Bull. And this iâ— is plain Thâ—t the Tâ—iâ—ple Leaâ—ue was 〈…〉 to the Ends of the French King to ruine the Dutch and to bring the Three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland under the Yokes of Arâ—itrary Power and Roman Catholick Idolatry after a Total Abolition of the Name of Parliaments and Subversion of the Fundamental Laws Gratias tibi piissime atque invictissime Rex Carole Secunde And that he might not as much as in him lay meet with after rubs Mr. H. C. was dispatched into Sweeden to dissolve the Tripple League in that Kingdom which he did so effectually by co-operating with the French Ministers in that Court that the Swede aâ—ter it came to Rupture never assisâ—ed to any purpose â—r prosecuted the â—nds of the said Alliance only by Arming himsâ—lf at the expence of the League first under a disguised Mediation acted the French Interest and at last threw off his Vizard and drew his Sword on the French side in the Quarreâ— And at home when the Project repined and grew hopeful the Lord-Keeper was discharged from his Office and both he the Duke of Ormâ—nd Prinâ—e Rupert and Secretary Trevor were discarded out of the Committee for Forreign Affairs as being too honest to comply with the Intreagues thâ—n on Foot The Exchequer for some Years bâ—fore by the Bâ—it of more than ordinary Gain hâ—d deâ—â—y'd in the greatest part of the most Weaâ—thy Goldsmiths and they the rest of the Money'd Peâ—ple of the Nâ—tion by the due Payment of Interest till the King was run in Debt upon what Account no Bodâ— knew above Two Millions Stâ—rling which served for one of the Pretences in the Lord-Keepâ—rs Speech at the opening of tâ—e Parliamenâ— to demand and obtain a Grant of the fore-menâ—ioned Supplies and might plentifully have sufficed to dis-engage the King with Peace and any tolerable good Husbandry But as if it had been perfidious to have applied them to any of the Purpâ—ses declared instead of Payment it was privately resolvâ—d upon to shat up the Exchequer lest any pâ—rt of the Money should have been legally expâ—nded but that all might be appropriated to the Holy War in prospect and those fâ—r more Pious uses to which the â—ing had Dedicated it This Affair was carried on with â—â—l the Secresie imaginable lest the unseasonble venting of it should â—ave spoiled the Wit and Mâ—lice of the Design So that all on a sudden uâ—â— the first of Iaâ—uary 1671. to the great Astonishment Ruin and Despair of so many Interest Peâ—sons and to the Terror of the whole Nation by so Arbitrary a Fact the Proclamation Issued forth in the midst of the Confluence of so many vast Aids and so great a Revenue whereby the Crown published it self Bankrupt made Prize of the Subject and broke all Faith and Contract at Home in order to the breaking of both Abroad with more Advantage What was this but a Robbery committed upon the People under the Bond and Security of the Royal Faith By which many Hundreds were as really impoverished and undone as if he had violently broken into their Houses and taken their Money out of their Coffers Nay that would have lookâ—d Generous and Great whereas the other was Base and Sneaking Only it seem'd more agreeable to His Majesty's Temper to Rob his Subjects by a Tâ—ick than to Plunder them by direct and open Force There remained nothing now but that the King after this Famous â—xploit upon his own Subjâ—cts should manifest his Impartiality to Foreigâ—ers and assert the Justice of his intended Quarrel with the Hâ—llanders Thereupon the Dispute about the Flag upon occasion of the Fansan Yatch was started a fresh and a great noise was made of Infamous Libels horrid Pictures Pillars set up and Medals Coined to the infinite dishonour of his Majesty's Peâ—son his Crown and Dignity though not one of the Libels or Pictures could be produced and as for the Pillars they never had any Being but in the imagination of those that made it their business to raise Jealousies between the Two Nations 'T is true there was a Medal coin'd which might have been spared but so soon as it was known in Holland that Exceptions were takâ—â— as it the Stamp was broken to pâ—eces Some time after the French King seeing the English after the Affair of Sir R. H. on the Smirna Fleet engaged past all Retreaâ— comes in with his Fleet not to Fight but only to sound our Seas to spy our Ports to learn our Building to learn our way of Fighting and to consume ours â—and preserve his own Navy For no sooner had the Duke of York as the Design was laid suâ—â—ered himself to be shamefully surprized but the Vice-Admiral â— the Earl oâ— Sandwich was Sacrificed and the rest of the Eâ—glish Fleet so torn â—nd mangled that the English Honour was laid not in the Dust buâ— in the Mud while his Royal Highness did all that was expectâ—d from him and Monsieur D' Estreâ—s who Commanded the French did all that he was sent for