by the charitable Protestants of England for their relief in Equipping Ships to be sent to the Assistance of the French King against the poor Protestants of the Isles of Rhee and Rochell 18. That without doubt had a great hand in the Notorious Irish Rebellion wherein above 150 thousand poor Protestant Souls were most Barbarously Murthered and this will more plainly appear by reading the Commission given by this King in the 17th Year of his Reign dated from Edinborough and also the Commission thereupon of Peilem Oneale and Rorie Macguire to all the Papists both English and Irish within the Kingdom of Ireland both which for the Readers better satisfaction are Printed at large in this Book and also a sheet of Paper call'd Murther will Out containing King Charles II's Letter to the Court of Claims in Ireland 1663. Requiring the then Commissioners to restore the Earl of Antrim to his Estate for that he had made it appear he had acted nothing but by Order and Commission from King Charles I. read the Letter at large Take notice this Earl of Antrim had been a very great Rebell yet restored for serving that King in murthering his Protestant Subjects neither can any impartial Men think that King Innocent of this Wicked Act if they consider how Treacherously and Basely he delt with the Protestants of England of the Palatinate of the Isles of Rhee and Rochell What Articles he made with France in favour of Popery upon his Match what a mighty Influence his Popish Queen had over him how he employed in great Places of Trust not only great Favourers of Popery but also many profest Papists and was very much Advised and Govern'd by their Counsels to the great Sorrow and Misery of his poor Protestant Subjects as also that in the Summer before that dreadful October 1641. a Committee of the most Active Papists all afterwards in the head of the Rebellion were in great favour at White-Hall and admitted to many private Consultations there with the King in the Queens Presence and those Irish Priests departed not thence till within two Months before that Bloody Rebellion and Massacre It was at that time I morally believe that King Charles favoured the Irish Massacre and the Irish Papists were so well assured of it that they called themselves the Queen's Army and said they had good Warrant in Black and White for their Proceedings and cryed out against the Parliament of England as the King's Enemies He that has a desire of being satisfied how great a favourer King Charles was of Papists let him read Mr. Pinn's Book called The Royal Court Favourite He was very much advised by the then Parliament to send early Relief to the poor Protestants of Ireland but it is notoriously known how backward he was therein and that he suffered them to be Sacrificed to the cruel Mercy of the Irish Cut-Throats It is also plain that the Parliament had long and often requested the King to Declare the Irish Rebels yet was this rare Protestant Martyr so Tender of the Poor Catholicks Reputation for Acting according to his Commands that no less than three Months past before he would gratifie the House of Commons with Proclaiming them Rebels and when he had against his real inclination thus done he was resolved That but a small number should be Printed and Published and in order thereunto the following Warrant was sent to the King's Printer from his Secretary of State IT is His Majesty's Pleasure that you forthwith Print in very good Paper and send unto Me for his Majesties Service Fourty Copies of the Proclamation inclosed leaving convenient space for his Majesty to Sign above and to affix the Privy Signet underneath And His Maiesties Express Command is Chat you Print not above the said Number of Copies and forbear to make any further Publication of them till his Pleasure be further Signified for which this shall be your Warrant White-Hall Jan. 2. 1641. Edward Nicholas See here what special care was taken that a few only should come to the knowledge of this Proclamation when at the same time it was well observed he dealt far otherwise by the Scots for they were more sharply Proclaimed and those Proclamations with great care and dilligence dispersed throughout the whole Kingdom and ordered to be read in all Churches accompanied with Publick Prayers and Execrations But his Aversion to the Proclaiming and Proceeding against the Irish Rebels is not to be much wondred at for they call themselves The Queen's Army and declared that they Rose to maintain the King's Prerogative and the Queen's Religion against the Parliament much more might be collected from divers Authors of this Tragical Story which for Brevity Sake I shall now omit 19. That to his Eternal Infamy against all Laws both Humane and Divine caused A Declaration to be Published concerning the Lawfulness of Sports Pastimes c. on the Lord's Day and gave Archbishop Laud an Order under his Hand to see that this Declaration was Printed Read the Order and Declaration Printed at large in this Book and also King Charces II's Declaration after his Restoration It is a wonderful and amazing thing that there can be found amongst us such Clergymen and Gentlemen that against all Reason and Truth shall make a Saint nay a Martyr of this as you see Pious King How these Men at the Great Day of Judgment will be able to Answer for the many abominable Lies and Blasphemies they have been Guilty of in Defending this King's Tyrannies and Oppressions and Deifying him after a most scandalous Rate is a Mystery to me The Publication of this Licentious Book was so apparently destructive to Religion and so dishonourable to God and the King That the Pious and Sober Clergy of that time absolutely refused either to Read it or to permit it the said abominable Declaration to be Read and how barbarously and unchristianly they were used for their Refusal is too well known 20 That gave Wicked Arbitrary and Tyrannical Orders Instructions and Commissions to the Earl of Strafford Lord Lieutenant of Ireland all which the said Earl took such care to Execute that the Parliament which was made up of Grave Able and discerning Persons fell so severely upon him that they caused him to be Committed to the Tower Impeached him and soon after caused him to be according to his deserts Beheaded He pleaded the King's Authority for what he had done but the Commons saw no reason to acquit him 'T was observed that tho the King and Queen would not publickly Solicite for his Relief yet several secret Instances were made by them both to save him that had obeyed their Commands c. But the just Cries of the People c. necessitated the King against his Will to sign the Warrant for his Execution And having now given a short account of the Earl of Strafford I think it proper for the satisfaction of all those good People that desire to be rightly informed for what Laud
not in the least intrench on these present Articles Moreover this Parliament may either Repeal or Suspend Poyning's Law which imports that no Parliament shall be held in Ireland till the Acts are first Certify'd into England 3. That all Acts made to the prejudice of the Irish Roman Catholicks since the 7th of August 1641. shall be null and void and that they be vacated accordingly in the next Parliament and in the mean time they have no Force 4. That all Processes in prejudice of the said Roman Catholicks made since the said 7th of August 1641. shall be made void in such manner as no Memory shall remain thereof and this when ever the said Twelve or the major part of them shall desire the same and in the interim they are to be of no Force and what has already been done upon their Account is to be restor'd or made good 5. The Roman Catholicks shall be deem'd qualified to Set in the succeeding Parliaments 6. All Debts are to remain as they were on the 23 d. of October 1641. notwithstanding any Alliance made on account of these Processes and this to be Enacted by the next Parliament 7. That the Estates and reputed Estates of all the Inhabitants of the Counties of Cannought Clare Thomond Limerick and Tipperary be secured to them according to the 25 th Article of the Grant in the 4 th Year of his Majesties Reign to be held by the same Rents and Tenures as they were in the said 4 th Year And as for the Laws in the Counties of Kilkenny and Wickloe to which His Majesty was Entitled by Offices found for him during the Earl of Stafford's Government the State of them is to be considered the next intended Parliament when his Majesty