that Thirdly although somewhat may seem to be urged out of Scripture for the Scots Government with some shew of probability yet far from such evidence as may convince a mans conscience to swear it is agreeable to Gods word Next the Doctor excepted against that passage I shall endeavour the extirpationâ— of Prelacy in the Church of England c. I saith he dare not swear to that First In regard that I believe Episcopacy is an Apostolical Institution Secondly That the Church never so flourished as within five hundred years after Christ when it was governed by Bishops Thirdly That our English Episcopacy is justified by the prime Divines of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas Fourthly That our English Bishops now and ever since the Reformation have disclaimed all Papal dependency Fifthly That the four General Councils confirmed in England by Act of Parliament 1 Eliz. assert Episcopacie And sixthly vvhich all men need to consider the Ministers of the Church of England ordained according to a Form confirmed by Act of Parliament at their Ordination take an Oath that they will reverendly obey their Ordinary and other chief Ministers of the Church and them to whom Government and charge is committed over them This Oath I and all Clergie men have taken and if we shall swear the Extirpation of Prelacie we shall swear to forswear our selves Lastly he excepted against that passage I will defend the Rights and Privileges of Parliament and defend his Majesties Person and Authoritie in defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdom Here said he the Members are put before the Head the Parliaments Privileges before the Kings Prerogative and the restraint of defending the King onely in such and such cases seems to implie something which I fear may be drawn to an ill consequence The Doctor urged that the intent of this Covenant vvas to bring in the Scots and to continue this horrid War the taking up Arms against the King being a thing supposed vvhich must not be contradicted In the end of the Letter the Doctor subscribed tvvo Greek Letters for his Name Delta and Phi the phi vvritten within the Delta which troubled the Parliament to interpret till Sir Walter Earl told them that Phi Delta stood for Fidelity yet because Delta stood above Phi it signified Malignancy and so the Doctor was punished accordingly for being afterwards convened before the Committee where the Counsellour at Law Mr. White the others Kinsman was Chairman not much better at Bar than able to dispute Arguments with that excellent School Divine but Mr. White went another way to work down-right conclusion to the Doctors last words who said I am of this minde and unalterable herein To whom the Chairman said If you will not be of another you must suffer The Doctor modestly made Reply Sir I must give you an Answer out of St. Chrysostome upon the like Censure Nec mihi ignominiosum est pati quod passus est Christus Nec tibi gloriosum est facere quod fecit Iudas And so he was sent back to their Gaol when not long after the learned Synod at Westminster were put upon a piece of work somewhat difficult for them and therefore writ a courteous Letter to him beseeching his pains and sufficiency in that excellent Comment upon Paul's Epistles which at their instance and for their honour he admirably performed in Prison yet for that service to them and his excellent merit of our Church these men of Westminster never moved Tongue Pen or Hands to help him out of Prison there he sacrificed the remain of his days and died a Martyr upon that score of the Scots Covenant Sir Robert Harloe moved in the House that the Popes Bull to the Irish might forthwith be printed For said he it will draw on the Covenant A pretty Spectacle said another to see a Bull draw a Covenant The Covenant Money Money War War Liberty and Liberty Rebellion for such were the Links of this Chain the City making this Order for the speedy raising of Money for the sudden advancing of the Scotish Armie And together with the pretence of Religion and Liberty there is now added a more eminent Danger assuring the Citizens That unless they sent in Money not onely these Islands will be ruined but the true Religion will be destroyed in all Protestant Churches c. And therefore the Ministers and Lecturers are to stir up their Congregations thereunto and to subscribe their Sums of Money c. for which they shall have the Publick Faith of both Kingdoms of England and Scotland together with such other Securitie as shall give content to all true lovers of their Religion and Countrey These ways hastened on the Scots Army whilest they cunningly lingred for their Salary a good Sum of Money And to let you see what that was take the particles of this Speech Our Brethren of Scotland says one are now moving to relieve us out of captivitie That the Cities great Honours and Privileges were conferred by Parliament and not by the King That the Cities chiefest glorie had ever been to cleave to the Common-wealth when Kings were seduced c. That the Scots coming would regain Newcastle whereby they might set a Rate upon Coals and raise great Sumâ— of Money c. That the Scots did not value Money as the end of their coming because we owed to them above two hundred thousand pounds And so be that they might have but this one hundred thousand pounds the Sum proposed they would demand no more but will assist us with twenty thousand Horse and Foot to free us from that popish plundering Armie c. But the King to undeceive his people not to swear to be forsworn publishes his Proclamation against the Covenant That whereas there is a Printed Paper intituled A Solemn League and Covenant for Reformation and Defence of Religion the Honour and happiness of the King and the Peace and Safety of the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland pretended to be ordered by the Commons in Parliament on the one and twentieth Day of September last to be printed and published which Covenant though it seems to make specious expressions of Pietie and Religion is in truth nothing else but a traiterous and seditious Combination against him and against the established Religion and Laws of this Kingdom in pursuance of a traiterous Design and Endeavour to bring in foreign Forces to invade this Kingdom His Majestie doth therefore straitly charge and command all his loving Subjects of what degree or qualitie soever upon their Allegeance that they presume not to take the said seditious and traiterous Covenant most straitly forbidding all his Subjects to tender the said Covenant as they will answer the contrary at their extremest peril Aâ—d this Proclamation came to the hands of the new Mayor of London Mr. Wollaston who succeeded Isaac Pennington and was sworn by Baron Trevor on Munday the last of October 1643. And yet that one of
France and Charles the Emperour and King of Spain shews them so provident as between themselves to keep the ballance of Europe upright Not one to edge upon the other and herein not to stay for the first blow or to be the last to be eaten up The Crown of Spain hath enlarged her bounds these last sixty years more then the Ottamans Did not England assist the French to keep him from Britany Picardy and Piedmont and enable the Netherlands not to be swallowed up these are our outworks Nay hath he not twice invaded England Once under the Popes Banner next in his own Name and hath more than a months minde to it again These grounds are causes sufficient for a War with Spain But what ere the King had said as to the matter and form of Argument the Parliament forgot not their old Mode with his Father Not too hastily to resolve and his death left much business in the deck which now they take up to engage his son And in truth all Parliaments commence with Petition from the People Reasons of Religion and Complaints of their suffering came to his Father in the close of his last Session and so unanswered which they are resolved now to dispatch and did so To that of Religion the King assured them his pious resolution to effect their desires with all convenient speed and as that business of weight required And for their Greivances they were distinctly separate and satisfactory answers he gave to each apart And so accounting to them the disbursement of his Land and Naval Forces with a clear and even audit of the Charge and Expence to come they were so candid that the Laity gave him without conditions Two Subsidies from Protestants four from Papists and the Clergy three Richard Mountague Doctor of Divinity and Chaplain to the King was summoned this Session for certain Tenents supposed prejudicial to the Protestants faith but were only against the Calvinist and was from the Commons Bar without Tryal committed to the Serjeant of their House untill two thousand pound Bail be procured for him to appear the next Session which the King had reason to resent being his antient Chaplain and ought to have his Masters protection sooner than the Servants of an Ordinary Burgess which at last was granted but not his bail-bond excused Of which he complains to the Duke of Buckingham and that the Parliament had not in right to do with him for that which King Iames commanded and King Charles authorized and challenges any Accusers if he may answer for himself It seems he was summoned and committed without any Tryal Iuly 29. And hereupon three Bishops Rochester Oxford and St. Davids being tender not of his Person but of his cause meerly the Church of Englands upon this Ground That the Church being reformed from the Roman refused the apparent and dangerous errours but was tender of every School point as not expedient in the unity of Christians to subscribe to each particular And so though some of his opinions are the resolved Doctrine of the Church of England which he is bound to maintain So some others are School points and there to be discussed but not to distract the Church nor for any man to be bound to subscribe unto which if inforced would hazard their former subscription in Orthodox Tenents and was indeed one great Fault of the Council of Trent But the Clergy submitted in Henry the eighths time with this caution That for differences Doctrinal the King and the Bishops were to be Judges in a National Synod and that with the Kings leave under his hand and seal else not Nor did ever the Church or can submit but so which is the constant practice of the Church For if the Church be brought down beneath her self Schism will follow And King Iames allowed of each point of Doctrine in Mountagues Book who was able of most men to judge thereof There can be little use of Civil Government or of Preaching and external Ministery in the Church if such fatal opinions as are contrary to Mountagues shall be publickly taught and maintained All or most of the contrary opinions were treated of at Lambeth and then ready to be published but Queen Elizabeth upon knowledge how little they agreed with the practice in Piety and obedience to Government suppressed them and so continued ever since till of late some of them received countenance at the Synod of Dort but that being a Synod of that Nation cannot give authority to any other National Church till publique authority and it is to be hoped that this Church will advise before they submit to a foreigne Synod especially of such a Church that condemneth our Discipline and manner of Government And therefore the King referred the consideration to the course of the Church Then for the person of Mountague they affirmed him to be an able Scholar right honest and fit to do God and the Church and his Majesty great service 2 August 1625. And after the next session he was consecrate Bishop of Chichester The Books in question were these His answer to the Romish Gagger And his Defence thereof afterwards styled Apello Caesarem formerly opposed by Information prepared against him of which he was discharged by King Iames with leave to appeal to his Majesty from his defamators and Doctor White then Dean of Carlisle was ordered to authorize the Imprimatur But two years after Ianuary 1628. it was called in by Proclamation to please the then Parliament not charged with any false doctrine but for being the first cause of those disputes and differences which hath since much troubled the quiet of the Church it seems with such unnecessary questions And to humour that time also Doctor Potter a zealous Calvinian was preferred to be Bishop of Carlisle to please the Parliament and and yet for all these passages the Parliament lookt asquint at the Kings actions as hereafter followes anno 1628. The Lord Mordant afterwards Earl of Peterborough being a Papist and willing to winne his wife from Protestancy offered the combate of his Confessor with a fair dispute against any This Confident was a cunning Iesuite Beaumona but his right name Rookwood his brother executed in the Gun-powder-Treason 1605. and the Lady elected Doctor Usher Primate of Ireland at this time in England the place Drayton in Northampton shire but after three dayes controversie concerning Transubstantiation Invocation to Saints Images visibility of the Church the Iesuite directly confessed he was so deficient in his memory that Gods just judgement had infatuated him to this desertion and put his excuse upon his presumption to dispute with so eminent a Protestant without leave of his Superiour But the good effect was the conversion of the Lord Mordant and confirmation of his Lady Whereupon a Secular-Priest Chaloner in a jeer to Beaumond bids him beware of coming to Drayton for fear that Usher foil him again These Lawes are enacted this Session
Reprobates and therefore believes our Churches regeneration is by infusion of Grace by sowing the good seed But to answer him in this Let all Christians religiously pray and live according to the grace of Restitution and humbly submit their judgements concerning the secresie of personal Election and so this man sins against the 17. Article 4 The Anabaptist His purenesse is a supposed birth without Original sin and his Tenet that Infants must not be baptized and this believer opposeth the 9. and 27. Articles 5. The Brownists purenesse is to serve God in Woods and Fields and his opinion is that Idolatry cannot be reformed without pulling down of Churches Christ indeed whipt the buyers and sellers out of the Temple though it was prophaned yet without any pulling down and this man is against the 35. Article 6. Loves familist serves God as well at his neighbours charge as at his own omnia sunt communia the things which they possesse are not their own but all are Common He teacheth that unlawful swearing is worse than murther and this is against the 39. Article 7. The Precisian will not swear before a Magistrate That unlawful swearing is a greater sin than murther God indeed is greater then man here is the compare but then the effect destructive is greater by murther God commands that the murtherer die blood for blood he deals not so severely with the swearer See the 39. Article 8 The Sabbatarian preaches down Holy dayes preaching that the Instrumental directing cause to keep holy the sabbath day he makes to be the keeping holy the sabbath But Gods holy Worship prayer is keeping holy the sabbath day for preaching the holy direction teacheth holy worship prayer to be the holy practise of that day to praise the Lord for our Redemption the sole principal end of preaching on the Lords day His preaching is a Sylva synonymorum Tautologies Iterations His praying much erroneous and this is against the 35. Article 9. The Anti-disciplinarian is above the Kings supremacy Imperious Imagination his highnesse is the Churches greatest Authority and he saith this is as good a rule to know the reformed true faith is the holy Writ He is a strict observer of the Law therefore he accounts it the best Religion His tenet is That Kings must be subject to the Puritan To the Puritans Presbyters Censure submit their Scepters throw down their Crowns lick up the dust of their feet This Mr. Rogers in his eleventh page of his Preface to the 39. Articles And T. Cartwright teacheth in his Reply page 1080. And here the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance are broken against the 21. Article His tenet that all Priests should be equal See Varellus and Vivetus sermons two Geneva Presbyters against the â—3 33. and 36. Articles and against the twentieth Article 10. The presuming Predestinatist hath an inspired knowledge to be saved by Gods absolute Election as sure as it were now in Heaven no life in him but Gods essential glory against the 17. Article and the 3. Article Thus was it then amongst us Reformed and since it hath increased ten times worse But the Papist is not clear from Crimes schismes and sins The contest between Iesuites Priests and Secular Priests have evermore their debates and now grounded upon this occasion Richard Smith titular Bishop of Calcedon his honour there in Greece but his profit from England over all the Romish Catholicques especially for ordaining of Priests and confirmations of persons Baptized But when he came hither we cannot finde till now we have caught him here Yet Pope Gregory the thirteenth delegated one William Bishop to Calcedon who died 1624. After him succeeded another by Mission of Urbane the eighth 1625. this Richard Smith to the same Title But why to a foreign Title and not at as easie a rate to English as in Ireland he had to all Sees there the reason is He had in Ireland a Counter-party of People for Number and Quality in every Diocesse and Parish not so in England where it had been ridiculous in the Granter and dangerous in the Accepter To oppose his power up starts Nicholas Smith a Regular in malice to his advancement and quarrelled also against Doctor Kelson President of the Colledge of Doway who had printed a Treatise of the dignity and necessity of Bishop and secular Clergy Nicholas Smith's Reasons were for the Regulars first such Bishops uselesse in England in times of persecution Either for Ordination which might be supplied by foreign Bishops Or Confirmation of children which any Priest might perform by Commission from the Pope Secondly Burthensom to the already pressures of the English Catholicques And Thirdly the Person of Calcedon not lawfully called Kelson undertakes Answers to all these and the Insolency of the Regulars seemed more secular And indeed the Irish Regular exceeded such in England maintaining That the superiours of Regulars were more worthy than Bishops which caused the Doctors of Sorborn in Paris to censure the Proposition and the Arch-Bishop of Paris to condemn Nicholas Smiths Book and other Tractates of that sense But Bishop Smith would take upon him to approve of such Regulars Priests as were to be constant Confessors which the Jesuites opposed as an usurpation upon them And being the better Polititians contrive a Declaration under the name of the most noble and eminent Catholiques against his pretended Authority which Declaration was offered to the Spanish Ambassadour Don Carlos de Coloma together with the Kings Proclamations to ferret his person He declined both his power and presence to seek safety in France The Bishop fled the dogs bark Knot vice provincial of the English Jesuites and Flood another of St. Omers undertake him and Kelson also but were censured and silenced though not their several factions unto this day But this bickering is lodged under the product of the peace with Spain as if to encourage the Catholiques to rant it in Ireland also towards a Toleration The Lords Justices at Dublin at Church in one Parish the Priests at Masse in another who were seized by the Arch-Bishop and Major and all the City Officers their Trinkets taken away Images hewen down the Priests and Fryers delivered up to the Souldiers and yet rescued by the people from whom a strong power enforced them and eight Popish Aldermen clapt in prison for being remisse to attend their Major upon which mis-behaviour and mutiny fifteen Houses were seized to the Kings use and the Fryers and Priests persecuted and Two of them to save publique Execution hang'd themselves in their hose-garters The Earl of Essex would needs try Mastery with a fresh Mistresse being over born by his first Wife as their story is truly told in the life of King Iames 18. years since He then but a stripling but ever since getting strength and being falsely fram'd for Martial Exploits in the Low-Conntries where he Disciplin'd himself but without any high renown or feats of Arms or any extraordinary
