called to the Councel-board at Hampton Court about some things which were complained of in reference to the Customs did then and there in an insolent manner in the presence or hearing of the Lords and others of his Majesties Privy Council then sitting in Counsel utter these undutiful seditious and false words That the Merchants are in no part of the World so skrewed and wrung as in England That in Turky they have more incouragement By which words he the said Richard Chambers as the Information setteth forth did endeavor to alienate the good affection of his Majesties Subjects from his Majesty and to bring a slander upon his just Government and therefore the Kings Attorney prayed process against him To this Mr. Chambers made answer That having a Case of silk Grogerams brought from Bristol by a Carrier to London of the value of 400. l. the same were by some inferior Officers attending on the Custome-house seized without this Defendants consent notwithstanding he offered to give security to pay such Customs as should be due by Law and that he hath been otherwise grieved and damnified by the injurious dealing of the under-Officers of the Custome-house and mentioned the particulars wherein and that being called before the Lords of the Council he confesseth that out of the great sence which he had of the injuries done him by the said inferior Officers he did utter these words That the Merchants in England were more wrung and screwed then in forreign Parts Which words were onely spoken in the presence of the Privy-Council and not spoken abroad to stir up any discord among the people and not spoken with any disloyal thought at that time of his Majesties Government but onely intending by these words to introduce his just Complaint against the wrongs and injuries he had sustained by the inferiour Officers and that as soon as he heard a hard construction was given of his words he endeavoured by petition to the Lords of the Council humbly to explain his meaning that he had not the least evil thought as to his Majesties Government yet was not permitted to be heard but presently sent away prisoner to the Marshalsea and when he was there a prisoner he did again endeavour by petition to give satisfaction to the Lords of the Council but they would not be pleased to accept of his faithful explanation which he now makes unto this honourable Court upon his Oath and doth profess from the bottom of his heart That his speeches onely aimed at the abuses of the inferiour Officers who in many things dealt most cruelly with him and other Merchants There were two of the Clerks of the Privy-Council examined as Witnesses to prove the words notwithstanding the Defendant confessed the words in his Answer as aforesaid who proved the words as laid in the Information And on the sixth of May 1629. the Cause came to be heard in the Star-Chamber and the Court were of opinion that the words spoken were a comparing of his Majesties Government with the Government of the Turks intending thereby to make the people believe that his Majesties happy Government may be tearmed Turkish Tyranny and therefore the Court fined the said Mr. Chambers in the sum of 2000 l. to his Majesties use and to stand committed to the prison of the Fleet and to make submission for his great offence both at the Council-board in Court of Star-Chamber and at the Royal Exchange There was a great difference of opinion in the Court about the Fine and because it is a remarkable Case here followeth the names of each several person who gave sentence and the Fine they concluded upon viz. Sir Francis Cottington Chancellour of the Exchequer his opinion was for 500 l. Fine to the King and to acknowledge his offence at the Council-board the Star-Chamber-Bar and Exchange Sir Tho. Richardson Lord chief Justice of the common pleas 500 l. Fine to the King and to desire the Kings favour Sir Nicholas Hide Lord chief Justice of the Kings Bench 500 l. and to desire the Kings favour Sir Iohn Cook Secretary of State 1000 l. Sir Humphry May Chancellour 1500 l. Sir Thomas Edmons 2000 l. Sir Edward Barret 2000 l. Doctor Neal Bishop of Winchester 3000 l. Doctor Laud Bishop of London 3000 l. Lord Carlton principal Secretary of State 3000 l. Lord Chancellour of Scotland 2000 l. Earl of Holland 1500 l. Earl of Doncaster 1500 l. Earl of Salisbury 1500 l. Earl of Dorset 3000 l. Earl of Suffolk 3000 l. Earl of Mountgomery Lord Chamberlain 1500 l. Earl of Arundel Lord High Marshal 3000 l. Lord Montague Lord Privy Seal 3000 l. Lord Connoway 2000 l. Lord Weston Lord Treasurer 3000 l. Lord Coventry Lord Keeper of the Great Seal 1500 l. So the fine was setled to 2000 l. And all except the two Chief Justices concurred for a submission also to be made And accordingly the copy of the submission was sent to the Warden of the Fleet from Mr. Atturny General to shew the said Richard Chambers to perform and acknowledg it and was as followeth I Richard Chambers of London Merchant do humby acknowledge that whereas upon an Information exhibited against me by the Kings Atturney General I was in Easter Term last sentenced by the Honourable Court of Star-Chamber for that in September last 1628. being convented before the Lords and others of his Majesties most Honourable Privy-Council Board upon some speeches then used concerning the Merchants of this Kingdom and his Majesties well and gracious usage of them did then and there in insolent contemptuous and seditious manner falsly and maliciously say and affirm That they meaning the Merchants are in no parts of the world so skrewed and wrung as in England and that in Turky they have more incouragement And whereas by the sentence of that Honorable Court I was adjudged among other punishments justly imposed upon me to make my humble acknowledgment and submission of this great offence at this Honorable Board before I should be delivered out of the Prison of the Fleet whereto I was then committed as by the said Decree and Sentence of that Court among other things it doth and may appear Now I the said Richard Chambers in obedience to the Sentence of the said Honorable Court do humbly confess and acknowledg the speaking of these words aforesaid for the which I was so charged and am heartily sorry for the same and do humbly beseech your Lordships all to be Honorable intercessors for me to his Majesty that he would be graciously pleased to pardon that graet error and fault so committed by me When Mr. Chambers read this draught of submission he thus subscribed the same All the abovesaid Contents and Submission I Richard Chambers do utterly abhor and detest as most unjust and false and never to death will acknowledge any part thereof Rich. Chambers Also he under-writ these Texts of Scripture to the said Submission before he returned it That make a man an offender
dares not but give advice to follow where God leads apprehending the work of God in this and that of Hungary That by peece and peece the Kings of the Earth that gave their power to the Beast shall leave the Whore and make her desolate That he was satisfied in Conscience that the Bohemians had just cause to reject that proud and bloody man who had taken a course to make that Kingdom not Elective in taking it by the Donation of another The slighting of the Viscount Doncaster in his Ambassage gave cause of just displeasure and indignation Therefore let not a Noble Son be forsaken for their sakes who regard nothing but their own ends Our striking-in will comfort the Bohemians honor the Palsgrave strengthen the Princes of the Union draw on the United Provinces stir up the King of Denmark and the Palatines two Uncles the Prince of Orange and the Duke of Bouillon together with Tremouille a rich Prince in France to cast in their shares The Parliament is the old and honorable way for raising of Money and all that may be spared is to be turned this way And perhaps God provided the Iewels which were laid up in the Tower by the Mother for the preservation of the Daughter who like a Noble Princess hath professed that she will not leave her self one Iewel rather then not maintain so religious and righteous a Cause Certainly if countenance be given to this Action many brave Spirits will offer themselves Therefore let all our Spirits be gathered up to animate this business that the World may take notice that we are awake when God calls The Life and Zeal of these Expressions from a Person of such Eminency may discover the Judgment and Affection of