Session In this Iudicatory the Leading men of the Faction lay their Heads together form their Projects and when the Commissioners return from hence to their several Presbyteries they intimate to the Particular Ministers what Points they are to Preach upon for the Advancement of those Designs The General Assembly is Sovereign and Independent Hither lies the Last Appeal and the Jurisdiction of it is Universal in what concerns Ecclesiastical Matters and Persons or Temporals in Order to Spirituals They look upon themselves as immediately Entrusted by Christ and to Him only do they hold themselves Accomptable Whosoever does not obey this Sovereignty tho' the King himself he is to be Excommunicate and the Nobility Gentry Collective Body nay every Individual Person is to assist to the Compelling Censuring and Punishing of him to the Utmost of his Power So that the King himself is at their Command and to order the Execution of their Censures in Estate Body Life and Death To This Iudicatory Two Preaching Elders and a Lay-Elder are sent as Commissioners from every Presbytery in the Kingdome so that the Clergy have thus far Two to One but then reckoning that every Borough and Corporation sends One Commissioner and the Vniversities and Colledges their Commissioners too which are most of them Lay-men this Assembly of the Kirk is turn'd into a Council of State The King himself is also a Member of this Assembly either Personally by Himself or Virtually by his Commissioner but without a Negative Voice or any Power there beyond that of a Lay-Elder The Major Part carries it and whatsoever They Vote tho' against the Kings Opinion and Conscience he is bound to see it put in Execution upon pain of being Excommunicate and Depos'd from his Government And if any thing be propos'd in this Assembly as Spiritual tho' never so hazzardous to the Crown if they tell you that it is for Christ's Glory there 's no opposing of it in favour of the Publick Peace or State The Proper President is a Preaching Elder and this Iudicatory they accempt as Christ's highest Tribunal upon Earth from whence there lies no Appeal They are oblig'd to meet once a year and they Indict and Adjourn themselves by their own Power without allowing the King to appoint either the Time or the Place only if there be any Occasion of meeting before the time set their Commissioners give an Accompt of it to the King The steps by which they mounted to this Arbitrary Jurisdiction were A Dislike First Of the Church-Government Secondly Of the Church-Governours Thirdly They propos'd a Reformation after the Geneva-Copy which not being admitted Fourthly They fram'd a Model of their Own And lastly by Fraud Violence and Rebellion they Impos'd it upon the Nation The English Presbytery THis was the Method also and the Design of the English Disciplinarians under Queen Elizabeth as appears by the Records of those times tho' many particulars of the Conspiracy were never brought to Light The Examples of Geneva and Scotland were at every turn press'd upon the English and a Confederacy was carry'd on in Both Nations for the Erecting of the same Platform of Presbyterial Discipline which one Davison a Scotch-man affirms to have no less Warrant to be continu'd perpetually within the Church under this Precept Feed my Sheep than hath the Preaching of the Word or the Administration of the Sacraments From 1560 to 1572 they vented their Spleen only in Libels and Conventicles In Novemb. 72. they Erected a Presbytery at Wandesworth in Surry and from that time to 1583 their Design was agitated in secret Meetings which they call'd Conferences wherein at a London-Meeting they came to This Conclusion That the Present Government of the Church by Arch-Bishops and Bishops is Anti-Christian and that the only Discipline and Government of Christ that is by Pastors Doctors Elders and Deacons shall be Establish'd in Place of the Other In 1583 Their Book of Discipline is Drawn up which they call'd the Synodical Discipline and an Assembly being held upon it among other Decrees it was order'd That the Comitial Assemblies are to be monished to make Collections for Relief of the Poor and of Scholars but especially for Relief of such Ministers here as are put out for not Subscribing to the Articles tender'd by the Bishops also for Relief of Scottish Ministers c. These Scottish Ministers were they that Justify'd the Rebellious Act of making King Iames a Prisoner in 1583. and took Sanctuary in England upon the Parliaments Declaring it Treason And who so proper Instruments as They for the Promoting of another Rebellion in England Their Book of Discipline was review'd and put in Practice in 1587. In 1589 it was Perfected and in the Year following the Conspiracy was detected when upon Examinations of Littleton Edmunds Iohnson Barbon Holms Brown c. it appear'd that the Discipline was Fram'd Subscrib'd and Carry'd on in all Respects after the Scottish Project and Model By Publique