challenge a privacy from all who are not wholly barbarous Which very Words begin his Chapter occasion'd by the Parliaments publishing his Letters taken at Edge-Hill fight IX Mrs. Ellen Spanne formerly Wife of the Reverend Mr. Edward Symonds Rector of Rayne deposes in substance That about the year 48 she saw her Husband Mr. Symonds reading some Papers writ in a hand she did not know and thereupon she asked him whose they were and he told her with some caution that they were the Kings and that he must get them printed which she declares her Husband told Dr. Bathurst his Physician who importuned him to declare the truth in that matter as he her Husband was upon his death Bed he did and that it was intirely the King's Book he having printed it just as it came from the King without Addition or Diminution And this she attests under her hand to be the truth and that she verily believes Icon Basilike to be the King 's tho she was told by one Mr. Robinson behind the Exchange that it would be for her advantage to say that her Husband was the Author of it Ellen Spanne Sign'd Feb. 15. 91 2. in the Presence of Rich. Hughes Tho. Spanne The Substance of a Letter from Dr Canaries now in the hands of Mr. Wagstaff X. Mr. James Wood being sent by the Kirk of Scotland to treat with King Charles the II. at Breda that King took him aside and said Mr. Wood I hear that some are pleased to say that my Father was not the Author of Icon Basilike but it is no great wonder that those who have been so injurious to him in all other respects should not spare his Memory in an Affair of this Nature however I will let you see how great a Calumny this is Whereupon the King took Mr. Wood into his Closet with him and there he shew'd him the whole Book written all in his Fathers hand together with a Letter from his Father concerning it to him then the King said But Mr. Wood that you may not entertain any scruple about the hand here are several of my fathers Letters to me all written in his own hand take any of them and compare the hands together So Mr. Wood compar'd the hands and then said to the King That he was fully convinc'd that the Book and the Letter about it were all written in his Fathers hand Upon which the King said to him Now Mr. Wood I appeal to you whether or no my Father would have ever written over a Book that was not his own and have sent such a Letter to me about it Mr. Wood answer'd that he was highly oblig'd to his Majesty for the honour he had done him in having shew'd him such Authentick proof of his Father's being the Author of that Book he had indeed heard that some persons did question it but now he was so parswaded of the truth of it that he thought himself oblig'd in conscience to do the King his Father justice by vindicating his Memory in that point as he should have any occasion for doing it After Mr. Wood's return to Scotland he told my Father who was very intimate with him That he was as much convinced that King Charles the First was the Auhor of that Book as he could be that one was the Author of a Book which he had not seen him write This account I had many times from my Father and in the Words and Circumstances wherein I have set it down as near as I can possibly remember And as to what concerns my share in this Testimony namely that I had it from my Father I am ready to depose it upon Oath before any Court of Judicature in the World whensoever I shall be called to do it And Sir I allow you to make any use of this you shall think convenient Abingdon in Berks July 17th 1693. I am Sir your most humble Servant JAMES CANRIES The Substance of a Letter from Mr. Le Pla Minister of Finchingfield to Dr. Goodall Nov. 27. 1696. XI Sir William Allen Servant to Dr. Gauden during the Civil Wars and afterwards married to one of the Drs. Family gave me this following account of his own knowledge touching the King's Book He said most people thought his Master to be the Author of it or to that purpose I told him I could never believe it for some reasons I then gave him Whereupon he smiled and told me He believed he could say more to that business than any man besides him for that Dr. Gauden told him he had borrowed the Book and was oblig'd to return it by such a time That besides what other time he might imploy in it he sat up one whole night to transcribe it That he William Allen sat up in the Chamber with him to wait upon him to make his fires and snuff his Candles This I am ready to depose if required I think he said the Book was borrowed of Mr. Symonds of Rayne one of the Kings Chaplains but it being some time ago I cannot be so positive in that and several other Circumstances as I should have been had I suspected his death so nigh One thing I had forgot viz. That to my knowledge Allen could read and write very well and so could not easily be deceived either in the Book or in his Masters hand tho' the Doctor had not told him that it was none of his XII Mr. Richard Duke's Letter to Dr. Charles Goodall June 15. 