the Anti-Spanish party in the Court of England But the King was engaged in those ways out of which he could not easily turn himself Besides it did not please him that his Son should snatch a Crown out of the Fire And he was used to say That the Bohemians made use of him as the Fox did of the Cats foot to pull the Apple out of the Fire for his own eating In the mean while before the King could answer the Palsgrave desiring advice in that behalf the Bohemians had wrought and prevailed with him to accept of their Election whereof he sent Advertisement into England excusing the suddenness of the Action for that the urgency of the cause would admit of no deliberation King Iames disavowed the Act and would never grace his Son in Law with the stile of his new Dignity But Sir Richard Weston and Sir Edward Conway were sent Ambassadors into Bohemia to close up the breach between the Emperor and the Elector Palatine The King being not a little troubled and jealous that the Palatines nearness to him might give cause of suspition to his Brother of Spain that this Election had been made by his procurement or correspondence with the German Protestants commands his Agent Cottington to give that King plenary Information of all proceedings As That his Ambassador being sent to compound the differences and to reduce the Bohemians to the quiet obedience of the Emperor instead of finding the Emperor so prepared and such a way made for his Mediation as was promised and expected received answer That the business was already referred to four of the Electors insomuch that no place was left for his Authority to interpose Of this exclusive answer as he had just cause to be sensible considering that he had entred into that Treaty meerly at the instance of the King of Spain and his Ministers so there followed a further inconvenience That the Bohemians having long expected the fruit and issue of this Mediation and finding little hope by this means did instantly as out of desperation Elect the Count Palatine for their King Wherefore being tender of his own honor and reputation especially in the opinion of the King of Spain he would not have it blemished by the least misunderstanding And for that end he tendred to his view such Letters as from time to time he had written to the Princes of the Union and to the Palatine himself whereby he might plainly see his dislike of the Bohemians engaging against their King and his industry to contain those Princes in peace and quietness and to make a fair Accord between the disagreeing parties Reply was made as touching the answer given to the Viscount Doncaster That he was admitted a Compounder in such form as was possible the Arbitration having been committed by the late Emperor into the hands of three of the Electors and the Duke of Bavaria that nevertheless he might have proceeded in the Negotiation and by his Masters Authority have over-ruled any difficulty which might have hapned on the Emperors side on whose behalf the reference was made if he had reduced the Bohemians to the acceptance of any reasonable conditions But he presently to the Emperors great disservice labored to suspend the Election of the King of the Romans till the Bohemian Controversie were first compounded which was absolutely to defeat King Ferdinand of that Crown and to disturb and put in danger his Election to the Empire This was the more confirmed by his desire to make Bonfires in Liege when the Count Palatine was made King of Bohemia As touching the Kings integrity in the whole business the satisfaction tendred was received with great applause and it was further said That it would gain the more authority and estimation if he should continue to disclaim that which had been done so contrary to his opinion and against his Friends and Allies as are all the Princes of the House of Austria But the Lot was cast in Germany and for the Palsgrave there was no going back forces pour in a main on both sides The King of Poland aided the Emperor in Hungary to bound and check the incursions of Prince Bethlem the Duke of Saxony did not brook his Fellow Electors advancement to Regal Majesty and condemned his joyning with Bethlem Gabor Who saith he came in with the Turks consent to make a desolution in the Empire King Frederick visited the several parts of his Kingdom to confirm the people to him and to receive the Oath of Fidelity And the Emperor published a Proscription against him wherein he proclaims him guilty of High Treason excludes him out of the publick peace and declares his resolution to prosecute him as the publick Enemy of the Empire and a contemner of his Imperial Majesty and absolves all his Subjects from their Oaths and Duties to him and commands all persons whatsoever to abandon him and his adherents Christian Prince of Anhalt was appointed Generalissimo of the Bohemian Forces and governed all affairs which was some eclipse and discontent to Thurne and Mansfet who had hitherto stood the shock of the Imperial Armies The Princes of the Union raised forces for the defence of the Palatinate and their own interest
beforehand for the defence of the Palatinate and the maintenance of his Children expelled out of their Countrey and for the raising of an Army for that recovery That he had procured a short Truce and did hope to obtain a general peace But the charges of sending Ambassadors over Christendom or an Army into the Palatinate in case a peace were not setled could not be borne but by the Grant of more Subsidies Moreover he protested before God That he would not dissolve the Parliament till the matters in agitation were finished Soon after the Lord Chancellor Bacon was proceeded against and a Conference of both Houses was held concerning him Where first the Commons observed his incomparable good parts which they highly commended secondly They magnified the place he held from whence Bounty Justice and Mercy were to be distributed to the Subjects whither all great Causes were drawn and from whence there was no Appeal in case of injustice or wrong done save to the Parliament Thirdly He was accused of great Bribery and Corruption in this eminent place and the particulars were laid open Then they concluded that this matter which concerned a person of so great eminency might not depend long before their Lordships but that the Examination of Proofs be expedited that as he shall be found upon tryal either he or his accusers might be punished After this the Marquess of Buckingham Lord Admiral declared to the House of Lords That he had received a Letter from the Chancellor expressing that he was indisposed in health but whither he lived or died he would be glad to preserve his Honor and Fame as far as he was worthy desiring to be maintained in their good opinions without prejudice till his cause was heard that he should not trick up Innocency with cavillation but plainly and ingenuously declare what he knew or remembred being happy that he had such Noble Peers and Reverend Prelates to discern of his Cause That he desired no priviledge of greatness for subterfuge of guiltiness but meaned to deal fairly and plainly with their Lordships and to put himself upon their Honors and Favors But the Charge came home upon him insomuch that he abandoned all defence and onely implored a favorable judgment in this humble Submission and Supplication to the House of Lords May it please your Lordships I Shall humbly crave at your hands a benign interpretation of that which I shall now write For words that come from wasted spirits and oppressed mindes are more safe in being deposited to a noble construction then being circled with any reserved Caution This being moved and as I hope obtained of your Lordships as a protection to all that I shall say I shall go on but with a very strange entrance as may seem to your Lordships at first For in the midst of a state of as great affliction as I think a mortal man can endure Honor being above Life I shall begin with the professing of gladness in some things The first is That hereafter the greatness of a Iudge or Magistrate shall be no sanctuary or protection to him against guiltiness which is the beginning of a Golden Work The next That after this example it is like that Iudges will flie from any thing in the likeness of Corruption though it were at a great distance as from a Serpent which tends to the purging of the Courts of Iustice and reducing them to their true honor and splendor And in these two points God is my