will Assent to what is Just and Honourable and that the Act for limitation of His Majesties Titles for the security of his Subject's Estates in this Kingdom be pass'd in the said Parliament pursuant to what was Enacted in the 21 st Year of James I. in England 8. All Incapacities impos'd on the Irish Catholicks to be taken away in the succeeding Parliament and they enabled to Erect Inns of Court or Free Schools where the Lord Lieutenant in conjuction with the Twelve or the major number of them shall think fit and the Students and Scholars are to take only an Oath of Allegiance this likewise is to be Enacted by the next Parliament 9. Roman Catholicks are to be deem'd qualifi'd for any Trust in the Army and to be prefer'd according to their respective Merits As likewise to be receiv'd into the Civil Government with the like Priviledges also they are to be entrusted with any Garisons in the same manner And that till full settlement in Parliament 15000 Foot and 2500 Horse of the Irish Roman Catholicks shall be of the standing Army which number may be either Augmented or diminish'd by the power of the Lord Lieutenant and the aforesaid Twelve or their Majority as often as they shall see convenient 10. The King is to receive 12000 Pound annually in lieu of whatever profits may accrue to him within the Jurisdiction of the Court of Wards 11. No Noble Man for the future is to be allowed to make above 2 Proxies in Parliament and all Blank Proxies to be totally disallowed Also where a Baron has not 200 Pound per Ann. a Viscount 400 an Earl 600 a Marquiss 800 and a Duke 1000 they shall be disabled to sit in Parliament and the Commons also are to be stated and resident within the Kingdom 12. As for the Parliament of Ireland depending on that of England they are left to make such Declaration therein as shall be agreeable to their Laws of their Kingdom 13. That for the future the Council Table is to be confin'd within its own Bounds and to meddle only with matters of State and Weight other Business between Party and Party is to be left to the Ordinary course of Law 14. Several Acts shall be Repeal'd relating to Wool Flocks Tallow c. and divers Officers appointed by the Lord Lieutenant and the aforesaid Twelve or the majority of them to ascertain the Rates of all Merchandize either to be Exported or Imported 15. All Persons wrong'd by Offices found in the first of King James I. or since in the Province of Ulster and other Provinces of this Kingdom may Petition His Majesty and be Redrest upon Examination 16. That as to the particular cases of 16 Persons nam'd they may Petition in the next Parliament and shall be relieved accordingly 17. The former Inhabitants of Cork Youghall and Downegarven shall be restored to their respective Estates where their Number does not endanger the Garrifons and shall chuse and return Burgesses as formerly 18. An Act of Indemnity to pass in the next Parliament to extend to all His Majesties Loving Subjects of this Kingdom and Pyrates on the Sea except such as have been Convicted or Attainted on Record before the 23 of October 1641. it shall not extend to remit any of the King's Debts or Subsidies due before the said time provided that such Barbarous Crimes as shall be agreed upon by the Lord Lieutenant and the Twelve or the Majority of them be left to be adjudg'd by such Commissioners as the said Lord Lieutenant and the Twelve shall Assign and that the power of such Commissioners be limitted to two Years The other Provisoes are omitted for Brevities sake 19. The great Officers of the Kingdom are excluded from being Farmers of the Customs 20. An Act of Parliament to pass against Monopolies pursuant to that Enacted in England in the 21 st of James I. with a clause to Repeal all Grants of Monopolies Likewise Commissioners to be appointed by the Lord Lieutenant and the Twelve or the majority of them to rate the Customs and Impositions on Aquivita Tobacco c. 21. Commissioners agreed upon by the Lord Lieutenant and the Twelve or their Majority were to regulate the Court of Castle Chamber 22. The two Acts prohibiting the Plowing with Horses by the Tail and the Burning of Oats in the Straw to be Repealâ—d 23. That the Grievances Petition'd for by both Houses of Parliament and by Agents sent for that purpose in the 4 th Year of His Majesties Reign shall be Redressed 24. All Sea Affairs to be determin'd in this Kingdom and in case of Appeal it may be only to the Chancery of Ireland or to the Parliament of this Kingdom and until such a Parliament is the Admiralty and all Maritine Causes are to be ordered and settled by the Lord Lieutenant together with the Advice and Consent of the Twelve or their majority 25. That His Majesties Subjects be eased of all Rents and Encrease of Rents raised by the Commission for defective Titles in the Lord of Stafford's Government This to be by Act of Parliament 26. That by Act to be pass'd in the next Parliament all Interest Money not satisfied since the 23 d. of October 1641. until the
A DEFENCE OF THE PARLIAMENT of 1640. And the PEOPLE of ENGLAND AGAINST King Charles I. And his ADHERENTS CONTAINING A short Account of some of the many Illegal Arbitrary Popish and Tyrannical Actions of King CHARLES I. unjustly called the Pious Martyr together with the following Tracts c. 1. The Pope's Letter to King Charles 2. K. Charles's Letter in Ans thereunto 3. The Articles of Marriage made in Favour of Papists with France 4. King Charles his Commission to the Irish Rebels And 5. Philem O Neal and Rorie Macquire's Declaration to the Irish thereupon 6. King Charles II's Letter to the Court of Claims of Ireland in behalf of that great Rebel the Marquess of Antrim to restore him to his Estate for that the said Marquess had made it appear That what he acted in that Rebellion was done by the Express Orders and Commands of Charles I. his Father 7. King Charles I's Warrant by Secretary Nicholas to the King's Printer Commanding him to Print no more than 40 of those Proclamations that Proclaim'd the Irish Rebels 8. An Abstract of those strange Articles of Peace King Charles I. made with the Irish Rebels 9. King Charles his two Letters to the Protestants of Rochel wherein he assured them of Relief against the French K. 10 The Miserable and Deplorable Remonstrance those poor Protestants made to him upon his Sacrificing them to the Mercy of the French King 11. The Earl of Anglâ—sey's Memorandum Dr. Anthony Walker and Mrs. Gauden's Proofs That Eicon Basilice was not Writ by King Charles but by Dr. Gauden Bishop of Exeter 12. A Copy of the Kings and Pamelia's Prayers taken out of Eicon Basilice and Sir Phillip Sydny's Arcadia which agree almost in every Word 13. Twenty Articles against that wicked Prelate Laud. 14. To give a clear Demonstration of this holy Martyr's Religion and Piety see his Declaration for the Lawfulness of Sports and Pastimes on the Lord's Day Printed at large in this Book LONDON Printed 1698. TO THE READER IT is not the least of Man's Unhappiness that he is the greatest Enemy of his own Interest having Opportunities for his own Advantage he lets them slip and by Brutish Incogitancy rather than Natural Impotency as our Parents at first he is soon cheated into his own Misery his present Contentment is his chiefest Atchievement and he will have his Will tho' it be his Woe He is apt to kill his Friends as the Jews did Christ for their Endeavours to Save him and to Court his Enemy as Eglon did Ehud whose Design was to Slay him The great Controversy between the Advocates for King Charles the First and his wicked Favourites and the Friends of the Parliament and People that were necessitated to Resist him could never have been spun out into above 40 Years length had the dim Eyes of dull People been clear'd up to a true discerning of their Friends from their Oppressive Foes How apt have the Idolizers of King Charles the First been with the Army of the Assyrians to travel to Samaria instead of Dothan and with the Jews to gratify Caesar in Crucifying their Saviour Whereas heretofore they generally reputed for Saints those faithful and couragious Barons who lost their Lives in the Field making a glorious War against Tyrants for the Common Liberty Such as Symon de Mamfort Earl of Leicester against Henry the Third Thomas Platagenet Earl of Lancaster against Edward the Second c. I cannot willingly ascribe the Love of Tyranny and Oppression to the Natural Disposition of an English Man but rather to two