any that hath such Letters â—f Mark or Reprisal from any foreign â—rince or State whatsoever nor otherwise â—mploy themselves in any warlike serâ—ices of any foreign State upon the Sea â—ithout special license obtained from our â—elf or from our High Admiral as they will answer the contrary at their perils And for as much as although we are in peace with all Christian Princes and States yet during the continuance oâ— the War between the King of Spain and the Arch-Dukes on the one side and the United Provinces of the Lowâ— Countries on the other side many chances may happen as some already have hapned of difficult interpretation to our Officers and Subjects how to behave themselves in such Cases unless they be explained unto them We have thought it convenient to make anâ— open Declaration how our said Officers and Subjects shall demean themselves toward the Subjects as well of the King of Spain and Arch-Dukes as also of the States united in the Cases following First our pleasure is that within our Ports Havens Roads Creeks or other places of our Dominions or so near to any of our said Ports or Havens as may be reasonably construed to be within that Title limit or precinct there shall be no force violence surprise or offence suffered to be done either from man of War to man of War or man of War to Merchant or Merchant to Merchant of either party but that all of â—hat Nation soever so long as they â—all be within those our Ports and plaâ—s of our Jurisdiction or where our â—fficers may prohibit violence shall be â—nderstood to be under our protectiâ—n to be ordered by course of Justice â—nd be at peace each with other And whereas some of the men of War of each side have used of late and â—â— is like will use in time to come though â—ot to come within our Ports because â—here they know we can restrain vioâ—ence yet to hover and hang about the â—kirts of our Ports somewhat to Seaâ—oard but yet so near our Coasts and â—he entry of our Harbours as in reason â—s to be construed to be within the exâ—ent of the same and there to await the Merchant of the adverse part and do â—eize and take them at their going out of our Ports which is all one in a manner as if they took them within our Port and will be no less hindrance to the trade of Merchants Our pleasure therefore and commandment is to all our Officers and Subjects by Sea and Land that they shall prohibit as muâ—â— as in them lieth all such hovering 〈◊〉 men of War of either side so neâ—â— the entry of any of our Havens 〈◊〉 our Coasts and that they shall receiâ—â— and succour all Merchants and other that shall fall within the danger of anâ— such as shall await our Coasts in so neaâ— places to the hindrance of Trade anâ— Traffique outward and homeward from and to our Kingdomes And foâ— the better instructions of our Officeâ— in the execution of these two Articleâ— We have caused to be sent to theâ— plats of those limits within which 〈◊〉 are resolved that these Orders shall bâ— observed And where it hath happened and 〈◊〉 like to do often that a ship of War 〈◊〉 the one side may come into some of ouâ— Ports where there â—â—all be a Merchanâ— of the other side In such Case for thâ— benefit and preservation of the lawfuâ—â— Trade of Merchants our pleasure is that all Merchants ships if they will require it shall be suffered to depart ouâ— of the said Port two or three Tide before the man of War to the intent that the Merchant may be free from the pursuit of his Adversary and it it so happen that any ship or ships of War of the one side do find any ship or ships of War of the other side in any our Ports or Roads aforesaid like as our pleasure is that during there abode there all violence be forborn so do we likewise command our said Officers and Subjects both on Sea and Land that the ship of War which came in first be suffered to depart a Tide or two before the other which came in last and that for so long time they shall stay and detain any ship of War that would offer to pursue another out of any of our Ports immediately And where we are informed that notwithstanding the severity of our Laws against Receivers of Pyrates goods many of our Officers of our Ports and other Inhabitants within and near unto them do receive daily goods brought in from Sea by such as are indeed Pyrates if they and the getting of their Goods were well examined we do hereby admonish them all to avoid the receiving or buying of any goodâ— from sea coming not into the Realm by lawful course of merchandize for that they shall find we are resolved so to prevent all occasion and encouragement of Pyrates to be used by any ouâ— Subjects as we will cause our Laws to be fully executed according to their true meaning both against the Pyrates and all Receivers and Abettors of them and their goods