witness though it be my fortune to be the Anvile upon which these two effects are broken and wrought I take no small comfort But to pass from the motions of my heart whereof God is my Iudge to the merits of my Cause whereof your Lordships are Iudges under God and his Lieutenant I do understand there hath been heretofore expected from me some justification and therefore I have chosen one onely justification instead of all others out of the justification of Job For after the clear submission and confession which I shall now make unto your Lordships I hope I may say and justifie with Job in these words I have not hid my sin as did Adam nor concealed my faults in my bosome This is the onely justification which I will use It resteth therefore That without Fig-leaves I do ingenuously confess and acknowledge that having understood the particulars of the Charge not formally from the House but enough to inform my conscience and memory I finde matter sufficient and full both to move me to desert my Defence and to move your Lordships to condemn and censure me Neither will I trouble your Lordships by singling these particulars which I think might fall off Quid te exempta juvat spinis de pluribus uva Neither will I prompt your Lordships to observe upon the proofs where they come not home or the scruple touching the credits of the Witnesses Neither will I represent to your Lordships how far a Defence might in divers things extenuate the Offence in respect of the time and manner of the guilt or the like circumstances but onely leave these things to spring out of your more noble thoughts and observations of the evidence and examinations themselves and charitably to winde about the particulars of the Charge here and there as God shall put into your minde and so submit my self wholly to your Piety and Grace And now I have spoken to your Lordships as Iudges I shall say a few words unto you as Peers and Prelates humbly commending my Cause to your noble mindes and magnanimous affections Your Lordships are not simply Iudges but Parliamentary Iudges you have a further extent of Arbitrary power then other Courts and if you be not tyed by ordinary course of Courts or Precedents in points of strictness and severity much less in points of Mercy and Mitigation And yet if any thing which I shall move might be contrary to your honorable and worthy End the introducing a Reformation I should not seek it But herein I beseech your Lordships to give me leave to tell you a story Titus Manlius took his Sons life for giving battel against the Prohibition of his General Not many years after the like severity was pursued by Papitius Cursor the Dictator against Quintus Maximus who being upon the point to be sentenced was by the intercession of some particular persons of the Senate spared Whereupon Livie maketh this grave and gratious observation Neque minus firmata est Disciplinae Militaris periculo Quinti Maximi quà m miserabili supplicio Titi Manlii The Discipline of War was no less established by the questioning of Quintus Maximus then by the punishment of Titus Manlius and the same reason is in the Reformation of Iustice. For the questioning of men in eminent places hath the same terror though not the same rigor with the punishment But my Cause stays not there for my humble desire is That his Majesty would take the Seal into his hands which is
the Articles of several High Treasons and other great and enormous Crimes Offences and Contempts supposed to be committed by him against our late Soveraign Lord King James of Blessed Memory deceased and our Soveraign Lord the Kings Majesty that now is wherewith the said Earl is charged by his Majesties Attorney-General on his Majesties behalf in the most High and Honorable Court of Parliament before the King and the Lords there And not acknowledging any the supposed Treasons Crimes Offences and Contempts wherewith he is charged in and by the said Articles to be true and saving to himself all advantages benefit and exception to the Incertainty and Insufficiency of the said Articles and of the several Charges in them contained And humbly praying that his Cause may not suffer for want of Legal form whereunto he hath not been used but may be judged according to such real and effectual Grounds and Proofs as may be accepted from an Ambassador the ground of the Charge growing thence and that he may have leave to explain himself and his own meaning in any thing that may seem of a doubtful Construction For Answer saith as followeth I. THe First Article he denieth and because the Matters contained in the said Article consist of several parts viz. The loss of the said Palatinate and the Match with the said Lady of Spain and of the several Employments as of one Extraordinary Ambassage to the Emperor and another to the King of Spain in the years 1621.22 and 23. He humbly craves leave of this most Honorable Court to separate the businesses and distinguish the times And beginning with the Palatinate first to give an account of his Ambassage to the Emperor and so to make as brief a Deduction as he could of the whole carriage in that business from the beginning of his employment to the time he left it in his Ambassage to the Emperor he propounded all things faithfully according to his Instructions and the Answers which he returned to his late Majesty of Blessed Memory were the very same and no other then such as were given by the Emperor under his Hand and Imperial Seal the which according to his duty he faithfully sent unto his said Majesty and withal did honestly and truly advertise his said Majesty what he understood and thought then upon the place but was so far from giving to his Majesty any ill-grounded hopes in that behalf that he wrote unto the Lords of the Council here in England from Vienna 26 Iuly 1624. in such sort as followeth I Am further to move your Lordships That there may be a Dispatch made presently into Spain to his Majesties Ambassador and Mr. Cottington that they deal effectually for the repairing and ripening of the business against my coming that they use some plain and direct Language letting the Ministers there know That the late Letter sent by the King of Spain to the Emperor was colder and more reserved then his Master had reason to expect I shall conclude with telling your Lordships That although I dispair not of good success in that knotty business yet I hope his Majesty and your Lordships lay not aside the care of all fitting preparations for a War in case a Peace cannot be honorably had And amongst other things I most earnestly commend unto your Lordships by your Lordships unto his Majesty the continuing yet abroad for some small time of Sir Robert Mansels Fleet upon the Coasts of Spain which in case his Majesty should be ill used will prove the best Argument we can use for the Restitution of the Palatinate And this his Advice he saith was wholly intended by his Actions by being the cause as he returned homeward out of Germany to bring down Count Mansfield whereby the Town of Frankendale was relieved by supplying of his Majesties Army then in great distress with Moneys and Plate to the value of 10000 l. meerly out of his zeal and affection to the good of the King and his Children having no Warrant or Order but that his heart was ever really bent in effects more then in shews to serve the Kings Son-in-law and his cause as by the discourse of this business will appear And how acceptable these Services were will more appear by the Letters of the Queen of Bohemia in these words following My Lord HAving understood from Heidelburgh how you have shewed your affection to the King and me in all things and in the help of Money you have lent our Soldiers I cannot let so great Obligation pass without giving many thanks for it by these lines since I have no other means to shew my gratefulness unto you Howsoever assure your self that I will never be forgetful of the Testimonies you give me of your love which I intreat you to continue in doing the King and me all good Offices you can to his Majesty You have been an eye-witness of the miserable estate our Countreys are in I intreat you therefore to solicite his Majesty for our help you having given me an assurance of your affection I intreat you now to shew it in helping of us by your good endeavors to his Majesty and you shall ever binde me to continue as I am already Your very affectionate Friend ELIZABETH Which Letters were seconded with others about the same