other Causes the first is the Clergy of all Ranks whose Pulpit Stuff from before 1640 till now hath generally been the Doctrine and perpetual Infusion of Servility and Wretchedness to their Hearers and their Lives most commonly the Types of Worldliness with a slender Pattern of Vertue Righteousness and Self-Denial in their whole Practice The Second is I attribute it to the factious Inclination of most Mendivided from the Publick Interest of their Country by several Selfish Ends and Humours of their Own who may truly be call'd Sacrificers of the Common Welfare of Mankind to their own private Advantage that they might thereby attain to their Ambitious Purposes Dryden as I am inform'd gives this true Character of these Sort of Men viz. Mark those which Dote on Arbitrary Power and you 'l find them either Hotbrain'd-Fools or Needy Bankrupts 'T is a wonderful and amazing thing to find so great a part of Mankind fondly and foolishly Doting nay which is more Unchristian with a sort of Idolatry Idolizing this Prince when they are not capable of giving to the World a clear Demonstration of one good Act he did designedly for the Benefit of his People Certainly if his Virtue and Piety towards God and his Country had been in the least conspicuous his mighty Adorers have been defective in their Panegerical Encomiums of him for I must with the greatest Assurance declare that neither by reading the Defences of him or Conversation with the greatest of his Advocates could I find the least Cause to Esteem him a Saint or to clear him from the Tyrannical Oppression nay from the Blood and Misery of England so justly laid to his Charge by the Parliament of 1640 and those worthy Patriots that join'd with them Let the Advocates for Tyranny and Arbitrary Power say what they will to the contrary I am confident the People of England have a great Esteem and Value for a King that Governs according to Law and in all his Actions aims at his People's Good equal with his own and if at any time they betake themselves to Arms against their Prince 't is his and not their Fault Neither is it rational to believe that the Generality of the Nobility Gentry and Commonality of England would without an apparent Cause and Necessity engage in a Bloody Civil War and thereby run the hazard of their Lives and Fortunes And he that shall consider impartially in a Civil or Religious Sense the Quality of those that espoused that King against their Native Country will find the Parliament and those that joined with them did infinitely exceed in all respects the Party that assisted that King For it is notoriously known that the Popish and Superstitious People throughout the Kingdom were united as one Man for the King against the Parliament and if we consider them in a Civil respect were not all the Pattentees Monopolizers Cruel Usurping Oppressors but Lords Knights and Gentlemen the Pillars of the Star-Chamber Councel-Table High Commission Court c. were not these the great Abettors and Supporters of that Bloody War against the Parliament and People of England Were not his Clergy for the generality of them a wretched Parcel of Court Sycophants that gave vent to those Plaguy-Doctrines of Non-Resistance Absolute and Arbitrary Government after the Mode of France in Loans Free-Quarter Ship-money Monopolies c. during the Oppressive Ministery of Buckingham Stafford and Laud
her Husband had writ that call'd the King's Book it coming at last to the knowledge of Dr. Nicholson then Bishop of Gloucester who desiring to be fully satisfied in that point did put the Question to her upon her receiving the Sacrament and she then affirmed that it was wrote by her Husband This Persons of undoubted credit now living in Gloucester can affirm for a Truth and it is not question'd but the present Bishop of Gloucester will acknowledge that those Persons have related this matter to him that it is well known to Mrs. Gauden's Brother and several of her Relations that Mrs. Gauden constantly in her Conversation Declared That her Husband was the Author of this Book I could if necessity requird produce a great many Arguments more out of Doctor Walkers or other Writings to prove the Truth of this matter but shall conclude it with this one of the Doctors in reference to the Providence of this Discovery Though God had many Holy Righteous and Gracious ends to serve his Providence by in the Publication of this Book yet as I find it expressed in this very Book Chap. the last p. 262. of the first Edition God's wise Providence we know oft permits many Events which his revealed Word in no sort approves And I confess I have many cogent reasons to persuade me that God was not well pleased with Dr. Gauden others or my self for what we contributed to it And though for the aforesaid ends he suffered it to succeed yet I know not but he may have other ends now to serve by suffering this Discovery to be Wrung and rested from me I had almost said by some Bodies viz. Hollingworths Impertinent Affection to meddle with what he understands not Thus spake that good Man I had not enlarged so much on this 21 st Article but that I was desirous of giving full satisfaction to the World of the Real Author of Eicon Basilice That Posterity might not be deceived by the many Impudent Ignorant False and Scandalous Assertions of most of the Clergy and too many of the Laity who to their Eternal Shame have taken more care and pains to defend that Book and its pretended Author King Charles I. than they done to Vindicate the Holy Bible and the Truth of the Christian Religion 22. That caused the Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts to be made Use of to the general Grievance of the People of England and was unwilling to part with them till he found these Courts were highly offensive to the Parliament and that it was not Seasonable to displease the Kingdom at that time for which Reasons at last he pass'd the Bills to take them away And indeed there were many and great Reasons why those abominable oppressive Courts should be pull'd down and taken away For that Old Serpent Arch-Bishop Laud and divers of his Brethren had cast off all Humanity and were metamorphosed into Ravenous Wolves and these Courts were under their Management The Star-Chamber had abounded in Extravagant Censures whereby the Subjects were oppress'd by Grievious Fines Imprisonments Stigmatizings Mutilations Whippings Pillories Gags Banishments c. And the High Commission Court was grown to such Excess of Sharpness and Severity as was not much less than the Spanish Inquisition To repeat two or three of the many Instances of the Horrid Oppressions and barbarous Cruelty exercised in these Tyrannical Courts Upon the 17 th of February 1629. Dr. Leighton coming out of Black Fryers Church it seems then he was no Conventicler was seized by a Warrant from the High Commission Court and dragged to Bishop Laud's House from thence without any Examination he was carried to New-gate and there clapt into Irons and thrust into a Nasty Hole where he continued from Tuesday Night till Thursday Noon without Meat or Drink They kept him in that loathsome Place where Snow and Rain beat in upon him Fifteen Weeks not permitting his Wife or any Friend to come near him and denyed to give him a Copy of his Commitment then they brought him into the Star-Chamber Court where an Information was Exhibited against him for Publishing a Book call'd Lyon's Plea against the Prelates Dr. Leighton confess'd that in 1628. He drew up the Heads of that Book and having the approbation of five hundred Persons under their hands some whereof were Parliament Men. He went into Holland and got between five and six hundred Printed for the use of the Parliament but they being Dissolved he returned home not bringing any of them into the Land but made it his special care to suppress them In the same information the Doctor was charged with these Words in the said Book We do not read of greater Persecutions of God's People in any Nation professing the Gospel then in this our Island especially since the Death of Queen Elizabeth He confessed the Words and Answered That the thing was too true as appeared by the Prelates taking away Life and Livelihood from many Mâ—nisters and private Men of whom many were pined to Death in Prison and many wandred up and down their Families being left desolate and helpless That besides this the Blood of Souls had been endanger'd by the Removal of the Faithful Shepheards from the Flock