the people tired with expectation of such a cure do usually by degrees forget the sharpnesse of those diseases which before required it or else in the redressing of many and long disorders and to secure them for the future there being for the most part a necessity of laying heavy Taxes and draining of much Money from the people they grow extreamly sensible of that present smart feeling more paine by the Cure for a time then they did by the lingring disease before not considering that the causes of all which they now indure were precedent and their present suffering is for their future security It was the generall opinion of all Gentlemen at that time That a Parliament so much and long desired as this was after so great and constant a violation of the Lawes and Liberties of England in the Kings former Government could scarce in possibility ever grow into the dislike of the people or at least so great a part of the people as might be able which within one yeare was after seene to make a Warre against it and indanger the utter ruine and subversion of it But I have spoken before of some causes which might seeme strong enough to ingage a part of the people against the Parliament whose particular interests and livelihoods were neerely touched how farre any proceeding might distaste others who were uninterested in their private fortunes or callings I cannot tell any certaine reason But I remember within the compasse of a yeare after when this Civill Warre began to breake out over all the Kingdom and men in all companies began to vent their opinions in an argumentative way either opposing or defending the Parliament Cause and Treatises were printed on both sides Many Gentlemen who forsooke the Parliament were very bitter against it for the proceedings in Religion in countenancing or not suppressing the rudenesse of people in Churches which I related before acting those things which seemed to be against the Discipline of the English Church and might introduce all kindes of Sects and Schismes Neither did those of the Parliament side agree in opinions concerning that point some said it was wisely done of the Parliament not to proceed against any such persons for feare of losing a considerable party as is said before Others thought and said That by so doing they would lose a farre more considerable party of Gentlemen then could be gained of the other They also affirmed That Lawes and Liberties having been so much violated by the King if the Parliament had not so farre drawne Religion also into their cause it might have sped better for the Parliament frequently at that time in all their expressions whensoever they charged the corrupt Statesmen of injustice and Tyranny would put Popery or a suspition of it into the first place against them I remember when the Warre was begun among those little Treatises which were then published as many there were without any names to them I found one in which the case is thus expressed to recite the words of it Perchance saith he too much insisting upon Religion and taxing the King for affecting Popery hath by accident weakened the Parliament and brought Parties to the King It may seeme a great Paradox that the best and onely necessary of all things Religion being added into the scale of Lawes and Liberties should make the scale lighter then before Neither can it be true but by accident as thus The strange intercourse betwixt Rome and the English Court The Kings owne Letters to the Pope His favouring of Priests and such things though they may give a State just cause of susspition that their Religion is undermining Yet because it cannot be so absolutely proved to the sight of all the people that the King favoured Popery as that he violated the Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdome which latter was visible to all the former concerning Religion remaines in the peoples reason as a controverted question the King still protesting for Religion and the disputes about that amusing the People make them by degrees forget that crime of the Kings which was without controversie and evident the violation of Lawes and Liberties And more then so for some supposing that the Parliament unjustly taxed him in Religion did in time believe that he was not so guilty of the other as they would make him which I have heard some of late maintaine From whence may follow a strange conclusion That the Kings dealing so much with Rome to the disadvantage of the Protestant Religion should now turne to his owne advantage in a Protestant Kingdome And we may make this as paradoxicall a supposition That if the King had never done any thing prejudiciall to the Protestant Religion he would have found fewer Protestants this Parliament to take his part For then there being no dispute at all about Religion the crimes of his State mis-government had plainly and inexcusably appeared to all as we have seene that some of our former Kings for the like violation of Lawes and Liberties when there was but one Religion and therefore no dispute about it have been heavily censured in Parliament no man appearing in their justification And why should not a Parliament thinke that such things are cause enough to be stood upon and to justifie their quarrell before God as if the Almighty did not adhorre Injustice Oppression Tyranny and the like in any Kingdome unlesse the prâ—fession of Religion were also depraved Nay he abhorreth it more in that place where the purest profession of Religion is Besides that frequent naming of Religion as if it were the onely quarrell hath caused a great mistake of the question in some by reason of ignorance in others of subtilty whilest they wilfully mistake to abuse the Parliaments Cause writing whole Volumes in a wrong stated case as instead of disputing whether the Parliament of England lawfully assembled where the King virtually is may by Armes defend the Religion established by the same power together with the Lawes and Liberties of the Nation against Delinquents detaining with them the Kings seduced Person They make it the question Whether Subjects taken in a generall notion may make Warre against their King for Religions sake Such was the sense of many Gentlemen at that time which adhered to the Parliament But to proceed in the Narration The Parliament had been of late sensible of the losse of some from them and having detected divers Conspiracies and Machinations of dis-affected people against them and fearing more had in May last â—ramed a Protestation which was solemnly taken by all the Members of both Houses and sent thorow England to be taken by the people the forme of it was in these words I A.B. in the presence of Almighty God promise vow and protest to maintaine and desend as farre as lawfully I may with my life power and estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovotions within this
her own Kingdome by strengthning the hands of Protestants abroad insomuch as she stood at last above the reach of any enemy by open warre and protected by God though often attempted by domestick Treasons and Assasinations till in the end she died in a good old age leaving to her Successor King JAMES the Kingdom of England in an happier condition then ever it was the Kingdome of Ireland wholly subdued and reduced to reap for himselfe the harvest of all her labour and expence and nothing to do for it but to propagate the true Faith in that Kingdome which she prevented by death could not performe and was in probability an easie taske for King JAMES at that time much conducing besides the honour of God to his owne Temporall strength and greatnesse if he had onely gone fairely on in that way which Queene ELIZABETH had made plaine for him The Prosperity of England seemed then at the height or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it pleases God that States many times shall decline from their happinesse without any apparent signes to us or reasons that we can give as a Heathen complaines Oh faciles dare summa Deos eademque tueri Difficiles Lucan How easie are the Gods to raise States high But not to keepe them so These things have made some high-reaching Writers impute the raising and declination of Kingdomes and Common-wealths to certaine aspects of heavenly Constellations to Conjunctions and Oppositions of Planets and various Ecclipses of Celestiall Luminaries others to an hidden strength and secret efficacy of Numbers themselves and most men to the perpetuall Rotation of fortune but the judgements of God in those things are past our finding out and they are too wise who are not content sometimes to wonder For King JAMES the Successour to Queene ELIZABETH was a wise and learned Prince of disposition mercifull and gracious excellently grounded in that Religion which he professed as the world may finde by his extant writings a Prince of whom England conceived wonderfull hope and received with great joy and Triumph but he did not beginne where his Predecessor left proceeding rather in a contrary way what the reasons of it were I will not at all presume to deliver my opinion though some have beene bold to write and publish of late yeeres that it was feare for his own Person that made him to temporize with Rome considering the boldnesse of Jesuiticall Assasines others more candidly conceived it might be his great desire of peace and union with other Princes though he might erre in the meanes of attaining that end for he was by nature a great seeker of Peace and abhorrer of bloodshed according to that Motto which he ever used Beati Pacifici I cannot search into mens thoughts but onely relate the Actions which appeared King JAMES at the beginning of his Reigne made a Peace with Spaine which was brought very low by Queene ELIZABETH and had beene neerer to ruine in all probability had she lived a few yeares longer the Estates of the united Provinces of the Netherlands those usefull Confederates to England began to be despised by the English Court under a vaine shadow in stead of a reason that they were an ill example for a Monarch to cherish Then began secret Treaties to passe betwixt Rome and the Court of England care to be taken about reconciliation of Religions the rigour of Penall Lawes against the Papists notwithstanding that odious plot of the Gunpowder Treason was abated the pompe of Prelacy and multitude of Ceremonies encreased daily in the Church of England and according to that were all Civill Affaires managed both at home and abroad Neither was it easie for the King to turne himselfe out of that way when he was once entred into it so that at last the Papists began by degrees to be admitted neerer to him in service and conversation Exceeding desirous he then was to match the Prince his Sonne to the Infanta of Spaine about which many and long Treaties passed wherein not onely the Spaniard but the Pope made many present advantages of the Kings earnest desires and many waies deluded him as it appeared plainely by his owne Letters to his Ambassadours there since found and published Thus was the King by degrees brought not onely to forsake but to oppose his owne interest both in civill and religious affaires which was most unhappily seene in that cause as the Duke of ROHAN observed wherein