rule as King I was alwaies bred to more modest and I think more pious Principles The consciousnesse to my Spiritual defects makes me more prize and desire those pious assistances which holy and good Ministers either Bishops or Presbyters may afford me especially in these extremities to which God hath been pleased to suffer some of my Subjects to reduce me so as to leave them nothing more but my Life to take from me and to leave me nothing to desire which I thought might lesse provoke their jealousie and offence to deny me then this of having some means afforded me for my Souls comfort and support To which end I made choice of men as no way that I know scandalous so every way eminent for their Learning and Piety no lesse then for their Loialty Nor can I imagine any exceptions to be made against them but only this That they may seem too able and too wel-affected toward me and my service But this is not the first service as I count it the best in which they have forced me to serve my self though I must confesse I bear with more grief and impatience the want of my Chaplains then of any other my servants and next if not beyond in some things to the being sequestred from my Wife and Children since from these indeed more of humane and temporary affections but from those more of heavenly and eternal improvements may be expected My comfort is that in the enforced not neglected want of ordinarie means God is wont to afford extraordinary supplies of his gifts and graces If his Spirit will teach me and help my infirmities in praier reading and meditation as I hope he will I shall need no other either Orator or Instructer The general inquirie was whether now we shall have Peace or a new War Most men imagine the old quarrel at an end but another between Presbyters and Independent We will have Uniformity saies the one and all to submit to the Covenant Liberty of Conscience saies the other and that in his sense is agreeable to the Covenant and Gods Word to back is But as the Quarrel grew high Pamphlets were published for either party Another to settle the brains of either of them or any besides offers the Reconciliation in his advice Intituled The Temple measured wherein are discussed the Questions about Constitution and Government of the visible Church the solution of such questions which he propounds and numbers them all the Objections against the Model of Ecclesiastical policie and particularly there is debated the unity of the Church the Members thereof the form of the Church and Church Government the power of the Church the Officers of the Church and their power The powers of Magistrates about the Church some Church Acts as admission of Members c. Tedious enough and all this set out for the final satisfaction of all differences by that Orthodox Divine the Lecturer at Newbery in New-England Mr. Noyes What a pretty pass we were come unto to fetch our Church-government from the West Indies And although Mr. Symson was silenced by Order of Parliament for dissenting from the Assembly of Divines it was now held fit to Null that Order and Symson admitted and why for his zeal it is said to the glory of God and edification of his Church and so upon this general ground he and others of any strain became admitted to the Pulpit We grow near an end of this year now the 19. of Mar. he Parliament Voting the Modeling of the Army into less Many Garisons dismantled some Forces Disbanded rather to be rid of the men than to spare the expences Much muttering there had been by the Officers and Souldiers very high in the esteem of their own power which increased as the Parliament lessened And therefore the Forces at their own dispose draw near together towards the City of London and Westminster which put the Citizens to advise at their Guid-hall and the whole number in Common Councel conclude of a Petition to either House but both alike To settle the Affairs of this long distracted Kingdom That his Majesty being come nearer in person to his Parliament they hope he will come home to their desires in the Propositions National and solemn League and Covenant That Malignants may be removed out of the City And here say they we should have ceased but that the Army which they hoped ere this should have been disbanded is now drawn so suddenly and quartered neer the Parliament and this City Besides that in this same juncture of time a most dangerous and seditious Petition is set on foot to be presented to this Parliament the Copy thereof is annexed which doth exact this addition from the Petitioners And pray That the Parliament would give command that the Army be forthwith removed and after with all speed to be disbanded the annexed Petition suppressed and that the City may make annual Election of the Members of their own Militia Soft and fair the Citizens ride post 'T is true the Petitioners had thanks of both Houses but they reckon without their Host the Army which we shall hear of to another tune The old Prince Henry of Orange died the 14. of March of a Fever sixty three years of age the most approved Commander in the Christian world and answerable in wisdom for State Government of an infirme body with the disease of the Gout the pain whereof increasing he fell into a Fever His only Son succeeded General and Admiral of the Forces of the united Provinces A faithful friend he had been in the assistance of the King contracted in the Mariage of his Son with the Kings Eldest Daughter and great sums of money and Ammunition had been sent to him in these Civil Wars of England and when he sees the King undone he dies deplored of all leaving his Son the hopefull Issue of such a Father And so we end this year 1646. The Scots Army is gone and left us the Bone to gnaw their Ecclesiastical Presbytery to which Reformation we were forward in forming of our selves This Discipline of Government in the Scotish Kirk had been long time a framing in Scotland according to the Tenets of the Church of Geneva and devised and setled there as afterwards in Scotland by treasonable practices against the power of Magistracie and Soveraignty The Prerogative of a King and the liberty of Subjects are consistent and dependent the one from the other Certainly the Kings power is primarily derived from God for the Subject He to establish good Lawes for Church and State they to obey them And it is true too that the chief of the Church Bishop or Presbyter have a power which the Supream Power hath not in Spiritualibus resting only in their persons But the King is in the External Affairs of the Church to call Synods Assemble Divines for ordering of the Church by Canons and Edicts and he hath a power also to punish the Ministers offending
at Carisbroke Castle The King not to be wanting to the Common-wealth sends his Message to the Parliament and therein Concessions even beyond the hopes of most men and Arguments also why he could not assent to the late Propositions and desires a personal Treaty resolving to neglect any thing of his own Right to redeem the Peace of his people C. R. His Majesty is confident that before this time his two Houses of Parliament have received the Message which he left behind him at Hampton Court the eleventh of this moneth by which they will have understood the Reasons which enforced him to go from thence as likewise his constant endeavours for the setling of a safe and well-grounded Peace wheresoever he should be And being now in a place where he conceives himself to be at much more freedom and security than formerly he thinks it necessary not only for making good of his own professions but also for the speedy procuring of a peace in these languishing and distressed Kingdoms at this time to offer such grounds to his two Houses for that effect which upon due examination of all Interests may best conduce thereunto And because Religion is the best and chiefest foundation of peace his Majestie will begin with that particular That for the abolishing Arch-bishops c. his Majesty clearly professeth that he cannot give his consent thereunto both in Relation as he is a Christian and a King For the first he avows that he is satisfied in his judgement that this order was placed in the Church by the Apostles themselves and ever since that time hath continued in all Christian Churches throughout the World untill this last century of years and in this Church in all times of change and Reformation it hath been upheld by the wisdom of his Ancestors as the great preserver of Doctrine Discipline and Order in the Service of God as a King at his Coronation he hath not only taken a solemn oath to maintain this Order but his Majesty and his Predecessors in their confirmations of the great Charter have inseparably woven the right of the Church into the Liberties of the rest of the Subjects and yet he is willing it be provided that the particular Bishops perform the several duties of their callings both by their personal residence and frequent Preachings in their Diocesses as also that they exercise no act of Iurisdiction or Ordination without the consent of their Presbyter and will consent that their powers in all things be so limited that they be not grievous to tender consciences Wherefore since his Majestie is willing to give ease to the consciences of others he sees no reason why he alone and those of his judgement should be pressed to a violation of theirs Nor can his Majestie consent to the alienation of Church Lands because it cannot be denied to be a sin of the highest Sacrilege as also that it subverts the intentions of so many pious Donors who have laid a heavy curse upon all such profane violations which his Majestie is very unwilling to undergo And besides the matter of conscience his Majestie believes it to be a prejudice to the publick good many of his Subjects having the benefit of renewing Leases at much easier Rates than if those possessions were in the hands of private men not omitting the discouragement which it will be to all Learning and Industry when such eminent rewards shall be taken away which now lye open to the Children of meanest persons Yet his Majestie considering the great present distempers concerning Church Discipline and that the Presbyterian Government is now in practice his Majestie to eschew confusion as much as may be and for the satisfaction of his two Houses is content that the said Government be Legally permitted to stand in the same condition it is in for three years provided that his Majestie and those of his judgement or any other who cannot in conscience submit thereunto be not obliged to comply with the Presbyterial Government but have free practice of their own profession without receiving any prejudice thereby and that a free consultation and debate be had with the Divines at Westminster twenty of his Majesties nomination being added unto them whereby it may be determined by his Majesty and the two Houses how the Church Government after the said time shall be setled or sooner if differences may be agreed as is most agreeable to the Word of God with full libertie to all those who shall differ upon Conscientious grounds from that settlement alwaies provided that nothing aforesaid be understood to tolerate those of the popish profession nor the exempting of any Popish Recusant from the penalties of the Laws or to tolerate the publick profession of Atheism or Blasphemy contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostles Nicene and Athanasian Creeds they having been received by and had in reverence of all the Christian Churches and more particularly by this of England ever since the Reformation Next the Militia being that Right which is inseparably and undoubtedly inherent in the Crown by the Laws of this Nation and that which former Parliaments as likewise this hath acknowledged so to be his Majestie cannot so much wrong that trust which the Laws of God and this Land have annexed to the Crown for the protection and security of his people as to divest himself and Successors of the power of the Sword yet to give an infallible evidence of his desire to secure the performance of such agreements as shall be made in order to a peace his Majesty will consent to an Act of Parliament that the whole power of the Militia both by Sea and Land for and during his whole reign shall be ordered and disposed by the two Houses of Parliament or by such persons as they shall appoint with powers limited for suppressing of Forces within this Kingdom to the disturbance of the publick peace and against Foreign invasions and that they shall have power during his said reign to raise monies for the purposes aforesaid and that neither his Majesty that now is or any other by any Authoritie derived only from him shall execute any of the said Powers during his Majesties said reign but such as shall Act by the consent and approbation of the two Houses of Parliament nevertheless his Majestie intends that all Patents Commissions and other Acts concerning the Militia be made and Acted as formerly and that after his Majesties Reign all the power of the Militia shall return intirely to the Crown as it was in the times of Queen Elizabeth and King James of blessed memory After this head of the Militia the consideration of the Arrears due to the Army is not improper to follow for the payment whereof and the ease of his people his Majesty is willing to concur in any thing that can be done without the violation of his conscience and honour Wherefore if his two Houses shall consent to remit unto him such benefit out of Sequestrations
to second and so he was fain to desist but he exercises his fury at home on the very Branches of the House of Lorain persecutes the Duke of Guise to the death and so to destroy the Family which forced Lorain his Manifesto That not able to contest with his powerfull Enemy he tranfers all his Rights upon his Brother Francis and so retires to be General of the Catholick Army in Germany Richelieu assured that this mad deed of Guise was but pro tempore till that this Dukes Brother had sent to Rome for a Dispensation to marry his Cosin Germane and to render his Cap to the hands of his Holiness seizes him and his new Bride at Paris Prisoners to the Bastile out of which they escape disguised through Savâ—y Florence and Venice so far about ere they got safe to Vien Thus malitious was Richelieu to attempt the extinction of this most illustrious and most ancient Family issued from Charlemain and other Kings sacred for their Services to Christendom nay to France her self in the Battel of Crecy and all the Wars of the English And that story of truth that Iohn of Orleans of this Family like a second Iudith saved France from the oppression of Strangers And so the Cardinal having deprived the lawfull Prince called in the Gothick Nation to ruine it and therefore they that accuse this Duke of having so often falsified his faith silence the the cause thereof either through malice or ignorance This year by a Floud near Glucstat in Holstein there were drowned six thousand persons and above fifty thousand Cattel And by the Plague which beginning in the North passed through Holland there died about twenty thousand persons in the Town of Leyden onely without reckoning those that were consumed in Amsterdam and other Towns This Contagion was fomented by the Famine in Germany not the Living able to bury the Dead The French were totally beaten out of Germany and so we may observe Catholicks against Catholicks Lutherans against Catholicks and now follows Lutherans against Lutherans and then the Reformates against the Reformates the most extravagant War since the World began wherein the most unbridled passions of man had the Helm Vengeance produced Licentiousness and that also such barbarous Cruelties as can be imagined And after their miserable effects we in Great Brittain felt the like misfortunes none escaping where Gods hand of Justice prosecutes sinfull Creatures Laud Arch-bishop of Canterbury makes his Visitation and as usual with all his Predecessours Inquisition is made but now more narrowly than had been heretofore of the great neglect of religious Duties both of Clergy and Laity for a uniform obedience to the Rules of the Church much neglected in Arch-bishop Abbot's time And because some Bishops had been over-nice to examine their own Diocess in favour of the Presbyterians this Arch-bishop on purpose to direct them the way was the rather severe and so by his Examinations and Example it began to be strictly observed and as boldly opposed by the Puritan It is instanced in the Remove of the Communion Table from the Body of the Chancel to the upper East End with the side of the Table against the Wall Altar-wise with a Rail or Ballaster about it and no new things commanded now for the Committee of Parliament had taken liberty eight years since to except against some Ceremonies and in fear or remisness to displease them the neglect of Duties were the rather more narrowly commanded now and but time for never more profaness in divine Service which the King understanding by often Complaints thought fit to give order for the amendment In whose power by Statute 1 Eliz. c. 2. he is to ordain and publish such further Rites and Ceremonies as may be most for the Advancement of Gods glory the edifying of his Church and the due reverence of Christ 's holy Mysteries and Sacraments And this was done by the Dean and Chapter three years since at Saint Gregories Church the Communion Table set Altar-wise and though complained of by some ordinary Parishioners the King and Council hearing the cause made an Order for confirmation thereof So then these Proceedings had been before First the Statute of Queen Elizabeth the Kings Prerogative and the ancient Laws of the Land and indeed it was a Renovation of a Rite not an Innovation And truly to instance the Bishop of Lincoln for opposing with his Holy Table Name and Thing which was rather to oppose the Kings Command than to speak his Conscience for never Prelate lived more Episcopal than he when he was retired at Bugden yet for his ends after he seemed a Puritan and what not perfidious to secure himself and to please the Publick and so at last became a professed Presbyterian and there he setled to be one of their own whose Characters are much minced in their demerits if you afford them free of any moral scandal I wish they were not but I fear rather guilty of all by their Hypocrisie in all And without doubt more to blame than the Prelate Ministers who are falsly reproached to be vitious even to scandal for which he is justly blamed And as the Ceremonies of outward worship were inquired into so were the Doctrines and Manners of Ministers specially of the Lecturers chosen by the People the more factious the fitter for their Pulpits Such an Examination came before the King and his Council between the Bailiffs of the Town of Yarmouth in Norfolk on the one side and the Dean and Chapter of Norwich and Master Brooks the Minister and Preacher there on the other side upon the Return of a Commission sent thither for the Examinations of Proofs The Case was thus Mr. Brooks being Minister and Preacher at Yarmouth by the Patronage and supplyment of the Dean and Chapter to whom it belonged The factious there had notwithstanding set up one Mr. Brinesley not conform to the canons of the Church to be a Lecturer of their own and to officiate in a room called a Chappel being formerly used by the Dutch for their assembling in their service never consecrated and but lately a ware-house for Merchants goods And the rather the people were invited thither in throngs neglecting their Parish Churches Against Mr. Brinesley comes thither an Inhibition from the Arch Bishop of Canterbury directed to Mr. Brooks who serves him therewith in his Meeting-place And for which the Town authority committed Mr. Brooks by the heels encouraging the other to go on in his Lecturing Whereupon It was Ordered with this Preface That the Matters of the Church at Yarmouth had been factiously carried by the refractory spirits of some Persons in chief places of power there whereby the busie humours of those whose Ears itch after Novelty have been nourished and incouraged And therefore his Majesty being sensible and careful in the countenancing and maintainance aswell of Ecclesiasticall Authority and Discipline as of civil Order and Government
consequently have power to give order for the external part of Gods Service as was by Parliament granted to Queen Elizabeth and her Successours And the first Congregators calling themselves Protestants by Contract with Queen Elizabeth Anno 1559. received by Contract the Common Service-book of the Church of England for the better obtaining assistance from her to beat out the French then nestled in Scotland as Buchanan confesses Scoti ex servitute Gallica Anglorum auxiliis liberati eisdem Ritibus cum Anglis communibus subscripserunt lib. 19. in fine which was done by way of Indenture and thereupon Queen Elizabeth assisted them at their own charges and the English Service-book was so received by the Protestant Kirk of Scotland and practised as appears in Iohn Knox his History p. 111. of Buchanan's Edition in these words It is thought covenient advised and ordained that in all Parishes of this Realm Scotland the Common Prayer-book be publickly read weekly on Sundays and other Festival Days with the Lessons of the Old and New Testament therein contained conform to the Order of the said Book of Common Prayer and if the Curates of the Parishes be qualified to cause them reade the same and if they be not or refuse that the most qualified in every Parish shall reade it And that Preaching and Interpretation of Scriptures be used privately in the most convenient Houses where the People may quietly convene untill it shall please God to move the Princes heart to grant liberty of publick Preaching by faithfull and true Ministers And this was done Anno 1560. being so agreed upon the Year before And according to Queen Elizabeths Contract on her part she sent the Lord Grey with an Army of ten thousand Land-forces and an Navy by Sea which expulsed the French from thence but their turn served they afterwards devised another way of Discipline of their own like as those Covenanters did now refuse this Service-book not for any fault therein but because they would not have their Kirk depend upon the Jurisdiction and Order of the Church of England And whereas these Covenanters accused the Arch-bishop of Canterbury as Authour of this Book with the success thereafter as that they presumed to put their Platform of Geneva Discipline even upon the very Church of England as by their Solemn League and Covenant hereafter appeareth which though it take for a time with the prevalent party of their Faction in England yet shortly after as extravagant and they have since received their reward of slavery so just it is with God Some upright and honest Scots were in policy taken off either by subtilty or force And because the Earl of Strathern a bold man and had the Kings ear and deservedly too being faithfull and true these men set on Sir Iohn Scot Directour of the Chancery a busie Person to inform against his Descent which they call Service as Heir to David Earl of Strathern pretending to the Crown The story was thus briefly Robert the second of that Name and first of Stuarts about the Year of God 1370. entred his Reign at fifty years old having been Regent for his Uncle King David Bruce and had Issue by his Concubine Elizabeth Sir Moor's Daughter three Sons viz. John called Robert the third Robert Duke of Albany and Earl of Fife and Alexander Earl of Buchan In the second year of his Reign he married Aufeme Daughter to the Earl of Rosse and begat of her two Sons Walter Earl of Athol and David Earl of Strathern infeoffing upon them great Estates of Crown-lands intailed onely to their Heirs male legitime or to return to the Crown The King aged and infirm intrusted the power of the Militia to his eldest Son John Earl of Carrick and Lord of Kyll a valiant Person The Queen dying and leaving two young Sons the King marries his former Concubine Besse Moor and preferred her three Sons begotten out of Marriage before his legitimate Sons this being done by the Popes Dispensation and by Act of Parliament or by a Prior clandestine Marriage as was pretended yet the History bears it not But John succeeded by the name of Robert the third because two Kings Johns of England and France had been unfortunate And from this Robert lineally the Race of the subsequent Kings are descended David Earl of Strathern left onely one Daughter married to the Lord Graham's second Son who left onely one young Son Melissus Graham Earl of Strathern and King James the first returning to Scotland after eighteen years but noble Captivity in England and finding the Crown-rents much decayed caused a general search of the Dilapidation and the return made among others that the Earldom of Strathern ought to devolve to the Crown by the Intail and so it was reassumed but the young Earl so near a Kinsman he created Earl of Menteth with some small Rents at which the young mans Uncles the Earl of Athol aspiring to the Crown and Sir Robert Graham quarrel and murdered the King but were exemplarily punished and Athol forfeited since which time the Earls of Menteth lived privately untill this man was set up by the late Duke of Buckingham obtaining of the King neither of them acquainted with the Genealogy to be lineal Heir to that David Earl of Strathern his Predecessour to have the Title of Earl of Strathern who some years after vainly let fall these words that the King held the Crown of him and being tried and found guilty the Title was recalled and he had given to him the Title of Earl of Airth but discourted and put out of place or further medling in State-affairs extremely and specially aimed at by the former Contrivers of his ruine lest he might hinder their wicked intended Designs against the King and the estate of the Church and Bishops for the Man was noted to be very honest and faithfull though fâ—lly invented those words without any intention of mischief But it is dangerous to dally with the Sovereignty of Kings much more with their Crowns lest the wound become incurable nothing more dear than their Titles and Posterity And the restoring of Menteth in bloud was very disadvantagious to the King and indeed dangerous to the Earl himself comparing his case with others the like heretofore Henry the sixth of England restoring in bloud the Descent and Titlâ— of the Duke of York who openly thereafter made claim in Parliament for the Crown as in his own right laying down his Title thus The Son of Ann Mortimer who came of the Daughter and sole Heir of Lionel Duke of Clarence third Son of King Edward the third is to be preferred by very good right in succession of this Kingdom before the Children of John of Gaunt the fourth Son of Edward the third but Richard Duke of York is come of Philippe the Daughter and sole Heir of Lionel Duke of Clarence third Son of King Edward the third and to be preferred before the Children of the fourth Son