There was Three other several Engagemâ—nts oâ— ours with the Dutch the next Summer But while nothing was tenable at Land against the Fâ—ench so it seem'd that to the English every thing was impregnable at Sea which was not to be arâ—riâ—â—ted to the want of Courage or Conduct oâ— the then Commanders but rather to the unlucky Conjuâ—ction of the Engiâ—sh to the French like the Disasters that happen to Men by being in â—ll Company In the mean time the hopes of the Spanish and Smâ—rna Fleet being vanished the slender Allowance from the French not sufficing to defray farther Charges and the ordinary Revenue of His Majesty with all the former Aids being in less than one Years time exhausted the Parliament with the King 's most Gracious leave was permitted to Siâ— again at the time appointed At what time at the King 's and the Lord-Keepers usual daubing way the War was first Communicated to them and the Causes the Necessity and Danger so well pointed out that upon the King 's earnest Suit the Commons though in a War begun without their Advice readily Voâ—ed no less than One Million Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds Steoling though they would not say it was â—or the War but for the King 's extraordinary Occasions And now the King having got the Money into his Hâ—nds a new Project was set on â—ooâ— to set up an Army in â—ngland for the introducing of Slavery and Poperâ— under the pretence of Landing in Holland which was raised with all the expedition imaginable over which was Coll. Fitz Geâ—ald an Irish Papist made Major-General so were the greatest number of the Captains and otâ—er Officers of the same stamp And because that pretence was soon blown over it was afterwards still continued on foot undâ—r the more plausible Colour of a War wiâ—h France But after all these cunning Contrivances to do with them what he pleased whereas before theâ— hâ—d Power to Aâ—semble every Three Years
justifies the Duke of Buckingham The Commons in Answer present an high Remonstrance and justifie themselves To which the King sends them Answer by Finch their Speaker That if they did not pass the Bill of Subsidy by the end of the week following it would enforce him to take other Resolutions c. Before the Commons sent an Answer they Petitioned His Majesty That he would be pleased to remove from all Places of Trust and Authority all such Persons as were either Recusants or suspected to be such And the Commons then drew up another Declaration of Grievances against the Duke of Buckingham who being thereat Incensed Dissolved the Parliament the very next day Iune 15. 1626. Then the King's Cabal Council resolved on several ways for advancing the King's Revenue First Levying of Customs and Imposts on all Merchandize Privy Seals were Issued out and Benevolences proposed and at length a Commission for a general Loan was resolved on But the Assessment of the Loan was generally opposed whereupon the People of the lower Rank were ordered to appear in the Military-Yard next St. Martins in the Fields before the Lieutenant of the Tower to be Listed for Soldiers it being then thought necessary for the better security of the Liberty of the Subject That those which refused to assist with their Purses should be forced to Serve in their Persons Others of betteâ— Quality were committed Prisoners to the Fleet Marshalsea Gate-House c. And among others Sir I. Elliot who Petitioned his Majesty and repeated many Precedents That all manner of Taxes in former Kings Reigns were never Levied but by consent of Parliament However he was Committed and Sir P. Hayman was forced to serve the King in the Palatinate Dr. Sybthorp and Maynwaring Two Court Preacâ—ers about this time preached up the Necessity and Duty of the Loan one of them asserting That the Prince had Power to direct his Council and make Laws himself The other affirmed That the King 's Royal Command in imposing of Laws and Taxes though without consâ—nt in Parliament did oblige the Subjects Conscience upon pain of Eternal Damnation Which Position was entertained with such great Aâ—plause aâ— Court that Abbot was suspended his Archiâ—piscopal Sea for refusing to License the Sermon wherein it was contained In 1627â— being the Third Year of the King's Reign the Exchequer being very low and several late Enterprises having miscarried a Parliament was called and on the 27th of March they Aâ—sembled and the King and Lord Kâ—epers in Two Speeches earnestly pressed them to consider of some speedy wâ—y for supplying his Majesties Necessities The first thing taken into Coâ—sidâ—ration by the Commons was the Grievances of the Kingdom And the firâ—t thing insisted on was the Case of those Gentlmeâ—n for refusing the Loan and who notwithstanding their Habeas Corpus were remâ—nded to Prison and it was Resolved in the House Nemine Contradicente That no man ought to be Bâ—strained by