Manuscripts and Historians Containing the Lives of the Kings and Memorials of the most Eminent Persons both in Church and State With the Foundations of the Noted Monasteries and both the Universities Vol. I. By James Tyrrel Esq Fol. A New History of Ecclesiastical Writers Containing an Account of the Authors of the several Books of the Old and New Testament and the Lives and Writings of the Primitive Fathers An Abridgment and Catalogue of all their Works c. To which is added A Compendious History of the Councils c. Written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin Doctor of the Sorbon In seven Volumes Fol. An Essay concerning the Power of the Magistrate in Matters of Religion c. 8o. All sold by Andr. Bell at the Cross-keys and Bible in Cornhil INTRODUCTION WHEN King James became King of England the Kingdom of France was bounded on the North with the British Sea from la Bresle on the East where this River which parts Normandy from Boloignois discharges it self into the Sea and in the Latitude of 50 Deg. North and 5 Min. from whence West and by South it extends it self to Portsal in Bretaign about 340 Miles distance and in the Latitude of 48 Degrees and North and by East from la Bresle to Calais which lies in the Latitude of 50 Degrees 40 Minutes From Portsal to the South inclining into the East upon the Bay of Biscay France extended it self to St. Jean de Luz which is the Frontier to Spain in the Latitude of 44 Degrees and from St. Jean de Luz East and by South it extended it self along the Pyrenean Hills to Perpignian in the Country of Rosillion in the Latitude of 42 Deg. 30 Min. From Perpignian on the South to Piedmont on the East towards the North it was bounded by the Mediterranean Sea and from Calais on the North the Eastern parts of France to the South were bounded by the Spanish Netherlands Lorain Alsace the State of Geneva Savoy and Piedmont The Continent was near threefold more than England including Wales Before the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella in the Year 1474. Spain was divided into six Kingdoms whereof four were Christian viz. the Kingdoms of Castile and Leons Arragon Navarre and Portugal and two Mahometan viz. Granada and Murcia But when K. James came to be King of England all these Kingdoms were united under Philip the 3d King of Spain Ferdinand and Isabella having conquered the Kingdoms of Granada and Murcia after Isabella's death Ferdinand conquered Navarre and Philip the 2d claimed and conquered Portugal in 1584. after the Death of Don Sebastian who was overthrown and slain by the King of Fez and Morocco in 1580. All these Kingdoms thus united were greater than France by about â…“ Spain thus united is a Peninsula having on the North-East and South-East the Pyrenean Hills on the North-East is Fontarabia and on the South-East Cape de Creux the rest of Spain is environed by the Bay of Biscay on the North by the Atlantick Ocean on the West and South to Gibralter and to the North-East by the Mediterranean Sea from Gibralter to Cape de Creux The North of Spain viz. the North of Biscay and Galicia is in the Latitude of 44 Degrees North and the South parts of Andaluzia and Granada in the Latitude of 36 Degrees 30 Minutes but the extent of Spain about the middle Region of it from East to West is more than from North to South being near 14 Degrees 20 Minutes in Longitude The Isle of Britain is the greatest of Europe it may be of the World for ought is certainly known at least none comparable to it except Madagascar or St. Laurence and Japan if it be an Island The North of it is in the Latitude of 58 Degrees North the South-East in 51 Degrees and towards the West inclines into the Latitude of 50 Degrees It 's bounded on the South by the Channel or British Sea on the East by the German Ocean on the North by the Deucaledonian Ocean and on the West by the Verguvian Britain is divided into two Kingdoms England and Scotland England including Wales above â…“ greater but incomparably a better and more fertile Soil and a more temperate Climate in a Northern Climate lying South of Scotland The Kingdom of Scotland hath several Islands depending upon it on the North and West on the North is a Knot of Islands or Rocks called The Orcades I cannot tell whether they be distinguished by Names but on the North of these in the Latitude from 60 Degrees to 61 Degrees lies Shetland or Shotland which the Romans called Vltima Thule and on the West are the Hebrides the most considerable of them are the Isles of Mul Sky and Lewis Besides Ireland and the Isles of our Western Plantations the Isle of Man which lies between Lancashire and Ireland the Isle of Anglesey which lies between Wales and Ireland the Isles of Wight Garnsey and Jersey which lie in the British Sea between England and France and the Sorlings or Isles of Silly a Knot of Islands about a Degree West of the lands-Lands-end of Cornwal are in the Dominion of the Kingdom of England Ireland is a Kingdom and Island depending upon the Kingdom of England greater than Scotland and near as big as England excluding Wales