time both from the King of Bohemia and Council of Heidelburgh to the same effect And how much satisfaction his late Majesty received in that behalf and touching that business will plainly appear several ways and particularly by his Speech in Parliament And the said Earl likewise appealeth to both Houses of Parliament to whom by his late Majesties Order he gave a just and true accompt of that employment with what true zeal he proceeded and how he pressed that single Treaty and Promises no longer be relied on but that a fitting preparation for War might go along hand in hand with any Treaty of Accommodation And for a conclusion among many of his late Majesties approbations of his carriage in this employment he humbly desireth that a Letter of the Duke of Buckinghams under his own hand bearing date the Eleventh of October 1621. may be produced being as followeth My Lord I Am exceeding glad that your Lordship hath carried your self so well in this employment that his Majesty is infinitely pleased for your Service you have done for which he commanded me to give your Lordship thanks in his Name until he see you himself You of all men have cause to commend his Majesties choice of such a man that unless your heart had gone with the business you could never have brought it to so good a pass Amongst other things his Majesty liketh very well the care of clearing his Honor whereof he will advise further with your Lordship at your next coming over I hope you will not finde your Negotiation with the Infanta of such difficulty as you seem to fear in your Letter seeing my Brother Edward hath brought with him a Letter
but other Motives that were the original cause of his Majesties said journey as shall be sufficiently made apparent in due time And the said Earl having got an inkling of it by something that was let fall from the Conde Gondomar to that purpose instantly dispatched away Mr. Grisley to his late Majesty to have this journey prevented who upon the Confines of France met with his Majesty and the Duke of Buckingham on his journey towards Spain and told them as much So that although he confesseth what is laid in the Charge to be true viz. That by the said journey the person of the Prince the peace and safety of the Kingdom did undergo further danger at the remembrance thereof the hearts of all good Subjects do tremble yet the blame is due to the Authors and Advisers of the same journey and not to the said Earl And although it pleased God to the exceeding great joy and comfort of the said Earl and of all good men to send his gratious Majesty home with safety yet never was the person of any Prince upon such grounds exposed to so great an hazard and in such Cases not the Success but the Counsellors are considerable VII To the Seventh Article the said Earl saith That he did not move or perswade his Majesty then Prince to change his Religion neither in the manner in the said Article mentioned nor in any other manner whatsoever Neither doth he conceive that the charge in it self as it is laid will in any reasonable construction bear any such inference as is made therein so as he conceiveth he needeth not make any further or other Answer thereunto Yet that it may appear that the manner he used to the said Prince was not traiterously falsly or cunningly nor without ground or to any such intent as in the said Article is supposed And to manifest unto this most high and honorable Court how far he was from all such intention he saith That he doth acknowledge that within few days after his Majesties coming into Spain whilst he had that great honor to have his Majesty lodged in his House and to have so Royal a Guest finding by the Spanish Ministers That there was a general opinion that his Majesties coming thither was with an intention to become a Roman Catholick and the Conde Gondomar having that very morning pressed the Earl not to hinder so pious a work as he termed it of his Majesties Conversion and seeming to be assured of the Duke of Buckinghams assistance therein his Majesty being all alone in a withdrawing Room in the said Earl his House the said Earl kneeled unto him and told him That he had a business to impart unto him which highly imported his Majesty to know so that he might be assured his boldness therein might be pardoned which his Majesty gratiously promised And thereupon the said Earl told his Majesty That the general opinion of that Court was that his Majesties coming into Spain was with an intention to be a Roman Catholick and there to declare it And he confesseth That at the same time in regard of those things he had heard he humbly besought his Majesty to deal freely with him as a Servant of whose fidelity he might be confident or words to that effect But he was so far from perswading his Majesty to be a Roman Catholick that without respecting his Majesties Answer he declared himself to be a Protestant and so should always continue yet he said he should always serve his Majesty and labor to advance his and the King his Fathers affairs with as much fidelity and honesty as any Catholick whatsoever And his Majesty was pleased then to make unto the said Earl a full and clear Declaration of his Religion and of his constant resolution therein and seemed to be much displeased that any should have so unworthy an opinion of him as to think he would for a Wife or any other Earthly respect whatsoever so much as waver in his Religion Whereupon the said Earl besought his Majesty to pardon his boldness and then intreated him not to suffer his business to be overthrown by permitting that conceit of his Conversion any longer to remain in the Spaniards nor do any thing that might give them hope therein alleaging That it was impossible the Marriage could be without a Dispensation and so long as the Spaniards who were to procure the Dispensation should have hope of his Majesties Conversion they would never content themselves with a part to which they were tied by the Articles agreed upon with the said Earl and Sir Walter Aston At which time his Majesty was pleased to approve of his opinion and said he would expect the Dispensation and did thereupon afterwards send Mr. Andrews to Rome to hasten it and the next day the said Earl dealt very roundly with the Conde Olivares and Gondomar telling them it was a discourteous manner of proceeding to press his Majesty to further Conditions then were formerly agreed upon in point of Religion and to make his Conditions the worse for the great Obligation he had put upon them by putting himself into their hands whereat they took such great offence that they estranged themselves from him for a long time after And that the said Earl did thus proceed with the said Condes and that it was not a new framed Answer to satisfie present Objections but that which really and indeed passed will really appear by his Dispatches unto his late Majesty of Blessed Memory and before his Majesty that now is came out of Spain they were there shewed unto his Majesty bearing date the Nineth of September 1623. So that although it be true That he the said Earl did not disswade his Majesty for that there was no cause for it yet without expecting his Majesties Answer he first made a clear and true Profession of his own Religion And when his Majesty had declared to him his zeal and constancy he humbly besought him That the Spaniards might not for any respect be longer held in hopes of that point And because point of Religion is that which all men of honor and honesty should cheifly desire to clear especially having an imputation of that nature laid upon them as the said Earl hath in the said Article He humbly beseecheth your Lordships that he may not seem to digress from his Charge intending your Lordships satisfaction in that particular not by the aforesaid verbal discourse onely which he professeth was in much zeal to Religion and dutiful care to the Prince in that kinde but by some written Testimony of his former Opinion both of the Match and Religion When he was first employed into Spain for the Treaty of this Marriage 1617. his late Majesty having commanded him to give an accompt thereof unto his Majesty that now is he at his departure towards Spain presumed to give unto his Majesty that now is his opinion in Writing signed with his own hand to be kept as a testimony