besides the interest of all Protestants and the honour of his Nation the estate and livelihood of his owne children were at the height concerned the Palatinate businesse From hence slowed a farther mischiefe for the King being loath perchance that the whole people should take notice of those waies in which he trod grew extremely dis-affected to Parliaments calling them for nothing but to supply his expences dissolving them when they began to meddle with State Affaires and divers times imprisoning the Members for Speeches made in Parliament against the fundamentall priviledges of that high Court Parliaments being thus despised and abused projects against the Lawes were found out to supply the Kings expences which were not small and the King whether to avoid the envy of those things or the trouble of them did in a manner put off all businesse of Government from himselfe into the hands of a young Favourite the Duke of BUCKINGHAM whom he had raised from a Knights fourth Sonne to that great height and entrusted with the chiefe Offices of the Kingdome besides the great power which he had by that extraordinary favour of confering all places and preferments both in Church and State This Duke not long before the death of King JAMES was growne into extraordinary favour and intirenesse with the Prince whom he afterward swayed no lesse then he had before his father like an unhappy vapour exhaled from the earth to so great an height as to cloud not only the rising but the setting Sunne King CHARLES with great hopes and expectation of the people and no lesse high expressions of love and duty from all in generall began his Reigne on the 27 of March 1624. and indeed that love which the people bare to his Person had been before testified whilest he was yet Prince at his returne from Spaine though the journey it selfe had not beene pleasing to the Kingdome for when the people saw him arrived in safety there needed no publike Edict for thanksgiving or joy every society and private family as if the hearts of all had beene in one did voluntarily assemble themselves together praising God with singing of Psalmes with joyfull feasting and charity to the poore insomuch that I suppose the like consent without any interposing authority hath not been often knowne The same affections followed him to his Throne the same hopes and faire presages of his future Government whilest they considered the temperance of his youth how cleare he had lived from personall vice being growne to the age of 23. how untainted of
the Lord MANDEVILL and the forenamed five Members by Sir WILLIAM KILLIGREW Sir WILLIAM FLEMEN and others in the Innes of Court and else where in the Kings name was an high breach of the priviledge of Parliament a great scandall to his Majesty and his Government a seditious act manifestly tending to the subversion of the Peace of the Kingdome and an injury and dishonour to the said Members there being no legall charge or accusation against them Whereas there is mention made in the late recited words of this Declaration concerning the Innes of Court we cannot omit that about the same time so unhappy a Genius of division reigned among all sorts there wanted not some men dis-affected to the Parliament who went up and down perswading the young Gentlemen of the Innes of Court to make offer of their service to the King as a guard of defence if any danger threatned his Person Upon which divers of those young Gentlemen to ingratiate themselves repaired to the Court and were kindly received by the King and Queen The Parliament at that time further declared That the Priviledges of Parliament and the Liberties of the Subject so violated and broken could not be fully and sufficiently vindicated unlesse his Majesty would be pâ—eased to discover the names of those persons who advised his Majesty to issue out such Warrants for sealing of the Chambers and Studies of the said five Members to send a Sergeant at Armes to the house of Commons to demand those members to issue out Warrants for their apprehension to come thither himself in Person to publish Articles in the forme of a Proclamation against the said Members in the fore-declared manner to the end that all such persons who advised him to these actions might receive condigne punishment According to this the Houses humbly desired his Majesty that he would so far satisfie their just and legall request as to let them know those informers for the Law in two severall Statutes provides that satisfaction that if in time of Parliament the King accuse a Member of the same of what crime soever he ought to signifie to the Parliament who were the informers but the King refused to do it Upon which the House of Commons examined his Atturny General Sir EDWARD HERBERT who had preferred the aforesaid Articles he confessed nothing to them concerning any other Person or informer but only that he received the Command from the King himself and knew nothing further of it The same the King testified concerning his said Attourny in a Letter to the Lord Keeper wherein he justifieth the Atturny his action as being no otherwise then the duty of a servant required But the Parliament made another judgement of it as namely that Sir EDWARD HERBERT had broken the Priviledge of Parliament in preferring the said Articles and done an illegal act upon which he was committed to prison These actions of the King did exceedingly afflict all honest Protestants especially at such a time when the affairs of bleeding Ireland did so much and so speedily require the assistance of England which must needs by these unhappy distractions be retarded and the totall losse of the Protestant Cause there much endangered But the City of London was not the least sensible of it who in a deep and sorrowfull apprehension of this designe Petitioned the King with an expression of all the fears and dangers which they conceived themselves in at that time The things which they enumerate in their Petition are That his Majesty had put out a Person of Honor and Trust from being Lieutenant of the Tower That he had lately fortified White-hall with men and munition in an unusuall manner Some of which men had abused with provoking language and with drawn swords wounded divers unarmed Citizens passing by To explain this branch of their Petition the Reader must be informed That the King the very next day after he had entred the House of Commons as aforesaid went in his Coach into the City of London whither he had heard that those five Members had retired themselves and was every where humbly entreated by the Citizens in flocks about his Coach That he would be pleased to agree with his Parliament and not infringe the Priviledge thereof The King perceiving which way the affections of the City went returned again to White-hall where he staid about a week after During which time by what advice or to what intention I cannot tell he built there a little Court of Guard and entertained some Gentlemen and others who as the Petition declares gave those affronts to divers Citizens that passed by They complain likewise in the Petition of the late endeavours used to the Innes of Court the calling in divers Canoniers and other assistants into the Tower the late discovery of divers Fire-works in the hands of a Papist But most of all say they our feares are encreased by your Majesties late going into the House of Commons attended with a great number of armed men besides your ordinary Guard for apprehending divers Members of that House to the endangering of your sacred Person and of the Persons and Priviledges of that Honorable Assembly The effects of all which fears tend not only to the overthrow of the whole trade of this City and Kingdom which your Petitioners already feel in a deep measure but also to the utter ruine of the Protestant Religion and the Lives and Liberties of all your loyall Subjects The Petitioners therefore most humbly pray your sacred Majesty that by the advice of your great Councell in Parliament the Protestants in Ireland may be speedily relieved the Tower put into the hands of Persons of Trust that by removall of doubtfull and unknown Persons from about White-hall and Westminster a known and approved Guard may be appointed for the safety of your Majesty and Parliament and that the Lord MANDEVILL and the five Members of the House of Commons lately accused may not be restrained of Liberty or proceeded against otherwise then according to the Priviledges of Parliament The King though he conceived this Petition as himself expressed of an unusuall nature yet willing to give content to the City returned a Gracious Answer to their particulars That for Ireland he conceived he had expressed as much care on his part as possibly he could and would not faâ—l for the future What he had done concerning the Tower had been to satisfie their fearâ— before in displacing one or good Trust and putting in another of unquestionable Reputation and what preparation of strength soever he made there was with as great an eye of safety and advantage to the City as to his own Person For his Guard entertained at White-hall he alleadged the disorderly and tumultuous conflux of people to Westminster to the danger of his Royall Person not punished at all by course of Law and if any Citizens were wounded he was assured it happened by their own ill demeanours that he knew no other endeavours to the Innes of
did declare nor ever intended to declare both Our Houses of Parliament Traitours or set up Our Standard against them and much lesse to put them and this Kingdom out of Our protection We utterly professe against it before God and the world And further to remove all possible Scruples which may hinder the Treaty so much desired by Vs We hereby promise so that a day be appointed by you for the revoking of your Declarations against all persons as Traitours or otherwise for assisting Vs We shall with all cheerfulnesse upon the same day recal our Proclamations and Declarations and take down Our Standard In which Treaty We shall be ready to grant any thing that shall be really for the good of Our subjects conjuring you to consider the bleeding condition of Ireland and the dangerous condition of England in as high a degree as by these Our Offers We have declared Our Self to do and assuring you that Our chief desire in the world is to beget a good understanding and mutual confidence betwixt Vs and Our two Houses of Parliament To the Kings most Excellent Majestie The humble Answer and Petition of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament to the King 's last Message May it please Your Majestie If we the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled should repeat all the ways we have taken the endeavours we have used and the expressions we have made unto Your Majestie to prevent those distractions and dangers Your Majestie speaks of we should too much enlarge this Reply therefore as we Humbly so shall we Onely let Your Majestie know that we cannot recede from our former Answer for the reasons therein expressed for that Your Majestie hath not taken down Your Standard recalled Your Proclamations and Declarations whereby You have declared the Actions of both Houses of Parliament to be Treasonable