Express a greater sence of Ireland than He had done That meerly to satisfie the City He had removed a Worthy Person from the Charge of the Tower And that the Tumults had caused Him to Fortifie White-Hall for the Security of His own Person That His going to the House of Commons was to Apprehend those Five Members for Treason to which the Priviledges of Parliament could not extend and that He would proceed against them no otherwise than Legally And now such numbers of ordinary People daily gathered about Westminster and White-Hall that the King doubting of their Intentions thought fit to withdraw to Hampton-Court taking with Him the Queen Prince and Duke of York where He and his Retinue and Guard quickly encreased by accession of divers of the Gentry But the next day the Five Members were Triumphantly Guarded to Westminster by a great number of Citizens and Sea-men with Hundreds of Boats and Barges with Guns in them shouting and hallowing as they passed by White-Hall and making large Protestations at Westminster of their constant Adherence and Fidelity to the Parliament About this time the Parliament had notice that the Lord Digby and Col. Lunsford were raising Troops of Horse at Kingston where the County Magazine was lodged Whereupon they order That the County Sheriffs Justices of Peace and the Trained-Bands shall take care to secure the Countries and their Magazines Lunsford was Seized and sent to the Tower but Digby escaped beyond Sea The King removed to Royston at which time Sir E. Herbert Attorny-General is questioned at the Lords-Bar to Answer concerning the Articles against the Five Members where it had gone hard with him if the King at his earnest Supplication had not taken him off by a Letter to the Lord-Keeper Littleton wherein the King clears the Attorny-General and takes the whole Business upon Himself yet concludes That finding Cause wholly to desist from Proceeding against the Persons Accused He had Commanded his Attorny-General to proceed no farther therein nor to produce nor discover any Proof concerning the same Jan. 20. The King sends a Message to the Parliament proposing the Security of his own just Rights and Royal Authority and That since particular Grievances and Distractions were too many and would be too great to be Presented by themselves that They would Comprize and Digest them into one entire Body and send them to Him And it should then appear how ready He would be to equal or exceed the greatest Examples of the most Indulgent Princes in their Acts of Grace and Favour to the People After this the Commons move the Lords to joyn with them in Petitioning for the Militia and the Command of the Tower but They not complying the House of Commons singly of themselves importune the King to put those things into the Hands of the Parliament as the only available Means for the removal of their Fears and Jealousies But the King not willing to part with the Principal Jewels of his Crown signified to them That He thought the Militia to be lawfully subject to no Commâ—nd but his Own and therefore would not let it go out of his Hands That he had preferred to the Lieutenancy of the Tower a Person of known Fortune and unquestionable Reputation and that he would Prefer none but such to the Command of his Forts and Castles Yet would not intrust the Power of Conferring those Places and Dignities from Himself it being derived to Him from his Ancestors by the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom Yet the Commons would not desist but again Petitioned and were again refused Soon after divers Petitions were delivered to the Parliament against the Votes of Popish Lords and Bishops in the House of Peers as One from Suffolk with 1500 Hands Another from London with 2000 Hands and a Third from the City-Dames To all which were Answered That the Commons had already endeavoured Relief from the Lords in their Requests and should so continue till Redress were obtained And shortly after the Lords Passed the Bill For disabling all Persons in Holy-Orders to have any place or Vote in Parliament or to exercise any Temporal Jurisdiction At the same time they Petition the King again for the Militia and for clearing Kimbolton and the Five Members By his Answer to Both they understood his Resolution Not to trust the Militia out of Himself nor to clear the Members but only by a general Pardon which was unsatisfactory The King now at Hampton-Court thought fit to send for all his Domestick Servants of either Houses of Parliament and particularly the Earls of Essex and Holland but they refused to come In the mean time Mr. Pym at a Conference complaining of the general flocking of Papists into Ireland affirmed That since the Lieutenant had ordered a stop upon the Ports against all Irish Papists many of the chief Commanders now in the head of the Rebels had been licensed to pass thither by his Majesty's immediate Warrant The King was highly offended at this Speech which He signified to the House who in their