Scepter and Sword into his hand and not expose the persons of the people committed to his charge to the unsatiable desires of the King of Spain who hath long thirsted after an Universal Monarchy nor their Consciences to the yoke of the Pope of Rome And that at home he will take that care to redress the just grievances of his good Subjects as shall be every way fit for a good King And in the mean time his Majesty doth publish this to all his loving Subjects that they may know what to think with truth and speak with duty of his Majesties actions and proceedings in these two last dissolved Parliaments Given at his Majesties Palace at Whitehall this Thirtieth day of June in the second year of his Majesties Reign of Great-Britain France and Ireland Moreover the King published a Proclamation taking notice of a Remonstrance drawn by a Committee of the late Commons House and by them intended to have been presented to him wherein he said are many things contained to the dishonor of himself and his Royal Father of blessed memory and whereby through the sides of a Peer of this Realm they wound their Soveraigns honor as also that some Members of that House ill-affected to his service to vent their own passions against that Peer and to prepossess the world with an ill opinion of him before his Cause were heard in a Judicial way have beforehand scattered Copies of that intended Declaration thereby to detract from their Soveraign Wherefore his Majesty for the suppressing of this insufferable wrong to himself doth command upon pain of his indignation and high displeasure all persons of whatsoever quality who have or shall have hereafter any Copies or Notes of the said Remonstrance or shall come to the view thereof forthwith to burn the same that the memory thereof may be utterly abolished and may never give occasion to his Majesty to renew the remembrance of that which out of his grace and goodness he would gladly forget In another Proclamation the King declaring his Religious care of the Peace of this Church and Commonwealth of England and other his Dominions and taking notice that in all ages great disturbances both to Church and State have ensued out of small beginnings when the seeds of contention were not timely prevented and finding that of late some Questions and Opinions seem to have been broached in matters of Doctrine and Tenents of our Religion at first onely intended against Papists have afterwards by the sharp and indiscreet handling of some of either party given much offence to the sober and well grounded Readers and raised some hopes in the Roman Catholicks that by degrees the Professors of our Religion may be drawn first to Schism and afterwards to plain Popery His Majesty in the integrity of his own heart and singular providence for the peaceable Government of that people which God hath committed to his charge hath thought fit by the advice of his reverend Bishops to declare and publish not onely to his own people but also to the whole world his utter dislike of all those who to shew the subtilty of their Wits or to please their own humors or vent their own passions shall adventure to start any new opinions not onely contrary to but differing from the sound and Orthodox grounds of true Religigion established in the Church of England and also to declare his full and constant resolution that neither in Doctrine nor Discipline of the Church nor in the Government of the State he will admit of the least innovation but by Gods assistance will so guide the Scepter of these Kingdoms as shall be most for the comfort and assurance of his sober religious and well-affected Subjects and for the repressing and severe punishing of the insolencies of such as out of any sinister respects or disaffection to his Majesties Person or Government shall dare either in Church or State to disturbe the Peace thereof wherefore he doth straitly charge and command all his Subjects of his Realms of England and Ireland of what degree soever especially thes◠who are Church-men from hence-forth to carry themselves so wisely warily and conscionably that neither by Writing Preaching Printing Conferences or otherwise they raise publish or maintain any other Opinions concerning Religion then such as are clearly warranted by the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England 〈◊〉 by Authority And enjoyneth his reverend Archbishops and Bishops in their several Diocesses speedily to reclaim and repress all such spirits as shall in the least degree attempt to violate this bond of Peace And all the Ministers of Justice were required to execute his Majesties pious and royal pleasure herein expressed and if any shall take the boldness to neglect this gracious Admonition his Majesty will proceed against such offenders with that severity as their contempt shall deserve that by their exemplary punishment others may be warned and that those that be studious of the peace and prosperity of this Church and Commonwealth may bless God for his Majesties pious religious wise just and gracious Government The effects of this Proclamation how equally soever intended became the stopping of the Puritans Mouths and an uncontrouled Liberty to the Tongues and Pens of the Arminian party Shortly after an Information was preferred by the Kings special command in the Star-Chamber against the Duke of Buckingham for high Offences and Misdemeanors wherein he was charged amongst other things with the particulars mentioned in the last Article exhibited against him by the House of Commons concerning the Plaister applied to King Iames. To which the Duke put in his Answer and divers Witnesses were examined But the cause came not to a judicial hearing in the Court as it is afterwards expressed And now the King taking into consideration the present streights and inconveniencies into which the Revenue of the Crown was faln and the pressing necessity of his Affairs did by the advice and instance of his Council resolve and declare That all men of what quality and condition soever shall from henceforth upon pain of his displeasure forbear for two years space to present or solicite any Suit for any thing prohibited in the Book of Bounty published in King Iames his time or any other things that shall import the Diminution of his Majesties Revenue And for the advancement of the said Revenue arising by Customs Subsidies and Imposts upon all Goods and Merchandizes exported and and imported The Privy Council declared That it hath been constantly continued for many ages and is a principal and most necessary part of the Revenue of the Crown and that in the two last Parliaments it hath been thought upon but could not be setled by their Authority by reason of their dissolution before the matters therein treated could be brought to perfection Nevertheless that it was then intended to have been confirmed by Parliament as it hath been from time to time by many Descents and Ages Whereupon
Religion the precedency of Tunnage and poundage And in the Commitee Mr. Pymme spake as followeth TWo diseases there be said he the one old the other new the old Popery the new Arminianism there be three things to be inquired after concerning Popery 1. The cessation of the Execution of Laws against Papists 2. How the Papists have been imployed and countenanced 3. The Law violated in bringing in of superstitious ceremonies amongst us especially at Durham by Mr. Cozens as Angels Crucifixes Saints Altars Candles on Candlemas day burnt in the Church after the Popish manner For Arminianisme let it be advised 1. That a way be open for the truth 2. That whereas by the Articles set forth 1562. and by the Catechism set forth in King Edward the sixths days and by the writing of Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr who were employed in making our Articles and by the constant professions sealed by the blood of so many Martyrs as Cranmer Ridley and others and by the 36. Articles in Queen Elizabeths time and by the Articles agreed upon at Lambeth as the Doctrine of the Church of England which King Iames sent to Dort and to Ireland and were avowed by us and our State his Majesty hath expressed himself in preserving unity in Religion established though his royal intention notwithstanding hath been perverted by some to suppresse the truth Let us shew wherein these late opinions are contrary to those setled truths and what men have been since preferred that have professed these Heresies what pardons they have had for false doctrine what prohibiting of Books and writings against their doctrine and permitting of such books as have been for them Let us inquire