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
Majesties person and Right against all Forces whatsoever and in like manner the Laws Liberties and Privileges of Parliament and of this Kingdom And I shall to my utmost power preserve and defend the peace of the two Counties of Devon and Cornvvall and all persons that shall unite themselves by this Protestation in the due performance thereof and to my power assist his Majesties Armies for reducing the Town of Plymouth and resistance of all Forces of Scots Invaders and others levied under pretence of any Authority of two Houses of Parliament or otherwise without his Majesties personal consent And hereupon they agreed upon several Articles in reference to the taking of this Protestation directed to all Sheriffs Constables Ministers of every Parish Church at the next general Meeting That the Army be governed according to his Majesties Articles That all such persons slain or as shall be slain in this VVar or die in the Service by whose life any other person held any other Lands or Rents the said other person shall grant an Estate or pay such Rents for life under such Covenants c. as to the person so slain and the Refusers to lose double value one half to the King the other to the party and to be imprisoned till payment That if any Minister shall refuse or neglect his particular duty in his Service or not reade the Kings Declarations or do any thing contrary to â—is Majesties Instructions to be secured and his Estate sequestred That there be provided a thousand Barrels of Powder and ten thousand Fire Arms at the charge of both Counties whereof Devon three parts and Cornvvall to be a fourth according to the proportion of the grand Subsidy The Earl of Manchester for the Parliament is as active in his Association having gone over all vvith a high hand came to the University of Cambridg being not yet resolved vvhether the Colleges and Halls be vvithin his Commission for Sequestration for clearing vvhereof the Parliament sent out their Ordinance That the Estates Rents and Revenues of the Colleges and Halls in the University of Cambridg are in no wise to be seized on but shall remain and be to the same University Colleges and Halls as if the Ordinance of Sequestration had never been made Which is most nobly done like true Patriots of Learning but then the next Proviso marrs all That if any part portion or dividend be due to any Head Fellow or Scholar in the said University being or which hereafter shall be a Malignant or Delinquent within any of the Ordinances of Sequestration then they shal be excepted from receiving any part or portion of his Allowance but shall be dealt with as it shall be ordered by the Earl of Manchester and none to be Receiver Treasurer or Bowser but such as shall be approved by him Sir Richard Byron Governour of Newark for the King understanding that the Adversaries vvere quartered at Harmiston and VVaddesdon three Miles from Lincoln sent out tvvo hundred and fifty Horse and some Dragoons under command of Sir Gervase Eyre vvho beat up their Quarters and took kill'd some but the reason having Quarter he carried avvay above three hundred Prisoners Horse and Arms. The King at Oxford vvith sufficient Friends to finish his civil affairs considered of the fitness and conveniency to assemble the Members of both Houses of Parliament at Oxford and having to that purpose the tvvo and tvventieth of December last by his Proclamation summoned them for this day the tvvo and tvventieth of Ianuary vvhere novv they met in the great Hall at Christ's Church vvhere his Majesty declared the occasion of his calling them together to be witnesses of his actions and privy to his intentions Telling them That if he had the least thoughtâ— disagreeing with the happiness of this Kingdom he would not advise with such Counsellors as they are And so they went to the publick Schools the Lords in the upper Schools and the Commons in the great Convocation-house Indeed he having renounced those Members that sate at Westminster he thought it fit to assemble such as he might confide in to vote and act as his proper Parliament countenanced with able Members the most ancient and most honourable Peers and very worthy Gentlemen not amiss to record them The Names of the Lords and Commons in the Assembly of the Parliament at Oxford Ianuary 22. 1643. Charls Prince Duke of York Cumberland Edw. Littleton C. S. Fr. Cottington Treasurer Duke of Richmond Marquess of Hertford Earls Lindsey Dorset Shrewsbury Bath Southampton Leicester Northampton Devonshire Carlile Bristol Barkshire Cleveland Rivers Dover Peterborough Kingston Newport Portland Visc. Conway Lords Digby Mowbray and Matravers Lords Wentworth Cromwell Rich. Paget Chandos Howard of Charlton Lovelace Savile Mohun Dunsmore Seymour Piercy VVilmot Leigh Hatton Iermin Carington Knights and Gentlemen Sir Iohn Fettiplace Sir Alexander Denton Sir Iohn Packington Thomas Smith Francis Gamul Iohn Harris Ioseph Iane. Richard Edgcomb I. Raleigh G. Fane P. Edgcomb VVilliam Glanvile Robert Hâ—burn Sir Ralph Sidenham Sir Fr. Godolphin Ger. Parry Ambrose Manaton Sir Richard Vivian Io. Palewheel Io. Arundel Thomas Lower Edward Hide VVilliam Allestry George Stonehouse Edward Seymor Peter St. Hill VVilliam Pool Roger Matthew Richard Arundel Ro. VValker Giles Strangways Io. Strangways Sir Thomas Helâ— Geraâ—d Nape Samuâ—l Turner VVilliam Constantine Henry Killegrew R. King Io. Dutton Henry Bret. VVilliam Chadwell Theo. Gorges Io. George Thomas Fanshaw Humph. Conningsby Richard Seaborn Arthur Ranelagh Thomas Tomkins Sampson Evers Io. Culpeper Ieffrey Palmer Io. Harison Thomas Fanshaw Roger Palmer Sir Orlando Bridgman VVilliam VVatkins Iohn Smith Sir Thomas Bludder Edward Littleton Harvie Bagot Richard Leveson Sir Richard Cave Sir Richard VVeston Richard Lee. Thomas VVhitmore Edward Acton C. Baldwin R. Goodwin Thomas Howard Thomas Littleton Robert Howard Io. Meux Matthew Davis Fr. Cornwallis Thomas Germin Io. Tailor VVilliam Basset VVilliam Pateman Edw. Ridney Thomas Hanham Edw. Philips Io. Digby Edw. Kirton Chr. Lewkin Edw. Alford Io. VVhite Io. Ashburnham VVilliam Smith Thomas Leeds I. Thin VVilliam Pledel Ro. Hide Edw. Griffin VValter Smith George Lowe Richard Harding Henry Herbert Endimion Porter Samuel Sandys Iohn Bâ—dvil William Morgan William Thomas Iohn Mistin Henry Bellasis Knights and Gentlemen George Wentworth William Malory Richard Aldbury Io. Salisbury William Herbert William Price Io. Price Knights and Gentlemen R. Herbert Charls Price Philip VVarwick Thomas Cook Herbert Price Io. Whisler These Peers then disabled by several Accidents appeared since Viscount Cambden Lord Abergaveny Lord Arundel Lord Capel Lord Newport Peers imployed in his Majesties Service Marquesses Winchester VVorcester Newcastle Earls Darby Huntington Clare Marlborough Viscount Falkonbridg Lords Morley Lords Darcy and Coniers Sturton Everâ— Daincourt Pawlet Brudenel Powesse Herbert of Cherbury Hopton Loughborough Byron Vaughan VVithrington Peers absent beyond Seas Earl of Arundel Earl of Saint Albans Lord Viscount Mountague Viiscount Strafford Lord Stanhop Lord Coventry Lord Goring Lord Craven of Hamsted Lord Craven of Ryton Peers
my Religion The Earl replying desired the Prince to pardon him if he had offended him saying It was but out of his desire to serve him Whereas it had been the duty of a faithful servant to God and his Master to have disswaded the Prince from it had he found him staggering in his Religion Eighthly That he afterward having Conference with the Prince about the Romish Religion trayterously endeavoured to perswade him to turn Romish Catholique using an Argument to that end That the State of England never did nor could possibly do any great thing but when obedient to the Pope of Rome Ninthly That during the time aforesaid the Prince advising with the Earl about a new Offer by the King of Spain That the Prince Palatine should marry the Emperours Daughter â—e brought up in his Court and so should be restored to the Palatinate The Earl said It was a reasonable Proposition And when the danger of changing his Religion was objected the Earl replyed That without some such great Act the peace of Christendom could never be procured Tenthly That the Prince departing from Spain and leaving the Powers of Disposorios with the said Earl to be delivered upon the return of his Dispensation from Rome the Prince fearing lest after the Dispensation the Infanta might be put into a Monastery wrote a Letter back to the Earl commanding him not to make use of those Powers untill he could give him assurance that a Monastery should not rob him of his Wife which Letter the Earl receiving returned an answer disswading that Direction Shortly after which the Prince sent another Letter discharging him of his former Command But his late Majesty by the same Messenger sent him a more express Direction Not to deliver the Disposorios until a full conclusion had concerning the Palatinate adding this expression That he would never joy to marry his Son and to leave his onely Daughter weeping In which Dispatch though there was some mistake yet in the next following it was corrected and the Earl tied to his former Restrictions which he promised punctually to observe Neverthelesse contrary to his Duty and Allegiance he after set a day for the Disposorios without any assurance or so much as treating of those things to which he was restrained and that so short a day that if extraordinary diligence with good successe in the Journey had not concurred the Princes hands might have been bound up and yet he never sure of a Wife nor the Prince Palatine of Restitution Lastly That in an high an contemptuous manner he hath preferred a scandalous Petition to this Honourable House to the dishonour of the late King and his now Majesty especially one Article of that Petition wherein he gives his now Majesty the Lye by denying and offering to falsifie what his Majesty had affirmed There needs no strain of partiality to implead the difference of these charges assuredly if the Earls charge against the Duke could have served the turn It might have spared the Commons Impeachment the other comming far short of the designe which was to do it to the purpose And therefore This weighty Cause was managed by six Members Mr. Glanvil Mr. Herbert Ma. Selden Mr. Pim Mr. Wans ford Mr. Sherland to them was added Sr. Dudly Diggs as Prolocutor and Sr. Iohn Elliot brought up the Rear And so though the matter of the Prologue may be spared being made up with Elegancy yet rather then it shall be lost you may please to read it at this length My Lords THere are so many things of great importance to be said in very little time this day that I conceive it will not be unacceptable to your Lordships if setting by all Rhetorical affectations I onely in plain Country language humbly pray your Lordships favour to include many excuses necessary to my manifold infirmities in this one word I am commanded by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons house to present unto your Lordships their most affectionate thanks for your ready condescending to this Conference which out of confidence in your great wisdoms and approved Justice for the service of his Majesty and the welfare of this Realm they desired upâ—â— this occasion The House of Commons by a fatal and universal concurrence of complaints from all the Sea-bordering parts of this Kingdom did find a great and griâ—vous interruption and stop of Trade and Traffique The base Pirats of Sally ignominiously infesting our Coasts taking our ships and goods and leading away the Subjects of this Kingdom into barbarous Captivity while to our shame and hinderance of Commerce our enemies did as it were besiege our Ports and block up our best Rivers mouths 〈◊〉 Friends on flight pretences made embargoes of our Merchants goods and every Nation upon the least occasion was ready to contemn and slight us So great was the apparent