Answer to his Message justifie Mr. Pym's words to be the Sense of the House and that they had yet in safe Custody the Lord Delvin Sir G. Hamilton Col. Butler Brother to the Lord Miniard now in Rebellion and one of the Lord Nettervil's Sons To which the King replies That he thought Mr. Pym's Speech was not so well grounded as it ought to have been and that the aforementioned Persons had their Passages granted before he knew of the Parliaments Order of Restraint and therefore expected their Declaration for his Vindication from that odious Calumny of Conniving or underhand Favouring that Horrid Rebellion But the King's Desire proved fruitless for they next moved to have Sir J. Byron turned out from being Lieutenant of the Tower and at their nomination Sir J. Coniers Succeeded They then proceeded to Name fit Persons for Trust of the Militia of the several Counties And by Act of Parliament disabled all Clergy-Men from exercising Temporal Jurisdiction The Commons then drew up a Petition for Vindicating their Five Members wherein they desire the King to send them the Informers against the said Members or otherwise to desert their Prosecution would not suffice because the whole Parliament was concerned in the Charge And then they proceeded to settle the Militia for the defence of the Parliament Tower and City of London under the Command of Maj. General Skipton who had formerly been an experienced Soldier in the Low Countries The King had deferred His Answer to their Petition for settling the Militia of the Counties according to their nomination till His Return from Dover where He took leave of his Wife and Daughter and so returned to Greenwich from whence He sent to Hampton-Court for his Two Eldest Sons to come to him though contrary to the Mind of the Parliament who would have disswaded Him from it The King being now at Greenwich sends this Answer to the Petition about the Militia That he is
Advancing the King's Revenue First Levying of Customs and Impost on all Merchandize supposed to be settled to the King by the Two last Parliaments Privy Seals also were Issued out and Benevolence proposed and at length a Commission for a General Loan was Resolved on Sir Randolph Crew for not appearing Vigorous in promoting the Loan was Displaced from being Lord-Chief-Justice the Bishop of Lincoln was likewise Informed against in the Star-Chamber by Sir J. Lamb and Dr. Sibthorp for speaking against the Loan and seeming to Favour the Puritans and Non-Conformists The Assessment of the Loan was generally Opposed whereupon the People of the lower Rank were ordered to Appear in the Millitary-Yard next St. Martins in the Fields before the Lieutenant of the Tower to be Listed for Souldiers it being thought Necessary that those which refused to Assist with their Purses in Common Defence should be forced to Serve in their Persons Others of better Quality were bound to Appear at the Council-Table several of whom were Committed Prisoners to the Fleet Marshalsea Gate-house c. and among others Sir J. Elliot who Petitioned His Majesty and repeated many Precedents That all manner of Taxes in former King's Reigns were never Levied but by the General Consent of the Nobility and Commons Assembled in Parliament However he was Committed Prisoner to the Gate-House and upon the same account Sir P. Haymon was Commanded to Serve the King in the Palatinate which he did accordingly Doctor Sibthorp and Dr. Maynwaring two Eminent Preachers at Court about this time Preached up the Necessity and Duty of the Loan One of them Asserting That the Prince had Power to Direct his Council and make Laws and that Subjects if they cannot exhibit Active Obedience in case the Thing commanded should be against the Law of God or Nature or more impossible yet nevertheless they ought to yield Passive Obedience and in all other Cases they were bound to Active Obedience The other Affirmed That the King 's Royal Command in Imposing of Laws and Taxes though without Common Consent in Parliament did Oblige the Subject's Conscience upon Pain of Eternal Damnation Which Position being entertain'd by the Court with Applause the Sermon of Dr. Sibthorp's call'd Apostolick Obedience was Licensed by Doctor Laud Bishop of London And an express Command was sent from the King to Arch-Bishop Abbot to Licence it which he refused Whereupon he was Suspended from his Archiepiscopal-Sea In 1627. being the Third Year of His Majesty's Reign the Duke of Buckingham to clear his Reputation as to the Charge of Negligence in his Admiralship with much ado Compleated his Naval Forces consisting of Six thousand Horse and Foot in Ten Ships Royal and Ninety Merchant-Men with which he set Sail from Portsmouth June 27th and Published a Manifesto of the K.'s Affections to the Reformed Churches in France But by several Accidents this Great Design miscarried At this Time the Exchequer was very low and several late Enterprizes having miscarried it was Resolved That a Parliament should be immediately Called