Traitors came not out till the beginning of January though that Rebellion broke out in October and then by special Command from Vs but fourty Copies were appointed to be printed It is well known where we were at that time when that Rebellion broke forth in Scotland that we immediately from thence recommended the care of that businesse to both Houses of Parliament here after We had provided for all fitting Supplies from our Kingdom of Scotland that after Our return hither We observed all those Forms for that service which We were advised to by Our Councel of Ireland or both Houses of Parliament here and if no Proclamation issued out sooner of which for the present We are not certain but think that others before that time were issued by Our directions it was because the Lords Iustices of that Kingdom desired them no sooner and when they did the number they disired was but twenty which they advised might be signed by Vs which We for expedition of the service commanded to be printed a circumstance not desired by them thereupon We signed more of them then Our Iustices desired all which was very well known to some Members of one or both Houses of Parliament who have the more to answer if they forbore to expresse it at the passing of this Declaration and if they did expresse it We have the greater reason to complain that so envious an aspersion should be cast upon Vs to Our People when they knew well how to answer their own Objection This was the Kings Answer to that point of the Parliaments Declaration concerning Ireland But the House of Commons in another Declaration though long after charge the King upon the same particular with more circumstances of aggravation as That although the Rebels had most impudently styled themselves The Queens Army and professed that the cause of their rising was To maintain the King's Prerogative and the Queens Religion against the Puritan Parliament of England and thereupon both Houses of Parliament did humbly and earnestly advise His Majestie to wipe away this dangerous Scandal by proclaiming them Rebels and Traitors to His Majestie and the Crown of England which then would have mated and weakned the Conspirators in the beginning and have encouraged both the Parliaments here and good people there the more vigorously to have opposed their proceedings yet such was the power of evil counsel about him that no Proclamation was set forth to that purpose till almost three months after the breaking out of this Rebellion and then Command given that but fourty should be printed nor they published till further direction should be given by His Majestie But the businesse of Ireland was more particularly touched in subsequent Declarations which in their due time and place may hereafter be related That Proclamation against the Irish Rebels came not out above two days before the King entred the House of Commons as is before expressed by which act so great a disturbance was made and the relief of Ireland so much retarded It was likewise complained of to the King by the House of Commons within three weeks after that since the Ports by order of both Houses as is before mentioned had been stopped against all Irish Papists many of the chief Commanders then in the Head of the Rebels had been suffered to passe by His Majesties immediate Warrant Of which the King cleared himself in Answer to them that by examining his own memory and the notes of his Secretaries he could not finde himself guilty of granting any such Warrants CHAP. III The Queen passeth into Holland with her daughter the Princesse MARY Difference between the King and Parliament concerning the Militia The King goeth toward York and is followed with a Petition from the Lords and Commons to Theobalds and another Declaration to Newmarket The King is denied entrance into Hull by Sir JOHN HOTHAM IT was wonderful that nothing at all could advance or further this great and necessary work of reducing Ireland when so many courses were propounded and undertaken as about the middle of February both Houses of Parliament had found a way which they conceived to be most substantial and firm to carry on that War namely by adventuring for proportions of Land in Ireland there being by their account within the four Provinces of Vlster Connaught Munster and Leinster two millions and an half of Acres of Land forfeitable from the Rebels in those Provinces to be shared among those Adventurers in the City of London or other Counties thereabout that would bring in or subscribe such Sums of money as were thought fit and which were upon good and serious consideration set down in particular whereby if an happie Conquest were made upon those bloody Rebels a large recompence might be made to all those English who either in Person of Purse had contributed to so good a work The King was well contented with these Propositions offâ—ring withal to go himself in Person into Ireland but that was not thought sitting by the Parliament and so far it passed that an Act was made to that purpose enabling the Parliament with power to carry on that War until Ireland should be declared to be wholly subdued and that no Peace or Cessation of Arms should be at any time made with those Rebels unlesse both Houses of Parliament assented to it But while these things were acting other businesse wherein the safety and security of England was concerned fell into debate which was touching the Militia of the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales to be setled in every County upon such persons as the Parliament should approve A Petition to this purpose was sent to the King presently after they had received a Message from him dated the twentieth of Ianuary wherein the King in fair language desires the Parliament since that particular Grievances and Distractions were too many and would be too tedious to be presented by themselves that they would comprise and digest them into one entire Body that so His Majestie and themselves might be able to make the more clear Iudgement of them and that it should then appear by what His Majestie would do how for he hath been from intending or designing any of those things which the too-great fears and jealousies of some persons seem to apprehend and how ready he would be to equal or exceed the greatest examples of most indulgent Princes in their Acts of Grace and Favour to the People This Message was received with thanks by the Parliament who resolved to take it into speedie and serious consideration But to enable them with security to discharge their duties in those affairs they desired the King to raise up to them a sure ground of safety and confidence by putting in the mean time the Tower with other principal Forts and the whole Militia of the Kingdom into the hands of such persons as the Parliament might trust and should be recommended to him by both Houses This Petition of theirs was not well
Franciscus Haraeus compiled Annals of the bloody and fierce Warres in the Netherlands when some of those Provinces fell from the obedience of Philip the second King of Spaine Which businesse he relates in such a way as must in probability lead a Reader to believe that the King and his Officers were altogether innocent and the people of those Countries the only causers of their own Calamity Meteranus wrote the History of those very times which who so reads must needs make a contrary censure concerning the occasion of that Warre The like discrepancy hath been found in Historians of all ages and Nations and therefore not to be much wondred at if it now happen But that which of all other is most likely to be differently related because informations will not agree in such a distance is concerning the actions of Warre and Souldiery and in the time of this Warre it is a thing of extreme difficulty I might say of impossibility for those of one Party to be truly informed of all the Councels or the very Performances and Actions of Commanders and Souldiers on the other side How much valour the English Nation on both sides have been guilty of in this unnaturall Warre the World must needs know in the generall fame But for particulars how much Worth Vertue and Courage some particular Lords Gentlemen and others have shewed unlesse both sides do write will never perfectly be known My residence hath bin during these Wars in the quarters and under the protection of the Parliament and whatsoever is briefly related of the Souldiery being toward the end of this Book is according to that light which I discerned there For whatsoever I have missed concerning the other Party I can make no other Apology then such as Meteranus whom I named before doth in the Preface to his History De Belguis tumultibus Whose words are thus Quòd plura de Reformatorum patriae defensorum quà m de Partis adversaere bus gestis exposuerìm mirum haudquaquam est quoniam plus Commercii familiaritatis mihi cum ipsis major indagandi opportunitas furt Si Pars adversaidem tali probitate praestiterit ediderit Posteritas gesta omnia legere liquido cognoscere magno cum fructu poterit In like manner may I averre that if in this discourse more particulars are set down concerning the actions of those men who defended the Parliament then of them that warred against it it was because my conversation gave me more light on that side to whom as I have indeavoured to give no more then what is due so I have cast no blemishes on the other nor bestowed any more characters then what the truth of Story must require If those that write on the other side will use the same candour there is no feare but that posterity may receive a full information concerning the unhappy distractions of these Kingdoms This I must adde that to inform the world of the right nature causes and growth of these Distractions it will require that the Discourse begin from precedent times which I shall indeavour to deduce down to the present with as much brevity as the necessity of unfolding truth can possibly admit Neither is it needful to begin the Story from times of any great distance or to mention the Government of our most ancient Princes but from that Prince fresh in the memory of some yet living who first established the Reformed Religion in this Kingdome and according to that 〈◊〉 a new interest in the State which was most behoofefull and requisite for her Successors to follow and much conducing besides the glory of Almighty God to their own Honour Power and Greatnesse THE CONTENTS BOOK I. CHAP. I. WHerein is a short mention of Queene Elizabeth King James and the beginning of King Charles his Reign His two first Parliaments Of the War with Spaine and France The death of the Duke of Buckingham And the third Parliament of King Charles 1 CHAP. II. A briefe Relation of some grievances of the Kingdome The various opinions of men concerning the present Government The condition of the Court and Clergy of England Some observations of a stranger concerning the Religion of the English people 15 CHAP. III. The condition of the Scottish State and Clergy when the new Booke of Lyturgy was sent unto them how it was received with some effects which followed The Kings Proclamation sent by the Earle of Traquare against which the Lords make a Protestation 27 CHAP. IV. The Scots enter into a Covenant The Marquesse Hamilton is sent thither from the King A Nationall Synod is granted to them but dissolved within few daies by the Marquesse as Commissioner from the King The King declares against the Covenanters and raises an Army to subdue them 38 CHAP. V. The 〈◊〉 of the English People from this Warre with Scotland 〈◊〉 King advanceth to Yorke with his Army The prepaâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 the Scottish Covenanters A Pacification is made and 〈◊〉 Armies disbanded Another Preparation for Warre with â—â—â—â—land A Parliament called to begin in England on the 13 of 〈◊〉 The Parliament of Scotland is broken off by command of 〈◊〉 to the Earle of Traquare 46 CHAP. VI. The Parliament beginneth in England but is soone dissolved The Clergy continue their Convocation The Scots enter into England Some passages of the War A Parliament is called to begin on the third of November A Truce between the Armies for two Moneths 58 CHAP. VII The beginning of the English Parliament Grievances examined Sufferers relieved Delinquents questioned The Archbishop of Canterbury committed to the Tower The flight of Secretary WINDEBANKE and of the Lord Keeper FINCH 70 CHAP. VIII The Tryall and death of the Earle of Strafford Conspiracies detected during the agitation of it An Act for continuance of this present Parliament With a mention of that Grant of the Trienniall Parliament in February before 87 CHAP. IX Allowance of money from the English Parliament to the Scots The vast Charge of disbanding the two Armies The great Taxations for that purpose and the manner of Poll Money The people take a Protestation An Act for putting down the High Commission Court and Starre-Chamber with other occurrences of that time The Queene Mother departeth England The King goeth into Scotland 103 BOOK II. CHAP. I. A Standing Committee during the Recesse of both Houses of Parliament The Rebellion of the Irish and Massacre of the â—testants there Some indeavours of the English Parliament 〈◊〉 relief of that Kingdom 1 CHAP. II. The King returneth out of Scotland and is pompoushly entertained by the City of London The Remonstrance is published by the Parliament The King entreth into the House of Commons The 〈◊〉 of the 12. Bishops and how it was censured by the Lords and Commons Divers unhappy obstructions of the relief of Ireland 16 CHAP. III. The Queen passeth into Holland with her Daughter the Princesse Mary Difference between the King and Parliament concerning the Militia The