1692 in these Words Sir I heard Major Huntington say more than once That whilest he Guarded Charles I. at Holmby-house as I remember he saw several Chapters or Leaves of that great Kings Meditations lying on the Table several Mornings with a Pen and Ink with which the King scratched out or blotted some lines or words of some of them Upon which I must also confess that I concluded they were originally from the King but others have drawn a contrary Argument from the King 's correcting the Papers yet I put this under my Hand that the Major told me that he did suppose them originally from that learned Prince Which is the totum that can be intimated from Sir your humble Servant RICHARD DUKE XIII To the same purpose Mr. Cave Beck in a Letter to Dr. Hollingworth thus Major Huntington at Ipswich assured me that so much of Icon Basilike as contained his Majesty's Meditations before Navesby Fight was taken in the Kings Cabinet and that Sir Tho. Fairfax delivered the said papers unto him and ordered him to carry them to the King and also told me that when he delivered them to the King his Majesty appear'd very joyful and said He esteem'd them more than all the Iewels he had lost in the Cabinet XIV Which Testimonies are recapitulated by Sir William Dugdale a most faithful Historian in his short view of the late troubles in England p. 380. To which large full and particular account of his I refer the Reader XV. Besides these there are the
Testimonies of two Authors Eye and Ear witnesses of Charles I. his being Author of Icon Basilike who in the year 49 immediately after Milton's Iconoclastes and other Pamphlets came out writ in Vindication of the K's Book and were never answer'd their Assertations being then taken as full proof of the matter of Fact The one Intituled Icon be piste has these remarkable Words The Author viz. of Icon alethine a virulent pamphlet might have informed himself of divers who have seen the Original Copy manuscribed by the King himself he might have seen it himself for asking And afterwards I take it to be the Kings Book I am sure of it I knew his hand I have seen the Manuscript I have heard him own it The other was the Author of a Book call'd the Princely Pelican writ on purpose as he says to satisfie the world that the King was Author of Icon Basilike In p. 4. he has these Words He the King was pleased some few days after he had retired from his Parliament to communicate his thoughts in his Garden at Theobald 's to some of his Gentlemen who were nearest to him and of whose intimacy and abilities he stood most confident how he had set pen to paper to vindicate his innocency in the first place by shewing the Reasons he had of receding from the Parliament and that not so much as one line had fallen from his pen which with Honour he might not confirm And then told us his next Essay should take its discourse from the faithfullest Servant and most incomparable Statesman that any Prince could rely on meaning the E. of Strafford and then gives us the Kings particular discourse condemning himself for suffering his hand to thwart the resolution of his heart c. And particularly writes at large the Discourses of his Attendants on that Subject with his Majesty He tells us further p. 19. that the King told him that as his morning Devotions took up the first part of the day so he ever reserved the next for these Meditations he had now in hand The Author yet further tells us p. 21. That at Navesby those Divine Meditations were siezed by the Enemy with other Papers of concern being inclosed in a Cabinet reserved for that purpose and that by the Benignity of the Conqueror or Divine Providence rather it was recovered above all Expectance and returned to his Majesty's hand and which infinitely cheered him And further p. 22. That a Person of high Command in the Rebel Army gave this censure of it Saying It was an Handsome piece of Hypocrisie XVI To these are added usually some Expressions Drawn from the Book it self which show that no man Living but the King himself could write it but being too many to insert here I shall refer the Reader to a Book intituled The Vindication of King Charles the Martyr for satisfaction in that Point WITNESSES for Dr. Gauden I. Dr. Gauden's Wife who is said to have left behind her some Papers in which the following account they say is found 1st a Letter to my Lord Chancellor Hyde Decemb. 28. 1661 and a Copy of a Petition to the King setting forth how kind he had been to his Fathers Friends and urging That what was done as a King should have a King-like Retribution Another Letter there is to the Duke of York dated Jan. 17. 1661. urging his great Services As also a Letter from the Lord Chancellor Hyde to the Bishop of the Chancellor's Hand-writing dated March. 13. 