note yet indeed he became a diligent and powerfull Actor therein and the first Benefactour who gave a hundred pounds per annum whilest he should be Bishop of London by whose pious endeavours and forward Example and sundry Contributions of good and godly men and by Commissions of Protection for Breves and Collections in all Churches of England and Wales there was gathered in time the sum of fourscore thousand pounds in all A large consideration was had to begin with the Steeple and Body and so to descend to the Isles presuming that when the Steeple should be finished the Contributions would necessarily invite the compleating of the whole But it was otherwise resolved and they began at the West end and first the out-walls which being cluttered with petty Tenements even to the stopping of the Church-lights that clouded the beauty of the first Foundation those Houses by Lease or Rents were purchased and pulled down and the little Church called Saint Gregories builded up at the West end South of the Foundation was willingly taken down to the ground and a very necessary place ordered for the erection of another Church for that Parish And to this excellent good Work the fore remembred Sir Paul Pindar besides his former Expences took upon him also at his own proper cost and charge and did effect it before he died to repair or rather new build the great South Isle far more beautifull than it had been at the first eâ—ection which 〈◊〉 him above seventeen thousand pounds The Contribution-money was intrusted to the Chamber of London then supposed the safest Chest from thence to be issued out for Materials and Workmanship The West end or Enterance was finished more sumptuous and stately than at first A gracefull stately Porch was raised the whole breadth of the West end upon Pillars of Stone of the Ionick work supporting the Roof on the top whereof in seemly distance was erected the Figures and excellent Postures of King Iames and King Charls mounted on Pedestals leaving room aud spaces for other succeeding Sovereigns Then they had new cased the whole intire out-walls more nobly to the Roof with large Figures of Pomegranates set upon Pedestals at equal distances to grace the Roof which was all overlaid with Lead The Windows with admirable painted Glass of Figures of the Fathers Prophets and Apostles with several historical pieces of Scripture Then they had vaulted the Roofs with massie Supporters of Timber and Scaffolds raised for re-edifying and beautifying the Roof Lastly they had raised outward Scaffolding from the body of the Church to the very top of the Steeple and were going on with the Spire and some Moneys in stock towards the finishing of all which most Artisans supposed might be finished for forty thousand pounds When on the sudden William Laud late Arch-bishop of Canterbury was impeached by the late House of Commons in their long Parliament and our Civil uncivil Dissentions seized the whole stock of Money and so the Work ceased The Church forthwith turned into a Prison or Goal of Malignants then into a Garrison of Foot-soldiers then into a Stable of unclean Beasts and then to the sale of all Materials Stone Lead Glass Iron and last of all the very Scaffolding of Timber which cost forty thousand pounds sold for six thousand the Money never paid the end and ruine of that most glorious and Christian Design After-ages may conceive this final and horrid ruine to be the effects of a cruel War which devastates all But at the beginning of this Design of Repair it is most true that many had no fancy thereto the whole gang of Presbyterians utterly disliked of it And when the Earl of Holland Chancellour of the University of Cambridg was commanded by the King to write his Letters to that University for Contributions of the Heads Fellows and Students a wonder it was what plots and devices of some afterwards busie-bodies in Parliament for a time obstructed those Letters and other pious intentions of sundry Contributions and were the onely causers of that desolation and earnestly urged the ruine to all Cathedrals as it is well observed that Doctor Bastwick whom he examples for one and a known Schismatick grudging at the great expence in the Repair observes his base and irreverend expression alluding to the name Cathedral That all the mighty mass of money must be spent in making a Seat for a Priest's Arse to sit in See Bastwick's second Part of his Letany But as that repaired London Bridg burned the North-part to the first open distance which secured the rest an ugly patcht unformed Building it was part of the ruine is since repaired a handsome well-piled Patern for rebuilding all the rest The King took the infection of the Small Pox to the great grief of the Subjects in general and because many had suffered extremely in that Sickness the Pulpits Prayers and private Devotions of all good and well-affected People were frequently offered to the Divine Majesty who in mercy soon restored him to health again without any marks or blemish of usual Spots to others in the like Sickness The military affairs of Europe were now come to the miserable effects of a cruel War on all sides we shall enter the story of the the Eastern part Sigismund King of Poland and Swethland the Bulwark of Christendom against the Turks tyranny had been heretofore enforced to sue for succour of neighbour Princes by several Embassies of King Iames by Ossolinsky Count Palatine of Sendomeria who so well performed his eloquent Oration and excellent behaviour that he procured from hence two thousand men and money Voluntiers for the Guards of that Kings Person This Count was initiated a Civilian bred up in Court to become Chancellour and now a Commander in this War certainly a man of singular merit and to boot very handsome and of most obliging demeanor which took with the King and all our Court of high concernment to chuse a Person proper for his Arrand And because the Quarrel came to mighty execution of both parties I may not omit the occasion so much concerning those miserable neighbour Nations bordering the Turks Dominions specially the Pole who it seemed in those days deserved better of all Princes than to be worried out of his own Inheritance by a Christian now of late 1655 more cruel now than the Turk was then And so by this entrance we shall bring the brief History to our time Mahâ—met the Authour of their Alcoran enjoyned the Race of Othomans two special things To propagate the Empire by some mighty Attempts of War The other to glorifie their Religion by some wondrous Action in Peace or stupendous Structure of Amazement to the World For the first Their Terâ—itories extend to the Asian and African shores from Trebizond the bottome of the Black-sea to Argier neighbouring the Straits of Gibralter 6000. English miles besides the possession of Greece and her Islands with his intrusion into Hungary
fire-coales into a flame the French being then upon a War with Spain and the Cardinal a great Statist knew that Englands best policy was ever to side with the weakest to ballance the biggest power neither of them to increase above the measure of moderation To that end Monsieur Montril was sent Emissary and Agent to work out the Design in England and Scotland as may appear by the Scots Letter to the French King as hereafter follows and that they had great incouragement from Richelieu but what assistance under hand I could never finde out fair promises and no doubt never to engage against them But Balmerino his great Enemy the Earl of Kinnol Lord Chancellour of Scotland took his leave of this life and left his Office to Spotswood Son to the first Superintendent formerly Arch-bishop of Glasgow and now Arch-bishop of St. Andrews aged above sixty years a learned moderate wise man as by his History appears the first of his Coat since the Reformation of that Dignity and that for the great advantage of the Church if rightly apprehended without that mistaken Vote never known before for three hundred years a Clergy-man to bear that Dignity I shall remember those that were Andrew Foreman 15 Iac. 4. James Stuart Brother to James the fourth James Beaton 10 Jac. 5. and Queen Maries Reign David Beaton Cardinal succeeded him Jo Hamilton Brother to the Duke of Chattleheralt was the last of the Popish Bishops and many more before those and all of them Arch-bishops of St. Andrews and Chancellours Then there were Willam Lowater anno 1412. Andrew Foreman Iac. 4. Gawin Dunbar Praeceptor to James 5 and after him James Beaton And these following were Arch-bishops of Glasgow and Chancellours Adam and Patrick Bishops of Brocher Chancellours annis 1360 1370. Thomas Spence Bishop of Galloway and Chancellour to Jac. 2. William Elphinston Bishop of Aberdene Chancellour to Jac. 3. Indeed in Scotland heretofore Justice was perâ—ormed by Itinerarie Courts like to the Judicature of Courts in England fifteen Judges in all seven Churchmen and seven Laymen and the President also a Churchman and the best offices of State were formerly in Bishops and Abbots which gave them abilities in purse to perform those great and pious works of charity honour and common benefit Abbies Churches Hospitals Bridges Causewayes and the like all Acts of the Clergy heretofore which now their successours destroy Death indeed was more indifferent with two Great Ones in England two Eminent Men of several factions the One Sr. Richard Weston Earl of Portland Lord High Treasurer of England the Kings great Favourite for his Abilities at this time the more useful in promoting Prerogatives and all advantages of raising money with some regret of the Commons for such services His place was therefore for the present put under power of Commissioners for some time after The other was Sr. Edward Cook a Common Lawyer and so bred up himself to please the people Increasing esteem on that score from his first rise Queen Elizabeths Attorney General chief Iustice of the Kings Bench under King Iames where he lost himself by too much liberty of Eloquence or Impudence and removed from that Court to his Countrey retirement in the County of Buckingham made high Sheriff to humble him towards this King with a clause in his Commission to avoyd his Election of being a Burgesse in Parliament of which he was the more ambitious because thereby the better able to shew his Enmity but he got it in Norfolk his birth-place and he a Law-wrangler was voted legally chosen notwithstanding his Commission of Restraint We may not forget the Affairs of Germany the Swede having a continued confederacy with the protestant Princes and the French assistance against the Emperour and Spain for although they fought and treated for a conjunction Duke Barnard had been so often bafled by former promises of Wallestien before his Murther that now he trusted to fair words no longer And the good Duke Francis Albert of Saxony Leumburgh the Instrument chosen to tye these two different dispositions into a Ligament was not his crafts master but was carried prisoner for many years to Vienna The King of Hungary for the Imperial party having cured the Army with good gold after the disorder of Wallestiens murther and taken new Oath of the souldiers when News came to his camp of a notable victory gotten by Arnem upon the Imperialists in Silesia and of his marching towards Prague whither the King sent so strong a supply Arnem was constrained to retire into Saxony at the same time that the Town of Ratisbone was regained for the Emperour in Iuly the brave and famous General Aldring being slain a little before at Lanshut He was of Luxenburgh obâ—curely born whose virtues and valour had raised thus high and eminent in many battels against Iohn de Wiert with successe And the businesse Military in Germany requiring all assistance for the Emperour against such a confederacy of friends Thither comes the Cardinal Infanto from Milan with the old Spanish Italian and Burgundian Bands through all Switâ—zerland soon reforming the riotous Swedes by their example into a true Military Discipline These forces joyning with the Imperialists marched into the Duchy of Weitemburgh but first must passe the fiery Tryal of a strong Town Norlington The Swedes and their Allies are likewise summoned together from all parts Horn joyns with Duke Barnard and advises to spare the Enemy a Town or two than to hazzard the publicque cause But the Duke would fight for it and designed the day the sixth of September and the rather because some private offer had been for Overtures of a Peace which the Swedes took for a good Augure what ere it presaged It procured to both Armies the most horred bloody fight that had been between Christians To the Protestants party were already arrived the forces of the Duke of Weitemburgh the Lantgrave of Hassia and Count Cratz He who was for Bavaria and should have betrayed Ingolstade to the Enemy and so being discovered was fled hither wanting none but the Rhingrave and his four thousand men The fight began early the most furious first shock was for a Hillock the storming of a mined fort lost many of the Swedes Infantry The Canon hidden behinde some bushes did mighty Execution also and the Swedes constrained to fly and their Cavalry pursued by the Duke of Lorain and Iohn de Wiert were utterly defeated eighty pieces of Canon three hundred colours and twelve thousand men slain and six thousand prisoners amongst whom that brave man Gustave Horn Nobly received by the King The fruit of this Battel began a peace short and sweet onely to let that miserable Countrey taste of the blessing which lasted not long when the revenger of blood opens the veins to let out more evil fumes This Victory might answer for their Eminent successe heretofore at Leipsick and Lutzen and as the Swedes did then so does
Minister of Edenburgh her special Favourite would with a counterfeâ—t love and tears in his Pulpit recount to the People the joy and comfort of such a Messenger from Heaven She spake like the Oracles forsooth but seldom as to learn instructions the while and then to exercise her heavenly gifts as they stiled her diaboâ—â—cal prating and which Rollock would interpret that his Master speaking in her they ought with reverence not to interrupt she being transported he said with supernatural Raptures calling Christ Covenanting Iesus that it was approved and ratified in Heaven but all the Kings Covenants Declarations were Inventions of Satan But her Speeches were averred by the Covenanters and admired by the People with as much veneration as their Pulpit dictates Put all together their rebellious behaviours contempts of the King and his Commissioner and Councils intervening his gracious Proclamations and Declarations with their carriage concerning this Assembly and practices herein All amounting to a resolved Insurrection and over-turning the Frame and Government of Church and State which being made apparant also to the King he commanded his Commissioner to discharge their Assembly The Commissioner told them That perhaps he might have continued a little longer had they not fallen upon Points inforcing his Deserting being about to settle the pretended lawfulness of this Iudicatory and the competency of it against the Bishops illegally cited and so prosecuted which he may not allow with his duty towards God or his loyalty to the King And so giving in a Paper signed by himself expressing in particular the Kings grace and favour to them during his being there his Majesties Commissioner And â—eciting also their undue practices in reference to their Elections to this Assembly and their proceedings there not to be free He therefore in the Kings Name commanded and required them not to proceed any further in this Assembly Somewhat the moderate said in defence of their Proceedings and somewhat more the Lords were about to speak in vindication of themselves but the Commissioner choaked their confidence producing two Papers containing their secret Instructions without the knowledg of their Tables directly plotting for their illegal proceedings and conclude that the ablest Man in each Prebytery be provided to dispute de potestate supremi Magistratus in Ecclesiasticis praesertim in convocandis Conciliis de senioribus de Episcopatu de Iuramento de Liturgia corruptelis ejudem But how lamely these were performed the Acts and Passages are evident too tedious to be inserted And so the next Day was proclaimed the Dissolving that Assembly Novemb. 29. 