and is near of an Oblong Figure unless the Province of Munster inclines towards the West near a Degree into the South The North of Ireland lies in the Latitude of 55 Degrees 30 Minutes North and the South-East in the Latitude of 52 Degrees 30 Minutes and the south-South-West in the Latitude of 51 Degrees 40 Minutes the breadth from East to West is near 4 Degrees 20 Minutes Longitude Ireland on the North is bounded by the Deucaledonian Ocean on the East by St. George's Channel on the South by the Atlantick Ocean and on the West by the Verguvian Ocean It will much conduce to open the Design of the ensuing Treatise if we look back to the Dissolution of the Roman Western Empire and see what Kind of Government succeeded in the Kingdoms of Spain France and England and so take a view of the Causes of the Ruin of the Western Empire and herein I shall follow Helvicus his Christian Vulgar Aera As Britain was the first Country which received the Christian Faith so Constantine the Great the first of all the Christian Roman Emperors was born a Britain and became Emperor in the year of Christ 306. A Prince who as he excelled in Christian Piety so was he adorned with all Moral Vertues requisite in so great a Prince and being zealously addicted to propagate the Christian Faith and Religion he chiefly intended these above all other things but herein he met with great Opposition nor could he attain these Ends without shaking the Strength and Foundation of the Constitutions of the Empire For in propagating the Christian Faith and Religion Constantine was not only opposed by Dioclesian Maxentius and Maximin who were Emperours
Wing of Horse of the Parliament's which Prince Rupert pursued too far tho with great Slaughter but the King 's left Wing of Horse was broken by Sir William Balfour Sir Philip Stapleton and the Lord Fielding However the Victory was uncertain the Success was not so for the King took Banbury Town and Castle and Oxford and Prince Rupert took my Lord Say's House at Brought and made Excursions near London whereupon the Parliament recalled Essex to defend themselves And it was time for the King was marching towards London having taken Reading and Henley and at Brentford both Armies fought Essex being assisted by the Trained Bands and Apprentices of London and the King was forced to retreat and if Essex had followed in all Appearance the King would have lost his Army not having Bullet enough to have maintained one quarter of an Hour's Fight and towards the latter end of the Year Prince Rupert storms Cirencester and puts many of my Lord Stamford's Regiment to the Sword and took 1100 Prisoners which were used with great Barbarity and Colonel Nathaniel Fines in the West was routed by Prince Rupert and in the North Sir John Hotham was beaten by the Forces commanded by the Earl of Cumberland Sir Fran. Worsley Sir Marm. Langdale and Sir Thomas Glenham This Year there was a Treaty of Peace at Oxford the Parliament's Propositions were That the King should disband his Army return to the Parliament leave Delinquents to Trial and Papists to be disbanded That a Bill be brought in for abolishing Episcopacy c. and such other Bills as should be presented for Reformation Recusants to abjure Papacy to remove malignant Counsellors to settle the Militia as the Parliament desired to prefer to Offices such as the Parliament should name and to take in all that were put out of Commissions of the Peace A Bill to vindicate the Lord Kimbolton and five Members to enter into Alliances for the Palatinate and to grant a general Pardon excepting to the Earl of New-Castle Digby and others To restore Parliament-Members to their Offices and to restore their Losses The King proposed That his Revenue Magazines Ships and Forts be restored That what had been done contrary to Law and the King 's Right may be recalled That all illegal Power claimed or acted by Order of Parliament be disclaimed And as the King will consent to the Execution of all Laws concerning Popery and Reformation so he desires a Bill for preserving the Common-Prayer against Sectaries that all Persons excepted against by this Treaty may be tried per Pares with a Cessation of Arms and a free Trade This Treaty began March 4. 1642 and broke off April 15. following viz. 1643. But this is observable in this fickle King that four Days before the Treaty broke off the King said he was fully satisfied and promised to give the Parliament-Commissioners his Answer in Writing according to their Desires but because it was past Midnight he would have it drawn up in Writing and give it them in the Morning but instead thereof the King gave them a Paper quite contrary to what was concluded the Night before Whitlock's Mem. fol. 65. a. The Treaty of Peace thus broke off both sides proceed in War The Queen this Year about the beginning of May landed at Scarborough in Yorkshire from Holland having avoided a Squadron of Men of War designed by the Parliament to intercept her and brought abundance of Arms and about 3000 Soldiers and was proclaimed Traitor by the Parliament and after joined