and Writs were accordingly Issued out A Commission likewise passed under the Great Seal for raising Moneys through the Kingdom in nature of an Excise There was some Discourse of Levying of Ship-Money but it was declined at that Time because of the Parliament's approaching Upon the 17th of March 1627 the Parliament Assembled and the King with the Lord-Keeper in two Speeches earnestly Pressed them to Consider of some speedy way for Supplying His Majesty's Necessities The first Thing taken into Consideration by the Commons was the Grievance of the Kingdom and the first Thing insisted on was the Case of those Gentlemen for refusing the Loan and who notwithstanding their Habeas Corpus were remanded to Prison and it was Resolved in the House Nemine contradicente That no Man ought to be Restrained by the King or Privy-Council without some Cause of the Commitment Secondly That the Writ of Habeas Corpus ought to be Granted upon Request to every Man that is Restrained though by the Command of the King and Privy-Council or any other Thirdly That if a Free-man be Imprisoned by the Command of the King c. and no Cause of such Commitment expressed and the same be Returned upon an Habeas Corpus granted for the said Party then he ought to be Delivered or Bailed Then the Parliament proceeded to draw up a Petition against Popish Recusants to which the King gave them a Satisfactory Answer After which Five Subsidies were granted to the K. which gave so great Satisfaction to His Majesty that He sent them word He would deny them nothing of their Liberties which any of his Predecessors had granted Whereupon the Commons fell upon the Memorable Petition of Right and was afterwards agreed to by both Houses that it should be settled to the King And when the Petition was Presented to His Majesty the Answer following was quickly returned The King willeth that Right be done according to Law and Customs of the Realm and the Statutes be put in due Execution that His Subjects may have no Cause to complain of any Wrongs or Oppressions contrary to their just Rights and Liberties to the Preservation whereof He holds Himself in Conscience as well Obliged as to that of his Prerogative This Answer being read in the House of Commons was not judged Satisfactory and therefore upon their humble Petition His Majesty to shew how Free and Candid His Concessions were to His Subjects sent them this short but full Answer Soit Droit Fait come il est desire Let it be done according to your Desire Which Answer mightily pleased both Houses and His Majesty for further Satisfaction suffered the Commission of Loan and Excise to be Cancelled and received Abbot and Williams into his Favour again so that all Discontents on every side seemed to be Banished In 1628. the Fourth Year of His Majesty's Reign the Parliament drew up a Remonstrance against Buckingham and against Bishop Neal and Bishop Laud which they Presented to the King with the Bill of Subsidies His Majesty telling them That He expected not such a Return for His favourable Answer to the Petition of Right and as for the Grievances He would take time to Consider An Information being likewise exhibited against the Duke in the Star-Chamber an Order was made in that Court That all Proceedings thereupon should be taken off the File by the King 's express Will and Pleasure And the King being resolved to hold up the Duke sent so brisk an Answer to their Remonstrances as provoked the Commons to question his taking Tunnage and Poundage which being of too valuable a consideration to be hazarded His Majesty Obviated by Adjourning the Parliament to the 20. of Octob. following The Earl of Danby having Sailed with Fifty Ships to the Relief of Rochel was repelled with much Loss so that despairing of Success he returned back to Plimouth Whereupon another Expedition was resolved on with a more considerable Navy and the Duke
of Buckingham was designed Admiral who going to Portsmouth in order to hastening of Business one John Felton a Lieutenant Stabbed him to the Heart with a Knife Felton after he had committed the Fact did not Fly but voluntary acknowledged he was the Person and being asked What inclined him to commit so Barbarous an Act he boldly answered He Killed him for the Cause of God and his Country The Parliament was to have met in October but by reason of some ill News during this Expedition they were Adjourned to January 20. In which time the Merchants refusing to pay Custom had their Goods seized Complaint thereof being made to the Parliament the King Summons the Two Houses to the Banqueting-House at White-Hall and requires them to Pass the promised Bill of Tonnage and Poundage for ending all Differences since it was too precious a Jewel of the Crown to be so lightly forgone But the Commons answered That God's Cause was to be prefered before the King 's and that they would therefore in the first place consult about Religion And therefore they appointed one Committee for Religion and another for Civil Matters