and their Persons Traitors And You have published the same since Your Message the 25 of August by Your late Instructions to Your Commissioners of Array Which Standard being taken down and the Declarations Proclamations and Instructions recalled if Your Majestie shall then upon this our humble Petition leaving your Forces return unto Your Parliament and receive their faithful advice Your Majestie shall finde such expressions of our fidelities and duties as shall assure You that Your Safety Honour and Greatnesse can onely be found in the affections of Your People and the sincere Counsels of Your Parliament whose constant and undiscouraged endeavours and consultations have passed thorow difficulties unheard of onely to secure Your Kingdoms from the violent mischiefs and dangers now ready to fall upon them who deserve better of Your Majestie and can never allow themselveâ— representing likewise Your whole Kingdom to be balanced with those persons whose desperate dispositions and counsels prevail still so to interrupt all our endeavours for the relieving of bleeding Ireland as we may fear our labours and vast expences will be fruitlesse to that distressed Kingdom As Your Presence is thus humbly desired by us so it is in our hopes that Your Majestie will in Your Reason believe There is no other way then this to make Your Majesties Self happie and Your Kingdoms safe The Parliament immediately after published a Declaration that the Arms which they were enforced to take up for the preservation of the Kingdom Laws and Liberties could not be laid down until the King should withdraw his Protection from such persons as had been voted Delinquents by both Houses and leave them to the Justice of Parliament The King within few days after made another Reply to the last Answer of the Parliament The substance of it was that he could neither do nor offer any more then he had already and that he should think himself clear and innocent from any blood that might be spilt in this Quarrel praying God so to deal with him and his posterity as he desired to preserve Religion Law and Liberty of the Subjects and Priviledge of Parliament The Parliament returned Answer that while the King thinks himself bound in Honour to protect such Delinquents in whose preservation the Kingdom cannot be safe nor the Rights of Parliament at all maintained but must needs fall into utter contempt they must needs think he hath not done what he can oâ— ought to do They tell him it is impossible that any reasonable man should believe him to be so tender of bleeding Ireland when at the same time divers of the Irish Traitours the known favourers of them and agents for them are admitted into his Presence with grace and favour and some of them employed in his service THE HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT OF England The third Booke CHAP. I. Prince RUPERT and Prince MAURICE arrive in England The Earle of ESSEX taking leave of the Parliament goeth to his Command The King increaseth in strength at Shrewsbury A Skirmish at Worcester The great Battell of Keynton is fought ABout the beginning of this September Prince RUPERT second Sonne to FREDERICK Prince Elector Palatine of the Rhene who had long beene detained Prisoner of Warre by the Emperour and newly released arrived in England to offer his Service to the King his Uncle in those Warres which were now visibly begun in this unhappy Kingdome together with him came his younger Brother Prince MAURICE an addition rather of Gallantry then strength to the Kings side being both young and unexperienced Souldiers Neither indeed though they were neere in birth to the Crowne of England were they neere enough to adde any security to the King by purchasing the Peoples hatred to themselves though that were imagined and talked of by many as the cause why they were sent for Their elder Brother CHARLES Prince Elector might have served more fitly to play that part But he having long remained in the Court of England had lately left the King not above two Moneths before the arrivall of his Brothers The reasons why he went away were partly expressed by himselfe afterward in a Message which he sent out of Holland to the Houses of Parliament wherein he professed sorrow for these distractions and protested that whilest he was in the Court of England he had by all meanes indeavoured to bring the King into a good opinion of his Parliament acknowledging that his owne interest and that of the Protestant Religion in Germany did more depend upon the happinesse of the English Parliament then upon any thing else under God True it is that this Prince left not the King untill he saw the rent betweene him and his Parliament too great to close and having before been exposed by the King to some probability of envy as when he attended his Majesty to the House of Commons for surprizall of the five Members and with him afterwards when some things unpleasing to the people had been done he might in likelihood being of that opinion that he was of this cause thinke it the wisest way to take a faire leave in time of the King These two
Franciscus Haraeus compiled Annals of the bloody and fierce Warres in the Netherlands when some of those Provinces fell from the obedience of Philip the second King of Spaine Which businesse he relates in such a way as must in probability lead a Reader to believe that the King and his Officers were altogether innocent and the people of those Countries the only causers of their own Calamity Meteranus wrote the History of those very times which who so reads must needs make a contrary censure concerning the occasion of that Warre The like discrepancy hath been found in Historians of all ages and Nations and therefore not to be much wondred at if it now happen But that which of all other is most likely to be differently related because informations will not agree in such a distance is concerning the actions of Warre and Souldiery and in the time of this Warre it is a thing of extreme difficulty I might say of impossibility for those of one Party to be truly informed of all the Councels or the very Performances and Actions of Commanders and Souldiers on the other side How much valour the English Nation on both sides have been guilty of in this unnaturall Warre the World must needs know in the generall fame But for particulars how much Worth Vertue and Courage some particular Lords Gentlemen and others have shewed unlesse both sides do write will never perfectly be known My residence hath bin during these Wars in the quarters and under the protection of the Parliament and whatsoever is briefly related of the Souldiery being toward the end of this Book is according to that light which I discerned there For whatsoever I have missed concerning the other Party I can make no other Apology then such as Meteranus whom I named before doth in the Preface to his History De Belguis tumultibus Whose words are thus Quòd plura de Reformatorum patriae defensorum quà m de Partis adversaere bus gestis exposuerìm mirum haudquaquam est quoniam plus Commercii familiaritatis mihi cum ipsis major indagandi opportunitas furt Si Pars adversaidem tali probitate praestiterit ediderit Posteritas gesta omnia legere liquido cognoscere magno cum fructu poterit In like manner may I averre that if in this discourse more particulars are set down concerning the actions of those men who defended the Parliament then of them that warred against it it was because my conversation gave me more light on that side to whom as I have indeavoured to give no more then what is due so I have cast no blemishes on the other nor bestowed any more characters then what the truth of Story must require If those that write on the other side will use the same candour there is no feare but that posterity may receive a full information concerning the unhappy distractions of these Kingdoms This I must adde that to inform the world of the right nature causes and growth of these Distractions it will require that the Discourse begin from precedent times which I shall indeavour to deduce down to the present with as much brevity as the necessity of unfolding truth can possibly admit Neither is it needful to begin the Story from times of any great distance or to mention the Government of our most ancient Princes but from that Prince fresh in the memory of some yet living who first established the Reformed Religion in this Kingdome and according to that 〈◊〉 a new interest in the State which was most behoofefull and requisite for her Successors to follow and much conducing besides the glory of Almighty God to their own Honour Power and Greatnesse THE CONTENTS BOOK I. CHAP. I. WHerein is a short mention of Queene Elizabeth King James and the beginning of King Charles his Reign His two first Parliaments Of the War with Spaine and France The death of the Duke of Buckingham And the third Parliament of King Charles 1 CHAP. II. A briefe Relation of some grievances of the Kingdome The various opinions of men concerning the present Government The condition of the Court and Clergy of England Some observations of a stranger concerning the Religion of the English people 15 CHAP. III. The condition of the Scottish State and Clergy when the new Booke of Lyturgy was sent unto them how it was received with some effects which followed The Kings Proclamation sent by the Earle of Traquare against which the Lords make a Protestation 27 CHAP. IV. The Scots enter into a Covenant The Marquesse Hamilton is sent thither from the King A Nationall Synod is granted to them but dissolved within few daies by the Marquesse as Commissioner from the King The King declares against the Covenanters and raises an Army to subdue them 38 CHAP. V. The 〈◊〉 of the English People from this Warre with Scotland 〈◊〉 King advanceth to Yorke with his Army The prepaâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 the Scottish Covenanters A Pacification is made and 〈◊〉 Armies disbanded Another Preparation for Warre with â—â—â—â—land A Parliament called to begin in England on the 13 of 〈◊〉 The Parliament of Scotland is broken off by command of 〈◊〉 to the Earle of Traquare 46 CHAP. VI. The Parliament beginneth in England but is soone dissolved The Clergy continue their Convocation The Scots enter into England Some passages of the War A Parliament is called to begin on the third of November A Truce between the Armies for two Moneths 58 CHAP. VII The beginning of the English Parliament Grievances examined Sufferers relieved Delinquents questioned The Archbishop of Canterbury committed to the Tower The flight of Secretary WINDEBANKE and of the Lord Keeper FINCH 70 CHAP. VIII The Tryall and death of the Earle of Strafford Conspiracies detected during the agitation of it An Act for continuance of this present Parliament With a mention of that Grant of the Trienniall Parliament in February before 87 CHAP. IX Allowance of money from the English Parliament to the Scots The vast Charge of disbanding the two Armies The great Taxations for that purpose and the manner of Poll Money The people take a Protestation An Act for putting down the High Commission Court and Starre-Chamber with other occurrences of that time The Queene Mother departeth England The King goeth into Scotland 103 BOOK II. CHAP. I. A Standing Committee during the Recesse of both Houses of Parliament The Rebellion of the Irish and Massacre of the â—testants there Some indeavours of the English Parliament 〈◊〉 relief of that Kingdom 1 CHAP. II. The King returneth out of Scotland and is pompoushly entertained by the City of London The Remonstrance is published by the Parliament The King entreth into the House of Commons The 〈◊〉 of the 12. Bishops and how it was censured by the Lords and Commons Divers unhappy obstructions of the relief of Ireland 16 CHAP. III. The Queen passeth into Holland with her Daughter the Princesse Mary Difference between the King and Parliament concerning the Militia The