the King or Privy-Council without some Cause of the Commitment Secondly That the Wâ—it of Habeas Corpus ought to be granted to every Man upon Request that is Restrained on which he ought to be Bayled if cause of Commitment be not Declaâ—ed Then the Parliament petitioned against Popish Recusants to which the King gave them a satisfactory Answer Afâ—â—r which five Subsidies were granted to the King which gave him so great Satisfaction that he sent them word He would deny them nothing of their Liberties which any of his Predecessâ—rs had Granted Whereupon the Commons fâ—ll upon the Memorable Petition of Right And when it was prâ—sented the Answer the King gave to it was not judged Satisfactory by the Commonsâ— and therefore upon their Petition the King gave them this short but full Answer Let it be done according to your desire Which Answer mightily pleased both Houses And his Majesty for further Satisfaction suffered the Commission for Loan and Excise to be Cancelled and received Abbot and Williams into his Favour again so thâ—t all Discontents on every side seemed to be banished In 1628. the Fourth year of the King's Reign the Parliament drew up a Remonstrance against Buckingham Bishop Neal and Laud which they presented to the King with the Bill of Subsidies His Majesty told them That he expected not such a Return for his favourable Answer to the Petition of Right and as for the Grievances he would take time to Consider An Information being likewise Exhibited against the Duke in the Star-Chamber The King by his express Will and Pleasure Ordered that it should be taken off the File and the King resolving to hold up the Duke Adjâ—urned the Parliament to the 20 th of October following But soon after the Duke was summoned to Answer at a Higher Tribunal by the means of one Felton a Lieutenant who stabbed him to the Heart with a Dagger The Parliament were further Adjourned to Ianuary 20. in which time the Merchants refusing to pay Custom had their Goods seized Complaints thereof being made to the Parliament the King requires them to pass the promis'd Bill for Tunnage and Poundage but the Commons answered That God's Cause was to be preferred before the King 's and that they would therefore in the first place Consult about Religion One Committee being for Religion and another for Civil Matters At the last was a Complaint about the Customs and the Farmers of the Customs were Challenged But the King vindicated them and the Parliament being upon proceeding against them as Delinquents the King Adjourned them till the 10 th of March The Commons enraged thereat blamed their Speaker for admitting the Mesâ—age and Ordered Sir I. Elliot to draw up their Remonstrance which was in very high Terms about Tunnage and Poundage c. The substance was as followeth I. VVhosoever shall indeavour to Introduce Popery Arminiauism or other than Orthodox Opinion shall be reputed a Capital Enemy to the Kingdom II. VVhosoever shall Counsel the taking of Tunnage and Poundage or shall yield Voluntary or pay the same without being granted by Parliament shall be deemed a Betrayer of and Enemy to the Liberties of England These things were so much disliked by the King that he sent the Usher of the Black Rod to Dissolve them who was not admitted in Whereupon the King with his Guard of Pensioners were resolv'd to force their Entrance which the Commons having notice of it they suddenly went out of the House And this was the end of that Parliament Some considering that neither this nor the Two former Parliaments complied with the Humour of the King or Ministers of State advised the King never to Call another And to that end the Famous Book of Protects was Published and Addrest to the King proposing some Methods to prevent the Impertinency of Parliaments as he calls them from time to time by the Example of Lewis XI of France who pretending that the Commons did encroach too much on the Nobility and Clergy Dissolv'd it and never after suffered the
People freely to Elect their Representatives In the Year 1634. The Design of Ship-Money was first set on Foot and Attorney General Noâ— being consulted about he pretends out of some Musty Records to find an Ancient President of raising a Tax on the Nation by the Authority of the King alone for setting out a Navy in case of danger which was thereupon put in Execution though noâ— without great Discontent both among the Clergy and Laiety Discontents in Scotland likewise began to increase and a Book was Printed and Published charging the King with indirect Proceedings and having a tendency to the Rtmish Belief And now to blow up these Scotch Sparks to a Flame C. Richeliâ— sent over his Chaplain and another Gentleman to heighten their Differences And some time aâ—ter viz. the latter end of the Year 1653. great Differences arose about Church-Matters in England chiefly occasioned by A. B. Laud's