The effect of that Protestation was for we cannot here insert it at large That the Service Booke was full of Superstition and Idolatry and ought not to be obtruded upon them without consent of a Nationall Synod which in such cases should judge That it was unjust to deny them liberty to accuse the Bishops being guilty of high crimes of which till they were cleered they did reject the Bishops as Judges or Governours of them They protested also against the High Commission Court and justified their owne meetings and superscriptions to Petitions as being to defend the glory of God the Kings Honour and Liberties of the Realme This Protestation was read in the Market place at Sterlin and the Copy hung up in publike CHAP. IV. The Scots enter into a Covenant The Marquesse HAMILTON is sent thither from the King A Nationall Synod is granted to them but dissolved within few daies by the Marquesse as Commissioner from the King The King declares against the Covenanters and raises an Army to subdue them FRom Sterlin the Commissioners resorted to Edenburgh whither many from all parts met to consult of the present businesse and concluded there to renew solemnly among them that Covenant which was commonly called The lesser confession of the Church of Scotland or The confession of the Kings family which was made and sealed under King JAMES his hand in the yeare 1580. afterwards confirmed by all the Estates of the Kingdome and Decree of the Nationall Synod 1581. Which Confession was againe subscribed by all sorts of persons in Scotland 1590. by authority of Councell and Nationall Synod and a Covenant added to it for defence of true Religion and the Kings Majesty which Covenant the aforesaid Lords Citizens and Pastours in the yeare 1638. did renew and tooke another according to the present occasion The Covenant it selfe expressed at large in the Records of that Kingdome consisted of three principall parts The first was a re-taking word for word of that old Covenant 1580. confirmed by Royall Authority and two Nationall Synods for defence of the purity of Religion and the Kings Person and Rights against the Church of Rome The second part contained an enumeration of all the Acts of Parliament made in Scotland in defence of the reformed Religion both in Doctrine and Discipline against Popery The third was an application of that old Covenant to the present state of things where as in that all Popery so in this all innovations in those Bookes of Lyturgy unlawfully obtruded upon them are abjured and a preservation of the Kings Person and Authority as likewise a mutuall defence of each other in this Covenant are sworne unto Against this Covenant the King much displeased made these foure principall objections First By what authority they entred into this Covenant or presumed to exact any Oath from their fellow Subjects Secondly if they had power to command the new taking of this Oath yet what power had they to interpret it to their present occasion it being a received Maxime That no lesse authority can interpret a Law then that which made it or the Judges appointed by that Authority to give sentence upon it Thirdly What power they had to adde any thing to it and interpose a new Covenant of mutuall assistance to each other against any other power that should oppose them none excepted And fourthly That all Leagues of Subjects among themselves without the privity and approbation of the King are declared to be seditious by two Parliaments in Scotland one of the tenth Parliament of JAMES the sixth Act the twelfth and the other the fifteenth Act of the ninth Parliament of Queene MARY What answer the Covenanters made to these objections and what arguments the King used to enforce the contrary are largely expressed in many writings being such indeed as not onely then but since in the sad calamities of England have been discoursed of in whole volumes containing all that can be said concerning the true Rights and Priviledges of Princes and People The Covenant notwithstanding was generally subscribed by all there present at Edenburgh in February 1638. and Copies of it sent abroad to those who were absent and so fast subscribed by them also that before the end of Aprill he was scarce accounted one of the Reformed Religion that had not subscribed to this Covenant And the Church and State were divided into two names of Covenanters and Non-Covenanters the Non-Covenanters consisting â—irst of Papists whose number was thought small in Scotland scarce exceeding six hundred Secondly some Statesmen in Office and favour at that time Thirdly someâ— who though they were of the Reformed Religion were greatly affected to the Ceremonies of England and Booke of Common-Prayer Many Bishops at that time came from thence to the Court of England and three Lords of the Councell of Scotland whom the King had sent for to advise about the affaires of that Kingdome where after many debates what course to take whether of reducing the Covenanters by Armes or using more gentle meanes The King at last sent the Marquesse HAMILTON together with those three Lords into Scotland The Marquesse arrived at Dulketh and within few daies entred Edenburgh in Iune being met and conducted into the City by a great multitude of all ranks in which number were seven hundred Pastors of Churches The Marquesse by the Kings Command dealt with the Covenanters to renounce their Covenant or else told them there was no hope to obtaine a Nationall Synod which they so much desired for setling of the Church which they affirmed could not be done without manifest perjury and profanation of Gods Name But when nothing was agreed upon they besought the Marquesse at his returne into England to present their humble desire to the King But before his departure in Iuly he published the Kings Proclamation wherein his Majesty protests to defend the Protestant Religion and that he would no more presse upon them the Booke of Canons or Service Booke but by lawfull Mediums That he would rectifie the High Commission and was resolved to take a speedy opportunity of calling both a Parliament and Synod When the Proclamation was ended the Covenanters read their Protestation of which the heads were That they never questioned his Majesties sincerity in the Protestant Religion That these grants of his were not large enough to cure the present distempers for he doth not utterly abolish that Service-Booke nor the High Commission being both obtruded against all Law upon them That their meetings are not to be condemned in opprobrious words being lawfull and such as they would not forsake untill the purity of Religion and peace might be fully setled by a free and Nationall Synod The Marquesse went into England to returne at a prefixed day the twelfth of August In the meane time the Scots keepe a solemne Fast and the Covenanters not hoping from the King so quick a call of a Nationall Synod as the present malady required published a writing wherein
the Lord MANDEVILL and the forenamed five Members by Sir WILLIAM KILLIGREW Sir WILLIAM FLEMEN and others in the Innes of Court and else where in the Kings name was an high breach of the priviledge of Parliament a great scandall to his Majesty and his Government a seditious act manifestly tending to the subversion of the Peace of the Kingdome and an injury and dishonour to the said Members there being no legall charge or accusation against them Whereas there is mention made in the late recited words of this Declaration concerning the Innes of Court we cannot omit that about the same time so unhappy a Genius of division reigned among all sorts there wanted not some men dis-affected to the Parliament who went up and down perswading the young Gentlemen of the Innes of Court to make offer of their service to the King as a guard of defence if any danger threatned his Person Upon which divers of those young Gentlemen to ingratiate themselves repaired to the Court and were kindly received by the King and Queen The Parliament at that time further declared That the Priviledges of Parliament and the Liberties of the Subject so violated and broken could not be fully and sufficiently vindicated unlesse his Majesty would be pâ—eased to discover the names of those persons who advised his Majesty to issue out such Warrants for sealing of the Chambers and Studies of the said five Members to send a Sergeant at Armes to the house of Commons to demand those members to issue out Warrants for their apprehension to come thither himself in Person to publish Articles in the forme of a Proclamation against the said Members in the fore-declared manner to the end that all such persons who advised him to these actions might receive condigne punishment According to this the Houses humbly desired his Majesty that he would so far satisfie their just and legall request as to let them know those informers for the Law in two severall Statutes provides that satisfaction that if in time of Parliament the King accuse a Member of the same of what crime soever he ought to signifie to the Parliament who were the informers but the King refused to do it Upon which the House of Commons examined his Atturny General Sir EDWARD HERBERT who had preferred the aforesaid Articles he confessed nothing to them concerning any other Person or informer but only that he received the Command from the King himself and knew nothing further of it The same the King testified concerning his said Attourny in a Letter to the Lord Keeper wherein he justifieth the Atturny his action as being no otherwise then the duty of a servant required But the Parliament made another judgement of it as namely that Sir EDWARD HERBERT had broken the Priviledge of Parliament in preferring the said Articles and done an illegal act upon which he was committed to prison These actions of the King did exceedingly afflict all honest Protestants especially at such a time when the affairs of bleeding Ireland did so much and so speedily require the assistance of England which must needs by these unhappy distractions be retarded and the totall losse of the Protestant Cause there much endangered But the City of London was not the least sensible of it who in a deep and sorrowfull apprehension of this designe Petitioned the King with an expression of all the fears and dangers which they conceived themselves in at that time The things which they enumerate in their Petition are That his Majesty had put out a Person of Honor and Trust from being Lieutenant of the Tower That he had lately fortified White-hall with men and munition in an unusuall manner Some of which men had abused with provoking language and with drawn swords wounded divers unarmed Citizens passing by To explain this branch of their Petition the Reader must be informed That the King the very next day after he had entred the House of Commons as aforesaid went in his Coach into the City of London whither he had heard that those five Members had retired themselves and was every where humbly entreated by the Citizens in flocks about his Coach That he would be pleased to agree with his Parliament and not infringe the Priviledge thereof The King perceiving which way the affections of the City went returned again to White-hall where he staid about a week after During which time by what advice or to what intention I cannot tell he built there a little Court of Guard and entertained some Gentlemen and others who as the Petition declares gave those affronts to divers Citizens that passed by They complain likewise in the Petition of the late endeavours used to the Innes of Court the calling in divers Canoniers and other assistants into the Tower the late discovery of divers Fire-works in the hands of a Papist But most of all say they our feares are encreased by your Majesties late going into the House of Commons attended with a great number of armed men besides your ordinary Guard for apprehending divers Members of that House to the endangering of your sacred Person and of the Persons and Priviledges of that Honorable Assembly The effects of all which fears tend not only to the overthrow of the whole trade of this City and Kingdom which your Petitioners already feel in a deep measure but also to the utter ruine of the Protestant Religion and the Lives and Liberties of all your loyall Subjects The Petitioners therefore most humbly pray your sacred Majesty that by the advice of your great Councell in Parliament the Protestants in Ireland may be speedily relieved the Tower put into the hands of Persons of Trust that by removall of doubtfull and unknown Persons from about White-hall and Westminster a known and approved Guard may be appointed for the safety of your Majesty and Parliament and that the Lord MANDEVILL and the five Members of the House of Commons lately accused may not be restrained of Liberty or proceeded against otherwise then according to the Priviledges of Parliament The King though he conceived this Petition as himself expressed of an unusuall nature yet willing to give content to the City returned a Gracious Answer to their particulars That for Ireland he conceived he had expressed as much care on his part as possibly he could and would not faâ—l for the future What he had done concerning the Tower had been to satisfie their fearâ— before in displacing one or good Trust and putting in another of unquestionable Reputation and what preparation of strength soever he made there was with as great an eye of safety and advantage to the City as to his own Person For his Guard entertained at White-hall he alleadged the disorderly and tumultuous conflux of people to Westminster to the danger of his Royall Person not punished at all by course of Law and if any Citizens were wounded he was assured it happened by their own ill demeanours that he knew no other endeavours to the Innes of