Given at Thetford the first day of March in the second year of our Reign of Great Britain c. Anno Dom 1605. in An. Reg. Jac. 3. An Act for the granting of three entire Subsidies and six Fisteenths and Tenths granted by the Temporaltie to His Majesty with the reasons why granted and the great advantages his Majesty hath been to this Kingdom MOst Gracious Soveraign as at the first entrance of your Majesty into this Kingdom there appeared universally in all your Loving Subjects greater demonstrations of affection towards your Royal person than ever hath been observed towards any former King upon a joyful and foreruning expectation of your Majesties Religious Just and Gracious Government so finding by the grounded experience of three years now compleat of the same your happy Government that your Majesty hath turned our hopes into sensible and actual benefits we cannot but still settle and increase in Love Zeal and Duty towards you which we think fit more and more to make manifest to your Majesty not by externe showes but by real effects And therefore We your most Loving and Loyal Subjects being by your Royal Authority assembled in Parliament to consult of the great and important causes of this your Kingdom have entred into due consideration both of your Majesties great Benefit and of your present estate in the support whereof the continuance of these benefits doth principally consist wherein we do in the first place call to mind that by Gods great mercies and blessing and your Majesties Religious care in execution of the good Laws for that purpose ordained the true Religion of Almighty God freed and delivered from the servitude of blind and Forrain superstition is continued unto us and that in such sort as considering your Majesties constant and Judicial profession thereof and the Religious Education of your Children we rest assured that
they assail me in my Strength and shall find my Deeds as ready and confident Justifications as my Words But it is not my Faith or Aspiring they here would bring in doubt they have a further Strain For as before they made my Name a Fume to disquiet the Head now they make it a Poyson to carry Infection into the Body For What is the Parliament but the Body of the Kingdom And why do they stain it with the hateful Name of Puritan but to make it odious to the King Indeed such Names help the Jesuits in Disputes of Religion when they are driven from all real Defences and would they practice this deploâ—able Art in the Matters of State if they were not in his Case that called Christ Galilean when he was vanquished by his Power For who knoweth not the Upper House of Parliament consisteth of all the Preâ—ates and Peers and the Nether House of near 500 Knights and Burgesses Elected and sent out of all Parts of â—he Kingdom And are all these Puâ—itans Do my Plots receive better Enâ—ertainment amongst them than with â—he Council of State And doth this reâ—roachful Comparison honour or disâ—onour those Able and Wise Men who are here presented to be well â—ffected to their Cause but their end â—as no Man's Honour It was to break â—he Parliament by setting Faction aâ—ongst the Members of both Houâ—es as well as with the Head and their â—and is most evident in misrepresenting the Case For where they say that almost every one of the Council both liked and allowed of the Propositions of the Catholick King and found therein no Cause to dissolve the Treaty They conceal that the Proposition was then made for the Palatinate alone supposing the Treaty of the Marriage should proceed And in that Case it mighâ— seem reasonable to very Wise Menâ— that the other Treaty should not bâ— broken off But in Parliament where both Parties come in Question together not one of those Able and Wise Men for they were all Memberâ— of the one House or the other dissented from the Council of dissolving them both The Altars of Provocation may then be objected to Worshippers of Saints or to them that appeal to their Idol at Rome and noâ— to Us who acknowledge no Sovereign upon Earth but our King to whom both Council of State and Parliament yield Odedience in all things How then may it be said thaâ— the Parliament is now above the King Or how can they hope that such shameless and impious Suggestions can make a prudent and good King jealous and doubtful of a most obsequious and dutiful People Especially at this time when it may truly be said That the Spirit of Wisdom in the Heart of the King hath wrought the Spirit of Unity in the Hearts of his Subjects which made the Success more happy than former Parliaments have had And this indeed is the matter which the Devil and they storm at For who can doubt that they and their Faction cannot endure without much trouble of Mind as they confess to see the weightiest Affairs and of