diminution of the ancient honour of this Crown and once strong reputation of our Nation Wherewith the Commons were more troubled calling to remembrance how formerly in France in Spain in Holland and every where by Sea and Land the Valours of this Kingdom had been better valued and even in latter times within remembrance when we had no Alliance with France none in Denmark none in Germany no Friend in Italy Scotland to say no more ununited Ireland not setled in peace and much less security at home when Spain was as ambitious as it is now under a King Philip the second they called their wisest the House of Austria as great and potent and both strengthened with a malitious League in France of persons ill-affected when the Low-countreys had no being yet by constant counsels and old English wayes even then that Spanish pride was cool'd that greatness of the house of Austria so formidable to us now was well resisted and to the United Provinces of the Low countreys such a beginning growth and strength was given as gave us honour over all the Christian World The Commons therefore wondring at the Evils which they suffered debating of the causes of them found they were many drawn like one Line to one Circumference of decay of Trade and strength of Honour and of Reputation in this kingdom which as in one Centre met in one great man the Cause of all whom I am here to name the Duke of Buckingham Here Sir Dudly Diggs made a stand as wondring to see the Duke present Yet he took the Roll and read the Preamble to the charge with the Dukes long Titles and then went on My Lords This lofty Title of this mighty Man me thinks doth raise my spirits to speak with a Paulo majora canamus and let it not displease your Lordships if for foundation I compare the beautiful Structure and fair composition of this Monarchy wherein we live to the great work of God the World it self in which the solid body of incorporated Earth and Sea as I conceive in regard of our Husbandry Manufactures and Commerce by Land and Sea may
to Dr. Balcanqual the penner of that Declaration a Creature of Hamilton and pâ—rfect hater of the Arch-Bishop who hindered his preferment to an English Bishoprick out of an innate disaffection to the Scots Nation but offered him a poor Scots Bâ—shoprick that he might dispose of his Benefices in England of 1200 l. per annum A fit Instrument he was to drive on Hamiltons designes being of a nimble Wit and clear expression dissolute of life and easily drawn to do evil for preferment which in part the Marquesse procured him to be Master of the Savoy and Dean of Durham the latter falling to him after the Declaration which the Scots say was his reward for betraying their Church therein And because it discovers their juggling to the life they forced the King in his necessity and time of declension by his act of oblivion first and then to call it in as containing untruths But they have not disproved any passage therein of the true Narrative part unlesse in too much respect and favour to Hamilton and his Complices See great Declaration page 324 326. But to pacifie these Distempers Hamilton must be designed the Kings high Commissioner into Scotland In which trust how treacherously he managed the Kings Interest hereafter follows The Bishops and others of the royal party advised the King to have delegated the Marquesse of Huntley his high Commissioner to manage the affairs of Scotland but by Morton Roxborough and Trahair Hamilton had that honour with the treacherous help of the Scottish Grooms of the Bed Chamber Mall Murrey and Maxwel who for all their falsities were made Scotish Earls for their reward Hamilton thus intrusted abuses the King in that Commission trifling the time from the three and twentieth of Iuly 1637. untill the sixth of Iune 1638. with Declarations Proclamations Messages Letters whilest the Scots raised Officers Arms Ammunition from abroad four Moneths more till the nine and twentieth of November in vain Disputes and three Journeys to the King and back again with the expence of so much Money as might have reduced them by reward or power Treachery always mercenary even to Liberty Life and all For by this time their General Lesly and other Commanders and Officers from far that never had or ever would come home again but by Design being likened to a Puff of Winde behinde that never returns and William Dyck Merchant at Edinburgh and Thomas Cunningham Factor at Camphere provides them Arms for which they were afterwards knighted and Cunningham preferred also Conservator an Office of trust taken from an honest man Sir Patrick Drummond without Law or Trial having served King Iames many years and ever since till now in that Place with good repute And although these Noble-men and others were main Enemies to the Scots Bishops yet they flattered them most into temporal Places of Judicature in the Council Exchequer and Sessions and were Suiters to the King for their Preferments thither as best able to serve him on purpose thereby to pick out matter of Exceptions for the Peoples hatred so that of fourteen Bishops eleven of them were thus invested And although sundry of the Nobility and Gentry were joyned with them in Judicature even in their High-commission Court the other were induced to forbear that the odium of Fines and Confinements might lodg on the Bishops alone the most of them very weak in temporal and most ignorant in State-affairs And to promote the Covenant the Countess of Roxborough a cunning old Courtier of Queen Anns being sent for from Scotland insinuates into this young Queens favour Lady of the Bed-chamber and Governess to the Princess Mary the chief Marian to mannage their Designs amongst the Women giving intelligence to her Husband a subtil old Fox who the rather resided with her at the Nursery-court St. Iames's the Rendezvouz of Scotish Designs against their Bishops Roxborough not in duty to Religion but in fear to lose his Lordships rich Abby of Kelso with the Demeans and seven and thirty Parish-churches impropriate a small Bishop himself and it not all to be returned to the Church yet the improprlate was in hazzard and so intimated towards the erection of the new Bishoprick of Edenburgh And with this Countess all the chief leading Covenanters in all Designs had their private Consults The honest Duke of Richmond mis-lead by Trahair and almost all the Scots in Court favouring the Covenanters Thus was the King amused to the time that the War commenced Iune 1639. before the King marched to Berwick and the Earl of Arundel made General by Land and Hamilton Admiral by Sea a considerable Fleet with Land-forces likewise of five thousand Foot and sent to the Frith sufficient enough to have reduced the Covenanters onely by hinderiâ—g their Commerce and forreign Trade had he not been false and a considerable Army of a few Scots standing for the King for the present aâ— Aberdene but much suspected since to be designed for themselves But Hamilton keeping intelligence under hand with the Covenanters and his Mother like a Virago riding with Pistols at her Saddle-bowe to encourage them and all his Kindred and Vassals Covenanters and this great Fleet doing no harm onely Colonel Gun was sent Northwards with a Regiment to betray those of the Kings Friends for which he was knighted at London The Scots Army incamped at Dunslow having before scattered in England a cunning Declaration to withdraw the People from assistance of the King alleging their taking Arms was for his Defence against wicked Bishops and their Episcopal War which Declarations were sent into the Kings Camp and divulged even by his Scotish Servants of the Court But the King came and the Treaty began Hamilton leaves his charge in trust to another posts to the Kings Camp promotes the base patched Pacification sudden and upon any terms the Covenanters assured that the Kings Army once disbanded their onely aim it would not be easie for his Majesty in these Times of the general Distemper of both Nations to raise another themselves resolving to keep theirs intire still whereas had but the King marched towards Edingburgh it was generally believed the Scots durst not have opposed him having five thousand the most accomplished Cavalry the prime Gentry of England and sixteen thousand well appointed good Foot The Covenanters not more than two thousand Nags hunting Saddles Scots Pistols no Back nor Breast or Head-piece and not twelve thousand Foot raw and ill armed But here begins their Pacification and ends the Quarrel for that time which was in Iune 1639. Thus much in brief the Particulars follow The Covenanters pretend their first cause of Rebellion was the Service-book imposed on their Kirk by the Kings immediate Authority All Christian Kings being they themselves confess Custodes utriusque Tabulae Nursing Fathers to the Church Episcopi extra Ecclesiam as Constantine is stiled by Eusebius in the first Nicene Council Vos estis Episcopi intra Ecclesiam Ego vero extra And
Deputy Magistrate Seeing therein their Title bears evidence against them for in their three first subscriptions is exprest either King Iames his own act or an ordinance of the secret Councel equivalent to regality or at the desire of the General Assembly to intreat it If they had power to command the new taking of an old Oath as they had not what authority had they to interpret it concerning the five Articles of Perth the Service Boâ—k the Book of Canons and high Commission their Predecessours abjuring onely those Romish corruptions of that time near sixty years since but what could not be more evident was taken upon trust with Jesuitical Equivocation to many such Objections The former Confession and Band annexed heretofore was mâ—de in defence of the King his Authority and Person with their bodies and lives in defence of the Gospel of Christ and Liberties of that Kingdom To which they now have added a mutual defence of one another against all opposers the King not exâ—epted nor any for him Nay by two Acts of their own Parliaments Declare all leagâ—es of subjects amongst themselves without the King to be seditious and punishable The Oath of Iames the sixth and ninth Parliament of Queen Mary the Kings consent never granted nor ever asked The fire of this seditious Covenant flaming throughout the corners of that Kingdom the King to appease those passages sends the Marquesse of Hamilton with power of High Commissioner to conclude and determine for the peace of the Kingdom But why a peace-maker Commissioner and not a war-like Commander And if by a fair Imparlance why Hamilton so much reason to be distrusted as before observed unlesse rather to be deceived than to distrust against the advice of some Scotish Lords the Earl of Sterling Secretary of State the Bishops of Rosse and Broken Privy Counsâ—llours Sr. Robert Spotswood Lord President of the Colledge of Justice and Sr Iohn Hay Master of the Robes who came post hither to disswade the King from him and to present the Marquesse Huntley for that service one utterly in Enmity against Covenanters where the other was suspected But the King carried on by fate suffered the weak contribution of the Duke of Lenox his advise though the old Enemy of his house than that a County Lord Huntley should carry it from them both And indeed it was a Royal deputation fitted for King Hamiltons ambition who having lost the Scotish army for the King of Swedes ayd He fell upon secret designes for his own ends obliging all Scots at Court his dependants and by his authority in Scotland he had the means to alien any from the King to himself as he did in his trust cosen the King by granting what the Covenanters desired even to his Crown by degrees To suspend and after to suppresse the Common Prayer and Canons the five Articles of Perth got by Inches from his Father to be confirmed by Parliament and the Covenant authorized with the calling of General Assemblies for votes of Covenanters to censure and Excommunicate the Bishops