with the King and his Army at Edg-Hill in Warwickshire And if the Parliament prospered so ill last Year they succeeded worse this for the Earl of Northampton enters Litchfield and drives the Parliament's Forces into the Close and after that defeats Sir John Gell and Sir W. Brereton but the Earl was slain at the Head of his Forces and the Earl of New-Castle in the North overthrew the Parliament's Forces commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax at Bradforth and Sir William Waller is defeated in the West Prince Rupert takes Bristol and Prince Maurice Exeter Biddiford Barnstable Appleford and Dartmouth The great Hambden is routed and mortally wounded at Chalgrave Field by Prince Rupert And now the King had two conquering Armies in the North and West and the Parliament none considerable to oppose either so that if either the King or the Marquess of New-Castle had marched to London in all Appearance either Army would have found little Opposition but instead hereof the King sits down and besieges Glocester and the Marquess of New-Castle comes before Hull This gave the Parliament an Opportunity to recruit Essex's Army and to enter into a Treaty to procure the Scots to bring an Army into England again for to assist the Parliament In this Treaty a double Consideration is remarkable first The Instability of humane Actions which are founded in Passion and Prejudice for there was but one Year between this Treaty and the National Protestation by the Parliament to Maintain the true Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England which Passage Mr. Whitlock in his Memoirs fol. 43. has left out and according to their Duty and Allegiance to maintain and defend his Majesty's Royal Person and Estate the Privileges of Parliament and Liberties of the Subjects and to preserve the Union between the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland and this to be taken by all English-men but now the Scots would not stir one Step unless the Parliament of England would join with them in their Covenant which ill agreed with their Protestation which the Parliament submitted to The other was a Discovery of a Spark which soon after broke out into such a Flame as consumed the Covenant Presbytery the Parliament King and Church and State of England for tho during the Prosperity of the King's Affairs this Fire was covered yet when young Sir Henry Vane who was one of the Parliament's Commissioners and one who loved the Presbyterian Government no better than the Episcopal saw that the Parliament would submit to the Scotish Covenant and Discipline he stifly opposed it singly and at last carry'd it that the Nations should join in a Solemn League and the Scots would have Church-Government to be according to the Example of the best Reformed Churches but Sir Henry Vane insisted to have it according to the Word of God only and carried both points Afterwards one of Sir Henry's Fellows expostulated with him why he should put them to so much Trouble about such needless Trifles Sir Henry answer'd He was mistaken and did not see far enough into the matter for a League shewed it was between two Nations and might be broken upon just Reasons but not a Covenant and that Church-Government according to the Word of God by the Difference of Divines and Expositors would be long enough before it were determined for the learnedst held it clearly for Episcopacy so that when all agreed we may take in the Scots Presbytery
sign a Warrant of Execution for the Duke his Brother's beloved Son without any Trial or Process of Law against him But his Grandfather James the First had either done the like or at least not unlike it when he came to Newark upon Trent in his Passage to London at his first coming to the Crown one was said to cut a Purse whereupon the King without more ado signed a Warrant for his Execution to the Sheriff and the poor Fellow was executed accordingly The Duke suffered upon the 15th of July but the Issue of Blood did not stanch with him for towards the latter end of August a Special Commission of Oyer and Terminer was granted to Sir George Jefferies and four other Judges to try the Duke of Monmouth's Adherents in the West But as the Duke suffered without any Trial and so was unjustly put to Death so I believe this Commission was initiated by such a Trial as can scarce be parallel'd by any other and this was the Case Alicia Lisle a Woman of extream Age was Wife of Lisle one of King Charles the First 's Judges and who was President of the High Court of Justice as 't was then called in the Trials of Duke Hamilton the Earl of Holland and my Lord Capel and also in the Trial of Sir Henry Slingsby Dr. Hewet c. and had entertained after the Defeat of the Duke of Monmouth one Hicks a Non-Conformist Minister who was with the Duke not in any Proclamation that he was so and one Richard Nelthorp a Stranger to Mrs. Lisle who was in the Proclamation and Out-lawed of High Treason for which she was tried at Winchester for High Treason for comforting and assisting Rebels It appears by the publick Prints the Jury were so