after the Abettors Let us enquire also after the pardons granted of late to some of these and the presumption of some that dare preach the contrary to truth before his Majesty It belongs to the duty of Parliament to establish true Religion and to punish false we must know what Parliaments have done formerly in Religion Our Parliaments have confirmed general Councels In the time of King Henry 8. the Earl of Essex was condemned for countenancing books of Heresie For the convocation it is but a Provincial Sinod of Canturbury and cannot bind the whole Kingdom As for York that is distant and cannot do any thing to bind us or the Laws For the High-Commission it was derived from Parliament Wednesday 28. Secretary Cook delivered another message to the House concerning the precedency of Tunnage and Poundage declaring that his Majesty intends not thereby to interrupt them as to Religion so that they do not intrench on that which belongs not to them which message was seconded by Sir Thomas Edmonds in these words I am sorry the House hath given cause to so many messages about Tunnage and Poundage after his Majesty hath given us so much satisfaction you may perceive his Majesty is sensible of the neglect of his businesse we that know this should not discharge our duties to you if we should not perswade you to that course which should procure his Majesties good opinion of you You your selves are witnesses how industrious his Majesty was to procure you gracious Laws in his fathers time and since what inlargement he hath made of our Liberties and still we give him cause to repent him of the good he hath done Consider how dangerous it is to alienate his Majesties heart from Parliaments Master Corriton replied WHen men speak here of neglect of duty to his Majesty let them know we know no such thing nor what they mean And I see not how we do neglect the same I see it is in all our hearts to expedite the Bill of Tunnage and Poundage in due time our businesse is still put back by these Messages and the businesse in hand is of God and his Majesties affairs are certainly amisse and every one sees it and woe be to us if we present them not to his Majesty The House resolved to send an answer to the King that these messages are inconvenient and breed debates and losse of time and did further resolve that Tunnage and Poundage arising naturally from this House they would in fit time take such a course therein as they hoped would be to his Majesties satisfaction and honour and so again agreed to proceed at present in matters of Religion Sir Iohn Eliot upon this occasion spake to this purpose I have always observed said he that in the proceedings of this House our best advantage is order and I was very glad when that noble Gentleman my Country-man gave occasion to state our proceedings for I fear it would have carried us into a Sea of confusion and disorder and having now occasion to present my thoughts in this great and weighty businesse of Religion I shall be bold to speak a few words There is a jealousie conceived as if we meant to dispute in matters of faith it is our profession this is not to be disputed it is not in the Parliament to make a new Religion nor I hope shall it be in any to alter the body of the truth which we now professe I must confess amongst all those fears we have contracted there ariseth to me not one of the least dangers in the Declaration that is made and publisht in his Majesties name concerning disputing and preaching let not this my saying bear the least suspition or jealousie of his Majesty for if there be any misprision or Error I hope it is those Ministers about him which not only he but all Princes are subject unto and Princes no doubt are subject to mis-informations and many actions may be intitled to their Names when it is not done by themselves Antiochus King of Asia sent his Letters and missives to several Provinces that if they received any dispatches in his name not agreeable to justice Ignoto se litteras esse scriptas ideoque iis non parerent and the reason of it is given by Gratian because that oftentimes by the importunity of Ministers Principes saepe constringuntur ut non concedenda concedant are drawn to grant things by them not to be granted and as it was in that age so it may be in this And now to the particular in the Declaration we see what is said of Popery and Arminianism our Faith and Religion is in danger by it for like an Inundation it doth break in at once upon us It is said if there be any difference in Opinion concerning the seasonable interpretation of the 39. Articles the Bishops and the Clergy in the Convocation have power to dispute it and to order which way they please and for ought I know Popery and Arminianism may be introduced by them and then it must be received by all a slight thing that the power of Religion should be left to the persons of these men I honour their profession there are among our Bishops such as are fit to be made examples for
of all the Members of our Church except onely of some schismatical persons who have of late years taken the boldnesse to broach their contrary corrupt opinions we desire should not be called in question or doubt But howsoever it hath pleased your Majesty to our exceeding great comfort by many Testimonies to declare your own constant resolution to maintain the said Religion yet we see how your gracious purposes are therin crost and into what a miserable condition your whole Kingdom is likely by that means to be reduced we shall earnestlie endeavour as that which doth nearly concerne us the safety and prosperitie of your Majestie and people which are in such sort disordered that ruine thereby threatned to both may by Gods blessing be prevented being most heartilie sorrie that these occasions are offered which did thus hinder our proceedings And therefore as well for dignity and necessitie of the matter as for that we conceive it to be the most speedy and effectual way by uniting of all our hearts and endeavours to dispatch all other businesse of importance particularlie those which may seem more immediatlie to respect your Majesties profit We pray that our resolutions of preferring this businesse before all others may be acceptable to your Majestie to whom both in the matter and manner of our proceedings we desire to give all possible satisfaction Whereunto the King thus Answered GEntlemen this Answer being somewhat long may in reason require some time to reply unto it since as most of you cannot but judge this giveth no satisfaction Therefore I shall give you some short notes upon it I cannot think that whereas you alledge that the Bill of Tunnage and Poundage was brought in against the priviledge of your House That you will offer to take so much priviledge from every one of your members as not to allow them the liberty to bring in any Bill whatsoever although it be in your power when it is brought in to do with it what you think good And I cannot imagine you coming together by my power and to treat of things that I propound unto you can deny me that Prerogative to commend or offer my Bill unto you though in this particular I must confess that this Bill was not to have been offered to you in my Name as that Member of your House can bear witness As for the cause of delay in my businesse being Religion there is none of you shall have a greater care for the true preservation of it then my self which since it is confessed by your Answer You must either think I want power which cannot be or that I am very ill councelled if it be in so much danger as you affirm Though I may say much of this I will say no more but that for all this I shall not stop mine ears to you upon this subject so that in form and matter you transgresse not your limits as for Tunnage and Poundage I do not so much desire it out of greediness of the thing being perswaded you will make no stop in it when you once take it in hand as out of a desire to put an end to those Questions that do arise between me and some of my Subjects thinking it a strange thing if you should give Ear to those complaints and not to take the sure and speedy way to decide them Besides I must think it strange that this business of Religion should only be a hinderer of my Affaires whereas I am certainly informed all other things go according to their ordinary course therefore I must still be instant with you that you proceed with Tunnage and Poundage with diligence not looking to be denied in so just a