coming to the House of Commons to surprise those Members by all which they endeavour to prove their fears and jealousies grounded upon true substantial reasons and necessary for the safety the Common-wealth entrusted to them and that the Kings fear to reside neer London is altogether without ground and pretended for nothing but to perplex the Common-wealth proceeding from evil and traiterous Counsels affirming that His Majesties absence would cause men to believe that it was out of designe to discourage the undertakers and hinder the other provisions for relieving Ireland that it would hearten the Rebels there and all dis-affected persons in this Kingdom The King expressed much indignation when he received this Remonstrance complaining of the manner of it that it was onely an upbraiding not an invitation or perswasion of him to return to the Parliament and told them that in all ARISTOTLE'S Rhetoricks there was no such argument of Perswasion and that he would answer it in another Declaration which within few days after was drawn up and published wherein with deep protestations he vindicates the truth of his Religion and justifies his other proceedings denying those Warrants for transporting Master JERMYN and others in that manner which they urge them taxes them with their needlesse fears and uncertain expressions of advertisements from Rome Venice Paris and other places recites the many gracious Acts which he had already passed this Parliament to satisfie his People and protests in conclusion that he is most desirous to reside neer his Parliament and would immediately return to London if he could see or hear of any provisions made for his security The King sent them another Message from Huntingdon on the 15 of March being then upon his removal to the City of York wherein he expresses his care of Ireland and not to break the Priviledge of Parliament but chiefly to let them know that he understands his own Rights forbidding them to presume upon any pretence of Order or Ordinance to which he is no party concerning the Militia or any other thing to do or execute what is not warranted by those Laws and withal recommending to them the substance of his Message of the twentieth of Ianuary last that they compose and digest with all speed such Acts as they shall think fit for the present and future establishment of their Priviledges These were the heads of some Declarations Petitions and Answers for about this time and for three months after such Messages Remonstrances Petitions and Answers grew so voluminous upon all occasions as might recited verbatim make a large History Thus is the King gone to York while the Parliament sit at London declaring in vain and voting as they did upon receipt of his last Message by consent of both Houses 1. That the King's absence so far remote from his Parliament is not onely an obstruction but may be a destruction to the affairs of Ireland 2. That when the Lords and Commons in Parliament shall declare what the Law of the Land is to have this not onely questioned and controverted but contradicted and a Command that it should not be obeyed is an high breach of the Priviledge of Parliament 3. That they which advised the King to absent himself from the Parliament are enemies to the peace of this Kingdom and justly to be suspected as favourers of the Rebellion in Ireland It may seem strange to a Reader that the King without any but such bootlesse opposition as Pen and Paper can make against him even in the sight and notice of a Parliament whilst they not onely beheld his actions but seemed to discern the designes and foresee the effects which would flow from them could be able to carry the work on so clearly and so far until the whole Kingdom were thereby involved in a most calamitous and destructive War I will not presume to publish any opinion of mine own how or when this ruine of the Kingdom should have been prevented but onely relate what was then done that posterity hereafter may judge of it It was not unknown to the Parliament at least not unsuspected for it was usually talked among the people of that time that the Queen when she passed into Holland carried with her the Crown-Jewels to pawn or sell there which if she did they could not be ignorant what the intention was or what the effect was like to prove nor could it be unknown to them how unlawful the act was and therefore how fit to be prevented for they indicted her asterwards of high Treason for that fact and were able to tell the world in a Declaration how great a crime it is in a King himself to make away the Ornaments of the Crown and in particular the Jewels of it yea in such Kings as did it onely to spend or give away not to maintain War against their own People for whose preservation not onely those but whatsoever they possesse was first bestowed on them They seemed to oppose the Prince his departure from Hampton-Court to attend the King his Father into the North because it might increase fears and jealousies in the People but the King carried him away Above all the rest they were not ignorant how wonderful an obstruction to all businesse of Parliament and to the setling of England or relieving of Ireland that far removal of the Kings Person from the Parliament must needs prove and which themselves sufficiently expressed That the very Journey it self though no worse designe were in it was in no kinde excusable as most inconvenient for the reasons aforesaid and convenient in nothing that was ever alleadged for it Yet the King passed quietly thither One designe of the King which indeed was thought the chief of that his Northern Expedition was prevented by the Parliament by an open and forcible way which was the seizing upon the strong Town and Fort of Hull with all that Magazine of Arms which was there deposited But it was very remarkable what means had been used on both sides to prevent if it had been possible that open denial of the King's entrance into Hull and that the matter should not have come so far Which the King conceived so great an affront to him that it grew the subject of many large and voluminous Declarations afterward from either Part. For the prevention of that before it happened the King from York had sent a Message to the Parliament upon the eighth of April 1642 that he intended to go in Person over into Ireland to chastise by force of Arms those barbarous and bloodie Rebels and to that purpose he thought fit to advertise the Parliament that he intended to raise forthwith by his Commissions in the Counties neer Westchester a Guard for his own Person when he should come into Ireland consisting of two thousand Foot and two hundred Horse which he would arm at Westchester from his Magazine of Hull But at the same time the Lords and Commons in Parliament had sent a Petition to the King
slaine That Commission of Array was directed from the King to Sir NICHOLAS CRISPE Sir GEORGE STROUD Knights to Sir THOMAS GARDINER Knight Recorder of London Sir GEORGE BINION Knight RICHARD EDES and MARMADUKE ROYDEN Esquires THOMAS BROWNE PETER PAGGON CHARLES GENNINGS EDWARD CARLETON ROBERT ABBOT ANDREW KING WILLIAM WHITE STEVEN BOLTON ROBERT ALDEM EDMUND FOSTER THOMAS BLINKHORNE of London Gentlemen and to all such other persons as according to the true intent and purport of that Commission should be nominated and appointed to be Generals Colonels Lieutenant Colonels Serjeant Majors or other Officers of that Councell of Warre The Commission it selfe is to be read at large in the Parliament Records But this Conspiracy was prevented and proved fatall to some of the Contrivers being detected upon the last day of May which happened at that time to be the day of the Monethly Fast and Master WALLER Master TOMKINS with other of the forenamed Conspirators being apprehended were that night examined by divers grave Members of the Parliament of whom Master PYM was one and afterwards reserved in custody for a Tryall They were arraigned in Guild-Hall and Master WALLER Master TOMKINS Master CHALLONER Master HASELL Master WHITE and Master BLINKHORNE were all condemned none were executed but Master TOMKINS and Master CHALLONER being both hanged Master TOMKINS in Holborne and Master CHALLONER in Cornhill both within sight of their own dwelling houses Master HASELL dyed in Prison BLINKHORNE and the other were by the mercy of the Parliament and the Lord Generall Essex reprived and saved afterwards Master WALLER the chiefe of them was long detained Prisoner in the Tower and about a yeare after upon payment of a Fine of ten thousand pounds was pardoned and released to go travell abroad It was much wondered at and accordingly discoursed of by many at that time what the reason should be why Master WALLER being the principall Agent in that Conspiracy where Master TOMKINS and Master CHALLONER who had been drawne in by him as their own Confessions even at their deaths expressed were both executed did escape with life The onely reason which I could ever heare given for it was That Master WALLER had been so free in his Confessions at the first without which the Plot could not have been clearly detected That Master PYM and other of the Examiners had ingaged their promise to do whatever they could to preserve his life He seemed also much smitten in conscience and desired the comfort of godly Minister being extremely penitent for that soule offence and afterwards in his Speech to the House when he came to be put out of it much be wailed his offence thanking God that so mischievous and bloody a Conspiracy was discovered before it could take effect CHAP. III. Matters of State trans-acted in Parliament touching the Assembly of Divines The making of a new Great Seale Impeaching the Queene of High Treason and other things The Lord Generall Essex after some Marches returneth to quarter his wasted and sick Army about Kingston The Kings Forces Masters of the West The Earl of Newcastle his greatnesse in the North. Some mention of the Earle of Cumberland and the Lord FAIRFAX AT the same time that these Conspiracies were closely working to undermine the Parliament and Warre was raging in highest fury throughout the Kingdome many State-businesses of an unusuall nature had been trans-acted in the Parliament sitting For things were growne beyond any president of former ages and the very foundations of Government were shaken according to the sense of that Vote which the Lords and Commons had passed a yeare before That whensoever the King maketh Warre against the Parliament it tendeth to the dissolution of this Government Three things of that unusuall nature fell into debate in one moneth which was May 1643. and were then or soone after fully passed one was at the beginning of that moneth concerning the Assembly of Divines at Westminster Among other Bils which had passed both Houses and wanted onely the Royall Assent that was one That a Synod of Divines should be chosen and established for the good and right settlement of Religion with a fit Government for the Church of England This Bill was oft tendred to the King to passe but utterly refused by him The matter therefore was fully argued what in such cases might be done by Authority of Parliament when the Kingdomes good is so much concerned when a King refuseth and wholly absenteth himselfe from the Parliament And at last it was brought to this conclusion That an Ordinance of Parliament where the King is so absent and refusing is by the Lawes of the Land of as good Authority to binde the people for the time present as an Act of Parliament it selfe can be It was therefore Voted by the Lords and Commons That the Act for an Assembly of Divines to settle Religion and a forme of Government for the Church of England which the King had oft refused to passe should forthwith be turned into an Ordinance of Parliament and the Assembly thereby called debate such things for the settlement of Religion as should be propounded to them by both Houses which not long after was accordingly put in execution The case seemed of the same nature with that of Scotland in the yeare 1639. when the Scottish Covenanters as is before mentioned in this History upon the Kings delay in calling their Nationall Synod published a writing to that purpose That the power of calling a Synod in case the Prince be an Enemy to the truth or negligent in promoting the Churches good is in the Church it selfe In the same moneth and within few daies after another businesse of great consequence was by the Lords and Commons taken into consideration which was the making of a new Great Seale to supply the place of that which had been carried away from the Parliament as before is mentioned This businesse had been fully debated in the House of Commons and the Moneth following at a Conference between both Houses the Commons declared to the Lords what great prejudice the Parliament and whole Kingdome suffered by the absence of the Great Seale and thereupon desired their speedy compliance in Votes for the making of a new one The matter was debated in the House of Peeres put to Votes and carried for the negative The onely reason which they alleadged against the making of a new Seale was this That they have hitherto dispatched all business since the absence of the Seale by vertue of Ordinances of Parliament and they conceived that the same course might still be kept in what matters soever were necessary to be expedited for the good of the Kingdome without a Seale Yet the Lords gave a respective answer That if the House of Commons would informe them in any particular cases wherein the Kingdomes prejudice by absence of the Great Seale could not be remedied by vertue of an Ordinance they would take it into further consideration to induce complyance accordingly Neither was