this was a cutting Truth And Wicked Laud being enraged Desired the Court to put the highest Censure that could be put upon him which they did to his Content Condemning him to have his Ears cut his Nose slit to be Branded in the Face Whipped at a Post to stand on a Pillory to pay Ten Thousand Pound fine tho' they knew he was not worth so much and to be perpetually Imprisoned This Hellish Sentence being past that vile Wretch Laud was so well pleased with it that he pull'd of his Cap and holding up his Hands gave thanks to God who had given him Victory over his Enemies This Sentence being so miserably severe the Execution thereof was little expected But Laud had his design for upon the 26 th of November 1630. The Censure was Executed in a most cruel manner His Ears were cut his Nose slit his Face Branded with burning Irons he was tyed to a Post and Whipped with a treble Cord to that cruel Degree that he himself Writing the History thereof Ten Years after affirmed that every lash brought away the Flesh and that he should feel it to his dying day He was lastly put into the Pillory and kept there near two hours in Frost and Snow and then after this most barbarous Usage not permitted to return to his Quarters in the Fleet Prison in a Coach provided to carry him but compelled in that sad Condition and severe Season to go by Water After this was kept Ten Weeks in Dirt and Mire not being sheltered from Rain and Snow They shut him up most closely Twenty Two Months and he remain'd a Prisoner Ten or Eleven Tears not suffered to breath in the open Air until that Noble Parliament of November 1640. most happily delivered him When he came
that countenanced those two Court Parasites and Ear-Wiggs Mountague and Manwaring who poysoned the Ears of King Charles the First with such infectious Doctrine that proved to be fatal to the King and Kingdoms 'T is true indeed both Montague and Manwaring were doom'd and condemn'd for the same in open Parliament Sentenced and Fined and made incapable of all Ecclesiastical Benefices and Promotions But King Charles was so much in Love with these two wicked Levites and their Doctrines that soon after the Parliament was dissolved he punished them with two Fat Bishopricks That the World may know for what Manwaring was thus Rewarded by the King I shall produce three of his pernicious Assertions out of his two Sermons before the King Printed under the Title of Religion ond Allegiance 1. That the King is not bound to observe the Laws concerning the Subjects Rights but that his Will in Imposing Loans and Taxes without consent in Parliament doth oblige the Subjects Conscience Upon Pain of Eternal Damnation 2. That they who refused the Loan did offend against the Law of God and against the Kings Supreme Authority and thereby became Guilty of Impiety Disloyalty Rebellion c. 3. That Authority of Parliament is not necessary for the raising of Aids and Subsidies and Dr. Sibthorp Vicar of Brackley printed a Sermon which he Preached at the Assizes at Northampton and Dedicated to the King wherein he Poysons his Country with these vile Positions 1. That it is the Prince's Duty to direct and make Laws his Text by the way was Rom. 13.7 Render therefore to all their Dues he justified this by that Opposite Proof Eccles 8.3 4. He doth whatsoever pleases him Who may say unto him what doest thou 2. That all Antiquity is absolutely for absolute Obedience to Princes in al Civil and Temporal Things 3. That if Princes command any thing which Subjects may not perform because against the Laws of God of Nature or Impossible yet they are bound to undergo the Punishment without Resistance and so to vield a Passive Obedience where they cannot Exhibit an Active One. P g Sh k and others have largely since that time obliged the World with these Enslaving Doctrines As this King took great care to Reward such Ministers as these so he was resolved to make Examples of those Pious and Worthy Clergy-men that stood up against the Oppressions of those Times for Brevities Sake I shall instance but two of the many that might be Named The first was that Good Man Dr. Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury because he could not in Conscience comply with the King who with Menaces required him to License that abominable Sermon of Sibthrops before mention'd and thereby make that Good by Divinity which had been done against the Laws And when the Lord Conway Secretary of State was sent with a threatning Message from the King to him this good Old Man persisted in his Refusal saying with the Psalmist I shall not be affraid of any Evil Tydings for my heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. The King instantly Suspended this Archbishop and also confined him and committed the Archiepiscopal Jurisdiction to five Bishops all of the New Church of England and Sibthorp's Patrons viz. London Durham Rochester and Oxford and honest Laud of Bath and Wells The second was Dr. Williams Bishop of Lincoln who also felt the heavy Oppression of this Protestant King In the first Year of his Reign he was Lord Keeper of the Great Seal but upon his appearing in Parliament against the Kingdoms great Grievance the Duke of Buckingham he was Disgraced und Sequestred from the King's Presence and Council Table In his second Year he was accused for speaking publickly against the Loan and also for refusing to give way to proceedings in his Courts against the Puritans The King Imprison'd him in the Tower but this good Bishop out-living his Imprisonment upon the King 's throwing the Gauntlet he came to a Tryal of Skill for the Old English Liberties and he resolutely said Nolumus Leges Angliae Mutari and took Command in the Parliament's Army and bravely asserted his Country's Liberties with his Sword If I should proceed to relate how this King dealt by the Nobility and Gentry both Lawyers and others that stood up for the Laws of the Land and Liberties of the People this Tragical Story would swell to too great a Bulk for a Preface I shall therefore give a short Account of the matters contained in the following Treatise viz. that He Favoured Protected and was Ruled by the worst of Men both Clergy and Laity Secondly That He highly favoured Papists Thirdly That He Govern'd by an Arbitrary Power and raised Money upon his Subjects without Act of Parliament which is directly against the Constitution of the Government of England and of a most dangerous Consequence to the People of England for when ever such a Power is Established in these Kingdoms the People may bid a sad farewell to all their Felicity for they would soon undergood the same Miserable Fate the poor People of France have done ever since that King violated their Magna Charta call'd the Edict of Nants c. which is to be Taxed according to that Prince's Will and Pleasure Fourthly That he was not that Pious Prince the mad World without reason would represent him to be of all these you have too many Instances in the following Treatise which for the satissfaction of Mankind contains not onely 26 Articles or Charges against this King but also the following Tracts all of which were never Printed at large in any one Book before viz. The Popes Letter to King Charles I. and King Charles his Letter in Answer thereunto calling the Pope Most Holy Father c. The Articles of Marriage made in Favour of Papists with France King Charle 's Commission to the Irish Rebels and Philem Oneles and Rorie Macquire 's Declaration thereupon King Charles II's Letter to the Court of Claims of Ireland in behalf of that great Rebel the Marquess of Antrim to restore him to his Estate for that the said Marquess had made it appear that what he acted in that Rebellion was done by the Express Orders and Commands of Charles I. His Father King Charles I's Warrant by Secretary Nicholas to the King's Printer Commanding him to Print no more than Forty Proclamations that Proclaimed the Irish Rebels An Abstract of those Strange Articles of Peace that King Charles the First made with the Irish Rebells The two Letters he writ to assure the Rochellers of his relieving them and the miserable and deplorable Remonstrance those poor People made to him upon his Sacrificing them to the Mercy of the French King The Earl of Anglesey 's Memorandum Dr. Anthony Walker and Mrs. Gauden 's Proofs that Eicon Basilice was not Writ by King Charles but by Dr. Gauden Bishop of Exeter That Copy of the Kings and Pamelia's Prayers taken out of Eicon Basilice and Sir Philip Sydneys Arcadia will agree almost