14 Car 1638. Against which the Covenanters protested at the same time that it was lawfull for them to continue their Assembly and to adhere to their former Protestations and accordingly declared six former General Assemblies to be held which were disserviceable for their interests though formerly confirmed by Parliaments then they deprived all the Bishops excommunicate some and soon after abolish Episcapacy as inconsistent with the Rites of their Kirk In an hour condemn all the Arminian Tenets as they called them and under that notion many things received of the Reformed Churches without defining what either of them were And the Commissioner no sooner got into England but the Covenanters began to levy Souldiers impose Taxes raise Fortifications seize or block up the Kings Castles and in a word to form a War with the best force they can having had time enough by the Commissioners palpable Protractions to enable them to be before hand with the King in his Preparations The first publick Appearance since 1589. that the Presbyters durst appear in opposition though we may be well assured they have been tampering to a Rebellion from that time as you may reade at the full in the History of the Reigns of Mary Queen of Scotland and King Iames with the Rise and Growth of the Geneva Discipline This News came but now that betwixt the Ferera Islands in the Ocean in the height of eight and thirty Degrees and an half North Latitude there is a site of Water called Feraria distant two Leagues from the Isle of Saint Michael on the third of Iuly 1638. from the bottom of that Sea an hundred and fifty Fathoms deep there arose with an horrible noise a space of Earth half an Acre with a vehement force of an impetuous fire against which the Sea could not make resistance disgorging into the air the heigth of three Pikes length both water and stones with an hideous clattering noise the broken pieces thereof being carried into the neighbour Island and taken up mouldred into black Ashes all the circuit of the water thereabout covered with the same sulpherous matter appeared like black Cinders and became of an Aliment continually burning and by the multitude of stones mixing it became a new Island which is increased to a League and an half in length and sixty Fathoms high continually burning for ten days choaking all the Fish within eight Leagues which were cast up by the force of the Sea upon the Coasts of the neighbour Islands in number sufficient to lade many Ships and were buried from infecting the air The Sea round about boiling up the smoak and rubbish in the air The Sea round about boiling up the smoak and rubbish in the air darkened the light of the Sun There preceded this Fire an Earthquake for eight days the Inhabitants of the neighbour Islands fled into the Fields from the danger and had not the Winde blown the Fire from the Islands it might have endangered their Habitations into another Cineration which happened eight years there before The last day of October brought the Queen Mother of France Mary de Medices to London and so to Saint Iames's she had been a busie Governess in her Sons minority not without dangerous Designs the ruine of France by her Favourite d' Ancre after his Assasination she wained by the growth of the young King and his politick Richelieu too subtil for her and the impetuous banding and combining with Monsieur Duke of Orleans whom she loved dearer than his Brother but her Adversary often prevailing she was lead about in the Kings Army as a Priâ—oner but suffered to fly away into other places for succour which she did first to their Enemy at Bruxels Anno 1631. to the Cardinal d' Infanto honourably treated till her unquiet spirit ever plotting moved the People to pursue her with Cursings and Imprecations politickly made so to be rid of their trouble which she carried along with her to the Pr. of Orange 1637. and thence invited hither by our Queen her Daughter at the beginning of our Ingagement into all the misery that succeeded wherein she was said to be ominous where ere she came For now the Scots having got the start of the King he prepares himself for an Army with all possible expedition first with his Peoples affections and so with their Prayers To that end he
Earl craved not to Answer an unexpected addition without time assigned yet the Lords prevailed and put him to a present reply 1. That he had withdrawn four and twenty thousand pounds and more from the Exchequer in Ireland and converted to his own use 2. That in the beginning of his Government the Garrisons of Ireland had been maintained by the English Treasury 3. That he had advanced popish and infamous persons as the Bishop of Waterford and others to the prime Room in the Church of Ireland Answer 1. That England was indebted to Ireland so much which he took up upon his own credit and paid it in again producing the Kings Authority and Letter for the same 2. That the Garrisons had been formerly burdensom to England which he so found and had so improved the Kings Revenues there that they were not burdensom at all 3. That he never preferred any but whom he conceived consciencious and honest not being able to prophesie of mens future conditions And for the Bishop of Waterford he hath satisfied the Law The next Day March 24. the particular Articles were inforced to each he answered in order The further Impeachment of Thomas Earl of Strafford by the Commons assembled in Parliament The first Article was not insisted upon 2. That shortly after the obtaining of a Commission dated the 21. of March in the 8. Year of his now Majesties Reign to wit the last Day of August then next following he the said Earl to bring his Majesties Liege-people into a dislike of his Majesty and of his Government and to terrifie the Iustices of the Peace from executing the Laws he the said Earl being then President of the Kings Council in the Northern parts of England and a Iustice of Peace did publickly at the Assizes held for the County of York in the City of York in and upon the said last Day of August declare and publish before the People there attending for the administration of Iustice according to the Law and in the presence of the Iustices sitting that some of the Justices were all for Law but they should finde that the Kings little finger should be heavier than the loyns of the Law Testified by Sir David Fowls and others The Earls Reply That Sir David Fowls was his profest Enemy that his words were clearly inverted that his expression was That the little finger of the Law if not moderated by the Kings gracious clemency was heavier than the Kings loyns That these were his words he verified First by the occasion of them they being spoken to some whom the Kings favour had then enlarged from Imprisonment at York as a Motive to their Thankfulness to his Majesty Secondly by Sir William Pennyman a Member of the House who was then present and heard the words Which Sir William declaring to be true the House of Commons required Iustice of the Lords against him because he had voted the Articles as a Member of the House whereupon Sir William wept 3. That the Realm of Ireland having been time out of minde annexed to the Imperial Crown of this his Majesties Realm of England and governed by the same Laws the said Earl being Lord Deputy of that Realm to bring his Majesties Liege-people of that Kingdom likewise into dislike of his Majesties Government and intending the subversion of the Fundamental Laws and settled Government of that Realm and the distraction of his Majesties Liege-people there did upon the 30. Day of September in the 9. Year of his now Majesties Reign in the City of Dublin the chief City of that Kingdom where his Majesties Privy Council and Courts of Iustice do ordinarily reside and whither the Nobility and Gentry of that Realm do usually resort for Iustice in a publick Speech before divers of the Nobility and Gentry and before the Maior Aldermen and Recorder and many Citizens of Dublin and other his Majesties Liege-people declare and publish that Ireland was a conquered Nation and that the King might do with them what he pleased and speaking of the Charters of the former Kings of England made to that City he further said that their Charters were nothing worth and did binde the King no further than he pleased Testified by the Earl of Cork and two other Lords The Earls Reply That if he had been over-liberal of his tongue for want of discretion yet could not his words amount to Treason unless they had been revealed within fourteen days as he was informed As to the Charge he said True it is he said Ireland was a conquered Nation which no man can deny and that the King is the Law-giver in matters not determined by Acts of Parliament he conceived all loyal Subjects would grant 4. That Richard Earl of Cork having sued out Process in course of Law for recovery of his Possessions from which he was put by colour of an Order made by the said Earl of Strafford and the Council-table of the said Realm of Ireland The said Earl of Strafford upon a Paper-petition without legal proceedings did the twentieth Day of February in the eleventh Year of his now Majesties Reign threaten the said Earl of Cork being then a Peer of the said Realm to imprison him unless he would surcease his Suit and said that he would have neither Law nor Lawyers dispute or question any of his Orders And the twentieth of March in the said eleventh Tear the said Earl of Strafford speaking of an Order of the said Council-table of that Realm made in the time of King James which concerned a Lease which the said Earl of Cork claimed in certain Rectories or Tithes which the said Earl of Cork alleged to be of no force said that he would make the said Earl and all Ireland know so long as he had the Government there any Act of State there made or to be made should be as binding to the Subjects of that Kingdom as an Act of Parliament And did question the said Earl of Cork in the Castle-chamber upon pretence of Breach of the said Order of Council-table and did sundry other times and upon sundry other occasions by his words and speeches arrogate to himself a Power above the Fundamental Laws and established Government of that Kingdom and scorned the said Laws and established Government The Earls Reply It were hard measure for a man to lose his Honour and his Life for an hasty word or because he is no wiser than God hath made him As for the words he confessed them to be true and thought he said no more than what became him considering how much his Masters Honour was concerned in him that if a proportionable obedience was not as well due to Acts of State as to Acts of Parliament in vain did Councils sit And that he had done no more than what former Deputies had done and than what was agreeable to his Instructions for the Council-table which he produced And that if those words were Treason they should have been revealed within
Sanderson Shelden Hamond Oldsworth Turner Haywood Lawyers Sir Tho. Gardner Sir Orlando Bridgman Sir R. Holburn Mr. Ieffery Palmer Mr. Tho. Cook Mr. Io. Vaughan Clerks and Writers Sir Edward Walker Mr. Phil. Warwick Mr. Nich. Oudart Mr. Charles Whittane To make ready the House for Treating Peter Newton The Commissioners nominated to attend the Treaty for the Parliament were the Earls of Salisbury Pembroke Middlesex Northumberland and the Lord Say And of the Commons were the Lord Wainman Mr. Hollis lately re-admitted into the House Mr. Perpoint Sir Harry Vane Jun. Sir Harbotel Grimston Mr. Brown Mr. Crew Mr. â—lin lately re-admitted into the House Sir Io. Pots and Mr. Bulkley And the King desired a safe conduct for Commissioners to come out of Scotland to joyn in the Treaty with him viz. the Lord Carnagy Sir Alexander Gibson the Lord Clerk Register and Sir Iames Carmichel The two first were refused as having been in arms against the Parliament of England And that four Bishops might attend him Armagh Exeter Rochester and Worcester and for Doctor Ferne and Doctor Morley And for his Advocate Sir Thomas Reves and for Doctor Duck Civil Lawyers but none of these aforesaid the Kings friends were intromitted into the Scene or to speech but to stand behind the Hangings and in the Tâ—ring-room so that the Kings single solitary self opposed all the other party And Order is given to Colonel Hamond to free the King of his imprisonment to ride abroad where he pleaseth upon his engagement to return at night to Sir William Hodges House the place appointed to Treat where galloppiâ—g down a steep Hill 14 Septem and reining his Horse too hard the Bridle broke and he without a Curb ran with speed endangering the King whose excellent Horsemanship saved him from the terrible effects which amazed the beholders And it is remarkable that long before this Lilly had foretold in his Astrological Predictions pag 15. lin 31. And were his Majesty at liberty it shews or threatens danger to his person by inordinate Horsmanship or some fall from on high Friday the 15. of September the Commissioners of Parliament are come to the King and Saturday was kept a fast by him and all his Family and Friends assistant with the ancient service of the Book of Common Prayer and preaching with this particular Prayer for a blessing on the Treaty O Most merciful Father Lord God of Peace and truth we a people sorely afflicted by the scourge of an unnatural war do here earnestly beseâ—ch thee to command a blessing from Heaven upon this Treaty brought about by thy providence and the only visible remedy left for the establishment of an happy peace Soften the most obdurate hearts with a true Christian desire of saving those mens blood for whom Christ himself hath shed his O Lord let not the guilt of our sins cause this Treaty to break off but let the Truth of thy Spirit so clearly shine in our mindes that all private ends laid a side we may every one of us heartily and sincerely pursue the publick good and that thy people may be no longer so blindly miserable as not 〈◊〉 see at least in this their day the things that belong unto their peace Grant this gracious God for his sake who is our peace it self even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The King told the Commissioners that he was glad of their coming to treat with him for a Peace and desired God to perfect that good work professing that he was in charity with all men not willing to revenge upon any nor to delay the hopes of a blessed issue and concludes to begin the Treaty on Munday morning 9. a clock 18. Septemb. The Treaty begins and to make it more difficult to Peace Occasion is given to oppose four Demands or Bills to the Kings demands which as a pledge of trust should be granted before whereto if the King assent they promise to commence a Treaty to the rest 1. To order for the future the Militia without the Kings consent to raise what Arms they please and that all others upon the pain of Treason shall not assemble to the number of thirty persons without the Authority of Parliament 2. That the Houses may sit and adjourn and assemble to what place and at what time at their own discretion 3. All Oaths Interdictions and declarations against the Parliament to be declared void 4. Whomsoever the King had dignified with Titles from the time himself departed and conveyed away the great Seal of England be degraded of their honours And these must be first ratified and to command them to be passed into Laws Then they go on with the Preface the matter of the Treaty For as much as both Houses of Parliament have been necessitated to undertake a War for their just defence and for the prosecuting thereof have bound themselves in a Covenant be it enacted by the Kings command The Propositions were in number eleven 1. That all Declarations and Proclamations against the two Houses of Parliament or their Adherents and all Judgments and Indictments c. against them be declared Null 2. That a Satute be Enacted for abolishing of all Arch Bishops and Bishops out of the Churches of England and Ireland for the selling of their Lands and Revenues As also that the calling and sitting in Synod of the Divines be approved 〈◊〉 the Royal assent the Reformation of Religion for England and Ireland according to such Models as the Members of Parliament have or shall decree consultations first had with the said Divines In particular that the King grant his assent that the Act of both Houses formerly made concerning the Directory as concerning the publick Celebration of Gods worship throughout England and Ireland for the abolishing the Ancient Liturgie for the form of Church Government and Articles of Religion with the Catechisms the great and the less for the more Religious observation of the Lords day for supressing of Innovations in Churches and Chappels for the incouraging of the publick Preachers to their duties by a just reward for prohibiting of Pluralities of Benefices and non-residence to Clergy-men henceforth pass into Statutes or Laws That the King would set his hand to the National League and Covenant and suffer himself to be bound by the same that by publick Act it be enjoyned all the Subjects of both the Kingdoms of England and Scotland to be bound thereby under a penalty to be imposed at the pleasure of both Houses That it may belong to the Houses of Parliament to visit and reform the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge the Colledges also of Westminster Winchester and Eaton That it be provided by Statutes that Jesuites Priests and Papists disturb not the Common-wealth nor elude the Laws as also for the discriminating of them an Oath be administred to them wherein they shall abjure the Pope of Romes Supremacie Transubstantiation Purgatory Image-worship and other Superstitious errors of the Church of Rome That