it long before the Lords upon reasons shewed concurred with the House of Commons who about the beginning of Iuly presented to the Lords at a Conference the Votes Which had before passed in their House together with the reasons for making of a new Great Seale The Votes were these Resolved upon the Question June 14. 26. 1. THat the Great Seale of England ought to attend the Parliament 2. That the absence of it hath been a cause of great mischiefe to the Common-wealth 3. That a remedy ought to be provided for these mischiefs 4. That the proper remedy is by making a new Great Sale The reasons which they gave were divided into two branches The first declaring those mischiefes which were occasioned by conveying away the Great Seale from the Parliament The second expressing those inconveniences and mischiefes which proceeded from the want of the Great Seale with them The reasons of the first kinde were thus 1. It was secretly and unlawfully carried away by the Lord Keeper contrary to the duty of his place who ought himselfe to have attended the Parliament and not to have departed without leave nor should have been suffered to convey away the Great Seale if his intentions had been discovered 2. It hath been since taken away from him and put into the hands of other dangerous and ill-affected persons so as the Lord Keeper being sent unto by the Parliament for the sealing of some Writs returned answer That he could not Seale the same because he had not the Seale in his keeping 3. Those who have had the managing thereof have imployed it to the hurt and destruction of the Kingdome many waies as by making new Sheriffes in an unusuall and unlawfull manner to be as so many Generals or Commanders of Forces raised against the Parliament by issuing out illegall Commissions of Array with other unlawfull Commissions for the same purpose By sending sorth Proclamations against both Houses of Parliament and severall Members thereof proclaiming them Traytors against the Priviledges of Parliament and Laws of the Land By sealing Commission of Oyer and Terminer to proceed against them and other of His Majesties good Subjects adhering to the Parliament as Traytors By sending Commissions into Ireland to treat a peace with the Rebels there contrary to an Act of Parliament made this Session Besides divers other dangerous Acts passed under it since it was secretly conveyed away from the Parliament whereby great calamities and mischiefes have ensued to the prejudice of the Kingdome Mischiefes arising through want of the Great Seale 1. The Termes have been adjourned the course of Justice obstructed 2. No originall Writs can be sued forth without going to Oxford which none who holds with the Parliament can do without perill of his life or Liberty 3. Proclamations in Parliament cannot issue out for bringing in Delinquents impeached of High Treason or other crimes under paine of forfeiting their Estates according to the ancient course 4. No Writs of Errour can be brought in Parliament to reverse erroneous judgements nor Writs of Election sued out for chusing new Members upon death or removall of any whereby the number of the Members is much lessened and the Houses in time like to be dissolved if speedy supply be not had contrary to the very Act for continuance of this Parliament 5. Every other Court of Justice hath a peculiar Seale and the Parliament the Supreme Court of England hath no other but the Great Seale of England which being kept away from it hath now no Seale at all and therefore a new Seale ought to be made 6. This Seale is Clavis Regni and therefore ought to be resident with the Parliament which is the representative Body of the whole Kingdome whilest it continues sitting the King as well as the Kingdom being alwaies legally present in it during the Session thereof The Lords upon these reasons concurred with the House of Commons and order was given that a new Great Seale should forthwith be made which was accordingly done It should seeme the King was not well pleased with this action of the Parliament as appeared by what was done at Oxford above a yeare after when the King assembled together the Lords which were with him and all those Gentlemen that had been Members of the House of Commons and had deserted the Parliament at Westminster whom the King called his Parliament at Oxford and propounded many things for them to debate upon amongst which it was taken into debate and resolved upon the Question by that Assembly at Oxford That this very action which they stile counterfeiting the Great Seale was Treason and the whole Parliament at Westminster eo facto guilty of High Treason But this was passed at Oxford long after of which occasion may be to speak further hereafter But at the time when the Parliament made their new Great Seale the people stood at gaze and many wondered what might be the consequence of so unusuall a thing Some that wholly adhered to the Parliament and liked well that an action so convenient and usefull to the present state was done by them looked notwithstanding upon it as a sad marke of the Kingdomes distraction and a signe how irreconcileable the difference might grow betweene the Parliament and the Kings Person For the legality or justnesse of making of the Seale there was little dispute or argument among those who were not disaffected to the Parliament and though there were no direct or plaine precedent for it for the case of a Kings being personally in Warre against the Parliament sitting was never before yet by comparison with other times when the necessities of State have required such a thing it was not onely allowed but thought requisite I do not know of any thing written against it by any Lawyers or other of the Kings Party but Master PRYNNE a learned Lawyer and great Antiquary of the Parliament side hath written a copious discourse in justification of it both by arguments of reason and many neere-resembling precedents of former times called The opening of the Great Seale of England which is extant to be read by any that would be satisfied what power from time to time Parliaments have challenged and been allowed over that Seale both in making of it in the infancy or absence of Princes and disposing of it in the dotage or wilfulnesse of others But before this businesse was fully concluded another thing which seemed as great a signe how wide the rent was growne fell into debate in the House of Commons Some time was spent in consultation about it and much arguing on both sides The matter was about charging the Queene of High Treason To that purpose many Articles of an high nature were drawne up against her some of them were That she had pawned the Crowne Jewels in Holland That she had raised the Rebellion in Ireland That she had indeavoured to raise a Party in Scotland against the Parliament That she had gone in the head of
those licentious extravagances which unto that age and foâ—tune are not only incident but almost thought excusable But some men suspended their hopes as doubting what to finde of a Prince so much and so long reserved for he had never declared himselfe of any Faction or scarse interposed in any State affaires though some things had been managed in his fathers Reigne with much detriment to his owne present and future fortunes Yet that by the people in generall was well censured as an effect of his piety and obedience to the King his father and happy presages gathered from it That so good an obeyer would prove a just Ruler They wondered also to see him suddenly linked in such an intire friendship with the Duke of BUCKINGHAM for extraordinary Favourites do usually eclipse and much depresse the Heire apparent of a Crowne or else they are conceived so to do and upon that reason hated and ruined by the succeeding Prince in which kinde all ancient and moderne Stories are full of examples In the beginning of King CHARLES his Reigne a Parliament was called and adjourned to Oxford the plague raging extremely at London where the Duke of BUCKINGHAM was highly questioned but by the King not without the griefe and sad presage of many people that private affections would too much prevaile in him against the publike he was protected against the Parliament which for that onely purpose was dissolved after two Subsidies had been given and before the Kingdome received reliefe in any one grievance as is expressed in the first and generall Remonstrance of this present Parliament where many other unhappy passages of those times are briefly touched as that the King immediately after the dissolution of that Parliament contrived a Warre against Spaine in which the designe was unhappily laid and contrary to the advice which at that time had been given by wise men who perswaded him to invade the West Indies a way no doubt farre more easie and hopefull for England to prevaile against Spaine then any other instead of that the King with great expence of Treasure raised an Army and Fleet to assault Cales the Duke of BUCKINGHAM bearing the Title both of Admirall and Generall though he went not himselfe in person but the matter was so ordered that the expedition proved altogether successelesse and as dishonourable as expensive They complained likewise of another designe which indeed was much lamented by the people of England in generall about that time put in practice a thing destructive to the highest interest of the Nation the maintenance of Protestant Religion a Fleet of English Ships were set forth and delivered over to the French by whose strength all the Sea forces of Rochell were scattered and destroyed a losse to them irrecoverable and the first step to their ruine Neither was this loane of Ships from England for such was the peoples complaint and suspition against those who at that time stood at the Helme supposed to proceed so much from friendship to the State of France as from designe against Religion for immediately upon it the King by what advice the people understood not made a breach with France by taking their Ships to a great value without making any recompence to the English whose Goods were thereupon imbarr'd and confiscate in that Kingdome In revenge of this a brave Army was raised in England and commanded by the Duke of BUCKINGHAM in person who landing at the Isle of Rhea was at the first encounter victorious against the French but after few Moneths stay there the matter was so unhappily carried the Generall being unexperienced in Warlike affaires that the French prevailed and gave a great defeat where many gallant Gentlemen lost their lives and the Nation much of their ancient Honour From thence proceeded another step to the ruine of Rochell the sick and wounded English were sent into that City and relieved by the besieged Rochellers out of that little provision which they then had upon faithfull promise of supplies from England in the same kinde The provisions of Rochell were little enough for their owne reliefe at that time if we consider what ability the French King had to continue that siege when to the proper wealth and greatnesse of his Crowne was added that reputation and strength which his late successe against all the other Protestant Garrisons in France had brought The besieged Rochellers not doubting at all of the due and necessary supply of Victuall from England sent their Ships thither for that purpose but those Ships whose returne with bread was so earnestly expected were stayed in England by an Imbargo and so long stayed till that unhappy Towne was enforced to yeeld by famine the sharpest of all Enemies But in the meane time whilest these Ships with Victuall were detained a great Army was raised in England for reliefe of Rochell but too great was the delay of those preparations till time was past and that Army in the end disbanded by the sad death of the Duke of BUCKINGHAM their Generall who was stabbed at Portsmouth by a private Gentleman JOHN FELTON This FELTON was a Souldier of a low stature and no promising aspect of disposition serious and melancholly but religious in the whole course of his life and conversation which last I do not mention out of purpose to countenance his unlawfull act as supposing him to have had as some did then talke any inspiration or calling of God to it His confessions to his friends both publike and private were That he had often secret motions to that purpose which he had resisted and prayed against and had almost overcome untill he was at last confirmed in it by reading the late dissolved Parliaments Remonstrance against the Duke That then his conscience told him it was just and laudable to be the executioner of that man whom the highest Court of Judicature the representative body of the Kingdome had condemned as a Traytor But let Posterity censure it as they please certain it is that FELTON did much repent him of the unlawfulnesse of the fact out of no feare of death or punishment here for he wished his hand cut off before the execution which his Jugdes could not doome by the Lawes of England The King had not long before broken off another Parliament called in the second yeare of his Reigne in which the Petition of Right was granted to the great rejoycing of the people But it proved immediately to be no reliefe at all to them for the Parliament presently dissolved the King acted over the same things which formerly he had done and that grant instead of fortifying the Kingdomes Liberty made it appeare to be more defencelesse then before that Lawes themselves were no barre against the Kings will The Parliament in hope of gracious Acts had declared an intent to give his Majesty five Subsidies the full proportion of which five Subsidies was after the dissolution of that Parliament exacted by Commission of Loane from the people and those