Archbishop of Canterbury was most justly Beheaded The House of Commons having proof that he had a great Hand in all the Arbitrary Proceedings and Dealings with Rome December 18 th 1640. they Voted him to be a Traytor and Mr. Hollis was sent to the Lords to Accuse him of High-Treason which he did immediately assuring the Lords that in convenient time there should be a charge put in against him to make Good the Accusation desiring that he might be sequestred from the House and Committed which was forthwith done by the Lords The Articles wherewith he was charged consist of these Heads c. 1. For that he had Treacherously endeavoured to subvert the Fundamental Laws and Government of the Kingdom of England and instead thereof to Introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government against Law 2. That he had laboured to Overthrow the Authority of Parliaments and the Force of the Laws of the Kingdom of England 3. That he had laboured to corrupt and pervert the Ministers of Justice 4. That he himself had corruptly bought and sold Justice in his Seat 5. That he had put a New Book of Cannons in Execution against Law Vide 2 Vol. 2 d. Part of Rushworth's Hist Collect. Fol. 1365. sequent 6. That he had Traytorously assumed to himself a Papal and Tyrannical Power both in Ecclesiastical and Temporal Matters 7. That he had laboured to subvert the Protestant Religion and instead thereof to set up Popish Superstition and Idolatry 8. That he had prefer'd notorious Papist to Places of Dignity 9. That he had chosen to himself a Chaplain Popishly affected 10. That he had kept Confederacy and Intelligence with Popish Priests and Jesuits 11. That he had cruelly persecuted Godly Ministers 12. That he had laboured to make Divisions and Discord between us and other Churches 13. That he had stir'd up War and Enmity between his Majesties two Kingdoms of England and Scotland 14. That he had Slandered and Incensed His Majesty against Parliaments 15. That he had laboured to slander Parliaments with the Nick Name of Puritans and commended the Papists for harmless and peaceable Subjects 16. That he had Traytorously indeavoured to advance the Power of the Council Table the Cannons of the Church and the King's Prerogative above the Laws and Statutes of the Realm 17. That he had Wittingly and Willingly Harboured Countenanced and Relieved divers Popish Priests and Jesuits and particularly one call'd Santa Clara alias Damport a dangerous Person and Franciscan Fryar and did also provide Maintenance and Entertainment for one Monsieur St. Gyles a Popish Priest at Oxford knowing him to be a Popish Priest 18. That he had threatningly said there must be a Blow given to the Church such as had not been yet given before it could be brought to Conformity 19. That he punished divers Ministers in Prosecution of the last Cannons made by himself 20. That he had wickedly and malitiously Advised His Majesty to dissolve the last Parliament and presently after it was Dissolved told His Majesty That then he was absolved from all Rules of Government and left free to use all extraordinary Ways for his Supply These were the chief Heads of the Charge against that Proud Popish and Arbitrary Prelate for which he was sent Prisoner to the Tower After some close Inquiries and Examinations taken from the Informations of the late Lord Deputy of Ireland it was sufficiently known that the Archbishop was the Conduite Pipe through which the Popish Party made the pernicious Seed of Division run so smoothly that he was the Wicked Instrument they made use of to stir up the Division between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland and between the Protestants of the Church of England and the Presbyterians These heavy charges being made good against this Bishop and he most righteously executed for these his notorious Evil Actions Why are most of our Clergy and some of our Laity so wicked as to vindicate him and without the least Reason or shaddow of Truth cry him up for a Blessed Martyr that had violated all the Laws of the Land and was so great a Cause of most of the Miseries of England That to prevent the Peoples being too Religious advised and highly promoted the Declaration of Sports on the Lord's Day a time so odious in the sight of any thing of a Christian that it ought never to be forgotten 21. That after he had compleatly acted the part of a great Tyrant and thereby had justly lost the general Love Esteem and Affection of the best Protestants of the three Kingdoms He willingly consented that Bishop Gauden Bishop Duppa c. should compose a Book and call it His Portraiture or Picture and this Book the King was to own as his that it was composed by him when God knows he had neither so much Piety nor Capacity as that Work re-required though as a Noble Peer lately said Let that Book be Written by the King or by any body else there is little in it that deserves Esteem The design of this Book was three-fold the first was By the Lies thereby to justifie the King 's Arbitrary and Illegal Actions secondly Heavily to load the People of England with Rebellion c. for standing up for the legal Liberties and Properties belonging to them though absolutely forced thereunto to prevent the Inundation of Misery and Popish Slavery that the King and his wicked Court Favourites were then bringing on the three Kingdoms thirdly The cunning drift of the Factious and Defeated Party design'd to make the same Advantage of his Book as they did before of his Regal Name and Authority and intended it not only for a Defence of the King 's former Actions but also for promoting their own future Designs As for the Book who ever is the real Author has no occasion to value himself for that Work two things being with the greatest ease to be prov'd upon him First That he is a most Notorious Lyer both as to his Assertions of the King's Innocency of those sad matters justly laid to his Charge and also of his many unjust Accusations of the People of England and secondly That he was a Thief and had so much Piety as to have recourse to the famous Sir Philip Sydney's Arcadia a Romance in the time of his Troubles and from thence to steal the Prayer of Pamelia to an Heathen Diety being under Imprisonment not finding a suitable Form in the Liturgy Psalms of David or any other places of the sacred Scripture And that the Reader may be satisfied of the Truth of this Piece of Thievery I have thought fit to Print both Prayers in Collums one against the other That of Pamelias may be found in Pembrook's Arcadia p. 248. 13 Edit Printed 1674. That of King Charles I's is call'd a Prayer in time of Captivity Printed in a Great Folio call'd the Works of King Charles and also in his Eicon Basilike The King's Prayer O Powerful O Eternal God to whom nothing
in these particulars 1. That the design of altering Religion had been potently carried on by those in greatest Authority about him the Queen's Agent at Rome the Pope's Nuncio here are not only Evidences of this Design but have been great Actors in it 2. That the War with Scotland was procured to make way for this Intent and chiefly fomented by the Papists and others Popishly affected whereof we have many Evidences 3. That the Rebellion in Ireland was framed and contrived here in England and that the English Papists should have risen about the same time We have several Testimonies c. The Irish Rebels affirm That they do nothing but by Authority from the King they call themselves the Queen's Army the Booty which they take from the English they mark with the Queen's mark and it is proved that their purpose was to come to England after they had done in Ireland 4. The labouring to infuse into Your Majesties Subjects an evil Opinion of the Parliament and other Symptons of a disposition of raising Arms and dividing your People by a Civil War in which Combustion Ireland must needs be lost and this Kingdom miserably wasted and consumed if not wholly ruined and destroyed 5. That Your Majesty sent away the Lord Digby by your own Warrant beyond Sea after a Vote had passed in the House of Commons Declaring That he had appear'd in a Warlike manner at Kingston upon Thames to the terror of your Majesties good Subjects that he being so got beyond Sea he vented his traiterous Conceptions that Your Majesty should declare your Self and retire to a place of Strength and intimated some service which he might do in those parts whereby in probability he