Band made by King Iames the sixth 1580. obliging those mutually to assist one another at the Kings command but this Band of theirs made without the Kings consent and excepting him is a cunning Combination against and to abuse the People as if by it they were tied by Oath to joyn in Arms or Rebellion No Covenant in the whole World that ever had left out the Head or had not a Negative voice except in cases of Rebellion as this is Then they were told of their treasonable actions Their provisions of Arms. Their levying Taxes of ten Marks per centum every Mark a Hangmans wages in England thirteen pence half penny publishing seditious Papers burned by the Hangman refusing the Lord Estrich sent by the King to be Governour of Edinburgh Castle committing Outrages upon the Garrisons there Raised Fortifications against the Castle and Inchgarvy imprisoned the Lord Southeck and others for their fidelity to the King delivered up the power of Government of several Towns to a Committee which is High Treason and then to fill up the measure to the brim the King produces their own Letter to the French Kirk to call in forreign aid So then the Covenant the Articles of Perth the scandalous Paper burnt and this Letter is to be particularly expressed and somewhat to be said concerning them This Covenant was accompanied with a Supplication or Imprecation upon Record and witness to posterity against them That we the General Assembly acknowledg that there resteth nothing for crowning of his Majesties incomparable goodness towards us but that the Members of this Church and Kingdom be joyned in one and the same Confession and Covenant with God with the Kings Majesty and amongst our selves and do even declare before God and the World that we never had nor have any thought of withdrawing our selves from that humble and dutifull subjection and obedience to his Majesty and his Government which by the descent and under the Reign of an hundred and sevâ—â— Kings is most chearfully acknowledged by us and our Predecessors That we never had nor have any intention or desire to attempt any thing that may tend to the dishonour of God or diminution of the Kings greatness and authority but on the contrary acknowledg all our quietnes stability and happiness to depend upon the safety of his Majesties person and maintenance of his greatness and Royal authority as Gods Vicegerent set over us for the maintenance of Religion and Ministration of Iustice. We have solemnly sworn and do swear not onely our mutual concurrence and assistance for the cause of Religion and to the utmost of our power with our means and life to stand to the defence of our Dread Sovereign his Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the said true Religion Liberties and Laws of this Church and Kingdom but also in every cause which may concern his Majesties honour shall according to the Laws of this Kingdom and the duty of good Subjects concurre with our Friends and Followers in quiet manner or in Arms as we shal be required of his Majesty his Council or any having his authority and therefore being most desirous to clear our selves of all imputation of this kinde and following the laudable example of our Predecessors 1589. do most humbly supplicate your gracious Majesty and the Lords of his Majesties most honourable Privy Council to injoyn by Act of Council that this Confession and Covenant which as a testimony of our fidelity to God and loyalty to our King we have inscribed be subscribed by all his Majesties Subjects of what kinde and quality soever The thirtieth of August 1639. How they have faithfully observed this National Profession let the World judg and how they have grounded their Covenant which follows God will judg of their Oath It was presented to his Majesties Commissioners by this assembly That besides many other the true and real causes of so many evils which hath troubled this Kirk and Kingdome might appear First the pressing of this Kirk by Prelates with a Service-book or Common-prayer without direction or warrant from the Kirk and contayning besides the Popish frame thereof divers Popish Errors and Ceremonies and the seed of manifold gross superstitions and Idolatry with a Book of Canons without warrant or direction from the general Assembly establishing a Tyranical power over the Kirk in the persons of Bishops and overthrowing the whole discipline and Government of the Kirk by Assemblies with a Book of consecration and ordination without warrant or authority civil or Ecclesiastical apointing Offices in the house of God which are not warranted by the word of God and repugnant to the discipline and acts of our Kirk and with the High-commission erected without the consent of this Kirk subverting the Iurisdiction and ordinary Iudicatories of this Kirk and giving to persons meerely Ecclesiastical the power of both swords and to persons meerly civil the power of the Keyes and Kirk-censâ—res A second cause was the Articles of Perth viz. The observation of festival daies kneeling at the Communion confirmation administration of the Sacraments in private places which were brought in by a Null Assembly and are contrary to the confession of faith as it was meant and subscribed anno 1580. and divers times since and to the order and constitution of this Kirk Thirdly the change of the Government of this Kirk from the assemblies of the Kirk to the persons of some Kirkmen usurping priority and power over their brethren by the way and under the name of Episcopal Government against the confession of faith 1580. against the order set down in the Book of Policy and against the intention and constitution of this Kirk from the beginning Fourthly The civil places power of Kirkmen their sitting in Session Councell and Exchequer their riding sitting voycing in Parliament and their sitting on the Bench as Iustices of peace which according to the constitutions of this Kirk are Incompatible with their spiritual function lift them up above their brethren in worldly pomp and do tend to the hindrance of the Ministry Fiftly their keeping and authorizing corrupt assemblies in Linlithgow 1606. and 1608. at Glascow 1610. at Aberdine 1616. at Saint Andrews 1617. at Perth 1618. Which are null and unlawful as being called and constitute quite contrary to the order and constitution of this Kirk received and practized ever since the reformation of Religion and withal labouring to introduce novations in this Kirk against the order and Religion established A sixt cause is the want of lawfull and free assemblies rightly constitute of Pastors Doctors and Elders yearly and oftener pro ne nata according to the liberty of this Kirk expressed in the Book of Policie and acknowledged in the act of Parliament 1592. After which the whole assembly with one heart and voyce did declare that these and such other proceedings from the neglect and breach of the Nationall