observations of a stranger concerning the Religion of the English people IT cannot but be thought by all wise and honest men that the sinnes of England were at a great height that the injustice of Governours and vices of private men were very great which have â—â—nce called downe from Almighty God so sharpe a judgement and drawne on by degrees so calamitous and consuming a Warre Those particular crimes an English Historian can take no pleasure to relate but might rather desire to be silent in and say with STATIUS Nos certe taceamus obruta multa Nocte â—egi nostrae patiamur crimina gentis Let us be silent and from after times Conceale our own unhappy Nations crimes But to be silent in that were great injustice and impiety toward God to relate his judgements upon a Kingdome and forget the sinnes of that Kingdom which were the cause of them The Heathen Historians do well instruct us in that point of piety who never almost describe any Civill Warre or publike affliction without relating at the beginning how vitious and corrupted their State was at that time grown how faulty both the Rulers and People were and how fit to be punished either by themselves or others Nor doe any of the Roman Poets undertake to write of that great and miserable Civill Warre which destroyed the present State and enslaved posterity without first making a large enumeration of such causeâ— how wicked the manners of Rome were growne how the chiefe Rulers were given to avarice and oppression and the whole State drowned in luxury lusts and riot as you may see upon that subject in two the most elegant of them And shall we Christians who adore the true God and live under the Gospell-light not be sensible under so heavy a judgement of our owne offences To begin with the faultâ— of the higher powers and their illegall oppression of the people during these eight or nine yeers in which Parliaments were denyed to England which I briefly touch referring the Reader to a more full narration in the Remonstrance multitudes of Monopolies were granted by the King and laid upon all things of most common and necessary use such as Sope Salt Wine Leather Sea-cole and many other of that kinde Regia privaâ—is creseunt aeraria damnis Claud. By losse of private men th' Exchequer growes Large sumâ— of Money were exacted thorow the whole Kingdome for default of Knighthood under the shadow of an obsolete Law Tonnage and Poundage were received without the ordinary course of Law and though they were taken under pretence of guarding the Seas yet that great Tax of Ship-money was set on foot under the same colour by both which there was charged upon the people some years neere 700000. li. though the Seas at that time were not well guarded These things were accompanied with an enlargement of Torrests contrary to Magna Charta the forcing of Coat and Conduct-Money taking away the Armes of Trayned Bands in divers Counties disarming the people by engrossing of Gunpowder keeping it in the Tower of London and setting so high a rate upon it that the poorer sort were not able to buy it nor could any have it without license whereby severall parts of the Kingdome were left destitute of their necessary defence No Courts of Judicature could give redresse to the people for these illegall sufferings whilest Judges were displaced by the King for not complying with his will and so awed that they durst not do their duties For to hold a rod over them the clause Quandiu se bene geserint was leâ—t out of their Patents and a new clause Durante bene placito inserted New illegall Oathes were enforced upon the Subjects and new Judicatories erected without Law and when Commissions were granted for examining the excesse of Fees and great exactions discovered the Delinquents were compounded with not onely for the time past but immunity to offend for the time to come which in stead of redressing did confirme and encrease the grievance of the Subjects By this time all thoughts of ever having a Parliament againe were quite banished so many oppressions had been set on â—oot so many illegall actions done that the onely way to justifie the mischiefes already done was to do that one greater To take away the meanes which was ordained to redresse them the lawfull Government of England by Parliaments Whilest the Kingdome was in this condition the serious and just men of England who were no way interessed in the emolument of these oppressions could not but entertaine sad thoughts and presages of what mischiefe must needs follow so great an injustice that things carried so farre on in a wrong way must needs either inslave themselves and posterity for ever or require a vindication so sharpe and smarting as that the Nation would groane under it and though the times were jolly for the present yet having observed the judgement of God upon other secure Nations they could not chuse but feare the sequell Another sort of men and especially Lords and Gentlemen by whom the pressures of the Government were not much felt who enjoyed their owne plentifull fortunes with little or insensible detriment looking no farther then their present safety and prosperity and the yet undisturbed peace of the Nation whilest other Kingdomes were embroyled in calamities and Germany sadly wasted by a sharpe Warre did nothing but applaud the happinesse of England and called those ingratefull and factious spirits who complained of the breach of Lawes and Liberties That the Kingdome abounded with wealth plenty and all kinde of elegancies more then ever That it was for the honour of a people that the Monarch should live splendidly and not be curbed at all in his Prerogative which would bring him into the greater esteeme with other Princes and more enable him to prevaile in Treaties That what they suffered by Monopolies was insensible and not grievous if compared with other States That the Duke of TUSKANY sate heavier upon his people in that very kinde That the French King had made himselfe an absolute Lord and quite depressed the power of Parliaments which had beene there as great as in any Kingdome and yet that France flourished and the Gentry lived well That the Austrian Princes especially in Spaine layed heavy burdens upon their Subjects Thus did many of the English Gentry by way of comparison in ordinary discourse pleade for their owne servitude The Courtiers would begin to dispute against Parliaments in their ordinary discourse That they were cruell to those whom the King favoured and too injurious to his Prerogative That the late Parliament stood upon too high termes with the King and that they hoped the King should never need any more Parliaments Some of the greatest Statesmen and Privy Counsellors would ordinarily laugh at the ancient Language of England when the word Liberty of the Subject was named But these Gentlemen who seemed so forward in taking up their owne yoake were but a small part
in that obey his Command for many reasons expressed at large in their Commentaries In the meane time the King commanded the Parliament to dissolve which immediately obeyed And being threatned with Warre on every side elected Sir ALEXANDER LESLEY an experienced Commander in the German Warres to be their great Generall to whom all the greatest Earles and Lords of the Covenant swore obedience in all warlike Commands taking an Oath of him for performance of his duty and immediately betooke themselves every man to his charge throughout all parts of the Kingdome according as they were commanded by LESLEY Whilest the Armies on both sides advanced forward and no decision of this difference seemed with reason to be hoped for but such as the stroke of Warre must allow The Scottish Covenanters did neverthelesse continue their first course of petitioning the King and by many addresses to him protested their loyalty to his Crowne and Person and did not omit by Letters and Messages to solicite as Advocates those English Noblemen whom they esteemed best and truest Patriots as the Earles of ESSEX PEMBROOKE and HOLLAND as supposing that this Warre was not approved of by any that were firme to the Cause of Religion and Liberties of both Kingdomes for so themselves expresse it The Earle of DUMFERLING having free passage about that time to the English Army assured his fellow-Covenanters that those Noble fore-named Earles and almost all the English Nobility were much averse from this Warre and â—avourers of their suit to the King Which did so much encourage the Covenanters to continue their humble Petitions to the King and God being pleased to give his blessing that after some few Messages to and fro the King was pleased to give leave that six of them should come and personally treat at the Earle of ARUNDELL his Tent upon the tenth of Iune with some of the English Nobility at which Discourses some few daies after the King himselfe vouchsafed to be present At last after many humble expressions of the Covenanters and some expostulations of the King with them by the happy mediation of wise and noble Councellors a Pacification was solemnly made upon such Articles as gave full satisfaction to all parties save onely that the Scottish Covenanters were not pleased with some expressions which the King had used in the Preface to the Pacificatory Edict as calling their late Synod Pseudo Synodus Glasquensis and aspersing their proceedings in Armes with such Epithites as tumultuous illegall and rebellious Which notwithstanding at the humble suit of them the King was pleased to moderate to expunge some of those harsh phrases as likewise to explaine more cleerely other ambiguous sentences to take away all suspitions from peoples hearts the Copies of which were delivered to divers of the English Nobility who had taken faithfull paines in procuring that happy peace that if any doubts should afterwards happen their judgements might be taken concerning the intention of the writing The King also declared for satisfaction of the Scots That though his expressions at some places might seeme harsh yet his meaning to them was never the worse That care must be taken of his owne reputation in forraigne parts and that litigation about words was vaine when the matter was cleere and their suit wholly granted The King granted them a free Nationall Synod to be holden upon the sixth of August following and a Parliament to begin upon the 20. day of the same Moneth to confirme and ratifie what the Synod should decree which the Scots thankfully receive esteeming that to be the onely proper and efficatious