intended the procuring of some Foreign Force to strengthen Your Majesty in that Condition into which he would have brought you which malicious Counsel we have great cause to doubt made too deep an Impression in Your Majesty considering the course you are pleased to take of absenting your Self from that Parliament and carrying the Prince with you which seems to express a purpose in Your Majesty to keep your Self in a readiness for the Acting of it 6. The manifold Advertisements which we have had from Rome Venice Paris and other parts That they still expect that Your Majesty has some great design in hand for the altering of Religion the breaking the Neck of your Parliament and that you will yet find means to compass that design that the Pope's Nuncio hath sollicited the Kings of France and Spain to lend Your Majesty 4000 Men a piece to help to maintain your Royalty against the Parliament These are some of the grounds of our Fears and Jealousies which made us so earnestly to implore your Royal Authority and Protection for our Defence and security in all the ways of Humility and Submission which being denyed by Your Majesty We do with sorrow apply our selves to the use of that Power viz. the Militia which by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom resides in us yet still resolving to keep our selves within the Bounds of Faithfullness and Allegiance to your Sacred Person and your Crown And as to the Fears and Jealousies which His Majesty seem'd to have Entertained of them The Lords and Commons thus Answered We have according to Your Majesties desires laid our hands upon our Hearts we have asked our selves in the strictest Examination of our Consciences we have searched our Affections our Thoughts considered our Actions and can find none that can give Your Majesty any just Occasion to absent your self from White-Hall and the Parliament but that you may with more Honour and Safety continue there than in any other place Your Majesty lays a great Charge upon Us if you will graciously be pleased to let us know the Particulars we shall give a clear and satisfactory Answer But what hope can we have of ever giving Your Majesty satisfaction when those particulars which you have been made believe were true yet being produced and made known to us appeared to be false and Your Majesty notwithstanding will neither Punish nor Produce the Authors But go on to contract new Jealousies and Fears upon general and uncertain Grounds affording Us no means or possibility of particular Answer to the clearing of our selves We beseech Your Majesty to consider in what state you are how easie and fair a way You have to Happiness Honour and Greatness Plenty and Security if you will joyn with the Parliament in the Defence of the Religion and publick good of the Kingdom this is all we expect from you And for this we return to you our Lives Fortunes and utmost Endeavours to support Your Majesty Your just Power and Soveraignty over us but it is not Words that can secure us in these our humble Desires We cannot but too well and sorrowfully remember what Gracious Messages we had from You this Summer when with your Privity the bringing up the Army was in Agitation We cannot but with the like Affections recall to our Minds how not two days before your own coming to the Commons House You sent a Gracious Message that You would always have a care of their Priviledges as of your own Prerogative of the safety of their Persons as of your own Children That which we expect which will give us Assurance that you have no thought but of Peace and Justice to your People must be some real effect of your Goodness to them in granting those things which your present necessity of the Kingdom do inforce us to desire and that you will be Graciously pleased to put from you those Mischievous Counsellors which have caused all these Dangers and Distractions and to continue your own Residence and the Princes near London and the Parliament which we hope will be an happy beginning of Contentment and Confidence betwixt Your Majesty and People and be followed with many succeeding Blessings of Honour and Greatness to Your Majesty and of Security and Prosperity to them These are brief Heads of the Declaration to which the King Answered Have I violated your Laws To which both Houses made this pertinent Reply We are heartily sorry We have such plentiful Matter of an Answer to that Question Have I violated your Laws I must also take Notice that in the beginning of the Year 1642. a time when the King was in appearance transacting matters amicably with the two Houses and we seemed to be in a deep Peace a time when he Declared That he had received no other Carriage from his Parliament than what he professed himself satisfied with and that if the Bills he had past were again to be offered he should cheerfully and readily Assent unto them Even then he dispatch'd away Letters and an Agent to the King of Denmark complaing of the Parliament and asking Supplies from thence AD PROPUL SANDOS HOSTES you know the English of that is to Subdue his Enemies and declared himself in these Words Ad allia Consilia Animum Convertendum
after twenty were past there were added fourteen more to them And after that we found divers other neglectful Disappointments that have now taken up two Months compleat Good God Sir How long has that time seemed to those miserable Wretches that have not Bread We know very well the good Inclinations Your Majesty hath for our Weal as also we have had most certain Proofs of the Duke of Buckingham your high Admiral his passionate applying himself for us as also the same of the Lords of your Council but shall we not be excusable if seeing the Effects thereof crossed by all these Delays We entertain Jealousies that Your Majesty is not well served and that there is some secret Hand which clandestingly obstructs that which the Zeal of others endeavours to advance It is ordinary for Men in misery to be suspicious and possibly here we are not injuriously so indeed we do not know any Person on whom to determine our Diffidence nor have we any intention to call to mind any thing that is past may that Sir remain buried in Eternal Oblivion and for the future at least let those to whom Your Majesty shall give your Commands answer so well your kindness to us with their Affection and Diligence that without any farther delay your Fleet may put to Sea and deliver us yet out of the Cruel Arms 〈◊〉 Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Sir upon this occasion you will please to Discern those who serve you Faithfully from other Men if there be any such let Your Majesty be pleased to hold it indubitable that all those who under any pretext whatsoever shall Counsel the least Delayings do it from an ill Intention there being none can pretend ignorance of the dreadful Necessities to which our City is reduced and that one single days delay more may be the cause of its ruine Have therefore some consideration of it we beseech You by the Tears and pitiful Cries of more than Twelve Thousand poor languishing Souls whom Hunger devours and who are all ready to Perish by the Interest of above a Million of others who without doubt will see themselves Buried under our Ruins and who will find the Knife at their Throats the very next day after we are lost By the Glory of your Scepter under the Sanctuary of which we are come to put our selves and which it hath pleased you to tender us for our Security by the Magnificent Title of Defender of the Faith which obligeth Your Majesty to relieve those that are Oppressed for that very Reason in short by the Faith and Word of a King which it hath pleased You of your Grace to Engage us permit not Sir our Innocent Blood to reflect upon your Crown to stain it to Ages that shall succeed us and at present to cry against Your Majesty before God and Man This is that Sir which our Consciences and the Duty we owe to our Afflicted Fellow Citizens oblige us to come and represent a new to Your Majesty in whose Charity Magnanimity Piety and inviolable Fidelity we hawe such Confidence That we assure our selves God will take this in good part and in convenient Consideration And since that all our Supplications tend to make You be pleased to cause your Fleet to set Sail with all possible Diligence and to afford your Presence at Portsmouth where it is so absolutely necessary that without it we can scarce hope for any success We therefore do in all Humility supplicate Your