in the sight of Almighty God that I will not disclose nor reveale unto any Person or Persons whatsoever who is not a Commissioner any matter or thing that shall be spoken of during the Treaty by any one or more of his Majesties Commissioners in any private Debate amongst our selves concerning the said Treaty so as to name or describe directly or indirectly the person or persons that shall speak any such matter or thing unlesse by the consent of all the said Commissioners that shall be then living Memorandum That it is by all the said Commissioners agreed that this shall not binde where any ten of the Commissioners shall agree to certifie his Majesty the number of the Assenters or Dissenters upon any particular result in this Treaty not naming or describing the persons Upon the Kings former Message from Evesham Iuly 4. And his second Message from Tavestock Septem 8. and the consideration of the Parliaments late Propositions sent to the King at Oxford Novem. 23. which he Answered in the general the effect whereof produced an offer of the King for a Treaty so that at last it was assented unto and Commissioners appointed on all sides for the King and for the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland to Treat at Uxbridge the 30. of Ianuary The day came and after eithers Commission was assented unto the Kings Commissioners complain against one Mr. Love who preached in Uxbridge to the people that very day Thursday Market day Telling them that the Kings Commissioners came with hearts full of bloud and that there is as great distance between this Treaty and Peace as between Heaven and Hell With divers other seditious passages against the King and his Treaty It was Answered that Mr. Love was none of their Train and that they would present this Complaint to the Parliament who will no doubt proceed in justice therein who was sent to the Parliament and slightly blamed but grew into so much favour with a Faction and therein very bold that we shall finde him hereafter a Traitor and sentenced to be hanged drawn and quartered but had the favour of the Ax. The observable end of many such in these times Commissioners pro Rege Duke of Richmond and Lenox Marquess of Hertford Earl of Southampton Earl of Kingston Earl of Chichester Lord Capel Lord Seamour Lord Hatton Lord Culpepper Sir Edward Nicholas Sir Edward Hide Sir Richard Lane Sir Thomas Grandure Sir Orlando Bridgeman Mr. Io. Ashburnham Mr. Ieffery Palmer Doctor Stuard Commissioners pro Parl. Earl of Northumberland Earl of Pembroke Montgomery Earl of Salisbury Earl of Denbigh Lord Wenman Mr. Hollis Mr. Pierpoint Sir Hen. Vane Iunior Mr. Crew Mr. Whitlock Mr. St. Iohns Mr. Prideaux Lord Loudon Sir Charles Ersken Scots Commissioners Mr. Doudas Mr. Brackley Mr. Henderson Then they proceed to their Order of Treaty 1. concerning Religion 2. Militia 3. Ireland But ere the Treaty began this Paper was delivered in to the Commissioners of Parliament from the other for reconciling all differences in the Matter of Religion and procuring a Peace we are willing 1. That freedom be left to all Persons of what opinion soever in Matters of Ceremony and that all the penalties of the Lawes and Customs which enjoyn these penalties be suspended 2. That the Bishops shall exercise no Act of Iurisdiction or Ordination without the consent and Councel of the Presbyters who shall be chosen by the Clergy of each Diocess out of the Learned'st and gravest Ministers of that Diocess 3. That the Bishop keep his constant Residence in his Diocess except when he shall be required by his Majesty to attend him on any occasion and that if he be not hindered by the Infirmity of old age or sickness he preach every Sunday in some Church within his Diocess 4. That the Ordination on Ministers shall be alwayes in the Publick and Solemn Manner and very strict rules observed concerning the sufficience and other qualifications of those men who shall be received into holy Orders And the Bishop shall not receive any into holy Orders without the Approbation and consent of the Presbyters or the Major part of them 5. That competent Maintenance be established by Parliament to such Vicarages as belong to Bishops Deans and Chapters out of the Impropriations according to their value of the several Parishes 6. That no Man shall be capable of two Parsonages or Vicarages with cure of Souls 7. That toward the setling of the Publick peace a hundred thousand pounds shall be raised by Parliament out of the estates of Bishops Deans and Chapters in such manner as the King and Parliament shall think fit without the Alienation of any of the said Lands 8. That the Iurisdiction in causes Testamentary Decimals and Matrimonials be setled in such a manner as shall seem most convenient by the King and Parliament And likewise that Acts to be passed for regulating of Visitations and against immoderate Fees in Ecclesiastical Courts and abuses by frivolous Excommunications and all other abuses in Ecclesiastical Iurisdictions as shall be agreed upon by King and Parliament And if the Parliaments Commissioners will insist upon any other things which they shall think necessary for Religion the Kings Commissioners shall very willingly apply themselves to the consideration thereof But no Answer was given thereto The Parliaments Commissioners paper concerning Religion That the Bill be passed for Abolishing and taking away of all Archbishops Bishops c. according to the third Proposition That the Ordinances concerning the calling and sitting of the Assembly of Divines be confirmed by Act of Parliament That the Directory for Publick Worship already passed both Houses and the Propositions concerning Church Government annexed and passed both Houses be Enacted as a part of Reformation of Religion and Vniformity according to the first Proposition That His Majesty take the Solemn League and Covenant and that the Covenants be enjoyned to be taken according to the second Proposition To this was annexed the following Paper That the ordinary way of dividing Christians into distinct Congregations and most expedient for edification is by the respective bounds of their dwellings That the Minister and the Church Officers in each Congregation shall joyn in the Government of the Church as shall be established by Parliament That many particular Congregations shall be under one Presbyterial Government That the Church be Governed by Congregational Classical and Synodical Assemblies to be established by Parliament That Synodical Assemblies shall consist both of Provincial and National Assemblies Which Papers suffered three dayes of the Treaty in dispute The next three dayes were ordered for the Militia and was afterwards resumed for other three dayes Propositions concerning the Militia 4 February We desire that the Subject of England may be Armed Trained and Disciplined as the Parliament shall think fit That the like for Scotland as the Parliament there shall think fit An Act for setling the Admiralty and forces at Sea and
an enterprize For those your donatives are all disburst to a penny and I am enforced to summon you hither to tell you that neither can the Army advance nor the Fleet set forth without further aid Consider I pray you the eyes of all Europe are defixt upon me to whom I shall appear ridiculous as though I were unable to outgo muster and ostentation if you now desert me Consider it is my first attempt wherein if I sustain a foyl it will blemish all my future honour If mine cannot let your own reputation move you deliver and expedite me fairly out of this war wherewith you have encombred let it never be said whereinto you have betrayed me I desire therefore your speedy supply speedy I call it for else it will prove no supply The Sun you know is entring into his declining point so it will be soon too late to set forth when it will be rather not too soon to return Again I must minde you of the mortality now regnant in this City which should it as so it may and no breach of priviledge neither arrest any one Member of either house it would soon put a period both to consultation and Session so that your own periâ—litation necessitates an early resolution In sum Three of the best Rhetoritians Honour Opportunity and Safety are all of a plot and plead you see for expedition Perhaps it may be expected I should say something in way of account