1661. Importing the Receit of several Letters from him that he was uneasie under the Bishops importunity And towards the Close hath this expression The particular you mention has indeed been imparted to me as a Secret I am sorry I ever knew it and when it ceases to be a Secret it will please none but Mr. Milton Among these Papers there is said to be A Letter of Mrs. Gauden's after the Death of her Husband to her Son John Gauden in which she speaks of the Book commonly called the King's Book and calls it the Jewel and adds Her Husband hoped to make a Fortune by it and wonders it should be doubted whether her Husband wrote it but says she has a Letter of a very great Man to clear it up There is also said to be a long Narrative of Mrs. Gauden's Hand-writing shewing that her Husband wrote the Book and sent it to her Son with the Letter This Narrative sets forth that after her Husband had wrote the Book he shewed it to the Lord Capel who approved it and was for the Printing it but wished the King might have a sight of it that an opportunity was taken to convey it to his Majesty by the Lord Marquess of Hertford when he went to the Treaty at the Isle of Wight That the Marquess after his return from thence told her Husband that he gave the Book to the King and his Majesty did well like it but was for putting of it out not as his own but anothers but it being urged that Cromwel and others of the Army having got a Reputation with the People for Parts and Piety it would do best to be in the King's name His Majesty took time to consider of it That her Husband not hearing the King's Pleasure about it and finding Dangers hastning on him he having kept a Copy by him sent it by one Mr. Symonds to the Press together with a Letter That Mr. Royston was the Printer but did not know but the King wrote it That part was seized in the Press together with her Husband's Letter and Mr. Symonds was taken That nevertheless the Work was carried on and finished a few days after his Majesty's Death that when it was Published the Parliament was inraged and her Husband conceiving his Life and Estate in danger fled to Sir John Wentworth's near Yarmouth intending thence to pass the Seas but Mr. Symonds falling sick and dying and her Husband not being discovered he altered his purpose and returned home That the Title first intended was Suspiria Regalia but changed to Icon Basilike and that there were two Chapters added That the Marquess of Hertford and the Lord Capel Bishop Duppa and Bishop Morley were at first the only persons privy to it That Dr. Duppa Bishop of Winchester being very sick her Husband went to the King and acquainted him that he was the Author of that Book and for the truth thereof appealed to Bishop Duppa his Majesty's Tutor who was yet living and made an Apology for Printing it without his Majesty's Father's Order or his but pleaded the Circumstances of Time and the King's Danger that his Majesty told her Husband That till then he never knew that he wrote it but thought it was his Father's yet wondred how he could have time and observed that it was wrote like a Scholar as well as like a King and said if it had been published sooner it might have saved his Fathers life that at the same time the King gave him a
Alter AMYNTOR Or the Case fairly Stated between King CHARLES I. and Dr. GAUDEN Mr. Wagstaff and Mr. Toland touching Icon Basilike With short Notes WITNESSES for the KING The Substance of a Letter from Mr. William Levet Senior Page of the Bedchamber to King Charles I. during his Solitude to Seymour Bourman Esq in Lincolns-Inn-Fields Dear Brother I. YOurs of the 21 of this Instant April I received and one Letter before that to the same effect viz. To give you a true account of my knowledge of Icon Basilike's being composed by King Charles I. I can of my certain Knowledge depose that that Book was truly his own having observed his Majesty oftentimes writing his Royal Resentments of the bold and insolent Behaviour of his Soldiers his Rebellious Subjects when they had him in their Custody I waited on his Majesty as Page of the Bed-chamber in Ordinary during all the time of his Solitudes except when I was forced from him and especially being nominated by his Majesty to be one of his Servants among others that should attend him during the Treaty at Newport in the Isle of Wight had the happiness to read the same oftentimes in Manuscript under his Majesty's own hand being pleased to leave it in the Window in his own Bed-chamber where I was always obliged to attend his Majesties coming thither From Savernack Park near Marlbrough April 29. 1691. Your Affectionate Brother to serve you WILLIAM LEVET II. This Testimony is further confirm'd by another of his in the possession of his Son Fellow of Exeter College in Oxon in these Words If any one has a desire to know the true Author of a Book intituled Icon Basilike I one of the Servants of King Charles I. in his Bed-chamber do declare when his said Majesty was Prisoner in the Isle of Wight that I read over the above mentioned Book which was long before the same was Printed in his Bed-chamber writ with his Majesties own hand with several Interlinings Morever his Majesty King Charles the I. told me Sure Levet you design to get this Book by heart having often seen me reading of it I can testifie also that Royston the Printer told me that he was imprison'd by Oliver Cromwel the Protector because he would not declare that K C. I. was not the Author of the said Book Signed and Sealed October 16. 