Covenant of this Kirk and Kingdome made anno 1580. have been indeed the true and main causes of all our evils and distractions And therfore ordaine according to the constitutions of the generall Assemblies of this Kirk and upon the grounds respective above specified That the aforesaid Service-book Books of canons and ordination and the High-commission be still rejected That the Articles of Perth be no more practized That Episcopall Government and the civil places and the power of Kirkmen be holden still as unlawfull in this Kirk That above named pretended Assemblies at Linlithgow 1606. and 1608. at Glascow 1610. at Aberdine 1616. at St. Andrews 1617. at Perth 1618. be hereafter accounted null and unlawfull and of none effect And that for preservation of Religion and preventing of all such evils in time coming general Assembles rightly constitute as the proper and competent Judge of all matters Ecclesiastical hereafter be keeped yearly and oftner pro re nata as occasion and necessity require The necessity of the occasional Assemblies being first remonstrate to his Majesty by humble supplication As also that Kirk sessions Presbyterians and Synodal Assemblies be constituted and observed according to the order of this Kirk our session the seventeenth of August Hereupon an Act of Councell is formed and all subjects are to subscribe And the Commissioners consents to an Act of Assembly for confirming it To which also the Commissioner doth subsign witht his proviso That the practice of the premisses prohibited within this Kirk and Kingdome out with the Kingdome of Scotland shall neither bind nor infer censure against the practizes outwith the Kingdome but this last Proviso was not approved by the Assembly nor upon Record but only inserted in the Register That in commanding to swear the Covenant 1580. and 1581. King Iames the sixt and his Council did not intend the abjuration of Episcopacie and the reasons were put down in a paper which paper was sent to the Covenanters they were these First that if under those words we abjure the Popes wicked Hierarchy Episcopacie be sworn down then they abjure both their Presbyters and Deacons for the Council of Trent makes the Hierarchy to consist of these three orders Bishops Presbyters and Deacons and abjure one and all but then they answer that they retain Presbyters and Deacons as they are ordained in the Reformed Churches The like may be replyed for Bishops being ordained in a form allowed by Reformed Churches yet they took that forenamed Oath as Iohn Arch Bishop of St. Andrews 1572. and Iames Bishop of Dunkel 1573. as appears by their Council books And certainly their Presbyters must needs derive their orders either from Bishops of that obedience or from Presbyters ordained by such Bishops either from such or none for they will not affirm That non Presbyter can ordinare Presbyterum But thus much by the way let their Inscribed destinctions reply Inter Regnum constituendum and Regnum constitutum and such like evasions But in a word we conclude in the Commissioner Traquair 's own words That the Assembly saith he ought to render thanks to those that had been his Majesties good Informers in working these effects If any think or conceive this to be due to me I protest to act nothing but the part of an Eccho for this Imployment came upon me by my Lord Hamilton's work and if you knew what I know you should acknowledg him to be both a carefull painfull and faithfull Agent in this business and in all that you have intrusted with him This is not entered in their Record it smells too rank of his Treachery but it is most certain he ended so after he had subscribed But to encounter this their Covenant it was ordered in England that all the Scotish Subjects that were to take upon them the trust of the King or Imployment in his Affairs were put to an Oath in England and Ireland I A. B. one of his Majesties Subjects in the Kingdom of Scotland do by the presents sign with my hand upon my great Oath and as I shall be answerable to God upon my Salvation and Condemnation testifie and declare That Charls by the grace of God King of Great Brittain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith is my Sovereign Lord and that next unto Almighty God and his Son Christ Jesus he is over all persons within his Majesties Kingdoms and Dominions and in all Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil supreme Governour to whom his Heirs and Successours I am bound in duty and allegeance to all obedience if it were to the loss of my life estate and fortunes and do hereby abjure all Combinations Covenants and Bands that can be pretended upon pretext of Religion or Liberty of the Kingdom and specially the damnable and treasonable Covenant commonly called the popular Covenant so much magnified now in Scotland and do promise never to take Arms against his Majesty his Heirs and Successours offensive or defensive but to abide constant in allegeance duty and obedience which I profess Almighty God hath tied me unto and to do the utmost of my power against all oppositions whatsoever foreign or home-bred So help me God And concerning the five Articles introduced by King Iames at the general Assembly of Perth Anno 1618. it will not be amiss to know what they were First Kneeling in the taking of the Communion and out of the Ministers hands whereas it was before taken sitting â—n their breech and the Bread taken by themselves out of a Bason and the Cup from one another as if they were drinking to others and the Beadle filling up the Cup as it was emptied out of a Flagon which he filled in the Belfery as it was spent Secondly Private Communion to sick persons that were not able to come to Church to be given with three or four Communicants besides Thirdly Private Baptism in case of necessity that the Childe is so sick or weak that he cannot be brought to Church without eminent danger of death and to declare it to the Congregation the next Sunday thereafter Fourthly Confirmation of Children after the Primitive way which was the bringing of them at eight nine or ten years of age to the Bishop of the Diocess to give him account of their Christian Faith and receive his encouragement commendation and benediction to make them continue carefull in it as they were carefully catechised by their Parents and Parish Priests and if any were not well instructed in their Faith the Bishop sends them back without blessing and some rebuke to be better instructed Fifthly Festival days onely five to be kept viz. The days of our Saviour's Birth Passion Resurrection Ascension and Descent of the Holy Spirit Now let any man of reason judg whether any of these could truly fall under the censure of Popery and if any man of any Reason and Learning would not rather follow the practice of the purest Primitive times in these as likewise in those
of York Restitutus of London and Adelphius of Golchester called in that Council Colonia Londinensium And so the Arch-bishop concludes that the Angels of the seven Churches in the Revelation were seven singular Bishops and that Saint Iohn being removed from his Exile by the Sentence of Nerva he betook himself to the Metropolis of Ephesus and being assisted with the presence of the seven Bishops he took upon him the Government of the Metropolis of the Ephesians and continued preaching the Word of Piety untill the Empire of Trajan That during that time he published the Gospel as saith Irenaeus Eusebius and Hierom at the intreaty of the Bishops of Asia and there did ordain divers Bishops in several Churches All which may suffice for the deduction To which was added by another the Thesis THESIS 1. That our English Episcopacy hath been justified by the confession of the most learned Protestants of remote Churches in special by the Church of Geneva 2. That there was never any visibly constituted Church in all Christendom since the Apostles time for fifteen hundred years and more which held Episcopacy in it self to be unlawfull 3. That Episcopal Prelacy is acknowledged by Protestant Divines of remote Churches to be according to the Word of God and their consent therein unto primitive Antiquity 4. That Episcopal Government in the Church is in respect of the necessary use thereof the best by the consent of Protestant Divines of other reformed Churches 5. That the most Protestant Churches do profess and practise a Prelacy over Presbyters 6. That the former Reasons of Confessions of Protestant Divines concerning the necessity of Episcopal Prelacy for preservation of concord and preventing of Schism is correspondent to the judgment of Antiquity 7. That Bishops primitively were not onely the chiefest Champions for the Christian Faith but also the greatest Adversaries to Romish Popedom as have also our English 8. That to be of Apostolical institution argueth in it a divine Right by the confession of excellent Divines of the Reformed Churches 9. That no ancient Father absolutely denied the Apostolical Original of Episcopacy no not the objected Hierom who will shew himself a manifest Patron thereof 10. That Clement an Apostolical Disciple to whose arbitrement both our Opposites and we offer to yield our selves doth patronize Episcopacy as being Apostolical 11. That other primitive Fathers before Hierom did unanimously testifie an Apostolical Right of Episcopacy 12. That the Apostolical Antiquity of Episcopacy is confessedly proved out of Ignatius 13. That Antiquity hath given us Rules of Resolution by the knowledg of any Apostolical practice which may serve in the case of Episcopacy 14. That Protestant Divines of other reformed Churches have held it most equal to be directed by the judgments of Ancients for a proof of a practise Apostolical 15. That Beza himself is challengeable to yield unto an Apostolical Right of Episcopacy from his own former confession 16. That the testimony of Nazianzen and Augustine are unworthily objected to the contrary 17. That Timothy and Titus both had a Prelacy over Presbyters notwithstanding the Objection of the community of Names of Bishops and Presbyters is sufficiently confessed by Protestant Divines of remote Churches 18. That Timothy and Titus have had a Prelacy as Bishops over Presbyters in the Apostles times notwithstanding the Objection that they were called Evangelists according to consent of Protestants of Reformed Churches 19. That Antiquity taught an Episcopacy both in Timothy and Titus 20. That our Opposites first Exposition which interpreteth the Angeâ— to mean the whole Church and Congregation is notably extravagant 21. That our Opposites second Exposition of the word Angel to signifie onely the Order and College of Presbyters is erroneous notwithstanding the Arguments of our Opposites to the contrary 22. That our Opposites third Exposition of the word Angel to signifie one onely Pastour in the Church of Ephesus is extremely new and naught 23. That by the word Angel of Ephesus to signifie a singular and individual Pastour having a Prelacy over Presbyters proved by a large consent of Protestant Divines without exception is judicious and ingenious 24. That Antiquity held not the word Angel whereof we treat to be taken collectively for a multitude of Pastours 25. That the word Angel in other places of the Revelation is commonly if not always individually taken 26. That by Angel is meant individually one Bishop is demonstrated by historical learning without contradiction 27. That Christ himself shewed his approbation of Prelacy which the foresaid Angels had in their several Churches We have been so busie at home that no time nor place can be spared to mention fo reign affairs yet such were the affictions of the Spaniard by fomer Losses Plots and Treasons as we need not wish an Enemy to suffer more much less one in amity with us Indeed Spain was at the very brink of destruction likely to lose the Low-countreys and her States in Italy also but as the mighty Oak resists the several Storms from all the corners of the Earth so she in greatest mis-fortunes fixes by degrees and brings her self to this height and growth she is since recovered It appears now from this year almost fatal by the defection of Catalonia Portugal and part of the Indies the loss of Arras and the ill success of his Army in Italy besides the approach of the Swedish War to the back of the Danube Philip 4. now King of Spain milde and more affected to his pleasure than to State-affairs lest all Government to his Favourite Olivares who became odious to all the People and from the Low-Countreys themselves which advantages to the Grandees desires were by them fomented to a general Insurrection and Revolt the very Garrisons of Strangers in Catalonia incited the Natives there to rebell who suddenly rose in Arms â—lew their Governour the very Bishops and Priests Incendiaries therein and Don Ioseph of Margarita made them renounce their King and Town to the Protection of France for their Privileges a Nation who in truth make Profession to observe none themselves and by the Marshal of Schonebergh they had assistance of Forces to advance a Treaty with their King The like mischief happened to his Territories in Italy where the Marquess of Legantz besieging Cassal that fatal place to the Spaniard was by brave Count Harcourt Brother to the Duke d' Elbeuf and of the generous Bloud of the Guisars defeated in their Trenches and above four thousand men killed relieved the Town and raised the Siege which may disprove that Maxime that the French are onely furious in their first Assault and therein more than Men and in continuance less than Women for they endured two Repulses but became Conquerours in the third And afterward Harcourt takes Turin in spite of Prince Thomas the Dukes Uncle who commanded there In the Low-countreys likewise they did more by the management of three Marshals of Chaunts Chatillon and Meilleray making shew to
a several Circuit and Diocess excepting York-shire which is to be divided into three 2. A constant Presbytery of twelve choice Divines to be selected in every Shire or Diocess 3. A constant President to be established as a Bishop over this Presbytery 4 And he to ordain suspend deprive degrade Excommunicate by and with the assistance of several divines of this Presbytery and that four times of the year He to reside within his Diocess in some one prime place To have one special particular Congregation and the richest in value and there to preach Never to be translated to any other Bishoprick And after his death the King to grant a Conge d' elire to the Clergy of that Diocess they to present them Presbyters out of which the King to elect one the first Presbyter of every shire to be named by the Parliament and upon his avoidance the remaining Presbyters to chuse another out of the Parish Ministers No Bishop or Clergy-man to exercise any temporal office Once a year to summon a Diocesan Synod to regulate the scandal in life and doctrine among the Clergy-men Every third year a National Synod of all the Bishops in the Land with two Presbyters and two Clerks of every Diocess to be chosen This Synod to ordain Canons of Government of the Church but not to be binding till confirmed by Parliament c. A man would have Imagined that all this a doe would have produced something like an Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction but the House of Commons were puzzeled as much more to devise a presbyterial Discipline for the Church Government and being thus at large and in high distraction The Arch Bishop of Armagh to put them in a way of accommodation considering the general consent for matters of doctrine he composed some heads for conjunction in point of Discipline that so Episcopal and Presbyterial Government might not be by circumstances at a far distance Reducing Episcopacy unto the form of Synodical Government in the Antient Church Which he offered as an expedient hereupon for the prevention of future troubles in likelyhood henceforth to arise about Church Government Not improper to be mentioned now paralel to these times when we have none at all BY order of the Church of England saies the Arch Bishop all Presbyters are charged to administer the Doctrine and Sacraments and the Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and as this Realm hath received the same And that they might the better understand what the Lord had commanded therein the exhortation of St. Paul to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus is appointed to be read unto them at the time of their Ordination Take heed unto your selves and to all the flock among whom the Holy-Ghost hath made you overseers to Rule the Congregation of God which he hath purchased with his Bloud Of the many Elders who in common thus ruled the Church of Ephesus there was one President whom our Saviour in his Epistle unto this Church in a peculiar manner styleth c the Angel of the Church of Ephesus and Ignatâ—us in another Epistle wriâ—ten about twelve years after unto the same Church calleth the Bishop thereof Betwixt the Bishop and the Presbytery of that Church what an harmonious consent there was iâ— the ordering of the Church Government the same Ignatius doth fully there declare by the Presbytery with St. Paul understanding the community of the rest of the Presbyters or Elders who then had a hand not only in the delivery of the Doctrine and Sacraments but also in the Administration of the Discipline of Christ for further proof of which we have that known testimony of Tertullian in his general Apology for Christians In the Church are used exhortations chastisements and divine censure for Judgement is given with great advice as among those who are certain they are in the sight of God and it is the chiefest foreshewing of the Judgement which is to come if any man have so offended that he be banished from the Communion of Prayer and of the Assembly and of all holy fellowship The Presidents that bear rule therein are certain approved Elders who have obtained this honour not by reward but by good report who were no other as he himself intimates elsewhere but those from whose hand they used to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist For with the B. who was the chief President and therefore styled by the same Tertullian in another place Summus Sacerdos for distinction sake the rest of the dispensers of the word and Sacraments joyned in the common government of the Church and therefore where in matters of Ecclesi astical Iudicature Cornelius Bishop of Rome used the received form of gathering together the Presbytery of what persons that did consist Cyprian sufficiently declareth when he wisheth him to read his Letters to the flourishing Clergy which there did preside or rule with him The presence of the Clergy being thought to be so requisite in matters of Episcopal audiencâ— that in the fourth Councel of Carthage it was concluded That the Bishop might hear no mans cause without the presence of the Clergy and that otherwise the Bishops sentence should be void unless it were confirmed by the presence of the Clergy which we finde also to be inserted into the Canons of Egbert who was Arch-bishop of York in the Saxon times and afterwards into the body of the Canon Law it self True it is that in our Church this kinde of Presbyterial Government hath been long dis-used yet seeing it still professeth that every Pastor hath a right to rule the Church from whence the name of Rector also was given at first unto him and to administer the Discipline of Christ as well as to dispence the Doctrine and Sacraments and the restraint of the exercise of that right proceedeth only from the custome now received in this Realm no man can doubt but by another Law of the Land this hindrance may be well removed And how easily this ancient form of government by the united suffrages of the Clergy might be revived again and with what little shew of alteration the Synodical conventions of the Pastors of every Parish might be accorded with the Presidency of the Bishops of each Diocess and Province the indifferent Reader may quickly perceive by the perusal of the ensuing Propositions 1. In every Parish the Rector or Incumbent Pastor together with the Churchwardens and Sidesmen may every week take notice of such as live scandalously in that Congregation who are to receive such several admonitions and reproofs as the quality of their offence shall deserve And if by this means they cannot be reclaimed they may be presented to the next monethly Synod and in the mean time debarred by the Pastor from access unto the Lords Table 2. Whereas by a Statute in the 26 year of Henry 8. revived 1 Eliz. Suffragans are appointed to be erected in 26 several places of this