greatest Moment to be now referred to the Censure of the Parliament when their fair Promises and Pretences can no longer prevail Yet let them tell us what greater and more Honourable Senate they have seen in Spain or elsewhere Besides Do not the very Writs for the Summons of Parliament express That is for the great and weighty Affairs of the Kingdom And have not our greatest and wisest Kings heretofore referred Treaties of Leagues of Marriages of Peace and War and of Religion it self to the Consultations of their Parliaments Those then that take upon them to undervalue this High Court do but expose their own Judgments to Censure and Contempt not knowing that Parliaments as they are the Honour and Support so they are the Hand-maids and Creatures of our Kings inspired formed and governed by their Power And if Charles the Fifth oâ— France by his Parliament of Paris recovered a great part of that Kingdom from this Crown and if Succeeding Kings there by the Assistance of that Court redeemed the Church from the Tyranny of the Pope We have no cause to doubt that our King by the Faithful Advice Assistance and Service of his Parliament shall be able both to recover the Palatinate which they here make so difficult and to protect our Neighbours and Allies and either to settle such a Peace as we really desire or to execute such Vengeance as God's Justice and their Sins shall for their Ambition assuredly draw upon them But they proceed and tell the King that it is said I have propounded many things to the Parliament in his Name without his Advice or Consent nay contrary to his Will And is not this to abuse the Ears and patience of a Prince to tell him many things are said and yet neither specifie the Matters nor the Men Or is not this to dally with my Name by Hear-says when with a harsh and incoherent Transition they suddenly fall upon â—he Prince who is the next true Mark their Malice shooteth at And when Malice it self cannot but acknowledge his Ingenuity and great Gifts and that in all things he shewâ—th himself an obedient and good â—on yet these Attributes they will â—eeds qualifie with a Nevertheless which cannot charge me as with a â—ault that I am confident in his Favour Or that I therefore despise all men to which Vice of all other my Nature is least inclin'd but indeed taxeth the Prince at least with participation of my ill Intentions by suffering me to make those persons subject to my Will which are most conformable to His. Whom they mean I know not but pray God that those Men they thus recommend to his Highness's neareâ— Trust prove not more dangerous to his Person than I have hitherto been refractory to his Will But having shot this Bolt they come back again to me as to their Stalking-horse to chuse a new Mark. And first for a preparative to the Prince Attention they wish that my Action were directed to his Good Then tâ— give at least some Varnish to theiâ— Work they tell him that good me believe meaning such as believe theâ— with an implicite Faith that I whâ— have imbroiled the Match with Spain will not be less able to break any other his Highness should affect iâ— which Speech if a Man will dive tâ— the Bottom of their Malice he must descend into Hell But for the Match with Spain can any man believe that his Majesty sent his Son that he went in Person that he both trusted Spain so far and did that Kingdom so much Honour and yielded to such Conditions or that I underwent that Hazard and Charge and pressed their King importuned his Favorite and Council and subjected my self to so many Indignities or that so great a Fleet even into their own Ports with Minds to interrupt or embroil or not rather to remove all Impediments to â—asten the Marriage and to bring â—ome
according to the liberty of Common amity and correspondency which is usually observed between Princes in such cases only because the Commander or Captain with some few persons besides are strangers and the rest only discovered to be his Majesties Subjects For as much as His Majesty having made his just and equal intentions thus apparent to all men by his publick Proclamations would be loath to frustrate the expectation of any his friends whom it doth or may concerne he doth hereby declare to all the world that if he shall hereafter find any such fraudulent course taken in hope colourably to avoid the true construction of his so just and necessary ordinances the breach whereof gives cause of further trouble and jealousies to arise between His Majesty and other Princes in the mutual exercise of their Subjects free Trade and entercourse He will make absolute stay of any such Ships and persons which shall be so brought into his Ports or Harbours as persons and things wholly exempted from that protection and favour which he entendeth to maintain