according to the prescript of his word which hath long since been miserably convulst and disjoynted And this a National Synod duly called and freely debating will best effectuate To the King namely my Successor you will render full right if you restore those things which by the clear letter of the Law stands expressed Lastly you will put the people in their rights and due Liberties not by listing them in the consort of the Throne and sway of the Scepter but by recovering unto the Laws their Authority and the peoples observance to the abrogating of which by the enormous power of the Sword when as by no means I could be induced I was brought hither to undergoe a Martyrdom for my people So his last breath gently dissolving into a most meek prayer the Bishop of London promps him â—hat if his most excellent Majesty pleased he would openly profess what he thought touching his Religion not that any one alive could suspect it of which himself at all times throughout the whole space of his life had given manifest testimony but for custom and the peoples satisfaction Hereupon saies the King That he deposited the testimony of his faith with that holy man meaning the Bishop or else expected defence on this behalf of all men who well knew his Life and profession Namely That I dye saith he in the Christian faith according to the profession of the Church of England as the same was left me by my Father of most blessed memory Then looking about upon the Officers Having saies he a most gracious God and most just Cause that I shall by and by â—â—â—ange this corruptible Crown for an Immarcessible one I both trust and exult and that I shall depart hence into another Kingdom altogether exempt and free from all manner of disturbance Then preparing towards the Circumstances the Bishop put on his night-cap and unclothed him to his Sky-colour Satten Wastecoat He said I have a good Cause and a gracious God and gave his George Order to the Bishop bidding him remember to give it to the Prince There is but one Stage more Sir saies the Bishop this is turbulent and troublesome and but a short one but it will soon dismiss you to a way further even from Earth to Heaven there you are assured of joy and comfort I go saies the King from a Corruptible to an Incorruptible Crown where no disturbance can be but peace and joy for evermore Then lifting up his eyes and hands to Heaven mildly praying to himself he stooped down to the Block as to a Prayer Desk and most humbly bowed down his generous neck to God to be cut off by the vizarded Executioner which was suddenly done at one blow Thus fell Charles and thus all Britain with him Tuesday 30. of Ianuary about the minute of two a clock afternoon There are those persons who have seriously observed some passasages afterwards against the Corps which they stile barbarous in relation to his blood shed thereabouts nay to the Block and to the Sand distained therewith and to his Hair the ground whereof was 〈◊〉 those things were procured by the Royal party well-affected even for a price Certainly there were very many such that coveted any thing as a Relique which evidenced his Martyrdom as they esteemed it And to this day there are divers Devoters that affirm the effects of Cure by application of those things distained with his bloud we need not go farre to finde out the truth hereof if we take the Narrative of the Woman-patient at Dedford near the City of London being thereby cured of her blindness and many others of like infirmities His Head and Trunk was instantly put into a Coffin covered with black Velvet and conveyed into the Lodgings at Whitehall There it was imbowelled by Chirurgions of their own but a Physitian privately thrusting himself into the dissection of the body relates that Nature had designed him above the most of Mortal men for a long life And all sides manifested by those that beheld the admirable temperature almost all ad pondus of his body and mind Then they bear it to St. Iames's House and Coffin it there in Lead About a fortnight after some of the Kings Friends the greatest of Nobility and Honour the Duke of Lenox Marquess of Hartford the Earl of Southampton and the Bishop of London begged the Body to bury it which they conducted to Windsor Chappel Royal and interred it there in the Vault of King Henry the eighth having only this Inscription upon the Coffin Charls King of England From the Bishop of London long time kept Prisoner they take away all the Kings Papers ransack his Coffers and clothes for Scripts and Scroles but Almighty God in his providence hath preserved a Volume of the Kings own a Posthume work of which if any man or Broughton shall impartially weigh the matter the Elegancy of the Stile the nerves of Reason the ardour of Piety even envy it self will confess he deserved the Kingdom amongst Writers and though his own is wrested from him the mercy of his Lord and Saviour hath given 〈◊〉 Crown of Erernal Glory He was a King worthy to be numbred amongst the best of Princes in al-beading ages a strength of will but of more and greater Endowments of vertue of a most strict temperature in the natural disposition of flesh and blood and by the effects of Divine grace the most exact observer of Conjugal Rites and therein for his continency much admired His personage comely of an even well timber'd tallness which assisted him to be excellent in all exercises and therein to be indefatigable for the minde or body None of the Kings no not one not of Britain only but also all as many as any where sat on Throne ever left the world with more sorrow for his his luck women miscarried men fell into melancholly some with Consternations expired men women and children then and yet unborn suffering in him and for him The Pulpit places of all Sects and Opinions lamented even the same men in vain bewailing the losse of him whom they strove heretofore who should first undoe now they extoll and compare to Iob for patience to David for piety to Solomon for prudence most worthy he was of Government if otherwise it had not been his due to Govern herein he performed that great piece to Act one man in every place with the same Tenor of Vertue and condition The same Mean in the most different fortunes without any mutation of the temperature of the mind He addulced as with Charms his Enemies to be made his adorers Reproaches he converted into Praises He in a word excelled in goodness of whom this world was not worthy and therefore the Heavens have him there He had his failings of perfection in the first years of his Reign not so well versed in the affairs of State but that he being put to it trusted too much to others
to inform at Court the valuation thereof and so to insinuate into the Kings favour A person he was not improper for the Court of comely behaviour quick wit and nimble in tongue and being Son in Law to the Earl of Sowthesk was by him brought in and so crept up into esteem with the Duke of Lenox and by degrees mounted to great preferment the most unworthy ingrate treacherous firebrand to all future mischiefs Taking rise from private wrongs disputable with the Bishop of Rosse For Traham being made Deputy Commissioner and afterwards sole Treasurer this Bishop Io. Maxwell Minister of Edinburgh was set up by Laud then Bishop of London who finding him eloquent and factious enough placed him a Bulwark against adverse Forces and to that end he was Authorised to be Lord of the Session and Exchequer who prying too narrowly into Trahams Accompts and falling foul on personal accusations the Earl of Traquair made it his work to rid him out of all but before that fall he failed not to ruine that Bishop and Episcopacy also not without malice and revenge upon the interest of the King and his affairs Of Ireland But somewhat may be said concerning Ireland that Kingdom bearing a fatal part in this confused malady The Kings of England have born the Title of Sovereigns over Ireland for above four hundred years yet not till of late throughly subdued and reduced to obedience the causes have been first from the faint prosecution of the War in former Kings Reigns and secondly in the business of the Civil Government untill the time of King Iames who supplyed the defects of former Government in his first nine years and perfected it in the remain of his Reign more than was formerly done in four hundred fourty years since the first Conquest for though the Conquest was finished at his Commencement to these Crowns yet he maintained an Army â—ustly and royally paid to give strength and countenance to Civil Government only one rebellion of O'dogherlye which was instantly suppressed And for the Civil Government he granted his Act of Oblivion for Offences done before his Reign the Subjects received into the Kings protection and the most universal peace over all Ireland so that in six years there was not found so many Malefactors worthy of death in all the six Circuits now divided into thirty three Shires as in one Circuit of six Shires in the West of England And now was the peoples Estates setled all the Irish Lords aswell as English surrendring their Lands for new Grants of the Crown and for strengthening defective Titles And lastly the late Plantations setled there not granting any intire County to a particular person or Iura regalia or extraordinary Liberties as heretofore The revenue of the Crown double to what it ever had been all their Charters renewed and their Liberties enlarged so that this Land of Ire because the Irascible power was predominant for four hundred years is now become the Land of peace and Concord and King Iames left it so to his Son King Charls But how they fell into Rebellion and so into destruction All three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland the most glorious Monarchy of Christendom concentring in the ruine of themselves the sub sequent Historie will open not to be told but in Tears wherewith my eyes are already Dim One word by the way Intent upon this History we overtook two Writers One with a piece of the Reign and yet Intitles it The History of King Charls Him we know not but by his Nominal Letters H. L. Esquire The other an Observator upon him Anonymus whose Fame needs no Name nor to be shrouded from reverence due to his Function and great Abilities we oppose not but crave leave to mediate the difference as we meet it in either ERRATA In the absence of the Author beyond Seas the Printer hath failed to number the pages from 406. unto which being so corrected by your pen you will finde eight lines in page 410 inserted into the Primates Letter which were to be a Marginal Note only The words begin in the tenth line these two here instanced c. and end in the seventeenth line may easily appear Gulielmus Sandersonus Aetat suae 68 Etsi Se nescit quod senescit tamen up it dissoâ—â—â— The REIGN OF King CHARLES WE come now to the Descendent Son and Heir Charles the first of the Name King of Great Brittain France and Ireland Born the second Son to King Iames at Dunferling in Scotland the 19. day of November 1600. And whilst the Elder Brother Henry was hopeful to succeed this Prince may be said to be the less looked upon and so no Overtures of merit brought to Observation in competition with the Other Besides this Prince was directed by such as knew the forwardness of the former to make himself rather less than he was then to appear more then he should be a Rule not improper for most men specially Princes untill Soveraignty hath set them up Examples to all beyond the Mark and power of envy And it may be referred to his wisdome not to his meekness so far to comply with that Policy And therefore we find him the less apparent to open examination till time and opportunity might present him to the publique Not without some regret to his Domestick and other ordinary Observations that he lost time with overmuch neglect giving advantage and grace to the great Favourite Buckingham by assisting to set him up and to eclipse himself whereby some men took that occasion in his 〈◊〉 time to form tales of distempers between them which because in tâ—uth they could not find they were pleased to frame But for his Acts in the age of his youth and tutelage of subjection we shall not have use here to remind what hath been so particularly mentioned heretofore in the History of his Fathers life but what hath been since so improved to admiration of our Christian World Nor need we now to quarrel the mistakes concerning the Spanish Match or the French Negotiation or other Characters of King Iames with which an Author and his Observator enters his History but refer the truth and story to what we have said of those times and actions mentioned in his Fathers life In a due and compleat season therefore of age and time King Iames that famous Monarch dies at Theobalds the 27. day of March 1625. leaving the Diadem of three Kingdomes in succession to his Son immediately proclaimed being on a Sunday morning when Doctor Lawd then Bishop of St. Davids was in the Pulpit at Whitehall and broke off his Sermon upon this first notion of the Fathers death Whose Funerals the 14. of May following were sumptuously performed at Westminster King Charles attending these Obsequies contrary to the Old custome when chief Mourners use to be retyred into Chamber-recluse this complyment he conceived more fit for him in duty and piety to observe in Person And now the
third appointed this form To be chosen by six Princes of Germany Three Ecclesiastical Arch-Bishops Moguntia Colen and Trevine Three Temporal the Duke of Saxonie the Count Palatine of the Rhene and the Marquesse of Brandenburgh and when those six voyces should happen equally divided that then the Duke of Bohemia before it was a Kingdom should determine the Election this was approved by all the Germain Princes and other Christian Princes and Estates of this world And the manner and conditions are these After his Election he is called onely Caesar and the King of the Romanes and not Emperour till he be Crowned and takes his Oath presently after his Election To defend the Catholick Religion and Pope of Rome To minister Iustice to keep the Lawes of the Empire c. and so is anointed and with some prayers upon him a drawn sword put in his hand a Ring on his finger a scepter in his other hand and three Bishops set the Crown Emperiall upon his Head Then all the Princes take Oath to him In Polonie after the same manner In Spain of late the Kings are not Crowned but have another admission equal and performed by the Arch-Bishop of Toledo Primate of Spain In France they have some alterations from their ancient manner by Lewis le Ieune who ordained the 12. Peers of France Six Ecclesiastical and six Temporal The Arch-Bishop and Duke of Rhemes anointeth and Crowneth the King The Bishop and Duke of Lava bears the Glasse of sacred Oyl The Bishop and Duke of Lanques the Cross. The Bishop and Earl of Beauvais the Mantle Royal. The Bishop and Earl of Koyon the Girdle The Bishop and Earl of Chaalons the Ring The Duke of Burgundy Dean of the Order holds the Crown The Earl of Gasconie and Guiennie the first Banner quartered The Duke of Normandy the second Banner quartered The Earl of Tholosa the Golden spurs The Earl of Campain the Banner Royal or Standard of War The Earl of Flanders the sword Royall And this day the King is severally apparelled three times First as a Priest Secondly a King and Warriour Thirdly as a Iudge He takes his Oath by the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes to the Church and to the people c. and so vested with the Mantle Girdle Ring Ointment and Crown with declaration what each signified And though this Ceremonie of sacring and Anointing Kings be more ancient than the Christian Kingdom of France yet is it the most ancient for particular Majestique manner and most of the Neighbour Kingdoms have affinity from her especially in England being the very same in effect The sacredness of the Hebrew Kings depended much upon their being anointed Anointing added a divine Majesty to their Kings and made them sacred and allied unto God exercising power and authority over things divine the virtue of the sacred Ointment being communicated to them formerly compounded by Moses of Aromatick ingredients and was yet for Initiation and Consecration till Iosiah hid it under ground in the Temple in the same secret place where the Ark of the Covenant Aarons rod Urim and Thummim and the Manna were laid up in preservation against the overthrow of the Temple by the Assyrians as had been prophecied and so lost to posterity in time of their Babylonish Captivity And therefore the King resolves on the day 2. February which is censured For a vanity though serious and the wisest Monarchs are very idle in it as not conferring one dram of solid grandure to the Throne and yet he acknowledgeth that as the King enters recognizance and stipulateth with the people to govern by Law so they acclaim him their King And is all this but vanity Though the Scriptures also exemplifies it in the Iews their first King Saul after the manner of all Nations and after him David Solomon Iehoash The Highâ— Priest anointing him with solemnities as you may see of Gods own appointing and the Ceremony to our Saviour when the Iews crowned him was no doubt in imitation of other Kings and may be a pattern for Christians But the day come which began his solemnitie conveyed him by water from White-Hall to Westminster not in usual state through the streets from the Tower the onely reason the dregs of the Infection not clearing the danger of such concourse of people which is put upon his frugality to save money And though it belonged to the Dean of Westminster Bishop of Lincoln to officiate some chief parts of the Celebrity yet he being under a deserved displeasure and in October last put out of his office of Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England and intrusted unto Sr. Thomas Coventry who sat in Chancery two Terms before much of his duty was conferred upon Dr. Laud Bishop of St. Davids not of Bath and Wells till September after And then concerning the alteration of the Prayer The very Committee for managing the particulars of the Coronation resumed then those ancient particulars of the Prayer till Henry the sixth's time Ut obtineat gratiam huic populo c. like Aaron in the Tabernacle Elisha in the waters Zacharias in the Temple Sit Petrus in Clave Paulus in dogmate and were suitors to the King not to suffer the Dean to that duty and had this answer Who was not worthy to keep the seal lesse deserving to Minister now to his Soveraign Nor was he admitted to the next Parliament nor had summons by Writ so no Proxy to appoint a suffrage though it is said and evilly mentioned by an Historian That the Dukes Mother intruded who loved the Bishop if fame belies her not better then was fitting But this scandal I have answered sufficiently See the Life and Death of King Iames. And his own letters will discover the truth dated the seventh of Ianuary 1625. to the Duke and signed Iohn Lincoln so then he was not Chanceller and saies that he is come to do service for the preparation to the Coronation c. and craves of the Duke to receive a creature of your own struck dead with displeasure and by him to be brought to kiss the Kings hands And another Letter to the King complains that he hath not received his Writ of summons unto the Parliament that he might make his Proxie c. Nor can he go into the County as he had done long since but in expectation of this Writ and that in his absence in this Parliament no use may be made of the Kings Name to wound the reputation of a poor Bishop Cabala 107 108. and so our other Historians are mistaken in this And the manner of his Delivery of the Seal was thus Sir Iohn Suckling was sent from the King to demand it but charily he locked it up in a Cabinet and sent it and the Key by the Knight inclosed in a Letter to the King and so was outed of the Seal but kept his Bishoprick of Lincoln and the Deanary of Westminster which indeed he had for his life and after