way to settle a firme peace both in Church and State They were also joyfull that the King had promised to be there himselfe in person but that hope afterwards failed them for the King excused himselfe affirming that urgent and weighty affaires at London as he was certified by Letters from his Queen and Councell required his presence there but that he would send a Deputy thither with full power to make good whatsoever he had promised which was the Earle of TRAQUARE This Pacification to the great joy of good men was solemnly concluded on the 18. of Iune 1639. and both Armies within eight and forty houres to be disbanded which was accordingly done and both the English and Scots returned home praising God who without any effusion of blood had compounded this difference and prevented a Warre so wickedly designed But that joy lasted not long for the Earle of TRAQUARE the Kings Commissioner could not agree with the Scottish Parliament the Scots complaining that nothing was seriously performed which the King had promised at the Pacification as shall more appeare afterward But however it were within a little time after that the King had been at London that Paper which the Scots avowed to containe the true Conditions of that Pacification was by the King disavowed and commanded by Proclamation to be burned by the hands of the hangman though the Contents of that Paper were not named at all in the Proclamation nor the people of England acquainted with any of them Which put the English in great feare that the former Councells of divisions yet prevailed in the Court especially discerning a shew of preparation for Warre againe But leaving the Scots at their Parliament a while In the meane time the Lord WENTWORTH Deputy of Ireland arrived in England and was received by the King with great expressions of grace and favour dignified with a higher Title and created Earle of Strafford Great was the expectation of all the English what might be the effect of his coming over great was the opinion which men in generall had conceived of his ability and parts looking at him as the onely hinge upon which the State was now likely to turne But very different and various were the conjectures of Gentlemen at that time in their ordinary discourses for I will relate the truth what use this great Statesman would make of his ability and favour Some as they wished did seeme to hope when they considered his first right Principles that whatsoever he had acted since his greatnesse was but to ingratiate himselfe perfectly with the King that so at last by his wisdome and favour he might happily prevaile both upon the Kings judgement and affection and carry him from those evill Councells which he had long beene nurtured in to such waies as should render him most honourable and happy That the Earle was so wise as to understand what most became a wise man and would make greatnesse beloved and permanent But others durst not hope so much from him when they considered his Government in Ireland and the ambition of the man They feared that neither his vertue was great enough to venture his owne fortunes by opposing any evill Councells about the King nor his favour great enough to prevaile in over-ruling That he was sent for onely to compleat that bad worke which others of lesse braine then he had begun Which he would
innovations about Altars and other Ceremonies and therefore most gracious and flourishing in the State were then questioned and committed insomuch as the change and the suddennesse of it seemed wonderfull to men and may worthily serve as a document to all posterity Quam fragili loco starent superbi In what fraile places stand the proudest men Among divers others of this kinde and the most remarkable of all was that reliefe which the Parliament immediately upon their first sitting gave to three persecuted Gentlemen Doctor BASTWICK a Phisitian Master PRYNNE a Lawyer and Master BURTON a Minister The whole passage of whose Story we will here insert in one continued discourse that it may not hereafter interrupt any other Relations of businesse These three men for the same offence or very little differing in substance as those that read their extant Bookes may perceive not being able to containe themselves in such a cause had written against the manner of English Episcopacy and those inconveniencies or extravagancies which as they conceived flowed from it to the prejudice of purity in Religion For which offence they were all three heavily censured in the High Commission Court at severall times and committed to severall Prisons where they long remained in durance till afterward their cause was brought into the Starre-Chamber where they received a sad doome and the same day stood all three upon Pillories in Westminster Pallace yard where their eares were likewise cut off It seemed I remember to many Gentlemen and was accordingly discoursed of a spectacle no lesse strange then sad to see three of severall Professions the noblest in the Kingdome Divinity Law and Phisick exposed at one time to such an ignominious punishment and condemned to it by Protestant Magistrates for such Tenents in Religion as the greatest part of Protestants in England held and all the Reformed Churches in Europe maintained But the Court of Starre-Chamber seemed to take cognizance onely of their unlawfull publishing those Tenents and disobedience to the Authority then in being This was but the beginning of their punishment they were afterward banished to remote places of the Kingdom and there kept in close and solitary consinement not allowed pen and paper nor the sight of any friends no not so much for two of them were married as of their owne wives Their imprisonments at severall removes were in the Castles of Lanceston Lancaster Carnarvon and Isles of Sylly Garnsey and Iersey These three within five daies after the Parliament began to sit were sent for home from their banishment and accordingly Master PRYNNE and Master BURTON upon the 28. of November came into London Doctor BASTWICK within few daies after in the same manner being met upon the way some few miles from London and brought into the City by five thousand persons both men and women on horseback who all of them wore in their hats Rosemary and Bayes in token of Joy and Triumph The discourses of men upon this action were very different some both of the Clergy of the Court and other Gentlemen besides did not conceale their dislike of it affirming that it was a bold and tumultuous affront to Courts of Justice and the Kings Authority Others who pittied the former sufferings of those men and they that wished Reformation in matters of Justice were pleased with it hoping that it would worke good effects in the Kings minde and make him sensible how his people stood dis-affected to the rigour of such proceedings and esteemed it as a good presage of the ruine of those two Courts the High Commission and Star-Chamber Which proved true within halfe a yeare after How it wrought at that present upon the King is not knowne But actions of that nature where the people of their owne accords in a seeming tumultuous manner do expresse their liking or dislike of matters in Government cannot have alwaies the same successe but worke according to the disposition of the Prince or Governour either to a sense causing Reformation or to an hatred of them as upbraiders of his actions aut corrigunt aut irritant Within a moneth after the businesse of these three men was by Order of the Parliament referred to Committees to examine and report Upon which reports not two Moneths after it was voted by the House of Commons That those Judgements so given against them but severally for every one of the three were illegall unjust and against the liberty of the Subject and within a month after voted that they should receive damages for their great sufferings and satisfaction should be made them in money to be paid by the Archbishop of Canterbury the High Commissioners and those Lords who had voted against them in the Star-Chamber That they should be againe restored to their callings and receive Master BURTON 6000. l. and Master PRYNNE 5000. l. Doctor BASTWICK in a vote by himself was given the like summe As these were comforted after their sufferings so other Divines for the beginning of this Parliament seemed a little Doomesday after a short pleasure were brought to their torment A Committee was made to enquire of scandalous Ministers which appeared in two kindes and were accordingly censured either loose livers and men of a debauched behaviour for many such were gotten into good preferments and countenanced to affront the Puritans or else offendours in way of Superstition of the former sort many were in short time accused by degrees censured and turned out of their livings Of the latter sort there was no small number of offendors nor in likelihood could that which had beene the way to all high preferments want walkers in it Among all the men of his ranke Dr. COOSENS Master of Saint Peters Colledge in Cambridge was most noted for superstitious and curious observations in many kindes a man not noted for any great depth of learning nor yet scandalous for ill living but onely forward to shew himselfe in formalities and outward Ceremonies concerning Religion many of which were such as a Protestant State might not well suffer This man was questioned upon many Articles some by himselfe some where other Divines were joyned with him imprisoned he was afterwards bayled and though deprived of some preferments yet escaped without any great punishment and was one of them in that crowd of offendors who might rejoyce that the Parliament had so much businesse But greater Clergymen then Doctor COOSENS were then to come upon the Stage Bishop WRENNE a man guilty of the same crime in Superstition that COOSENS was as farre as concerned his owne person but farre more guilty as a Magistrate and able to impose it upon others was upon the 19. of December accused of Treason and entred into a recognizance of 30000 l. to appeare with three sureties ingaged each of them in bonds of 10000. l. This WRENNE being Bishop of Norwich a Diocesse in which there were as many strict Professors of Religion commonly called Puritans as in any part of England had there violently pressed
