delivered to Sir Iames Hume This relation the most certain though I know it is otherwise reported And no wonder to find designs in policy how to cleer these Lords of former accusations and confessions the very Examinants and Deponents must now voluntarily offer new Oaths to purge them from all Treasonable Attempts Amongst whom Duntraith now confessed to be suborned to accuse Mains out of fear to save himself Besides these powers that overmastered the Kings party the want of supply
from Edenburgh lost the Court the raging Plague swept away twenty thousand persons and that City quite forsaken He is forced now to yield to their Domination this Success imboldens the disloyal Ministers to return home also from all parts insupportable insolent One of them Gibson to the Kings face terms him Ieroboam a Persecutor threatens him That if he went on in the former way he should be the last of his race And before the King and Council he and Watson such another impudently maintain the same and more to their teeth which no Catiline could have done more treasonable Then their Synod being assisted by a number of the Laicks convene the Bishops Saint Andrews was compeered before them upon accusation of Andrew Melvil in malice and private revenge but his pretence was that the Bishop devised and penned former Acts against the Presbytery the Bishop protests against their Judicature and disputes his Innocency from any evil therein and to avoid their censures appeals to the King and Estates and they therefore in fear what to do a young Fellow Andrew Hunter professes to be armed by the Spirit and so usurping the Chair he pronounced Sentence against him Cunningham the Bishops man did the like the next day against Melvil These and other such disorders involves the King and Estates what to do with them when the Secretary of State perceiving their vexations advises the King to leave the Ministery to their own courses That in a short time he should see them so intollerable as the people would chase them out of the Nation True said the King if I werâ— careless to undo the Church and Religion it were the best Counsel but to preserve both I must suppress disorders lest Religion be despised And therefore as these insolencies gave the King occasion wisely to foresee the dangerous events if not nipt in the Bud So ex malis Moribus bonae leges nascuntur for the State publish these Articles That all Preachers should obey the King Not to pretend privilege in their allegiance Not to meddle in State matters Not to revile his Majesty Not to draw the people from obedience And being questioned not to allege inspiration of the Spirit Nor to serve themselves with colour of conscience c. It is strange to observe both before and then and sithence even to these our last daies as were by Wisemen alwaies foretold from the beginning how this Gangreen spread and that we are now wearied as well as the Reader with these relations Let me onely observe further the Scots Acts and Ordinances concerning their Episcopacy and let any Historian tell me when and how they started into such a sincere Reformation as to have no Bishops at all as many would pretend For first reforming from Popery in 1567. That no Bishop nor other Prelate should use any Iurisdiction in time comming by the Bishop of Romes authority but it appears by all subsequent Acts That Arch-Bishops and Bishops were not only allowed in their Kirk but also had Iurisdiction and authority to govern the same That Arch-Bishops and Bishops have the Authority and are ordained to convene and deprive all Ministers inferiour who shall not subscribe the Articles of Religion and recognoscing of the King and his Authority That Arch-Bishops and Bishops have authority to assign Ministers Glebes That they shall nominate and appoint Visitations c. and persons in every Parochin for settling Taxation for upholding Kirks c. That they shall direct charges how the Minister of the Parochin shall proceed to excommunications That they shall try the rent of Hospitals and call for the foundations thereof The Iurisdiction of the Kirk is declared to stand in preaching the Word of Iesus Christ correction of manners and administration of Sacraments And no other Authority allowed but Arch-Bishops and Bishops intended to continue in Authority as is cleer by these Acts following First All persons returning from forein Travails are within twenty daies to pass to the Bishop Super-intendent Commissioner of the Kirk to give a Confession of their faith That none presume to impugn the Dignity and Authority of the three Estates or to seek or procure the innovation or diminution of their power and authority or any of them in time coming under pain of Treason That Bishops are to try and judge Ministers guilty of crimes meriting deprivation That no Ministers exercise any other Office beside their Calling and to be adjudged by their Ordinaries of Bishops All Acts whatever heretofore anent the Kirk of God and Religion now professed are ratified That the three Estates especially considering the persons exercising the offices titles and dignities of Prelates which persons have ever represented one of the