and afford to all others which shall not in such kind go about to abuse his Majesties Integrity whose desire is to receive no better measure in any thing than he is willing to yield to others upon the like occasions Given at our Castle of Windsor the eighth of July 1605. in the third year of our Reign of Great Britain France and Ireland Anno Dom. 1609. An. Reg. Jac. 7. A Proclamation by King James touching Fishing JAmes by the Grace of God King of great Britain France and Ireland â—ender of the Faith c. To all and singular persons to whom it may appertain greeting Although we do sufficiently know by our experience in â—he office of Regal Dignity in which by the favour of Almighty God we â—ave been placed and exercised these many years as also by the observation which we have made of other Christian Princes examplary actions how far â—he absoluteness of Soveraign power â—xtendeth it self And that in regard â—hereof we need not yield accompt to â—ny person under God for any action of ours which is lawfully groundâ—d upon that Just prerogative Yet such hath ever been and shall be our â—are and desire to give satisfaction to â—ur Neighbour Princes and Friends in any action which may have the least Relation to their Subjects and estates as we have thought good by way of friendly Premonition to declare unto them all and to whom soever it may appertain as followeth Whereas we have been contented since our coming to the Crown to tolerate an indifferent and promiscuous kind of Liberty to all our friends whatsoever to fish within our Streames and upon any of our Coasts of Great Britain Ireland and other Adjacent Islands so far forth as the permission or use thereof might not redound to the empeachment of our Prerogative Royal nor to the hurt and damage of our loving Subjects whose preservation and flourishing estate we hold our self principally bound to advance beforrâ— all worldly respects So finding that our connivence therein hath not only given occasion of over great encorachments upon our Regalities or rather questioning of our right but hath been a means of much daily wrongs to our own people that exercise the trade of Fishing as either by the multitude of strangers which do preoccupy those places or by the Injuries which they receive most commonly at their hands our Sujects are constrained to abandon their Fishing or at the least are become so discouraged in the same as they hold it better for them to betake themselves to some other course of living whereby not only divers of our Coast Townes are much decayed but then umber of Mariners dayly diminished which is a matter of great consequence to our estate considering how much the strength thereof consisteth in the power of Shipping and use of Navigation we have thought it now both Just and necessary in respect that we are now by Gods favovr lineally and Lawfully possessed as well of the Island of great Britain as of Ireland and the rest of the Islles Adjacent to bethink our selves of good and Lawful meanes to prevent those incoveniencies and many others depending upon the same In the Consideration whereof as we are desirous that the world may take notice that we have no Intention to deny our Neighbours and Allies those fruits and benefits of peace and friendship which may be justly expected at our hands in honour and reason or are afforded by other Princes mutually in the point of Commerce and exchange of those things which may not prove prejudicial to them So because some such Convenient order may be taken in this matter as may sufficiently provide for all these Important Considerations which do depend thereupon We have resolved first to give notice to all the world that our express pleasure is that from the beginning of the Moneth of August next coming no person of what Nation or quality soever being not our natural born Subjects be permitted to Fish upon any of our Coasts and Seas of great Britain Ireland and the rest of the Isles Adjacent where most usually heretofore any Fishing hath been untill they have orderly demanded and obtained Licenses from us or such our Commissioners as we have Authorized in that behalf viz. At London for our Realmes of England and Ireland and at Edenborough for our Realm of Scotland which Licenses our intention is shall be Yearly Demanded for so many Vessels and Ships and the Tonnage thereof as shall inâ—end to Fish for that whole year or any part thereof upon any of our Coasts and Seas as aforesaid upon pain of such Chastisement as shall be fit to â—e inflicted upon such wilful offendâ—urs Given at our Palace of Westminster â—he sixth day of May in the seventh year â—f our Raign of Great Britain France â—nd Ireland Anno Dom. 1610. An. Jac. Reg. 8. The Case of Sir John Kennedy and his Lady UPon the Treaty with Gray Lord