Realme contrary to the said Doctrine and according to the duty of my Allegiance I will maintaine and defend his Majesties Royall Person Honour and Estate as also the Power and Priviledge of Parliaments the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subjects and every Person that shall make this Protestation in whatsoever he shall do in the lawfull pursuance of the same and to my power as farre as lawfully I may I will oppose and by all good waies and means endeavour to bring condigne punishment on all such as shall by force practise counsels plots conspiracies or otherwise do any thing to the contrary in this present Protestation contained And further That I shall in all just and honourable waies indeavour to preserve the union and peace betwixt the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland and neither for hope feare or any other respects shall relinquish this Promise Vow and Protestation It were not amisse in this place briefly to mention some alterations which had been made before the time that the King tooke his journey into Scotland though they were not done immediately about that time but some weekes or Moneths before because they concerne some Noble men of whom we shall have occasion hereafter to make mention in the course of this History The Lord COTTINGTON upon the 17. of May 1641. had resigned his place Master of the Wards the Lord Viscount SAY and SEALE succeeded him in that Office Within few daies after the Lord Treasurer Doctor JUCKSON Bishop of London resigned his Staffe and the Office was committed to five Commissioners About that time the Earle of Leicester lately come from being Ambassadour in France was by the King made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland The Earle of Newcastle was removed from being Governour to the Prince and the Marquesse of Hartford appointed in his roome THE HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT OF ENGLAND The Second Book CHAP. I. A Standing Committee during the Recesse of â—oth Houses of Parliament The Rebellion of the Irish and Massacre of the Protestants there Some endeavours of the English Parliament for relief of that Kingdom THE businesse of England by this absence of the King was at a great stand In such a concurrence of high affairs so great an expectation to find redress of pressing Grievances nothing was so irksome to the People as delay To retard the cure was little better then to destroy And the Sequel within a short time proved worse then the wisest men could imagine or the most jealous possibly suspect though jealousies and fears were then grown to a great height the Parliament of England less then ever assured of the Kings real affection to them Nothing of State was transacted in Parliament during the Kings absence Some debates there were only about Church-service and alterations to be made in the Book of Common-prayer in which notwithstanding nothing was concluded One businesse only came to be discussed of which the King himself gave occasion who within few daies after his arrival in Scotland signified by a Letter to the Lords That he was engaged to the Spaniard by promise to let him have four thousand souldiers out of that lately disbanded Irish Army which the Earle of Strafford had before raised his desire was to make good his promise by consent of Parliament But the House of Commons whom the Lords had invited to a Conference for that purpose would not consent that any Irish should go to assist the Spaniard some reasons were then given but more particular cause was shewed about ten daies after when a second Letter came from the King in which his Majesty declared That the Spanish Ambassador claimed his promise from which in honor he could not recede Notwithstanding since he had found that Ambassador so reasonable as that he was content to accept of two thousand he hoped the Parliamnnt would not deny that The House took it into consideration and within two dayes the Lord of FAWKLAND a Member of the House of Commons at a conference delivered to the Lords gave reasons in the name of that House why it was very unfit to grant the Kings desire because the Spaniard was not only an Ally confederate but an assistant to the Emperor against the Prince Elector his Majesties Nephew who by the power and oppression of that Emperor had bin long deprived of his inheritance And at this time when the King had published a Manifesto in behalf of his Nephew and to that purpose sent an Ambassador to the Dyet of Ratisbone it would seem a contradiction in the King to assist the Enemies of the said Prince Elector and a drawing of his own Sword against himself besides the great prejudice it must needs bring to the Protestant cause which this present Parliament so much intended and laboured to promote Upon these reasons it was thought fit not to consent to the Kings desire in that point And immediately the two Houses of Parliament rejourned themselves from that day being the eighth of September till the twentieth of October and appointed a standing Committee of fifty Members during that recesse Before the Accesse and meeting again of the Parliament Letters came from the English Committee in Scotland and were read before that standing Committee of Westminster importing the discovery of a Treasonable plot against the lives of Marquesse HAMILTON and others the greatest Peâ—res of Scotland the conspirators being the Earle of Crayford and some others How it was discovered or how prevented or whether the King had any privity to it though one of that country have since written very plainly charging the King with it because the State of Scotland were very silent in it the Parliament of England took the lesse notice of it Only the standing Committee for avoiding the like attempts at London and fearing that such might flow from the same spring appointed strong guards to be placed in many parts of the City till further directions might be given from the two Houses at their Accesse The malignancy which at that time began to appear in people of that condition and quality which wee before mentioned and was not only expressed in usual discourse among their companions but vented in scurrilous and bitter Libels against those Lords and Commons who were generally reputed the most Sedulous for the common-wealth was cause sufficient to increase the feares and jealousies of the Parliament But that fatall fire which so sadly wasted the three Kingdoms broke out there where it was least feared and those that seemed most secure were the first sufferers About the end of October 1641 during the Kings abode in Scotland the most barbarous and bloudy Rebellion that ever any age or Nation were guilty of broke out in Ireland The atrocity of it is without a paralell and as full of wonder was the close carriage of so black and far-reaching a Designe The innocent Protestants were upon a suddain disseised of their Estates and the persons of above two hundred thousand men women and
Court then a gracious Intimation that he accepted the tender of their loyall affections encouraging them to continue the same upon all occasions That he knew of no Fire-works in the hands of Papists For his going to the House of Commons that he intended no course of violence though that way had been justifiable for he was assured that no Priviledge of Parliament could extend to Treason which he knew would be proved against them upon cleer grounds and they in due time should be acquainted with it and that his proceedings against them should be according to the Lawes The King presently after his answering of that Petition sent another Message to the Parliament that for the present he would wave his proceedings against those five Members and returned a gentle Answer at that time to the Petitioners of Buckinghamshire who came to the number of about 2000 in behalf of their Knight Mr. HAMDEN a Gentleman much honored by them and by most of the whole Kingdom in which Petition they prayed that Mr. HAMDEN and the rest that lie under the burden of that accusation might enjoy the just priviledges of Parliament It was then grown a custom which proved accidentally very unhappie to the Kingdom however it were meant to come in great numbers to Westminster when they presented Peâ—itions to the Parliament though the people petitioning were unarmed and no just fear from them in the opinion of those who affected the Parliament yet those who thought themselves not well relliâ—hed by the people in general took occasion from thence either to fear indeed or at least to pretend fear alleadging that the Parliament was disturbed by such a numerous confluence of people and the freedom of the Houses in some degree infringed that some of the meaner sort were too apt to cast out rude words against such as they thought to be no good members of the Common-wealth of what degree soever they were From hence was occasion taken by some to justifie that Guard about White-hall and afterwards to excuse the Kings absenting himself from the Parliament And from this ground did the twelve Bishops about a week before this City-Petition frame their Petition and Protestation for so it was called to His Majestie and the Peers which was to this purpose They protested themselves to abominate all actions or opinions tending to Poperie or any Malignity against the State but were willing and ready to perform their duties in Parliament But whereas coming to perform that duty and service they have been rudely menaced affronted and put in fear of their lives by multitudes of people and can finde no redresse or protection upon complaint made they therefore humbly protest before His Majestie and the noble Peers that saving to themselves all their Rights and Interests of sitting and voting in that House at other times they dare not sit or vote in the House of Peers until His Majestie shall further secure them And because their fears are not vain but upon true grounds and objects they do in all duty and humility therefore protest before His Majestie and the Peers against all Laws Orders Votes Resolutions and Determinations as in themselves null and of none effect which in their absence since the 27 of this instant December 1641 have already passed as likewise against all such as shall hereafter passe during this their enforced absence from the said House Which Protestation they desired the King to command the Clerk of that House to record The Lords of Parliament immediately delivered by the mouth of the Lord Keeper at a Conference to the House of Commons That seeing this Protestation was of dangerous consequence and deeply entrenching upon the fundamental Priviledges and Being of Parliament therefore they thought fit to communicate it to the house of Commons The Commons thanked their Lordships for imparting it to them with so much affection and speed and for expressing their sense thereof and came to this resolution To accuse those twelve Bishops of high Treason Master GLYNN therefore was sent to the Lords who at their Bar in the name of all the Commons of England accused those twelve Prelates of high Treason for endeavouring to subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Realm and the very Being of Parliaments and to desire the Lords that they might be forthwith sequestred from Parliament and put into safe custodie and that their Lordships would appoint a speedie day for the Commons to charge them The Lords instantly sent the Black-Rod to finde out these Bishops and apprehend them so that by eight of the clock at night they were all taken and brought upon their knees to the Bar and ten of them committed to the Tower two of them in regard of their age were committed to the Black-Rod The twelve Bishops were these JO. Eborac THOMAS Duresme ROBERT Coven and Lichfield JOS. Norwich JO. Asaph GUIL Bath Wells GEO. Hereford ROB. Oxon. MATTH Ely GODFREY Gloucester JO. Peterborough MOR. Landaff Such work as this was daily made to the Parliament of England whereby not onely the relief of Ireland was wholly obstructed but all redresse of the grievances of England and settlement of the State there was so long retarded till both Kingdoms were at last involved in the same War