In the last was a Complaint about the Customs and the Farmers of the Customs were Challenged but the King excused them as acting by His Command Yet this being not clear to the Parliament they would have proceeded against them as Delinquents Whereupon the King sent them word That in Honour he could not nor would give way thereunto which so incensed the Parliament that they Adjourned themselves for some Days and then Meeting again the King Adjourned them till March 10. The Commons inraged thereat blamed their Speaker for admitting the Message and ordered Sir J. Elliot to draw up their Remonstrance which was in very high terms about the Tonnage and Poundage The Commons having prepared their Remonstrance about the Bill of Tonnage and Poundage they required their Speaker to put it to the Vote whether it should be Presented to the King or not but the Speaker refused it and according to the King's Order would have gone away but Mr. Hollis would not suffer him to stir till himself had read the Protestation of the House consisting of Three Heads I. Whosoever shall bring in any Innovation of Religion or by Favour seek to introduce Popery or Arminianism or other Opinions disagreeing to the Orthodox Church shall be reputed a Capital Enemy to this Kingdom and Common-Wealth II. Whosoever shall Counsel or Advise the Taking or Levying the Subsidies of Tonnage and Poundage without being granted by Parliament or shall be an Actor or Instrument therein shall be likewise reputed a Capital Enemy to the Common-Wealth III. If any shall yield voluntary or Pay the same not being granted by Parliament he shall be reputed a Betraver of the Liberties of England and an Enemy to the Common-Wealth These were so much disliked by the King that he immediately sent for the Serjeant of Mace out of the House of Commons but Sir M. Hobart took the Key from him and locking the Door would not suffer him to go forth At which the King being very much offended sends the Usher of the Black-Rod to Dissolve Them who was not admitted in Whereupon the King with his Guard of Pensioners were resolved to force their Entrance which the Commons having notice of they suddenly went all out of the House And this was the End of this Parliament After their Dissolution the King Published a Declaration setting forth the Cause thereof notwithstanding which it procured great Animosities in the People against the Prime Ministers of State which occasioned divers Libels to be dispersed abroad whereof one against Bishop Laud was found in the Dean of St. Paul's Yard to this effect Laud look to thy self to be sure thy Life is sought as thou art the Fountain of Wickedness Repent of thy Monstrous Sin before thou be taken out of the World And assure thy self that neither God nor the World can endure such a vile Whisperer and Councellor Some considering the unsuccessfulness of This and the Two former Parliaments advised the King never to Call any more And to that end the famous Book of Projects was Published and Addrest to the King proposing some Methods to prevent the Impertinency of Parliaments as he called them from time to time by the Example of Lewis XI of France who pretending that the Commons or Third part did encroach too much on the Nobility and Clergy Dissolved it and never after suffered the People freely to Elect their Representatives but nominated certain Eminent Persons himself instead thereof which is called L' Assembly des Notabiles or the Assembly of the Chief or Principal Men. Upon May 29. 1630. the Queen was Delivered of a Son at St. James's who was Christened Charles who afterwards Succeeded his Father in these Kingdoms by the Name of CHARLES the Second In the Year 1633. and the Ninth of His Majesty's Reign the King made a Journey into Scotland and was Solemnly Crowned at Edinborough June 18. And then the King Calls a Parliament and passed an Act for the Ratification of the Old Acts. In this Scotish Parliament that Nation shewed some sign of Disaffection to the King And the generality of the Common People would not suffer the Bishop of Dumblaine Dean of the King 's private Chapple there to perform Prayers twice a day after the English manner Neither durst they receive the Communion on their Knees nor wear a Surplice upon Sundays and Holy-Days In the Year 1634. the design of Ship-Money was first set on foot and Attorney-General Noy being consulted about it he pretends out of some Old Records to find an Ancient Precedent of raising a Tax on the Nation by the Authority of the King alone for setting out a Navy in case of Danger which was thereupon put in Execution And by this Tax the King raised by Writ above Twenty Thousand Pounds per Month though not without great Discontent both among the Clergy and Laiety The Discontent in Scotland began farther to increase and a Book was Published charging the King with indirect Proceedings in the last Parliament and a tendency to the Romish Belief And now to blow up these Scotch Sparks to a Flame Cardinal Richlieu