Estates c. Therefore declare that the Kirk in Scotland is the true and holy Kirk and that such Ministers as the King shall provide to the Dignity of a Bishop shall have vote in Parliament as any Ecclesiastical Prelate ever had by-gon And null all manner of Acts made in prejudice of Bishops Honours Dignities c. competitent to them or their estate since the reformation of Religion The same revived Ordains Arch-bishops and Bishops to be elected by their Chapters and consecrate by the Order accustomed And yet we must confess they were oftentimes striking at the root and branch of Bishops as others of them did against the Power and Majesty of Princes for Buchanan terms the phraises of Majesty Highness Excellency Solaecismos et Barbarismos aulicos Jeering at the outward State of Princes comparing them to childrens Puppets garishly attired That a good Prince should be defended with innocency Non superbo speculatorum et caetu sericatisque nebulonibus stipatus Another of theirs Davison his Pamphlet printed in those times forced through with base invectives both against the Government of Scotland and England with most dangerous insinuations to Rebellion The Genevian Ministers and their Tenents also were dispersed in England wholly into such Arguments Out of two more pestilent sundry seditious positions may be collected Goodman and another Author stiled True Obedience or rather perfect rebellion It may be true t is no Treason to resist the Soveraign for defence of Religion nor no treasonable assertion That a lawful Prince may be deposed in case of revolt from God and these are the proposition of all Christian Professors but these Men following their own deceiptful wiles and irregular opinions adjudged that to be errour or idolatry which perhaps may not be so and may traduce goodness and virtue by the rule of their own strained conceit and so differ in the manner and matter as reason and conscience differ from fury and frenzy And yet these their Doctrines Whittingham afterwards unworthy Dean of Durham in his preface to Goodmans book saith that they were approved by the best learned meaning Calvin and the rest of the Genevians Gilby Coverdale Whitehead and
Bishopricks should accept in and upon them to be actual Pastors and Ministers and according thereto should practise and exercise the same But the Office of them in the spiritual Policy and Government of the Church was remitted to his Majesty and to the general Assembly and so hereby occasion was soon taken to assemble at Dundee And first advises them to consider Whether it was lawfull and expedient that the Ministers as representing the whole Church within the Realm should have Voice in Parliament or not It was concluded for them They might as also in other meetings of the Estate and very expedient to have some of them always present to give Voice in the name of the Church The number of them was agreed upon to be one and â—ifty persons as of old in the Papistical Church But then who should elect those to have voice They were pleased with much ado to grant It did appertain partly to his Majesty and partly to the Church and so it came to after consideration De modo eligendi whether ad vitam What their Title with caution to preserve them from corruption What their Rents and Revenues with a number more such circumstances are recommended to their Presbyteries to consider and so to certifie his Majesty And because it was time for the Kings grace and favour to remit to mercy the Edenburgh Ministers such as of late were silenced to suffer them now to preach again but with such articles and conditions as bound up their better manners to the Kings turn not their own old tunes in the Pulpit Nor were they safe as they thought they should be till the King was pleased to declare That he did freely remit their former offences in hope that they would hereafter deserve it And so were all persons concerned in the late Tumult and all others in honour to the King and charity to their brethren concluded and contented But Mr. Iohn Davidson a malitious man he being behinde hand of preferment protested against the Assembly as not free but over-awed by the King And when he had put his Spoke into the Wheel slipâ— aside but left it in motion with more ado than was meet to make such a stir Mr. Robert Bruce a Preacher there for ten years yet never received Ordination to the Ministery pretending the approbation of the general Assembly equivalent if not more sufficient He was told that the Approbation which he had was only a Licence to preach but now to receive the Office it was necessary thereto Imposition of Hands No though he was instructed that the Ordination was not to question his former Calling but to confirm it nor would that serve unless he had a Declaration to him thereof set down in writing A whole fourteenight was wasted to make the form to please him and others that sided for him and his day of admission came Mr. Robert Pont in the Pulpit signified their business and being come down to assist the work Bruce was got up in his place railed against all the acts of the Commissioners and with his Tongue raised such a Tumult of the Commons