desire and you must not think it strange i◠I finding you slack give you such further quickning as I shall find cause Hereupon Secretary Cook did acknowledge that at the presenting of the Bill of Tunnage to be read he said his Majesty much desired it but it was a mistake that his Majesty commanded it Wednesday the 4. of February THe House fell into debate of the Kings Declaration published in print to prohibite dispute or preaching one way or other concerning the matters mentioned in the Declaration alledging in the debate that the main end thereof was to suppress the Puritan party and yet to give liberty to the contrary side and they conceived that Bishop Laud and Bishop Montague mentioned in the last Remonstrance had advised the King to that Declaration Bishop Laud being advanced since the last Session of Parliament to be Bishop of London and Mr. Montague since that time made Bishop of Chichester And a Warrant was grantted to the Attourney General to draw up a pardon for him but whereas the Warrant was but for one the Attourney put four into the pardon viz. Bishop Montague Doctor Cosens Doctor Sibthorp and Doctor Manwaring Tuesday the 10. of February WHilst the House was in debate touching matters of Religion the Ware-house of Mr. Rolls Merchant and Member of the House then sitting in Parliament was locked up by a Pursuevant and himself called forth from the Committee and served with a Subpoenâ This gave occasion of smart debates in the House some said they were made the subject of scorn and contempt others conceived this to be a bone thrown in by them that have drawn a cloud on the true Religion to divert or interrupt them in the prosecution of that matter and they desired the messenger might be sent for and be examined by what procurement this Subpoenâ was taken forth Sir Humphrey May Chancellor of the Duchy and one of the Privy Councel assured the House that this neither proceeded from King nor Councel and therefore desired it might be searched into the bottome And it was afterwards cleared by Master Atturney General by his writing a Letter to Mr. Rolls that the serving a Subpoenâ upon him was a mistake and prayed that a favourable interpretation might be given of that matter Upon report from the Committee for Tunnage and Poundage Sir Iohn Wolstenholme Mr. Dawes and Mr. Carmarthan were ordered to appear at the Barr on Friday next and report was made to the House that Master Atturney notwithstanding his Letter did give order for the processe against Mr. Rolls and that in the Bill preferred in the Exchequer it was expressed the Merchants did plot practice and combine against the peace of the Kingdome This business being a matter of weight the further consideration thereof was appointed for another day and no member might go out of Town without Licence Thursday the 12. of February THe House was turned into a Committee concerning the business of Tunnage and Poundage and several Merchants did Petition that their goods were not only seized but informations preferred in Star-Chamber against them The Committee in their debate inclined that the Merchants might have their goods before they enter upon the Bill for Tunnage and Mr. Noy expressed himself
declared for War he pursued Peace and resolved to close with Spain hoping to heal the Breach by that Alliance The House of Commons before they granted Subsides resolved to try the Kings Spirit by this Petition and Remonstrance which laid open the distempers of those times with their causes and cures Most Gratious and Dread Soveraign WE Your Majesties most Humble and Loyal Subjects the Knights Citizens and Burgesses now Assembled in Parliament who represent the Commons of Your Realm full of hearty sorrow to be deprived of the Comfort of Your Royal Presence the rather for that it proceeds from the want of Your health wherein we all unfeignedly do suffer In all humble manner calling to minde Your Gracious Answer to our former Petition concerning Religion which notwithstanding Your Majesties Pious and Princely intentions hath not produced that good effect which the danger of these times doth séem to us to require And finding how ill Your Majesties goodness hath béen requited by Princes of different Religion who even in time of Treaty have taken opportunity to advance their own ends tending to the subversion of Religion and disadvantage of Your Affairs and the Estate of Your Children By reason whereof Your ill affected Subjects at home the Popish Recusants have taken too much encouragement and are dangerously increased in their number and in 〈◊〉 insolencies We cannot but be sensible thereof and therefore humbly represent what we conceive to be the causes of so great and growing Mischeifs and what be the Remedies I. The Uigilancy and Ambition of the Pope of Rome and his dearest Son the one aiming at as large a Temporal Monarchy as the other at a Spiritual Supremacy II. The Devillish Positions and Doctrines whereon Popery is built and taught with Authority to their Followers for advancement of their Temporal ends III. The distressed and miserable estate of the Professors of true Religion in Foreign parts IV. The Disasterous accidents to Your Majesties Children abroad expressed with rejoycing and even with contempt of their persons V. The strange Confederacy of the Princes of thâ— Popish Religion aiming mainly at the advancement of theirs and subverting of ours and taking the advantages conducing to that end upon all occasions VI. The great and many 〈◊〉 raised and maintained at the charge of the King of Spain the 〈◊〉 of that League VII The expectation of the Popish Recusants of the Match with Spain and féeding themselves with great hopes of the consequences thereof VIII The interposing of Forein Princes and their Agents in the behalf of Popish Recusants for connivance and favor unto them IX Their open and usual resort to the Houses and which is worse to the Chappels of Foreign Ambassadors X. Their more then usual concourse to the City and their frequent Conventicles and Conferences there XI The education of their Children in many several Seminaries and Houses of their Religion in Forein parts appropriated to the English Fugitives XII The Grants of their just Forfeitures intended by Your Majesty as a Reward of Service to the Grantees but beyond Your Majesties intention transferred or compounded for at such mean rates as will amount to little less then a Toleration XIII The Licentious Printing and dispersing of Popish and Seditious Books even in the time of Parliament XIV The swarms of Priests and Iesuits the Common Incendiaries of all Christendom dispersed in all parts of your Kingdom And from these causes as bitter Roots we humbly offer to Your Majesty That we foresée and fear there will necessarily follow very dangerous effects both to Church and State For I. The Popish Religion is incompatible with ours in respect of their Positions II. It draweth with it an unavoidable dependency on Forein Princes III. It openeth too wide a gap for Popularity to any who shall draw too great a party IV. It hath a restless spirit and will strive by these Gradations if it once get but a connivancy it will press for a Toleration if that should be obtained they must have an equality from thence they will aspire to Superiority and will never rest till they get a Subversion of the true Religion The Remedies against these growing Evils which in all Humility we offer unto Your most Excellent Majesty are these I. That séeing this inevitable necessity is faln upon Your Majesty which no Wisdom or Providence of a peaceable and pious King can 〈◊〉 Your Majesty would not omit this just occasion spéedily and eâ—â—ectually to take Your Sword into Your hand II. That once undertaken upon so honorable and just grounds Your Majesty would resolve to pursue and more publickly avow the aiding of those of our Religion in Forein parts which doubtless would reunite the Princes and States of the Union by these disasters disheartned and disbanded III. That Your Majesty would propose to Your Self to manage this War with the best advantage by a diversion or otherwise as in Your déep judgment shall be found fittest and not to rest upon a War in these parts onely which will consume Your Treasure and discourage Your People IV. That the bent of this 〈◊〉 and point of Your Sâ—â—â—d may be against that Prince whatsoever opinion of potency he hath whose Armies and Treasures have first diverted and since maintained the War in the