doth Order That Mr. Brooks and the Dean and Chapters shall be satisfied all their charges in this suit by their Adversaries That Ezekias Harris Thomas Green Miles Corbet and Henry Davy who subscribed the Mittimus for Mr. Brooks Imprisonment and for the wrong done to his Person and the indignity offered to his place and function shall be committed to Prison during his Majesties pleasure and they to make further acknowledgement of their offence as shall be hereafter Ordered That Mr. Brinesley shall be removed from that Town onely yet shall not Officiate any where unlesse conforming to the Canons of the Church That the said pretended Chappel be converted to the first use a Wareâ—house 25. March 1632. The Kings power now appeared in the Narrow Seas with three-score sail os well manned Ships under command of the Earl of Northumberland who set out from the Downes towards the North where the Dutch Busses were Interrupted in their fishing some of them being seized and others sunk until they were enforced to fly from thence to his Majesties harbour their Commissions for that purpose craving leave to fish and trade with the English by permission under the Kings Grant as a perquisite of the English Interest and preservation of his Regality in the Brittish Sea And therefore to say the King had no designe paramount there unto but onely to reduce them to a precarious condition is much mistaken for he both sought more and they yeelded to more without any such policy as to caresse them for their Amity Fardinand the second weakened in body by many years and tormented in minde by mighty Wars resolving to settle the Empire calls a Diet at Ratisbone the midst of September where after consultation for succession the French under hand promoting Bavaria but the Poland Ambassadour prevailed more by his eloquent oration for the Emperours Sonne already King of Hungary to be elect King of the Romanes by the Name of Fardinand the third the 22. of December and the Father died the 15. of February following This Emperour by the good successe of his Lievtenants in Wars had maintained his Scepter in and out sometimes several and altogether against all the world almost For no sooner crowned King of Boheme then that people revolted and chose another when he became Emperour the seditions of the Hungarians and of his own subjects in Austria Maâ—sfealt and Halderstadt never left worrying him whilest they lived The Danes felt the force and smart of his Army the English Scots and Hollanders combined against him The Swedes and the whole Protestant Body of the Princes Nay the French also by profusion of blood and treasure His pesants excited against him and to corrupt the Faith of his great Ministers no sooner got out of one war but springs up another like Hydra's to torment him His best weapons were his own dayly pious prayers which the late King Gustave seemed more to dread then he did his Armies He Attacked the Arms of the Turk Catholicks Lutherans and Reformates and over all Triumphant He lived to see his Son Crowned King of the Romanes in spight of all his Enemies the Swedes to be shut up in Pomerania and the French beaten out of Germany and the Armies of Austria almost at the gates of Paris He hearkened religiously to the Jesuites the reason of the Reformates to revolt and to call in a stranger the Swedâ— to gnaw out their own entralls which they soon repented And now was the Earl of Arundel Earl Marshal of England assigned Ambassadour to the new Emperour Fardinand the third elected at this Imperial Diet. To whom he presents the condition of his Majesties Nephew the Palsgrave of the Rhene And being now in the English Court the eyes of all the Christian Princes were fixed upon the cause of his fufferings which had been so often represented to his Emperial Predecessours not without great expectation to his restauration which his Master hoped might take good effect by his now Emperial grace and favour And for answer The Emperour told him That he made no doubt in time he might be considered for enjoying the Lower-Palatinate But for the other It much concerned the Duke of Bavaria's present Interest and possession and how he could be induced to a Treaty disadvantagious to himself he wished the Ambassadour to make that Counsel the best of his business To that end he was to dispute with the deputies of the Emperour with some of them he prevailed for their good Inclinations towards the Palsgrave as very effectuall for confirmation of a setled peace amongst the Princes And to that end they made their several respective humble Remonstrance and advice But Bavaria spake like a souldier That what he had with so much hazzard of his Person and expence of treasure wonne by the sword in defence of the Empire against an enemy he would now maintain with the same power in the possession The Ambassadour was now assured that this his resolution needed not so much mis-spent time in the Treaty but to have been told it at the first And to shew his disdain to be thus used took no leave at all but hastened homewards nor could the Emperours friends two Ambassadours Spanish and Polish sent after to moderate his anger and to promise better effects after some weeks patience nothing prevails to invite him back again he comes directly home where he found the King in some regret at this affront of his Ambassadour and so returned with like disdain upon an Imperial Agent sent hither to excuse the one and to offer some conditions as improbably to bring other effects which therefore was an entrance to a further breach of amity between these Princes and much increased by the hopes of a Marriage between the King of Poland and the Lady Elizabeth Sister to the Prince Elector and Prince Ratzevil sent hither to treat it with our King and almost concluded whilest the Diet of that Nation met and consulted for their consents and soon granted by the Peers and people but the third Estate the Clergy so much Jesuite as to be foundered by the way with propositions from the House of Austria Emperour and King of Spain for Cecilia Arch Duchesse and second Sister of the Emperour and so was this instantly concluded and the other fell off as did the Prince Elector to an absolute dispair of his former Interests The usual visitations Provincial of Arch Bishops of England for setling Church affairs having good effects from that of Canterbury He now also intends the like upon the University of Cambridge somewhat out of tune in several Coledges Emanuel and Sidney Chappels not Consecrated for divine Service and Sacraments which yet were solemnly administred there And this the University challenged within their own Charter and power to examine and were exempt from any visitation unlesse of themselves or the Kings Majesty as their gracious Founder But at the dispute before the King and his Privy
Maxwell till ten Weeks after when being upon the Charge voted guilty of High Treason and not before he was sent to the Tower and four years after beheaded The Scots Covenanters charge against the Arch-bishop of Canterbury concerning Innovations in Religion the main causes of Commotions in Kingdoms and States the true causes of our present Troubles many and great besides the Books of Ordinances and Homilies First some particular Alterations in Religion without Order or Law a new Book of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical Secondly a Liturgie or Book of Common Prayer full of dangerous Errours and we challenge the Prelate Canterbury the prime cause on earth That he was Authour of our changes in Religion by fourteen Letters of his to our pretended Bishops to promote the English Service-Book and for which neglect he lost the Bishoprick oâ— Edinburgh but may deserve a better advising him to return a List of the Names of such persons of Honour and Office that refuse More appears by Papers memorative Instructions to the Bishop of Saint Andrews and Ross for ordering the Affairs of the Kingdom to obtain Warrants to order the Exchequer Privy Council Commissions of Surrenders the matter of Balmerino's Process as might pleasure Prelates Warrants to sit in the High Commission once a Week and to gain from the Noble-men the Abbies of Kelso Saint Andrews and Conday for the Prelates ordering by his command even the meanest Offices in the Kirk Secondly the Book of Canons obtruded being devised for establishing a tyrannical power in the persons of the Prelates over the Consciences Liberties and Goods of the People and for abolishing the whole Discipline of our Kirk settled by so many general and provincial Assemblies Presbyteries and Kirk-Sessions by Law and continual practice since the Reformation The Book of Common Prayer which by our National Assembly is found to be Popish Superstitious and Idolatrous and repugnant to all our Doctrine and Discipline reformed And that Canterbury was the main Actor they prove by several Letters to several pretended Bishops for promoting and ordering the use thereof and the Book it self in writ is interlined margined and patched up by his hand the changes and supplements taken from the Mass-books different from the Service-book in England and without the Kings knowledg as in the Sacraments of Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. That our Supplications were many against these Books but Canterbury procured them to be answered with terrible Proclamations whereby we were constrained to use the Remedy of Protestations we were called Rebells and Traitours and procured War against us and after the Pacification at Barwick he advised to have it broken and to bring upon us this new War that our Convenant he called damnable treasonable railing against us in the presence of the King and Committee That his hand was to the Warrant for Restraint and Imprisonment of some of our Commissioners when we had manifested the truth of our Intentions Declarations Remonstrances and Representations true just and lawfull That he advised the breaking up of the last Parliament but sat still in his Convocation to make Laws against them tending to our utter ruine That he caused a Prayer to be used in all Churches in England whereby we are styled as traiterous Subjects c. That if the Pope had been in his place he could not have been more zealous against the Reformed Churches to reduce them to the Heresies Doctrines Superstitions Idolatries of Rome c. All which they will prove and desire justice upon him Their Charge also against the Earl of Strafford which was thus in effect That they had conjoyned with Canterbury by no other name the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whose malice was to do mischief to their Kirk and Countrey no cause moving but his own pride and superstitious disdain of their Kirk so much honoured first by sundry other reformed Kirks by many worthy Divines in England by their oppositions against Innovations in all his Majesties Dominions which he promotes by advancing his Chaplain Doctor Bromholm to the Bishoprick of Derry and Vicar general of Ireland one prompted to exalt Canterbury's Popery and Armenianism and Doctor Chapel to the University of Dublin on purpose to imprisoning and corrupting the Fountain of the Kirk and when the Primate of all Ireland pressed a Ratification of the Articles of the Confession of that Kirk in Parliament for barring of Innovation he boldly threatned him with burning of it by the Hangman although confirmed in England He disgraced our new Reformation begun in Scotland by a Pamphlet Examen conjurationis Scoticae The ungirding of the Scotish Armour Lysimachus Nicanor and he the Patron of the Works and them That notwithstanding their National Oath and Covenant warranted by general Assemblies approved by Parliament there and to be taken by all the People and their Loyalty to the King and lawfull proceeding the Innocency of their Covenant and Cause yet did he tend all his malice and force against them First by summoning some of the Scots Nobility and Gentry there in Ireland to Dublin and there conspired with the Prelate of Rothes and framed a Petition which the Scots there must exhibit to renounce the Scots Covenant and so thereby enforced all the Scots above sixteen years of age to the same upon pain of close Imprisonment whereby thousand others were forced to fly into Scotland leaving all they had behinde them to the weakning of the Scots Plantation and disservice to the King and Kingdom That by his means a Parliament is there called and although by six Subsidies unduly gotten and levied the Parliament before the Land was impoverished He now again extorted four Subsidies more otherwise Forces should have been levied against us as Rebells This being intended as a President to the Parliaments in England for levying a joint Army over the Subjects of both Nations And accordingly an Army was raised and brought to the Coast threatning to invade Scotland and to make us a conquered Province to the extirpation of Religion Laws and Liberties which enforced us of necessity to maintain our Forces on Foot to prevent his coming our Ships and Goods taken as Prize on the Irish Coasts inciting England to a War also against them Thus fitted he hastning over into England and at the delivery up of the Sword there he uttered these words If ever I return to this honourable Sword I shall not leave of the Scots neither Root nor Branch Being come to Court he acts all offices to our Commissioners who were to clear all our Proceedings at the Iunto using perswasions to stir up both King and Parliament to a War against us That course failing he plotted to break the Parliament and to have the Conduct of the Army in the Expedition against Scotland which he exercised according to the largeness of his Patent of his own devising and when the Scots Army came but in peace far from Intentions to invade but with supplication and petition of
and so an abrogation of those of Ireland Now there was not a reception of the one instead of the other but the one with the other there being no difference in substance but onely in method number of subjects determined and other circumstantials argue no more an abrogation then that doth of the Apostles Creed by our reception of the Nicene Creed and Athanasius's wherein some points are more enlarged Or that the reception into our use the form of the Lords prayer according to S. Matthew abrogates that of S. Luke being the shorter Neither do I see but if for the manifestation of the union of the whole Reformed Churches We then should approve and receive the Articles of Religion agreed in other Reformed Churches and they receive ours it were no abrogating of either And the difference in them being onely in Circumstantials and not in substance all might be called one confession That as of many Seas one Ocean of many National Churches one Catholique Church so of many formes of Confessions but one faith amongst them That Argument from the Apostles speech of making void the old Covenant by speaking of a new or taking in the first day of the week to be the Sabbath instead of the last when but one in seven was to be kept doth not fit the Case for in these there was a superinduction and reception of the one for the other but in the Canon the Articles of England are received not instead but with those of Ireland And the practise of divers Bishops confirms it who many years after that upon an Ordination examined the persons as formerly according to the Articles of Ireland and took their subscription of them And in this I shall give you the sence of a most eminent learned and judicious person upon the view of what the Observator rescued had written of it I have received saies he the Book you sent me and have perused it I see he will have the allowance of our Articles of England by the Synod in Ireland to be a virtual disanulling of the Irish Confession which I conceive saith nomore but that both Confessions were consistent And the Act of that Synod not a revocation of the Irish Articles but an approbation of ours as agreeing with them He hath his flings at the Sermon preached at the Lord Primates Funeral but in truth he wrongs himself and our Church in those detractions from him Now this being so that the Articles of Ireland were not abrogated nor by the Primate so apprehended where was the ground of any displeasure disaffection or former grudge pretended very uncharitably by the Observator to be the cause of the Lord Primates carrying a sharp tooth against the Earl of Strafford It could not be for the first Canons passing which was all that was done in it for himself proposed and commended it and such as were intimate with him never heard him express any displeasure to the Earl upon that account And what Arguments soever may now be picked out of the draught of the Canon to imply an abrogation virtually or legally which is the last refuge the Observator flies unto are of no force to prove his displeasure then who did not so apprehend it and if he had then taken any such offence they are strangers to that holy man that can believe he could smother a grudge so many years but for such as have so aspersed him I shall pray that the thoughts of their hearts may be forgiven them So much for the clearing of that mistake concerning the Articles of Ireland which being made the Foundation of that other Building we are next to enter upon must accordingly fall with it also viz. The second Scandal in putting forward of the Earl of Strafford 's death But first to the whole matter which I shall lay down as plainly and briefly as the business will bear it The House of Commons having voted the Bill of Attainder against the Earl of Strafford which with some difficulty passed at last the House of Lords also and so tendered to the King for his royal assent He refused it for the present as not being satisfied upon his Hearing the Charge and Defence with the Evidence on both sides of which himself was witness That no sufficient proof was made nor any Law then in force whereby the Earl could be guilty of high Treason It was therefore necessary that Judges for the Law and Divines for his Conscience should satisfie him therein and they were with him to that end sent for by him and not sent to him The Houses of Parliament already really assured that their Proceedings and Votes for the Earl's condemnation ought to be sufficient satisfaction for the King without scruple of his own conscience to sign to their judgment the King being a party in Life and Death of a Delinquent ought to confide in the Verdict of the Iury. Nor was the King present as to satisfie his own conscience but his curiosity and it had been a strange President in the Parliament to consent unto much less to send any persons to the King to clear his conscience contrary to the Parliaments sentence especially such persons not having Vote in the House as the Judges have not Nor are the Bishops so much as assistant in cause of bloud or death by the fourth Canon of the Council of Toledo And it is confessed by both Authours that the Judges and Divines also were not willing to give their Opinions point blank against the Vote in Parliament And certainly if they had they might well have expected to be further questioned for it But in truth the Judges told the King that in point of Law the Oath made by Sir Henry Vane of the Earls advice to raise Horse to aw this Nation the Earl was guilty of Treason which though but singularis testis and which circumstances have been taken for sufficient testimony in Treason and more the King could not draw from the Judges as to any other particular but they flew to their general Opinion that super totam materiam he was guilty The King then starts his last Doubt that in his conscience he could not pass the Bill although the Earl were guilty having promised him under his hand that his Prerogative should save him never to pass that Bill nor to consent to the acting of any thing to take away his life And this was now that point of conscience Breach of Promise mostly insisted upon wherein the Divines were to satisfie And we have heard what hath been said of them And now let us see what the Arch-bishop of Armagh is pleased to say and that under his own hand-writing The Arch-bishop of Armagh's Testimony in Answer to the Historian pag. 257. l. 29. That Sunday morning writes he wherein the King consulted with the four Bishops London Durham Lincoln and Carlile the Arch-bishop of Armagh was not present being then Preaching as he then accustomed every Lords day to do in the Church of