imprisoned which refused the payment of that Loane Great summes of money were required and raised by privy Scales A Commission for squeezing the Subject by way of Excize Souldiers were billited upon them And a designe laid to inslave the Nation by a force of German Horse with many other things of that nature Those affaires of State which concerned Conâ—ederates abroad had been managed with as much disadvantage and infelicity to them as dishonour to the English Nation and prejudice to the Cause of Religion it selfe Peace was made with Spaine without consent of Parliament by which all hope was utterly lost of re-establishing the Kings neerest kinred in their just Dominion and the Protestant Religion much weakened in Germany What Counsells had then influence upon the Court of England might be the amazement of a wise man to consider and the plaine truth must needs seeme a paradox to posterity as that the Protestant Religion both at home and abroad should suffer much by the Government of two Kings of whom the former in his own person wrote more learnedly in defence of it and the latter in his owne person lived more conformably to the Rules of it then any of their Contemporary Princes in Europe But the Civill Affaires of State were too ill managed to protect or at least to propagate true Religion or else the neglect of Religion was the cause that Civill Affaires were blessed with no more honour and prosperity The right waies of Queen ELIZABETH who advanced both had been long ago forsaken and the deviation grew daily farther and more fatall to the Kingdom Which appeared in a direct contrariety to all particulars of her Reigne Titles of Honour were made more honourable by her in being conferred sparingly and therefore probably upon great desert which afterwards were become of lesse esteem by being not onely too frequently conferred but put to open sale and made too often the purchase of Mechannicks or the reward of vitious persons At the death of that Duke the people were possessed with an unusuall joy which they openly testified by such expressions as indeed were not thought fit nor decent by wise men upon so tragicall and sad an accident which in a christian consideration might move compassion whatsoever the offences of the man were To such people that distick of Seneca might give answer Res est sacra miser noli mea tangere fata Sacrilegae Bustis abstinuere manus Sacred is woe touch not my death with scorne Even sacrilegious hands have Tombs forborne And it may be that God was offended at the excesse of their joy in that he quickly let them see the benefit was not so great to them as they expected by it but his judgements are too high for men to search True it is that the people in generall loving the Kings Person and very unwilling to harbour the least opinion of ill in him looked upon the Duke as the onely hinderance of the Kingdomes happinesse supposing that though other Statesmen might afterwards arise of as bad or worse intentions then the Duke yet none would have so great a power for execution of them nor any other Genius be ever found to have so great a mastery over the Kings Genius But it is certaine that men did much therefore rejoyce at the death of this Duke because they did before much feare what mischiefe might befall a Kingdome where that man who knew himselfe extreamly hated by the people had all the keyes of the Kingdome in his hand as being Lord Admirall and Warden of the Cinque-Ports having the command of all the Souldiers and the onely power to reward and raise them These joyes and hopes of men lasted not long for in the same yeer being the fourth of King CHARLES and after the death of the Duke of BUCKINGHAM another Parliament was dissolved and then the Priviledges of that high Court more broken then ever before Six Members of the House of Commons who had been forward in vindicating the Priviledges of Parliament were committed close Prisoners for many moneths together without the liberty of using books pen inke and paper while they were detained in this condition and not admitted Bayle according to Law They were also vexed with informations in inferiour Courts where they were sentenced and fined for matters done in Parliament and the payment of such Fines extorted from them Some were enforced to put in security of good behaviour before they could be released The rest who refused to be bound were detained divers yeares after in custody of whom one Sir JOHN ELLIOT a Gentleman of able parts that had been forwardest in expression of himselfe for the freedome of his Country and taxing the unjust actions of the Duke of BUCKINGHAM while that Duke lived though the truth be that the 〈◊〉 of his were no other then what carried 〈◊〉 consent in them dyed by the harshnesse of his imprisonment which would admit of no relaxation though for healths sake he petitioned for it often and his Physitian gave in testimony to the same purpose The freedome that Sir JOHN Eâ—â—OT used in Parliament was by the people in generall applauded though much taxed by the Courtiers and censur'd by some of a more politike reserve considering the times in that kind that TACITUS censures THRASEAS POETUS as thinking such freedom a needlesse and therefore a foolish thing where no cure could be hoped by it Sibi periculum nec aliis libertatem After the breaking off this Parliament as the Historian speaketh of Roman liberty after the battell of PHILIPPI nunquam post hoc praelium c. the people of England for many years never looked back to their ancient liberty A Declaration was published by the king wherein aspertions were laid upon some Members but indeed the Court of Parliament it selfe was declared against All which the dejected people were forced to read with patience and allow against the dictate of their own reason The people of England from that time were deprived of the hope of Parliaments and all things so managed by publike Officers as if never such a day of account were to come I shall for methods sake first of all make a short enumeration of some of the chiefe grievances of the Subjects which shall be truly and plainly related as likewise some vices of the Nation in generall that the Reader may the better judge of the causes of succeeding troubles during the space of seven or eight yeares after the dissolution of that Parliament and then give some account concerning the severall dispositions of the people of ENGLAND and their different censures of the Kings government during those years touching by thâ—â—â—â—â—mewhat of 〈◊〉 manners and customs of the 〈◊〉 ENGLAND and then briefly of the condition of Ecclesiasticall affaires and the censures of men concerning that CHAP. II. A briefe Relation of some grievances of the Kingdome The various opinions of men concerning the present Government The condition of the Court and Clergy of England Some
pounds and the rest of the Clergy according to their abilities proportionably to make up the summe Certaine it is it was not in any substantiall way advantagious to the King but onely to give them time and opportunity to taxe the Clergy in Money for supplying his Majesty in the Warre then on foot against the Scots The King must needs be driven to a great exigent at that time having so expensive a Warre in hand and wanting the assistance of Parliament The courses that were then taken by the King to supply that defect were partly the contribution of the Clergy to whom that Warre was lesse displeasing then to the Laity Collections were made among the Papists Writs of Ship-money were issued out againe in a greater proportion then before great Loanes were attempted to be drawne from the City of London to which purpose the names of the richest Citizens were by command returned to the Councell Boord But these waies being not sufficient some other were made use of which were of a nature more unusuall as the seizing of Bolloine in the Tower the Lord COTTINGTON also for the Kings use tooke up a great Commodity of Pepper at the Exchange to be sold againe at an under rate A consultation was also had of coyning 400000. l. of base Money upon allegation that Queen ELIZABETH had done the like for her Irish Warres but the King waved that upon reasons which the Merchants gave of the inconveniencies of it The Scots hearing of the breach of this English Parliament thought it high time to provide for their owne safety and being restrained in their Trade and impoverished by losse of Ships seized in divers parts resolve to enter England with a sword in one hand and a Petition in the other signifying in the meane time to the people of England in two large Remonstrances what their intentions were to that Nation and the reasons of their entrance which who so pleases may reade at large in their printed Booke When the King had notice of the Scots intentions a Fleet was forthwith sent to annoy the Maritime Coasts of Scotland and a Land Army to meet at Yorke where the Earle of STRAFFORD as President of the North commanded in Chief though the Earle of NORTHUMBERLAND at the time of raising the Army was named Generalissimo but for want of health could not be present A great Magazine of Ammunition had been sent to Hull Newcastle and Berwick the Castle of Edenburgh being kept by RIVEN a firme man to the Kings side But in the Expedition of the Kings Army towards the North it was a marvellous thing to observe in divers places the aversenesse of the Common Souldiers from this Warre Though Commanders and Gentlemen of great quality in pure obedience to the King seemed not at all to dispute the cause or consequence of this Warre the Common Souldiers would not be satisfied questioning in a mutinous manner Whether their Captaines were Papists or not and in many places were not appeased till they saw them receive the Sacrament laying violent hands on divers of their Commanders and killing some uttering in bold speeches their distaste of the Cause to the astonishment of many that common people should be sensible of publike Interest and Religion when Lords and Gentlemen seemed not to be By this backwardnesse of the English Common Souldiers it came to passe that the Warre proved not so sharpe and fatall to both Nations as it might otherwise have done Some blood was shed but very little first at Newburne a Towne five miles distant from Newcastle where part of the English Army encamped to intercept the passage of the Scots as they marched toward Newcastle But many of the English Souldiers forsooke their Commanders and â—led sooner then the use of that Nation is to do in Warre But the English Horse made good a fight and with great courage and resolution charged upon the Scots but all in vaine their number being too small In this Skirmish which happened upon the 28. of August the number of men slaine on both sides is not related either by the English or Scottish Relation but certaine it is that it was not great Three valiant and active Commanders of the English Army were taken Prisoners Colonell WILMOT Sir JOHN DIGBY and ONEALE the two latter being Papists and both Captaines of Horse This fight opened that rich Towne of Newcastle to the Scots and within few daies after they put a Garrison into Durham commanded by the Earle of Dumferling and taking that Fort of Newcastle upon Tine intercepted some Ships which were newly arrived there with Provision of Corne for the Kings Army Some blood was also shed about the same time when part of the English Garrison at Berwick hearing that some Ammunition was layed up in a little Towne of Scotland Dunsian made an attempt upon it but found it better fortified then was expected and were repelled with some slaughter from whence hearing that a greater power of Scots was making toward them under the command of the Lord HADINTON who unfortunately perished afterward blowne up with powder at Dunglasse they returned to Berwick The King during these Skirmishes had by Proclamation warned all the English Nobility with their followers and Forces to attend his Standard at Yorke against the Scots the 20. of September where whilest himselfe in Person resided he received an humble Petition from the Scots containing an expression of their loyalty to him and the innocence of their intentions toward England But their expressions were in such generall termes that the King returned answer to the Earle of LANURICK Secretary for Scotland Commanding them to specifie their demands more particularly Which whilest the Scots prepared to do it pleased God to open the hearts of many English Lords who considering and bewailing the great calamity and dishonour which England was then throwne into by these unhappy proceedings of the King framed an humble Letter subscribed by all their hands and sent it to His Majesty wherein they represent to him the miserable condition of the Kingdome and mischiefes attending that wicked Warre as the danger of his Person the waste of his Revenue the burden of his Subjects the rapines committed by that Army which he had raised wherein Papists and others ill-affected to Religion are armed in Commands who are not by the Lawes permitted to have Armes in their owne houses The great mischiefe which may fall upon the Kingdome if his intentions which are reported of bringing in Irish and forraigne Forces should take effect The urging of Ship-money The multitude of Monopolies and other Patents to the great and universall grievance of his people The great griefe of the Subjects for the long intermission of Parliaments for dissolving of the last and former dissolutions of such as have been called without any good effect For remedy whereof and for prevention of future dangers to his owne Royall Person and the whole State they humbly intreat his Majesty That he would be pleased