and to abolish Episcopacy and all the Royal Clergy to be ruined making himself the greatest figure in Scotland and the King his cypher He acting all in the after Warre as the story proceeds to shew in particular But in Iune the sixth day his Commission was read at Dalkieth four miles from Edinburgh where the Covenanters increased devising because some powder landing at the Fryth for supply of the provision of Edinburgh Castle that assuredly the plot was to blow away the Covenant by destroying the Covenanters And in earnest they were to disdain any notice of the Commissioner or his arrand unlesse he came to them where they were fixed with better force than to adventure out of Edinburgh they having openly landed two good ships loaded with Arms and Amunition and then invited him to come thither which he did Being met with the Nobility and Gentry Covenanters and all sides making a lane of the looser sort who were made believe that Popery and Bishops were One with bitter cursings against both and therefore He being setled at Haly-rood House desired the Covenanters to dismisse their Multitude which they did to be eased of the charge And then He demanded first What they would expect from him Secondly What might be expected from them in duty to the King To the first That nothing but a General Assembly and Parliament would please them and so in both they would be their own Judges and for return to any former obedience they acknowledge no dissertion in the least degree from justifying their actions and rather renounce Baptism than loose one Article of their Covenant or rebate one syllable of the literal rigour of it Religion and Laws be at stake They double their guards of the city the Ministers libel the pulpits and send to the Commissioner the Sunday Eve that whosoever should read the English service though in the Kings Chappel should die the death where they were observed and increasing Insolency they send several letters to each of the secret Councel to require them to take the Covenant Therein expressing the comfortable experience they have already of the wonderfull favour of God upon renewing their Confession of their Faith and Covenant their resolution and beginnings of Universal Reformation to God his great glory contentment of his Majesty blessing to the Kingdom and joy of all good subjects And doubt not that your Lordship will both subscribe to the Covenant and be promover to it in the duty of a good Patriot the Office and trust of a Privy Councellour this the time of trial of your affection to Religion the respect of your fame the eyes of men and Angels being upon your carriage the Lord Iesus a secret witnesse to observe and a Iudge hereafter to reward and confesse such men before his Father that take his part before men All and each of these call and cry to God and your Lordship in a cause of so great and singular necessity as you expect at the hour of death to be free of the terrour of God and to be refreshed with the comfortable remembrance of Christ Iesus King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Marquesse now findes this place too hot for him and removes to Dalkieth without adventuring upon the English Divine Service formerly continually used there for twenty years in audience of the Councel Nobility and Judges and here he Proclames his Maiest es gracious Declaration for relieving of their grievances and satisfying of good people in his forwardnesse for maintenance of the Religion professed in that Kingdom His aversnesse from Popery Not to presse the practise of the Service-Book and Canons but in a legal way of proceeding and had ordered the discharge of all acts and Councels concerning them and to indict a General Assembly or Convocation and Parliament to agitate the welfare of the Church and Kingdom The Covenanters afraid that this Justice and clemency might
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
are contained in our late printed Declarations which were sent to your Lordship which summarily we here repeat That the late Acts of Parliament may be published in his Majesties Name with the States of Parliament That Edenburgh Castle and other Strengths of Scotland may as to their first foundation be fortified and used for our defence and security That our Countreymen in England and Ireland may not be pressed with Oaths and Subscription warranted by your Law and contrary to their National Oath and Covenant That the common Incendiaries the Authours of Combustions in his Majesties Dominions may receive their Censure That our Ships and Goods with all the Dammage thereof may be restored That the wrongs losses and charges which all the time we have sustained may be repaired That the Declarations made against us as Traitours may be recalled That by the advice and consent of the States of England to be convened in Parliament the Garrisons may be removed from the Borders and any Impediment that may stop free Trade and settle Peace for our Religion and Liberties against all Fears of Molestation and the undoing of us from year to year or as our Adversaries shall take the advantage And that the meeting of the Peers the four and twentieth of this instant will be too long ere the Parliament will be convened the onely means of settling Peace the sooner they come the more shall we be enabled to obey his Majesties Prohibition of our advancing with our Army Nothing but invincible necessity hath brought us out of our Countrey to this place and no other thing shall draw us beyond the Limits appointed by his Majesty wherein we hope your Lordship will labour for our Kings honour and the good of our Countrey Leaguer at New-castle Septemb. 8. 1640. Your Lordships loving and humble Servants and Friends c. Those English Lords that meant not to fight either for necessity or honour fearing that their next Meeting might prevent a Parliament had this while devised their Petition to the King in effect for a Parliament the great aim on all sides answerable to the Scots desire before they set out from home which they published at the head of their Army in a Pamphlet called The Intentions of their Army viz. Not to lay down Arms till the Reformed Religion were settled in both Nations upon sure grounds the Causers and Abetters of their present Troubles be brought to publick justice and that in Parliament And these Abetters were the Papists Prelates and their Adherents in general but more particular the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and the Lieutenant of Ireland And therefore to answer them comes out a correspondent Petition from a Compound of six Earls one Viscount and four Barons being a Descant on the Scots Plain-song And to back these Petitions are poasted from London and other places presently after The Lords Petition was thus Most gracious Sovereign The zeal of that duty and service which we ow to your Sacred Majesty and our earnest affection to the good and welfare of this your Realm of England have moved us in all humility to beseek your Royal Majesty to give us leave to offer to your Princely wisdom the apprehension which we and others your faithfull Subjects have conceived of the great Distempers and Dangers now threatning the Church and State and your Royal Person and of the fittest means by which they may be removed and prevented The Evils and Dangers whereof your Majesty may be pleased to take notice are these 1. That your Majesties Sacred Person is exposed to Hazzard and Danger in the present Expedition against the Scotish Army and by occafion of this War your Majesties Revenue is much wasted your Subjects burthened with Coat and Conduct-money billeting of Souldiers and other Military charges and divers Rapines and Disorders committed in several parts of this your Realm by the Souldiers raised for that Service and your whole Kingdom become full of Fears and Discontents 2. The sundry Innovations in matters of Religion the Oath and Canons lately imposed upon the Clergy and other your Majesties Subjects 3. The great increase of Popery and the imploying of Popish Recusants and others ill-affected to the Religion by Laws established in Places of power and tâ—ust especially in commanding of Men and Arms both in the Field and sundry Counties of this your Realm whereas by Law they are not permitted to have any Arms in their own Houses 4. The great Mischiefs which may fall upon this Kingdom if the intentions which have been credibly reported of bringing in Irish and foreign Forces should take effect 5. The urging of Ship money and prosecution of some Sheriffs in the Star-chamber for not levying of it 6. The heavy charge upon Merchandise to the discouragement of Trade the multitude of Monopolies and other Patents whereby the Commodities and Manufactures of the Kingdom are much burthened to the great and universal grievance of your people 7. The great grief of your Subjects by long intermission of Parliaments and the late and former dissolving of such as have been called without the happy effects which otherwise they might have produced For remedy whereof and prevention of the dangers that may arise to your Royal Person and to the whole State they do in all humility and faithfulness beseek your most Excellent Majesty that you would be pleased to summon a Parliament within some convenient time whereby the causes of these and other great grievances which your people lie under may be taken away and the Authors and Counsellors of them may be there brought to such legal trial and condign punishment as the nature of their several offences shall require And that the present War may be composed by your Majesties wisdom without blood in such manner as may conduce to the Honour and safety of your Majesties Person the comfort of your people and the uniting of both your Realms against the common Enemy of the Reformed Religion And your Majesties petitioners shall ever pray c. Concluded the 28. of August 1640 Francis Bedford Roberâ— Essex Mulgrave Say Seal Edward Howard The Earl of Bristow William Hartford Warwick Bulling brook Mandevil Brook Paget The Kings Answer was BEfore the receipt of your Petition his Majesty well foresaw the danger that threatens himself and Crown and therefore resolved to summon all the Peers to his presence upon the 24 of this September and with them to consult what in this case is fittest to be done for his honour and safety of the Kingdom where they with the rest may offer any thing that may conduce to these ends And so accordingly the Lord Keeper had command and did issue out Writs of summons for their appearance at York the 24. of September And to meet them there comes To the Kings most Excellent Majesty The Humble Petition of your Majesties Loyal Subjects the Citizens of London Most Gracious Soveraign BEing moved by the Duty and Obedience which by Religion and Laws your Petitioners owe unto