Chandoyes it was thought meet that 16500. l. should be allotted to the Lady for her right to the value of 14500. l. in Land and 2000. l. in money But in regard the whole estate moved from the Lady and that Sir John Kennedy was able to give her no advancement or dower out of his Estate It was thought meet that the Lady should have 8000. l. at her sole dispose and the residue to be at their joynt dispose After upon motion on the Ladies behalf out of a fear that the Estate might be wasted by Sir John and thereby she deprived of maintenance she â—hen haveing no knowledge of the Marriage in Scotland or hope of a Divorce â—r nullity of the said Marriage it was â—ppointed that the same should be conâ—onveyed over to certain Feoffees in â—rust to her use that she by her Indenâ—ure under her hand and Seal solely and without Sir John might dispose thereof The which Conveyance was directed â—y three liveing of this Honourable board viz. the
unto Overbury who perused them copied them registred them made Table-talk of them as they thought good so I will undertake the time was when Overbury knew more of the Secrets of the State than the Council-Table did Nay they were grown to such Inwardness as they made a Play of all the World besides themselves so as they had Cyphers and Jurgons for the King and Queen and Great Men of the Realm Things seldom used but either by Princes or their Confederates or at the least by such as practice and work against or at the least upon Princes But understand me My Lord I shall not charge you with Disloyalty at this day and I lay this for a Foundation that there was great Communication of Secrets between you anâ— Sir Thomas Overbury and that it haâ— relation to matters of State and thâ— great Causes of this Kingdom But My Lords as it is a Principlâ— in Nature that the best things are in their Corruption the worst and the sweetest Vine maketh the sourest Vinegar so it fell out with them that this Excess as I may say of Friendship ended in mortal Hatred on my Lord of Somerset's Part. I have heard my Lord Steward say sometimes in the Chancery that Frostâ— and Fraud end foul and I may add a Third and that is the Friendship of Ill Men which is truly said to be Conspiracy and not Friendship For it fell out some twelve Months or more before Overbury his Imprisonment in the Tower that the Earl of Somerset fell into an unlawful Love towards that unfortunate Lady the Countess of Fsseâ— and to proceed to a Marriage with her this Marriage and Purpose did Overbury mainly impugne under â—retence to do the true part of a â—riend for that he accounted her an â—nworthy Woman but the Truth â—as Overbury who to speak plainly â—ad little that was solid for Religion â—r Moral Vertue but was wholly â—ossest with Ambition and Vain Gloâ—y was loth to have any Partners in â—he Favour of my Lord of Somerset â—nd especially not any of the House â—f the Howards against whom he had â—ways professed Hatred and Opposiâ—tion And my Lords that this is no siniâ—er Construction will appear to you when you shall hear that Overbury â—ade his Brags that he had won him â—he Love of the Lady by his Letters â—nd Industry so far was he from Caâ—es of Conscience in this point And certainly my Lords howsoâ—ver the Tragical Misery of this poor Gentleman Overbury might somewhat â—bliterate his Faults yet because we â—re not upon point of Civility but to â—iscover the Face of Truth before the Face of Justice For that it is material to the true understanding of the Statâ— of this Cause Overbury was noughâ— and corrupt the Ballads must be meâ—ded for that point But to proceed when Overbury saâ— that he was like to be Possessor oâ— my Lords Grace which he had poâ—sessed so long and by whose Greatness he had promised himself to dâ— Wonders and being a Man of an unbounded impudent Spirit he begaâ— not only to dissuade but to deteâ— him from the Love of that Lady anâ— finding him fixed thought to find â— strong Remedy and supposing thaâ— he had my Lord's Head under his Giâ—dle in respect of Communication oâ— Secrets of State as he calls them him self Secrets of Nature and thereforâ— dealt violently with him to make hiâ— desist with Menaces of Discovery anâ— the like Hereupon grew two Streamâ— of Hatred upon Overbury the one froâ— the Lady in respect that he crossed her Love and abused her Name which are Furies in Women the other of a more deep Nature from my Lord of Somerset himself who was afraid of Overbury's Nature and if he did break from him and fly out he would wind into him and trouble his whole Fortunes I might add a â—hird Stream of the Earl of Northampton's Ambition who desires to be first in Favour with my Lord of Somerset and knowing Overbury's Malice to himself and to his House thought that Man must be removed and cut off so