Majesty immediately to put in Execution the Resolution you have taken of going thither and here Sir we fall upon our Knees before Your Majesty with most Ardent Prayer to God that it will please him to make us find more and more Favour in your Sight that even we who now Supplicate You may come again to render to You our most humble and grateful Acknowledgments as to our Great Deliverer from whom next to God we shall hold our Estates Honours and Lives and the memory of so signal a Deliverance we may leave to our Children to the end that they may Celebrate it after us Yet all these Sufferings and the lamentable Estate of the Rochellers nor the sad and pressing Remonstrance of their Deputies enough to melt the Heart of any One but a Cruel faithless Tyrant were Efficatious enough to oblige that Wicked Court to let this third Fleet set sail before September following under the Command of the Earl of Lindsey who arrived before Rochell towards the latter end of the said Month but instead of succouring the City breaking the Digue and opening the Passage to get in Provisions which the King had made them to expect and which they had already almost swallowed in their hopes That Commander had set on Shore the Lord Mountague unknown to the Deputies that were on Board and to the Duke of Soubize who went straight to the French King's Camp where after some Conferences with the Cardinal with whom as was then reported he had concerted the Delivery of the City to the King which was very far from giving it any Succour He went Post for England to give an Account of it to his Master After the English Fleet had been a Month in the Road without doing any thing and without sending the Besieged Army any manner of Victuals which were on Board Then the poor Rochellers who were not able to hold out no longer saw plainly how they were Abused and Betrayed so hereupon they resolved no more to expect the Illusory Succours of the English and the vain Hopes of assistance from them to deliver up the City and whilst the Lord Montague was going for England and to return to the French King with the Effects of his Negotiation they resolve to throw themselves into the Arms of the King their Sovereign in hopes after all by their Repentance for their so long Obstinancy to obtain his Grace and Favour And about the end of October their Agreement was made among themselves and Signed And the first of November the King made Entrance into Rochell where he found the Inhabitants more like Skeletons than Men and Women And this King had more compassion than the hard-hearted Oppressor of England for he was so sensibly touched with that sad Sight that he could not refrain letting fall some Tears On the 5th of November the English Fleet after having been a Month and six days in the Road and seen from thence the Reductien of Rochell to the Obedience of the King set sail carrying a long with them a great party of French as well as Victuals they had brought from England 27. That was an Exorbitant and Outragious T upon the People of Scotland as appears in many particulars to recount some of them Briefly 1. In overturning their Church Government Established by many Acts of Parliament and obtruding upon them Laud's Liturgy and Popish Ceremonies after that wicked Bishop had sent his Liturgy to Rome to be approved there 2. In denying them the undoubted Right of all Subjects to
it is well known that Con being a Jesuit might Lye for the Holy Church If I had time and that this Book would not be too large I could produce very many more instances of King Charles his Tyrannical Oppressing his Subjects of England Scotland and Ireland I shall end this Melancholly Story with the Heads of the many Articles of Mis-government of that Prince viz. His taking Buckingham Laud and many more Evil Counsellors into the highest Favour and being Govern'd by them His Popish Match and Private Articles in favour of Popery His receiving a Letter from the Pope and sending him an Answer calling him most Holy Father c. His Pardoning 20 Popish Priests c. pursuant to the Private Articles of Marriage His most unchristian like Betraying the Isle of Rhee and Rochell a sad Story His plucking up the Root of all Property by taking the Peoples Goods against their Wills and their Liberties against Law His giving Commissions to Try and Execute his Subject by Martial Law His Raising Money by Loans against Law His requiring London and other places to set out Ships for him at their own Charge His Billotting Soldiers many of which were Papists on his poor Subjects His giving Commissions to several Lords to raise Money by way of Excise His ordering his Treasurer to pay 30000 l. to buy a large number of German Horse with Arms both for Horse and Foot to be brought to England against the Parliament His causing Mr. Chambars a Merchant to be fin'd 2000 l. for complaining of the hard Usage the Merchants of England had His oppressing and Imprisoning all Ranks and Orders of Men Unjustly His threatning the House of Commons if they would not give Money His shameful betraying the Palatinate and keeping the Charity of England from them His having without doubt a great Hand in the wicked Irish Rebellion His large Demonstration of his Piety by ordering a Declaration of Sports on the Lord's Day His giving Wicked Arbitrary and Tyrannical Orders Instructions and Commissions to the Earl of Strafford Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and endeavoured to save him from the Parliaments Just and necessary Prosecution His suffering the Bishops Gauden and Duppa to compose a lying Book call'd Eicon Basilice and to put it out in his Name the better to justify his evil Actions against his People His causing the Star-Chamber and High Commission Courts to be made use of to the great Grievance of the People of England His falsely charging with Treason and unjustly imprisoning the Lord Mandevil Mr. Hollis Mr. Strode and many others and would produce no Witness against them His Tempting and Incouraging his English and Irish Armies to come and Destroy the Parliament His dealing most Basely and Treacherously with the Parliament whilst Treating at Uxbridge His having a hand in the untimely Deaths of King James the First and Prince Henry His being an Exorbitant and Outragious Tyrant upon the People of England Murder will Out OR THE KING'S LETTER JUSTIFYING THE MARQUESS of ANTRIM And declaring That what he did in the Irish Rebellion was by Direction from his Royal Father and Mother and for the Service of the Crown Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be ye horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord Jer. 2. 12. For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed nor any thing hid which shall not be known or come abroad Mat. 10. 26. London Printed 1698. IRELAND Aug. 22 d. 1663. Ever Honoured Sir LAST Thursday we came to Tryal with my Lord Marquess of Antrim but according to my Fears which you always surmised to be in vain he was by the King 's Extraordinary and Peremptory LETTER of Favour restored to his Estate as an Innocent Papist We proved Eight Qualifications in the Act of Settlement against him the least of which made him uncapable of being restored as Innocent We proved 1. That he was to have a hand in surprizing the Castle of Dublin in the Year 1641. 2. That he was of the Rebels party before the 15th of September 1643. which we made appear by his hourly and frequent intercourse with Renny O Moore and many others being himself the most notorious of the said Rebels 3. That he entred into the Roman Catholick Confederacy before the Peace in 1643. 