1690 WILLIAM LEVET III. Mr. Long who was Prebendary of Exeter when Dr. Gauden was Bishop of that See and continues still Prebendary there declares in his Examination of Dr. Walker's Account That he has often heard Dr. Gauden when Bishop of Exeter affirm that he was fully convinced that Icon Basilike was intirely King Charles I 's Work And mentions one Particular time viz. on the 30 of January in the Evening in the Bishops Parlour standing by the fire This discourse was occasion'd by the Bishop's having preached in the morning of that Day on Jonah 1.14 and Mr. Long in the Afternoon on Isa 49.23 on vvhich occasion Mr. Long quoted several passages out of Icon Basilike to shew the Piety and Clemency of K. C I. for which the Bishop thank'd him and then declared as above This single Testimony utterly destroys whatever Dr. Gauden says to the Contrary as also what Mrs. Gauden Dr. Walker or the Memorandum say they pretending to have received ail they say from Dr Gauden only The Substance of a Memorial sent to Mr. Wagstaff by Mr. Cudworth IV. Sir in a Manuscript of Sir Tho. Herbert now in the Hands of Madam Edmonds of Worsbrough in Yorkshire there is an account that he having been one of the Grooms of his Majesty's Bed-chamber he took particular notice or most of his Majesty's behaviour during his Solitude and he tells you that his Majesty gave him some Books and among the rest the MS. Copy of Icon Basilike writ with his own hand which he knew very well V. The Testimony of Richard Royston the Kings Bookseller is this That the October before the King viz. K. C. I. sent a message to him to prepare all things ready for the printing some papers which he purposed shortly after to convey to him and which was this very Copy of Icon Basilike brought the twenty third of December next following VI. The Testimony of Mr Thomas Milbourn printer in Jew-Inn-street now living is That in the year 48. he was an Apprintice to John Grisman a p inter when Mr. Symonds by Mr Royston sent the King's Book to be printed and that his Master did print it That Mr. Symonds alvvys had the name of sending it to the press that it came to them as from the King and they understood it no otherwise that they had printed several other things with C. R. to them and that it look'd to them like the same hand and the same sort of paper with others that were so mark'd and look'd upon as the King's papers for the King kept the Original by him and Mr. Odert the Secretary transcribed them VII To the same part of with Mr. Milbourn Testifies Mr. Clifford now living at the Chapter house at St Paul's who assisted Mr. Milbourn in the printing it with this farther addition That the King intitled his Book the Royal Plea but Dr. Jeremiah Taylor coming accidentally to Mr. Royston's Shop he having an assured confidence in him shewed him the first proof from the press which when the Dr. Viewed under that title he told him the Title would betray the Book That Dr Tayor wrote to the King to let him know that it would be in Danger of Suppressing by two Informers Chrisenham and Jones who would understand the Book by the Title and therefore he thought Icon Basilike would be a better Title and less taken notice of by the Informers being Greek and agreeing with the Title of his fathers Book call'd Basilikon Doron and to which the King consented and adds farther That he never heard nay that he is sure that Dr. Gauden never was concern'd in that Copy by which Milbourne and himself printed it and that they had no part of the Copy from Dr Walker for it was that transcribed by Mr Odert the King's Secretary they printed it by VIII Mr. Barry Councellor of Grays-inn in a Letter to a friend dated April 28. 1699. has a Memorable Story which in substance is this That Sir William Morton told him that King Charles I. marching his Army near Stow in Gloucestershire upon an occasion too long here to relate gave Sir William who was then a Colonel under him and afterwards a Judge a paper out of his Pocket to write an Order upon to Sir William Vavasor upon which were writ the following words with the King 's own hand As to the Rebels taking of my Letters as it was an advantage they could not well expect so they knew not how with civility to use for always amidst the greatest advantages are the greatest obligations and such should I have esteemed the concealment of my Letters which
promise of the Bishoprick of Winchester That he afterwards acquainted the Duke of York that he was the Author c. This is the Summ and Substance of Mrs. Gauden 's Evidence II. The next is Dr. Walker the Substance of whose Evidence is as follows 1st That Dr. Gauden sometime before the whole was finished acquainted him with his Design and shew'd him the Heads of divers Chapters and some of the Discourses written of them and after sometime spent in the perusal he asked his Opinion concerning it and he Dr. Walker told him he supposed it would be for the King's Reputation but he expresly added he stuck at the Lawfulness of it and ask'd him how he satisfied himself to impose upon the World To which he reply'd Look upon the Title 't is the pourtraicture c. and no man draws his own Picture c. That he explained to him a passage in the Second Chapter and that he meant it of Dr. Jaxon 2 That he went with Dr. Gauden to the Bishop of Salisbury's and as they came back Dr. Gauden told him the Bishop had promised to write two Chapters more to be added to the Book viz. that on the Ordinance against the Common Prayer and the denying his Majesty the Attendance of his Chaplains 3. Upon Dr. Walker's asking Dr. Gauden after the King was murdered whether the