that the poor Ministers appointed to administer Ordination were in fear to be stoned by the people and so got away and nothing done Upon this this the King commands the Commissioners to cite Bruce and censure him He did appear but excused himself and laid the fault on the peoples affection to him and being afraid what would be the issue pain of deprivation gave obedience and accepted his Admission with Imposition of the Hands of two Ministers Here was seen his perverse pride and wilfulness which fools referred to his true zeal And this good conclusion of the general matters of the Church gave like success to the conference at Falkland determining their Votes in Parliament concluding the manner of his Election who was to have Vote in Parliament that the Church should name for each Prelacy six whereout the King should chuse one That the nomination of them should be made by the general Assembly And his Rent provided out of the Prelacy whereunto he is preferred With such cautions to preserve him as was not to be feared he could transgress his bounds or be deposed ipso facto but his Title should be called Commissioner for such a place c. Indeed some of the Articles of Caution were ridiculous and absurd to be performed but such was the Kings wisdom to consent to all their conceits knowing that in time the benefit and good use of this Government would appear which he purposed says one to have established or rather to permit those inconveniences until weight of their own sufferings should betake themselves to abler conclusions The King having greater Councils of more importance to him next to the settlement of the Church and not till then proper for him to ascertain Queen Elizaheth was grown old and weak in body nor well in minde and it concerned him to establish to himself such affectionate Princes in whose relations he might finde aid and assistance when time served To that end he considers of Ambassadours David Bishop of Aberdeen and Sir Peter Yâ—ung Almoner men of great abilities and learning They had in Commission to inform the free Princes of the Religion in Germany his Majesties Right and Title to the Crown of England and to assure to them his singular care and endeavour now and always to conserve amity with them all Not that he minded injury to the Queen whom he had just cause to honour as his Mother and to wish and pray for many days to lengthen out her ample years but yet to strengthen himself against foul pretenders he craves their consideration and to be pleased in common Ambassage to intreat the Queen as their best advice to declare in her own good time the right Successor for preventing plots and practices of her and his Enemies c. They had command to turn out of the way and to take Letters commendatory of the King of Denmark his Brother-in-Law unto each of those Princes which were Udalrick Duke of Megleburgh Maurice Lantgrave of Hesse Frederick Duke of Saxony and Administrator of the Electorite Henry Duke of Brunswick Iohn Adolph Duke of Gleswick and Ioakim Marques of Brandenburgh To each of these single made their Journey tedious difficult and took up much time a whole year Then they return with their Answers in substance alike That albeit his Majesties right was well known to them they did esteem it an Act of great wisdom in him to acquaint his Friends and Allies with the Exceptions which some may presume to take to his just Title that so when occasion required nothing might be amiss for them to do for him within their power But to move the Queen to name her Successor they excused themselves therein as more dangerous to him than usefull to his intent lest it might less promove the business and offend her Always each of them would advise but counsel together
is going to call up the Earl of Northumberland at Essex house where they both finde one Lepton got on hors-back at Essex gate which was conceived to seek out Piercy but Winter going to White-hall findes the Gates shut and the way to Westminster guarded and being told that a Treason was discovered to blow up the Parliament he hasts to his Horse and gallops down to Catesby to Dunschurch the place of Rendezvouz On Thursday they meet there seize Arms at the Lord Windsors and that night to Master Littleton's house one of their number when news came that Catesby was burnt by accident of drying their Pouder Littleton advises Winter to fly he would not till he might see his Friends Catesby's body and bury it but finding him reasonable well with Piercy Wright Rockwood and Grant they all resolved to keep together to fight and die when the Countrey came in both the Wrights killed Catesby and Piercy with one Bullet and Winter wounded and taken This was his Confession and true but the whole story was thus interwoven The News spread abroad of this Accident being on Tuesday morning the fifth of November and the first day of Parliament Winter and the two brothers Wrights hasten out of Town for Catesby and Piercy were gone the morning before and all of them towards their Rendezvouz in Warwickshire towards Coventre where the very next day about the hour that Fauks was taken at Westminster Iohn Grant with