as certainly it was resolved and Decreed that Overbury must die That was too weak and they were so far from giving way to it as they crossed it there rested but two ways of Quarrel Assault and Poyson For that of Assault after some Proposition and Attempt they passed from it as a thing too open and subject to more â—ariety of Shame That of Poyson likewise was an hazardous thing and subject to many Preventions and Caution especially to such a Working and Jealous Brain as Overbury had except he was first fast in their Hands Therefore the way was first to get him into a Trap and lay him up anâ— then they could not miss the Mark And therefore in Execution of thiâ— Plot it was concluded that he should be design'd to some Honourable Employment in Foreign Parts and should under-hand by my Lord of Somerset be encouraged to refuse it and so upon Contempt he should be laid Prisoner in the Tower and then they thought he should be close enough and Death should be his Bail yet were they not at their End For they considered that if there were not a fit Lieutenant of the Tower for their purpose and likewise a fit Under-keeper of Overbury First They should meet with many Impediments in the giving and exhibiting of the Poyson Secondly They should be exposed to Note and Observation that might discover them And Thirdly Overbury in the mean time might write clamorous and furious Letters to his Friends and so all might be disappointed And therefore the next Link of the Chain was to displace the then Lieutenant Wade and to place Yelvis a Principal Abettor in the Impoysonment to displace Cary that was Under-keeper in Wade's Time and to place Weston that was the Actor in the Impoysonment and this was done in such a while that it may appear to be done as it were in a Breath Then when they had this poor Gentleman in the Tower close Prisoner where he could not escape nor stir where he could not feed but by their Hands where he could not speak nor write but through their Trunks then was the time to act the last Day of his Tragedy Then must Franklin the Purveyor of the Poyson procure five six seven several Poysons to be sure to hit his Complexion then must Mrs. Turâ—er the Lay-mistress of the Poysons â—dvise what works at present and what at distance then must Weston â—e the Tormentor and chase him with Poyson after Poyson Poyson â—n Salt Meats Poyson in Sweet Meats Poyson in Medicines and Vomits until at last his Body by the use of Treacle and Preservatives was so fortified that the force of the Poysons was blunted upon him Weston confessing when he was chid for not dispatching him that he had given him enough to poyson twenty men And Lastly Because all this asked time Courses were taken by Somerset both to divert all the true means of Overbury's Delivery and to
Sir Thomas Overbury came to his End The Statute of the Sovereign Lord Richard the â—econd Late King of England in the Thirteenth Year of his Reign or any other Statute Act Ordinance Proâ—ision Restriction to the contrary â—hereof notwithstanding In Testimoâ—y whereof c. Witness c. Francis Bacon Anno Dom. 1621. An. Reg. Jac. 19. An Order of the Privy Council Whitehall January 18. 1621. Present Lord Keeper Lord Treasurer L. President L. M. Hamilton Earle Marshall L. Vis Falkland Lord Digby Lord Brook Mr. Treasurer Mr. Secret Calvert Mr. Câ—anc Excheq Master of the Rolls Whereas his Majesty is Graciously pleased to enlarge and set at Liberty the Earl of Somerset and his Lady now Prisoners in the Tower of London â— and that nevertheless it is thought fit that both the said Earl and his Lady be consined to some convenient place It is therefore according to his Majesties Gracious Pleasure and Command Ordered That the Earl of Somerset and his Lady do repair either to Grayâ— or Cowsham the Lord Wallingford's Houses in the County of Oxon and remain confin'd to one or either of the said Houses and within three Miles compass of either of the same until further Order be given by his Majesty The Duke of Buckingham ' s Answer to the Spanish Ambassador's Informations c. Anno Dom. 1624. in the 22d of King James From the Original written by Sir Edward Coke's then Attorney General own Hand MY Master 's known Wisdom Justice and constant Favour towards me attended with Confidence in my own Faith and Innocency may make it seem both needless and unfit by any Defence to shew respect to a Libellous Information which reflecteth wholly upon the Author's Dishonour For who will not abhor this deplored Art of Calumniating boldly Because no Aspersion how false soever can be wash'd off so clean but some discolouring will remain Besides tho' Conspiracy be a Work of Darkness hardly to be cleared because in it Suspitions go for Proof yet my Youth and manner of Life and even that Character of Irregular