King had ever seen the Book Dr. Gauden answered I know it certainly no more than you but I used I my best Endeavours that he might for I delivered a Copy of it to the Marquess of Hertford when he went to the treaty at the Isle of Wight and intreated his Lordship if he could obtain any private Opportunity he would deliver it to his Majesty and humbly desire to know his Majesty's Pleasure concerning it But the violence which threatned the King hastning so fast he ventured to print it and never knew what was the issue of sending it for when the thing was done he judged it not prudent to make further noise about it by enquiry 4. Dr. Walker asking him And adds in a Parenthess For we seldom were in private but somewhat was discoursed of this Book even to the last time I saw him after he was Lord Bishop of Worcester elect whether King Charles II. knew that he wrote it He answered I cannot positively and certainly say he doth because he was never pleased to take express notice of it to me but I take it for granted he doth for I am sure the Duke of York doth for he hath spoken of it to me and owned it as a seasonable and acceptable service and he knowing it I question not but the King also doth 5. Mrs. Gauden the Drs. Wife Mr. Gifford and Dr. Walker believed it as much as they could believe any thing and were as much assured of it as 't is possible they could be of any matter of fact 6. Dr. Gauden delivered to him with his own hand what was last sent up after part was printed or at least in Mr Royston's hand to be printed and after he had shevved it him and sealed it up gave him caution to deliver it which he did on Saturday December 23. 48. in the Evening according to direction to one Peacock Brother to Dr. Gauden's Steward who was instructed by vvhat hands to deliver it to Mr. Royston and in the same manner as the Impression vvas finish'd he receiv'd six Books by the hand of Peacock as an acknovvledgement and one of them he hath still by him III. King Charles II. and the Duke of York did both in the last Session of of Parliament 1675. when I shewed them in the Lords House the written Copy of this Book vvherein are some Corrections vvritten with the late K. Charles I's ovvn hand assure me that this vvas none of the said King 's compiling but made by Dr. Gauden Bishop of Exeter which I here insert for the undeceiving others in this point by attesting so much under my hand ANGLESEY As to this Memorandum no man that has not bid an utter defiance to reason can believe it to have been written by my Lord Anglesey 1. Because my Lord who understood as well as any man living what would pass for good Evidence would never have left it unattested and with so uncertain a Date if he had design'd to undeceive the World by it as the Memorandum pretends 2. If he had design'd to undeceive the World he would not have taken such extraordinary care to hide it from the World as appears by his never having communicated it to his Countess His Children his Relations his Friends nor any Body else that we can hear of but hiding it in the vacant Page of a Book and then putting it up again into its place in his Study leaving it to ten thousand chances whether it should ever be seen or no and indeed I verily believe had any body beside Mr. Millington had the selling my Lords Liberary it never had been seen But it Mr. Millington will Pardon me I will offer one probable conjecture why he might be more diligent in finding it out than any body else It might be to remove part of the Odium which lies upon the Name by his Gilbert Millington's having been one of the Judges of the High Court of Justice and who was present at the Tryal and Condemnation of King Charles I. Author of Icon Basilike for which after the Restoration he was try'd and receiv'd sentence of Death Lastly To asperse the memory of K. Charles I. it has been alledged that Pamela's Prayer is taken word for word out of Pembroke's Arcadia To which it has been answer'd That it was not in the first Editions of the Book and therefore could not be Printed by the King's order But that one Dugard a friend of Milton's being taken printing the Book which was at that time a very high crime made his application to Milton who together with Bradshaw told him they would procure his Pardon and Liberty provided he would put Pamela's Prayer into it which accordingly he did and was set free and this is attested by Dr. Bernard and Dr. Gill. who had it from one Mr. Hill Printer to Oliver and the Army And Mr. Hooker Corrector in 1648 to Mr. Dugard's Press deposed before Mr. W ff March 30 91. Trat Icon Basilike was Printed at Mr. Dugard's Press and that he Mr. Hooker corrected the same That Mr. Dugard being known was thrown into Prison and turn'd out of his Place of Merchant Taylors School and that Mr. Hooker to save himself went to Travel for several Years Yet such is the Infatuation of some people that they are sure King Charles I. could not be the Author of Icon Basilike but strenuously assert him to have made use of this Prayer and that he caused it to be Printed For this only reason as may be supposed That the first would redound to his Reputation the Letter to his Disgrace Short NOTES upon the Evidence for Dr. GAUDEN 1. Mr.