people take a Protestation An Act for putting downe the High Commission Court and Starre-Chamber with other occurrences of that time The Queene Mother departeth England The King goeth into Scotland THe Parliament conceiving themselveâ— somewhat strengthened and secured by by that Act of continuance began to fall upon the maine businesse of the Kingdome but their first desire was to ease themselves of that unsupportable charge of keeping two Armies in pay It was therefore resolved that both the Armies should forthwith be disbanded The Earle of Holland was nominated by the King and well approved of by the Parliament to go down as Generall for disbanding of the English And for the speedy disbursement of so great a summe which was to be raised out of the Poll-Money of which I shall speake anon and the â—ix Subsidies much Plaâ—e was appointed with more then ordinary haste to be melted and coyned The Reader will here perchance desire to be satisfied by what meanes the Scottish Army which the King in the beginning of the Parliament was so dâ—sirous to have driven out of the Kingdome and stiled Rebells should continue undisbanded till this time The Cessation of Armes which was made before to expire about the end of December last was at that time renewed by the Parliament for a Moneth longer who presently after tooke it into consideration that the Scots should be satisfied for all their charges they had been at and losses sustained since that unhappy Warre that the King had raised against them In the February following after a serious debate concerning that businesse the necessities of the Scots being well weighed and their demands considered it was not onely agreed that their Ships taken since that Warre should be restored and 4000. l. in ready money given to them to rigge those Ships but for the maine of all it was resolved upon by both Houses to give the full summe of 300000. l. in these words expressed Towards a supply of the losses and necessities of our Brethren of Scotland and that the Parliament would in due time take into consideration the manner of raising and daies of payment Whereupon the Scottish Commissioners three daies after returned thankfulnesse to the Parliament not onely for that great summe of 300000. l. but for the stile of Brethren which they had given them And the same weeke to continue and further strengthen the amity of both Nations the Parliament of England Ordained that all Books Libels and Proclamations against the Scots should be called in and a thanksgiving to God should be in all Churches thorow England for the happy conclusion of that peace But before the time came that the Parliament pressed with so many great and weighty Affaires could have leisure to consider and fully determine the times for payment of that great summe to the Scots which was not till the 19. day of the following Iune when it was concluded that they should receive 100000 l. of it at Midsomer come twelve Moneth and the other 200000. l. at Midsomer two yeares after the Scots presented many Papers to the House at severall times for money to supply the wants of their Army which were friendly entertained and considered by the Parliament for that Army was kept long undisbanded insomuch as about the end of the following May there was in Arreare due to the Scottish Army besides the gift of 300000 l 120000. l. So great a charge was the Parliament of England content to be at rather then suffer the Scots to go till businesses were better setled which gave occasion to many of the Clergy and others not well affected to them not onely in discourse but written Libels to taxe the Parliament and impute it to them as a crime of too much distrust of the King and that they kept a forraigne Army to awe their owne Prince But certaine it is that since that time when the forenamed Conspiracies began to breake out the Houses not well assured of the King nor fully trusting the English Army were content that the Scots should not be disbanded untill the other were being also doubtfull of that Irish Army which the King as is before expressed had told them he could not disband for some reasons best knowne to himselfe Nor was that Army of Scots disbanded till August at the same time when the English Army was by the Earle of Holland appointed Generall to that purpose And both the Armies quietly departed conducted to their owne homes by Order from Justices of Peace through the severall Counties To defray so vast a charge as the payment of two great Armies the Parliament besides the grant of six Subsidies imposed a Taxe seldome or never knowne which was that of the Poll-Money wherein the whole Kingdome were to be personally assessed Every Duke at 100 l. a Marquesse at 80 l. Earles at 60 l. Viscounts and Barons at 40 l. Knights of the Bathe 30 l. other Knights 20 l. Esquires 10 l. every Gentleman dispending 100 l. per annum was seized at 5 l. and all others of ability to pay a competent proportion the meanest head of the whole Kingdome was not excused under six pence This Bill of Poll-Money was offered by the Houses to the King together with two other of great concernment one for putting downe the High Commission Court and the other for putting downe the Starre-Chamber But the King shewed some reluctancy in that businesse desiring to passe only that Bill of Poll-Money for the present and to deliberate about passing of the other two At which the House of Commons being certified so much by the Lords were not well contented and voted that his Majesty should passe all three or none at all Notwithstanding the King upon the second of Iuly did accordingly passe the Poll-Money and demurred upon the other two But understanding that the matter was so ill taken and loath upon mature deliberation to displease the Kingdome at that time he came againe upon the following Tuesday being the fifth of Iuly and passed the other two for putting downe the High Commission and Starre-Chamber Many of the Courtiers and neerest servants about the King were very sorry that his Majesty seeing that he passed those two Bills so soone after had not freely done it at the same time as was desired together with the Poll-Money Because it might be thought an unwillingnesse in him and that his heart which was then feared did not perfectly concurre with his Peoples desires Whereby much of the thanks which so great a grace freely and forwardly expressed might have deserved did seeme in a manner lost The King therefore at the passing of those two Bills told them as much That He could not but be sensible of those reports of discontent which he had heard was taken by some for his not passing them before and thought it very strange that two things of so great importance should be expected from him without an allowance of time to consider of them That he wondred they could harbour any
the people tired with expectation of such a cure do usually by degrees forget the sharpnesse of those diseases which before required it or else in the redressing of many and long disorders and to secure them for the future there being for the most part a necessity of laying heavy Taxes and draining of much Money from the people they grow extreamly sensible of that present smart feeling more paine by the Cure for a time then they did by the lingring disease before not considering that the causes of all which they now indure were precedent and their present suffering is for their future security It was the generall opinion of all Gentlemen at that time That a Parliament so much and long desired as this was after so great and constant a violation of the Lawes and Liberties of England in the Kings former Government could scarce in possibility ever grow into the dislike of the people or at least so great a part of the people as might be able which within one yeare was after seene to make a Warre against it and indanger the utter ruine and subversion of it But I have spoken before of some causes which might seeme strong enough to ingage a part of the people against the Parliament whose particular interests and livelihoods were neerely touched how farre any proceeding might distaste others who were uninterested in their private fortunes or callings I cannot tell any certaine reason But I remember within the compasse of a yeare after when this Civill Warre began to breake out over all the Kingdom and men in all companies began to vent their opinions in an argumentative way either opposing or defending the Parliament Cause and Treatises were printed on both sides Many Gentlemen who forsooke the Parliament were very bitter against it for the proceedings in Religion in countenancing or not suppressing the rudenesse of people in Churches which I related before acting those things which seemed to be against the Discipline of the English Church and might introduce all kindes of Sects and Schismes Neither did those of the Parliament side agree in opinions concerning that point some said it was wisely done of the Parliament not to proceed against any such persons for feare of losing a considerable party as is said before Others thought and said That by so doing they would lose a farre more considerable party of Gentlemen then could be gained of the other They also affirmed That Lawes and Liberties having been so much violated by the King if the Parliament had not so farre drawne Religion also into their cause it might have sped better for the Parliament frequently at that time in all their expressions whensoever they charged the corrupt Statesmen of injustice and Tyranny would put Popery or a suspition of it into the first place against them I remember when the Warre was begun among those little Treatises which were then published as many there were without any names to them I found one in which the case is thus expressed to recite the words of it Perchance saith he too much insisting upon Religion and taxing the King for affecting Popery hath by accident weakened the Parliament and brought Parties to the King It may seeme a great Paradox that the best and onely necessary of all things Religion being added into the scale of Lawes and Liberties should make the scale lighter then before Neither can it be true but by accident as thus The strange intercourse betwixt Rome and the English Court The Kings owne Letters to the Pope His favouring of Priests and such things though they may give a State just cause of susspition that their Religion is undermining Yet because it cannot be so absolutely proved to the sight of all the people that the King favoured Popery as that he violated the Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdome which latter was visible to all the former concerning Religion remaines in the peoples reason as a controverted question the King still protesting for Religion and the disputes about that amusing the People make them by degrees forget that crime of the Kings which was without controversie and evident the violation of Lawes and Liberties And more then so for some supposing that the Parliament unjustly taxed him in Religion did in time believe that he was not so guilty of the other as they would make him which I have heard some of late maintaine From whence may follow a strange conclusion That the Kings dealing so much with Rome to the disadvantage of the Protestant Religion should now turne to his owne advantage in a Protestant Kingdome And we may make this as paradoxicall a supposition That if the King had never done any thing prejudiciall to the Protestant Religion he would have found fewer Protestants this Parliament to take his part For then there being no dispute at all about Religion the crimes of his State mis-government had plainly and inexcusably appeared to all as we have seene that some of our former Kings for the like violation of Lawes and Liberties when there was but one Religion and therefore no dispute about it have been heavily censured in Parliament no man appearing in their justification And why should not a Parliament thinke that such things are cause enough to be stood upon and to justifie their quarrell before God as if the Almighty did not adhorre Injustice Oppression Tyranny and the like in any Kingdome unlesse the prâ—fession of Religion were also depraved Nay he abhorreth it more in that place where the purest profession of Religion is Besides that frequent naming of Religion as if it were the onely quarrell hath caused a great mistake of the question in some by reason of ignorance in others of subtilty whilest they wilfully mistake to abuse the Parliaments Cause writing whole Volumes in a wrong stated case as instead of disputing whether the Parliament of England lawfully assembled where the King virtually is may by Armes defend the Religion established by the same power together with the Lawes and Liberties of the Nation against Delinquents detaining with them the Kings seduced Person They make it the question Whether Subjects taken in a generall notion may make Warre against their King for Religions sake Such was the sense of many Gentlemen at that time which adhered to the Parliament But to proceed in the Narration The Parliament had been of late sensible of the losse of some from them and having detected divers Conspiracies and Machinations of dis-affected people against them and fearing more had in May last â—ramed a Protestation which was solemnly taken by all the Members of both Houses and sent thorow England to be taken by the people the forme of it was in these words I A.B. in the presence of Almighty God promise vow and protest to maintaine and desend as farre as lawfully I may with my life power and estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovotions within this