strict enjoyning many new Ceremonies not formerly insisted on and now vehemently opposed by those called Puritans to whom adhered many of the Episcopal Party Several Gentlemen of Quality had refused to pay the Ship-Money and among the rest Esquire Hambden of Bucks upon which the King refers the whole Business to the Twelve Judges in Michdelmas Term 1636. Ten of whom gave their Judgments against Hambden but Hutton and Cook refused it The King 1637. Issuing out a Proclamation in Scotland Commanding the Use of the Liturgy Surplice Altar c. There occasioned great Disorders and Tumults among the Common People who sometime after with the Genâ—ry entred into a Solemn League and Covenant to preserve the Religion then profest The Covenant the Scots were resolved to maintain and to that purpose they sent privately for General Lesley and other great Officers from beyond Sea providing themselves likewise with Arms c. After this they Elect Commissioners for the general Assembly whom they cite to move the Arch Bishops and Bishops to appear there as guilty Persons which being refused the People present a Bill of Complaint against them to the Presbitery at Edenburg who accordingly warned them to appear at the next General Assembly At their Meeting the Bishops sent in a Protestation against their Assembly which the Covenanters thought not fit to Read And soon after they abolished Episcopacy and then prepared for a War On which the King prepares an Army against them with which Anno. 1639. He Marches in Person into the North but by the Mediation of some Persons a Treaâ—ise of Peace was begun but soon broken off The King therefore confiders how to make Provisions for Men and Money and calling a Secret Cabinet Council consisting only of Lauâ— Strafford and Hamilton it was concluded That for the Kingâ—s Supply a Parliament must be Called in England and another in Ireland The Scots fore-seeing the Storm prepared for their own Defence making Treaties in Swedeâ— Denmark Holland and Poland And the Jesuits who are never â—dle endeavoured to Foment In the Year 1640. and the Sixteenth of the Kings Reign a Parliament was Called in which the King prâ—sses theâ—â—or a speedy Supply to Suppress what he calls the Violences of the Scots buâ— this Parliament not complying with the Kings desire were by the advice of the Iuncto Dissolved having only sate Twenty Two Days Laud by his violent Proceedings against those called Puritans and by his strict enjoyning of old un-observed Ceremonies which by many were thought Popish procured to himself much Hatred from the generality of People That upon May 9. 1640. a Paper was fixt on the Royal Exchange inciting the Prentices to go and Sack his House at Lambeth the Monday aâ—ter but the Arch-Bishop had notice of their Design and provided accordingly that at the time when they came endeavouring to enter his House they were repulsed The King calls a select Juncto to consult about the Scots where the Earl of Strafford delivered his Mind in such terms as afterwards proved his ruine War against them was resolved on and Money was to be procured one way or other The City was invited to Lend but absolutely reâ—used Some of the Gentry contributed indifferent freely So that with their assistance the Army was compleated the King himself being Generalissimo marches his Army into the North where was some Action in which the Scots had the better A Treaty is then set on foot and at last concluded the chief Conditions for the calling a Parliament in England who accordingly Met Nov. 3. 1640. And the King in his Speech tells them That the Scotish Troubles were the cause of their Meetingâ— and therefore requires them to consider of the most expedient means for câ—sting them out and desired a Supply from them for maintaining of his Army The Commons began with the Voting down all Monopolies and all such Members as had any benefit by them were voted out of the House They then voted down Ship-Money with the Opinion of the Judges thereupon to be Illegal and a charge of High Treason was ordered to be drawn up against Eight of them and they begun with the Keeper Finch Decemb. 11. Alderman Pennington and some Hundreds of Citizens presented a Petition subscribed by 15000 Hands against Church Discipline and Ceremonies and then the Commons Voted That the Clergy in a Convocation have no power to make Canons or Laws without Parliaments and that the Canons are against the Fundamental Laws of the Realm the King's Prerogative and the Property of the Subject the Right of Parliaments and tend to Faâ—tion and Sedition In pursuance hereof a Charge was ordered to be drawn up against Arch-Bishop Laud and others and after voted Guilty of High Treason and sent to the Tower The Scâ—ts likewise preferred a Charge against the Arch-Bishop and the Earl of Strafford requiring Justice against them both as the great Incendiaries and Disturbers both of Church and Stâ—te On Monday March 25. 