others his companions all Papists broke open Benock's Stable a Rider of great Horses in that County and carried away all being eight of them and so both this company as also those which fled out of London met at Dunchurch Sir Digby's house on Tuesday night having appointed a Match of Hunting the next morning according to their former plotting But finding their treachery prevented and not prevailing by a private villany they now resolve to practise publick Rebellion to make up their wickedness any way And first grounded their cause Religion with some provisions of Ammunition Army Pouder and Horses they roved up and down to gather company by whose example it was possible some other such like in other Counties might joyn Forces considerable to raise a Rebellion of themselves never in number above eighty Serving-men and Hors-boys who were watcht hourly for fear of quitting their Masters quarrel and so wandring through these Counties of Warwick and Worcester were by the Sheriff of Worcester taken killed or disperst about Littleton's house Strange were the Accidents which brought the Countrey upon them for as yet the Kings Proclamations had not reacht thither nor was their Treason discovered to them But the Riot of Grant forcing the House for the Horses was an insolency pursued with Hue and Cry among the Commons that the Countrey rise to know the reason Sir Fulk Grevil the elder was then Lieutenant of Warwickshire whose wisdom soon apprehended the danger to be the Indices of Rebellion instantly seizes Ammunition and Arms of all about him either absent from home or doubtfull and with such further directions that a poor Smith got hold on Winter who was rescued by his company and sixteen taken by the Towns-men and by the Sheriff Sir Richard Verney sent Prisoners to London Sir Richard Walsh of Worcestershire pursues them to Littleton's house as aforesaid and there makes a stand sends a Trumpet to command obedience to him as his Majesties Minister and Sheriff and not knowing more of their Treason than was visible by the Tumult promises to intercede with the King to spare their punishment of Death They as best witnesses to their own consciences and high demerit return him in scorn That he must get more help ere he be able to defend himself And whilest thus at parley without the principal of them within drying two pound of Pouder far enough from the Chimney yet a Spark flew out and fell amongst it blew up another Bag-full but not fired and so maimed and disabled Catesby himself Rockwoâ—d Grant and others of greatest account thereby made unable of forceable defence and wonderfully amazed with horror of conscience thus to be met with by mischief of their own Mineral In quo peccamus in eodem plectimur as forthwith falling down on their knees prayed to God for pardon of their sins opened the Gates and desperately seeking their own destruction Catesby and Piercy back to back were killed with one shot and both the Brothers Wrights and others slain Winter Tresham and the rest taken alive were sent to the next Gaol and so up to London and were met with by such a concourse of people out of the City as the like were never seen wise and weak women and children wondring at these Monsters Tresham in the Tower died of a Strangury the two Winters Grant Rockwood Digby Fauks Keys and Bates were each of them at several times and places arreigned condemned and executed as in case of Treason To disjoyn them in their Designs These labored in the Mine These were afterwards engaged to them Esquires Robert Catesby Robert Winter Gentlemen Thomas Piercy Thomas Winter Iohn Wright Christop Wright Guido Fauks Thomas Bates Catesby 's Man Knight Sir Everard Digby Esquires Ambrose Rockwood Francis Tresham Gentleman Iohn Grant Robert Keys The second Session of this Parliament prorogued till the 5. of November and being on the fourth day met again they enlarged other excellent Laws against Papists wisely discerning how that creeping Monarchy of Rome by her Arch-Instruments the Jesuits had already planted five Schools as fit bates in divers reformed states intending so to tempt those well-believing people with that old forbidden Tree of knowledg as they might sinne desperately against their Sovereign before they knew it But the Parliament enacted the Anniversary Commemoration of this day to be observed for ever with thanksgiving to God for this delivery of which a Man may hardly assure any long continuance Are we bound more to obey it than the statutes of God Almighty for solemnity of several Festivals which all Christians observe and we onely neglect And asscribing the discovery of this Powder-plot to the divine spirit of the King by his Interpreting the dark phrases of the Letter to Mounteagle They gave to the King three intire subsidies and six fifteens together with four subsidies of four shillings in the pound granted by the Clergie amounting in all to four hundred fifty and three thousand pounds And Caecil for his good service was Created Earl of Salisbury The Acts in this Session were these Certain Persons attainted of the Gun-Powder Treason and their Estates Confiscate An Act to prevent and avoid dangers of Papists Recusants To avoid the City and Court unless Inhabitants here disabled from Offices nor to practise Law nor Physick Penalty one hundred pounds wonderfull strickt Act for free Trade of all Merchants to Spain Portingal and France as well as others that have Incorporate Charters Against Misdemeanors of Attornies and Solicitors of the