Prerogative Sovereigntie and power in the King that other preteâ—ding to justifie privileges and Right of Parliament and Subjects freedom During the Kings preparations in the North the Parliamentarie attempted to put themselves in a posture of War which they called A Necessity of Defence And because the Ordinance of Militia was the first ground of Difference in shew between the King and them they desiring it which he would not intrust out of himself the Rent being thereby once made a greater necessitie impleaded the execution of that power Sundry Commissions issued out from either partie to divers Commissioners Lord Lieutenants of several Counties And by the Parliament many Companies were raised and called The Militia Bands a militarie pomp and appearance of braverie well affected to them and near at home The Commission of Aray for the King was commanded and commended to such other of his partie as were loyal to him but hazzarding it to the multitude found not in some places the like wished for effect especially far off in the mid-land Counties where the Lord Say had command for the Parliament and the Lord Chandos for the â—ing he was enforced to flie to Court and to leave his house and furniture at Sudeley Castle in Glocestershire to the furie of the people delighting in a coâ—tumelious revenge and rustick triumph of the ignoble communalâ—ie in whom not always the deep sense of their own interests doth purchase this extasie of passion but a very turning of the fancie sets them into an hurrie Their insolenâ—ies now appear intolerable by reason of their former usual restraint which they now usurping pretend freedom to do what they list and they were gained to the Parliament upon that blinde account which since hath proved to them the more slavish though for that present producing wondrous effects to that partie by self-ingagement of the common people which the Parliament knew how to promote and to execute thereafter to their own ends Most men did undoubtedly believe greater hopes of Libertie from the Parliament than from the King who called it Licentioâ—sness and this of the Kings Sovereigntie the Commons intituled to Tyrannie The Gentrie for the most part render themselves rather Subjects to Princes the better to rule over the Commons their vassals The Communaltâ—â— consisting chiefly of Yeomen Farmers petâ—y Freeholders and others men of manufacture bred up sparingly but living in plentie such as these always thwart the Gentrie by whom they subsist Persons of birth and breeding more jovial and more delicate neglecting a confined condition endeavour rather to hazzard what they have by aiming at the height of fortune unto which their noble Extraction wit and learning doth incite and stir them up This was not all the difference Religion diversly professed had a main interest The eternal Truth unchangeable bindes every soul to one Law perpetual and constant this therefore doth implead the necessitie of external privileges in the professour which though not to destroy the Kingdoms of the world nor to usurp a greater liberty than humane Laws will â—asily grant and hath in its nature an irreconcileable enmitie against arbitrarâ—e Government in such commands as they conceive not justly put upon them and out of which they are studious to free themselves when the felicitie of that time shall offer the means and as they thought it now a lawfull call by power of Parliament To their advantage there was raised a practical Ministerie captivating vulgar capacities to applie themselves more fitly to their own purposes for the present accounting all order and decencie in Church and State to be Innovations upon the Consciences and purses of the people and yet even the common natural Subject not thus deluded did come from the farthest parts to serve under their Sovereign by the light of loyaltie not to war against that Authoritie And yet after some strugling that the King had gotten a defensive Armie and his cause calling for some under-hand assistance of his neighbour Friends then the Parliament contract a League with the Scots pleasing them with the hopes of a through Scotish Presbyterian Reformation of Religion and to boot good entertainment for their beggarly Armie not without a solemn League by Oath and Covenant with them taken by both Nations they with Forces entred England won the prize got the King in their clutches and for a piece of money sold him to the Parliament to the death and execution of him and destruction of Church and State And so we return to our Historie Civil and Martial The King in a reasonable posture began to caress his people and first descends from York to the County of Nottingham and at Newark he summons the Gentlemen and Free-holders and tells them that their resolutions and affections to him and their Country for his defence and the Laws of the Land have been so notable that they have drawn him thither only to thank them that he goes to other places to confirm undeceive his Subjects but comes thither to encourage them That they have made the best judgment of happiness by relying on that Foundation which the experience of so many hundred years hath given proof viz. The assurance and securitie of the Law And let them be assured when Laws shall be altered by any other Authority than that by which they were made the Foundations are destroyed And though it seems at first but to take away his power it will quickly swallow all their interest He asketh nothing of them but to preserve their own affections to the Religion and Laws established he will justifie and protect those affections and will live and die with them in that quarrel The like caress he gives those of the County of Lincoln at Lincoln and intending to reduce his Town of Hull sends his Message to the Parliament with the Proclamation ensuing Iulie 11. That by his former Declarations and this his Proclamation they and all his good Subjects may see the just grounds of his present Journey towards Hull before he shall use force to reduce it to obedience and requires them that it may be forthwith delivered to him to which if they conform he will admit of their further Addresses from them and return such Propositions as may be for present peace and promises to them in the word of a King that nothing shall be wanting in him to redress the calamities threatening the Nation and expects their Answer at Beverley on Thursday next being the fifteenth of Iuly That the King having long complained of the affront done to his person by Sir Iohn Hotham when he went thither to view his Magazine at Hull which have been since carried away by Orders of Parliament and the Town kept and maintained against him and Votes and Orders in Parliament have justified the same that Hotham hath since fortified the Town drowned the Countrey thereabout and hath set out a Pinnace to Sea which hath seized and intercepted his Packet Pinnace with Letters of the Queen
publishes a very ample Declaration concerning the whole proceedings of this present Parliament in effect thus It being more than time now after so many indignities to his person affronts to his Kingly Office and traiterous Pamphlets against his Government to vindicate himself from those damnable Combinations and Conspiracies contrived against him That he resolved to summon this Parliament before his great Council met at York and uncompelled by any violence but of his love to peace That at the beginning thereof he quickly discerned they meant not to confine within the path of their Predecessours but by the combination of several persons for alteration of Government in the Church and State also To that end they expelled a very great number of Members in Parliament duly elected upon pretence that they had some hand in Monopolies without any crime objected or other proceedings and yet continued Sir Henry Mildmay though a notorious promotor of the Monopoly of Gold and Silver Thread as also Mr. Lawrence Whitaker and others Commissioners in matters of the like nature or worse which he mentions to them their partiality of that Faction The remedy which they proposed was a Bill for a Triennial Parliament against which though he had many Reasons to except yet he passed it which seemed so to work upon their sense as never to be forgot in the return of their duty and affections yet all he could do did not satisfie the factious contrivement and disguise of subverting the Government And because most of the Grievances seemed to proceed from the great liberty of his Council Board he admitted seven or eight of those Lords eminently in esteem with the people and passionately dis-â—nclined both the civil affairs and Government of the Church and so hoping by a free communication they might be excellent Instruments of a blessed Reformation in Church and State Thus for the Court Then he applied visible Remedies proportionable to the desires of both Houses and pressed not the Reformation of the Arbitrary power of the Star-chamber but utterly abolished it He pressed not the Review of that Statute by which the High Commission Court was erected but in compliance to the pretended sufferings of the people thereby he consented to repeal the Branch of that Statute The Writs for Ship-money whereby several sums of money had been received from his Subjects and judged legal he was contented should be void and disannulled and the Judgment vacated The bounds and limits of executing the Forest Laws and keeping the Iustices and Eires seat he passed an Act for the Subjects ease as was desired As also an Act against Incroachments and Oppressions in the Stannery Courts and regulated the Clerk of the Market And parted from his right and duty in the business of Knighthood But also which is the highest trust that ever King gave his Subjects he passed the Act for continuance of this Parliament untill the peace of England and Scotland and all their desires in reference thereto were provided for All the time in which those Acts of grace were passed he lay under the burthen of extreme want without any fruit of relief and they the mean while contrived advantages of Offices and places of profit and power to themselves changing Religion and Fundamental Laws raising Aspersions upon his very Acts of Grace and Favours upon them that no security could be of the effects of all he could or should do without a through-alteration of Church and State Hereupon they oppose the disbanding of the Armies delay the Scots Treaty although the Scots Commissioners hastened it and in plain English the Parliament declared That they could not yet spare them for that the sons of Zerviah were too strong for them ingaging this Kingdom in so vast a Debt that there might be no way of paying it but by the Lands of the Church disguising that Design pretending onely to remove the Bishops from their Votes in the Upper House though upon three Debates absolutely rejected by the Lords by which they took advantage and produced a Bill in the House of Commons for abolition of Bishops Root and Branch out of the Church as Mr. Pym said to a Member It was not enough to be against the persons of Bishops if he were not against the Function And for extirpation of Deans and Chapters and reducing that admirable Frame of Government into a Chaos of confusion that out of it they might mould an Utopia which no six of them had or yet hath agreed upon whereby they have raised Estates to repair their own broken Fortunes And two Armies must be kept to eat out the heart of this Kingdom at the charge of fourscore thousand pounds a Moneth Then they devised false Reports created spread and countenanced by themselves of Designs dangerous plots against them hereupon a Protestation is so framed and devised to oblige them to any unlawfull action and taken by all the Members of the Commons but the Lords refusing it it is recommended to the City of London and to all the Kingdom by Order of the Lower House onely a strange and unheard of usurpation a Declaration followed as peremptory and like a Law without the King Then came out a new Fright of a Design in the English Army to face the Parliament and of the Kings consenting to it of which he calls God to witness to be ignorant And that the Affairs in Scotland necessarily requiring the Kings Journey thither for a small time he returned and found things far more out of order with their Orders against the Book of Common Prayer and Divine Service contrary to the Lords Ordinance and therefore the Commons Declaration of the ninth of September was such a notorious violation of the privilege of the House of Peers as was never heard of before and an apparent evidence of their intended legislative power by the House of Commons without King or Lords and such as did not submit thereto were imprisoned and fined Then they erect Lecturers men of no learning or conscience but furious promotors of the most dangerous Innovations that ever were induced into any State men of no Orders onely such as boldly and seditiously would preach or prate against the Liturgy royal power and authority and persons of learning and eminency in preaching and of good conversation were put out That all licence had been given to any lewd persons to publish seditious Pamphlets against Church and State or scorns upon the Kings person or Office filling the peoples eaâ—s with lies and monstrous discourses and those to be dedicated to the Parliament and whatever the rancour or venome of any infamous person could digest were published without controul And thus prepared and the King absent in Scotland they frame a Remonstrance of the state of the Kingdom and present it to him at his return to Hampton Court December 15. 1641. laying before him all the mishaps and misfortunes that have been since his Reign to that hour reproaching him with actions beyond his
all retired to Bugden where he lived very Hospitably and in manner and order of the good Bishops not without an eye and ear over him of such as were Intelligencers of Court And at Westminster Hall the Ceremony begun towards the Abbey Church in order thus 1. The Aldermen of London by couples ushered by an Herauld 2. Eighty Knights of the Bath in their Robes each one having an Esquire to support and a Page to attend him 3. The Kings Serjeants at Law Solicitor Atturney Masters of Request and Iudges 4. Privy Councellors that were Knights and the chief Officers of the Kings Houshold 5. Barons of the Kingdome bare-headed in their Parliament Robes with Swords by their sides 6. The Bishops with Scarlet Gowns and Lawn sleeves bare-headed 7. The Vice-Counts and Earls not in their Parliament but in their Coronation Robes with coronetted Caps on their Heads 8. The Officers of State for the day whereof these are the Principal Sir Richard Winn Sir George Goring The Lord Privy Seal The Archbishop of Canterbury The Earl of Dorset carrying the first Sword The Earl of Essex carrying the second Sword The Earl of Kent carrying the third Sword The Earl of Mountgomery carrying the Spurs The Earl of Sussex carrying the Globe and Cross upon it The Bishop of London carrying the Golden Cup for the Communion The Bishop of Winchester carrying the Golden Plate for the Communion The Earl of Rutland carrying the Scepter The Marquess Hamilton carrying the Sword of State naked The Earl of Pembroke carrying the Crown The Lord Maior in a Crimson Velvet Gown carried a Short Scepter before the King amongst the Serjeants The Earl of Arundel as Earl Marshall of England and the Duke of Buckingham as Lord High Constable of England for that day went next before his Majesty The King entred at the West Gate of the Church under a rich Canopy carried by the Barons of the Cinque Ports His own Person supported by Doctor Neil Bishop of Durham on the one hand and Doctorâ— Lake Bishop of Bath and Wells on the other His train six yards long of Purpleâ—Velvet held up by the Lord Compton Master of the Robes and the Lord Viscount Doncaster Master of the Wardrobe Here he was met by the Prebends of Westminster Bishop Lawd supplying the Deans Place in their rich Copes who delivered into the Kings hands the Staff of King Edward the Confessor with which he walked up to the Throne Which was framed from the Quire to the Altar the King mounted upon it none under the degree of a Baron standing therein save only the Prebends of Westminster who attended on the Altar Three Chairs for the King in several places first of Repose the second the antient Chair of Coronation and the third placed on an high square of five steps ascent being the Chair of State All settled and reposed the Arch-bishop of Canterbury presented his Majesty to the Lords and Commons East West North and South asking them if they did consent to the Coronation of K. Charles their lawful Soveraign The King in the mean time presented himself bareheaded the consent being given four times with great acclamation the King took his Chair of Repose The Sermon being done the Arch-Bishop invested in a rich Cope goeth to the King kneeling upon Cushions at the Communion Table and askes his willingness to take the Oath usually taken by his Predecessors The King is willing ariseth and goeth to the Altar and is interrogated and thus answereth Coronation Oath Sir Sayes the Arch-bishop will you grant and keep and by your Oath confirm to the People of England the Laws and Customes to them granted by the Kings of England your lawful and Religious Predecessours and namely the Laws Customs and Franchises granted to the Clergy by the glorious King St. Edward your Predecessor according to the Lawes of God the true profession of the Gospel established in this Kingdome agreeable to the Prerogative of the Kings thereof and the antient Customes of the Realm The Kings answer I grant and promise to keep them Sir Will you keep Peace and Godly agreement according to your power both to God the holy Church the Clergy and the people I will keep it Sir Will you to your power cause Law Iustice and discretion to mercy and truth to be executed to your Iudgement I will Sir will you grant to hold and keep the Laws and Rightfull Customes which the Comminalty of this your Kingdome have and will you defend and uphold them to the honour of God so much as in you lieth I grant and promise so to do Then one of the Bishops read this Admonition to the King before the people with a lowd voice Our Lord and King wee beseech you to pardon and to grant and to preserve unto Vs and to the Churches committed to your charge all Canonical privileges and do Law and Iustice and that you would protect and defend Vs as every good King to his Kingdomes ought to be Protector and Defendor of the Bishops and the Churches under their Government The King answereth With a willing and devout heart I promise and grant my Pardon and that I will preserve and maintain to you and the Churches committed to your charge all Canonical privileges and due Law and Iustice and that I will be your Protector and Defender to my Power by the Assistance of God as every good King in his Kingdom in right ought to protect and defend the Bishops and Churches under their Government Then the King ariseth and is led to the Communion Table where he makes a solemn Oath in sight of all the people to observe the premisses and laying his hand upon the Bible saith The Oath The things which I have here promised I shall perform and keep So help me God and the Contents of this Book Then were his Robes taken off and were offered at the Altar He stood a while stripped to his Doublet and Hose of White Sattin Then led by the Arch Bishop and Doctor Lawd the Bishopâ—of St. Davids he was placed in the Chair of Coronation a Close Canopy spread over him the Arch-bishop anointing his Head Shoulders Arms and Hands with a costly ointment the Quire singing an Anthem of these words Zadook the Priest anointed King Solomon Hence he was led up in his Doublet and Hose with a White Coife on his head to the Communion Table where the Bishop of St. Davids Deputy for the Dean brought forth the antient Abiliments of King Edward the Confessor and put them upon him Then brought back to the Chair of Coronation he received the Crown of King Edward presented by the Bishop of Saint Davids and put on his Head by the Archâ— Bishop of Canterbury the Quire singing an Anthem Thou shalt put a Crown of pure Gold upon his head whereupon the Earls and Viscounts put on their Crimson Velvet Caps with Coronets about them the
continuance and Repeal of divers Statutes 5. For the establishing of the Estates of the Tenants of Brumfield and Yale in the County of Denbigh and of the Tenures Rents and services thereupon reserved according to a late composition made for the same with the King then Prince of Wales 6 For the confirmation of the Subsidies granted by the Clergy 7. For the grant of five intire Subsidies granted by the Temporality There was a Design in the King to lay it up under deck amongst other Crimes fit for Star-chamber Censure that when the State should have been at leasure their Charter might have paid for all and I know the Attorney Generall had Order in these In Iuly dies Doctor Preston an excellent Preacher of whom something hath been said in the Historie of the Church which concludes his Character A subtile Disputant and great Polititian having large parts of sufficient Receipt to mannage the broad Seal which if the Condition had pleased was proffered unto him and might have been the Dukes right hand Or rather lesse then his little finger who despairing of being Patriarch of the Presbyterian party used the Duke no longer Excellent parts no doubt he had His pieces are in Print His Posthumus And his Pupil left nothing unsaid of his life to give him merit and eternall memory Somewhat must be said as to his Politiques He was esteemed indeed a proper Patron for the Puritan Presbyter which now got head to prick up And all the Plot was to bring him in forsooth to make the Duke in that Ministery which they durst intrust to his Management And first to appear aloof the manner of Court observers his addresse must be to the Dukes Confident rhe Earl of Holland made easie to him by favour of that family But yet a Remembrancer was thought upon to move by the by a dependant of that Lords who in truth dealt Ingeniously Intimating to the Duke Doctor Prestons power and interest with the Presbyters in that time more necessary to be sought unto then to be put by To which the Duke answered with an Oath The King knows him too well and hath no good opinion of him If so replied the Other and already known the advantage the better to make alike use of him so they did In which truly the Dukes head was not too easie for the Doctors for in shew he was carressed to undo him which wrought the effects suspected of his own followers lest he should be not onely besprinkled but drencht in Court Holy-water And in very earnest somewhat tainted he was and tempted with ambitious hopes and if I may speak it himself was brought to accept it But it was very necessary for him to undeceive his Disciples and there to intrust One in whom Obedience and Blindnesse met together A being made to do as he was bidden To him the Doctor writes a Letter under hand to be communicated onely unto special friends wherein to blazon himself he relates what he thought fitting to be believed more to his own glory and disparagement of the weaknesse of Court wits as he stiled them then many vain men might be thought to imagine That not enough he vents therein his own policy working upon the witlesse Statists at Court bestowing on each of them by Name such characters as he conceived would caresse his Pupils with a Stanza or two short and Satyrical This Letter sealed was found in Smithfield broken open and carried to the Duke But by a noble friend of his handsomly descried to him How witty he was in Rhimes and bidden to look about him Of which when he had but a hint He clapt his hand on his heart and confessed he was undone But his party to procure their Patrons peace of minde and to silence such a Witnesse they dealt subtilly indeed down-right Bribes to the Dukes Barber to finger the Letter out of the Dukes pocket and so being brought to the Doctor to bury the obloquie before his death not much time after This I say to shew how partially Mens pens put down private Actions which they guesse at Other such I could unravel And for this with the Testimony to boot of a Person then his disciple and since of that eminency in honour and justice as we shall fail to finde out his example Sithence the return home of the second unfortunate Fleet designed to relieve Rochel this whole vacation took up the time with those ships and others appointed for a fresh Expedition thither The most accomplished Armado that was set out by England And the Duke designed himself to be the General Commander once more to give adventure for the fatal effects or final end to their languishing misery And because the Earl of Marlborough had been a dull and unactive Treasurer for raising money to the Exchequer he was removed to be President of the Privy Counsel And Sr Richard Weston lately created Baron supposed more solid for the weight of that Staffe And in truth the King was put upon it to seek for such men whose abilities might recover him from the hazzard and defection he was fallen into both in his Purse and power He for the one and Sr. Thomas Wentworth of the North was made a Lord ready for the next Session to sit with the Peers He had been too heavy against Prerogative and this was a way to bring them in for the King The Fleet now in readinesse the King draws down his Guests of Progresse towards Portsmouth where the Ships were and from thence to dis-embogue The Town so full of Gallants and so pestered with lodgings that the King kept aloof and made his Court four miles distant The Duke very diligent to hasten his designe treating daily with the Commissioners of Rochel and Soubize in Portsmouth with his Duchesse and Family when He took his last leave of this life And because the Historian is much mistaken in relation of the Dukes Murder I shall ingeniously and truly not upon surmize or Hear-say resolve all the particular That fatall morning the three and twentieth of August the Duke having fitted himself to wait upon the King he hastily called for Breakfast His servants attending the sewer to bring in the meat the Duke came down stairs from his upper Chamber to eat in a lower Parlour turning in at the foot of the Stairs in a narrow Entry And Sir Thomas Friar one of his Colonels following him to the Parlour door stooping to take his leave the Duke declining imbraced Friar with these words Honest Tom. and so turning into the Room one Iohn Felton at that instant shadowed behinde them stabbed him to the heart with a back-blow of a Coutel-knife which stuck in his body till the Duke dragg'd it out and so enlarged the orifice that streamed with the effusion of so much bloud and spirit that instantly he died not able it seems to utter a syllable and certainly no soul there present for he fell backward into the Parlour and the Assassinate