have sought to gain a like consent from me to Acts wherein my conscience is unsatisfied than the sharp touches I have had for what passed me in my Lord of Strafford's business Not that I resolved to have imploied him in my affairs against the advice of my Parliament but I would not have had any hand in his death of whose guiltlesness I was better assured than any man living could be Nor were the crimes objected against him so clear as after a long and fair hearing to give convincing satisfaction to the major part of both Houses especially that of the Lords of whom scarce a third part were present when the Bill passed that House And for the House of Commons many Gentlemen disposed enough to diminish my Lord of Strafford's greatness and power yet unsatisfied of his guilt in Law durst not condem him to die who for their integritie in their Votes were by posting their Names exposed to the popular calumnie hatred and furie which grew then so exorbitant in their clamours for justice that is to have both my self and the two Houses Vote and to do as they would have us that many 't is thought were rather terrified to concur with the condemning partie than satisfied that of right they ought so to do And that after-Act vacating the authoritie of the precedent for future imitation tells the world that some remorse touched even his most implacable enemies as knowing he had very hard measure and such as they would be very loth should be repeated to themseves This tenderness and regret I finde in my soul for having had any hand and that very unwillingly God knows in shedding one mans bloud unjustly though under the colour and formalitie of justice and pretences of avoiding publick mischiefs which may I hope be some evidence before God and man to all posteritie that I am far from bearing justly that vast load and guilt of all that bloud which hath been shed in this unhappie War which some men will needs charge on me to ease their own souls who am and ever shall be more afraid to take away any mans life unjustly than to lose mine own And now I take my leave of our two Writers the Historian and his Observatour They stop here and we part Friends But I am to go on towards my journeys end a great way farther The sad execution of this brave man put the great Officers of State in some doubt what to do with themselves as fearing that upon the like score they might be subject to destruction And because envy and insecurity wait nearest upon persons of eminency in office or because they considered that the ambition of the adverse party might be some way satisfied divers of the Kings nearest Officers resigned up their Places the seventeenth of May viz. The Lord Cottington Master of the Wards to the profitable desires of the Lord Say Dr. Iuxon Bishop of London resigning his Office of Treasurer of England into the hands of five Commissioners more sufficient than he could be The Earl of Leicester was made Lieutenant of Ireland perhaps to ballance with the late Lord's merit Marquess Hertford sworn Governour of the Prince in the room of the Earl of New-castle who hereafter the Parliament pretend to be a Papist The Earl of Essex made Lord Chamberlain of the Kings Houshold and Pembroke put out The Officers of the English Army set a Design on foot by which it was pretended that they meant to force the Parliament but being discovered and soon made publick the manner and matter collected out of the Examinations in May and Iune were thus The Field-officers and Commanders being at London and Members of either Houses the Army was left to the oversight of Sir Iacob Astley the Ground of the Design was pretended from the Dislikes between the King and Parliament with the hasty Supply of the Scotish Army and the neglect of the English which begat Discontent in them and private Meetings and Consultations there and so brought up to Court But their Design not fixed fell into several Intentions which never came to head being crushed in the Embryo by sudden discovery In the general it was voted the nineteenth of Iune that the Scots should receive one hundred thousand pounds of their three hundred thousand pounds at Mid-summer next 1642. and the remainder at Mid-summer 1644. But the Scots by writing pretend necessity for the present and demanded twenty five thousand pounds there being in readiness but fifteen thousand pounds for the Parliament had designed fifty thousand pounds for the necessity of the English Army from whose Money the House of Commons soon consented to deduct ten thousand pounds for the Scots The Lord Piercy Commissary General Wilmot and Colonel Ashenburnham sitting together and murmuring at it Wilmot stept up and told Master Speaker That if such Papers of the Scots could procure Moneys he doubted not but the Officers of the English would soon do the like But it prevailed not to prevent the Scot and provoked the English Army to say that the Parliament had disobliged them These at London put themselves into a Iunto of sworn secrecy resolving to engage in some particular for themselves and the publick service of the King drawing up uncertain extravagant Heads by way of Petition to the King and Parliament For Money for the Army Not to disband before the Scots To preserve Bishops Votes and Functions To settle the Kings Revenue The Army tainted from hence meet at Burrowbrig draw up a Letter by way of Petition which Paper of Instructions was shewn to the King who seemed to approve of it say the Parliament by singing it C. R. which served onely as a direction to Captain Leg that none should see it but Sir Iacob Astley who in absence of the chief Commanders ordered the Army The main of the matter there was that all good men ought to thank God for directing the Kings heart to the desires of his Parliament by delivering up into their hands the chiefest of Counsellours and Servants and many other things to gratifie them which never was done by any his Ancestours By Petition of Right Triennial Parliament and such like yet that some turbulent spirits backt by rude and tumultuous Mechanicks seem not to be satisfied without the total subversion of the Government of State c. That therefore the Army so orderly governed though without Martial Law No payment and few Officers might be called up to attend the safety of the Kings person and Parliaments security or that both Armies should be disbanded for the ease of the Kingdom with a desire to procure the Officers hands hereto c. The Actours there were Sir Iames Ashley Sir Iohn Conniers Sir Foulk Hunks Colonel Vavisor Chudleigh William Leg and Oneal and others all examined to this purpose but none suffered for the same Amongst those others here above and some Courtiers was Master Henry Iermin who to avoid the bad effects of his Medling conveyed himself
promoted the Lady Ianes Title before the lawfull Heir Queen Mary and the Bishops and Lords writ to Mary that she ought to submit to her Cousin the Lady Iane as her Sovereign that Canterbury and Ely subscribed that Letter and Ridley preached the same at Paul's Cross and so concluded them disloyal Traitours The Protestant Bishops were engaged upon the Faith of Religion to promote Jane besides the visible cause of Danger to the State and Kingdom was notorious in the accession of Mary and proved fiery hot to the execution of their persons the most of the powerfull Lords were Protestants the other being beyond Seas or kept under at home and but two of all the Bishops that signed to the Letter The next godly Princess was Elizabeth who began her Reign with a Conference for increase of Reformation of Religion earnestly pressed by good Divines Scorie Cox Iewel Ebiner Grindall Whitehead Horn Gest but were opposed by the Bishops to the prejudice of the Queens desire therein That at the Queens Coronation the Bishops did refuse to anoint or consecrate her and names them York Canterbury dead and ten more the chiefest And were not all these Popish Bishops that hated her Nay there might be another cause which is not hinted by him though his whole discourse hath insisted upon the Sovereigns Titles there might be reason enough to dispute it now but he forbears and so do I. But the lawfull Line succeeds her And so King Iames says he commences with a Conference for Reformation at Hampton Court where were Doctour Reynolds and Sparks of Oxford Knewstubs and Chaderton of Cambridg but were resisted in the Reformation by eight Bishops and six Deans alleging there was no need of Reformation but God and good men did know the contrary In his Reign they introducing Schisms Heresies and Idolatry of Popery and Arminianism and what not Irreligion to the Deity mischief and danger to the Kingdom There needs not particular observation concerning his Notes of this Kings time that there was a Conference complete an equal number of Disputants continuing some Days the whole Discourse imprinted and now common which I finde Master Thomas passes over as not willing to stand to the Test of that Conference being nothing at all for his purpose but to the contrary As for their Actions in his Majesties Reign which he thinks do poise all and over-ballance all formerly done since the beginning of Parliaments put together in the other Scale which he referrs to the Reports of the Committees for the Pope of Lambeth and his Cardinals Wren and others and briefly concludes that they having in Parliaments contrived Treasons Rebellions Domestick and Foreign Incendiaries and Grievances to State and Church Arch-Enemies to King and Common-wealth He hopes his Majesty will Lege talionis make their Episcopacy onely Tituâ—â— for they are to have priority or precedency Quoad Ordinem not Quoad Ministerium wherein the poorest Curate is his Companion but as he is not for equality and parity so not too great a distance These being his Reasons for their unlawfulness and sitting in Parliament any longer And this was spoken in May. This Speech was accounted the Cutâ—throat of Episcopacy which the rather I insert and the Reasons I observe because much of the matter is Records and so not out of my way nor unnatural for an Historian to observe and therefore herein I may be excused from any note of partiality mis-becoming a Register of Records Master White and others there were that followed with inveterate Speeches against Episcopacy but because all of them of one nature and to record them here impertinent I shall refer the Reader to their Reasons published in several Pamphlets and to others that answered them both Clerks and Lay-men the whole business of this time taken up with Freedom of the Presses to prate any thing scandalous on any side and that you may see their plotting take this Letter which I set down somewhat before its due place and time it came from Master Iohn White of Dorchester to his Nephew Master White at London Septemb. 8. The King being in Scotland thus writes Touching our main business says he the King will come back from Scotland shortly without effecting any thing answerable to his and others expectations and consequently may be fit enough to be won to condescend to any reasonable Demands If the Commons hold their own they may have what they will desire All the work will be to hold them stiff to their former Resolutions to which they may be well prepared by their Friends in the time of this Access if they bestiâ— themselves as they ought Sir we conceive if we could could win Master Mainard to joyn throughly about the taking away of Episcopacy it would much further the cause The way must be to charge home the thirteen Bishops that are now impeached if they be found in a Praemunire and so cast out of the Higher House it is hoped the better Lords will prevail and then the Work is at an end The way to prevail with Master Mainard is by his Wife and with her by Master Hughs a Lecturer I conceive It were worth a Iourney thither for you to ride over and speak with her if these who deal with this man go about it with metal I am confident it will be carried Good Sir afford your helping hand herein with as much speed as possibly you can Yours John White Dorchester September 8 1641. I need not suppose this mans Character the Tone too well known and to what Sect he appertained but the manner of their working by the lecturing weak Women who have more strength in their pewling than Sampson had in his Locks But the state of a Question was propounded concerning Bishops whether or no Iure Divino as hath been heretofore remembred but now it was that Master Grimston argued That Bishops are Jure Divino is of a question That Arch-bishops are not Jure Divino is out of question That Ministers are Jure Divino there is no question Now says he if Bishops which are questioned whether Jure Divino and Arch-bishops which out of question are not Jure Divino suspend Ministers that are Jure Divino I leave it to you Master Speaker Mr. Selden's Answer That the Convocation is Jure Divino is a question That Parliaments are not Jure Divino is out of question That Religion is Jure Divino is no question Now Master Speaker that the Convocation which is questioned whether Jure Divino and Parliaments which out of question are not Jure Divino should meddle with Religion which questionless is Jure Divino I leave to you Master Speaker Grimston replies But Arch-bishops are no Bishops Selden answers That 's no otherwise true than that Iudges are no Lawyers and Aldermen no Citizens Busie the Commons House have been to settle a new Mode of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and the seventeenth of Iuly ordain every Shire of England and Wales to be
a several Circuit and Diocess excepting York-shire which is to be divided into three 2. A constant Presbytery of twelve choice Divines to be selected in every Shire or Diocess 3. A constant President to be established as a Bishop over this Presbytery 4 And he to ordain suspend deprive degrade Excommunicate by and with the assistance of several divines of this Presbytery and that four times of the year He to reside within his Diocess in some one prime place To have one special particular Congregation and the richest in value and there to preach Never to be translated to any other Bishoprick And after his death the King to grant a Conge d' elire to the Clergy of that Diocess they to present them Presbyters out of which the King to elect one the first Presbyter of every shire to be named by the Parliament and upon his avoidance the remaining Presbyters to chuse another out of the Parish Ministers No Bishop or Clergy-man to exercise any temporal office Once a year to summon a Diocesan Synod to regulate the scandal in life and doctrine among the Clergy-men Every third year a National Synod of all the Bishops in the Land with two Presbyters and two Clerks of every Diocess to be chosen This Synod to ordain Canons of Government of the Church but not to be binding till confirmed by Parliament c. A man would have Imagined that all this a doe would have produced something like an Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction but the House of Commons were puzzeled as much more to devise a presbyterial Discipline for the Church Government and being thus at large and in high distraction The Arch Bishop of Armagh to put them in a way of accommodation considering the general consent for matters of doctrine he composed some heads for conjunction in point of Discipline that so Episcopal and Presbyterial Government might not be by circumstances at a far distance Reducing Episcopacy unto the form of Synodical Government in the Antient Church Which he offered as an expedient hereupon for the prevention of future troubles in likelyhood henceforth to arise about Church Government Not improper to be mentioned now paralel to these times when we have none at all BY order of the Church of England saies the Arch Bishop all Presbyters are charged to administer the Doctrine and Sacraments and the Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and as this Realm hath received the same And that they might the better understand what the Lord had commanded therein the exhortation of St. Paul to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus is appointed to be read unto them at the time of their Ordination Take heed unto your selves and to all the flock among whom the Holy-Ghost hath made you overseers to Rule the Congregation of God which he hath purchased with his Bloud Of the many Elders who in common thus ruled the Church of Ephesus there was one President whom our Saviour in his Epistle unto this Church in a peculiar manner styleth c the Angel of the Church of Ephesus and Ignatâ—us in another Epistle wriâ—ten about twelve years after unto the same Church calleth the Bishop thereof Betwixt the Bishop and the Presbytery of that Church what an harmonious consent there was iâ— the ordering of the Church Government the same Ignatius doth fully there declare by the Presbytery with St. Paul understanding the community of the rest of the Presbyters or Elders who then had a hand not only in the delivery of the Doctrine and Sacraments but also in the Administration of the Discipline of Christ for further proof of which we have that known testimony of Tertullian in his general Apology for Christians In the Church are used exhortations chastisements and divine censure for Judgement is given with great advice as among those who are certain they are in the