contrary to the rights and power of all Monarchical Authority and also the duty allegeance and consciences of all loyal Subjects which with grief we take to heart as faithfull and loyal Subjects ought to do The Catholick Religion suppressed and put down in England and the Catholicks persecuted with all rigour even to death and the like have the Puâ—itans of this Kingdom threatned to have brought hither That there is a Law against Catholicks in this Countrey whereby the Kingdom hath been often impaired and ruined with persecutions by means whereof the Catholicks are made uâ—capable of any Office or Place of commodity or profit to the great and extraordinary decay of the Catholicks in their Estates Education and Learning That the Goverment of the Kingdom is wholly in the hands of strangers who in their beginning are generally poor of birth and means and very quickly become Noblemen and men of great Estates by oppression and ruinating the poor Natives That there hath been great threatnings of late of sending great Scotish Forces with the Bible in one hand and Sword in the other to force our consciences or end our lives besides our private report of a sudden surprisal and cutting the Catholicks throats intending which way we know not but it hath been both written and spoken by several Protestants and Puritans That the Catholicks are not allowed to have any Arms or Munition as the Protestants and Puritans were but stood like dâ—admen not able to defend themselves in such desperate Dangers All which being by them considered they saw no way but to attempt to seize upon Arms where they could get them to save their lives maintain the King and Queen their Religion and Countrey It is true that for the first Days horrid Rebellion and Butchery the Irish did forbear the Scots Plantation there knowing their good Natures to be such as to sit still and see the English destroyed so they might hope to escape and to have more room for Colonies of their own Nation it being more easie for the Irish to deal with one Nation than with both and they knew that the Scots had then in Scotland some formed Forces standing which in few hours might be transported and so to distract them before their intended progress into Rebellion To that end for a time they were spared with life but not with Gudes and Geer and so â—ad leave to return to Scotland a worse transmigration than into the other World Some pretence they make declaring in the sight of God and the World their Intentions and Resolutions to the last Man with their Lives Estates and Fortunes to endeavour the advancement and preservation of his Majesties service and Interest in that Kingdom and of all those whoever that prosecute his quarrel having no other Design or Intent but onely the free exercise of their Religion On the contrary it was wonderfull to observe what Irritations stirred up the English to revenge the Death of the Massacred and to defend the lives of those that survived A Mass of Money 300000. pounds sterling was soon raised in England but otherways disposed and great Contributions for pay of the Souldiers and Provisions and many thousands of English prepare for that War And yet so eminent was the divine wrath over England that even upon this very account our Incongruities and Feuds at home were inflamed which amongst others how intense soever yet soulder a peace for some interim Hereupon those that aimed at Innovations infused into mens mindes scruples and suspitions and though the King most intent to suppress the raging cruelty of that Rebellion by his personal hazzard to scourge their insolencies the Parliament would not consent that the War be mannaged by his Authority nor to trust the Souldiers with their Allegeance to the King nor any of them that had served him in the Scotish Expedition but such as themselves affected and he disgusted yet rather than the War should linger on those Differences he submitted to the joint authority of mannaging the same and so Patents and Commissions were signed by both King and Parliament leaving himself without power either to make peace or grant them pardon without the Parliaments consent And so by this concurrence of Affairs concerning the Rebells and mischievous Distractions in England ripening into a civil War the Parliament seize upon the collected sums of hundreds of thousand pounds for Ireland and two or three Regiments raised for that service they convert to the suppressing of the Kings War against them nay the very Benevolence begged for the relief of the perishing Evangelius they turn into pay for their Souldiery Though the Kings Souldiers having seized on some provisions sent by the Parliament towards Chester as but designed for Ireland the King upon complaint soon restored it for that service And although there appeared no evidence of truth it was rumored to the Kings dishonour that he had been Authour of that Rebellion which the King endeavours with greater validity of Reasons to retort upon the Faction of some Members of both Houses Notwithstanding these Traverses hindered not our Auxiliaries to defeat the Irish by fire devastations and slaughter of some hundreds of thousands of the Natives and to wilder that Kingdom far and near which happened alike pernicious to our selves when afterwards that the civil War in England was at the heighth victuals provision cloaths and pay failing our Souldiers in Ireland it is beyond the reach of expression how miserably our Countrey-men suffered there and the Parliaments help failing their daily Invocations for relief the Privy Counsellours of that Kingdom Commanders and Souldiers by peâ—itionary Letters to the King earnestly beg leave to depart and to be remanded any where else save against such an Enemy as Hunger The King either for necessity or prudence the Scots coming into the Parliament he being thereby reduced to an inequality of fight here at home makes a Cessation with the Irish for a year onely and so endeavours a peace to ensue leaving sufficient Garisons behinde the Souldiers return for the Kings assistance whose part began to totter But the Scots party in Ulster refuse to be bound by the Cessation and some English in Conaught and Ulster of a like conniving Faction But the Lord Inchequin Commander in chief of the Munster Forces comes over with some thousands to the Kings aid but not well resenting his entertainment withdraws himself into Ireland and gains all the Kings party of Cork and Munster to the Parliament and to a detestation of the Cessation they instantly sending him and the Scots Forces fresh aid of money and provisions Against whom appeared three several parties though conjoyned in enmity to the English the Popes Nuntio Owen Roe and the other under command of Preston and Taff the last more moderate endeavouring the compliance with the King to confirm the Peace yet were over-born by the Popes Bull against the Cessation and Peace and so deterred their Souldiers from their fidelity and Colours
of a known Fortune and unquestionable Reputation wonders that he should be pressed to remove him without any particular Charge objected against him and therefore untill some just Exception be he is obliged to preserve his own work lest his favour and good opinion become a mis-fortune to his Servants As for his Forts and Castles of this Kingdom they shall alwaies remain in such hands as the Parliament may conâ—ide in which being the inseperable Flowers of the Crown vested in him derivative from his Ancestours by the Fuâ—damental Laws of the Kingdom he will reserve to himself and to bestow them as their Eminencie shall not be disproved by his Parliament For the Militia which by Law is subject to no command but his own when any particular course shall be digested by them for ordering the same inreference to his honour and safetie of the Kingdom He will then return to them a satisfactorie Answer therein And that he having granted to them more than ever any King hath done they will not ask more than ever any Subjects have desired And therefore conjures them by all the Acts of Dutie and Favour which they have received by their hopes of future happiness by their love of Religion and peace of the Kingdom in which that of Ireland cannot be forgotten That they will not be transported by unâ—â—cessarie Iealousies and Fears but that they will speedily pursue the proposed way by his former Messages to compose the Distractions of this Kingdom Nor was this satisfactory but that again they petition for the same and for his Majesties speedy and gracious Answer To which the King not over-hasty to resolve or rather not to alter from his former Resolutions therein The old way of Petitions are set on work from all Counties From the County of Suffâ—lk to the number of 1500. against the Votes of Popish Lords and Bishops in the House of Peers Ian. 31. and were answered approving their care and endeavour for the publick good with promise that the House of Commons will use their endeavour for their Desires Another Petition of 2000. Mechanicks Tradesmen about London to the same effect And were answered that the House of Commons were just now in consideration thereof The People were taught to reply that they doubted not the care of the Commons House but they were told that all their Distrust was in the House of Lords where the Popish Lords and Bâ—shops had the greatest power and there it stuck whose Names they desired to know and were so earnest that unwillingly they would withdraw whilest it was debated And afterwards had this Answer That the House of Commons had already endeavoured Relief from the Lords in their Requests and shall so continue till Redress be obtained And at the tail of these the City Dames accompanied a Petition to the like effects and were heartily treated for their care of the common good The second of February the House of Commons sent for Sir Edward Dearing one of their Members and examined him concerning his Book of all his Speeches this Parliament and some intended to be spoken in which some Particulars thereâ—n tended to the dishonour of that House and their Privileges for which he was excluded the House and his Book to be burnt at Westminster Cheapside and Smithfield and he committed to the Tower during pleasure The Committee met at Merchant-tailors Hall upon the Bill for raising four hundred thousand pounds for Ireland which was afterwaâ—ds effected but very little thereof sent to their succour A Message was sent from the Lords to the Commons that they had passed the Bill for disabling all persons in holy Orders to have any Place or Vote in Parliament or to exercise any temporal Jurisdiction which receiving some Amendments voted in the House of Commons the Bills were carried up by Sir Robert Harley to the Lords with high expressions of the Commons joy for the even Agreement and their Desire to the Lords to hasten the Bill for the King to pass But not to let him take breath for his second Answer hereto and being sensible that their five Members are lodged under the obloquy of Delinquency and under the Charge of high Treason both Houses once again petition that they may be informed within two Days what proof there is against them that they may be called to a legal Trial it being their undoubted Right that no Member of Parliament can be proceeded against without the consent of Parliament Febr. 2. And to these two Petitions presented both in a Day they receive this Answer That to the first of them when he shall know the extent of power which is extended to be established in those persons to be Commanders of the Forts and Militia and to what time limited no power shall be limited no power shall be executed by his Majestie alone without advice of Parliament so that they declare them such by Names whom he shall have just cause to refuse And to the other Petition That as he once conceived he had ground enough to accuse them so now he findes as good cause wholly to desert any prosecution of them And lest some of his Subjects may be involved in some unknowing and unwilling Errours he is ready to grant such a free and general pardon as his Parliament shall think convenient And now the Parliament considers the Kings Resolution in both those Petitions not to intrust the power of the Militia out of himself nor otherwise to clear Kimbolton and the five Members but inclusive by a general Pardon which they utterly refuse These two Demands of the Parliament necessarily depending each of the other the breach of Privileges giving them just cause of Fears and Jealousies to what excess the Kings will to do and power to execute might increase In these two therefore they as violently resolve to binde his hands and never left him till he was forced to take his leave of them which so daily follows But to prepare his affairs to his own intentions he resolves to send the Queen out of the Danger who was lately scared with a Report that the Parliament had an intent to accuse her of high Treason and that Articles were drawn up to that purpose which the Parliament excuse as a publick Scandal upon them To which she mildly makes answer That there was a general Report thereof but she never saw any Articles in writing and having no certain Authour for either she gave little credit thereto nor will she believe that they would lay any Aspersion upon her who hath ever been very unapt to mis-conster the Actions of any one person and much more the proceedings of Parliament and shall at all times wish an happy understanding between the King and his People In truth there had not been onely a Rumour abroad but a dangerous conceit that the Queen had so much power with the King as to mis-advise him and had she not resolved to be gone aside they did intend to drive her away