Realme contrary to the said Doctrine and according to the duty of my Allegiance I will maintaine and defend his Majesties Royall Person Honour and Estate as also the Power and Priviledge of Parliaments the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subjects and every Person that shall make this Protestation in whatsoever he shall do in the lawfull pursuance of the same and to my power as farre as lawfully I may I will oppose and by all good waies and means endeavour to bring condigne punishment on all such as shall by force practise counsels plots conspiracies or otherwise do any thing to the contrary in this present Protestation contained And further That I shall in all just and honourable waies indeavour to preserve the union and peace betwixt the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland and neither for hope feare or any other respects shall relinquish this Promise Vow and Protestation It were not amisse in this place briefly to mention some alterations which had been made before the time that the King tooke his journey into Scotland though they were not done immediately about that time but some weekes or Moneths before because they concerne some Noble men of whom we shall have occasion hereafter to make mention in the course of this History The Lord COTTINGTON upon the 17. of May 1641. had resigned his place Master of the Wards the Lord Viscount SAY and SEALE succeeded him in that Office Within few daies after the Lord Treasurer Doctor JUCKSON Bishop of London resigned his Staffe and the Office was committed to five Commissioners About that time the Earle of Leicester lately come from being Ambassadour in France was by the King made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland The Earle of Newcastle was removed from being Governour to the Prince and the Marquesse of Hartford appointed in his roome THE HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT OF ENGLAND The Second Book CHAP. I. A Standing Committee during the Recesse of â—oth Houses of Parliament The Rebellion of the Irish and Massacre of the Protestants there Some endeavours of the English Parliament for relief of that Kingdom THE businesse of England by this absence of the King was at a great stand In such a concurrence of high affairs so great an expectation to find redress of pressing Grievances nothing was so irksome to the People as delay To retard the cure was little better then to destroy And the Sequel within a short time proved worse then the wisest men could imagine or the most jealous possibly suspect though jealousies and fears were then grown to a great height the Parliament of England less then ever assured of the Kings real affection to them Nothing of State was transacted in Parliament during the Kings absence Some debates there were only about Church-service and alterations to be made in the Book of Common-prayer in which notwithstanding nothing was concluded One businesse only came to be discussed of which the King himself gave occasion who within few daies after his arrival in Scotland signified by a Letter to the Lords That he was engaged to the Spaniard by promise to let him have four thousand souldiers out of that lately disbanded Irish Army which the Earle of Strafford had before raised his desire was to make good his promise by consent of Parliament But the House of Commons whom the Lords had invited to a Conference for that purpose would not consent that any Irish should go to assist the Spaniard some reasons were then given but more particular cause was shewed about ten daies after when a second Letter came from the King in which his Majesty declared That the Spanish Ambassador claimed his promise from which in honor he could not recede Notwithstanding since he had found that Ambassador so reasonable as that he was content to accept of two thousand he hoped the Parliamnnt would not deny that The House took it into consideration and within two dayes the Lord of FAWKLAND a Member of the House of Commons at a conference delivered to the Lords gave reasons in the name of that House why it was very unfit to grant the Kings desire because the Spaniard was not only an Ally confederate but an assistant to the Emperor against the Prince Elector his Majesties Nephew who by the power and oppression of that Emperor had bin long deprived of his inheritance And at this time when the King had published a Manifesto in behalf of his Nephew and to that purpose sent an Ambassador to the Dyet of Ratisbone it would seem a contradiction in the King to assist the Enemies of the said Prince Elector and a drawing of his own Sword against himself besides the great prejudice it must needs bring to the Protestant cause which this present Parliament so much intended and laboured to promote Upon these reasons it was thought fit not to consent to the Kings desire in that point And immediately the two Houses of Parliament rejourned themselves from that day being the eighth of September till the twentieth of October and appointed a standing Committee of fifty Members during that recesse Before the Accesse and meeting again of the Parliament Letters came from the English Committee in Scotland and were read before that standing Committee of Westminster importing the discovery of a Treasonable plot against the lives of Marquesse HAMILTON and others the greatest Peâ—res of Scotland the conspirators being the Earle of Crayford and some others How it was discovered or how prevented or whether the King had any privity to it though one of that country have since written very plainly charging the King with it because the State of Scotland were very silent in it the Parliament of England took the lesse notice of it Only the standing Committee for avoiding the like attempts at London and fearing that such might flow from the same spring appointed strong guards to be placed in many parts of the City till further directions might be given from the two Houses at their Accesse The malignancy which at that time began to appear in people of that condition and quality which wee before mentioned and was not only expressed in usual discourse among their companions but vented in scurrilous and bitter Libels against those Lords and Commons who were generally reputed the most Sedulous for the common-wealth was cause sufficient to increase the feares and jealousies of the Parliament But that fatall fire which so sadly wasted the three Kingdoms broke out there where it was least feared and those that seemed most secure were the first sufferers About the end of October 1641 during the Kings abode in Scotland the most barbarous and bloudy Rebellion that ever any age or Nation were guilty of broke out in Ireland The atrocity of it is without a paralell and as full of wonder was the close carriage of so black and far-reaching a Designe The innocent Protestants were upon a suddain disseised of their Estates and the persons of above two hundred thousand men women and
aforementioned of so long intermixed cohabitation and friendly Relations betwixt them Both these were the causes which afterward encreased the Massacre of the English who when the fire brake out implored the friendship of their Irish neighbors Landlords or Tenants committing into their hands and protection their treasure wives and children with all that was dear unto them in hope that former friendship might prevail But they generally either betrayed them into the power of other Rebels or perfidiously and cruelly murdered them with their own hands which extreme falshood and cruelty in the Irish was thought to be much encreased by the charmings of their Priests who told them That it was a mortall sin to protect or releive any of the English That intermixture of the Nations did also at this sad time make the English lesse able to defend themselves then if they had lived singly by parties of their own For where the English were able to make any head or stand upon their guard though in such an amazement and suddain surprisal they defended themselves beyond beleif till the Irish principled by their Preists offered them fair Quarter with assurance of lives and goods safe conduct and free passage to what places they pleased confirming such covenants with deep oathes and protestations and sometimes their hands and Seales But when they had the deceived English in their power the Souldiers spoiled stripped and murdered them at their pleasure So were many served as at Armagh by Sir PHELIM ONEALE and his Brother at Belterbert by PHILIP ORELLEY at Longford Tullough and other Castles in the County of Fermanagh by other of those Rebels But if the English who stood to defend their private houses and so were the more easily cut off could have deserted their habitations at the first rising and joyned themselves into bodies they might happily have made a better resistance Whilest these inhumane cruelties and Massacres were acting in miserable Ireland and daily spreading themselves in every part of that Kingdom many Counties in several Provinces declaring themselves and following the barbarous example of those in Vlster the sad newes was brought to the Parliament of England The first Letters which before were mentioned sent from the Lords Justices upon the 25 of October were carried and delivered at London on the last day of that month by OWEN Ô CONALLY the happy discoverer of the first Plot with a full information of all particulars within his knowledge which by the Lords who were first acquainted with it was delivered at a Conference to the House of Commons who presently ordered That the House forthwith should be resolved into a Committe to consider the matter offered concerning the Rebellion in Ireland as likewise to provide for the safety of England By which Committee it was agreed that 50000 pound should presently be provided and that the Loane of it should be entreated from the City of London upon Publick security 2 That a Select Committee of both Houses be named to consider the affairs of Ireland 3 That OWEN Ô CONALLY who discovered this great Treason should have 500 pound presently paid him and 200 pound per annum Pension till Provision in Land of a greater value be made for him 4 That Papists of quality be secured in their severall Counties within England 5 That no persons whatsoever except those who are Merchants shall be admitted to go over into Ireland without Certificate from the Committee of both Houses appointed for the affairs of Ireland These things were reported to both Houses and willingly assented too within two dayes after the discovery first made unto them of that Rebellion And notwithstanding those present distractions in England which began then to appear part of every day during that November was allotted to the consideration of Ireland Within four dayes after the beginning of which month they ordered many particulars of great import for the releif of it consisting of supplies of Money Magazines of Victuals Ammunition of all sorts courses to be taken for raising Forces for the occasions of that Kingdom and shipping for guard of their Sea coasts as more particularly appeareth in the records of Parliament Whilst the English Parliament were thus ordering the affaires of bleeding Ireland other Letters from the Lords Justices bearing date the fifth of November were brought and communicated to both Houses Who in earnest zeal to the promotion of that businesse voted two hundred thousand pounds to be raised for suppressing the Irish Rebellion securing England and payment of the Publick debts For which the City of London must of necessity be made use of collections through the Kingdom being too slow for such an urgency And to encourage the City in it an Order was made to secure them for monies formerly lent and to allow them the full Interest of eight per cent for altogether Whilest the English Parliament were thus busied about the releif of Ireland the horrid Rebellion with a swift motion run throughout that unhappy Kingdom many Counties daily joyning with them and divers Lords and Gentlemen who for many daies had lived unsuspected in Dublin went into the Country to side with the Rebels and act their parts in those inhumane outrages the Lords Justices and Privy Counsell were enough troubled to secure Dublin to victuall the Castle and prepare defence against those dangers which threatned the City and were made much more by the feares of spoyled people resorting thither But the care of the Privy Councell extended further notwithstanding the troubles there then to the City of Dublin and having a Magazine of Armes within the Castle resolved so to dispose of them as that resistance might be made against the Rebels in other parts Some Armes were happily disposed to such Gentlemen Sir HENRY TIâ—HBORNE Sir CHARLES COOTE and others of whom more hereafter as to their lasting honor did excellent service But another part were worse then losse those which were distributed to the Lords and Gentlemen of the English Pale who afterwards declared themselves for the Rebels and used the Arms to the destruction of those who put them into their hands That English Pale is a large circuit of Land possessed at the first conquest of Ireland by the English and ever since inhabited by them containing divers Counties as Dublin Meth Lowth Kildare c. The Lords of the Councel thought fit to trust those Lords and Gentlemen of the Pale both with Commissions and Armes though many of them professed Papists hoping that this great confidence would work so far upon their hearts if any truth or loyalty were left there as to keep them at least from joyning with the Enemy but if they were honest would enable them to oppose the threatning incursions of the Northren Rebels This great Trust the Councell were more encouraged to repose in these perfidious Lords and Gentlemen of the Pale because themselves had appeared at Dublin of their own accords professing truth and loyalty with deep and solemne Protestations and that