1640. the Earl of Sâ—rafford's Tryal began in Westminâ—ter Hall the King Queen and Prince being present and the Commons being there likewise as a Committee at the managing their Accusation the chief of whom was Pym. The Earl made a long defence but the Commons were resolved to prosecute him to Death and to proceed against him by Bill of Attainder which they proceeded to dispatch And upon the 25th of Apâ—il they passed the Bill and a few days after the Lords did likewise The Bill being finished and the King willing to save the Earl May 21. makes a Speech to both Houses in the Earl's behalf and so Dismissed them to their great Discontent Which was propagated so far that May 23. weâ—e 1000. Citizens most of them Armed came thronging to Westminster crying out for Justice against the Earl of Strafford On Sunday following the King consulted the Judges and several Bishops Mâ—nday May 10. The King gives Commission to several Lords to Pass Two Billsâ— One the Bill of Attainder against Strafford the Other for continuing the Parliament during the Pleasure of Both Houses The next
Friends were privy to it After which perceiving that his Brother's Restauration was fully determined in England under pretence that it would be more for his own and the Honour and Interest of his Brother to Marry with some great Princess that would both enrich and strengthen them by the largeness of her Dowry and the graatness of her Relations he would have taken an Occasion from the privacy of the Nuptials to deny her being his Wife` and disavow all Contracts and Ceremonies of Marriage between them But the King detesting so much buseness as being himself a witness of the Marriage would not suffer the Lady to be so heinously abused but constrained him after great reluctancy to declare it publickly to all the World A happy Providence for England which by that ' Conjunction blest us with two Pâ—otestant Princâ—sses matchless in Virtue and Prety and all those other Graces that adorn their Sex to the eldest of which we are beholden â—or our Deliverance from an Inundation of Slavery and Popery under the Auspicious Conduâ—â— oâ— a Sovereign truly meriting the Noble and Ancient Titles of King of Men and Shepherd of the People and the yet more dignified Addition of Defender of the Faith And from the youngest of which we have already the earnest of a hopeful Issue to guard us from the like Invasions Such is the Provision of Providence that many times it happens the most venemous Creatures carry about them the particular Antidote against thier own Poysons Certain it is that the Duke of York would never have pulled off his Protestant Vizard nor have declared himself of the Roman Communion so soon had he not been thereto necessitated by a Stratagem of the King his Brother for the Papists having a long time waited for the Accomplishment of the King's Oathes and Promises for restoring their Religion and having annually contributed large Sums of Money towards the effecting of it at length grew impatiently sullen and would advance no more unless the King or the Duke would openly declare themselves for Popery Which the King thinking no way seasonable for him to do and not being able by all his Arguments and Importunities to prevail with his Brother to do it he at length bethought himself of this Project which was To get the Queen to write a Letter intimating her Intention to withdraw into a Monastery which Letter was to be left upon her Closet-Table that her Priests as it was concerted before-hand might there seize it and seeing the Contents of it carry it forthwith to the Duke Upon which the Duke being Jealous left the King upon the Queens relinquishing her Husband might be induced to marry again and thereby deprive him of the hopes of succeeding than which there was nothing which he thirsted after more upon obtaining a previous Assurance that in case he declared himself a Papist she would not withdraw immediately pulled oâ—f his Mask and renounced Communion with the Church of England Being thus quit of his fears from the King his next work was to did himself of all his Jealousies of the Duke of Monmouth To which purpose he lay day and night at the King to require him to turn Roman Catholick Which the King out of his Tenderness to the Romish Cause as well as to gratifie his Brother undertook to do and accordingly sent him into France with an express Command to reconcile himself to the Church oâ— Rome However the Duke of Monmouth out of an aversion to â—he Fopperies of that Religion failed in his Performance which so incenseâ— the Duke of York that from that time â—orward he studied all the ways imaginable to bring him to Destruction In the mean time having by his publickly declâ—ring himself a Papist engaged all those of the same Religion to his Person and Interest he resolved to