of my Religion as also of the temper and tenour of my future Government But as I hope I have not been guilty of any thing which may justly start the least question in either so I desire you would repose in this assurance that I will in neither vary from those principles wherein I have been instituted at the feet of that eminent Gamaliel my late Father And ending his Speech he with his hand moved his Crown Not usual saies one with any his predecessors to vail it Nor did he but the massy Gold and precious stones gave him cause to ease his browes of that weight and of which he complained when he came home without any other observation then which yet hath begot so much comment now as to be called Calamitous Presages no less then a dozen in the Kings future Reign which we shall remember as we meet them in order hereafter and for the present examine the Note of Mr. Prins telling That the King on his day of Coronation was clothed in White contrary to the Custome of his Predecessors on that day clothed in purple the Regal colour of Kings the Robe of Majesty the other of Saints the Robe of innocency And to this as to the other a great plague had driven the greatest trades men out of the City and the Kings Mercer infected and fled No Purple Velvet to be had on the sodain and so the colour of his Robes was changed by Necessity yet to the better by his own observation But to the matter of the Kings Speech Money for a War with Spain upon the former score of Quarrel the Palatinate which ingaged King Iames in Justice and honour and so this King To a War is required a Iust Quarrel Wars are suits of Appeal to the Tribunal of Gods Justice where there are no Superiours on Earth to determine the Cause Yet do the Princes of this World endeavour to declare the reasons of their defiance to ballance with the opinions of a righteous cause England had at this time two just Grounds of War with Spain 1. The recovery of the Palatinate 2. A just fear of subversion of our Civil Estate I have no mind to mention the Third so usually pretended viz. Fear of subversion of our Religion for though the House of Commons the first Parliament of King Iames voted that for a reason to make a War upon Spain the King was so wise as not to involve into a quarrel against him upon that score lest he should be necessarily drawn into a defiance likewise with all the Roman Catholiques of Christendome and so that vote was dasht out of the Record by the Register But we shall take the two for granted That Just fears are indeed true Defensives as well as actual Invasions but offensive Wars for Religion King Iames was of opinion are never just Not to force the Conscience which Guides the Soul with the power of the Sword which is but humane and though he was by his Title Defensor â—idei if oppugned yet he was not thereby authorized to quarrel with another mans belief For the first Ground the concernment of the Palatinate as there was no color in that Prince Elector to accept of the Kingdom of Bohemia so no Justice in the house of Austria to retain the Palatinate from him For though an Elective Monarchy cannot be so free as anâ— Hereditary yet if yoâ—â—â—ke to boot the Customes transactions and privileges of that Kingdome of Bohemia It will appear as positive as Soveraigns Descendent But leaving that Title as disputable I shall not offer at it though I were able to master the Question And then the Quere will follow whether an Offensive War being made unjustly the Defendant may not by diversion invade and master the undubitable possession of the Aggressour who is now turned Defendant of his own Surely he may and enjoy the conquest lawfully and is not bound to restore it but by force which force is as lawfull to be done as the other The Spaniard in eighty eight invaded our Seas and designed it upon our Land also was not our expeditions thereupon against Lisbone and Cadiz a just war surely it was And truly King Iames held these Opinions which put him into Treaties for the Palatinate upon terms and conditions of a mariage with Prince Charles his Son and the Infanta of Spain wherein being some years deluded it was just in him to begin the way by force which he did as it is now for King Charles to endeavour the like regaining it for his Brother-in-law by a War which he now intends For Wars are Vindictae Revenges Reparations like to cross suits in civil pleas sometime both of them just And thus much for the Palatinate The Second Ground A just fear of subversion of our Civil Estate The overgrowing Greatness of any neighbour Nation is a necessity imposed upon anothers fear of violation which becomes defensive Christian Princes have a just invasive War against the Turk as a grand Enemy indeed not for cause of Religion no good ground for that but upon a just fear because the fundamental Law in that Empire is to propagate their Mahometan faith by any War So saies the Persian for his belief two opposite enemies upon that ground and the Christians are as well upon the Preventive as the Defensive War All men know the great endeavours of the Spanish Monarchy to aspire new Acquests and to be absolute The History of the Triumvirate Kings Henry the eighth of England Francis the first of
and so quit the place for we think it a hatefull thing that any mans leaâ—ing the Bishoprick should almost undoe the Successor And if any man shall presume to break this Order we will refuse him at our Royall assent and keep him at the place which he hath so abused Ninthly Lastly we command you to give us an Accompt every year the second of Ianuary of the performance of this our Command Dorchester Our Naval forces now Compleat the Duke of Buckingham is resolved to satisfy their expectation who heretofore complained of his great neglect being Admiral of England in committing the late Expeditions at Sea to other Commanders and stay behind himself He is now therefore made General also of six thousand Horse and foot in ten ships royall ad ninety Merchant-men and set sail from Portsmouth the 27. of Iune and his MANIFESTO came out the one and twentieth of Iuly following as it was there published in France declaring The emergent causes of his Majesties present Arming What part the Kings of Great Britain have alwaies taken in the affairs of the reformed Churches of France and with what care and zeal they have laboured for them is manifest to all and the Examples of it are also as ordinary as the occasions have been The now King my most honored Lord and Master comes nothing short of his Predecessors therein if his good and laudable Designs for their Good had not bin perverted to their Ruin by those who had the most interest for their accomplishment What advantages hath he refused VVhat parties hath he not sought unto that by his alliance with France he might work more profitably and powerfully the restitution of those Churches into their antient liberty and splendour And what could be best hoped by so strick an alliance and from so many reiterated promises by the mouth of a great Prince but effects truly royall and sorting with his Greatness But so far fails it therein that his Majesty in so many promises and so strait obligations of Friendship hath found means to obtain Liberty and surety for the Churches and to restore peace to France by the reconciliation of those whose breath utters nothing else but all manner of obedience to their King under the liberty of the Edicts that contrarywise they have prevailed by the interest he had in those of the Religion to deceive them and by this means not only to unty him from them but also to make him if not odious to them at the lest suspected