sent over his Chaplain and another Gentleman to heighten their Discontents The Author of that Book was Seized and found to be abetted by the Lord Balmerino who was thereupon Arraigned by his Peers and Sentenced to Death but Pardoned by the King The latter end of the Year 1635. great Differences arose about Church Matters chiefly occasioned by Arch-Bishop Laud's strict and zealous enjoyning Ceremonies as placing the Communion-Table at the East-end of the Church upon an Ascent with Rails Altar-fashion with many other things not formerly insisted on and now vehemently opposed by those who were formerly called Puritans and Non-Conformists which caused them to be charged with Faction Yet some of the Episcopal Party asserted That the Communion-Table ought to stand in
willing to condescend to all the Proposals about the Militia of the Counties and the Persons mentioned but not of London and other Corporations whose Government in that particular he thought it neither Justice nor Policy to alter but would not consent to divest Himself of the Power of the County Militia for an indesinite Time but for some limited Space This Answer did not satisfie so that the Breach growing every day wider the King declined these Parts and the Parliament and removed to Theobald's taking with Him the Prince and Duke of York About the beginning of March He receives a Petition from the Parliament wherein they require the Militia more resolutely than before affirming That in case of denial the Eminent Dangers would constrain them to dispose of it by the Authority of Parliament desiring also That he would make his Abode near London and the Parliament and continue the Prince at some of his Houses near the City for the better carrying on of Affairs and preventing the Peoples Jealousies and Fears All which being refused They presently Order That the Kingdom be put into a posture of Defence in such a way as was agreed upon by Parliament and a Committee to prepare a publick Declaration from these Heads 1. The Just Causes of the Fears and Jealousies given to the Parliament at the same time clearing themselves from any Jealousies conceived against Himself 2. To Consider of all Matters arising from his Majesty's Message and what was fit to be done And now began our Troubles and all the Miseries of a Civil-War The Parliament every day entertaining new Jealousies and Suspicions of the King's Actions which howsoever in Complement they made shew of imputing only to his Evil Council yet obliquely had too great a Reflection on his Person They now proceed on a suddain to make great Preparations both by Sea and Land And the Earl of Northumberland Admiral of England is commanded to Rig the King's Ships and fit them for Sea And likewise all Masters and Owners of Ships were perswaded to do the like The Beacons were prepared Sea-Marks set up and extraordinary Postings up and down with Pacquets All sad Prognosticks of the Calamities ensuing August 22. 1642. The King comes to Nottingham and there Erects His Standard to which some Numbers resorted but far short of what was Expected And three Days after the King sends a Message to the Parliament to propose a Treaty The Messengers were the Earls of Southampton and Dorset Sir John Culpeper and Sir W. Udal None of which were suffered to Set in the House to deliver their Errand therefore it was sent in by the Usher of the Black-Rod to which the Parliament Answered That until His Majesty shall recal His Proclamations and Declarations of Treason against the Earl of Essex and Them and their Adherents And unless the King's Standard now Set up in pursuance thereof be taken down They cannot by the Fundamental Priviledges of Parliament give His Majesty another Answer The King Replies That He never intended to Declare the Parliament Traytors or Set up his Standard against them but if they Resolve to Treat either Party shall Revoke their Declarations against all persons as Traytors and the same Day to take down his Standard To this they Answer That the Difference could not any ways be concluded unless He would forsake his Evil Counsellors and return to his Parliament And accordingly September 6th They Order and Declare That the Armswhich they have or shall take up for the Parliament Religion Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom shall not be laid down until the King withdraw his Protection from such Persons as are or shall be Voted Delinquents and shall leave them to Justice The War being now begun the New-raised Souldiers committed many Outrages upon the Country-people which both King and Parliament upon Complaint endeavour to Rectifie The King Himself was now Generalissimo over his Own His Captain-General was first the Marquess of Hartford and afterwards the Earl of Lindsey and the Earl of Essex for the Parliament The King's Forces received the first Repulse at Hull by Sir John Hotham and Sir John Meldrum and the King takes up his Quarters at Shrewsbury Portsmouth was next Surrendred to the Parliament