in the House of Lords concerning a Bill for pressing of Souldiers had broken the fundamental Priviledge of Parliament which is that he ought not to take notice of any matter in agitation or debate in either House but by their information and agreement and that he ought not to propound any condition or limitation to a Bill in debate and preparation or to manifest his approbation or dislike of the same until it be presented to his Majestie in due course of Parliament and that every particular Member of either House hath free liberty of speech to propound or debate matters according to Order of Parliament and that the King ought not to conceive displeasure against him for such opinions or propositions They intreated likewise a reparation for that great breach of Priviledge and for prevention of the like that the King would make known who they were by whose mis-information and evil counsel he had done it that they might receive conding punishment This businesse took up some time and was one unhappie impediment to the sudden relief of Ireland notwithstanding the high necessities of that Kingdom and the affections of England in general to it and so heavily went on all preparations that it was long before the House of Commons could finde means to enable the Lord Lieutenant to send over so much as one Regiment for defence of the Castle and City of Dublin which was commanded by a worthy Gentleman Sir SIMON HARCOUT who being designed Governour of the City of Dublin was sent away by Order of Parliament with his Regiment and landed there on the last day of December 1641 to the great comfort of that City being much distressed and terrified by the neer approach of the Irish Rebels Another obstruction of the relief of Ireland happened about three weeks after when the Scots delivered eight Propositions to the English Parliament touching the sending over of Two thousand five hundred Scots which were then in readinesse into the north of Ireland Both Houses of Parliament consented to all the Propositions but the King excepted against one of them being the third which was That the Scots desired to have the keeping of the Town and Castle of Carricksergus with power to remain there or enlarge their Quarters at discretion and if any Regiments or Troops in that Province should joyn with them that they receive Orders from the chief Commander of the Scotish Forces Against this Article the King took exceptions and desired the Houses to take it again into consideration as a thing of importance which he doubted might be prejudicial to England But if the House desired it should be so himself would speak with the Scotish Commissioners to see what satisfaction he could give them therein The Scots told his Majestie that since it was agreed â—pon by both Houses of Parliament and that the strength of his Majesties argument was That Article implied too great a Trust for Auxiliary Forces they were in good hope that his Majestie being their native King would not shew lesse trust in them then their neighbour-Nation had freely done Upon which the King at last was content to admit the Article and the advice of his Parliament This fatal obstruction of Ireland's relief did but second another immediately before For at the first the Commissioners of Scotland had not power given them from the State there to treat for sending over a lesse number then ten thousand men which the Lords were unwilling to yeeld to But that obstacle seemed to be removed by the zealous affection of the House of Commons who according to those Instructions of the State of Scotland to their Commissioners voted the sending over of ten thoâ—sand Scots But the House of Lords after long debate would not yeeld unto it unlesse the House of Commons would give assurance that ten thousand English might be as speedily sent over which the Commons as much desired and promised their endeavour in it but that the English then could not be so soon raised much lesse transported as the Scots every man understood There was no other reason given that ever I understood but onely That it was dishonorable for England that Ireland should be reduced by the Scots and this was the discourse of Papists and other persons disaffected to the Cause among the people every where Though it were much wondered at by all good Protestants that so nice a point of Honour should be stood upon when their Religion and Cause lay bleeding in Ireland after so sad and deplorable a kinde which began to deject the spirits of the poor Protestants in Ireland and make them suspect some secret workings under-hand against the good affections expressed by the House of Commons and those Lords who were well-affected to the State for they by the greater number were over-voted so many Popish and ill-affected Lords besides four and twenty Bishops for the Bishops voices in Parliament were not then taken away sitting in that House It was then also generally talked and much complained of among the well-affected people that the King had been so backward in proclaiming those barbarous Irish Rebels and not onely talked among the people but alleadged by the Parliament it self in their own Declaration afterward when the breach between King and Parliament grew greater as a signe that those inhumane Rebels had been countenanced by the Court of England in that the Proclamation whereby they were declared Traitors was so long with held as till the first of January though the Rebellion broke forth in October before and then no more then fourty Copies were appointed to be printed with a special command from His Majestie not to exceed that number and that none of them should be published till the Kings pleasure were further signified as by the Warrant appears a true copie whereof was printed so that a few onely could take notice of it And this say they was made more observable by the late contrary proceedings against the Scots who were in a very quick and sharp manner proclaimed and those Proclamations forthwith dispersed with as much diligence as might he thorow all the Kingdom and ordered to be read in every Church accompanied with publike Prayers and Execrations That Declaration of the Lords and Commons in which this is expressed concerning the Kings slowe proclaiming of the Irish Rebels was published when the King was gone to York at which he was much distasted in many particulars and returned Answer to them Among others because that of Ireland seemed to lie heavie upon his reputation it is just that the Reader should see the King 's own Answer to that point that he may the more fairly judge which shall be therefore inserted in the very words of the Kings Declaration To countenance those unhandsome expressions whereby usually they have implied Our connivence at or want of zeal against the Rebellion of Ireland so odious to to all good men they have found a new way of exprobation That the Proclamation against those bloodie
he could not allow of the disbanding of the Irish Army for divers reasons best knowne to himselfe The Conspiracy being in some part detected PERCY JERMYN and SUCKLING fled the day before they should have been examined being the sixth of May and passed into France where SUCKLING not long after dyed But afterwards upon the reading of a Letter in the House upon the 14. of Iune sent by Master PERCY out of France to his Brother the Earle of Northumberland WILMOT ASHBURNNAM and POLLARD three Members of the House of Commons mentioned in that Letter as privy to this Conspiracy were commanded to withdraw and then called in severally examined and committed WILMOT to the Tower ASHBURNHAM to the Kings Bench and POLLARD to the Gate-House from whence they were not long after released upon Bayle as being found guilty not in so high a degree as others were GORING upon his Examination dealt so cleerly with them and so farre purged himselfe from evill intentions that he was not at all committed by the Parliament ONEALE who proved most guilty of that part of the Conspiracy for bringing up the English Army against the Parliament was presently after apprehended and committed to the Tower whence it was generally thought he would be brought to Tryall for his life and suffer but he made an escape The Parliament considering what great disturbance they began to finde in setling the State what conspiracies had been on foot and doubtfull of the Kings sincere affection towards them considering also what great disbursements of money were to be made for payment of two Armies and other charges for setling the State to which purpose money was to be borrowed upon the Publike Faith by a joint consent of both Houâ—â— moved the King to signe a Bill for continuance of this present Parliament That it should never be dissolved till both Houses did consent and agree that publike grievances were fully redrest A Bill was drawne up to that purpose and the King the same day that he signed the Bill for execution of the Earle of Strafford being the 10. of May 1641. signed that also for continuance of the present Parliament But in this place it is sit to insert what had past before in this kinde The King upon the 15. of February before had signed a Bill presented to him by both Houses for a Parliament to be held in England every third yeare That the Lord Keeper and Chancellor of the Dutchy for the time being should be sworne to issue forth the Writs and upon default to lose their places The same day in the afternoone there was a Conference betweene the two Houses to returne the King thankes upon which it was concluded that the whole House should go to the King to White-Hall and that the Lord Keeper in the name of both Houses should returne their thankfulnesse to his Majesty which was accordingly done Expressions of joy by Order from the Parliament were that night made about London with ringing of Bells making of Bonesires with such usuall things It is observable in the course of Histories how much Kings in such limited Monarchies as that of England do in time by degrees gaine upon the peoples Rights and Priviledges That those things which by constitution of the Government the people may challenge as due from the Prince having been long forborne become at last to be esteemed such Acts of extraordinary grace as that the Prince is highly thanked for granting of them Such was the case of this Trienniall Parliament as both Houses afterward when the unhappy division began and the King upbraided them with this favour could plainly answer That it was not so much as by Law they might require there being two Statutes then in force for a Parliament once a yeere The King himselfe also at the time when he granted that Trienniall Parliament could not forbeare to tell them That he put an obligation upon them in doing it which they had scarse deserved For hitherto said he to speake freely I have had no great incouragement to grant it if I should looke to the outward face of your actions or proceedings and not to the inward intentions of your hearts I might make question of doing it But that Grant which the King since passed upon the tenth of May for continuance of the present Parliament not onely afterward by himselfe was much upbraided to them but by many Gentlemen who were not well affected to their Parliament and all the Faction of Prelaticall Clergy in their ordinary discourse was censured a greater grace then was fit for the King to grant To such men their discourses and writings afterward when the great distraction happened and the Warre was breaking out the Parliament in many of their Declarations answered That though there were in it some seeming restraint of the Regall Power in dissolving Parliaments yet really it was no taking that Power from the Crowne but sus-spending the execution of it for this time and occasion only Which was so necessary for the Publike Peace that without it they could not have undertaken any of those great Charges but must have left both the Armies to disorder and confusion and the whole Kingdome to blood and ruine For to pay the Armies and defray other necessary charges money was to be borrowed upon the Publike Faith which had been nothing worth if that Parliament could have been dissolved at the Kings pleasure And where it was objected That no King ever granted the like before they answered It was evident that no King before ever made so great a necessity for a Parliament to require it And besides that in the constitution of Englands Government it was never the meaning of the Law-givers that the King should dissolve any Parliament whilest the great Affaires of the Kingdome were depending and though the King had used to do so it was neverthelesse unlawfull The Scots in their Remonstrance 1640. told the King That he had broken their Lawes in dissolving the Parliament there against the consent of their House And it is very well understood by those that are skilfull in Lawes of both Nations that English Parliaments have originally the same freedome It was neverthelesse probably then thought by all that the King would not have assented to that Act if at that time the freshnesse of those fore-mentioned grievances in the peoples hearts and the present discovery of that odious Treason of bringing an Army against the Parliament had not made it unsafe for him to deny That opinion was more confirmed by the following Actions since time and the unconstancy of some Lords and Gentlemen had raised him a Party When that knot which by Law he could not againe untie he indeavoâ—â—â—â— to cut a sunder by the Sword as was afterwards observed in the Parliaments Declarations CHAP. IX Allowance of money from the English Parliament to the Scots The vast Charge of disbanding the two Armies The great Taxations for that purpose and the manner of Poll money The