sight of God and it is the chiefest foreshewing of the Judgement which is to come if any man have so offended that he be banished from the Communion of Prayer and of the Assembly and of all holy fellowship The Presidents that bear rule therein are certain approved Elders who have obtained this honour not by reward but by good report who were no other as he himself intimates elsewhere but those from whose hand they used to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist For with the B. who was the chief President and therefore styled by the same Tertullian in another place Summus Sacerdos for distinction sake the rest of the dispensers of the word and Sacraments joyned in the common government of the Church and therefore where in matters of Ecclesi astical Iudicature Cornelius Bishop of Rome used the received form of gathering together the Presbytery of what persons that did consist Cyprian sufficiently declareth when he wisheth him to read his Letters to the flourishing Clergy which there did preside or rule with him The presence of the Clergy being thought to be so requisite in matters of Episcopal audiencâ— that in the fourth Councel of Carthage it was concluded That the Bishop might hear no mans cause without the presence of the Clergy and that otherwise the Bishops sentence should be void unless it were confirmed by the presence of the Clergy which we finde also to be inserted into the Canons of Egbert who was Arch-bishop of York in the Saxon times and afterwards into the body of the Canon Law it self True it is that in our Church this kinde of Presbyterial Government hath been long dis-used yet seeing it still professeth that every Pastor hath a right to rule the Church from whence the name of Rector also was given at first unto him and to administer the Discipline of Christ as well as to dispence the Doctrine and Sacraments and the restraint of the exercise of that right proceedeth only from the custome now received in this Realm no man can doubt but by another Law of the Land this hindrance may be well removed And how easily this ancient form of government by the united suffrages of the Clergy might be revived again and with what little shew of alteration the Synodical conventions of the Pastors of every Parish might be accorded with the Presidency of the Bishops of each Diocess and Province the indifferent Reader may quickly perceive by the perusal of the ensuing Propositions 1. In every Parish the Rector or Incumbent Pastor together with the Churchwardens and Sidesmen may every week take notice of such as live scandalously in that Congregation who are to receive such several admonitions and reproofs as the quality of their offence shall deserve And if by this means they cannot be reclaimed they may be presented to the next monethly Synod and in the mean time debarred by the Pastor from access unto the Lords Table 2. Whereas by a Statute in the 26 year of Henry 8. revived 1 Eliz. Suffragans are appointed to be erected in 26 several places of this
discharge the Debts and Loan monies of the Common-wealth September 6. What wayes endeavours and real expressions the King had made to prevent subsequent Miseries the world may judge and yet they have been so fruitless that though he hath descended to desire nay to press it not so much as a Treaty can be obtained unless he will denude himself of all force to defend him from a visible strength marching against him and to admit those Persons as Traytors to him whose duty Allegeance and the Law have appeared in his defence Indeed his power was now weak which the Parliament consider so that they would put him upon the Providence of God the Justice of his cause and the affection of his good people without doubt though it was far from his thoughts to put them out of his Protection yet if ever the Parliament should desire a Treaty of Him he promises piously to remember whose blood is to be spilt in the quarrel and would most cheerfully imbrace any reasonable accommodation And now the war on Foot and Forces raised a wonder it was what Tumults and Insurrections were dayly complained of to both parties which the King endeavoured to reclaim by his Declarations and exemplary Punishments So do the Parliament party and send down Sir Thomas Barrington and Mr. Grynistone into Essex to rectifie their disordres but being there they seize Sir Iohn Lucas and his Lady at Colchester and commit them to the Jayle and their eight Coach horses sent to their General Essex and Mr. Newcomen then for the King was sent to prison resolving to bring them speedily to their Trials in order to that Lucas was proclaimed Traytor by the Parliament brought up to London and committed to the Gatehouse I have not troubled the Reader with the remembrance of the Scots Nation who have so much troubled us And now I find them working on their design to set us forward to a further distance that they may the better come into the distraction with their ill Councel They kept a kind of Commissioners here to be at hand for their purpose who sent Advice and Intelligence to their General Assembly of Scotland of the condition and transaction of all our affairs here And accordingly the Parliament caress them with a Declaration as it was most fitting for their purpose to be believed To which the Assembly with universal consent in their canting manner held forth this Answer in the beginning of August last to this effect 1. That from the sense of their own late deliverance they bless God for preserving themselves in the midst of their divisions and troubles from a bloody war the compend of all Calamities 2. That the hearts of all their Members of this Assembly and of others well affected are exceedingly grieved that in so long a time the Reformation moves so slowly not onely Prelates formal professors prophane and Popishly affected but bad Councellors with spiritual wickedness in high places have prevailed so far that as in the times of the best Kings of Iudah of old and the most part of the reformed Kirk of late a through Reformation hath been a work full of difficulties Their Kirk and nation when God gave them the calling considered not their own dulness nor staggered at the promise through unbelief And who knoweth but the Lord hath now some controversie with England which will not be removed till the worship of his name and the Government of his House be setled 3. That the Commissioners of Scotland in the late Treaty of peace did represent their serious thoughts and desires for unity of Religion that in all his Majesties dominions there might be one confession of faith one directory of worship one Catechism and one form of Kirk Government when all his people may resort to one worship This Assembly doth now enter upon the labour of their Commissioners into which they are encouraged by the zeal of former Assemblies at Edenburgh December 1566. which ordained a Letter to be sent into England against the Surplice Tippet and Corner Cap and such other Ceremonies of that Kirk that they might be removed by the Assembly at Edinburgh April 1583. desiring their King to Command his Ambassadors then going to Queen Elizabeth that there might be an Union and Band betwixt them against the persecution of Papists in their Holy League of Trent and to disburthen their Brethren in England from the yoke of Ceremonies against the Liberty of the word And by the Assembly at Edinburgh March 1589. ordaining their Proselytes to use all means for the relief of the Kirk of England for maintaining the true discipline and Government of the Kirk of England And why not now much more being many waies encreased their zeal ought to be no less especially encouraged by his Majesties personal worship when he was with them and many acts of grace to their Ministry and Kirk and his gratâ—ous Letter to them Intimating that when any thing is amiss he will in a fair and orderly way reform and so done He will maintain and defend it in peace against all troubles without and against all Sects Heresies Schismes within And likewise the Parliament of England hath shewen their zeal and expressed their grief that the work hath been interrupted by a Malignant party of Papists evil affected persons a corrupt and dissolute Clergie by the Instigation of Bishops Their hope is that when they shall return to a peaceable Parliamentary proceeding to setle a Kirk reformation firm and stable Union between both Kingdoms they being mightily encouraged by a Letter from the reverend brethren of the Kirk of England upon all these grounds the Assembly doth confidently expect that England will now bestir themselves to a Reformation and first to begin with Kirk Government and that Prelacy the main cause of all their miseries be pluckt up root and branch which God hath not planted bearing no better fruits then sowre grapes which hath set on edg the Kingdom of England The Hierarchy being put by the work will be easie without forcing any Conscience by setling the Government of the Kirk by Assemblies for although the Reformed Kirks do hold without doubting their Kirk Offices and Kirk Government by Assemblies in their strong and beautiful subordination to be Jure divino and perpetual Yet Prelacy as it differeth from the Office of a Pastour is universally acknowledged by themselves and their adherents to be but an humane Ordinance introduced by humane reason and setled by humane Laws and Customs for supposed conveniency which therefore without wronging any Mans Conscience may be altered and abolished to which Reformation their Kirk will contribute their power and prayers c. Saint Andrews August 3. And answerable to this Declaration the secret Council of Scotland upon petition of the Assembly do concur and commend this Declaration as a means for the unity of Religion and uniformity of Kirk-government in his Majesties three Kingdoms Extractum ex libris actorum secreti Câ—ncilii
Companies of Horse under command of Sir Charls Cavendish Brother to the Earl of Newcastle the Enemy having left within Nottingham a thousand Foot The Queen marched with three thousand Foot thirty Companies of Horse and Dragoons six Pieces of Cannon and two Morters Mr. Iermin commanding all these Forces as Colonel of her Guard and Sir Alexander Lesley a traiterous cowardly murderous Scot ordered the Foot and Sir Gerard the Horse and Captain Leg the Artillery and her Majesty Generalissima extremely diligent with an hundred and fifty Wagons The King and Queen met at Edg-hill the first time since she landed out of Holland and so to Oxford where she continued till the seventeenth of April the next year and then she took her last leave of the King at Abington for the West and was brought to Bed at Exeter of a Daughter the sixteenth of Iune named Henrieta Maria and afterwards in Cornwall she passed over to France lands at Brest the fifteenth of Iuly and so to Paris where she since continues a sad sorrowfull afflicted Princess with incomparable sufferings which she hath undergone And now comes over an Ambassadour from France Monsieur Harcourt to mediate an Accommodation between the King and Parliament but prevailed not and so returned it being rather a flourish from the policy of Cardinal Mazarine to pry into the Actions of this great Difference and so to set them at a greater distance for it was Richlien's Master-piece to frame the Quarrel first and now for Mazarine not unlike to put them far asunder And presently after is Sir William Armin sent to Edinburgh from the Parliament to hasten the Scots Army hither having first sworn to the Solemn League and Covenant each to other The English Presbyters now scotiâ—ied throughout take Example by the Brethrens Principles in their former Insurrections of Scotland and therefore as they did heretofore so now the Parliament engage that Nation in a strict solemn League by Vow Oath and Covenant taken by the Parliament and afterwards sent down to all the Counties in England and Wales upon which the King observes That the Presbyterian Scots are not to be hired at the ordinary Rate of Auxiliaries nothing will induce them to engage till those that call them in have pawned their Souls to them by a solemn League and Covenant Where many Engines of religious and fair pretensions are brought chiefly to batter or rase Episcopacy This they make the grand evil Spirit which with some other Imps purposely added to make it more odious and terrible to the Vulgar must by so solemn a Charm and Exorcism be cast out of this Church after more than a thousand years possession here from the first plantation of Christianity in this Island and an universal prescription of time and practice in all other Churches since the Apostle's times till this last Century But no Antiquity must plead for it Presbytery like a young Heir thinks the Father hath lived long enough and impatient not to be in the Bishop's Chair and Authority though Lay-men go away with the Revenues all Art is used to sink Episcopacy and lanch Presbytery in England which was lately buoyed up in Scotland by the like artifice of a Covenant Although I am unsatisfied with many passages in that Covenant some referring to my self with very dubious and dangerous limitations yet I chiefly wonder at the Design and drift touching the Discipline and Governmet of the Church and such a manner of carrying them on to new ways by Oaths and Covenants where it is hard for men to be engaged by no less than swearing for or against those things which are of no clear moral necessity but very disputable and controverted among learned and godly men whereto the application of Oaths can hardly be made and enjoyned with that judgment and certainty in one's self or that charity and candour to others of different opinion as I think Religion requires which never refuses fair and equable Deliberations yea and Dissentings too in matters onely probable The enjoining of Oaths upon People must needs in things doubtfull be dangerous as in things unlawfull damnable and no less superfluous where former religious and legal Engagements bound men sufficiently to all necessary duties Nor can I see how they will reconcile such an Innovating Oath and Covenant with that former Protestation which was so lately taken to maintain the Religion established in the Church of England since they account Discipline so great a part of Religion Bâ—t ambitious mindes never think they have laid Snares and Gins enough to catch and hold the Vulgar credulity for by such politick and seemingly pious Stratagems they think to keep the populacie fast to their parties under the terrour of perjurie Whereas certainly all honest and wise men ever thought themselves sufficiently bound by former ties of Religion Allegiance and Laws to God and Man Nor can such after-contracts devised and imposed by a few men in a declared partie without my consent and without any like power or precedent from God's or Man's Laws be ever thought by judicious men sufficient either to absolve or slacken those moral and eternal bonds of dutie which lie upon all my Subjects consciences both to God and me Yet as things now stand good men shall least offend God or me by keeping their Covenant in honest and lawfull ways since I have the charity to think that the chief end of the Covenant in such mens intentions was to preserve Religion in purity and the Kingdoms in peace To other than such ends and means they cannot think themselves engaged nor will those that have any true touches of conscience endeavour to carry on the best Designs much less such as are and will be daily more apparently factious and ambitious by any unlawfull means under that title of the Covenant unless they dare prefer ambiguous dangerous and un-authorized novelties before their known and sworn Duties which are indispensible both to God and my self I am prone to believe and hope That many who took the Covenant are yet firm to this judgment That such later Vows Oaths or Leagues can never blot out those former Gravings and Characters which by just and lawfull Oaths were made upon their Souls That which makes such Confederations by way of solemn Leagues and Covenants more to be suspected is That they are the common Road used in all factious and powerfull perturbations of State or Church where formalities of extraordinary zeal and piety are never more studied and elaborate than when Politicians most agitate desperate Designs against all that is setled or sacred in Religion and Laws which by such Scrâ—â—es are cunningly yet forcibly wrested by secret steps and less sensible degrees from their known Rule and wonted Practice to comply with the humours of those men who aim to subdue all to their own will and power under the Disguises of holy Combinations Which Cords and Wit hs will hold mens Consciences no longer than force