and Confusion It was a strange thing that so barbarous and bloody a Rebellion should break out in Ireland without any the least suspicion or fear of such a Calamity without any cause given by the innocent English Protestants and surely it may seem as strange a thing if well considered that the revenge of so horrid and inhumane a Massacre should be thus hindered and indeed might be thought almost impossible unlesse the raising of the one and hindering the other proceeded from the same cause There was a great hope about the beginning of December that Ireland would speedily be relieved and Forces transported out of Scotland within a short time to that purpose considering what careful provisions the Parliament of England as is before related had made upon the first notice of it But at that time the King was returned from Scotland and in a Speech to the Parliament in which he conjured them to proceed in the businesse of relieving Ireland he likewise took notice of a Bill for pressing of Souldiers for Ireland depending in the House of Peers and declared his dislike of putting it in that way being as he said a great infringement and diminution of his Royal Prerogative telling them withal that he was little beholding to that man who began such a dispute concerning the bounds of his ancient and undoubted Prerogative But he offered at last that the Bill might passe with a Salvo jure both to King and People leaving such debates to a time that might better bear it This Speech of the King 's was much distasted by both Houses as a great breach of Parliament-priviledge insomuch as they framed a Petition to him wherein they expresse That the King by taking notice of the debate
young Princes arrived in England were soone put into imployment and Command under the King their Uncle in which they shewed themselves very forward and active as will appeare afterward and if more hot and furious then the tender beginnings of a Civill Warre would seeme to require it may be imputed to the fervour of their youth and great desire which they had to ingratiate themselves to the King upon whom as being no more then Souldiers of fortune their hopes of advancement wholly depended Prince RUPERT the elder brother and most furious of the two within a fortnight after his arrivall commanded a small party of those Forces which the King had at that time gathered together which were not of so great a body as to be tearmed an Army with which he marched into divers Counties to roll himselfe like a snow ball into a larger bulke by the accession of Forces in every place Through divers parts of Warwick-shire Nottingham-shire Leicestershire Worcester-shire and Cheshire did this young Prince fly with those Troops which he had not inviting the people so much by faire demeanour for such was the report to the Houses of Parliament as compelling them by extreme rigour to follow that side which he had taken Many Townes and Villages he plundered which is to say robb'd for at that time first was the word plunder used in England being borne in Germany when that stately Country was so miserably wasted and pillaged by forraigne Armies and committed other outrages upon those who stood affected to the Parliament executing some and hanging up servants at their Masters doores for not discovering of their Masters Upon which newes the Houses of Parliament fell into a serious debate and agreed that a Charge of High Treason should be drawne up against him for indeavouring the destruction of this State which was voted a great breach of the Kingdoms Lawes and breach of the priviledge of that great Councell representing the whole state of it Let it not seeme amisse in this place to insert a passage happening at the same time which cannot be omitted by reason of the eminence of that person whom it concernes in the succeeding Warres Colonell GORING who was before spoken of to keepe the Towne of Portsmouth against the Parliament being now no longer able to hold it out was permitted by Captaine MERRICK not without allowance from the Earle of Warwick to leave the place and to be conveyed to the Brill in Holland according to his owne desire This the Parliament were contented with because the Captaine was necessitated to agree to it for preservation of that Towne and many persons therein well affected to the Parliament for GORING had threatned to destroy the Towne with wilde-fire if he might not preserve his owne life by a peaceable surrender Whilest Prince RUPERT was thus active with a flying Party the King himselfe was moving with those Forces which he had but in a gentler and calmer way for the reverence which the people bare to his Person made him finde lesse resistance as windes lose their fury when they meet no opposition but howsoever the King desired to go in such a way as to be taken for a Father of his Country and a Prince injur'd by the Parliament professions of love perswasions and Protestations of his affection to the people were the chiefe instruments which he used to raise himselfe a strength and complaints against the proceedings and actions of the Parliament as when he was marching toward Shrewsbury where he intended to make his chiefe Rendezvouze being a place convenient to receive and entertaine such Forces as should come to him out of Wales Which place as will appeare afterward failed not his expectation though it were more then the Parliament could suspect As he was marching thither with a small Army he made a Speech betweene Stafford and Wellington on the 19. of September and caused his Protestation to be then also read in the head of his Army wherein among other things he tells them for their comfort and hope to prevaile that they should meet no Enemies but Traytors most of them Brownists Anabaptists and Atheists who would destroy both Church and Common-wealth And in this Protestation with deepe vowes and imprecations upon himselfe and his posterity he declares his whole care and intentions to be for the maintenance of the Protestant Religion the Lawes and property of the Subject together with the Priviledge of Parliament as he was accustomed to do in his former Speeches But the King not many daies before had taken a more harsh and coercive way for marching thorow Derbyshire Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire he commanded the Trayned Bands of those Counties to attend and guard his Person and when they were met disarmed the greatest part of them taking as many Armes as served for 2000. men besides good summes of Money which not without some constraint he borrowed from them But to leave the Kings proceedings for a while it is time to returne to the Lord Generall for the Parliament and the Army raised under his conduct which at that time when Prince RUPERT began to march was growne to a considerable body consisting of about â—4 thousand Horse and Foot their generall Rendezvouze was at Northampton where many of the chiefe Commanders as the Lord BROOKE Lord ROBERTS Colonell HAMDEN and others stayed with them expecting the presence of his Excellence who on the ninth of September taking his leave of the Parliament and City of London bent his journey toward Northampton and was waited on by the Trayned Bands and a great number of armed Gentlemen from Essex House to the end of the City with great solemnity But the love and wishes of the people that did attend him were farre greater then any outward signification could expresse To whom he seemed at that time though going to a Civill Warre as much an English man and as true a Patriot as if he had gone against a forraigne Enemy Great was the love and honour which the people in generall bore to his Person in regard of his owne vertue and honourable demeanour and much increased by the Memory of his noble Father the highest example that ever I yet read of a Favourite both to Prince and people of whom that was most true which VELLEIUS PATERCULUS speaks with flattery and falshood of SEJANUS In quo cum judicio Principis certabant studia populi The peoples love strived to match the Prince his judgement That Cause wherein the Earle of ESSEX had ingaged himselfe seemed to them religious enough to require their prayers for the successe of it For the Parliament though they raised an Army expressed much humility and reverence to the Kings Person for not many daies after the departure of the Lord Generall by consent of both Houses a Petition to the King was drawne up to be carried by Sir PHILIP STAPLETON a Member of the House of Commons often spoken of before and at this time a Colonell in the Lord Generals
at this time highly intrusted by them for he was Governour of Scarborough a place of great importance He falsely betrayed his Trust and forsooke the Cause he had undertaken going to the Queene with 300. men Upon which he was impeached of High Treason by the Parliament but it was not his fortune to suffer for that offence as others did who about the same time failed in their Trusts The Towne of Scarborough was left in possession of a Parliament Captaine who was usually called Browne Bushell a man that some thought would have kept it to the Parliaments use he likewise revolted and delivered it to their Enemies Upon the landing of Generall KING and the Queene presently after a suspition began to arise by some circumstances that the two unfortunate HOTHAMS the father and the sonne were false to the Parliament Which by the strict observation of some vigilant men on that side was further discovered and began at last to be discoursed of with as little beliefe for a long time as CASSANDRAES Prophecies and when it came more plainly to appeare with as much not onely wonder but sorrow of honest men that so much unconstancy should be found The particulars of this discovery and how much the Parliament if not timely prevented had suffered by it there will be time hereafter to discourse of more at large But they were both accused to the Parliament seized upon at Hull and sent up to London where they long remained Prisoners in the Tower before the time of their Tryall and Execution Not all these disadvantages by the growth of Enemies and revolt of friends could dishearten the Lord FAIRFAX and his Sonne who still persisted with great courage and raising the Clubmen of the Country to piece up those small Forces which remained with them were able for a while to make considerable resistance and performe divers services against some parts of the Earle of Newcastles vast Army But one Victory was gained by Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX at Wakefield which may be termed rather miraculous then strange though I shall relate nothing save knowne truth such a Victory against so much odds and so many disadvantages as may serve to teach how much successe may possibly crowne bold attempts and justifie that old saying Audaces fortuna juvat The Lord FAIRFAX Generall of the Parliaments Forces in the North on the 20. of May gave Order for a Party to be drawne out from the Garrisons of Leedes Bradford Halifax and Howley They marched 1000. Foot three Companies of Dragoneers and eight Troops of Horse Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX commanded in Chiefe the Foot were commanded by Sir WILLIAM FAIRFAX and Serjeant Major