unsatisfied by the Evidence Hicks not being in any Proclamation and Nelthorp unknown to Mrs. Lisle that they thrice brought her in Not Guilty at last upon Jefferies Threats they brought her in Guilty of High Treason and so had Sentence passed upon her accordingly which in Women is to be burnt but the Execution was by beheading of her so that whether the Sentence was just or not the Execution was unjust for though the King may pardon or mitigate the Punishment of any Crime against him as to pardon Treason or to mitigate the Execution to beheading which is part of the Sentence yet he cannot alter the Punishment into any other than the Law prescribes but the Convention after King William came in were so dissatisfied in her Case that though they could not restore her to Life yet they reverst the Judgment for her Death From this uncertain Justice Jefferies and his Brethren make haste to proceed in their Commission Summo Jure and from Winchester by Salisbury upon the 3d of September a day fam'd for Oliver's Victory over the Scots at Dunbar over King Charles the II. at Worcester and for his Death arrives at Dorchester and because time was precious the next day Jefferies contrives this Stratagem to shorten his Work Thirty Persons being found by the Grand Inquest to have assisted the Duke of Monmouth when they came upon their Trials and before they had pleaded Jefferies told them that whosoever pleaded Not Guilty and was found so should have little time to live and if any expected Favour he must plead Guilty But the Prisoners trusted little to what Jefferies said and pleaded Not Guilty yet 29 were found Guilty and immediately Sentence was passed upon them and a Warrant of Execution signed upon Monday following after which a couple of Officers were sent to the Goal to take the Names of all the Prisoners who told the Prisoners if they confest they might expect Mercy otherwise none was to be hoped for these wretched Men thus wheedled pleaded Guilty and so at one Sentence Jefferies condemned 292 whereof 80 were executed From Dorchester Jefferies proceeded to Exeter and used the same Stratagem as at Dorchester for one Mr. Fower Acres being arraigned and pleading Not Guilty yet being found so had immediately Sentence passed upon him and Execution awarded upon it whereupon 243 pleaded Guilty and by one Sentence had Judgment passed upon them From Exeter Jefferies marched to Taunton where some few pleaded Not Guilty but being found had immediately Sentence and Execution awarded the rest terrified pleaded Guilty and had Sentence passed upon them and thence Jefferies marched to Wells where he finished his bloody Assize where and at Taunton he condemned above 509 whereof 239 were executed and had their Heads and Quarters set up in the principal Places and High Roads of Somerset and Dorsetshires to the terror of Passengers and annoyance of those Parts In these Executions I find one remarkable Story it 's printed in a Treatise called The New Martyrology fol. 478. Colonel Holmes and 11 more of those condemned at Dorchester were carried from Dorchester to Lime towards their Execution by six in a Coach and six in a Cart and at Lime they were put in a Sledg prepared to carry them to be executed but the Horses could not be driven to go but turned backward whereupon the Coach-horses were taken from the Coach and put to draw the Sledg but then the Sledg broke so the poor Men were forced to go on their Feet to their Execution I will not dispute the Justice of these Executions but I say Justice ought to look forward viz. to terrify others from committing like Crimes never backward to take Pleasure in punishing and a black Brand is set upon the Reigns of those Princes which shed much Blood nor do we read in any Story such a Sea of Blood flowed from Justice as did in less than eight Months after this King began his Reign and that which rendred it more remarkable was the King's Profession to his Privy Council and after to the Parliament That he would imitate his good and gracious Brother but above all in his great Clemency and Tenderness to his People But if Justice look'd forward in Jeffries's Executions it did not in Kirk's who was one of King James's Major-Generals in the Expedition against the Duke of Monmouth who when after the Duke's Defeat he came to Taunton caused 90 wounded Men who had been taken Prisoners not permitting their Wives or Children to speak with them to be hang'd with Pipes playing Drums beating and Trumpets sounding and after their Bowels to be burnt their Quarters to be boiled in Pitch and hang'd in several parts of the Town and I have heard that when afterwards Kirk was charged with this Inhumanity he excused it that he could do no less it being but part of the Instructions he had from the Right Honourable the Earl of F General in this famous Expedition As yet no Pardon could be hoped for to any one but by those which could purchase it by the Ruin of their Estates and those which could not purchase one were sold for Slaves to the Plantations When Justice could take no further place then out comes a Pardon