six score shot Canon and Culverin and the next day but twenty their Cannon over heat and faulty is drawn to Farnham No relief came according to promise from Oxford desperate they sally out Snow Byfield and Ontram each with twelve Troopers Brown Bills and eighteen Musquetiers and fall upon Onslow who seldome scaped the scowring gain his redoubt draw off his Demy Culverin with so many Prisoners as filled the Goal within with loss onely of three men and one hurt and retreat Whilest Sir William Waller with two Troops arrived at Basing-stoak and came out with his Horse faced the House had his Captain killed and many more from the works within so that this daies service is accounted with loss without sixty killed and twelve hurt two Gunners and two Lieutenants Those that sallied lost were six slain and but six wounded The Besiegers are re-inforced with two Companies two Waggons and twelve Troops of Horse the next day two Regiments their Artillery ten Guns followed with one Company For Sir Waller's whole Army appeared going to the West took their Leaves of the Leaguer for the King was sending relief from Oxford and Waller would not stay The Messenger Edward Ieffery being returned with this good news that they were advanced to Alder-Maston for there was ten out of a Company of Commanded men drawn out of several of the Kings Garisons of Oxford Wallingford Winchester and Dennington Castle amounting to fourteen hundred men the most part Foot but some were mounted Dragoons And all these commanded by Colonel Gage who by a still march in the night and yet many hazards by seven a clock September 12 was come to Chinham-down where he findes Colonel Norton by an Alarm standing ready in a Body and from him the Alarm went on to Colonel Morley and so to all their other Quarters And notwithstanding the advantage of ground which Norton had men fresh and prepared against tired Troops and wearied Foot a thick Fog also to blinde his Ambuscadoes against the Cavaliers that were strangers and could discern no way nor pass more than what their valour and the sword could cut out But Gage makes his approach appearing first on a Hill near the High way which leads to Andover Whereupon Norton charges with great courage and broke through the others Horse who having a reserve of Musquetiers and with more than ordinary valour to give them their due saies their Adversaries forced Norton to retreat or rather to fly to Morley's Quarters as far as the Church and so through Basing-stoak The day by this time clearing up Lieutenant Colonel Iohnson with some Musquetiers sally out of the Garison beat them at the Grange from their Line and pursue them to the Hill thence to the Delve clearing that Quarter with so small defence as is not easily to be believed nor their loss to be credited the slain are not numbred but the Prisoners brought in were counted sixty four common Souldiers two Serjeants one Lieutenant but indeed the suddain supply and boldly managed had amazed the Besiegers The relief consisted of many Horse Loads of Powder and Match a Drove of Cattel besides Plunder from Basing-stoak The Ammunition brought in the Convoy return to Cowdrey's Down and the Enemies Horse retreat to Chinham and forced from thence they finde in the Town fourteen Barrels of Powder one hundred Arms with good provisions of all sorts which are sent in also to the Garison Major Cufford and Hull marched out and take in Basing side Onslowes fatal place and quarter and in it two Captains Iarvas and Iephson one Lieutenant two Serjeants and thirty Souldiers who were made to draw Onslowes Demy-Culverin into the Garison their Tents and Huts fired and hastening away from their Works Colonel Morley's Cornet lost his Colours with this Motto Non ab Equo sed in Aequo victoria not from their Horse for they fled but in the equity of their Cause who had the victory All done with the losse of the Garrison Souldiers but fifteen and some hurt whereof five died and so Gage goes home again to Oxford by the way of Reading leaving their quarters in Blaze and only one left them quiet for Intelligence came to him that the Parliament Forces were drawing together neer Silchester and Kingscleer Lieutenant Colonel Iohnson was a Doctor of Physick but besieged and in this hazard for his life became a Souldier was now shot in the Shoulder whereof contracting a Feaver he died valiant in that Profession and learned in the other both Herbalist and Physician After this for many daies the Garrison had room and courage to march out and meet their Enemy in several Parties several times and return with Booties sometimes Arms otherwhile Cattel with losse to their Enemie when in October they might see from off their Towers the Van of the Earl of Manchesters Army march to Basing-stoake and Shefield the next day eight Regiments of Foot and some of Horse drawn to the South of Basing Troop to Farnham Sir William Wallers Regiment and others of the General Essex joyn to the Leaguer draw into Battalia the next day march towards Reading But in fine the besiegers wearied with twenty four weeks diseases and now Winter seizing them their Army wasted from two thousand to seven hundred the evil news from the General Essex Army in the West of England Newburie Battel lately passed the King come to Bulington Green raised Dennington Siege and now advanced to Hungerford from thence to Oxford and the Parliaments Forces leaving the Field the Besiegers at Basing began to consider and to resolve to rise and be gon At morning Sun the 16. of Novem. the Besiegers draw off their Wagons and Guns the Foot march to Odjam and fire their Huts for it was but time they had intelligence that Colonel Sir Henry Gage with one thousand Horse brings in Amunition and provision and so were quit of any opposers A Siege where the Souldiers within suffered all inconveniences incident thereto want of provision supplied as by miracle having no lesse then one hundred and fourty uselesse persons Sir William Waller harrowing with his Forces at Farnham Norton able to bring three times the Force against the the supplies yet all failed and Basing House now at liberty When at London it was confidently reported it was lost And the Lady Onslow reporting that the Parliament had considered their good service in the Cause and therefore had given Basing House to her Husband and hoped the world should then see them in a better condition but it proved otherwise he being forced out of his Lines of Communication On the tenth of Ianuary comes to the Scaffold William Laud Doctor of Divinity Arch Bishop of Canterbury and Primate of all England To begin the Story of his Life at the hour of his Death would be tedious and out of time and tune some have done it well and given him his due Nay Mr. Prynnes Breviate published on purpose to defame him to the
observe that your Majesty desires the engagement not only of the Parliament but of the Lord Mayor Aldermen Common Council and Militia of the City of London the Chief Commanders of Sir Fairfax's Army and those of the Scots Army which is against the Priviledges and honour of the Parliament those being joyned with them who are subject and subordinate to their Authority That which your Majesty against the freedom of the Parliaments enforces in both your Letters with many earnest expressions as if in no other way then that propounded by your Majesty the peace of the Kingdoms could be established Your Majesty may please to remember that in our last Letter we did declare that Propositions from both Kingdoms were speedily to be sent to your Majesty which we conceive to be the only way for the attaining a happy and well grounded peace and your Majesties Answer to those Propositions will be an effectual means in giving satisfaction and security to your Kingdoms will assure a firm Union between the two Kingdoms as much desired each for other as for themselves and setle Religion and secure the peace of the Kingdom of Scotland whereof neither is so much as mentioned in your Majesties Letter And in proceeding according to these just and necessary grounds for the putting an end to the bleeding Calamities of these Nations your Majesty may have the glory to be principal instument in so happy a work and we how ever mis-interpreted shall approve our selves to God and the VVorld to be real and sincere in seeking a safe and well grounded Peace January 14. But the King being earnest for their Answers sends another Messenger the 15. of Ianuary in pursuance of his former Messages of the 26. and 29. of December which met the Parliaments Trumpet with their Answer of the 13. Ianuary The Kings Message was thus Ian. 15. C. R. But that these are times wherein nothing is strange it were a thing much to be marvelled at what should cause this unparallel'd long detention of his Majesties Trumpet sent with his gracious Message of the twenty sixt of December last peace being the only subject of it and his Majesties personal Treaty the means proposed for it And it were almost as great a wonder that his Majesty should be so long from enquiring after it if the hourly expectation thereof had not in some measure satisfied his impatience But lest his Majesty by his long silence should condemn himself of carelesseness in that which so much concerns the good of all his people he thinks it high time to enquire after his said Trumpeter For since all men who pretend any goodness must desire peace and that all men know Treaties to be the best and most Christian way to procure it and there being as little question that his Majesties personal presence in it is the likelyest way to bring it to a happy issue he judges there must be some strange variety of accidents which causeth this most tedious delay wherefore his Majesty earnestly desires to have a speedy account of his former Message the Subject whereof is Peace and the means his personal presence at Westminster where the Government of the Church being setled as it was in the times of the happy and glorious Reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James and full liberty for the ease of their Consciences who will not communicate in that service established by Law and likewise for the free and publick use of the Directory prescribed and by command of the two Houses of Parliament now practised in some parts of the City of London to such as shall desire to use the same and all forces being agreed to be disbanded his Majesty will then forthwith as he hath in his Message of the twenty ninth of December last already offered joyn with his two Houses of Parliament in setling some way for the payment of the Publick Debts to his Scots Subjects the City of London and others and his Majesty having proposed a fair way for the sâ—â—ling of the Militia which now by this long delay seems not to be thought sufficient security his Majesty to shew how really he will imploy himself at his coming to Westminster for making this a lasting peace and taking away all jealousies how groundless soever will endeavour upon debate with his two Houses so to dispose of it as likewise of the business of Ireland as may give to them and both Kingdoms just satisfaction not doubting also but to give good contentment to his two Houses of Parliament in the choise of the Lord Admiral the Officers of State and others if his two Houses by their ready inclinations to peace shall give him encouragements thereunto Thus his Majesty having taken occasion by his just impatience so to explain his intentions that no man can doubt of a happy issue to this succeding Treaty If now there shall be so much as a delay of the same he calls God and the World to witness who they are that not only hinder but reject this Kingdoms future happiness it being so much the stranger that his Majesties coming to Westminster which was the first and greatest pretence for taking up Arms should be so much as delayed much lesse not accepted or refused but his Majesty hopes that God will no longer suffer the malice of wicked men to hinder the peace of this too much afflicted Kingdom Given at the Court at Oxford the 15. of Ianuary 1645. For the Speaker of the House of Peers c. And now it begins to work in the hearts of the people muttering and murmurring the true state of these transactions and the Christian pious affection of the King to peace The Parliament therefore set all their Engines to satisfie the public And after the debate of the King 's last Letter they read Letters from their Commissioners in Ireland together with some other Letters and Papers taken in the Pockets of the Arch-bishop of Trane who was slain at the overthrow of the Rebells at Sligo in Ireland discovering all the transactions between the King and them with whom the Bishop was to Treat offering Toleration of Religion themselves to choose a Governour of their own and to be intrusted with several Castles and Forts for their Caution upon condition to send in to England ten thousand Irish to assist him against his Enemies And these Papers were forthwith printed and published together with those Letters taken in the Lord Digbie's Coach at Sherburn in Yorkshire and all to amuse the people for to satisfie them thereby they could not The King hears of this and digesting it as well as he could he Plies them again with a tarter Message dated 17. Ianuary thus C. R. His Majesty thinks not fit now to Answer those aspersions which are returned as arguments for his not admittance to Westminster for a personal Treaty because it would enforce a stile not suitable to his end it being the peace of those miserable Kingdoms yet thus much he cannot but say
Scotland iâ—â—â—terposeth The Kings Letter to the Council of Scotland The Scots answer Scots Council declare Parliament of England's Protestation Earl of Bristol's Speech for Accommodation Parliament Declaration observed 19. Propositions to the King Eik Bas. c. 11. upon the 19. Propositions sent to the King The Answer to the 19. Propositions The King caresses the County of York Preparations for War The King Provides Arms. The Kings Letters with his Commission of Array Parliaments Votes thereupon The Kings Protestation And the Lords The Kings General Declaration Proclamation against Levies as by the statutes in force Parliaments answers The faction distinguiâ—hed by Cavalâ—ers and Round-heads The Authorâ— advice Introduction to this Civil War The King caresses his people in the County of Nottingham Proclamation Earl of Essex made General of the Foot and the Earl of Bedford of the Horse Parâ—â—aments Petition Earl of Stamford Proclaimed Traytor Parliaments Declaration of defence Earl of Essex General Eaâ—l of Essex proclamed Traitour and all other his complices Eikon Basil. upon the listing and raising Arms against the King Proclamation for aid of his Subjects The Kings gâ—and Declaration Scots Army kept up Bishops voted down Parliament give advises to their Deputy Lieutenants in the Northern Counties The King proposeth the 〈◊〉 Treaty for Peace and is reâ—used Sir Iohn Lucas Proclaimmed Traytor by the Parliament and committed Scots Declaration in answer to the Parliament of England The Parliament joyn with the Scots Kirk to reform all Christendom Parliament assure payment on Publick Faith out of Delinquents Estates Lord Strange impeached of high Treason Mich. Term adjourned The Articles of Nâ—utralâ—â—y for Yorkshire inâ—ringed Mr. Fountain committed Essex his Ensigns Colours Persons excepted out of pardon by the Parliament The Netherland States are caressed on both sides Eikon Basil. c. 10. Military effects Sir Iohn Hotham begins the quarrel in the North. Portsmouth beset Parliaments directions to their General Essex Sir Iohn Byron for the King Marches to Oxford Marquess Herford seizeth Sherborn Earl of Essex sets out oâ— London The Kings Speâ—ch to his Army Parliament petition the King by their General Essex The Kings Speech to the Gentry of Denbigh and Flintshire 〈◊〉 of the Kings Army to come to London A pitifull Plot by a poor Scot. Worcester Fight Sept. 23. Col. Th. Essex garisoneth Bristol L Col. Massey Governour of Glocester Edg-hill Battel The victory disputed Exchange of prisoners The King Marches to Aino Takes Banbury and Broughton House The King Marches to Brainford The Kings Declaration after his victory at Edgehill October 25. The King Charged with favouring Papists upon their Petition Address to the King voted Parliaments Declaration to the Scots The Kings Message to the Lords of his Privy Council in Scotland Parliaments commendance of their General Effects of the address to the King Lord Brook's Speech at Guild-hall His second Speech there Petition of the Parliament The Kings Answer Brainford Fight Nov. 15 The Kings Message to the Parliament Parliaments Answer The King replies Parliament petition the King A Letter from the Hague intercepted The military affairs in the North. City of London petition the King The Kings Answer Parliaments desires presented to the King at Oxford by the Earls of Northumberland Pembroke Salisbury and Holland with eight of the Commons Answered The actions of the North. The Lord Fairfax and others proclamed Traitors A Treaty proposed by the King The Treaty ends The Queen returns from Holland The state of the County of Glocâ—ster Cirencester taken by storm of Prince Rupert Synod began to sit Affairs of Germany In Catalonia Cardinal Riâ—â—â—lieu dies His Character Lewis the just and the 13. dies His Character Anno 1643. Sir Rudyerd's Speech Treaty at Oxford L. Brook killed at Lichâ—ield Close Lichfield Close besieged by the Kings party Lichfield won by P. Rupert Reading besieged by the Parliament Cheapside Cross pulled down Hotham to betray Hull and Lincoln The Queenâ— Army The King and Queen meet at Edghill Ambassadour from France Solemn League and Coâ—enant with the Scots Eikon Bas. c. 14. Yeomans and Bourchier hanged at Bristol and why Tomkins and Chaloner hanged at London and why A new Seal voted and framed Mr. H. Martin seizeth the Regalia at Westminister P. Rupert's â—ight near Tame Mr. Io. Hâ—mbden slain His Character The Hothams of Hull seized Prisoners to the Parliament Lands-down fight against Sir W. Waller by the Cornish Iuly 5. Gen. Essex advises of peace Fight at Round-wayâ—down The Queen entereth Oxford E. of Lindsey returns from his Imprisonment by the Parliament The Earls of Bedford and Holland revolt to the King and back again to the Parliament Prisoners animated to treachery Ministers make Propositions The City must set out Sir W. Waller again General Essex musters at Hounslo-heath Exeter delivered up to P. Maurice The King caresses the County of Cornwall by Declaration Judg Berkley fined Siege of Glocester by the King A general Storm A Mine wrought Two spies return unto the Town Essex's Army in distress The Leaguer take leave to depart the fifth of September Sir Nicholas Crisp kils Sir Iames Enyon Solemn League and Covenant Dr. Featly imprisoned and why Proclamation against the Solemn League and Covenant Minister of the Savoy his Blasphemy Sir G. Chidleigh leaves the Cause The Earl of Holland returns to the Parliament Irish Forces come over to the King in England Cessation of Arms in Ireland for a year Vide the Kings Narrative of Uxbridg Treaty Eikon Bas. c. 12. Articles for the Brittish Army in Irâ—land Cirencester surprized Newbery first fight Noble men slain aâ—d hurt Several successes on either side Sir William Vavisor for the Kings retire Sir Iohn Winter for the King More Irish Forces for the King The Kings Garisons Parliaments Garisons Cavaliers seek â—or Forage with success Captain Backhouse was to betray Glocester Backhouse his Letter of design Lord Digby's Answer Glocestershire Actions Waller retreats to Monmouth Prince Maurice enters Teuxbury Teuxbury surprized P. Maurice defeats Waller Parliament Forces defeated Sir Winter's house in Dean Forrest Sir W. Waller defeated at the Devices Bristol surrendered to Prince Rupert Eccleshal Castle and Town taken Stafford taken by treachery Ordinance to seize upon the Kings Revenues Virginia not assâ—ssed with Excise Sir William Wallers Commission Parliaments Manifesto concerning Professours Organs in Paul's Church pull'd down Treason to assist the King French Ambassadour affronted The Kings Successes Arundel Castle surrendred to Waller Protestation and Oath of the Associates of Devon and Cornwall for the King University of Cambridg ordâ—red Parliament assembled at Oxford The Parliament at Oxford write to General Essex for a Peace Scots Army enters England Their Declaration Eikon Bas. p. 100. c. 13. Montrose his undertaking for the King Sir Thomas Glenham's answer to Argiles Letters Newark siege raised by Prince Rupert Military affairs under conduct of the Marquesse of Montrose Battel of Rocroy for the French Battel of Burling for the Emperour Duke of Lorain