4. That he constantly adheard to the Nunctio's Party in opposition to His Majesty's Authority 5. That he sat from time to time in the Supream Council of Kilkenny 6. That he signed that execrable Oath of Association 7. That he was Commissionated and acted as Lieutenant General from the said Assembly at Kilkenny 8. That he declared by several Letters of his own Penning himself in Conjunction with Owen Ro Oneale and a constant Opposer to the several Peaces made by the Lord Leiutenant with the Irish We were seven Hours by the Clock in proving our Evidence against him but at last the King's Letter being opened and read in Court Rainsford one of the Commissioners to us That the King's Letter on his behalf was Evidence without Exception and thereupon declared him to be an Innocent Papist This Cause Sir hath though many Reflections have passed upon the Commissioners before more startled the judgments of all Men than all the Tryals since the beginning of their sitting and it is very strange and wonderful to all of the Long Robe that the King should give such a Letter having divested himself of that Authority and reposed the Trust in the Commissioners for that Purpose And likewise it is admired that the Commissioners having taken solmn Oaths To execute nothing but according to and in pursuance of the Act of Settlement should barely upon His Majesty's Letter declare the Marquess Innocent To be short there never was so great a Rebel that had so much favour from so good a King And it is very evident to me though young and scarce yet brought upon the Stage that the consequence of these things will be very bad and if God of his extraordinary Mercy do not prevent it War and if possible greater Judgments cannot be far from us where Vice is Patroniz'd and Antrim a Rebel upon Record and so lately and clearly proved one should have no other colour for his Actions but the King 's own Letter which takes all Imputations from Antrim and lays them totally upon his own Father Sir I shall by the next if possible send you over one of our Briefs against my Lord by some Friend It 's too large for a Pacquet it being no less in bulk than a Book of Martyrs I have no more at present but refer you to the King's Letter hereto annexed CHARLES R. RIght Trusty and well-beloved Cousins and Counsellors c. We greet you well How far We have been from interposing on the behalf of any of Our Irish Subjects who by their miscarriages in the late Rebellion in that Kingdom of Ireland had made themselves unworthy of Our Grace and Protection is notorious to all Men and
of Kings are and who causes the People of the Earth to receive Relief and which we shall always be ready to Favour and Encourage to the utmost of our Power In the mean time be pleas'd to understand by the Contents of this Letter that for Our parts We will omit nothing that may anywise tend to procure your Happiness and that We shall never repent of having writ it if it may be but so efficacious as to raise the least Spark of the Catholick Faith in your Breast whose Benefit we so much desire and to whom We wish long Life and an endless Encrease of all Christian Virtues Given at Rome in the Palace of St. Peter the 20th Day of April 1623 and in the Third Year of Our Pontificat This Letter was deliver'd to the said Prince by the Pope's Nuncio accompany'd by all the Italian Lords who were then at the Court of Spain King CHARLES I's ANSWER Being then PRINCE of WALES TO THE POPE'S LETTER Most Holy Father I Have received Your Holinesse's Letter with infinite satisfaction paying all imaginable respect to the Piety and Good Will with which your Holiness writ it But what has occasion'd me inexpressible Pleasure was to read of the generous exploits of the King 's my Predecessors in whose deserv'd Commendations Posterity hitherto has not been a little Niggardly I am willing to believe Your Holiness set their Example before my Eyes that I might endeavour to imitate them in all my Actions for in truth they have often exposed both themselves and their Dominions for the Exaltation of the Holy See insomuch that their Courage with which they attack'd the Enemies of the Holy Cross has ever approved it self as vigorous as my endeavours shall always be to introduce Peace good Intelligence which have hitherto been so much wanting into Christendom for as the common Enemy of Peace labors incessantly to insult Hatred and Dissention into the hearts of Christian Princes so I am of Opinion that the Glory of God requires indispensably that they should be united and I do not value my self in being descended from so many great Princes on any account so much as in my Unfeigned and true Zeal to pursue the footsteps of their Piety To support me in which design it is no small advantage to me to be back'd by the Will and Pleasure of my most Honour'd Lord and Father and the pious Intention of his Most Catholick Majesty both who are more than ordinarily concern'd to think of the great Calamities that must necessarily proceed from a Disunion among Christian Princes This the unexampled Prudence of Your Holiness has foreseen while you deem'd the Marriage between me and the Infanta of Spain to be so absolutely necessary for the Publick Good and nothing is more certain than that I shall be always most passionately desirous of an Alliance with a Prince who has the same Sentiments of the true Religion with my self wherefore I earnestly beg Your Holiness to believe that I have always been very far from encouraging any Novalties in Religion or from favouring any Faction opposite to the Interest of the Apostolick See but on the contrary have sought after all occasions to take away any suspitions or jealousies I might lie under being resolved to employ the remainder of my Days in the practise of one Religion and one Faith since we ought all to follow alike in Jesus Christ in pursuance whereof I shall for the future avoid no hazards and cheerfully undergo all manner of Inconveniencies even to the Exposing of my Life and Fortune upon an occasion that will undoubtedly be so acceptable and well-pleasing to God Nothing more remains but that I humbly thank Your Holiness for admitting me to this unworthy Address and I also earnestly beseech Almighty God to grant Your Holiness Health in this World and Eternal Happiness in that to come after so many Labours and Fatigues which your Holiness has undergone for the Propagation and Preservation of the Holy True Church Signed CHARLES R. The substance of the Articles of Peace made and concluded with the Irish Papists and Rebels by James Lord Marquess of Ormond for and on the behalf of His Majesty King Charles I. THE Substance of the Proclamation is That whereas the Lord Marquess of Ormond Lord Lieutenant of Ireland by virtue of an Authority given him by King Charles I. had agreed to a Peace on his said Majesties account with the General Assembly of Roman Catholicks of that Kingdom all the Inhabitants are obliged to take Notice thereof and to be Obedient to the same at their Peril Also that the Motives which induced that King to such a Peace were the Benefit and Traffick of his Subjects and to put a stop to the Miseries which they had so long undergone Sign'd Ormond and Dated from the Castle of Kilkenny the 17 th June 1648. The Substance of the Articles are That in consideration of his said Majesties having been acknowledg'd Rightful and Lawful Sovereign by his Dutiful and Loyal Subjects the Roman Catholicks of Ireland and for their hearty Proffers of doing him all imaginable service that King was pleas'd to Grant 1. That that they shall have the free Exercise of their Religion without being subject to any Penalties for the same That they shall not be forc'd to receive any other than what is Agreeable to their Conscience That they shall not be oblig'd to take the Oath of Supremacy but only bind themselves to be True and Faithful to the King as their Temporal Lord. Nevertheless the Lord Lieutenant does not pretend to alter the Established State of Spiritualities having no Authority for that purpose but however promises that the said Roman Catholicks shall not be interrupted in any of their Possessions and Jurisdictions till His Majesty upon a full consideration of their desires shall declare his further Pleasure in the next Free Parliament wherein also these gracious Confessions are to be Enacted as Laws 2. That a Free Parliament shall be call'd in Ireland within 6 Months or as soon after as 12 Persons nam'd in this Article or the major part of them shall desire and that in the mean time these Articles shall be inviolably observed as Laws Yet in case a Parliament be not held within 2 Years after the Date hereof then is the Lord Leiutenant at the Request of the said Twelve to Convene the General States for the better settling of Affairs in that Kingdom and that the Contents of these Articles are to be transmitted into England according to the usual Form to be passed in Parliament there and that no Alterations to the prejudice of the King 's Catholicks or Protestant Subjects shall be made either here or there other than what His Majesty shall declare his Pleasure in for the satisfaction of his Subjects or than such Matters as the then Lord Leiutenant shall propose to both or either Houses for the Advancement of His Majesties Service and the Peace of the Kingdom but which must