Palatinate V. That for securing of our Peace at home Your Majesty will be pleased to review the parts of our Petition formerly delivered unto Your Majesty and hereunto annexed and to put in execution by the care of choice Commissioners to be thereunto especially appointed the Laws already and hereafter to be made for preventing of dangers by Popish Recusants and their wonted evasions VI. That to frustrate their hopes for a future age our most Noble Prince may be timely and happily married to one of our own Religion VII That the Children of the Nobility and Gentry of this Kingdom and of others ill-affected and suspected in their Religion now beyond the Seas may be forthwith called home by your means and at the charge of their Parents or Governors VIII That the Children of Popish Recusants or such whose Wives are Popish Recusants be brought up during their Minority with Protestant Schoolmasters and Teachers who may sow in their tender years the Séeds of true Religion IX That Your Majesty will be pleased spéedily to revoke all former Licences for such Children and Youth to travel beyond the Seas and not grant any such Licence hereafter X. That Your Majesties Learned Council may receive Commandment from Your Highness carefully to look into former Grants of Recusants Lands and to avoid them if by Law they can and that Your Majesty will stay Your Hand from passing any such Grants hereafter This is the sum and effect of our humble Declaration which we no ways intending to press upon Your Majesties undoubted and Regal Prerogative do with the fulness of our Duty and Obedience humbly submit to Your most Princely consideration The glory of God whose cause it is
the zeal of our true Religion in which we have béen born and wherein by Gods grace we are resolved to die the safety of Your Majesties person who is the very life of Your people the happiness of Your Children and Posterity the honor and good of the Church and State dearer unto us then our own lives having kindled these affections truly devoted to Your Majesty And séeing out of our duty to Your Majesty we have already resolved to give at the end of this Session one intire Subsidy for the present relief of the Palatinate onely to be paid in the end of February next which cannot well be effected but by passing a Bill in a Parlâ—â—mentary course before Christmas We most humbly beséech Your Majesty as our assured hope is that You will then also vouchsafe to give life by Your Royal Assent to such Bills as before that time shall be prepared for Your Majesties honor and the general good of Your people And that such Bills may be also accompanied as hath béen accustomed with Your Majesties Gracious Pardon which procéeding from Your own méer Grace may by Your Highness direction be drawn to that Latitude and Extent as may best sort with Your Majesties bounty and goodness And that not onely Felons and Criminal Offenders may take benefit thereof but that Your good Subjects may receive ease thereby And if it shall so stand with Your good pleasure That it may extend to the relief of the old Debts and Duties to the Crown before the First year of Your Majesties Reign to the discharge of Alienations without Licence and misusing of Liveries and Oustre le Maine before the first Summons of this Parliament and of concealed Wardships and not suing of Liveries and Oustre le Maines before the Twelfth year of Your Majesties Reign Which gratious Favor would much comfort Your good Subjects and ease them from vexation with little loss or prejudice to Your own profit And we by our daily and devout Prayers to the Almighty the Great King of Kings shall contend for a blessing upon our endeavors and for Your Majesties long and happy Reign over us and for Your Childrens Children after You for many and many Generations The House had sufficient cause to set forth the danger of true Religion and the Miseries of the Professors thereof in Foreign parts when besides the great wound made in Germany and the cruelties of the prevailing House of Austria the Protestants in France were almost ruined by Lewis the Thirteenth being besieged at once in several places as in Montauban by the King and in Rochel by Count Soysons and the Duke of Guise And for their relief the King of England prevailed nothing by sending of Sir Edward Herbert since Baron of Cherbury and after him the Viscount Doncaster Ambassador for Mediation The King having Intelligence of the former Remonstrance wrote his Letter to the Speaker To Our Trusty and Welbeloved Sir Thomas Richardson Knight Speaker of the House of COMMONS Mr Speaker WE have heard by divers Reports to our great grief That our distance from the Houses of Parliament caused by our indisposition of health hath imboldned the fiery and popular Spirits of some of the House of Commons to argue and debate publickly of the matters far above their reach and capacity tending to our high dishonor and breach of Prerogative Royal. These are therefore to command you to make known in our Name unto the House That none therein shall presume henceforth to meddle with any thing concerning our Government or deep matters of State and namely not to deal with our dearest Sons Match with the Daughter of Spain nor to touch the honor of that King or any other our Friends and Confederates And also not to meddle with any mans particulars which have their due motion in our ordinary Courts of Iustice. And whereas we hear they have sent a Message to Sir Edwin Sandis to know the reasons of his late restraint you shall in our Name resolve them That it was not for any misdemeanor of his in Parliament but to put them out of doubt of any question of that nature that may arise among them hereafter you shall resolve them in our Name That we think our self very free and able to punish any mans misdemeanors in Parliament as well during their sitting as after Which we mean not to spare hereafter upon any occasion of any mans insolent behavior there that shall be ministred unto us And if they have already touched any of these points which we have forbidden in any Petition of theirs which is to be sent unto us it is our pleasure that you shall tell them That except they reform it before it come to our hands we will not deign the hearing nor answering of it Dated at New-Market 3 Dec. 1621. Hereupon they drew up another Petition which they sent accompanied with the former Remonstrance Most Dread and Gratious Soveraign WE your most humble and loyal Subjects the Knights Citizens and Burgesses Assembled in the Commons House of Parliament full of grief and unspeakable sorrow through the true sence of your Majesties displeasure expressed by your Letter lately sent to our Speaker and by him related and read unto us Yet comforted again with the assurance of your grace and goodness and of the sincerity of our own intentions and procéedings whereon with confidence we can relie In all humbleness beséech your most Excellent Majesty that the loyalty and dutifulness of as faithful and loving Subjects as ever served or lived under a gratious Soveraign may not undeservedly suffer by the mis-information of partial and uncertain Reports which are ever unfaithful Intelligencers But that your Majesty would in the clearness of your own Iudgment first vouchsafe to understand from our selves and not from others what our humble Declaration and Petition resolved upon by the Universal voice of the House and proposed with your gratious Favor to be presented unto your Sacred Majesty doth contain Upon what occasion we entred into consideration of those things which are therein contained with what dutiful respect to your Majesty and your service we did consider thereof and what was our true intention thereby And that when your Majesty shall thereby truly discern our dutiful affections you will in your Royal Iudgment frée us from those heavy charges wherewith some of our Members are burthened and wherein the whole House is involved And we humbly beséech your Majesty that you will not hereafter give credit to private Reports against all or any of the Members of our House whom the whole have not censured until your Majesty have béen truly informed thereof from our selves And that in the mean time and ever we may stand upright in your Majesties grace and good opinion than which no worldly consideration is or can be dearer unto us When your Majesty had Reassembled us in Parliament by your Royal Commandment sooner then we expected and did vouchsafe by the mouths