Freedom which the Accusers set upon me will by Caesar's known Judgment acquit me thereof And therefore if my Personal Disgrace or Danger were the Marks they aim at I would stand or fall by his Knowledge of me who hath made me what I am and hath both Right and Power to unmake me at his pleasure But as that Wife King well understood that when his Brother demanded the Shunamite he sought not her but the Kingdom so his Majesties piercing Judgment will discover my Name to be the Mask Himself his Royal Children and his Kingdomes to be the true Subjects of this practicing Complaint And tho' the Particulars thereof are forged partly by Jesuites and their Factions at Home and partly by corrupt Ministers and Emissaries Abroad yet the Workmen that manage them are Publick Ministers of State of whose Offices and Sway amongst us we already feel the smart and have cause to prevent the Danger that may ensue especially considering they are Engines of that affected Monarchy which hath inlarged it self by Negotiations more than by Arms And which by advantage of late Treaties hath not lately invaded the Patrimonies of his Majesties Children but procured such Liberty and Connivance with his own Kingdoms as they supposed would produce a Rebellion not to be appeased without the help of their Arms. And since their Designs by God's Providence are now brought to light what could Malice it self have attemped more pernicious than by such Infectious Breaches fury-like to stir Jealousies betwixt the King his People and most obliged Servants and which is more horrible betwixt the Bark and the Tree Nay betwixt the Tree it self and all the Branches thereof Now in respect of these Consequences altho' my Person be of no Consideration and happily by saying nothing or doing easie Offices might redeem their Displeasure Yet where my Duty is so deeply engaged I in my Heart cannot hold and therefore for their Interests for whom by my humble thankfulness and Faith I account the chief Hopes and Fruits of my Life yet so as the World shall bear me Witness I plead my Cause the demonstration that his Majesty commanded these Informations first to be told and then to be written in the Letters they alledge whereby they excuse themselves of being Informers as of a Practise too base for Persons of their Rank But the Truth redoundeth only to his Majesties Honour For as in their Treaties they ever drew us on by making us rich and happy in general Promises so now by such general contriving of strange Conspiracies and Plots among our selves they endeavour to divert us from any further Discovery or Prevention of theirs And this his Majesty perceiving First pressed them to Particulars finding their Verbal Charges uncertain and subject to Inlargment or Restriction at the Peoples Pleasure he then commanded them to be written so as now they are fixed and no more in their Power but may be examined and judged by all men of Understanding to whose Construction and Censure I willingly submit both them and my Answer For what can be the Danger When in the very Entrance of my Accusation they acknowledge that the matters objected against me are not such as may be cleared by Judicial Proofs And must his Majesty then take them merely upon Trust Indeed Ambassadors have an Honourable Trust for their Masters Affairs and if they obtain a like Trust with those Princes to whom they are imployed what will they not persuade Shall not the Restitution of the Palatinate the Marriage and Dispensation and the Portion be made Articles to be added to our Creed But the Original Sin and Root of all Treasons and Offences laid to my Charge is that by eating the forbidden Fruit in Spain mine Eyes have been opened to discover the Evil as well as the Good and so to trust them no further than they deserve And yet I will not here take them too short for they say they have Witnesses but such as for fear of my Power do withdraw themselves such as dare not speak and deliver their minds though commanded by the King and though thereby they suffer the best King in the World to be brought into Extremities and such as neither will nor dare speak if first they be not freed from Jealousie and Fear yet these they pronounce to be his Majesties Most Faithful Subjects Surely of our Faith they cannot be which holdeth them Traytors Faithless and Perjured that prefer not the Safety and Honour of their Prince and Country before the Fear and Respect of any person whomsoever And if this Fear proveth them to be of their Faith how can they think the Entring into the Ambassador's House to be so heinous a matter as here is pretended Doth not all the World know the Liberty they give and which as Papists have taken beyond Examples in this kind They are not then Mass-Papists but perhaps of Higher Rank having Place and Access