or to have made the Court too hot for her And therefore the King acquaints the Houses that he was pressed by the States Ambassadour to send the Princess Maria immediately into Holland to her late betrothed Husband the young Prince of Orange and upon the Queens earnest Desire to give her Majesty leave to accompany her And with her were conveyed all the King and Queens Jewels not leaving behinde any of those entailed to the Crown by his Predecessors with which and the Prince of Orange's assistance the King doubted not to raise his party considerable to oppose the Parliament But no doubt nothing could work more for the Parliaments advantage and although they were informed of the Purloin which might have been prevented and seized yet they suffered so much Treasure to be transported to be rid of all together We have time to consider to what miserable solitude the King was brought his dearest Consort the Queen and his eldest Daughter the Princess with the honour of her Court to be enforced to fly beyond Seas himself desolate enforced to withdraw from his Parliament his Privy Council from his usual residence at White-hall and from the strength and support of the City of London so wonderfully obliged to him for his grace and favour But all this appears by his own princely consideration which he expresseth thus Although I have much cause says the King to be troubled at my Wifes Departure from me and out of my Dominions yet not her absence so much as the Scandal of that necessitie which drives her away doth afflict me That she should be compelled by mine own Subjects and those pretending to be Protestants to with-draw for her safetie This being the first Example of any Protestant Subjects that have taken up Arms against their King a Protestant for I look upon this now done in England as another Act of the same Tragedie which was lately begun in Scotland the Brands of that Fire being ill quenched have kindled the like Flames here I fear such Motions so little to the adorning of the Protestant Profession may occasion a farther alienation of minde and Divorce of affections in her from that Religion which is the onely thing wherein we differ Which yet God can and I pray he would in time take away and not suffer these practises to be any obstruction to her judgment since it is the motion of those men for the most part who are yet to seek and settle their Religion for Doctrine Government and good manners and so not to be imputed to the true English Protestants who continue firm to their former settled Principles and Laws I am sorrie my Relation to so deserving a Ladie should be any occasion of her Danger and Affliction whose Merits would have served her for a protection among the savage Indians while their rudeness and barbaritie knows not so perfectly to hate all Virtues as some mens subtiltie doth among whom I yet think few are so malitious as to hate her for her self The fault is that she is my Wife All Iustice then as well as Affection commands me to studie her Securitie who is onely in Danger for my sake I am content to be tossed weather-beaten and shipwrackt so as she may be in a safe Harbour This comfort I shall enjoy by her safetie in the midst of my personal Dangers that I can perish but half if she be preserved in whose memorie and hopefull Posteritie I may yet survive the malice of mine Enemies although they should be satiated with my Bloud I must leave her and them to the Love and Loyaltie of my good Subjects and to his protection who is able to punish the Faults of Princes and no less severely to revenge the Injuries done to them by those who in all Dutie and Allegiance ought to have made good that safetie which the Laws chiefly provide for Princes But common civilitie is in vain expected from those that dispute their Loyaltie nor can it be safe for any Relation to a King to tarrie among them who are shaking hands with their Allegiance under pretence of laying faster hold on their Religion 'T is pitie so noble and peacefull a Soul should see much more suffer the rudeness of those who must make up their want of Iustice with inhumanitie and impudence Her sympathie with me in my afflictions will make her Virtues shine with greater lustre as Stars in the darkest Nights and assure the envious World that she loves me not my Fortunes Neither of us but can easily forgive since we do not much blame the unkindness of the Generalitie and Vulgar for we see God is pleased to trie both our patience by the most self-punishing sin the ingratitude of those who having eaten of our Bread and being enriched with our Bountie have scornfully lift up themselves against us and those of our own Houshold are become our Enemies I pray God lay not their sin to their charge who think to satisfie all obligations to Dutie by their Corban of Religion and can less endure to see than to sin against their Benefactours as well as their Sovereigns But even that policie of mine Enemies is so far venial as it was necessarie to their Designs by scandalous Articles and all irreverend Demeanour to seek to drive her out of my Kingdoms lest by the influence of her Example eminent for Love as a Wife and Loyaltie as a Subject she should have converted to or retained in their Love and Loyaltie all those whom they had a purpose to pervert The less I may be blest with her companie the more I will retire to God and mine own Heart whence no malice can banish her Mine Enemies may envie but they can never deprive me of the enjoyment of her Virtues while I enjoy my self It was mightily enforced then and the scandalous suspition continues to this Day That at the Kings late being in Scotland when the Irish Rebellion then brake out the Plot and contrivance was there hatched Not so horrid as it fell out to be a monstrous Massacre of all the Protestants but it was surmised that a Mutiny or shew of Insurrection there might be an occasion of raising Forces here for to subdue them and so to be made usefull in reducing the Parliament to Reason And to increase that opinion it hath been objected that how earnestly the King was fain to urge the Parliament for that Relief very often to reminde them of the Misery which they could not but deeply resent yet never was too hasty nor at all willing to intrust any power of Arms to the Kings dispose much less for him in person to be their General as he often offered To add to all it had been considered in Parliament how generally the Papists flocked over to Ireland and though the Houses had ordered a strict Examination for prevention thereof yet it was complained of by Master Pym at a Conference and printed by their Order That since the stop upon the Ports against
dare present their tenderness of his sufferings their own just grievances and the sense of the violation of the Laws if they did it was stifled in the birth and called Sedition and burnt by the Hang-man They have so restrained his Houshold sworn Servants seized upon his Money which his credit had gotten to buy him Bread so that in effect they have blocked him up in York They have filled the Peoples ears with Fears and Jealousies idle Tales false Allarms by which to prepare the peoples impressions the better to advance their Design when it should be ripe And now the King it seems must be ready to receive these humble desires Nor do they tell the King that these Propositions are all No these are yet but Preparatives Some of these disguised with mixtures of real honest things others specious and popular and some already granted by the King all which are cunningly twisted with those other things of their main Design Ambition and private Interest and so not easily to be discerned in their proper colours Not that the King fixes this Design upon all and both Houses many absent many dissenting but professes to all the World that the malignity of the Design dangerous and wicked hath proceeded from all subtil informations mischievous practises and evil counsels of ambitious spirits dis-affected to God Religion unity peace and prosperity of the people with a strong influence upon the very actions of both Houses And these Propositions coming to the King in the name of both Houses he takes the more notâ—ce of every of them and answers to this effect following which because he expresseth in the first person plural not usual heretofore I shall so represent it If the nineteen Propositions had been in a Tragedie unknown to us and our people they might have been believed as they profess to be in order to the ends proposed in the Petition to us and our people honour peace and happiness But being understood will rather appear a Mockerie and a scorn And we unworthie of our Trust or Descent from so many famous Ancestours if we abandon that power which enables us to protect our people and Laws and so assume others into it as to divest our selves of it as if we were already vanquished and a prisoner and the most unfortunate of our predecessours that have been reduced to by the most criminal of their Subjects And though the Bait laid to draw us to it the promises of a plentifull and unparallel'd Revenue were reduced from generals which signifie nothing to clear and certain propositions would but resemble Esau's Bargain to part with such Flowers of our Crown as are worth all the rest of the Garland which gives us cause to believe that the Contrivers of these had no intention of a good Accommodation but rather to widen that Division which is by their fault fallen upon us both It is asked That all the Lords and others of our Privy Council and such or all great Officers and Ministers of State either at home or beyond Sea to leave out no person or place that our dishonour may not be bounded at home should be put from our Privy Council and from these Offices and Imployments unless by them approved How faithfull soever we have found them or how innocent in offending the onely Rule for all men to walk by But to this part of the Demand we are willing that they shall take a larger Oath than you desire in your 11th Demand for maintaining the whole Law That they shall be persons of Trust and abilities without exception reasonable And to be left to the justice of the Law upon sufficient charge or proof against any of them And that we have given you the best pledg of the effects of our promise and the best securitie for their dutie a Triennial Parliament to make them warie how they provoke and us warie how we chuse such as may discredit our Election But that without any fault objected onely because some persons who have too great an influence on both Houses shall judg them not affected to that new Utopia of Religion and Government into which they endeavour to transform the Kingdom we will never consent to the displacing of any of merit and affection to us and the publick whom we have intrusted since we conceive it would take away from the affection of our service the care of us and the honour of our justice And we the more wonder that it should be asked of us since by your twelfth Demand your selves count it reasonable after the present turn be served that the Judges and Officers who are then placed may hold them Quam diu se bene gesserint But this Demand is but one Link of a good Chain or but the first Round of the Ladder by which our just ancient regal power is endeavoured to be fetched down to the ground not with the persons now chosen