drive on Iehu like and to promote the Catholick Cause with all the vigour and swiftness he was able and to make the utmost use of his Brothers good Intentions And such was his Bigottry to the Romish Church That according to the Principles of that Religion he stuck at nothing per fas nefaâ— to bring about his Popish Designs I shall not here dilaâ—e upon his secret Negotiâ—tions at Rome his Correspondencies with Foreign Priests and Jesuites or his private Intrigues with the French King which have been all sufficiently exposed already in Print as for thaâ— whatever has been already said of the King is also to be said of him in general while he was Duke in regard they both drew in the same Yoak for the Ruine of the Nation For this is as certain as the rest that he had a most eager desire to Rule and Rule dispotically which was the Reason he was frequently heard to say He had rather Reign one Month as the King of France than Twenty Years as his Brother the King of England did And besides it was as plain That he had a mortal Autipathy against the Protestant Religion and more particularly against the Professors of it in England but more especially the Dissenters upon the score of revenging his Fathers Death An imbittered hatred which he derived from his Mother who mortally malliced England upon the same Account and which he acknowledged in his Bed-Chamber at St. Iames's where he openly declared That he was resolved to be revenged upon the English Nation â—or his Fathers Death Which if those unthinking People who are so eager to have him agaiâ— would but consider they would not be so forward for his Return For it is in vain for the Church of England â— Men of what degree soever to think that their refusing to swear Allegiance to King VVilliam and Queen Mary would excuse them from that Universal Revenge which he would take upon the Nation were it ever again in his Power Only here was the Difference between the Two Brothers That the King thought to ruine his Enemy by main force and the fair hand of Victory but the Duke hoping to kill two Birds with one Stone made it his business at the same time to ruine the Enemy by force and his own Country by treachery Thus when he had engaged his Brother in the first Holy Dutch War of the Extirpaâ—ion of Hereticks he permits the English at â—irst to exercise all the Bravery of their Skill and Couâ—age to a great probability of Success but then falls asleep in the height of his Conduct to the end the Dutch for want of Orders might have â—n opportunity to wrest the Victory out of the hands of the English on purpose to keep the balâ—â—nce of Destruction on both sides even Thus he â—â—rmitted himself to be surpriz'd at Soul-Bay knowing there were enoâ—gh to maul the Enemy but not enough to preserve those that sought on our ride So that the Dutch may be said to be well â—hrashed and the Eâ—glish to be well sacrificed And as a farther Demonstration oâ— his perâ—idious Soul when he found the Contest would be too tedious between
either â—he Peâ—sons whom he had reliev'd came to be accus'd or he to be prosecuted upon this account And by the same Justice it was that Mr. Robert Bailzie of Ierismond was Hanged and Quartered for a Crime of which he had been Impeached and Tryed befâ—re the Council and fined Six Thousand Pounds Sterling And all this his Highness did by over-ruling the Lawyers of Scotland by which means he had made the Judges and Jury as malicious against the Protestants and is Revengeful against the Asserters of the Liberâ—ies of Seotland as himself Such Exorbitancies of Injustice and Arbitrary Power that his Brother could never have eâ—dured in a Subject had they not been aâ—â—ed all along with his Knowledge and Consent Otherwise had not the King been strangely infatuated to beliâ—ve that whatever his Brother dâ—d was for the Advancemenâ— of that Cause to which he was so well effected himself he could never have been so un-apprehensive of the Danger he was in from a Brother so actually in a Conspiracy against his Life For which Reason he was by the E. of Shaftsbury said to be a Prince nâ—t to be paralell`d in Histâ—ry For certainly bâ—sides the early Tryal which the King had of his Ambition beyond Sea he hâ—d a fair warning of the hasty Advances which he made to his Throne in a sâ—ort time after his Marriage to the Queen For no sooner was it discovered the Queen was unlikely â—o have any Issue by the King but he and his Partâ— made Proclamâ—tion of it to the World and that he was the certain Heir He takes his Seat in Parliament as Prince of Wales with his Guards about him He assumes the Princes Lodgings at White-Hall his Guards upon the same place without any intermission between him and the King so that the King was in his Hands and Power every Night All Offices and Preferments are bestowed upon him and at his Disposition not a Bishop made without him