And so it was in his Mothers time and without consent of Parliament else it would seem a League of the People And in his time when it came to be Ratifyed least it should appear In odium Tertii it was by Him left out in respect of his Title to England 3. Who is so ignorant as can not see the profit and commodity to England by this Union is there not Gain by Wales is not Scotland greater Lands Seas and Persons added to Greatness certainly Two made One makes them Greater and Stronger He desires Union for the Empire of England and for their security to condescend to reasonable Restrictions And he will never say what he will not promise nor promise what he will not swear nor swear what he will not perform And so dismisses them But although the Parliament could not be drawn to it presently yet not long after it wrought upon the Judges of this Kingdom that the chief Justice Coke confirmed the Post-Nati in Calvins Case and Title And adjudged for him also by that reverend States-man Chancelor Elsmere and all the Iudges likewise in the Exchequer Chamber whose opinions do much confound our Adversary bewailing the Cause That of such stuffe Judges are made who can modell their Presidents to any shape And yet all that this Session could be drawn to do was to repeal the Laws of Hostility between both Nations and so confirmed in Scotland from the fourth of Henry 5. of England and from 1 Iames 1. of Scotland Some excellent Acts were concluded this Session which I refer to the statutes in print But because the Judges in that time are complained of as too partiall for the Kings commands Let me aeternize the memory of Judge Nichols of the common pleas His Predecessor in his Circuite Assize for the County of Northampton had reprieved a Felon indicted before him and found guilty by the Jury and condemned but reprieved by him upon some observation of the weakness of the Evidence This Iudge dying Nichols appointed for that Circuite continues the Prisoners reprieve And the complaint came to the King who urgeth the Judg by letters for Execution which yet he refused His just excuse was That if his Predecessor who heard the Evidence thought good in Iustice to grant his reprieve It became not his Conscience now to condemn him seeing he never heard the Evidence at all And that it was part of his Oath to do right notwithstanding the Kings letters 18. Edward 3. This man therefore the King owned to be a wise learned and just Judge for though he might perhaps have given just Iudgment it could not be true Iustice. Licet aequum statuerit hand aequum fuerit Heretofore Proclamations had been by Queen Elizabeth and King Iames against the excessive repair of persons of quality out of the Country to London by neglecting their duties at home in their respective service to the Common weal the decay of Hospitable Neighborhood and relief of the poor Besides the more room made for them crowded the Mechanick and Trades-men into narrow habitations and dear rents pestering most houses with Inmates Infections and sickness the Country Towns and Burroughs unpeopled trade decayed But these commands not obeyed The wisdom of State was assured that the cause taken away the effects would follow The restraint of New-buildings might necessitate the Gentry to keep to the Country for want of lodgings at easie rates in London And such as should be were prescribed heretofore a form of Brick upright to save Timber so much wanting and to beautifie the streets incroached upon with bay windows and eaves hanging over that even joyned with the opposite Neighbour upon old or new foundations a Custome of freedom in after times of loose liberty which destroys the beauty of buildings And now necessity enforcing a farther Obedience this proclamation hath these Limitations No new buildings in London or two miles about but upon old foundations And such as have been erected within five years last past contrary to former Proclamations which were to be pulled down shall nevertheless be disposed by Officers appointed for tenements to the poor or for their benefit and hereafter offending to be pull'd down No House to be divided hereafter into several Tenements nor any Inmates received to make another family These prohibitions were referred to the Aldermen and Iustices of Peace and this was in October 1607. When the plague ceased and the fresh gang of the Countrey came huddling to keep Christmass at London Our Caluminator that swells his Book with malitious observations and false quotations refers this to 7. Iac. 1609. and belyes the restriction to be pulled down though says he not taken notice of in seven years after for this Proclamation commands the Aldermen and Iustices in their diligent view perambulation and inquiry to certifie the Kings Council every Term or their neglect to be censured