in perverting the means which he had ordained for good to a quite contrary end VVitness the English Ships not designed for the extirpation of these of the Religion but to the Contrary express promise was made That they should not be used against them which notwithstanding were brought before Rochel and were imployed against them in the last Sea-fight what then may be suspected from so puissant a King as the King my Master so openly eluded but thorough feeling equal and proportioned to the Injuries received But his Patience hath gone beyond Patience and as long as he had hope that he could benefit the Churches by any other means he had no recourse by way of Arms so far that having been made an Instrument and Worker of the late Peace upon Conditions disadvantagious enough and which would never have been accepted without his Majesty's Intervention who interposed his credit and interest to the Churches to receive them even with threatnings to the end to shelter the honour of the most Christian King under assurance of his part not onely for the accomplishment but also for the bettering the said conditions for which he sends caution to the Churches But what hath been the issue of all this but only an abuse of his goodness and that which his Majesty thought a Soverain remedy For all their forces hath it not brought almost the last blow to the ruin of the Churches It wanted but little by continuing the Fort before Rochel the demolishing whereof was promised by the violence of the Souldiers and Garrisons of the said Fort and Isles as well upon the Inhabitants of the said Town as strangers In lieu whereas they should wholly have retired they have daily been augmented and other Forts built and by the stay of Commissioners in the said Town beyond their Term agreed on to the end to make broils and by the means of the Division which they made to open the gates to the Neighbouring Troops and by other withstandings and infractions of Peace Little I say failed it that the said Town and in it all the Churches had not drawn their last breath And in the mean while his Majesty hath yet continued and not opposed so many Injuries so many faith-breakings but by Plaints and Treatings until he had received certain advise confirmed by intercepted Letters of the great Preparation that the most Christian King made to showr upon Rochel And then what could his Majesty do less but to vindicate his Honor by a quick arming against those who had made him a Party in their Deceit and to give Testimony of his Integritie and zeal which he hath alwayes had for the re-establishing of the Churches which shall be dear and precious to him above any other thing This was not published until the first assault of the Castle of Saint Martins in the Isle of Rhe about the 21. of Iuly following And because I have laboured the Truth of this Expedition from the calumnies of our Adversaries I shall name them now to direct the Reader in the examination and crave the patience to excuse the length of the story in some measure to vindicate our Honour The first is Anonymus and the Title Ladiscente des Anglois somewhat ingenious The French Mercury or Vulgar Fragmentarian herein despicable the brand of Malice and Immodesty The third was Isnardus the Parisian Advocate whose contumelies even the best of them were censured culpable as being published after a perfect Peace was established by the polite Polititian Cardinal Richlieu And the last of them was Monetus a Iesuit more close and wary yet blasting the beauties of our best Martialists But because this Action of the English might not lodge upon mistakes of our too hasty quarrelling without just cause I shall enter the Reader by remembring former passages and state the cause as it now stood between Us and France King Iames succeeding Q. Eliz. his Neighbors and Him courted each other into friendship and confederacy so that no plot or frame of domination invaded each other by jealousie or envy and so soon as Henry 4. was murthered how often and sundry waies did King Iames assist Lewis the 13. his Son and Successor quieting his Civil Wars and after such a League entred into with the Emperour as neither affinity with the Palsgrave utility with aiding the Spaniard or Religion by assisting the Hugonotes could in him any way dissolve and so became Arbiter and Umpire of Europe Yet cause we had
other but Mr. Thomas Murray a Scotishman Indeed he had been Clerk of the Chappel-closet when he was Prince a very mean place for so proud a Perâ—on as in earnest he was so observed to be by such as could search into insides outwardly concealed from ordinary observation and wanting preferment of his own conceited merit he grew factious first and then insolent in print in two Pamphlets against Episcopacy sharp and full of rancour Bastwick the second Having been heretofore about the 10. of the King censured by the High-Commission for writing and speaking against Government And thereupon three years since he writ his Latine Apology ad presules Anglicanos and a name very reproachful against them all by name the Arch Bishop Lawd the Lord Treasurer Iuxton Bishop of London flagello Pontificis where he he says Paris enim in Parem non esse Imperium Bishops and Presbyters alike he invited father William of Canterbury his holiness and William London Magnificus Rector of the Treasury and the Whore of Babylon to be witnesses to his Childs Baptizing And in his Latine he says ridentem dicere verum Quis vetet But not to mistake him without Book see how he intitles his Answers The Answers of John Bastwick Doctor of Physick to the information of Sir Iohn Bancks Knight Atturney General in which there is a sufficient demonstration That the Prelates are Invaders of the Kings Prerogative royall contemners and despisers of the Holy Scriptures Advancers of Popery Superstition Idolatry and prophaness Also that they abuse the Kings authority to the oppression of his Loyalest Subjects and therein exercise great Cruelty Tyranny and Injustice and in the execution of these impious performances they shew neither wit honesty nor temperance Nor are they either servants of God or of the King as they are not indeed but of the Devil being Enemies of God and the King and of every living thing that is good All which the said Dr. Bastwick is ready to maintain c. And so fills his answers of six large skins of Parchment to the amaze of the Court nor could he be brought to be briefer Imprints this and dedicates it to the King with an Epistle to prove all Mr. Pryn was the third a Barrester of Lincolns-Inn his crime as of the same some Pamphlets scandalous to the King and Church but he suffered the most amongst them now for being censured there before and not to bewarâ— is punished the more He was fined five thousand pounds to the King to lose the remainder of his ears in the Pillory to be stigmatized on both cheeks with an S. for schismatick and perpetual imprisonment in Carnarvan Castle in Wales Bastwick and Burton each five thousand pounds fine to the King to loose their ears in the Pillory aud to be imprisoned the first in Lanceston Gastle in Cornwall and the other in Lancaster Castle But had they been brought to the Kings Bench Bar and so to have made an end with them there they had not risen up in policy and power to joyn their revenge upon the King and all their accusers as they did hereafter see the eight and twentieth of November 1640. But as to those Schismatiques and other such like deformities so also a severe eye had been upon the Romish Catholiques their numerous resort to private conventicles to the Ambassadors strangers their