Reprobates and therefore believes our Churches regeneration is by infusion of Grace by sowing the good seed But to answer him in this Let all Christians religiously pray and live according to the grace of Restitution and humbly submit their judgements concerning the secresie of personal Election and so this man sins against the 17. Article 4 The Anabaptist His purenesse is a supposed birth without Original sin and his Tenet that Infants must not be baptized and this believer opposeth the 9. and 27. Articles 5. The Brownists purenesse is to serve God in Woods and Fields and his opinion is that Idolatry cannot be reformed without pulling down of Churches Christ indeed whipt the buyers and sellers out of the Temple though it was prophaned yet without any pulling down and this man is against the 35. Article 6. Loves familist serves God as well at his neighbours charge as at his own omnia sunt communia the things which they possesse are not their own but all are Common He teacheth that unlawful swearing is worse than murther and this is against the 39. Article 7. The Precisian will not swear before a Magistrate That unlawful swearing is a greater sin than murther God indeed is greater then man here is the compare but then the effect destructive is greater by murther God commands that the murtherer die blood for blood he deals not so severely with the swearer See the 39. Article 8 The Sabbatarian preaches down Holy dayes preaching that the Instrumental directing cause to keep holy the sabbath day he makes to be the keeping holy the sabbath But Gods holy Worship prayer is keeping holy the sabbath day for preaching the holy direction teacheth holy worship prayer to be the holy practise of that day to praise the Lord for our Redemption the sole principal end of preaching on the Lords day His preaching is a Sylva synonymorum Tautologies Iterations His praying much erroneous and this is against the 35. Article 9. The Anti-disciplinarian is above the Kings supremacy Imperious Imagination his highnesse is the Churches greatest Authority and he saith this is as good a rule to know the reformed true faith is the holy Writ He is a strict observer of the Law therefore he accounts it the best Religion His tenet is That Kings must be subject to the Puritan To the Puritans Presbyters Censure submit their Scepters throw down their Crowns lick up the dust of their feet This Mr. Rogers in his eleventh page of his Preface to the 39. Articles And T. Cartwright teacheth in his Reply page 1080. And here the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance are broken against the 21. Article His tenet that all Priests should be equal See Varellus and Vivetus sermons two Geneva Presbyters against the â—3 33. and 36. Articles and against the twentieth Article 10. The presuming Predestinatist hath an inspired knowledge to be saved by Gods absolute Election as sure as it were now in Heaven no life in him but Gods essential glory against the 17. Article and the 3. Article Thus was it then amongst us Reformed and since it hath increased ten times worse But the Papist is not clear from Crimes schismes and sins The contest between Iesuites Priests and Secular Priests have evermore their debates and now grounded upon this occasion Richard Smith titular Bishop of Calcedon his honour there in Greece but his profit from England over all the Romish Catholicques especially for ordaining of Priests and confirmations of persons Baptized But when he came hither we cannot finde till now we have caught him here Yet Pope Gregory the thirteenth delegated one William Bishop to Calcedon who died 1624. After him succeeded another by Mission of Urbane the eighth 1625. this Richard Smith to the same Title But why to a foreign Title and not at as easie a rate to English as in Ireland he had to all Sees there the reason is He had in Ireland a Counter-party of People for Number and Quality in every Diocesse and Parish not so in England where it had been ridiculous in the Granter and dangerous in the Accepter To oppose his power up starts Nicholas Smith a Regular in malice to his advancement and quarrelled also against Doctor Kelson President of the Colledge of Doway who had printed a Treatise of the dignity and necessity of Bishop and secular Clergy Nicholas Smith's Reasons were for the Regulars first such Bishops uselesse in England in times of persecution Either for Ordination which might be supplied by foreign Bishops Or Confirmation of children which any Priest might perform by Commission from the Pope Secondly Burthensom to the already pressures of the English Catholicques And Thirdly the Person of Calcedon not lawfully called Kelson undertakes Answers to all these and the Insolency of the Regulars seemed more secular And indeed the Irish Regular exceeded such in England maintaining That the superiours of Regulars were more worthy than Bishops which caused the Doctors of Sorborn in Paris to censure the Proposition and the Arch-Bishop of Paris to condemn Nicholas Smiths Book and other Tractates of that sense But Bishop Smith would take upon him to approve of such Regulars Priests as were to be constant Confessors which the Jesuites opposed as an usurpation upon them And being the better Polititians contrive a Declaration under the name of the most noble and eminent Catholiques against his pretended Authority which Declaration was offered to the Spanish Ambassadour Don Carlos de Coloma together with the Kings Proclamations to ferret his person He declined both his power and presence to seek safety in France The Bishop fled the dogs bark Knot vice provincial of the English Jesuites and Flood another of St. Omers undertake him and Kelson also but were censured and silenced though not their several factions unto this day But this bickering is lodged under the product of the peace with Spain as if to encourage the Catholiques to rant it in Ireland also towards a Toleration The Lords Justices at Dublin at Church in one Parish the Priests at Masse in another who were seized by the Arch-Bishop and Major and all the City Officers their Trinkets taken away Images hewen down the Priests and Fryers delivered up to the Souldiers and yet rescued by the people from whom a strong power enforced them and eight Popish Aldermen clapt in prison for being remisse to attend their Major upon which mis-behaviour and mutiny fifteen Houses were seized to the Kings use and the Fryers and Priests persecuted and Two of them to save publique Execution hang'd themselves in their hose-garters The Earl of Essex would needs try Mastery with a fresh Mistresse being over born by his first Wife as their story is truly told in the life of King Iames 18. years since He then but a stripling but ever since getting strength and being falsely fram'd for Martial Exploits in the Low-Conntries where he Disciplin'd himself but without any high renown or feats of Arms or any extraordinary
annum which was now begged by the Great Ones without the least benefit to the King but much regret of the people And at this Parliament the King found the first sparks of a discontented party of the Nobles by their opposing of an Act granted to his Father King Iames and his successors in the year 1617. giving power to him and them to ordain any Habits for the Clergy and Judges Professions and this not repealed was valid The first that opposed this Act was the Lord Lowdon a bold young man of a broken Estate lately come from School their Coledge and a Master of Arts A deft Lord he was who missing of the Court to Civilize his studies must needs want morality to bring him to manners And being besides of a cavelling contradictory Nature Nothing would seem to him so positive in reason as his own opinion And therefore now as heretofore at School he argued with his distinctions duplici quaestioni non potest dari una Responsio Ita est sic probo And after his syllogisming in this kind he sits down with a challenge Responde Perge Urge Punge The King told him the Orders of the House not to dispute there but to give his Vote yea or nay which I do said he Negative and so sat down in a snuff yet the King had the major voices Affirmative Lowdon stands up and questioneth the Register scans the Calculation with great contest before the King could carry it Thus much for his Character being wee must be troubled with him hereafter The beginning of the next Moneth died Abbot Arch Bishop of Canterbury of whom I have heretofore in the History of King Iames spoken sufficiently when there was occasion to mention the Acts of so eminent a Person and truly I did discover whether his erudition all of the old stamp in the doctrine of St. Austin which ignoâ—ant men call Calvinism and so disrelished by the Arminians or whether the Characters bestowed upon him now or his merit somewhat spoken of by me then be his due yea or no I shall not now say any more But William Laud out of London was translated his Successor September 19. The Queen was delivered of her second Son the thirteenth of October 1633. and not upon the fourteenth of November 1634. He was Baptized ten dayes after and named Iames and Created Duke of York by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England in due form of Law and of which Title nothing but Treason can deprive him though some Writers seem to side with the News Books and sayes He was after stiled Duke of York as if it were afforded him in former time but of Favour which indeed is his due Title to his death Edward the fifth Son of King Edward the third was by Richard the second created Duke of York and his Son and heir Edward Plantagenet succeeded Duke of York and died without Issue Richard Plantagenet his Nephew was created Duke of York and after his death this Dukedom hath been by the Kings of England reserved to their second Sons As Edward the fourth created his second Son Richard Duke of York Henry 7. his second Son Henry King Iames his second Son Charles now King and He upon his second Son Iames and so to give him his due is to acknowledge him to be a Duke to his death What care King Iames took heretofore to rectifie Religious Worship in Scotland when he returned from his last visiting of them The like does King Charles so soon as he came home The foul undecent Discipline he seeks to reform into Sacred Worship And sends Articles of Order to be observed onely by the Dean of his private Chappel there as in England That Prayers be performed twice a Day in the English manner A Monethly Communion to be received on their knees Hee that officiates on Sundayes and Holy-Dayes to do his duty in his Surplice Which the Dean then Bishop of Dumblane durst not do for displeasing the people And here at home too it was necessary to look narrowly into the creeping neglect and duty of Religious Discipline in our own Churches The Communion Table in the body of the Chancel was now commonly used for the lolling elbow-ease of the Idle hearers and not onely so but to set their breech thereon or else loaden with caps and hats of every boy And whilest the Provision of Bread and Wine for the blessed Sacrament was on the Table the danger of ravening dogs have submitted it to their rapine or overturning of all These considerations might move the Dean and Chapter of Saint Pauls London to transpose the Communion Table in Saint Gregories Church to the upper end of the Chancel and placed Altar-wise which some few of the Parish opposed and an Appeal from their Ordinary to the Dean of the Articles and so by command from thence to the King and his Privy Counsel where the Act of the Ordinary was adjudged and confirmed and that the Dean of the Arches should confirm the act of the Ordinary And the King did then satisfie himself that the Rules and Ordering of the Church were no Innovations but the ancient Rules of the Church and this a renovation of a Right disused And in case there were occasion The Statute 1. Elizabeth Authorizeth the King by advice of his Metropolitan upon the happening of any irreverence to be used by the Ceremonies or Rites of the Church by misusing the Orders appointed in this Book of Common Prayer to ordain and publish such further Rites and Ceremonies as may be most for advancement of Gods Glory the edifying of the Church and the due reverence of Christs holy Mysteries and Sacraments But hereupon what happened when it was commonly commanded 4. years after we shall then finde the effect See 1637. And in the same moneth the King reviving his Fathers Declaration anno 1618. for tolerating lawful sports on Sunday which was never by him called in nor by any till after by the long Parliament The reason that moved King Iames therein was by a Petition from the Ministers of Lancashire in his return from Scotland shewing the great increase of Popery in that County the People consisting of Papists and Puritans and that by the stricktness of Puritans not granting their Servants the least relaxation on Festival-days and so straitly observing the Sabbath as the Iews the Recusants having Recreations on both caused the others for some freedom from servitude to change their Religion and turn Papists The neglect of the Dedication Feasts of Churches and the inclination to Iudaism by barbarous Books maintaining the Indispensible Morality of the fourth Commandment and Iewish Sabboth and now by Puritans more severely yoaked to the Conscience of those poor Labourers than was ever laid upon the Iews by their Scribes and Pharises On Candlemass night the second of February the ordinary time of celebrating some extraordinary solemnity at Court and now the larger by the joynt
scorn and the most hated man of all the Hierarchy where his turn came to be last devoured after he had eaten up some of his brethren The Earl of Strafford though in durance yet found friends abroad very active to serve him and accordingly it was the nineteenth day moved First That he might be bailed by divers Lords who offered caution But it was answered by the Lord Paget that it was against the Laws of the Land and the priviledge of the House and so passed the Major votes not to be admitted But was assigned Council and a solicitor in reguard of his restraint The one and twentieth one Iohn Iames son of Sir Henry Iames of Feversham in Kent a Romish Catholique stabbed Mr. Howard a Justice of peace of Westminster in Westminster-hall not unto death which was attempted because Mr. Howard had drawn a Catalogue of such Recusants as were within the Liberties of Westminster which he was to deliver up to the Committee of Religion for which fact Iames was secretly punished The eight and twentieth Mr. Pryn and Mr. Burton were conducted into London from their several Prisons in great pomp by many thousands of horse and foot with Rosemary and Bayes in their caps in despight and defiance of the course of Justice which had sentenced them and the third of December they presented their Petitions to the House of Commons for dammage against their Prosecutors This Parliament of Inquisition began to appear terrible to all that lodged but under suspition of guilt but insufferable to the conscience condemning which Sir Francis Windebank Secretary of State not able to bear having been questioned and mainly convinced for reprieving Iesuites and Priests and of worse matters suspected guilty got over into France where he remained to his death a professed Roman Catholique The seventh day unanimously in the Commons House was voted 1. That the Charge imposed upon the Subject for the providing and furnishing of Ships and the Assessments for raising moneys for that purpose commonly called Ship-mony are against the Laws of the Realm the Subjects right and property contrary to former resolutions in Parliament and the Petition of Right 2. That the extrajudicial opinion of the Iudges published in the Star-chamber and enrolled in the Courts of Westminster are in the whole and every part of them against the Laws of the Realm c. ut prius 3. That the writs commonly called Ship writs are against the Laws of the Realm c. ut pius 4. That the Iudgment in the Exchequer in Mr. Hamdens case is as to the matter and substance thereof against the Laws of the Realm c. ut prius And so was it voted in the House of Lords And the next day a Committe was appointed to draw up a charge of High Treason against such as had been abetters therein the Lord Keeper Finch and the rest of the Iudges But though the Parliament was thus severe against the legality of Ship-mony yet it is observed that amongst the best Lawyers the matter was justifiable ascribing much to the Judgment of that learned Lawer Mr. Noy who first preferred it Secondly All the Judges subscribing to it in time of danger of which danger the King was declared to be Judge Thirdly And being argued in the Courts of Justice and by all the Judges in the Exchequers Chamber it was definitively sentenced for the King 4. Nor was it voted down by Parliament but in a meer arbitrary way without review or Council heard as the Judges reason of their opinion so much as required 5. And yet the arguments of the two Justices Crock and Hutton for the Illegallity was by vote of the house of Commons put in print but the opinion of the other eight Judges which were for the legality of it continue suppressed which gave most men occasion to conceive the greater reason in those arguments which were kept in the dark 6. And in all this design to vote it down the Parliament was fain to have recourse to the King and to crave an act of Parliament to secure them from it for the future and to countenance their cause the Judges were impeached in order to the pretext not merit of punishment And now the eleventh of December Alderman Lack-land or Pennington with some hundred at his heels a rable of petty Shop-keepers and Prentices presented their Citizens Petition subscribed by fifteen thousand pittifully perplexed at the Ecclesiastical Discipline and sundry Ceremonies of the Church of England which was wholly debarred but was transmitted till a cooler time And because it was thought sit to strike while the Iron was hot this Petition ushering in much worke of Reformation It was thought convenient to condemn the illegallity of the proceedings in the late Convocation and their Canons which being canvased on both sides the houses and all of one party few Arguments need to be urged where the prevailing sence of the House opposed and so resolved the fifteenth of December That the Clergy in a synod or Convocation hath no power to make Canons Constitutions or Laws to bind either Layity or Clergie without a Parliament And first next day that the Canons are against the fundamental Laws of this Realm against the Kings Prerogative Propriety of the Subject the Right of Parliaments and do tend to Faction and Sedition This Parliamentary Doctrine was but now newly known Convocations never before depending on Parliaments but either in calling or dissolving confirming or authorising the Acts thereof but onely on the King himself not in Parliament neither but in his Palace and this seems to be proved by the Statute 26 Henry 8. and the constant practice ever since And for the Canons before they were subscribed they were imparted to the King and by him communicated to the Lords of the Privy Council the Iudges the learned Council then attending and were read and approved without any thing therein tending to Faction and Sedition or to the prejudice of the Subjects propriety or the Kings Prerogative or the Laws of the Land yet the Parliament frame a Bill for fining all the Clergie of that Convocation keeping them in such aw as none did appear in maintenance of their Authority or in opposing those Incroachments and Innovations which daily were introduced upon them And as to the Civil Iudges for case of Ship-money so the Parliament proceed with the Ecclesiastick Arch-bishop of Canterbury against whom they form a Committee to draw up a Charge against him as the Framer of these Canons and for other supposed Delinquencies aggravated by the Scots adjoyning him with the Earl of Strafford in their grand Accusation as an Incendiary in this National Difference promising to bring in their Complaint but in the mean time Master Hollis on Friday is sent up with the Impeachment and is seconded the same day with the Charge of the Scots Commissioners upon the reading whereof he was committed to the custody of the Black Rod
Excommunicated but by the Bishop himself with the consent of the Pastor in whose Parish the Delinquent liveth and that for Heinous Scandalous Crimes joyned with obstinacie and wilful contempt of the Churches authority and that for non appearance upon ordinary citations some other punishment might be inflicted and that appointed by Law Fiftly That Bishops might not demand benevolence for the Clergie nor exact allowance for their diet in their visitations nor suffer their servants to exact undue fees in Ordinations and institutions Lastly That Bishops Chancellors and officials may be subject to the Censures of the principal Synods and Convocations But of the Original of Episcopacie take a cleer view of Doctor Reynalds his judgement and the Arch Bishop of Armagh confirmation thereof and here abreviated referring the Reader to the Book it self and his Annotations for his Authority printed this year 1641. When Elders were ordained so the doctor by the Apostles in every Church through every City to feed the flock of Christ whereof the Holy Ghost had then overseers they the better to perform that duty did Assemble and chose one amongst them President and Moderator As at Ephesus though sundry Elders and Pastors yet but one chief whom our Saviour calls the Angel of the Church and whom the primitâ—ve fathers of the Church call Bishops for as Minister the common name to all who serve in the steward-ship of the Ministers of God is now by custome restrained to the name Elders who are under a Bishop so the name Bishop common to all Elders and Pastors was by the language of the Fathers apppropriated to him who was President over Elders Thus are certain Elders reproved by Cyprian for receiving to the communion them who had fallen in time of persecution before the Bishop had advised of it with them and others And Cornelius writeth that the Catholique Church committed to his charge had fourty six Elders and ought to have but one Bishop And both of them being Bishops the one of Rome the other of Carthage do witness of themselves that they dealt in matters of the Churches Government by the consent and councel of the company of Elders or Eldership This was that Doctors opinion which the Arch Bishop of Armagh confirmes with these notes of Antiquity That the Angel of the Church of Ephesus was by the fathers called Bishop is cleerly confirmed both by the succession of the first Bishop of that Church and by the Testimony of Ignatius who within twelve years after distinguisheth the singular and constant President thereof from the rest of the number of the Presbyters by appropriating the name of Bishops unto him The former is declared in the general councel of Calcedon by Lecutius Bishop of Magnesia That from Timothy there had been a continued succession of twenty seven Bishops all ordained in Ephesus of which number the Angel of Ephesus must needs be one whether it were Timothy or one of his next successors That Timothy had been Antistes as Iustin Martyr calls him and the father term a Bishop or President is confessed by Beza And that he was the first Bishop of Ephesus as in the second Epistle to Timothy and in Eusebius but also in two ancient Treatises concerning Timothies Martyrdome the one of them nameless the other named Policrates who was himself Bishop of this Church of Ephesus and born within thirty seven years after St. Iohn had written the said Epistle to the Angel of that Church and in his Epistle to Victor Bishop of Rome he maketh mention of seven kinsmen of his who had been Bishops he himself being the Eight That Ignatius was ordained Bishop of Antioch by St. Peter and did sit in that sea at the same time when that Epistle unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus was commanded to be written And in the last journey which Ignatius made for the consummation of his glorious Martyrdome at Rome he wrote another Epistle unto the self same Church of Ephesus in which he maketh mention of their then Bishop Onesimus in this Epistle to the Ephesians Ignatius having acknowledged that their numerous multitude was received by him in the presence of their Bishop Onesimus puts them in mind of their duty in concurring with him as their worthy Presbyters did and exhorteth them to obey both the Bishop and the the Presbytery with a undivided mind In that journey Ignatius wrote another Epistle unto the Church of Smyrna one other of the seven in St. Iohns Revelation saluting their Bishops and Presbyters exhorting them to follow their Bishop as Christ Jesus did his Father and the Presbyters by the Apostles and tells them that none ought to administer the Sacraments or meddle with the Church without consent of the Bishop That Polycarpus was then the Bishop when Saint Iohn wrote unto the Angel of the Church of Smyrna as Irenaeus informs who was present when Polycarpus himself did discourse of his conversation with Saint Iohn and of those things which he heard from those who had seen our Lord Iesus Polycarpus says Irenaeus was not onely taught by the Apostle conversed with many that had seen Christ but also was by the Apostles and constituted in Asia Bishop of the Church which is in Smyrna whom we our selves also did see in our younger age for he continued long and being very aged he most gloriously and nobly suffered Martyrdom And he of whom the Brethren gave this respect He was say they the most honourable man in our times an Apostolical and Prophetical Doctour and Bishop of the Catholick Church which is in Smyrna Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus and his Neighbour affirms that Polyâ—arpus was both Bishop and Martyr in Smyrna About the time of Polyâ—rates it was that Tertullian published his Book of Prescriptions against Hereticks where he avoucheth against them that as the church of Smyrna had Polycarpus placed there by Saint John and the Church of Rome had Clement ordained by Saint Peter so the rest of the Churches did shew what Bishops they had received by the appointment of the Apostles to traduce the Apostolical seed unto them And before him did Irenaeus urge against them the Succession of Bishops unto whom the Apostles committed the charge of the Church in every place and we are able to number those who were ordained Bishops for the Churches and their Successours unto our days â—For proof whereof Irenaeus brings in the Succession of the Bishops of Rome from Linus unto whom the Apostles committed that Episcopacy and Anacletus and Clement unto Eleutherius In the time of Eleutherius Bishop of Rome Lucius King of Brittains sent to him an Epistle desiring to be made a Christian who obtained it and that the Brittains kept the Faith then received sound and undefiled in quiet peace untill the times of Dioclesian the Emperour and that yet within ten years after and eleven before the Council of Nice three of our Brittish Bishops subâ—cribed unto the Council of Arles they were Eborius