After this he changes his Religion to make a Party and such a Party that his Brother must besure to die and be made away` to make room for him And for the undeniable Proof of all this aâ— length the Plot breaks out headed by the Duke his Interest vnd Design Plain it was that where-ever he came he endeavour'd to remove all Obstacles to his intended Designs out of the way And therefore some there are who attribute the Extremity of the Duke`s rigour towards the Earl of Argyle to the great Authority which the Earl had in some part of the High-Lands and the Awe which he had over the Papiâ—ts as being Lord Justiciary in those parts and his being able upon any occâ—sion to check and bridle the Marq. of Huntly now Duke of Gourdon fâ—â—m attempting the Distâ—rbance of the Publick Peace or the prejudice of the Protestants However this is observable That notwitstanding the height of severity which was extended to him there was as much favour shewn the Lord Macdonald whose invading the Shire of Argyle with an Armed Force meerly because he was required by the said Earl as being given him for what he did though when the Council sent a Herald to him to require him to diâ—band his Forces he caused his Coat to be torn from his Back and sent him back to Edinburgh with all the Marks both of Contempt of themselves and Disgrace to the Publick Officer But his Religion was sufficient to attone at that time for his Treason And now the Duke having a standing Army of Five Thousand Foot and Five Hundred Horse in Scotland at his Devotion as well as in England and the Parliament the main Object of his Hatred and his Fear being dissolved back he returns into England where under the shelter of his Brother`s Authority he began in a short time to exert his Tyrannous Disposition and play the same unjust and Arbitrary Pranks as he had done in Scotland and because it was not seasonable yet to make use of Armed Forces he set his Westminster-Hall Red-Coats like Pioneers before a Marching Army to level the way for Popery and Arbitrary Controul to march in over the ruined Estates and murder'd Bodies of their Opposers The Iudges were his Slaves the Iuries at his beâ—k nothing could withstand him the Law it self grows lawless and Iefferies ridden plâ—ys the Debaushee like himself Justice or something in her likeness Swaggers Hectors Whips Imprisons Fines Draws Hangs and Quâ—rtersâ— and Beheads all that come near her under the Duke's displeasure Alderman Pilkington the Late Honourable Lord Mayor for standing up for the Rights and Liberties of the City and for refusing to pack a Jury to take away the Earl of Shaftsbury's Life is Prosecuted upon a Scandaluâ— Magnatum at the Suiâ— of the Duke Convicted and Condemned in a Verdict of an Hundred Thousand Pounds And Sir Patience Waâ—d for offering to confront the â—uborn'd Witnesses is Indicted of Perjury for which he wâ—s forced to fly to Vtretcht to avoid the Infamy of the Pillory though in all his Dealings so well known to be a Person of that Justice and Integrity that for all the hopes of the Duke he would not have told an untruth Sir Samuel Bernardiston for two or three treacherously intercepted Letters to his Friends in the Countrey fin'd ten thousand pounds which he was not sufferâ—d to discharge by Quarterly Payments but the Estaâ—e seized by the Duke's Sollicitors to the end he might have an opportunity to be the more prodigal in the wake oâ— it But this hunting after the Lives as well as the Estates of others was more intollerable and that be the prostituted Testimony of subâ—rn'd Iâ—ish â— Rogues and Vagabonds and when that would not take the desired Effect by the â—orced Evidence of Persons ensnared and shackled under the Terrors of Death till the drudgery of Swearing was over Men so fond of Life that they bought the uncertain prolongation of a wicked Mortality at the unhollowed price of certain and immortal Infamy And therefore not knowing how to die when they knew not how to live accounted it a more gainful Happiness to quit the Pardon of Heaven's Tribunal for the Broad Seal of England By this means fell the Vertuous Lord Russell a Sacrifice to the Bill of â—xclusion and the Duke's Reveege and yet of that Integriâ—y to his Country and untainted course of Life of whom never any spoke evil but those that knew no evil in him only because he was one of those who sought to exclude the Duke from the hopes of Tyranny and Oppression the Duke was resolv'd to exclude him from the Earth But then comes the Murther of the Earl of Essex for that it was a most Barbarous and Inhumane Murther committed by Bravo`s and bloody Ruffians set on hired and encouraged by potent Malice and Cruelty the preguant Circumstances no less corroborated by Testimonies wanting only the confirmation of Legal Judicature has been already so clearly made out that there is no place left for a hesitating belief