punished and removed from the Peace as unworthy Whereby says he many not heeding the Proclamation laid out their whole Estates upon little Hovels and building fair houses upon new foundations must either purchase them anew or pull them down and both to their ruine Name me one that was repurchased Indeed such as offended in this last were to be fined or pulled down And truly the commands were so necessary so wholesome so beautifull and so exemplarily publick that very few offended and such as did deserved due punishment yet this is scored upon the King as a Crime in State which he foresaw would come to pass as now in these days we finde the effects to be pitied the very ruine of this City and Suburbs The Lord Treasurer Dorset died suddenly at the Council-table his Disease an Apoplexy which gave way to Cecil Earl of Salisbury to succeed him Treasurer this Dorset was Thomas Sackvile Son and Heir of Sir Richard Sackvile of Buckhurst who came from the Temple a Barrester and was created Baron Buckhurst by Queen Elizabeth and by King Iames Earl of Dorset 1605. and Knight of the Garter About this time a further discovery was made in Scotland concerning the truth of Gowry's Treason by Attainder of another of the Conspiratours The Treason was attempted the fourth of August 1600. as before remembered and though there followed sundry Suspitions and Examinations of several persons supposed Abettors and Contrivers then yet it lay undiscovered tanquam e post liminio untill this time eight years after by the circumspection principally of the Earl of Dunbar a man of as great wisdom as those times and that Nation could boast of upon the person of one George Sprot Notary publick at Aymouth in Scotland from some words of his sparingly and unawares expressed and some Papers found in his house whereof being examined with little ado he confessed and was condemned and executed at Edenburgh 12. August 1608. A Relation I conceive not common but in my hands to be produced and written by that learned Gentleman
This Redemption I crave not as to my own person but with your benesits once given nor do I assume them very deep for I have voluntarily departed from the hopes of my Pension Place Office I onely cleave to that which is so little as that it will suffer no paring or diminution And as in my former Letters so by this I humbly crave of your Majesty not to let the practices of Court work upon your Son the Prince not fearing the sufferance of my loss in that particular so much for I cannot lose it but willingly all with it as for to take off the stage that which in the attempt may prove inconvenient And consider I pray your Majesty that my hope in desiring to pass these bad times was to be restored to my fortunes others are made unhappy by me if otherwise and then I lose my end I speak of impairing of changing or supplying as of any other way all such alterations and ruine are alike without I be worthy of your gift and that I can be worthy of all that Law can permit you to give or cast upon your Majesty by a more nearer Title as it doth by this I shall account them equal evils that leave nothing or a patched and proportioned one changed or translated from one thing to another But if your Majesty have any respects to move you to suspend your good towards me let that which is mine rest in your own hands till that you finde all opposite humours conformed to your purpose I have done wrong to my self thus to entertain such a doubt of your Majesty but the unrelenting of adversaries which when you will have them will sooner alter and that all this while I have received nothing of present notice for direction or to comfort me from your Majesty hath made me to expostulate with my self thus hardly for God is my Iudg Sir I can never be worthy to be if I have these marks put upon me of a Traitor as that tumbling and disordering of that estate would declare the divorce from your presence laies too much upon me and this would upon both I will say no further neither in that which your Majesty doubted my aptness to fall into for my cause nor my confidence is not in that distress as for to use that mean of intercession nor of any thing besides but to remember your Majesty that I am the workmanship of your hands and bear your stamp deeply imprinted in all the characters of favour that I was the first Plant ingrafted by your Majesties hand in this place therefore not to be unrootod by the same hand lest it should taint all the same kinde with the touch of that fatalness and that I was even the Son of a Father whose Services are registred in the first Honours and impressions I took of your Majesties favour and laid there as a Foundation-stone of that building These and your Majesties goodness for to receive them is that I rely upon praying for your Majesties prosperity I am in all humbleness Your Majesties loyal Servant and Creature R. Somerset I should not trouble you with the Marriage of the Lady Arabella Stuart and Sir William St Maure or Seymer both of kin to the Crown she by the Earl of Lenox in Scotland as I have before said 1577. and he Grandchilde to the third Son and the Heir of the Earl of