chappels and most notorious to the antient chappel at Denmark house whereto the English in flocks repaired and many others under leave of the Court domestiques the receptacle and countenance to all other Catholiques Of which the Arch Bishop publiquely complained to the King and Councell Table telling his Majesty that the Insolencies of others took advantage from such audacious behaviour as Mr. Walter Mountague Sir Toby Mathews all the Queens Officers and others of the Kings Court a rol of whom he there presented to which the King professed that he had it in his mind to have referred the consideration thereof to the Board from his own observation and commanded them all to see it reformed Iune the 26 the Prince Elector beginning to languish saies one in his hopes of succour from his Uncle departed with his Brother Prince Rupert for Holland they did depart but not in languish and being purposely sent back upon a design of doing somewhat beyond Seas in reference to his Interest of his Patrimony of the Palatinate which took not effect For the next year them two Brothers by assistance of his Uncles purse and credit though in privacie with the Prince of Orang and some of the States had raised a small beginning of an Army with which and the hopes increasing they advance into Westphalia and besiege Lemgea and were as suddainly enforced to â—rise and fight with one of the Emperours Generals Hatisfeild who slew two thousand and took Prince Rupert and the Lod Craven Prisoners the Elector escaping by flight back again to the Haghe where he remained forlorn till the next year after when you shall find him in England again Williams Bishop of Lincoln comes now to be censured in Star-chamber of whom we observed his first declension heretofore the first of this King 1625. when he parted from the great seal to the Lord Coventry but kept his Bishoprick and Deanery of Westminster and so continued not a peer but a Prelate in Parliament and powerfull enough of purse and câ—nning to revenge upon the King fomenting under hand all Malevolent and popular disaffections against his Soveraign and being Narrowly watcht when his wit and will tempted him to talking disloyallâ— of the King and as usually increased by the late telling to be intolerable for which he had been put into a Bill in Star-chamber 4 Car. and then somewhat slackned because the Bill would not bear it out to proof till 4 years after 8 Car. and then revived towards a Triall The Bishop wondrous bare of defence had only Predeon for his sufficient witness who was charged with getting a barn on Bess Hodson and so became perhaps invalid to be trusted with his testimony for truth The Bishop suborns his two country men Agents Powel and Owen Welchmen to procure the suppression of the order of the publique session at Lincoln which charged Prideon the reputed father and afterwards 10 Car. to lodge the bustard upon Boon and the other to be acquit which cost his purse soundly saies one twelve hundred pounds to bring this about the cause and consequence of his Triall in Iuly this year and sentence Ten thousand pounds to the King and to the Tower during pleasure Suspension ab officiis et beneficiis and referred to the High Commission for the rest which concerned that Courts Iurisdiction which punishments fitted his villanies for after reveng King Iames had a design not once but alwaies after his coming into England to reform that deformity of the Kirk of Scotland into a decent discipline as in the Church of
I think never Bill passed here in this House of more favour to the Subject than this is and if the other Rock be as happily past over as this shall be at this time I do not know what you can ask for ought I can see at this time that I can make any qâ—â—stion to yield unto Therefore I mention this to shew unto you the sense I have of this Bill and the Obligation as I may say that you have to me for it for hitherto to speak freely I had no great encouragement to do it If I should look to the outward face of your actions or proceedings and not to the inward intentions of your hearts I might make question of doing it Hitherto you have gone on in that which concerns your selves to amend and not in those things that meerly concern the strength of this Kingdom neither for the State nor mine own particular This I mention not to reproach you but to shew you the state of things as they are you have taken the Government all in pieces and I may say it is almost off the Hinges A skilfull Watch-maker to cleanse his Watch will take it asunder and when it is put together it will go better so that he leaves not out one Pin of it Now as I have done all this on my part you know what to do on yours and I hope you shall see clearly that I have performed really what I expressed to you at the beginning of this Parliament of the great trust I have of your affections to me and this is the great expression of trust that before you do any thing for me I do put such a confidence in you And then also the King signed the Bill of Subsidies both which Acts so pleasing to the Parliament that at a Conference it was agreed to wait upon his Majesty at White-hall and by the Lord Keeper Sir Edward Littleton return their humble thanks And Bonfires and Bell-ringing throughout all the City were signs of joy which were so done by Order of Parliament The eight and twentieth of February Master Pym was sent from the Commons House to prefer the Charge of High Treason in fourteen Articles against the Arch-bishop of Canterbury who was thereupon ordered to the Tower but upon humble suit and some Reasons besides his Commitment thither was respited till the first of March and to that time he was Prisoner to the Black Rod. Nor would this Mans remorse serve their turn but the down fall of Episcopacy a total Reformation in the Hierarchy it self Nay they must not mannage any secular power nor Votes in Parliament And at length they would quite extirpate them Root and Branch And the ground of their guilt was framed into an Induction of Particulars annexed to their Petitions as may in part appear which it seems were not sufficient but that they meant to make it up with more and yet the other were eight and twenty very large Articles and from them an Addition of as many evil Consequences as might serve for a Treatise And after the Reading in the House were put under the consideration of a Committee We may imagine it impossible to express the various Debates pro con upon that subject the wit of man could not invent more either for Tongues in the House or Pens abroad at home and beyond Seas Amongst many Tongues this Speech of the Lord Digby against the Petition and for Episcopacy deserves the mentioning in effect thus That he looked not upon that Petition as a Petition from the City of London but from he knew not what fifteen thousand Londoners all that could be got to subscribe That therein he discovered a mixture of things Contemptible Irrational and Presumptuous Contemptible Did ever any man think that the Fables of Ovid or Coriat's News should by fifteen thousand have been presented to a Parliament as a motive for the extirpation of Bishops For the scandal of the Rocket the Lawn-sleeves the four-corner'd Cap the Cope the Surplice the Hood the Canonical Coat c. may pass as Arguments of the same weight He did not know whether it were more preposterous to infer the Extirpation of Bishops from such weak Arguments or to attribute as they do to Church-government all the civil grievances Not a Patent not a Monopoly not the price of a Commodity raised but these men make Bishops the cause of it Irrational A Petition