taken a latitude in affirming that the whole Book of Articles of Ireland was called in and in the place thereof the Articles of the Church of England confirmed by Parliament in that Kings name Anno. 1634. whom the Observator hath followed in the like terms pag. 241. and so both imagined to be from the same Person for there was no such motion made and indeed no likelyhood to have taken place there being then so many Papists of both Houses who would have received neither For the further clearing of which this part of a Letter will evidence being written by the late Primate in Answer to an Honourable person of this Kingdom upon the first coming forth of that Book As for Dr. Heylens relation concerning our Articles of Ireland it is much mistaken For first where he saith they did pass when his Majesties Commissioners were imployed about the settling of the Church Anno. 1615. and chargeth them with this strict aâ—sterity as he termeth it in the prescript and observation of the Lords day he sheweth himself very weak there having been no such Commissioners here at that time and our Articles having been published in Print divers years before that the Commissioners whom he meaneth came hither as Sir Nathaniel Rich who was one of them himself can sufficiently inform you Secondly where he saith he is sure that till that time the Lords day had never attained such credit as to be thought an Article of faith he speaks very idely He that would confound the ten Commandements whereof this must be accounted for one unless he will leave us but nine with the Articles of the faith had need be put to learn his Catechism again and he that would have every thing which is put into the Articles of Religion agreed upon in the Synod for the avoyding of diversity of opinions and for the maintenance of peace and uniformity in the Church to be held for an Article of the faith should do well to tell us whether he hath as yet admitted these two here instanced were not by way of diminution for he did highly approve of both as being most excellent composures but because they are either for the most part to be reckoned among the Agenda rather than the Credenda or that in both there are some circumstantials observed and exhorted unto onely for decency and order according to the wisdom of the Church which come not within the compass of the Creed as upon the view of them without descending to Particulars may easily appear the Book of the Ordination of Bishops and the two volums of Homilies into his creed for sure I am he shall finde these in the Articles of Religion agreed upon in the Synod held at London 1562. To which Dr. Heylin himself having subscribed I wonder with what face he can oppose the conclusion which he findeth directly laid down in the Homily of the time and place of prayer in the fourth Commandement God hath given express charge to all men that upon the Sabbath day which is now our Sunday for these are the plain words of the Homily which the Doctor with all his sophistry will never be able to elude they shall cease from all week-day labour to the intent that like as God himself wrought six daies and rested the seventh and blessed it and Sanctified it and consecrated it to quietness and rest from labour even so Gods obedient people should use the Sunday and rest from their common and dayly business and also give themselves wholly to heavenly exercise of Gods true Religion and service By the verdict of the Church of England I am sure the Lords day had attained such a pitch of credit as nothing more could be left to the Church of Ireland in their Articles afterward to adde unto it Thirdly he shameth not to affirm that the whole book of the Articles of Ireland is now called in which is a notorious untruth and lastly the Articles of the Church of England were confirmed by Parliament in this Kingdom Anno. 1634. which it is well known that they were not so much as once propounded to either house of Parliament or ever intended to be propounded the truth is that the house of convocation in the beginning of their Canons for the manifestation of their agreement with the Church of England in the confession of the same Christian faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments as they themselves profess and for no other end in the world did receive and approve of the Articles of England but that either the Articles of Ireland were ever called in or any Articles or Canons at all were ever here confirmed by act of Parliament may well be reckoned among Dr. Heylins fancies who sheweth how little credit he deserveth in his Geography when he bringeth us news of the remote parts of the world that telleth us so many untruths of things so lately and so publiquely acted in his neighbour nation Now although this of that most Reverend Primate writ many years since with the said Certificate of Dr. Barnard and Dr. Pullein may be satisfactory that the said Articles were not repealed or abrogated for we must keep the Authors own terms who is so precise that he hath at large contended for it yet I shall further confirm it by this brief Narrative of the whole matter as I had it from such as were present First in the house of the Clergie which was then in the Cathedral of St. Patricks Dublin there was a motion made for the reception a new of the Articles of Ireland and all unanimous were for the affirmative excepting two who went out Another time the whole house of the Clergie being called into the Quire where the Bishops sat and the same thing again propounded to them they all stuck to their former vote excepting seven The intent of the whole Clergie being by this sufficiently understood and it appearing there was no need of any such confirmation having been Anno. 1615. fully and formally established that motion was no more repealed only the Primate was consulted conâ—erning the approving and receiving of the Articles of England also to which he readily consented therein being no substantial difference between them which he had subscribed himself voluntarily long before in England and conceiving it to be without any prejudice to the other Hereupon the first Canon being all that was done in relation to them was drawn up the Primate approved it and proposed it himself as president of the Synod in the House of the Bishops commended it to the House of the Clergie where by his motion many assented the more readily they all gave their Votes man by man excepting one person who suspended his out of the suspition that some might make that construction which is the Observators conclusion to whose Arguments somewhat may be answered His chief is from the words of the Canon where they do not onely approve but receive the Articles of England from this must infer a super inducing
so many forward to engage against me who had made great Professions of singular pietie For this gave to vulgar mindes so bad a reflection upon me and my Cause as if it had been impossible to adhere to me and not withall part from God to think or speak well of me and not to blaspheme him so many were perswaded that these two were utterly inconsistent to be at once Loyal to me and truly Religious toward God Not but that I had I thank God many with me which were both Learned and Religious much above that ordinrie size and that vulgar proportion wherein some men glorie so much who were so well satisfied in the cause of my Sufferings that they chose rather to suffer with me than forsake me Nor is it strange that so Religious Preâ—ensions as were used against me should be to many well-minded men a great tempâ—ation to oppose me especially being urged by such popular Preachers as think it no sin to lie for God and what they please to call Gods cause cursing all that will not curse with them looking so much at and crying up the goodness of the end propounded that they consider not the lawfulness of the means used nor the depth of the mischief chiefly plotted and intended The weakness of these mens judgments must be made up by their clamours and activitie It was a great part of some mens Religion to scandalize me and mine they thought theirs could not be true if they cried not down mine as false I thank God I have had more trial of his grace as to the constancie of my Religion in the Protestant Profession of the Church of England both abroad and at home than ever they are like to have Nor do I know any Exception I am so liable to in their opinion as too great a fixedness in that Religion whose judicious and solid Grounds both from Scripture and Antiquitie will not give my Conscience leave to approve or consent to those many dangerous and divided Innovations which the bold Ignorance of some men would needs obtrude upon me and my People Contrarie to those wel-tried Foundations both of Truth and Order which men of far greater Learning and clearer Zeal have settled in the Confession and Constitution of this Church in England which many former Parliaments in the most calm and unpassionate times have oft confirmed in which I shall ever by Gods help persevere as believing it hath most of Primitive Truth and Order Nor did my using the assistance of some Papists which were my Subjects any way fight against my Religion as some men would needs interpret it especially those who least of all men cared whom they imploied or what they said and did so they might prevail 'T is strange that so wise men as they would be esteemed should not conceive That Differences of perswasion in matters of Religion may easily fall out where there is the sameness of Dutie Allegiance and Subjection The first they own as men and Christians to God The second they ow to me in common as their King Different Professions in point of Religion cannot any more than in civil Trades take away the communitte of Relations either to Parents or to Princes And where is there such an Oglio or Medley of various Religions in the World again as those men entertain in their service who finde most fault with me without any scruple as to the diversitie of their Sects and Opinions It was indeed a foul and indelible shame for such as would be counted Protestants to enforce me a declared Protestant their Lord and King to a necessarie use of Papists or any other who did but their Dutie to help me to defend my self Nor did I more than is lawfull for any King in such Exigents to use the aid of any his Subjects I am sorrie the Papists should have a greater sense of their Allegiance than many Protestant Professours who seem to have learned and to practise the worst Principles of the worst Papists Indeed it had been a verie impertinent and unseasonable scruple in me and verie pleasing no doubt to mine Enemies to have been then disputing the Points of different Beliefs in my Subjects when I was disputed with by Swords points and when I needed the help of my Subjects as men no less than their praiers as Christians The noise of my Evil Counsellours was another usefull Devise for those who were impatient any mens counsel but their own should be followed in Church and State who were so eager in giving me better counsel that they would not give me leave to take it with freedom as a Man or Honour as a King making their counsels more like a Drench that must be poured down than a Draught which might be fairly and leisurely drunk if I liked it I will not justifie beyond humane Errours and Frailties my self or my Counsellours they might be subject to some Miscarriages yet such as were far more reparable by second and better thoughts than those enormous Extravagancies wherewith some men have now wildered and almost quite lost both Church and State The event of things at last will make it evident to my Subjects that had I followed the worst counsels that my worst Counsellours ever had the boldness to offer to me or my self any inclination to use I could not so soon have brought both Church and State in three flourishing Kingdoms to such a Chaos of Confusions and Hell of Miseries as some have done out of which they cannot or will not in the midst of their many great Advantages redeem either me or my Subjects No men were more willing to complain than I was to redress what I saw in Reason was either done or advised amiss and this I thought I had done even beyond the expectation of moderate men who were sorrie to see me prone even to injure my self out of a zeal to relieve my Subjects But other mens insatiable Desire of Revenge upon me my Court and my Clergie hath wholly beguiled both Church and State of the benefit of all my either Retractations or Concessions and withall hath deprived all those now so zealous Persecutours both of the comfort and reward of their former pretended Persecutions wherein they so much gloried among the vulgar and which indeed a truly humble Christian will so highly prize as rather not to be relieved than be revenged so as to be bereaved of that Crown of Christian Patience which attends humble and injured Sufferers Another Artifice used to with-draw my Peoples Affections from me to their Designs was the noise and ostentation of Libertie which men are not more prone to desire than unapt to bear in the popular sense which is to do what every man liketh best If the divinest Libertie be to will what men should and to do what they so will according to Reason Laws and Religion I envie not my Subjects that Libertie which is all I desire to enjoy my self so far am I from the desire of
by consent of the major part of our Council attested under their hands Which in effect being granted is to depose our self and posteritie These being past we may be waited on bare headed our hand kist be called Majestie and the Kings Authoritie declared by Parliament may be still the style of your Commands We may have Swords and Maces born before us and please our self with the sight of a Crown and Scepter Nor would these Twigs flourish when the Stock were dead and we receive but the picture and sign of a King We were ever willing our Parliament should debate such matters proper for them but not to extend their Resolutions beyond what is proper to them and so by degrees you draw as well all the causes as all the faults of Westminster-hall That the course of Law be not diverted as was actually done in the stop of the proceedings against a Riot in Southwark by Order of the Lower House by countenancing such popular Insolencies and discountenance to Law That you descend not to the leasure of recommending Lectures to Churches nor ascend to the Legislative power to command such to be received without approbation of either Parson or Bishop nor regarding whether they be Orthodox Learned or Moderate or have taken Orders and are not depravers of the Book of Common Prayer concerning you in dutie and the Common-wealth in consequence to be carefull there And that our Forts may not be seized our Arms not removed our Money not be stopt our legal Directions not to be countermanded by you nor such entrance be made upon a real War against us upon pretence of an imaginarie War against you and a Chimaera of necessitie We could have wished you had exprest what matters you meant as fit to be transacted onely in Parliament and what you meant by onely in Parliament You have been taught new Doctrines to debate what was never used within you walls to do but been trusted with our Predecessours and us which without the regal Authoritie since there were Kings of this Kingdom were never transacted It therefore concerns us the more that you speak out that the World may know the bottom of your Demands or know them to be bottomless What is more proper for the Parliament than the making of Laws but then you must admit us a part of the Parliament You must not denie us the freedom of our Answer when we have as much Right to reject what we think unreasonable as you have to propose what you think necessarie nor is it possible our Answers either to Bills or any other Propositions should be wholly free if we may not use the libertie of every one of you and receive advice from any persons in which the manage of our Vote is trusted by the Law to our own judgment and conscience which how best to inform is likewise left to us and most unreasonable it were for two Estates proposing something to the third that third should take no advice but from those two that did propose it We shall ever in these things not decline the advice of our great Council and shall also use to hear willingly the debate of our Privie Council and they shall not be terrified from that freedom by Votes and Brands of Malignants and Enemies to the State admitting no more than the nature of the business requires and of discoursing with whom we please and of what we please and not to tie our self not to hear any more than twentie five out of a Kingâ—dom so replenished with judicious and experienced persons in several kindes yet we shall alwaies look upon their Advices as Advices not as Commands or Impositions and upon such persons as our Counsellours not as Tutours or Guardians and upon our self as their King not as their Pupil or Ward And it is not plainly exprest in the first part of the second Demand whether they meant us so much as a single Vote in these affairs and no more power than every one of the rest of our fellow Counsellours onely leaving to us of all our ancient power a choice and great care is taken that the Oath which these men shall take shall be such in the framing as that we may be wholly excluded and that wholly to be agreed upon by the Parliament And to shew there is no more care taken of our safetie than of our power after our Town and Fort kept from us which sure your selves will not denie to be Treason our Arms taken and our Goods sent away our Money stopt our Guards are not onely desired to be dismissed but it is likewise desired that we shall not for the future raise any Guards or Forces but in case of actual Rebellion or Invasion whicâ— if it had been Law in our famous Predecessours few of those Victories which have made this Nation famous could have been legally atchieved nor could Queen Elizabeth have so defended her self in Eightie Eight and if no Forces may be raised untill Rebellions or Invasions be actual they must no doubt be effectual and prevalent And as neither care is taken for our Rights Honour nor Safetie as a Prince so our Rights as a private person are endeavoured to be had from us It being demanded that it may be unlawfull and punishable not onely to conclude but even to treat of any Mariage with any person for our own Children or to place Governours about them without consent of Parliament and in the intermission of these without the consent of our good Lords of our Council More despicable than any of our Predecessours or than the meaner and viler of the lowest of our Subjects who value no libertie more than that of desposing their Children from which we are asked to debar our self and have reason the more to take it ill we are so because that for the choice of a Governour for our Son and a Husband for Daughter we conceived we had reason to expect your thanks and the increase of your future Trusts We suppose these Demands by this time appear such as the Demanders cannot have such real fear of us as hath been long pretended they are too much in the style not onely of Equals but of Conquerours But we call God to witness that as for our Subjects sakes these Rights are vested in us so for their sakes and our own we are resolved not to quite them nor to sâ—bvert the ancient equal happie well poised and never enough commended Constitution of the Government of this Kingdom not to make our self of a King of England a Duke of Venice and thus of 〈◊〉 Kingdom a Republick There being three kindes of Government Absolute Monarchy Aristocracy and Democracy and in all these their particular convenienceâ— and inconveniences the experience and wisdom of your Ancestours hath molded this out of a mixture of these with the conveniences of all Three without the inconveniences of any One as long as the Ballance hangs even between the three Estates and in their proper Chanel begetting
sufficiently thinned and over-awed To which Partialitie while in all Reason Iustice and Religion my conscience forbids me by consenting to make up their Votes to Acts of Parliament I must now be urged with an Armie and constrained either to hazzard mine own and my Kingdoms ruine by my Defence or prostrate my conscience to the blinde obedience of those men whose zealous superstition thinks or pretends they cannot do God and the Church greater service than utterly to destroy that Primitive Apostolical and anciently universal Government of the Church by Bishops Which if other mens judgments binde them to maintain or forbid them to consent to the abolishing of mine much more who besides the grounds I have in my judgment have also a most strict and indispensible Oath upon my Conscience to preserve that Order and the Rights of the Church to which most sacrilegious and abhorred Perjurie most unbeseeming a Christian King should I ever by giving my consent be betraied I should account it infinitely greater miserie than any hath or can befall me in as much as the least sin hath more evil in it than the greatest affliction Had I gratified their Anti-Episcopal Faction at first in this point with my consent and sacrificed the Ecclesiastical Government and Revenues to the furie of their Covetousness Ambition and Revenge I believe they would then have found no colourable necessitie of raising an Armie to fetch in and punish Delinquents That I consented to the Bill of putting the Bishops out of the House of Peers was done with a firm perswasion of their contentedness to suffer a present diminution in their Rights and Honour for my sake and the Common-wealths which I was conâ—ident they would readily yield unto â—ather than occasion by the least obstruction on their part any Dangers to me or to my Kingdom That I cannot add my consent to the total Exâ—irpation of that Government which I have often offered to all fit Regulations hath so much further tie upon my conscience as what I think Religious and Apostolical and so very Sacred and Divine as not to be dispensed with or destroyed when what is onely of civil favour and privilege of Honour granted to men of that Order may with their consent who are concerned in it be annulled This is the true state of those obstructions pretended to be in point of Iustice and Authoritie of Parliament when I call God to witness I knew none of such consequence as was worth speaking of to make a War being onely such as Iustice Reason and Religion had made in mine own and other mens consciences Afterwards indeed a great shew of Delinquents was made which were but consequences necessarily following upon mine or others withdrawiâ—g from or defence against violence but those could not be the first occasion of raising an Armie against me Wherein I was so far from preventing them as they have declared often that they might seem to have the advantage and justice of the defensive part and load me with all the envie and injuries of first assaulting them when as God knows I had not so much as any hopes of an Armie in my thoughts Had the Tumults been honourably and effectually repressed by exemplarie justice and the libertie of the Houses so vindicated that all Members of either House â—ight with honour and freedom becoming such a Senate have come in and discharged their consciences I had obtained all that I designed by my with-drawing and had much more willingly and speedily returned than I retired this being my necessitie driving the other my choice desiring But some men knew I was like to bring the same judgment and constancie which I carried with me which would never fit their Designs and so while they invited me to come and grievously complained of my absence yet they could not but be pleased with it especially when they had found out that plausible and popular pretext of raising an Armie to fetch in Delinquents when all that while they never punished the greatest and most intolerable Delinquencie of the Tumults and their Exciters which drave my self and so many of both Houses from their places by most barbarous Indignities which yet in all Reason and Honour they were as loth to have deserted as those othâ—rs were willing they should thaâ— so they might have occasion to persecute them with the injuries of an Armie for not suffering more tamely the injuries of the Tumults That this is the true state and first drift and design in raising an Armie against me is by the â—â—quel so evident that all other pretences vanish For when they declared by Propositions or Treaties what they would have to appease them there was nothing of consequence offered to me or demanded of me as any original difference in any point of Law or order of justice But among other lesser Innovations this chiefly was urgâ—d The Abolition of Episcopal and the Establishment of Presbyterian Government All other things at any time propounded were either impertinent as to any ground of a War or easily granted by me and onely to make up a number or else they were meerly consequential and accessarie after the War was by them unjustly begun I cannot hinder other mens thoughts whom the noise and shew of pietie and heat for Reformation and Religion might easily so fill with prejudice that all equalitie and clearness of judgment might be obstructed But this was and is as to my best observation the true state of affairs between us when they first raised an Armie with this Design either to stop my mouth or to force my consent and in this truth as to my conscience who was God knows as far from meditating a War as I was in the eye of the world from having any preparations for one I finde that comfort that in the midst of all the unfortunate successes of this War on my side I do not think mine innocencie any whit prejudiced or darkened nor am I without that integritie and peace before God as with humble confidence to address my prayer to him And by Proclamation the King requires the aid and assistance of all his Subjects on the North side of Trent and within twenty miles Southward thereof for the suppressing of the Rebells now marching against him whose hearts God Almighty will 〈◊〉 up with a true sense and apprehension of his sufferings that according to their allegeance and as they tender the safety of his person the properties of their Estates and just liberties to attend his person upon the two and twentieth of this instant August at Nottingham where and when he intends to erect his Standard in his just defence c. and that with Arms and Furniture c. and who shall supply him with Money or Plate which he as God shall enable will repay and reward according to the measure of their love and affection to him and their Countrey York August 12. But to undeceive the people or to satisfie the more curious he