Hartford created by Henry 8. whose Sister he married 1537. and by Edward 6. made Duke of Somerset and his Protector who stiled himself Edward by the grace of God Duke of Somerset Earl of Hartford Viscount Beauchamp Lord Seymer Uncle to the Kings Highness of England Governour of the Kings Person Protector of all his Realms Dominions and Subjects Lieutenant General of his Majesties Armies both by Sea and Land Lord high Treasurer and Earl Marshal of England Governour of the Isles of Gernsey and Jersey and Knight of the most honourable Order of the Garter and bears Gules two Wings conjoyned in Fess Or. Yet all these Honours rather helped him forwards to hop headless for Felony His third Son Edward was restored to the Earldom I Eliz. and this William his Heir And thus near the Crown in all Sovereignties are needfull to be narrowly lookt into for Marriage Queen Elizabeth did so at a farther distance of danger and her Father made it Treason in his time I say I should forbear more mention but that our Detractor begins at her Death in the Tower where she was imprisoned though her Husband escaped and says That it set mens tongues and fears a work that she went the same way having almost in his last words before told the story of Overbury impoysoned in the Tower by which he now enforces belief That her Death was so done for the Kings interest when in truth she died a year before in September 1615. There happened occasion at Common Pleas to dispute the Kings power in Commendams The Church being void and in his gift whether he might give a Commendam to a Bishop either before or after his Consecration during life or for years It was argued by Serjeant Chibborn against the King That the translation of Bishops was against the Common Law his Text was the Canons of the Council of Sardis That the King had no power to grant Commendams but necessitate That there would be no necessity because no need of augmentation of Livings No man being bound to be more hospitable than his means afforded And much more argument tending to overthrow the Kings Prerogative in cases of Commendams This case was to be farther argued in the Kings absence by all the Judges which he thought to protract untill they consulted with him and so commanded his Attourney General to signifie by Letters his pleasure to all the Judges The Judges notwithstanding at the day argue the Case and return answer by Letter to the King That they held those Letters to be contrary to Law and such as they could not obey by Oath and therefore had proceeded at the day appointed setting down the Case to be upon construction of two Acts of Parliament 25 Edward 3. and of 25 Henry 8. and now between Subjects for private interest and Inheritance That their Oath is That in case any Letter come to them contrary to Law they are not to obey them but to proceed to Iustice. And so they did the last Term 27. April 1616. The Judges subsign Cook Hobert Tansield Warburton Snâ—g Altham Bromley Crook Winch Dodderidg Nicols and Houghton The King returns them answer by Letter Reporting himself to their own knowledg his princely care for justice to be duly administred to his Subjects with all expedition and how far he was from crossing or delaying the interests of private persons But on the other side where the case concerned the high Powers and Prerogatives of his Crown he would not indure to have them wounded through the sides of a private person admonishing them of an
continue yet to loose time And now of late upon our gratious Answer make more delay in appointing a Committee to consider of the points of our Answer concerning their privileges You shall tell them that to lessen mis-spent time we shall descend to explain our meaning Concerning what we said Not to allow of the stile Their antient and undoubted right of Inheritance which we wished that they had said Were derived from grace and permission of our Ancestours and Us for most of them grow from Presidents a Toleration rather than Inheritance And the plain truth is we cannot endure Subjects to use such Anti-Monarchical words to us except subjoined with acknowledgement of grace and favor from us Yet we never meant to deny them lawful privileges as in former times nor what they have right unto or hy Grace now and so we made that distinction either by Law or Statute or long Custom or lawful Presidents and so we shall maintain them in their Rights Therefore advises them to set afide wrangling and proceed to that which is fit for the weal of his Crown and Kingdom otherwise their curious shifts maliciously from time to time found out to frustrate the Kings good purposes to his Subjects will come to light and the Authors not thankfully rewarded Royston Decemb. 16. 