ought to be like a kinde of Syllogism the Conclusion the Prayer ought to hold proportion with the Premisses that is with the Complaints and to be deduced from them but in this Petition there was a multitude of Allegations of Instances of Abuses and Depravations in Church-government and what is thence inferred Let the Use be utterly abolished for the Abuses sake For the moveables sake to take away the solid good of a thing is just as reasonable as to root up a good Tree because there is a Canker in the Branches Presumptuous What greater boldness can there be than for Petitioners to prescribe to a Parliament what and how it should do For multitude to teach a Parliament what is and what is not the Government according to Gods Word Again it is high presumption to petition point-blank against a Government in force by Law the honour of former Acts must be upheld because all the reverence we expect from future times to our own Acts depends upon our supporting the dignity of former Parliaments He said We all agree that a Reformation of Church-government is most necessary but to strike at the Root he can never give his Vote before three things were cleared to him First that no Rule no Boundaries can be set to Bishops able to restrain them from such Exorbitances Secondly such a Frame of Government must be laid before us as no time no corruption can make liable to inconveniences proportionable with those we abolish Thirdly whether the new Model is practicable in the State and consistent with Monarchy For the first he was confident a Triennial Parliament would be a curb sufficient to order them For the second he was also confident that if we did listen to those who would extirpate Episcopacy we should in state of every Bishop we put down in a Diocess set up a Pope in every Parish For the last he was of opinion that it would be unsafe for Monarchy for if the Presbyterian Assemblies should succeed they would assume a power to excommunicate Kings as well as other men And if Kings came once to be excommunicated men are not like to care much what becomes of them But notwithstanding all their Debates and banding Episcopacy was alive though drooping for the Commons the tenth of March voted That no Bishop shall have any Vote in Parliament nor any judicial power in the Star-chamber nor bear any sway in temporal Affairs and that no Clergy-man shall be in Commission of Peace And yet in some doubt what to do as to the Hierarchy they in
obvious to every body why it is fit for me to be attended by some of my Chaplains whose opinions as Clergie-men I esteem and reverence not only for the exercising of my Conscience but also for clearing of my judgment concerning the present difference in Religion as I have at full declared to Mr. Marshal and his fellow Minister Having shewed them that it is the best and likelyest means of giving me satisfaction which without it I cannot have in these times whereby the distractions of this Church may be the better setled Wherefore I desire that at least two of these Reverend Divines whose Names I have here set down may have the liberty to wait upon me for the discharging of their Duty to me according to their function Charles Rex Holmby 17. Feb. 1656. Bish. London Bish. Salisbury Bish. Peterborough Dr. Sheldon Clerk of my Closet Dr. Marsh Dean of Yorke Dr. Sanderson Dr. Baily Dr. Haywood Dr. Beal Dr. Fuller Dr. Hamond Dr. Tayler For the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore c. The Guardians Commissioners had two of their own Ministers Mr. Marshal and Mr. Caryl who undertok the King but so lamely as that they may be said to halt after Henderson And truly the King rather pittying then despising them and would never be perswaded to hear their preachings nor overswayed with their Councel The Guardians had kept a bounteous house it seems and were soundly chidden by the Parliaments Letters for spending the States Revenue so fast and therefore for want of better work they are very busie to new Model his Majesties litle Family into lesse and by degrees to none at all His hard condition to be minced meat and drink out of his own We may not omit the Remembrance of that worthy learned Lawyer Mr. Serjeant Glanvile mightily persecuted for malignancy of being of the Kings party Imprisoned in several durances and lastly of long time committed to the Tower two years without any charge at all against him he is now released upon Bail and this justice was done to him by the favour of the Lords House to which the Commons had been alwayes and now was dissenting We may observe that he had been hardly used heretofore in the beginning of this Kings Reign for not consenting to some passages of State and then sent to Sea which he humbly endured with patience and Loyalty And now also his Conscience bearing witnesse he suffers for his Sovereigns sake faithful to his principles The King having no Answer concerning his Chaplains writes again for them to come and comfort him It being now seventeen daies since I wrote to you from hence and not yet receiving any Answer I cannot but now again renew the same And indeed concerning any thing but the necessary duty of a Christian I would not thus at this time trouble you But my being attended with some of my Chaplains whom I esteem and reverence is so necessary for me even considering my present condition whether in relation to my conscience or a happy settlement of the distractions in Religion that I will slight divers kindes of censures rather than not to obtain my demand nor shall I wrong you as in this to doubt the obtaining of my wish it being totally grounded upon Reason For desiring you to consider not thinking it needful to mention the divers reasons which no Christian can be ignorant of for point of Conscience I must assure you I cannot as I ought take in consideration those alterations in Religion which have and will be offered unto me without such help as I desire because I can never judg rightly of or be altered in any thing of my opinion so long as any ordinary way of finding out the truth is denied me but when this is granted I promise you faithfully not to strive for victory in Argument but to seek and submit to truth according to that judgment which God hath given me alwaies holding it my best and greatest conquest to give contentment to my two Houses of Parliament in all things which I conceive not to be against my conscience or honour not doubting likewise but that you will be ready to satisfie me in reasonable things as I hope to finde in this particular concerning the attendance of my Chaplains upon me Charles Rex Holmby 6. March For the the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore To which the Parliament give Answer That all those the Kings Chaplaines are disaffected to the Established Government of the Church and have not taken the Covenant but for others that have if his Majesty please they shall be sent to him This troubled the King to be denied such as every Christian hath liberty to choose their Ghostly Fathers Spiritual Comforters This makes him complain When Providence was pleased to deprive me saies the King of all other civil comforts and secular Attendance I thought the absence of them all might best be supplied by the attendance of some of my Chaplains whom for their Function I reverence and for their Fidelity I have cause to love By their Learning Piety and Praiers I hoped to be either better enabled to sustain the want of all other enjoyments or better fitted for the recovery and use of them in Gods good time so reaping by their pious help a spiritual harvest of Grace amidst the thorns and after