flanked with some Horse were wheeled to the right by and by into a medow at their coming the enemy drew all their Horse and Foot within their Spittle-work and coming up against this place both sides saluted one another at too far a distance with a short volley but Colonel Tilliar was not to stay here as being by his Orders to march up to the very Rivers side to recover the boat-bridg from the enemy but this being too well guarded he was glad to go off making a stand without reach of Cannon In this time were divers more Bodies of Foot brought down into the Field who charg'd up to the enemies Works and killed many Loughborow's being left upon the hill for a reserve Thus was the valley be spread with the Princes Battaglions and in this posture stood the Army Sir Richard Byron Governour of Newark likewise before this had sent part of his Garrison both Horse and Foot into another ground on the South-East side of the Town And by this time had the Prince notice given him by a Prisoner and by one of theirs that came over to him how they were so distressed for want of victualls that they were not able to live there two dayes Whereupon He began to resolve upon other councells esteeming it cheaper to block up their trenches then to storm them And block't up they were already in a very narrow room no more then the backside of the Spittle towards the River Besides which they were on all sides surrounded by His forces On the South side by the Town on the East by the Prince and on the North by Colonel Tilliar Into the Island on the West had the Prince sent five hundred Horse besides two hundred of the Newark Troopers Thus the late blockers found themselves now besieged yea without much hope of sudden relief or safe means to sally For so well had the Prince ordered them that had they sallied forwards He had then fallen upon their first issuing out both in Front and Flanks with his Army and the Town had charged them upon their Rear Had they offered to escape over their Boat-bridg those in the Isle had disturbed their passing and others entertained their coming over By this time had the Prince commanded Sir Richard Byron with his own and Sir Gervase Eyres Horse-Regiments with eight hundred of Sir John Digbyes Foot to advance so high into the Island as to put in betwixt the enemies two bridges By which interposition was all intercourse cut off betwixt them their greater Body at the Spittle and those at Muskham bridg upon this those eight Colours at the bridg retreated as aforesaid Under favour of these Town-forces too was Rupert resolved to cast up a Redoubt that night betwixt the bridges but going now to view the ground the enemy sent out a Trumpet to desire a Parley To make way for this and the more to sweeten and oblige the Prince had Sir John Meldrum some hours before sent home Colonel Gerard yet upon the parole of a Souldier and a Gentleman to return himself a Prisoner when ever he should be called They having sent out to parley quit their bridg which his Highness presently possessed by a hundred Musquetiers For the parley was appointed Sir Richard Crane Captain of his Life-guards with Sir William Neale Scout-master General the other sending Sir Miles Hobard and Sir John Palgrave into the Town Now true though it be that the enemies were distressed yet very wise Generals have not thought it safe to make such men desperate Besides which being now in the midst of their own Garrisons they might possibly be relieved And to confesse the truth the Princes Horse were so over-marcht and his Foot so beaten off their legs that He found his men lesse able for the present for them and the enemy were more then was believed For these reasons and for that as by intercepted Letters it appeared the Lord Fairfax and his Son Sir Thomas being both commanded by the Council of State to march other places might ere long have need of his presence the Prince at length condiscended to these Articles 1. That all Match Bullet Powder Cannon and all other Fire-arms belonging to the Artillery be delivered 2. That all Souldiers march away with their Swords by their sides and Colours and Drums 3. That all Officers march without molestation with Their Arms and Horses for themselves and Servants and all Bag and Baggage Money and whatsoever doth truly belong to Themselves 4. That all Troopers and Dragoons march with their Swords Horses and Colours 5. That his Highness send a Convoy to protect us from any injury two Miles from the utmost of his Highness Quarters March 22. 1643. Because we may conceive that the 22. Divines appointed to reform might do something in order to their Pensions the latter end of this Year produced the effects A Protestation by them for setling of the Church and their particular Exceptions against the Liturgie not that the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England should be utterly abolished but purged of Innovations and Absurdities And first of the later part the Innovations and Absurdities they make to be these I. Because there be some things in it of which we know not how to make any reasonable sense viz. 1. Whatsoever is manifest the same is light Ephes. 5. 13. See Epi. 3. Lent 2. In the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity See Col. Trin. 3. Every Parishioner must communicate thrice a year and also receive the Sacraments and other Rites See Rubrick after Communion 4. God is said to be Father of all that is called Father in Heaven Ephes. 3. 15. See Epist. 16. Trinity 5. This is the sixth Moneth which was called Barren Luke 1. 28. See Gosp. Annunc 6. Or ever your Pots be made hot with Thorns so let indignation vex him as a thing that is raw Psalm 58. 8. See Gosp. Annunc 7. When the company of the Spear-men and multitude of the Mighty are scattered abroad among the beasts of the people that they humbly bring pieces of Silver and when he hath scattered the people that delight in War Then shall the Princes c. Psalm 68. 30. II. Because as far as we are able to discern there is contradiction in it 1. To the Book of Articles which denieth that Confirmation hath any visible Sign whereas the last Prayer in Confirmation makes Imposition of Hands a Sign to certifie the Children of God's favour and gracious goodness towards them 2. To it self by affirming in the Catechism that there are but two Sacraments and yet ascribing to Confirmation all things that are required to the being of a Sacrament either in that Book or in the Book of Articles III. Because to our best understanding it seemeth to contain in it some untruths 1. Innocents are said to be Gods Witnesses and to have confessed and shewed forth his praise not in speaking but in dying See Col. Inno. 2. It
indignitie of his carriage to do or say any thing unbeseeming my self or unsutable to that temper which in greatest injuries I think best becom's a Christian as coming nearest to the great example of Christ. And indeed I desire alwaies more to remember I am a Christian then a King for what the Majestie of one may justly abhor the charitie of the other is willing to bear what the height of a King tempteth to revenge the humility of a Christian teacheth to forgive Keeping in compasse all those impotent passions whose excess injure's a man more then his greatest enemies can for these give their malice a full impression on our soules which otherwaies cannot reach very far nor do us much hurt I cannot but observe how God not long after so pleaded and avenged my cause in the eye of the world that the most wilfully blinde cannot avoid the displeasure to see it and with some remorse and fear to own it as a notable stroak and prediction of Divine vengeance First Sir John Hotham unreproached unthreatned uncursed by any language or secret imprecation of mine only blasted with the conscience of his own wickedness and falling from one inconstancie to another not long after paie's his own and his eldest Son 's heads as forfeitures of their disloialtie to those men from whom surely he might have expected an other reward then thus to divide their headâ— from their bodies whose hearts with them were divided from their King Nor is it strange that they who imploied them at first in so high a service and so successful to them should not finde mercie enough to forgive him who had so much permerited of them For Apostacie unto Loialtie some men account the most unpardonable sin Nor did a solitarie vengeance serve the turn the cutting off one head in a Family is not enought to expiate the affront don to the Head of the Common-weal The eldest Son must be involved in the punishment as he was infected with the sin of the Father against the Father of his Countrie Root and Branch God cut 's off in one day These observations are obvious to every fancie God knows I was so far from rejoicing in Hotham's ruin though it were such as was able to give the greatest thirst for revenge a full draught being executed by them who first imploied him against me that I so far pitied him as I thought he at first acted more against the light of his Conscience then I hope other men do in the same cause For he was never thought to be of that superstitious sowerness which some men pretend to in matters of Religion which so darkens their judgment that they cannot see any thing of Sin and Rebellion in those means they use with intents to reform to their Models what they call Religion who think all is gold of pietie which doth but glister with a shew of zeal and ferveney Sir John Hotham was I think a man of another temp erand so most liable to those down-right temtations of ambition which have no cloak or cheat of Religion to impose upon themselves or others That which makes me more pitty him is that after he began to have some inclinations towards a repentance for his sin and reparation of his duty to me he should be so unhappie as to fall into the hands of their Iustice and not my mercy who could as willingly have forgiven him as he could have asked that favour of me For I think Clemency a debt which we ought to pay to those that crave it when we have cause to believe they would not after abuse it since God himself suffers us not to pay any thing for his mercy but only praiers and praises Poor Gentleman he is now becom a notable monument of unprosperous Dislloyalty teaching the world by so sad and unfortunate a spectacle that the rude carriage of a Subject towards his Soveraign carries alwaies its own vengeance as an unseparable shadow with it and those oft prove the most fatal and implacable Executioners of it who were the first Imployers in the service After-times will dispute it whether Hotham were more infamous at Hâ—ll or at Tower-Hill though 't is certain that no punishment so stains a mans Honour as wilful perpetrations of unworthy actions which besides the conscience of the sin brands with most indelible characters of infamy the name and memory to posterity who not engaged in the Factions of the times have the most impartial reflections on the actions The squeamish stomachs of the Scotish Army could not brook the Orders and ceremonies of the Church of England in and about their Quarters at Newcastle and therefore they write to the Committee of both Kingdoms at Westminster of the disorders of the Church in several parts of this Kingdom and desire a settlement of Religion in the Worship of God and government of the Church Which no sooner conceived but instantly the Parliament confer and concur that the Assembly of Divines should speedly bring in such particulars as they had digested for finishing a government of the Church to be approved by the Houses November 4. the Scots Letters was seconded the same day with a Petition subscribed by thousands of hands the easy and old way of signing Iohn a Nokes and Iohn a Stiles to make up a confused number confirming the Scots desires and that such as do refuse the Covenant might be punished If a due and orderly course had been herein they might have punished many Members that made this Law who never took that Covenant The Assembly were ready and by the 12. day resolved upon the Presbyterial way but being now in hot sent divers Divines dissented and spent much time in the debate of the House And by the 22. of November they had finished so far as concerning Prayer reading of Chapters Preaching and Baptisme but as to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it was committed and soon resolved all may receive but the prophane and ignorant How rightly to discern such is that which puzled the chair-Man Then the Parliament vote the Abolishing of the Book of Common Prayers and as earnest the same day for passing an Ordinance against the Arch Bishop of Canterbury so that he and the Book were Martyred together Hereupon the King concludeth It is no news sayes He to have all Innovations ushered in with the name of Reformation in Church and State by those who seeking to gain reputation with the Vulgar for their extraordinary parts and piety must needs undo what ever was formerly setled never so well and wisely So hardly can the Pride of those that sâ—udie Novelties allow former times any share or degree of wisdom or godlinesse And because matter of Praier and Devotion to God justly bears a great part in Religion being the Souls more immediate converse with the Divine Majestie nothing could be more plausible to the People then to tell them They served God amiss in that point Hence our publick Liturgie or
Forms of constant Praiers must be not amended in what upon free and publick advice might seem to sober men inconvenient for matter or manner to which I should easily consent but wholly cashiered and abolished and after many popular contempts offered to the Book and those that used it according to their Consciences and the Laws in force it must be crucified by an Ordinance the better to please either those men who gloried in their extemporarie vein and fluency or others who conscious to their own formalitie in the use of it thought they fully expâ—ated their sin of not using it aright by laying all the blame upon it and a total rejection of it as a dead letter thereby to excuse the deadness of their hearts As for the matter contained in the Book sober and learned men have sufficiently vindicated it against the cavils and exceptions of those who thought it a part of piety to make what prophane objections they could against it especially for Poperie and Superstition whereas no doubt the Liturgie was exactly conformed to the doctrine of the Church of England and this by all Reformed Churches is confessed to be most sound and Orthodox For the manner of using Set and Prescribed Forms there is no doubt but that wholsom words being known and fitted to mens understandings are soonest received into their hearts and aptest to excite and carrie along with them Iudicious and Fervent Affections Nor do I see any reason why Christians should be weary of a well-composed Liturgie as I hold this to be more then of all other things wherein the Constancie abates nothing of the excellencie and usefulness I could never see any Reason why any Christian should abhor or be forbidden to use the same Forms of Praier since he praies to the same God believes in the same Saviour professeth the same truths reads the same Scriptures hath the same duties upon him and feels the same daily wants for the most part both inward and outward which are common to the whole Church Sure we may as well before-hand know what we pray as to whom we pray and in what words as to what sence when we desire the same things what hinders we may not use the same words our appetite and digestion too may be good when we use as we pray for Our daily bread Some men I hear are so impatient not to use in all their devotions their own invention and gifts that they not only dis-use as too many but wholly cast away and contemn the Lord's Prayer whose great guilt is that it is the warrant and original pattern of all set Liturgies in the Christian Church I ever thought that the proud ostentation of mens abilities for invention and the vain affectations of variety for expressions in Publick Praier or any Sacred Administrations merits a greater brand of sin then that which they call Coldness and Barrenness Nor are men in those Novelties lesse subject to formal and superficial tempers as to their hearts then in the use of constant Forms where not the words but mens hearts are to blame I make no doubt but a man may be very formal in the most extemporary variety and very fervently devout in the most wonted expressions Nor is God more a God of variety then of constancy Nor are constant Forms of Praiers more likely to flat and hinder the Spirit of Praier and Devotion then un-premeditated and confused variety to distract and lose it Though I am not against a grave modest discreet and humble use of Ministers gifts even in Publick the better to fit and excite their own and the peoples affections to the present occasions yet I know no necessity why private and single abilities should quite justle out and deprive the Church of the joynt abilities and concurrent gifts of many learned and godly men such as the Composers of the Service-Book were who may in all reason be thought to have more of gifts and graces enabling them to compose with serious deliberation and concurrent advise such Forms of Praiers as may best fit the Churches common wants inform the Hearers understanding and stir up that fiduciarie and fervent application of their Spirits wherein consists the very life and soul of Praier and that so much pretended Spirit of Praier then any private man by his solitary abilities can be presumed to have which what they are many times even there where they made a great noise and shew the affectations emptiness impertinencie rudeness confusions flatness levity obscurity vain and ridiculous repetitions the senslesse and oft-times blasphemous expressions all these burthened with a most tedious and intolerable length do sufficiently convince all men but those who glory in that Pharisaick way Wherein men must be strangly impudent and flatterers of themselves not to have an infinite shame of what they 〈◊〉 do and say in things of so sacred a nature before God and the Church after so ridiculous and indeed profane a manner Nor can it be expected but that in duties of frequent performance as Sacramental administrations and the like which are still the same Ministers must either come to use their own Forms constantly which are not like to be so sound or comprehensive of the nature of the duty as Forms of Publick composure or else they must every time affect new expressions when the subject is the same which can hardly be presumed in any mans greatest sufficiencies not to want many times much of that compleatness order and gravity becoming those duties which by this means are exposed at every celebration to every Ministers private infirmities indispositions errors disorders and defects both for â—udgement and expression A serious sense of which inconvenience in the Church unavoidably following every mans several manner of officiating no doubt first occasioned the wisdome and piety of the Antient Churches to remedy those mischiefs by the use of constant Liturgies of Publick composure The want of which I believe this Church will sufficiently feel when the unhappie fruits of many mens ungovern'd Ignorance and confident Defects shall be discovered in more Errours Schisms Disorders and uncharitable Distractions in Religion which are alreadie but too many the more pitie However if violence must needs bring in and abet those Innovations that men may not seem to have nothing to do which Law Reason and Religion forbid at least to be so obtruded as wholly to justle out the publick Liturgie Yet nothing can excuse that most unjust and partial severitie of those men who either lately had subscribed to used and maintained the Service Book or refusing to use it cried out of the Rigour of Laws and Bishops which suffered them not to use the Libertie of their Consciences in not using it That these men I say should so suddenly change the Liturgy into a Directorie as if the Spirit needed help for Invention though not for expressions or as if matter prescribed did not as much stint and obstruct the Spirit as if it were clothed in and
confined to fit words So slight and easie is that Legerdemain which will serve to delude the Vulgar That further they should use such severitie as not to suffer without penaltie any to use the Common Prayer Book publickly although their Consciences binde them to it as a Dutie of Pietie to God and Obedience to the Laws Thus I see no men are prone to be greater Tyrants and more rigorous Exacters upon others to conform to their illegal Novelties than such whose pride was formerly least disposed to the obedience of lawful Constitutions and whose licentious humours most pretended conscientious Liberties which Freedom with much Regret they now allow to me and my Chaplains when they may have leave to â—â—rve me whose Abilities even in their extemporarie way comes not short of the others but their Modestie and Learning far exceeds the most of them But this matter is of so popular a nature as some men knew it would not bear learned and sober Debates lest being convinced by the Evidence of Reason as well as Laws they should have been driven either to sin more against their knowledg by taking away the Liturgy or to displease some Faction of the people by continuing the use of it Though I believe they have offended more considerable men not onely for their Numbers and Estate but for their weightie and judicious Pietie than those are whose weakness or giddiness they sought to gratifie by taking it away One of the greatest Faults some men found with the Common Prayer Book I believe was this That it taught them to pray so oft for me to which Petitions they had not Loyaltie enough to say Amen nor yet Charitie enough to forbear Reproaches and even Cursings of me in their own Forms in stead of praying for me I wish their Repentance may be their onely punishment that seeing the Mischiefs which the Disuse of publick Liturgies hath already produced they may restore that credit use and Reverence to them which by the ancient Churches were given to Set Forms of sound and wholesome words But Praier upon all occasions must be ex tempore and to pick and chuse what Chapters or Psalms the Minister pleaseth but before and after Sermon to conclude with the Pâ—ter noster Novemb. 26. For Baptism it must be in the Church the manner referred to the use of French and other Reformed Churches beyond Seas And afterwards came in the Directorie for Mariages Visitation of the Sick and the whole compleated by the Commons Decemb. 23. But in respect of many dissenting Brethren of the Assemblie it was referred to a Committee before it should be born up to the Lords and onely three hundred of them printed to be distributed to the Members to seek God for his direction And at length complete Mr. Rous carries it up to the Lords Ianuarie 1. and so it was printed for the publick use of all people And the two Scribes of the Assemblie whose pains are considered therein and are to partake equally in the profits Ian. 4. And the same Day passed the Ordinance also for attainting the Arch-bishop of Canterburie of high Treason Thus much for Church-worship and now they consider of the Presbyterial way for Government of the Church and the dissenting Assemblers having printed their Reasons for each Member of the Commons a strict Order was That no man presume to reprint or to disperse any of those Reasons as they will answer it at their perils Certainly they were though dispersed and so satisfactory against the Presbyterial way which is the reason they were strictly inquired for and suppressed And on the sixth of Ianuarie the Commons House resolve That to have a Presbyterie in the Church is according to the Word of God And the same day provision is made for such of the Assemblie that have lost their Means to have better subsistence and so having never any or lost but little they were preferred to the best places in England and some to Pluralities But on they go to order the Train of Pastors Doctors Teachers Elders Deacons c. Officers of the Church And good God how this new manner wrought upon many The Prince Elector was come over and who but he must be ordered by Parliament to fit with the Assemblie and to have a print of the dissenting Reasons so that it was said not in earnest that he was sent Nuntio from the Palatinate to direct our Directorie And then what Debates Resolutions Votes Orders Ordinances about the use of Classes several Congregations under one Classis and that the Church should be governed by Congregational Classical Synodical Assemblyes which made such work among the weaker sort as that it was suspected those hard words would disturb the doctrinal part as it did We have heretofore observed how oft the King had sent to the Parliament for a Treaty of Peace and now being returned from the West and setled at Oxford they by a Committee of English and Scotish for now they are joyned in all publick affairs present him with their Deâ—ires and Propositions for a Peace agreed upon by mutual consent of the Parliaments of both Kingdoms united by Solemn League and Covenant Novemb. 23. 1. That by Act of Parliament in each Kingdom respectively all Oaths Declarations and Proclamations against both or either Houses of the Parliament of England and the late Convention of the Estates in Scotland and their proceedings c. be declared null 2. The King to swear and sign the late Solemn League and Covenant and the taking thereof by all the Subjects of the three Kingdoms 3. To pass the Bill for the utter abolishing of Bishops Root and Branches agreeing with the late Treatie at Edinburgh Novemb. 29. 1643. 4. To confirm the Ordinances for the setling of the Assemblie of Divines 5. That Reformation be setled by Act of Parliament as the Houses shall agree upon according to the Covenant c. 6. That Papists abjure and renounce the Pope Transubstantiation Purgatorie Images if not to be therefore convicted and severe Laws to be made against them 7. Their Children to be educated Protestants 8. To give his royal assent to several Acts and Bills to be passed as is named An Act in the Parliaments of both Kingdoms respectively for confirmation of their Treaties viz. the large Treatie for coming in of the Scots and the setling of Barwick and for Ireland and all other proceedings between the two Kingdoms by Treaties An Act to avoid the Cessation of Ireland and to prosecute the War there by Orders of Parliament To establish the joint Declaration of both Kingdoms Dated Jan. 30. 1643. in England and 1644. in Scotland With these Qualifications viz. That the persons without pardon are these to be excepted Princes Rupert and Maurice the Earls of Bristol Derby Newcastle the Lords Cottington Pawlet Digby Littleton Arch-bishop of Canterbury Bishop of Ely Sir Robert Heath Bishop of Derry Sir William Widrington Colonel Goring and these Knights Hopton Dodington Ratcliff Langdale Hothams