1621. All these three several Admonitions of the Kings take no effect for any obedience to follow and therefore the King desirous not to dissolve them without some fruit addresses another Letter to the Speaker Richardson Mr. Speaker Whereas at the humble suite of Our House of Commons we made this Meeting a Session before Christmasse and so till Saturday next and by our Letters to take away mistakings we explained Our selves in points af their privileges and all to little purpose for preparing things necessary for a Session We think good once more to impart our mind that for the Reasons reiterated we have an earnest desire to make it a Session free pardon to the Subjects and good Laws to be passed as they have had both by the unusual examples of Iustice and â—ase and comforts by Proclamation The passing of the Subsidie the continuance of Statutes and the pardon being the most pressing to be effected and the pardon on his part now drawing up So it concerns them the Act for the Statutes And as for the Subsidie though time presses let that be no prejudice if left undon For on Saturday next he expects their performance that so they may go home to their habitations Theobalds December 17. 1921. Nor does this any more prevail but comes to be excused by way of Petition The Parliament return Thanks and Petition May it please your Most Excellent Majesty We the Knights Citizens â—nd Burgesses c. after your Majesties Letter read this morning full of grace and goodness do return our most humble and hearty thanks c. And though we have been desirous to have some good Laws passed and a Session before Christmass yet entering into serious Consideration of those things to be prepared and the straitness of time They humbly submit to the Kings Wisdom for their departure and for their re-access to perfect what is begun The Kings Reply The King returns them Answer How sorry he was this could not be made a Session Excuses himself by his former Advisoes and layes this blame before them to their face He had given Order to adjourn to the eight of February next And omits not to tell them that he expects other thanks then as they sent to him for his promises to maintain their privileges so often contained in his answers and letters explained and inlarged But for all that the King heard nothing though this message was delivered to them the next Morning and having plotted a Thin House and a late hour six a clock at night in December not a third part of their number They enter a Protestation for their Liberties in such dubious manner as may and did for the future serve to invade most of the Rights and Prerogatives annexed to the Crown for grounding the claim of their Privileges upon the Words in the Writ of Assembling the Contrivers of that Protestation craftily mentioned Super arduis Regni Negotiis but of purpose left out Quibusdam which restrains that generality to such particular cases as the King consults with them upon and the uncontroled customes of all times manifest For the King or Chancelour usually declares what things those Quibusdam are wherein he craves their advice and assistance And upon all which undutiful Protestation the King is justly occasioned to publish his pleasure for dissolution of this Parliament by Proclamation to this effect A PROCLAMATION for the dissolving the Parliament ALBEIT the assembling continuing and dissolving of Parliaments be a Prerogative peculiar to our Imperial Crown yet We are pleased to acquaint our good Subjects with the reasons of all Our publick Resolutions and actions intending to have made this the happiest Parliament in our time without imputing however to the Major part of the Members any want of their duty as hath been mutually exprest from either party Beginning in January with good harmony betwixt us so as many ages past could not parallell the like Their love to us our Iustice to them extended not only to private persons but even upon the prime Officer of Our Kingdome we found notwithstanding they mispent time in cavils yet we gave longer time continuing the Session till the eight and twentieth day of May then the Recess till the fourth of June Expressing that our Progress approaching the necessity of our Council to attend us the disfurnishing our Courts of Iustice so many Terms and the long absence of Iustices of Peace and deputy Lieatenants from their necessary duties in the Countrey Then we sent them word we would hear and answer all businesses at an appointed time They are notwithstanding in jealousie and expressed discontent yet made not their address to us and thereof we signified our pleasure to both Houses The Lords submitted to our Resolutions passed the Act for some especial Bills with commendation to the Commons which they neglect We therefore continued the Session for a Fortnight longer Our self in person offered to the Lords the passing Bills had thanks from them which the Commons the same day refuse The Grievances of England and Ireland though not presented to us were rectified by Proclamations in both Realms But during this time of Recess we mediated with the Emperour by Our Ambassadour Digby upon promise of assistance of Parliament in case that failed then we reassemble the twentieth of November and made known in particular all the transactions abroad yet some Members took inordinate liberty to treat of Our prerogative not fit to be medled withall of which we gave them warning And so reciting all the particular passages before-mentioned And therefore concludes whereas the Assembly of Parliament was adjourned untill the eight of February now next