the plowings of temporal crosses The truth is I never needed or desired more the service and assistance of men judiciously-pious and soberly-devout The solitude they have confined me unto adds the Wilderness to my temptations for the company they obtrude upon me is more sad then any solitude can be If I had asked my Revenues my power of the Militia or any one of my Kingdoms it had been no wonder to have been denied in those things where the evil policie of men forbids all just restitution lest they should confesse an injurious usurpation But to deny me the Ghostly comfort of my Chaplains seems a greater rigor and barbaritie then is ever used by Christians to the meanest Prisoners and greatest Malefactors whom though the justice of the Law deprives of worldly comforts yet the mercy of Religion allows them the benefit of their Clergie as not aiming at once to destroy their Bodies and to damn their Souls But my Agony must not be releived with the presence of any one good Angel for such I account a Learned Godly and Discreet Divine and such I would have all mine to be They that envy my being a King are loth I should be a Christâ—an while they seek to deprive me of all things else they are afraid I should save my Soule Other sense Charitie it self can hardly pick out of those many harsh Repulses I received as to that Request so often made for the attendance of some of my Chaplains I have somtime thought the Unchristiannesse of those denials might arise from a displeasure some men had to see me prefer my own Divines
by broaching Heresies or by Schisme to the disturbance of the Church or State They that joyn Issue with the Iesuites that the King is not Head of the Church that stab him with their Pens and wound him with their Tongues and degrade him from that Authority over the Church and tread upon his his head must needs press his Shoulders the Peers and be grievous to the inferiour Subjects and enemies to Peace and Liberties for which so much Innocent Blood hath been spilt to the ruine of Ancient Families These are as those pretended Zelots cruel and bloody acting under colour of piety and now in this age are discovered for Nemo potest diu ferre personam fictam c. saies Sir Walter Raleigh The Assembly of Divines at Westminster were the most of such as had their wills working to this frame of Presbytery according to their Scotish Discipline for wheresoever they are they differ in Government by our connivance with the Scots we swear to their Covenant and called them in to defend the Parliament in this civil War against the King which thus far we have brought forth in blood Now we expect the issue and effects of the Synod of Westminster Assembly thus many years forming and framing for a Church Government and now ready we expect for a Directory of Discipline to us all And because we finde the King so infinite averse to this Presbyterial Government even to the hazard and ruine of himself Posterity and his Kingdoms of which he had forewarning in the same words by the Scots Estates and Nation Let us a little examine the constitution the exercise and practise thereof if such a pestilent nature remain therein as some doe suspect This Presbyterial Government hath four Jurisdictions Parochial Session Presbytery Provincial Synod and General Assembly Parochial Session is constituted of the Minister and a competent number of Lay Elders Presbyterie non docentes and Deacons and this is the Spiritual-Parochial-Sanhedrim the Minister is constant Moderator He hath no Negative voice the Jurisdiction Spiritual is radically in the Lay-Elders Their four Sacred Orders they hold to be Iure Divino Preaching Elders Doctors Lay-Elders who have vocem deliberativam decisivam in rebus fidei cultus Policiae and in foro exteriori Ecclesiae in censuris Ecclesiasticis are Authorized as Preaching Elders fourthly Deacons trusted with the Treasury and moneys The Lay Eldersand Deacons are yealry elected this year sacred the next propahne Hodie Clericus cras Laicus The competent cases of this Session are to enjoyn civil punishment and fines censuring of losses scandals for the capital scandals are reserved for the Presbytery Presbyterie is a Jurisdiction of Parish Churches more or fewer twenty twelve or less all persons within this Presbyterie whether King or his Family are under this grand Consistory The Members constituents hereof are all the Parochial Ministers within this Precinct and a Lay Elder of each Parish who is equal to the Preaching Elders and are pari consortio honoris potestatis praediti a Plough-man as good in power as the Preacher a parity in all nay to be Moderator also even in their Idolized General Assembly so were Robert Yoel George Buchanan and Andrew Melvil neither Priest Deacon nor Church-men The cases proper to this Judicatory are all crimes of highest strain punishable by death Excommunication Appeals from Sessions or Parochial Conclave the censure of all that is amiss in each Parish They meet once a week or fortnight and there all the Ministers in their turns exercise or expound There be Lay-Preachers or Ingredients young Students or Countrey School-masters and are called Expectants and once admitted in his turn of exercising may preach was ever such a prophanation a Lay-man without Orders to intrude upon this Sacred Function Within a County they may be more or fewer Presbyteries Independent one from another only Edenburgh Presbytery superintends over all and some others that Pope it over the rest like Patriarchs and the Responsa prudentum from hence are received like Oracles or Answers by Urim and Thummim All persons whosoever that live within the Verge of a Presbytery are answerable to this Classis the King or his Family must submit he must submit his earthly Scepter to this of Christ. See the Kings conference at Hampton Court q. 79. A Scotish Presbyterie and Monarchy saies King Iames agree as God and the Devil keeping state with King Iames as if two free Kings were in Treaty All Cases and Crimes committed or suspected though inconsonant to the Apostolical Canon de occultis non judicat Ecclesia are here questioned To cure these secret â—ins smelleth of the Auricular confession sigillum confessionis See Conference at Hampton Court pa 93. And if any two persons be suspected and are known to meet it shall be holden pro confesso and to be cleared only by their own oath This Judicatory of Presbytery is of so vast a latitude that as the Pope bringeth in all civil causes to himself sub formalitate peccati so doth this papal Conclave sub formalitate scandali any thing purely civil Nay to Transport Wax to Spain was to be accessary to Idolatry as supposing the wax might be imployed in making Tapers to the Virgin Mary and other Saints and so inconsistent with the authority of Civil Judicatories It hath power likewise to repeal Royal Grants by Law confirmed as to discharge a Munday Market because it occasioned the travelling on Sunday before It hath intermedled with Civil Actions interposing Suits between the Landlord and his Tenants in re civili but modus considerandi as they took notice of it it was Spiritual because it did draw people from their lawful Vocations and hindered the progress of the Gospel It hath power to transplant a lawful Minister because under pretence the Congregation is supposed not to be edified by him there needs no other reason but that this Presbyterie directed by Infallibility doe finde it é re Ecclesiae that is for Gods glory Which pretence increased neighbourly fewds to the effusion of much blood Provincial Synods are a Jurisdiction of greater extent then Presbyterie yet in its Essential power is the very same It is the apish Imitation of a Provincial Councel consisting of a Metropolitan and the suffragan Bishops of his Province with them it is an associate body of the Commissioners chosen out of all the individual Presbyteries within the Precinct of the Province and Scotland is divided into so many Provinces as is fit for the Government of the Church This Synod meets twice a year pro re nata The Cases which fall within their Jurisdiction are first all matters appertaining to the whole Province 2. All Referrees from Presbyterie within its Verge 3. All difficult cases of every several Presbyterie 4. And censure of them 5. And lieth all within the particular Presbytery and Parishes Lay or Clergy to obedience The same course holden here as in the Provincial Sanhedrim Only the policy