but with our chusing that you are displeased for they must be approved by both Houses And of the two if we would grant away either we would sooner be content that you should nominate and we approve lest by our Election we should hazzard whom we esteemed to the scorn of your refusal if they be not agreeable to the passion interest or humour of the major part of the House Not to speak of the great Factions and Divisions which this power would introduce in the Parliament between both Houses and in the several Counties for the choice of persons and between them that were so chosen Nor is the potion prescribed onely for once for the curing of some pressure or present disease but for a Diet to us and our posteritie It is demanded That our Counsellours all chief Officers of Law and State Commanders of Forts and Castles and all Peers hereafter made be approved of by them from time to time and rather than ever it should be left to the Crown to whom it doth and shall belong if any place fall void in intermission of Parliaments the major part of the approved Counsellours is to approve them And so we must not onely acquit our Right but for Councellours we are restrained in the number as in the persons and if they have this power it were not fit we should be trusted to chuse those which were to be trusted as much as we It is demanded That such matters as concern the publick and are proper for the high Court of Parliament may be debated resolved and transacted onely in Parliament and such as presume to do to the contrary shall be censured by Parliament and such other matters of State as are proper for debate with our Privy Council shall be concluded by such of our Nobility or rather herein your Nobilitie and others as shall be chosen for that place by approbation of Parliament and that not publick acts concerning the affairs of the Kingdom proper for our privie Council be esteemed valid or proceeding from royal Authority unless it be done
law bound to be faithful not to the King only as King but to his Person as King Charles When Hugh Spencer caused it to be written tempore Edw. that Homage and Allegeance was more by reason of his Crown viz. his Kingdome than of his Person and if He can not be reformed by sute of Law nor will redress the evil from the people It ought to be removed by force and that his Liege be bound to govern in ayd of Him and in default of him for this he was condemned by two Parliaments and banished for ever Then to assist the King the people are bound by the duty of their Allegeance to serve and assist him at all seasons when need requires 11 Hen. 7. Cap. 18. And therefore the charges all his loving Subjects from levying forces other then according to a late Act this sessions for the present defence of England and Ireland or contribute money thereto And Proclaimes the Lawfulness of his commissions of Array issued into the several Counties of England and dominion of Wales and of the use of them and their execution And we may expect the Parliaments answer to all And first to the Kings Paper as they call it sent to the Lord Mayor Alderâ—men and Sâ—eriffs of London the fourteenth of Iune They declaim against the Kings proceedings therein mentioned justâ—fie their intents promise a just use and right disposing of the great Loans of money for suppressing the Irish Rebellion conveyed this Paper to be suppressed and do assure themselves that neither the Kings commands nor his threats can deterre the well affected for the publique to do their Duty to the Parliament to contribute their money Horse and Plate for preserving what is most precious Religion Libert Safety the overthow of the Cities Charter and exposing their wives and children to rapine violence and villany and the wealth of this famous City to be a prey to desperate and necessitous persons in which the Parliament will evermore protect them To which the King replies and they again to his Commission of Array and he again to them in such particulars as becomes to be a great Book and now left to the Lawyers to dispute on both sides and to which we refer the reverend readers And now we enter upon the war on both sides and being thus distinguished into faction they also were distinct in terms whether by hap or so designed by themselves The one called the Royal the other the Parliament party untill after a while they were nick-named the Cavaliers and the Roundhead The first a Title of Hoâ—nour to the Gallantest persons throughout Christendome this other I know not from whence derived which reminds me of what I have read That a Prince being ingaged in a foreign expedition and to invite his Subjects to a general assistance with their persons and purses devised a nickname with this odium That he which refused to wait upon him was for ever to be called Truant or Truand from the French or the Greek Trouein consumere quoniam in desidia inertia et otio tempus conterit as we say Truants which fixed upon him and his posterities till the policy of state to avoid friends and factions suppressed that term upon pain of punishment It were not amiss to wish it so with us if that could make us friends But on they go amain and wondrous busie on both sides Matter enough for much History wherein hitherto I have adventured on the Readers patience not to be brief which makes this Book thus big The rather to acquaint you with the manner as well as the matter the several stiles of eithers Publications the one very natural the other more forced But now we come to blowes down right war we are necessitated not to be tedious And because the Transactions are of a double nature Civil and Martial we shall set them apart for the better apprehension of their several stories For Defâ—ciunt arma nisi sunt concilia domi we will therefore afford the affairs of State the first place and the effects of War to follow for Cedant arma togâ— with this advice that although I have with extreme curiosity and pains laboured the truth out of the best Records and Relations and therein ingenious just and true yet the effects of War have been so partially exprest by such as set them down as that therein by comparing their Narratives if I willingly recede from either and make choice of a better Text between them I hope to finde a reasonable excuse professing that I have no self-seeking no self-interest if I forbear the ranting reputation which hath been bestowed on either And although we cannot deny them their equal value yet we shall abate them the numbers of their slain and wish in truth they had been less for fear if you afford them the total sum which they set down it would have depopulated this Nation into women and children The varietie of Actions of this present Age and Government have been very remarkable that of the Militarie not the least worthie though the storie thereof be below the Stage and requires not an uncontroulable pass without a Preface The Event of which War all Christendom have or may expect with admiration and horrour An Historie not to be viewed by intricate parcels but in one intire bodie the rise and progress of things being proceedings perplexed with multiplicitie of interwoven discourses and uncertain Relations partially put together by either partie when three Kingdoms came to be ingaged as too soon it happened and no part in either stand free the labour then must needs be large to lodg things in a narrow room and to comprize the several parts with their just true and perfect measure into little so many divided Plots are not easily to be gathered into a greater harmonie and a more exact symmeâ—rie of parts The life of this Narrative being as well to declare the delinquencie of States as its accomplishment and pretended perfection A standing Monument it must be wherein nothing may be thrust upon the world more than the thing it self But withall we shall endeavour a true Rehearsal of such particulars and rare changes as are more deserving to grace the composure and affect the Reader with this Protestation for my self herein Neuter to carrie no Byass affection to any side thereby to deserve a check or suspition to be more true to a Faction or their ends lest I should transgress against the honour of this work which I undertake The great Ingagement of this people in this cause began when the Parliament declâ—red their Resolution of a War quickened by the same principles in the main which did actuate that supreme Court the very motions of a Parliament spirit in the people complying with every Act of theirs whose Remonstrances were received with all obsequious respect more than the Declarations of the King and both of them blown up into a flame This partie intending to maintain
Companies of Horse under command of Sir Charls Cavendish Brother to the Earl of Newcastle the Enemy having left within Nottingham a thousand Foot The Queen marched with three thousand Foot thirty Companies of Horse and Dragoons six Pieces of Cannon and two Morters Mr. Iermin commanding all these Forces as Colonel of her Guard and Sir Alexander Lesley a traiterous cowardly murderous Scot ordered the Foot and Sir Gerard the Horse and Captain Leg the Artillery and her Majesty Generalissima extremely diligent with an hundred and fifty Wagons The King and Queen met at Edg-hill the first time since she landed out of Holland and so to Oxford where she continued till the seventeenth of April the next year and then she took her last leave of the King at Abington for the West and was brought to Bed at Exeter of a Daughter the sixteenth of Iune named Henrieta Maria and afterwards in Cornwall she passed over to France lands at Brest the fifteenth of Iuly and so to Paris where she since continues a sad sorrowfull afflicted Princess with incomparable sufferings which she hath undergone And now comes over an Ambassadour from France Monsieur Harcourt to mediate an Accommodation between the King and Parliament but prevailed not and so returned it being rather a flourish from the policy of Cardinal Mazarine to pry into the Actions of this great Difference and so to set them at a greater distance for it was Richlien's Master-piece to frame the Quarrel first and now for Mazarine not unlike to put them far asunder And presently after is Sir William Armin sent to Edinburgh from the Parliament to hasten the Scots Army hither having first sworn to the Solemn League and Covenant each to other The English Presbyters now scotiâ—ied throughout take Example by the Brethrens Principles in their former Insurrections of Scotland and therefore as they did heretofore so now the Parliament engage that Nation in a strict solemn League by Vow Oath and Covenant taken by the Parliament and afterwards sent down to all the Counties in England and Wales upon which the King observes That the Presbyterian Scots are not to be hired at the ordinary Rate of Auxiliaries nothing will induce them to engage till those that call them in have pawned their Souls to them by a solemn League and Covenant Where many Engines of religious and fair pretensions are brought chiefly to batter or rase Episcopacy This they make the grand evil Spirit which with some other Imps purposely added to make it more odious and terrible to the Vulgar must by so solemn a Charm and Exorcism be cast out of this Church after more than a thousand years possession here from the first plantation of Christianity in this Island and an universal prescription of time and practice in all other Churches since the Apostle's times till this last Century But no Antiquity must plead for it Presbytery like a young Heir thinks the Father hath lived long enough and impatient not to be in the Bishop's Chair and Authority though Lay-men go away with the Revenues all Art is used to sink Episcopacy and lanch Presbytery in England which was lately buoyed up in Scotland by the like artifice of a Covenant Although I am unsatisfied with many passages in that Covenant some referring to my self with very dubious and dangerous limitations yet I