Reformation I was content to yield to all that might seem to advance true piety I only sought to continue what was necessary in point of Order Maintenance and Authority to the Churches Government and what I am perswaded as I have else-where set down my thoughts more fully is most agreeable to the true principles of all Government raised to its full statuâ—e and perfection as also to the primitive Apostolical pattern and the Practise of the Universal Church conform thereunto From which wholly to recede without any probable reason urged or answered only to satisfie some mens wills and fantasies which yet agree not among themselves in any point but that of extirpating Episcopacy and fighting against me must needs argue such a softnesse and infirmity of minde in me as will rather part with Gods Truth then mans Peace and rather lose the Churches honour then cross some mens factious humours God knows and time will discover who were most to blame for the un-successfulnesse of that Treaty and who must â—ear the guilt of after-calamities I believe I am very excusable both before God and all unpassionate men who â—ave seriously weighed those transactions wherein I endeavoured no lesse the restauration of peace to my people then the preservation of my own Crowns to my posterity Some men have that height as to interpret all fair condescendings as arguments of fâ—ebleness and glory most in an unflexible stifness when they see others most supple and inclcinable to them A grand Maxime with them was alwayes to ask something which in Reason and Honour must be denied that they might have some colour to refuse all that was in other things granted setting peace at as high a rate as the worst effects of VVar endeavouring first to make me destroy my self by dishonourable Concessions that so they might have the less to do This was all which that Treaty or any other produced to let the world see how little I would deny or they grant in order to the Publick Peace That it gave occasion to some mens further restiveness is imputable to their own depraved tempers not to any Concessions or Negations of mine I have alwayes the content of what I offered and they the regreet and blamed for what they refused The highest tide of success set me not above a Treaty nor the lowest ebb below a Fight Though I never thought it any sign of true valour to be prâ—digal of mens lives rather then to be drawn to produce our own reasons or subscribe to other mens That which made me for the most part presage the unsuccesfulness of any Treaty was some mens unwillingness to Treat which implied some things were to be gained by the sword whose unreasonableness they were loth to have fairly scanned being more proper to be acted by Souldiers then by Councellors I pray God forgive them that were guilty of that Treatise's breaking And give them grace to make their advantages gotten by the Sword a better opportunity to use such moderation as was then wanting that so though Peace were for our sins jusâ—ly deferred yet at last it might be happily obtained what we could not get by our Treaties we may gain by our prayers The King having formerly the twelfth of Ianuary 1643. assembled those of the Parliament Members which were at Oxford into a sitting there and his presence giving them the repute of a better appearance and as he conceived more honourable and just than that of Westminster whom the Kiâ—g had disowned though afterwards he named them a Parliament which did not says the King justifie themselves to be so This Oxford Assembly could not fadg together their Factions so increased that the King wearied as he says with impertinencies the Fate of Free Assemblies they were dissolved in March this Moneth And handsomely performed for whilest they sate they pressed the King to make more Overtures for renewing the Treaty but now he resolves If the Treaty be renewed which he believes will not without some eminent good Success on his side it shall be to his honour and advantage he being now he says as well freed from the place of base and mutinous Motions his Mungerel Parliament there as of the chief Causers Wilmot Piercie and Sussex all three now sent away to the Queen in France to be rid of them here against whom the King complains and that very heavily That he fears their Repair thither would rather prove a Change than an End of their Villanies Two principal Irish Rebells Conspiratours of the bloudy Massacre the Lord Macquire and Macmahone had been seized in Ireland the beginning of the Rebellion and sent up to the Parliament and imprisoned in the Tower but after some time they with a thin Steel Instrument sawed in sunder a two Inch thick Oken Door in a Night and with a Line let themselves down from the White Tower waded the Ditch and got away for a long time yet at last the sixteenth of September were retaken in Drury Lane and so sent back to their old Prison Mrs. Levistone a Recusant in the Strand being accessary to their Escape and on the sudden she was seized and her house by a Committee of three Lords and six Commons was searched where they finde the French Agent at Mid-night no ordinary Lodger there she was sent to Prison and a Bundle of Papers brought to the Parliament which discovered much Villany designing in Ireland The Irish Prisoners were ordered for their Trial but much ado to proceed whether by a Council of War or Oyer and Terminer or otherwise at the Kings Bench Bar. Macmahone was tried there and soon found guilty of High Treason and was sentenced to be hanged drawn and quartered which he suffered accordingly at Tyburn in November Macquire was a Baron of Ireland and refused that way of Trial craving the privilege of Peerage of that Kingdom This was referred to be considered by the Judges who ordered him Counsel to plead for it at the Kings Bench Bar but they were nice and would refuse to plead for so great a Villain yet over-intreated they undertake it The Traitours case was no doubt in an ill condition which it seems he suspected and â—herefore desires Pen and Paper with some Books of Statutes and to plead for himself The Demur was over-ruled by the Judges and he bound to his Trial by God and the Countrey Of which Judgment he complains to the House of Lords to consider his quality as a Peer and to grant him that Privilege and lays it home to their own concernments The Lords send for his Plea the Commons desired a Conference and argued them into so much reason that ere they consented to have them see his Plea they were fain to concur for his Trial at the Kings Bench Bar. And at last the Grand Iury having found the Indictment Billa vera of high Treason and at his Trial many Witnesses proving him guilty he was hanged drawn and quartered at Tyburn Feb. 20. where he cast
before their Ministers whom though I respect them for that worth and piety which may be in them yet I cannot think so proper for any present Comforters or Physicians who have some of them at least had so great an influence in occasioning these calamities and inflicting these wounds upon me Nor are the soberest of them so apt for that Devotional compliance and conjuncture of hearts which I desire to bear in those holy Offices to be performed with me and for me since their judgments standing at a distance from or in jealousie of me or in opposition against me their Spirits cannot so harmoniously accord with mine or mine with theirs either in Praier or other Holy Duties as is meet and most comfortable whose golden Rule and bond of perfection consists in that of mutual love and Charity Some Remedies are worse then the Disease and some Comforters more miserable then Misery it self when like Job's friends nhey seek not to fortifie ones minde with patience but perswade a man by betraying his own innocency to dispair of Gods mercy and by justifying their injuries to strengthen the hands and harden the hearts of insolent Enemies I am so much a friend to all Church-men that have any thing in them beseeming that Sacred Function that I have hazarded my own Interest chiefly upon Conscience and Constancy to maintain their Rights whom the more I looked upon as Orphans and under the Sacrilegious eyes of many cruel and rapacious Reformers so I thought it my Duty the more to appear as a Father and a Patron for them and the Church Although I am very unhandsomly requited by some of them who may live to repent no lesse for my sufferings then their own ungrateful errors and that injurious contempt and meannesse which they have brought upon their Calling and Persons I pittie all of them I despise none onely I thought I might have leave to make choise of some for My special Attendants who were best approved in My judgment and most suitable to My affection For I held it better to seem undevout and to hear no mens praiers then to be forced or seem to comply with those Petitions to which the heart cannot consent nor the tongue say Amen without contradicting a mans own understanding or belying his own soul. In Devotions I love neither Prophane boldness nor Pious non-sense but such an humble and judicious gravitie as shews the Speaker to be at once considerate of Gods Majesty the Churches Honour and his own Vileness both knowing what things God allows him to ask and in what manner it becoms a Sinner to supplicate the divine Mercie for himself and others I am equally scandalized with all praiers that sound either imperiously or rudely or passionately as either wanting humility to God or charity to men or respect to the duty I confess I am better pleased as with studied and premeditated Sermons so with such publick Forms of Praier as sare fitted to the Churches and every Christians daily and common necessities because I am by them better assured what I may join My heart unto then I can be of any mans extemporary sufficiency which as I do not wholly exclude from Publick occasions so I allow its just libertie and use in private and devout retirements where neither the solemnity of the Duty nor the modest regard to others do require so great exactness as to the outward manner of performance Though the light of understanding and the fervency of affection I hold the main and most necessary requisites both in constant and occasional solitary and social Devotions So that I must needs seem to all equal minds with as much Reason to prefer the service of My own Chaplains before that of their Ministers as I do the Liturgie before their Directory In the one I have been alwaies educated aâ—d exercised in the other I am not yet Catechized nor acquainted And if I were yet should I not by that as by any certain Rule and Canon of Devotion be able to follow or finde out the indirect extravagancies of most of those men who highly cry up that as a peice of rare composure and use which is already as much despised and disused by many of them as the Common-praier somtimes was by those men a great part of whose pietie hung upon that popular pin of railing against and contemning the Government and Liturgie of this Church But I had rather be condemned to the wo of Vae soli then to that of Vae vobis Hypocritae by seeming to pray what I do not approve It may be I am esteemed by my Denyers sufficient of my self to discharge my Dutie to GOD as a PRIEST though not to men as a Prince Indeed I think both Offices Regal and Sacerdotal might well become the same Person as anciently they were under one name and the united rightes of Primogeniture Nor could I follow better precedents if I were able then those two eminent Kings David and Solomon not more famous for their Scepters and Crowns then one was for devout Psalms and Praiers the other for his divine Parables and Preaching whence the one merited and assumed the name of a Prophet the other of a Preacher Titles indeed of greater honour where rightly placed then any of those the Romane Emperours affected from the Nations they subdued It being infinitely more glorious to convert Souls to Gods Church by the Word then to Conquer men to a Subjection by the Sword Yet since the order of Gods Wisdom and Providence hath for the most part alwaies distinguished the gifts and offices of Kings and Priests of Princes and Preachers both in the Iewish and Christian Churches I am sorrie to finde my self reduced to the necessitie of being both or enjoying neither For such as seek to deprive me of my Kingly Power and Sovereigntie would no lesse enforce me to live many Months without all Praiers Sacraments and Sermons unlesse I become my own Chaplain As I ow the Clergie the protection of a Christian King so I desire to enjoy from them the benefit of their gifts and praiers which I look upon as more prevalent then my own or other mens by how much they flow from mindes more enlightned and affections lesse distracted then those which are encomb'red with Secular Affairs Besides I think a greater blessing and acceptablenesse attends those Duties which are rightly performed as proper to and within the limits of that Calling to which God and the Church have specially designed and Consecrated some men And however as to that Spiritual Government by which the devout Soul is subject to Christ and through his Merits daily offers it self and it's Services to God every private believer is a King and Priest invested with the honour of a Royal Priest hood yet as to Ecclesiastical Order and the outward Politie of the Church I think confusion in Religion will as certainly follow every mans turning Priest or Preacher as it will in the State where every one affects to
they were of mixed natures in each Petition so were they diverse in the contents some of which partly for the Parliament and much for the Army those of the Parliament come oft time from the well affected of such a County or Corporation and booted and spurr'd they must have answer and the Gentlemen must be called in for to receive thanks which usually was thus expressed by Mr. Speaker That though there be some things in the Petition that the House cannot so well approve of to be presented by Petition yet because in other things they express their good affections they have the thanks of the House And evermore in the tail of all they are told that the House had thoughts to such and such of their particulars expressed and for others of them the House were now in debate thereof And so the Gentlemen Commoners that came of the Errand trot home again no wiser than they were before onely with thus much honour that they have seen the Parliament sitting And according to the change of the time one of their Articles is evermore to be tender in imposing the Covenant upon any of their own Members or upon others whose consciences dare not subscribe unto it that they would provide for succouring tender consciences and not suffer them to be grieved and to be brought into bondage by rigid Impositions who live without offence and never fail to give a wipe against the King and his Prelatical party And last of all they petition that many men of competent gifts of good life and conversation who are willing to imploy their talents in the Lords work and yet are by occasion of some scruples about Ordination discountenanced from engaging in the work of the Gospel and in the things of our peace and pray that such men may receive encouragement and protection from both Houses This wrought for them for as the Protestant reformed from Romes Papacy the Presbyters from the Prelacy the Independents from them and the Libertines from all in which we sum up numberless Sectaries under the notion of godly gifted men And indeed the Members were not well pleased at the strictness of the Presbytery and forbore the House so that at this time there were absent of the Commons near two hundred Members in neglect or contempt of their proceedings so that the House make Orders and Proclamations in every County with Amerciaments by Fine of such as come not by the third of November next Octob. 9. But the gifted men fall to preaching and every Libertine began to profess himself of a tender conscience so suddenly increasing that the Parliament order That they shall have Liberty to meet for religious Duties in any place at any time and may be excused from the Churches on the Lords Day if so be they meet elsewhere to hear preaching or expounding But with this Proviso That the Indulgence as to tender consciences shall not extend to tolerate the use of the Common Prayer in any place whatsoever that was the Bug-Bear in all places Octob. 16. Upon Examinations of divers Actors Fomenters of the late Uproar of Parliament and City sundry were imprisoned Mr. Glyn the Recorder of London was charged that he had been very active in the late Actions for a new War countenanced the Cities last Declaration encouraged the riotous Petitioners had been very active with the Committee of safety and new Committee of the Militia of London c. And although he was able and did make his Defence at the Bar yet the Commons were divided as to his guilt but concluded to discharge him from being a Member and was committed to the Tower during pleasure and Mr. Steel was elected Recorder in his place Sir Iohn Mainard a petit busie Member always and in all kindes was impeached of high Treason Captain Macquire was condemned at the Old Baily for the same matters and the Murder and Ryot at Guild Hall But because he had been faithful to his Principles and but a looker on in the Crowd with his Sword drawn great means was made for him by Colonel Sanderson his best friend it seems who Petitioned the Parliament and General for the present and his very day come of Execution he got to be put off and afterwards his Reprieve and lastly his Pardon Mr. Braynton also was deeply concerned but being a Member it was considered how far such Members should be questioned And because the eleven Members were accounted rotten Summons was sent to Hollis Waller Clotworthy Massey Long and Nichols to attend the House the 16. October And by President of the Commons the Members of the Lords were also Involved and Impeachments of High Treason against the Earls of Suffolk and Lincoln and Middlesex the Lords Willoughby of Parham Hunsdon Maynard and Berkly for Levying War against the King Parliament and Kingdom And the Charge against them seat up by the Commons Not long after they fall upon some Citizens and Impeach them of high Treason those were Sir Iohn Gayer Lord Mayor â—ulham Bruce Langham and Adams Aldermen and are all committed to the Tower The Citizens of other Rank were Colonel Lawrence Colonel Hooker and Captain Iones impeached of high crimes And Captain Musgrave and about fifteen Citizens and Mr. Melton a Minister were indicted of high Treason at the Kings Bench Bar. And because their Mayor stood committed the Aldermen and Commons were to consider of a Government of the City according to their Charter These confusions brought work to the Printers in spight of all their Orders against Pamphlets as No Merling no Mercury Bellum â—ibernicale and I need not tell you how many more The Lords impeached of High Treason were the Earls of Suffolk Lincoln and Middlesex the Lords Willoughby of Parham Hunsdon Maynard and Berkley enduring nasty imprisonment to humble them to submit and so they escaped And now the City were curb'd in their former power of the Militia extending heretofore to the Lines of Communication which indeed are digged down and these their particular Militia set up for Westminster and the out Parishes for the Burrough of Southwark and for the Tower Hamlets and the last to be under the immediate command of the Constable the other of several Committee-men or any seven And an Ordinance passed also for the Citizens and Prentices to demolish the Forts and Guards and to dig down the Lines of Communication to another more doleful tune then when they were digg'd up And yet nothwithstanding the burthened City must bear more and advance fifty thousand pounds to pay the Army by two dayes time no longer delay so that upon the same sudden they must advaâ—ce a Moneths pay of the Army as a gratuity aforesaid the moneths pay of the Army besides and fifty thousand pounds also for the necessity of the Army being inforced to burthen the Countrey with free Quarter And therefore the Army declare That for what time the Cities fault and delayes have occasioned and shall further occasion the stâ—â—y of