and presently after Sir John Byron takes Worcester for the King In September the two Princes Palatines Rupert and Maurice Arrived in England who were presently Entertained and put into Command by the King This uncivil Civil-War was carried on in General with all the Ruines and Desolations imaginable wherein all Bonds of Religion Alliance and Friendship were utterly destroyed Wherein Fathers and Children Kindred and Acquaintances became unnatural Enemies to each other In which miserable Condition this Nation continued for near Four Years viz. From August the 22d 1642. the Time the King Set up his Standard at Nottingham to May the 6th 1646. the time when the King quitting all Hopes put Himself into the Protection of the Scotch-Army at Newark During this process of Time several Messages past divers Treaties set on foot and other Overtures of Accommodation but all came to no Effect The War in England being now after so much Blood-shed and Ruine brought to some End the Parliament were at leisure to Dispute with the Scots concerning the Keeping of the King who fearing lest Fairfax should fall upon them and compel them to Deliver Him up Retreated further Northwards towards New-Castle The Parliament sent an Invitation to the Prince of Wales to come to London with promise of Honour and Safety but He did not think fit to venture The King sends from New-castle to the Army about a Treaty and the House of Commons Vote That the King ' s Person should be demanded of the Scots and that their whole Army return home upon Receipt of part of their Arrears the rest to be sent after them And a Committee is appointed to Treat with the Scotch Commissioners about drawing up Propositions to be sent to the King wherein much Time was spent in Wrangling whilst the English deny the Scots to have any Right in the Disposal of the King of England and the Scots as stifly alledged He was their King as much as of the English and they had as good Right to Dispose of the King in England as the English could Challenge in Scotland But at last they agreed on Sixteen General Propositions which were presented to the King at New-castle July the 27. 1646. But these Propositions were such that the King did not think fit to Comply withal The Scots General Assembly sent a Remonstrance to the King Desiring Him to settle Matters in England according to the Covenant c. But all this could not prevail and therefore the Scots who had hitherto so sharply Disputed about the Disposal of the King's Person are Content upon the Receipt of Two hundred thousand Pounds to depart Home and leave the King in the Power of the Parliament who Voted Him to Holmby-House and sent their Commissioners to receive Him from the Scots at Newcastle To whom February the 8th 1646 He was accordingly Delivered and the Scots returned home Feb. the 8th the King sets forward with the Commissioners for Holmby and after a Fortnight came to His Journeys-end being met by the way by General Fairfax and many of his Officers Some Petitions from Essex and other Places are Presented to the Parliament inveighing against the Proceedings of the Army which much vexed the Souldiers who sharply Apologize for themselves And now the Army to the great Terror of the Parliament March towards London and came as far as St. Alban's notwithstanding a Message from Both Houses not to come within Twenty Five Miles of the City which the General excused saying That the Army was come thither before they received the Parliament's Desire And here he obtains a Month's Pay The Parliament Vote That the General be required to deliver the Person of the King to the former Commissioners who were to bring him to Richmond that Propositions of Peace might be speedily Presented to His Majesty and that Collonel Rossiter and his Regiment might Guard His Person The Army being much behind-hand in Arrears Petition the Parliament who upon consideration order them some Money at the present and then drew up Propositions of Peace to be sent to the King at Hampton-Court the same in substance with those offered at New-Castle and had the like effect The business of Episcopacy being always the main Objection which the Parliament were resolved to Abolish and the King preferring That before all other Respects would rather lose All than consent thereunto The Scots Commissioners send a Letter Novemb. 6. 1647. to the Speaker of the House of Commons and require That the KING may be admitted to a Personal Treaty or at least That He should not be carried from Hampton-Court violently but that Commissioners of Both Parliaments may freely pass to and from Him to Treat for the Settlement of the Kingdom After which divers Messages past between the King and the Parliament and several Conferences and Treaties were set on Foot particularly that of Heuderson's but they proving fruitless the Parliament with most of the Officers of the Army that joyned with them brought the KING to Tryal by a Judicature of their own setting-up which proved His Ruine FINIS