chiefly wonder at the Design and drift touching the Discipline and Governmet of the Church and such a manner of carrying them on to new ways by Oaths and Covenants where it is hard for men to be engaged by no less than swearing for or against those things which are of no clear moral necessity but very disputable and controverted among learned and godly men whereto the application of Oaths can hardly be made and enjoyned with that judgment and certainty in one's self or that charity and candour to others of different opinion as I think Religion requires which never refuses fair and equable Deliberations yea and Dissentings too in matters onely probable The enjoining of Oaths upon People must needs in things doubtfull be dangerous as in things unlawfull damnable and no less superfluous where former religious and legal Engagements bound men sufficiently to all necessary duties Nor can I see how they will reconcile such an Innovating Oath and Covenant with that former Protestation which was so lately taken to maintain the Religion established in the Church of England since they account Discipline so great a part of Religion Bâ—t ambitious mindes never think they have laid Snares and Gins enough to catch and hold the Vulgar credulity for by such politick and seemingly pious Stratagems they think to keep the populacie fast to their parties under the terrour of perjurie Whereas certainly all honest and wise men ever thought themselves sufficiently bound by former ties of Religion Allegiance and Laws to God and Man Nor can such after-contracts devised and imposed by a few men in a declared partie without my consent and without any like power or precedent from God's or Man's Laws be ever thought by judicious men sufficient either to absolve or slacken those moral and eternal bonds of dutie which lie upon all my Subjects consciences both to God and me Yet as things now stand good men shall least offend God or me by keeping their Covenant in honest and lawfull ways since I have the charity to think that the chief end of the Covenant in such mens intentions was to preserve Religion in purity and the Kingdoms in peace To other than such ends and means they cannot think themselves engaged nor will those that have any true touches of conscience endeavour to carry on the best Designs much less such as are and will be daily more apparently factious and ambitious by any unlawfull means under that title of the Covenant unless they dare prefer ambiguous dangerous and un-authorized novelties before their known and sworn Duties which are indispensible both to God and my self I am prone to believe and hope That many who took the Covenant are yet firm to this judgment That such later Vows Oaths or Leagues can never blot out those former Gravings and Characters which by just and lawfull Oaths were made upon their Souls That which makes such Confederations by way of solemn Leagues and Covenants more to be suspected is That they are the common Road used in all factious and powerfull perturbations of State or Church where formalities of extraordinary zeal and piety are never more studied and elaborate than when Politicians most agitate desperate Designs against all that is setled or sacred in Religion and Laws which by such Scrâ—â—es are cunningly yet forcibly wrested by secret steps and less sensible degrees from their known Rule and wonted Practice to comply with the humours of those men who aim to subdue all to their own will and power under the Disguises of holy Combinations Which Cords and Wit hs will hold mens Consciences no longer than force
Eccleshal Castle surrounded with the Enemies Garisons the Governour the more wary adds to his former number of Men and gets in good Provisions and prepares for a Siege And long it was not ere Sir William Brereton Colonel Gell Colonel Greeves Colonel Ridgby and Colonel Iackson joyning Forces with the Counties of Stafford and Derby fell suddenly into Eccleshal Town and with easie bickering got possession of it standing in guard within the Church which faces the Castle The Governour burns all about not an Out-house Barn or Stable affords them other shelter The next day Brereton summons the Castle for the King and Parliament Bird makes present Answer That his Commission was to keep it for the King and unless the other could produce his Majesties Warrant to the contrary it would be labour lost to expect any other Reply but what power and strength should enforce Immediately the Besiegers with two Pieces of Cannon of four and twenty pound Bullet played all day against the Wall without any effect the next day they battered a Turret which at the last fell down and hurt three men and so their Ordnance continued their utmost force for a Week vvhen by so long trial they could not make any Breach they drevv off their Guns and made a Line to surround the Castle not so soon done but that they vvere fain to endure the good effects of several Sallies out of the Castle whereby he lost a Lieutenant and others and some hurt with greater execution on the Enemy And thus it continued for some Moneths with extremity to whose Relief the King sends in September the Lord Capel and the Lord Loughborough with considerable Forces against whom the Besiegers not able to withstand quit their Trenches and retire to the Church and there fortified themselves Then forthwith the Governour sends out what Forces he could spare joyning with the Lords sufficient now to attempt upon the Church by straitning or storming But it seems they had order onely to relieve the Castle not to fight afterwards and force the Enemy away but to be gon themselves and so to leave the business to desperation which the Governour knew would be destruction which he could not prevent and therefore with long dispute and many reasons offered and nothing prevailing he delivered it up to the Lords who put in one Captain Abel a Dane to command there But the old Souldiers not pleased with their New Governour and a stranger to them and a Foreign most of them immediately quit their service and marched away with Captain Bird. The Castle thus relieved the Parliament Commanders call a Council and now resolve to draw off and quit the Siege but a false brother discovering the weakness of the Castle and the discontent with their New Governour the Enemy attempts the battery again and after two daies the Dane surrenders it upon reasonable quarter Thus while the fight they Parliaments Ordinance commands all men to pay nothing to his Majesty the Queen or Prince which is due or ought to be paid unto them whereas the Lords and Commons in September last passed an Ordinance for seizing upon all his Majesties the Queens and Princes Revenues and for receiving all and all manner of Rents certain or casual in England and Wales with all the Arrears and Debts any way due to his Majesty Queen or Prince shall be paid to the Receivers of the Committee for the Revenue c. whose Acquittances shall be sufficient discharge There was late news from Virginia that the Plantation there denied contribution to the Emissaries of the Parliament complaining of the obstruction of their trade at London whereupon an Ordinance of Moderation came forth For abating the Excise upon Virginia Tobacco that the Protestants their brethren in other Countries may not suffer among Malignants and Delinquents in England endeavouring to gain upon Foreign Plantations which in truth were first setled mostly by such as could not indure Discipline at home Sir William Waller having deserved well of the Houses had a new Commission to be Sergeant Major General of Hampshire Surrey Sussex and Kent having layen long before Arundel Castle and this Commission being promised heretofore the General Essex obstructed it being suspected to play his own game with much vanity It was wonderfull how much the Lectures were frequented in London the Town so full of Schollars calling themselves plundred Ministers and so began the coloured Leaguer long Cloak Boots and Spurs as constantly in the Pulpit as heretofore the Gown Canonical Cloak or Cassock but then the Independant a new name for such as liked neither were working to set up themselves or rather thaâ— spirit that set the other at work plaies tricks with them and scatters them into thoughts and factions grinning on each other but yet not setled into tenents neither so that moderate men could not as yet tell what to make of either The Parliament therefore publish their Manifest in effect That it belongs to Christian Magistrates to be Leaders in Reformation of the Church That it is the dutyâ— of all people to pray for them and wait upon them That the Parliament have required the Assembly of Divines to make the VVord of God their own Rule That nothing can be more destructive against the cause of Religion than to be divided amongst themselves That the Assembly and Parliament for so it runs will not onely reform Religion throughout the Nation but will concur to whatsoever shall appear to be the Rights of particular Congregations That all people forbear till they see whether the right Rule will not be commended to them in this orderly way we enjoying more Liberty to serve God than ever was seen in England Here 's fast and loose the People in doubt what Profession to undertake or by this Declaration of what Religion was the Parliament then began Iack Presbyter so styled to be baffled in every Pamphlet and they again to return encounters the people had sport enough to be for neither and in truth of no profession at all but went a wool-gathering to pick up the flieces pilled from the Orthodox Ministry now in much misery mourning for the fall of Sion The Committee for Innovations appointed Workmen to pull down that famous Organ in St. Paul's Church at London and it was imprinted the like they did in King Henry the Seventh's Chapell at VVestminster and all other parochial Churches in and about London and so by degrees the whole Church of Paul's not repairing but uncovering the Roof whereby in time the whole Church and Steeple will fall down after so great a Sum of Money that had been heretofore contributed to the Repair or rather re-edifying thereof more gracefull than the first erecting And now the Parliament do publish That whereas his Majesty doth make a VVar against his Parliament for the promoting thereof divers Forces both of Horse and Foot have been and are levied therefore that no man be mislead through ignorance the