differences and offences by impartiality or so order affairs in point of power that you shall not need to fear or flatter any faction For if ever you stand in need of them or must stand to their courtesie you are undone the Serpent will devour the Dove you may never expect less of Loyalty Iustice or Humanity then from those who engage into Religious Rebellion their interest is alwaies made Gods under the colours of piety ambitious policies march nor only with greatest security but applause as to the populacy you may hear from them Jacobs voice but you shall feel they have Esau's hands Nothing seemed less considerable then the Presbyterian Faction in England for many years so compliant they were to publick order nor indeed was their party great either in Church or State as to mens judgments but as soon as discontents drave men into sidings as ill humors fall to the disaffected part which cause's inflamations so did all at first who affected any Novelties adhere to that side as the most remarkable and specious note of difference then in point of Religion All the lesser Factions at first were officious servants to Presbytery their great Master till time and military success discovering to each their peculiar advantages invited them to part stakes and leaving the joint stock of uniform Religion they pretended each to drive for their party the trade of profits and preferments to the breaking and undoing not only of the Church and State but even of Presbytery it self which seemed and hoped at first to have ingrossed all Let nothing seem little or despicable to you in matters which concern Religion and the Churches peace so as to neglect a speedy reforming and effectual suppressing Errors and Schisms what seem at first but as a hand breadth by seditious Spirits as by strong windes are soon made to cover and darken the whole heaven When you have done justice to God your own Soul and his Church in the profession and preservation both of truth and unity in Religion the next main hinge on which your prosperity will depend and move is that of Civil Iustice wherein the setled Laws of these Kingdoms to which you are rightly Heir are the most excellent Rules you can govern by which by an admirable temperament give very much to Subjects industry liberty and happiness and yet reserve enough to the Majesty and Prerogative of any King who owns his people as Subjects not as Slaves whose subjection as it preserves their property peace and safety so it will never diminish your Rights nor their ingenious Liberties which consist in the injoyment of the fruits of their industry and the benefit of those Laws to which themselves have consented Never charge your head with such a Crown as shall by its heaviness oppress the whole body the weakness of whose parts cannot return any thing of strength honour or safety to the head but a necessary debilitation and ruine Your Prerogative is best shewed and exercised in remitting rather then exacting the rigor of the Laws there being nothing worse then Legal Tyranny In these two points the preservation of establisted Religion and Laws I may without vanity turn the reproach of my sufferings as to the worlds censure into the honour of a kinde of Martyrdom as to the testimony of my own conscience the troublers of my Kingdoms having nothing else to object against me but this that I prefer Religion and Laws established before those alterations they propounded And so inded I do and ever shall till I am convinced by better Arguments then what hitherto have been chiefly used towards me Tumults Armies and Prisons I cannot yet learn that Lesson nor I hope ever will you that it is safe for a King to gratifie any Faction with the perturbation of the Laws in which is wrapt up the Publick Interest and the good of the Community How God will deal with me as to the removal of these pressures and indignities which his Iustice by the very unjust hands of some of my Subjects hath been pleased to lay upon me I cannot tell nor am I much solicitous what wrong I suffer from men while I retein in my soul what I believe is right before God I have offered all for Reformation and safety that in Reason Honour and Conscience I can reserving only what I cannot consent unto without an irreparable injury to my own Soul the Church and my people and you also as the next and undoubted Heir of my Kingdoms To which if the divine Providence to whom no difficulties are insuperable shall in his due time after my decease bring you as I hope he will my counsel and charge to you is that you seriously consider the former real or objected miscarriages which might occasion my troubles that you may avoid them Never repose so much upon any man's single Counsel fidelitie and discretion in managing affairs of the first magnitude that is matters of Religion and Iustice as to create in your self or others a difâ—idence of your own judgment which is likely to be alwaies more constant and impartial to the interests of your Crown and Kingdom then any mans Next beware of exasperating any Factions by the crosness and asperity of some mens passions humours or private opinions imployed by you grounded only upon the differences in lesser matters which are but the Skirts and Suburbs of Religion Wherein a charitable connivence and Christian toleration often dissipates their strength whom rougher opposition fortifies and puts the despised and oppressed Party into such combinations as may most enable them to get a full revenge on those they count their persecutors who are commonly assisted by that vulgar commiseration which attends all that are said to suffer under the notion of Religion Provided the differences amount not to an insolent opposition of Laws and Government or Religion established as to the essentials of them Such motions and minings are intolerable Alwaies keep up solid Piety and those fundamental truths which mend both hearts and lives of men with impartial favor and justice Take heed that outward circumstances and formalities of Religion devour not all or the best encouragements of learning industry and piety but with an equal eye and impartial hand distribute favours and rewards to all men as you finde them for their real goodness both in abilities and fidelity worthy and capable of them This will be sure to gain you the hearts of the best and the most too who though they be not good themselves yet are glad to see the severer wayes of vertue at any time sweetned by temporal rewards I have you see conflicted with different and opposite Factions for so I must needs call and count all those that act not in any conformity to the Laws established in Church and State no sooner have they by force subdued what they counted their common enemie that is all those that adhered to the Laws and to me and are secured from that fear but they
English land upon the Isle of Rhe. Isnard pag. 36. Page 37. Slain of the French And English St. Martins Town taken Is. 64. Description of St. Martin Castle Four Bulwarks French army on the Main Anno 1626. The siege The French power Anno 1627. Some ships relieve the besieged Is. p. 95. Fourth onset for relief Letters intercepted Duke of Orleans indeavours Buckingham summon to Toras Anno 1626. Toras his answer Anno 1627. Recruit from England and Ireland Some relief to the Castle Ashburnham sent into England pag. 135. Sir Iohn Burroughs dies The French fail of their designes Their Ships destroyed The French sends to Surrendeâ— Buckinghams Answer The besieged Relieved And the manner The ill condition of the English 29 September 9 October The English rise from the fiege The siege renewed upon hope of supply Toras his Plot. The French designes Their grea Forces Both sides encounter The French fly English retiring And fight And assault St. Martins Castle And Retreat Canophies Messages Buckinghams answer The French Army marshalled The English depart in this manner Rich and Ratcliff gallant men Page 196. The description of the causâ— way The unserviceable Fortresse English oversight Both parts encounter The English defeated And killed Some French slain The number slain The English make aboard their ships And consult Rochellers false Friends English hoise sail Hist. pa. 71. Censure the expedition Hist. page 71. Observ. pa. 54. Hist. page 71. Hist. page 71. Ob. page 55. Arch-Bishop Abbot sequestred The Viscountesse Parbeck censured and escaped Stode taken by Tilly. Rochel besieged by the French King Parliament begins Hist. p. 75. Hist. p. 75. Obs. p. 58. H. p. 78. The Parliament sits 1628. Subsides granted Hist. p. 77. Obs. p. 30. Presage four Anno 1628. The Kings first Answer Second Answer Obs. p. 31. Hist. p. â—7 Presage 5. Dr. Manwaring questioned Obs. p. 31. Presage 6. Iune 26. Dr. Preston dies and his Charecter The third Fleet to Rochel The Duke murdered by Iohn Felton Hist. p. 60. Felton's confession Hist. p. 90. Hist. p. 91. The Dukes Funeral and Tomb. Felton hanged in chains Hist. p. 94. Verses on the Duke Hist. p. 88. Of Pâ—ophecy The last Fleet to Rochol Rochel surrendred Hist. p. 94. Parliament sit Hist. p 66. Committee of Religion Nine Articles at Lambeth and the occasion of them Hist. p. 96. Obs. 71. Obs. 72. Abuses in civil affairs The King and Parliament differ Sir Iohn Eliot his Speech and Remonstrance The Commons Protestation Parliament dissolved Of Imposition of Tunnage and Poundage The Kings Declaration Obs. p. 93. The French Parliaments Members questioned Hollis his answer Hobart 's offence Eliot's answer Obs. p. 95. Anno 1629. overtures from the Emperour Hist. fol. 104. War in Italy Peace with France Overtures of peace with Spain Hist. fol. 105. Uprore in Flectstreet The Earls of Bedford and Somerset confined Earl of Pembrook dies Anno 1630. Hist. p. 107. Hist. p. 108. Prince Charls born Obs. 96. A Star appeared at noon-day The State of Germany Ambassadour to the Emperour Dr. Leighton sentenced Peace with Spain Hist. p. 110. Obs. p. 99. Tax of Knighthood Obs. p. 100. King of Sweden enters Germany King of Swedâ— Magdeburgh is besieged by the Emperialists taken and burnt Marquess Hamilâ—ons design A Puritan who Jesuites and secular Priests at difference Hist. p. 112. Earl of Essex his second Marriage Anno 1631. Impropriations permitted and punished Arreignment of the Eaâ—l of Castlehaven Hist. p. 115. Manner of Trial. Judges Speech to the Prisoner Audley's answer Indictment His Religion Moral actions 〈…〉 The Charge Ramseys Answer Dr. Eden for Ramsey Dr. Duck the Kings Advocate for Rey. E. Marshal Rey his Replication Dr. Duck for Rey. Dr. Duck for Ramsey Dr. Reeves for Rey. Dr. Duck. Dr. Eden for Rey. Letters read Dr. Duck for Rey. Dr. Reeves for Rey. Dr. Eden for Ramsey Doctor Eden for Ramsey Raukin examined Doctor Duck for Rey. Doctor Eden for Ramsey Doctor Duck for Rey. Dr. Reeves E. Marshall University divines differ in opinions Numb 14. 1 Kings 13. 1632. Repair of St. Pauls Anno 1632. Sir Paul Pindar a bounteous Benefactour Hist. p. 124. Obs. p. 104. London Bridg burnt The King sickned of the Small Pox. Polish Wars with the Turks Church-men Polish war Mustapha advanced to the Empire is deposed Osman elected The state of Poland War between Poland and Muscovia English and Scots assist on either side The condition of Ireland and beginning of their troubles Bodin dâ— Rep. K. Iames the sixth L. Wentworth sent Deputy in Ireland Return to Germany Loss of the Swedes Battel of Lutzen Nov. 16. Papenheim killed Gustavus killed His Life and Character Prince Elector dies Wallestein murdered Two of his Colonels Queen Dowager of Denmark dies The Kings Journey into Scotland 1633. Anno 1633. Idem Hist. fol. 126. Stuart Earl of Trahair Arch Bishop Abbot dieâ— Hist. fol. 127. Duke of York born Hist. fol. 139. Orders of Church Government sent to Scotland Duties of the Church renewed Obs. p. 111. The Masque of the Inns of Courts Obs. p. 118. Vide the Pamphlet herein The Infanta dies 1634. Ship-money designed and upon what ground Anno 1634. Hist. p. 130. Ob. p. 120. Hist. 131. Attorney Noy dies Oxenstiern Ambassadour from Swethland Hist. p. 134. Ireland in disquiet The Scots plotting against the King Lord Balmerino arreigned See the second Declaration p. 57. Andrews made Lord Chancellour of Scotland Hist. p. 134. Military afairs in Germany Battel of Norlington September A short peace concluded 1635. One fleet at sea set out by Ship-money Hist. pag. 136. Lord Keepers speech to the Judges concerning Ship-money Anno 1635. Hist. p. 136. Service of the Fleets at Sea Obs. p. 128. Prince Elector arrives Princess Elizabeth born The States of Hollâ—nd caress the King and Queen with a Present Bishop Iuxon Lord Treasurer Hist. p. 137. Obs. p. 130. The small effects of the Peace in Germany Swedes displeased A wondrous Floud and Pestilence 1636. Commotion about Church-Ceremonies Hist. p. 137. Anno 1636. See before Anno 1628. Obs. p. 132. Hist. p. 138. Obs. p. 140. Another Navy for the Narrow Seas Hist. p. 138. Diet at Ratisbone Emperor dies E. of Arundel Ambassadour to the new Emperor Overtures of a Marriage between the King of Poland with the Lady Elizabeth Ecclesiasticall visitations of the University Debate about Ship-money Princess Ann born 1637. Burton Bastwick and Pryn censured Hist. p. 145. Anno 1637. Cruelty Pryn. Papists pursued Prince Elector and his brother depart Hist. p. 145. Bishopâ— of Lincoln sentenced in Star-chamber Hist. p. 145. Hist. 146. Originall of the Scots Injunction Liturgie compassed in Scotland and imposed there upon them disorder against the Liturgie Howen Mutiny again Three Proclamations Proclamation to keep the Peace Insolent Petitions Or outlawed Lords Protest against the â— Proclamation Earl of Trahair and others treacherous Anno 1638. Covenanters pretended cause of Rebellion See Hist. Qu. of Scots p. 21. Digression The Earl of
and the other for putting down Star-chamber Court But the King shewed some reluctancie in these willing to pass onely that Bill of Poll-mony and to deliberate about the other two At which the House of Commons voted either all three or none at all Notwithstanding the second of Iuly he passed the Poll-mony and demurred upon the other Two But being informed of the displeasure of the Parliament He came again to the Lords House upon the Tuesday after being the fifth of Iuly and passed the other two also and forsooth because He did it not freely at the first motion the Parliament made that their exception to save their good natures from too much paines to give him thanks for such other and these unparallel graces and favours The King therefore in passing of these told them as much That he could not but be sensible of these reports of discontent which he had heard was taken by some for his not passing them before and thought it very strange that Two things of so great Importance should be expected from him without allowanâ—e of time to consider of them That he wondered they could harbour any Discontent if they remembred how much he had done for this Parliament as his granting that the Iudges hereafter should hold their Places Quam diu se bene gesserint bounding the Forest-laws taking away Ship-money establishing the Subjects propriety in Tunnage and Poundage granting the Triennial Parliament free justice against Delinquents with other things concluding graciously that he would omit nothing which might give them just content Mary de Medices the Queen Mother Dowager of France having been here a chargeable Guest till the entrance into our much misery a Fate that followed her where ere she came as if this unfortunate Princess had always carried ill luck in her company took her leave with the good liking of Prince and People to be rid of her who was conveyed over to Holland by the Earl of Arundel he finding his native Countrey too hot for him to hold out being a Roman Catholick gets himself designed to wait upon her and to remain beyond Seas during his own pleasure which lasted to his death at Colen in Germany and the Queen passing by Zealand thither where she had time to consider that he the Cardinal Richelieu whom she had raised so high slighted her mis-fortunes whilest he stood fast in favour of her Son and in the intire administration of the affairs of France she I say this great Queen Mother to the King over-whelmed with miseries and old age and in a condition of melancholy fell sick and died at Colen also sometime after that Earl of Arundel And though we were entered into great Distempers in our civil estate yet the King was mindfull of the restauration of his Nephew the Prince Electour Palatine who was to meet at the Diet at Ratisbone with the Emperour and Sir Thomas Roe was designed Ambassadour from hence to assist him there and but suspecting what might happen neglect and refusal the King acquaints the Parliament herewith and that he intended to publish a Manifesto in his own name with their consent to give repute thereto which was so done and intrusted to the Ambassadour but without any real success The Parliament now in good security and power having done their work thus far and by the effects of this continual Parliament could do what they pleased began now to think themselves concerned in honour and conscience to be rid of the two devouring Armies in this Kingdom the Scots having in a manner performed their part for which they were called hither both Armies should be disbanded together which was not convenient for the Parliaments interest to have been done before now for the Cessation of Arms which was made heretofore to expire in the end of December last was at that time renewed by the Parliament for a Moneth longer and in that time resolved that the Scots should be satisfied for their Charges and Losses sustained since their Insurrection In February following it was not onely agreed that their pitifull Ships taken since that War should be restored and four thousand pounds in ready Money given to them to rig those Ships but it was also resolved by Parliament to give them three hundred thousand pounds towards a supply of the Losses and Necessities of our dear Brethren of Scotland and shortly to consider of the manner of raising and Days of payment whereupon the Scots Covenanters three Days after return thanks to the Parliament for that huge Sum of Money but most of all they say for the honour and style of Brethren which they had given them dear and costly Companions And in Iune after it was concluded that the Scots should receive one hundred thousand pounds of it at Mid-summer come twelve-moneth and the other two hundred thousand pounds at Midsummer two years after Nay that Army was still caressed to stay longer untill there was an Arrear due to them of one hundred and twenty thousand pounds besides the said Gift of three hundred thousand pounds so great a Charge was the Nation put unto rather than the Scots must be gone till the Parliament had their own business and power settled unto them Nor was it disbanded till August 6. as the English was both together but the Scots had the most Money And the King very gracious to confirm his Favours to the Scots resolves speedily to caressthat Nation with his personal presence once again and to return with all speed which he did at four Moneths end It was in December last the 28. that Doctour Wren Bishop of Ely and Dean of the King's Chapel had been accused of Misdemeanours in his Diocess amounting to Treason And now the fifth of Iuly the Committee made their Report to the House of Commons of the Charge against him He had been Bishop of Norwich a Diocess indeed full fraught with Sects and Schisms brought over by the Mariners and other the Natives of Holland and mingled here among the English in trading and weaving of Stuffs and the Bishop kept them down from innovating their Opinions and Heresies but he was proceeded against and soon voted unworthy and unfit to hold or exercise any Office or Dignity in Church or Common-wealth and a Message sent to the Lords to joyn in a Petition to the King to remove him from his service Nor more nor less have we ever heard of him or his crimes But being committed to the Tower there he hath lain ever since without any further question thus civilly executed The five Judges who had formerly given the Opinion for Ship-money Judg Bramston Baron Trever Baron Weston Baron Davenport and Judg Crawley were now brought under particular and respective Charges but against another Judg Berkley for high Treason The House of Commons intent upon Reformation of any thing any kinde of way and to please the Presbyter with little debate made an Order for taking away all scandalous Pictures Crosses
and Figures within the Churches and afterwards from without suppressing the very Signs and Sign-posts and this curiosity of Imployment was conferred upon such as had least to do and could intend to be busied abroad Sir Robert Harloe was found out to be the fittest person which makes me remember Chaucer's Character of such another A busier man there never was Yet seemed busier than he was The King had given knowledg of his Resolution to journey to Scotland and to set out the tenth of August to which the Houses had agreed but now thus near they desire the King to put it off a Fortnight longer the great affairs of State necessarily requiring his presence and instanced in some Bills yet to be passed and some settlement for the Government of the Kingdom in his absence he told them the warning was so long since as that they might have hastened their business to that purpose And so the same day passed some Bills for Knighthood free making of Gun-pouder and Saltpeter and signed a Commission for passing Bills in his absence unto the Lord Keeper the Lord Privy-Seal the Earl of Lindsey Earl of Essex Marquess Hartford the Earl of Bath and the Earl of Dorset And signed to another Bill for the Earl of Essex General of all his Forces on this side Trent by which he had power to raise Forces in case of necessity but to that request that the Earl of Pembroke should be made Lord high Steward in the place of the Earl of Arundel now absent and the Earl of Salisbury to be Lord Treasurer he had no minde to either of them But the day before the King's Journey into Scotland and the Parliament serious in some sudden affairs of importance they were forced to lay aside the solemnity of this Day being Sunday and to sit from Morning till Night but not to bring it into President they publish in Print That for many urgent occasions they thought it necessary to sit and do declare so much that no inferiour Court or Council or any person may draw this into Example for their encouragement in neglecting the due observation of the Sabbath Sunday August 8. And then they adjourned untill the twentieth of October and a standing Committee of the House of Commons consisting of fifty Members appointed during the Recess But the King gone to Scotland the Parliament at leisure to frame business against his return such a Freedom and Liberty was taken up of the People and such connivance from the Parliament as somewhat like the late Comedy The World turn'd up side down Many Jealousies in the hearts of the People many Divisions and Differences in Opinion which little favour the Parliaments proceedings The Prelatical party utterly discountenanced and Learning discouraged the Universities neglected Orthodox men slighted A wonderfull liberty and licence afforded to the Communalty of a long time had now taken root and Riots too Every one as his fancy increased took upon him by connivance of several Members of several Opinions to countenance such who without other authority order or decency rudely and riotously disturbing Church-service in time of Prayers tearing the Book of Liturgy the Surplices and such things which the Parliament onely connived at being to use such a considerable party in time of need Ridiculous Conventicles and Preachings in Conventicles nay openly in corners of the Streets by Trades-men Tub-preachers to the general scandal of all good men In earnest to wise men and religious these courses were offensive and thereby grew disaffected to Parliaments but there were ways invented some were taken off by Preferments others deterred and most men distracted with these varieties exprest a Mutation and change of Church and State which after followed Insolencies and Disorders in the Populacy uncorrected or connived at grow up to Insurrections and Rebellions as with the late Actions of the Scots after whose Example the Irish Nation resolve of the like Freedom the one of Reformation the other of old ancient Popery National pretence either had but the effects of the former were soon smothered and pacified for the present but this other taking fire in time of our English Distractions which afforded them means and boldness to contrive the most horrid Rebellion in Ireland that after-ages will not easily believe It fell out in the Kings absence at Scotland and so we shall take up that time to enter the Reader in the former part of that miserable story and first of all to give some account of the Grounds and their rebellious pretences Somewhat we have said concerning the State of Ireland from the first Conquest of the English to these times of King Charls who highly indulged his Subjects there in this last Year 1640. upon their late Complaints and their general Remonstrance to him from the Parliament sitting at Dublin by a Committee of four Temporal Lords of the Upper House and twelve Members of the House of Commons instructed to represent the heavy pressures which they pretended to have suffered under the Government of the Earl of Strafford The King took their Grievances into his royal consideration heard them himself and presently provided for their redress And upon the decease of Master Wansford Master of the Rolls in Ireland and then Lord Deputy under the Earl of Strafford who still continued Lord Lieutenant of that Kingdom though then accused of high Treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London the King sent a Commission of Government to the Lord Dillon of Kilkenny West and Sir William Parsons Knight and Baronet Master of the Wards there but finding his choice of Dillon to be much disgusted by the Irish Committee that Commission was forthwith cancelled with their approbation he placed the Government upon Sir William Parsons and Sir John Burlace Knight Master of the Ordnance both of them persons of great integrity who took the Sword the ninth of February 1640. who applied them selves with all possible content to the People In abating the Subsidies there being given in the time of the Earl of Strafford from fourty thousand pounds each Subsidy to twelve thousand pounds a piece so low were they reduced and drew up two Acts in Parliament most impetuously desired by the Natives The one was the Act of Limitations which settled all Estates of Land there for sixty years preceding The other Act for the relinquishment of the Kings Right and Title to the four Counties in Conaught legally found for him by several Inquisitions and ready to be disposed of to Brittish Undertakers as also to some Territories in Munster and Clare upon the same Title And that the King might testifie his own settled resolution for his future grace and favours to them he did about the end of May 1641. declare the Earl of Leicester Lord Lieutenant General of Ireland perhaps upon the former score as Heir to his Uncle Sir Philip Sidney as to Sir Henry Sidney his Grand-father who had been Governour of Ireland in time