Generall GIFFORD the Horse divided into two Bodies foure Troops whereof were commanded by Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX himselfe the other foure by Sir HENRY FOWLYS From Howley which was their rendâ—zvouze they marched away and by foure a clock in the morning came before Wakefield Those of the Towne were ready for them and sent out some of their Horse to encounter with theirs and Musqueteers to line some hedges even to the very Towne There were in Wakefield 3000. Foot and seven Troops of Horse besides Colonell LAMPTONS Regiment which came into the Towne after that the Parliaments Forces entred into it But at the first encounter the Parliaments Forces beat their Enemies Horse back and their Foot also drove those Musqueteers from the hedges even into the Towne which they assaulted in two places called Wrengate and Northgate After an houre and an halfe fighting recovered one of their Enemies Peeces and turned it upon them and withall entred the Town in both places at the same time When the Baracadoes were opened Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX with the Horse also fell into the Towne and cleered the street there was a cruell and fierce encounter in which place Colonell GORING was taken Prisoner by Lieutenant MATTHEW ALURED brother to Captaine JOHN ALURED a Member of the House of Commons yet in the Market place stood three Troops of Horse and Colonell LAMPTONS Regiment to whom Major Generall GIFFORD sent a Trumpet with proffer of Quarter if they would lay down their Arms. To which when they returned a scornfull Answer he fired a Peece of their owne Ordnance upon them and the Horse also falling in with great fury soone beat them out of the Towne and tooke all their Officers Prisoners They tooke withall 27. Colours of Foot three Cornets of Horse and about 1500. Common Souldiers They were likewise forced when they fled to leave behind them foure Peeces of Ordnance with Ammunition which the Parliament Forces carried away with them For when they had thus taken the Towne they found their number and strength too weake to keepe it and their Prisoners too And therefore they quitted the place and marched away with this brave booty This great Victory at Wakefield seemed according to the common saying like a lightening before death for not long after these Forces were quite broken by the Earle of Newcastle whose greatnesse overspread those Countries and was never incountered by any Enemy but in parts of his Army He had managed the whole businesse and attained his height of power by great skill and policy and now having no neere Enemy in the field was gone to besiege the Lord FAIRFAX in Hull which was by some talked of as an errour in him no lesse then besieging Gloucester soone after by the King was censured Such a continuall and sad Warre had the Northerne parts been forced to endure all the winter Nor was it their case alone scarce any County of England was free from it The whole West consisting of so many rich and flourishing Shires had been as sad a stage of civill Tragedies Many Armies and small Parties of either side too many for one History to describe at large or give particular due to the actions of every Gentleman had been ingaged without any intermission in those parts Of all Commanders there that sided with the King against the Parliament Sir RALPH HOPTON by his unwearied industry and great reputation among the people had raised himselfe to the most considerable height and continued the longest a Leader of Armies as the sequell of the Story will hereafter declare But his successes through the whole course of his Actions were very various and many ebbs and flowes were in his fortune The Marquesse HARTFORD though farre higher in Dignity and greater by power of his large Commission from the King of which before is spoken was not able to act so largely in the field as Sir RALPH did though he were seldome idle but busie about Townes and in small Parties They were both opposed in their beginnings not so much by any Noblemen or great Commanders imployed by the Parliaments Commissions as by private Gentlemen of those Counties the chiefe of which were Sir FRANCIS POPHAM and his Sons Master STRODE a Deputy Lieutenant there with others before named besides plaine Freeholders of the Country who seemed to understand their owne
Garrison of Winchester and that of Basing-House the dwelling place of Marquesse Winchester were there predominant and at their pleasure forced Contribution from the adjacent Country Wales was almost wholly at the Kings dispose except very few places which with much difficulty preserved themselves for the Parliament and some Gentlemen who with much hazard continued their fidelity to that side such as Colonell GLYNN Colonell MITTEN and LAUGHERNE with other private Gentlemen But indeed the Parliament was then in a low ebbe and before the end of that Iuly 1643. they had no Forces at all to keep the Field their maine Armies as is before touched being quite ruined and no hope in appearance left but to preserve a while those Forts and Townes which they then possessed nor could they long hope to preserve them unlesse the fortune of the field should change Thus seemed the Parliament to be quite sunke beyond any hope of recovery and was so believed by many men The King was possessed of all the Westerne Countries from the farthest part of Cornwall and from thence Northward as farre as the Borders of Scotland His Armies were full and flourishing free to march whither they pleased and enough to be divided for severall exploits one part was sent to take in Exeâ—er where the Earle of Stamford was shut up not able long to hold the place The King in Person with a gallant Army designed his March towards Gloucester the onely considerable Towne in those parts which the Parliament held What the Kings Party conceived then of the other side was expressed in many Writings one in the nature of a jeering Epigram was made at Oxford which I thought fit to insert because of the particular expressions of the Parliaments low Condition The thing is written in an odde manner and the names of the Parliament Commanders FAIRFAX and WALLER expressed by a rebus way of Latine as likewise those of the Kings side Marquesse of Hartford and Earle of Newcastle I leave it to the Reader without either Translation or Comment EXtincta Castro Fax pulchra novo est Nec Nautae postea nec militi Sit nota Pharos Auster disparem Hand tulit casum Murus cui addita est Canina littera mersa est suis Cum turmis nuper Leporis vado Euri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bristonia Leporinos horrescens vortices Anglica Claudii timet pares Vrbs casus Herois Teutonici Myrmidones astant magno cum Duce Pacata Thule est nec Noto timor Popello aut Regi Nihil relictum est Britanicum domare Caesarem Ni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preces Gregis Haec Sphinges raptim Oedipo suo Iulii 20. 1643. London was then altogether unfortified no Works were raised nor could they if their Enemies then Masters of the field had come upon them have opposed any Walls but such as old SPARTA used for their Guard the hearts of couragious Citizens But at that time London began her large intrenchment which incompassed not onely the City but the whole Suburbs on every side containing about twelve miles in circuit That great worke was by many hands compleated in a short time it being then a custome every day to go out by thousands to digge all Professions Trades and Occupations taking their turnes and not onely inferiour Tradesmen but Gentlemen of the best quality Knights and Ladies themselves for the incouragement of others resorted daily to the Workes not as spectators but assistors in it carrying themselves Spades Mattoks and other instruments of digging so that it became a pleasing sight at London to see them going out in such order and numbers with Drums beating before them and put life into the drooping people being taken for an happy Omen that in so low a condition they seemed not to despaire But bootlesse in probability had that labour proved and not timely enough to save London if the King had marched thither instead of Gloucester But that storme of Fortune was strong enough to shake off divers of the loose leaves that seemed to grow on the Parliament side and unsettle the resolutions of such as were not enough rooted in that Cause which they had chosen For divers men of great quality and Members of both Houses some Lords and many of the Commons did at that time desert the Parliament and fly to Oxford Whose names though the Lords were named who first deserted it are here spared because this-latter revolt must needs carry the face of a crime as being no matter of opinion or conscience by which the first justified themselves but proceeding in all probability from weaknesse and feare for their private fortunes They therefore lost much of their esteeme on both sides becomming like a foile to set off the constancy of those few Members who durst yet continue there and remaine firme to their first Principle 〈◊〉 publike Interest wading thorow more difficultie and dangers then any former Parliament had been enforced to do But in the Parliament it selfe there appeared no show of despaire as they observed who were then witnesses of their proceedings and the City of London expressed much forwardnesse and alacrity in recruiting the Lord Generall Essex both with their persons and purses besides their great indeavour to raise another Army for Sir WILLIAM WALLER to be as a Reserve to the other upon the great occasion then in hand The Earle of Manchester to his lasting Honour chose that very time to begin his Martiall imployment and raising Forces thorow the Easterne Associated Counties of which he was then made Generall by the Parliament those Counties having been before prepared for that Association by the wisdom and activity of the forementioned Colonell CROMWELL performed that yeare and the next great services for the Parliament While the Parliament and City of London were thus busied in recruiting their decayed Armies Gloucester began to be made the chiefe Seene on which this Civill Tragedy was acted and place of great concernment in the Kingdome where the first turne of Fortune grew The City of Gloucester was then governed by Colonell EDWARD MASSEY a man of excellent skill to defend it of such a courage as no threats of a powerfull Enemy could shake and such a fidelity as no promises of a King could overcome This MASSEY was brought to Gloucester by the Earle of Stamford under whom he had served as Lieutenant Colonell and by deputation from that Earle had for many Moneths governed that City Now there was no more expectation of the Earls returne thither and therefore MASSEY as the fittest man by consent both of Citizens and Souldiers was appointed Governour and made a Colonell by Commission from the Generall The surrender of Bristoll to the Kings Forces which was more sudden then could be feared and for which afterward the Governour Master FIENNES was questioned and condemned by a Councell of Warre must needs strike a great terrour and sad amazement into Gloucester which now seemed to stand forlorne and without hope of any rescue in