obvious to every body why it is fit for me to be attended by some of my Chaplains whose opinions as Clergie-men I esteem and reverence not only for the exercising of my Conscience but also for clearing of my judgment concerning the present difference in Religion as I have at full declared to Mr. Marshal and his fellow Minister Having shewed them that it is the best and likelyest means of giving me satisfaction which without it I cannot have in these times whereby the distractions of this Church may be the better setled Wherefore I desire that at least two of these Reverend Divines whose Names I have here set down may have the liberty to wait upon me for the discharging of their Duty to me according to their function Charles Rex Holmby 17. Feb. 1656. Bish. London Bish. Salisbury Bish. Peterborough Dr. Sheldon Clerk of my Closet Dr. Marsh Dean of Yorke Dr. Sanderson Dr. Baily Dr. Haywood Dr. Beal Dr. Fuller Dr. Hamond Dr. Tayler For the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore c. The Guardians Commissioners had two of their own Ministers Mr. Marshal and Mr. Caryl who undertok the King but so lamely as that they may be said to halt after Henderson And truly the King rather pittying then despising them and would never be perswaded to hear their preachings nor overswayed with their Councel The Guardians had kept a bounteous house it seems and were soundly chidden by the Parliaments Letters for spending the States Revenue so fast and therefore for want of better work they are very busie to new Model his Majesties litle Family into lesse and by degrees to none at all His hard condition to be minced meat and drink out of his own We may not omit the Remembrance of that worthy learned Lawyer Mr. Serjeant Glanvile mightily persecuted for malignancy of being of the Kings party Imprisoned in several durances and lastly of long time committed to the Tower two years without any charge at all against him he is now released upon Bail and this justice was done to him by the favour of the Lords House to which the Commons had been alwayes and now was dissenting We may observe that he had been hardly used heretofore in the beginning of this Kings Reign for not consenting to some passages of State and then sent to Sea which he humbly endured with patience and Loyalty And now also his Conscience bearing witnesse he suffers for his Sovereigns sake faithful to his principles The King having no Answer concerning his Chaplains writes again for them to come and comfort him It being now seventeen daies since I wrote to you from hence and not yet receiving any Answer I cannot but now again renew the same And indeed concerning any thing but the necessary duty of a Christian I would not thus at this time trouble you But my being attended with some of my Chaplains whom I esteem and reverence is so necessary for me even considering my present condition whether in relation to my conscience or a happy settlement of the distractions in Religion that I will slight divers kindes of censures rather than not to obtain my demand nor shall I wrong you as in this to doubt the obtaining of my wish it being totally grounded upon Reason For desiring you to consider not thinking it needful to mention the divers reasons which no Christian can be ignorant of for point of Conscience I must assure you I cannot as I ought take in consideration those alterations in Religion which have and will be offered unto me without such help as I desire because I can never judg rightly of or be altered in any thing of my opinion so long as any ordinary way of finding out the truth is denied me but when this is granted I promise you faithfully not to strive for victory in Argument but to seek and submit to truth according to that judgment which God hath given me alwaies holding it my best and greatest conquest to give contentment to my two Houses of Parliament in all things which I conceive not to be against my conscience or honour not doubting likewise but that you will be ready to satisfie me in reasonable things as I hope to finde in this particular concerning the attendance of my Chaplains upon me Charles Rex Holmby 6. March For the the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore To which the Parliament give Answer That all those the Kings Chaplaines are disaffected to the Established Government of the Church and have not taken the Covenant but for others that have if his Majesty please they shall be sent to him This troubled the King to be denied such as every Christian hath liberty to choose their Ghostly Fathers Spiritual Comforters This makes him complain When Providence was pleased to deprive me saies the King of all other civil comforts and secular Attendance I thought the absence of them all might best be supplied by the attendance of some of my Chaplains whom for their Function I reverence and for their Fidelity I have cause to love By their Learning Piety and Praiers I hoped to be either better enabled to sustain the want of all other enjoyments or better fitted for the recovery and use of them in Gods good time so reaping by their pious help a spiritual harvest of Grace amidst the thorns and after the plowings of temporal crosses The truth is I never needed or desired more the service and assistance of men judiciously-pious and soberly-devout The solitude they have confined me unto adds the Wilderness to my temptations for the company they obtrude upon me is more sad then any solitude can be If I had asked my Revenues my power of the Militia or any one of my Kingdoms it had been no wonder to have been denied in those things where the evil policie of men forbids all just restitution lest they should confesse an injurious usurpation But to deny me the Ghostly comfort of my Chaplains seems a greater rigor and barbaritie then is ever used by Christians to the meanest Prisoners and greatest Malefactors whom though the justice of the Law deprives of worldly comforts yet the mercy of Religion allows them the benefit of their Clergie as not aiming at once to destroy their Bodies and to damn their Souls But my Agony must not be releived with the presence of any one good Angel for such I account a Learned Godly and Discreet Divine and such I would have all mine to be They that envy my being a King are loth I should be a Christâ—an while they seek to deprive me of all things else they are afraid I should save my Soule Other sense Charitie it self can hardly pick out of those many harsh Repulses I received as to that Request so often made for the attendance of some of my Chaplains I have somtime thought the Unchristiannesse of those denials might arise from a displeasure some men had to see me prefer my own Divines
so much of the success of our English Army in Scotland 27. Sept. The Scots Armies are accordingly Disbanded Barwick and Carslile delivered up to the English and the Writs gone out for a new Parliament 20. of Ianuary And a fresh General Assembly of their Kirkmen Somewhat strange in the capitulation that the English Assistants to the Scots in both these Garrisons are submitted to the mercy of the Parliament of England And a Letter of thanks is sent from the Committee of Estates of Scotland to the Lieutenant General Cromwel for his orderly government of his Forces and his many civilities and respects to that Nation and they excuse themselves from any guilt or connivance in the late engagement against England acknowledging that his Army so near is the means and occasion of advantage to that Nation to make peace and to prevent distraction and confusion which otherwise had continued amongst them And for confirmation of all he is invited to Edenburgh to Feasts and Banquets with all expressions of Honour of Arms and so returns homewards Octo. 20. by the way is received with Hosannah's of joy by all the Northern Counties and invited to take in the strong Garrisons of Pomfreit and Scarborough which infested the County all about them But let us return to Sea affairs This while the Prince was put aboard the Revolted Ships which with some others of his own were formed into a Fleet and with him his brother the Duke of York Prince Rupert Lords Hopton Wilmot and Willoughby Earls of Branford and Ruthen formerly General for the King the Lord Culpepper and Sir Henry Palmer and increasing number came into Yarmouth Rode with twenty Sail and two thousand men the Town being much divided in affection some would have him land and march to Colchester then besieged with such as will come to his assistance To prevent him Colonel Scroop is coming not fourty miles off with Horse and Foot to attend his motion if he land some hopes he had of landing and therefore provided a Declaration his forerunner 27. Iuly The establishing of Religion according to his Majesties agreement 26. December last The performance of the said Agreement and pursuance of all Concessions on the Kings part The restoring the King to a personal Treaty The maintenance of the just priviledges of Parliament The liberty of the Subject abolishing of Excise contribution for quarter c. with an Act of Obliâ—ion The Disbanding of all Armies setling Peace The defence of the Narrow Seas securing Trade support of the Navy and Sea-men His Commissions to his Commanders were thus stiled Charls Prince of great Britain Duke of Cornwal and Albany Highest Captain General under his Majesty of all Forces both by Sea and Land within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales and Town of Barwick c. Whereas we hold it convenient to Arm and set forth to Sea for the weakning and suppressing the usurped power c. Bearing date heretofore from St. Germin in Laye 6. June 1648. A correspondence likewise we finde fixed with the State of Scotland by Letters intercepted and directed to Sir Alexander Gibson Clerk of the Signet at Edenburgh from London 26. Iuly telling him that we are here in the City very right only Skippon makes disturbance by listing Horse and Foot whom we hope to out of his Office The Lords wait for some further incouragement from the City to which purpose the Common Council are framing petitions Our Design to free Colchester is not yet ready c. But the Prince finding no footing in Norfolk sailed back Southwards to the Downs in Kent seizing what Merchants Ships and goods that he could light upon sending Letters to the City of London together with his Declaration and that if the City will redeem their goods they must send him two hundred thousand pound But Anchoring in the Downs he hath a Design upon the Parl. Besiegers of Deal Castle in which were Royalists and Lands five hundred men who March forwards and at first beat off the Horse which Colonel Rich and Hewson had drawn out to Encounter them untill some more Forces of Foot followed routed the Princes Forces killed many and took others Prisoners and the rest hardly got aboard again Whilst the Prince Anchors with his Fleet in the Downs the States of Scotland invite him May it please your Highness Amongst all the Calamities which this Nation these late years hath wrastled under none doth more wound and afflict us next to his Majesty your royal Fathers sad condition and restraint then your Highness long absence from this Kingdom whereunto your right Title is so just and unquestionable and seeing our Forces are now again in England in pursuance of their duty to Religion and his Majesties rescue we humbly beg That your Highness would be pleased to honour and countenance with your presence and assistance our pious and Loyal endeavours which we look upon as the only means of uniting us in this great work being confident that your Highness will effectually apply your self to procure from his Majesty just satisfaction to the desires of Parliaments And if your Highness will grant these our humble requests and trust your peâ—son amongst us we doe ing age the publick Faith of this Kingdom for your well being in honour freedom and safety either here in Scotland or with our Army in England and to remove from us or the Army when or whither you please And these they send by the Earl of Louderdale with Letters of Credence in what he shall further communicate to the Prince From the Estates of the Parliament of Scotland in whose Name and Warrant are signed Aug. 10. Crawford Lindsey The Parliaments Vice-Admiral Batten having heretofore served them with faithfulness and good success was by the Army Voted out of his place and Rainsborough a Land Captain put into his Command Not long after being Governour of Deal Castle which cost him six hundred pound repair He was turned out and made a Delinquent upon the old quarrel for suffering some of the eleven Members to pass beyond Seas Rainsborough was refused by the Sea men not suffering him to come aboard then they â—aress Bâ—â—ten to take up his Commission again which he disdained the Parliament being in distress for a Commander they Vote in the Earl of Warwick who was served so before And now Batten comes to the Prince in Holland who receives him with favour and honours him with Knight-hood where he publishes the reasons of his declining the Parliaments Service and was faithfull to the Prince for ever after It was the middle of Iune as aforesaid that the Kâ—mish Insurrectors got over to Essex and from thence into the Town of â—â—lchester and with such Forces as they could gather they strengthen the place and prepare for a Siege The Commanders in chief were the Eâ— of Norwich old Goriâ—g the Lord Capel Sir Charles Lucas and others in opposition to 〈…〉 and all