Tyranny neither Soul Body nor Estate can be in peace Of their Government in practice the Scotish Form of Church-government hath been studiously endeavoured of many men by importunity of divers Petitions to the Parliament to be established in England upon pretence of the Solemn League and Covenant but the Parliament hath artificially declined that establishment by ordaining Commissioners in every County to superintend the Presbyteries and to receive Appeals from them and by reserving the supreme power of the last sentence in themselves and from this their Ordinance the Scots could never remove them The reason of this great difference in judgment between persons so considerable is by considering the Frame of it as it is set down in that Model of Discipline contained in their Psalm Book and in the two Books of Discipline and the Confession of their Faith by which we may see the Inference and the Evidence to be pernicious to Civil power grievous to the people and destructive to the common peace And first of the power of their Government 1. They challenge a power absolute and independent of the King to convene in Assemblies at their own pleasure time and place 2. Book of Discipline cap. 7. 2. They claim power to make Constitution Ecclesiastical without the Christian Magistrate ibid. 3. To abrogate the Laws of the Land touching Ecclesiastical matters if they judg them hurtfull or unprofitable ibid. 4. The civil Magistrate must be subject to their power 1. Book Discip. cap. 7. so that all the power they allow the civil Magistrate in Church affairs is onely to be the Executioner of their Decrees 5. It is true they hold that to disobey or resist any lawfull Authority is sin whilest they pass not the bounds of their Office and from hence no doubt the Inference is good but see the dangerous Consequence at this time in the general disaffection of Regal power supposing them to have no other Drift than to clip the Wings of Sovereignty a gross Mistake for whosoever shall be invested with that civil power which shall be taken from the King be it in the Parliament or in any other Protection must succeed him in the enmity which this Presbyterian power will exercise against the civil power against the civil Magistrate in common when it complies not with them So that if they have a minde to call a general Assembly though the King and Parliament finde it needless inexpedient dangerous as the times may be they will over-rule and must be obeyed and all their Constitutions and Canons yielded unto or to repeal all Laws concerning the Church If opposed by King and Parliament they will incite the people against them 6. If the civil Magistrate punish not with Death whom they think deserve it the Church may excommunicate the Offender not onely for his Crime but as suspect to have corrupted the temporal Judge and so the Judge hereby deâ—amed See their Psalm Book 7. They determine that the temporal Magistrate before the Statute is bound to punish Adultery with Death by Gods own Law If this be true why are we not bound to all the Judicials of Moses to punish Theft not with Death but Restitution besides others touching Inheritances Purchases and other temporal things which would confound our temporal Laws 8. They hold it unlawful for the Civil Magistrate to pardon capital Offenders 1 Book Discip. cap. 9. which puts such a Tie upon Soveraign power as robs them of their noblest vertue Mercy inclining Offenders to be desperate 9. They exact it a Duty in the Magistrate to maintain the Ministry with his own Rents if need require and themselves being Judges of this need if the Minister be not relieved out of the Kings Rents they may warrant his Subjects to take Arms against him 2. Book Discip. cap. 10. In a word they may deal with all civil causes for a spiritual end as the Pope expresses In ordine ad bonum spirituale and these Presbyters In ordine ad bonum Ecclesiae The persons in whom this power is placed are partly of Ministers who admit no superiority but a parity and partly of Lay Elders who joyn with the Minister in the Government of the Kirk and all Government and Discipline is exercised joyntly by them by plurality of Voices in the several Parishes who are subordinate to a Classis made up of the Ministers and Layâ—Elders of the Parishes within the bounds thereof as the several Classes are to the Provincial Assembly consisting of Ministers and Elders out of every Classis within the Province and Provincial Assemblies are in like manner subordinate to the National Assembly chosen out of all the Provinces in the Kingdome and this National Assembly acknowledgeth no Superiour upon Earth Now if the Presbyterian power it self be so pernicious as it appears in several particulars expressed in their Book of Discipline surely to put it it into such hands as by this Model it must needs make all impartial men averse from it 1. For first it admits of no superiority but requires a parity of those that govern of manifold inconvenience The Resolutions in publick and private affairs will be very slow The difference of Opinions and Interests is like to breed Factions and Contentions often corrupt and Reason and Experience teach us that amongst many Equals popularity will make some one Leader of the rest and he will offend more than any Bishop laying the blame upon others 2. Secondly the mixture of Lay-men and Ministers is like to breed Emulations whilest each one sides with his own Order against the other and men grosly ignorant in Divinity must be Judges of Doctrine and others submit to their Judgement who neither know right nor are willing to do it for where the minde that should rule is weak the corrupt passions that should be ruled break into all disorder These men must be trusted with others souls besides their quiet Reputation and Purses exposed to blinde Malice Revenge Envy Covetousness Partiality Insolence 3. The kindes of persons to be chosen Lay Elders we shall finde them to be either for activeness or greatness the active men in a Parish have commonly neither wealth wit nor honesty and thereby likely to bring all to confusion If great men in Estates or Honour they may use that power to enthral their Tenants Husbandmen and Yeomen of England to the same slavery as that sort groan under in Scotland 4. 'T is true Appeals seem to give Remedy but see the trouble and charge from Parish Session to the Classis thence to the Provincial Assembly thence to the general Assembly and then to the Parliament and there to a Committee to examine thence to their Report and there it may lodge till you have Relief Never And lastly if this Church-government be in the hands of Ministers and Lay Elders of ten thousand Parishes and the State see it necessary to alter it to another Form they shall never be able to wrest this power out of