Justice upon some of the Principal Incendiaries and King Iames his Vigilance and Care afterwards the Consistorians were for a long time kept within some tolerable Compass Their Mouths were stopt upon the Conference at Hampton-Court Anno 1603 with a strict Proclamation for the Observing of an Vniformity in the Church Episcopacy was restor'd in Scotland in 1610 and an Act pass'd in a General Assembly at Aberdeen in 1616 Authorizing the Compiling and Framing a Publique Form of Liturgy or Book of Common Prayer to be first presented to the King and after his Approbation to be Universally receiv'd throughout the Kingdome Which Book pursuant to the Act was by the Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews sent up to his Majesty and by himself and his Order Examin'd Corrected and Return'd But his Majesty dy'd before it could be put in Practice And this was the Book which with very little Alteration and That too in favour of their pretended Scruples was by the late King's Proclamation in 1637 commanded to be publickly Us'd in all Counties of that Kingdome There were also diverse of the English Rites and Ceremonies settled in 1618 by Five Articles that pass'd the Assembly at Perth Which Articles cost King Iames an Expensive Journey into Scotland the Year before where he was forc'd to tell them plainly in a Speech at St. Andrews That it was a Power belonging to all Christian Princes to order Matters in the Church and that he would never regard what they Approv'd or Disapprov'd except they brought him a Reason which he could not Answer To which upon Consideration they made his Majesty this Return That if he would grant them a Free Assembly they would therein satisfie his Majesty in all the Points he had propounded The King depending upon it return'd into England and the day of the Assembly being come and nothing done according to their Promise his Majesty went a short way to Work with them and took away their Augmentations that he had formerly allow'd them out of the Exchequer
Lawful for Subjects to make a Covenant and Combination Without the King and to enter into a Bond of Mutual Defence Against the King and all Persons whatsoever tho' against several Acts of Parliament Tenthly It is Lawful for themselves sitting in an Assembly to Indict a New Assembly without the King's Consent Eleventhly If Subjects be convented before the King and Council for any Misdemeanour they may Appeal from the King and Council to the next General Assembly and Parliament if they think either the Glory of God or the Good of the Church concern'd in the Matter in Question Twelfthly They do not desire the King to Indict a General Assembly as needing his Authority but rather for his Honour and for the Countenance of their Proceedings Alledging that if the Prince shall omit to do his Duty the People from whom he had his Power Originally may Resume it Thirteenthly If the King's Voice shall be deny'd to any thing tho' never so Vnjust and Illegal that shall be carry'd by the Major part of the Assembly his Majesty is bound Jure Divino to enforce Obedience to to those Acts and the Counsellors or Iudges refusing to Execute shall be Excommunicate and depriv'd of their Places and Estates Fourteenthly An Assembly may Abrogate Acts of Parliament and discharge the Subject from Obeying them if they any way reflect upon the Business of the Church Fifteenthly The Protestation of the Subjects against Laws Establish'd either before the Iudges of the People or the People themselves who are born to be Iudg'd doth void all Obedience to those Laws without ever bringing of them to be discuss'd before a Competent Iudge Sixteenthly The Major part of the People may do any thing they say which they Themselves conceive Conducing to the Glory of God and the Good of the Church any Laws to the Contrary notwithstanding These Positions you will find in his Majesties Large Declaration concerning the Tumults in Scotland pag. 407. et Deinceps We shall now see how the Counterpart of this Confederacy behav'd it self in England And shew you the Doctrine and Principles of the Faction in the very Infancy of the Rebellion as appears out of their own Acts. See Husband 's Exact Collections Printed in London 1643. The Positions of the English-Covenanters and First In Case of the King's Authority AFter that the Faction had Extorted from his Late Majesty such Concessions as never any Prince granted before Himself And when they had Defam'd his Government and his Person and Poyson'd his People with Contemptuous and Scandalous Libels Upon March 2. 1641. They began to Vnmask and to discover to the World that their Design was not to Reform but to Govern and upon Pretence of Fearing an Invasion from Abroad took the Power of the Militia into their Own Hands at Home Resolving upon the Question p. 96. That the Kingdom be forthwith put into a Posture of Defence by the Authority of Both Houses This Vote was seconded by Another of March 15. pag. 112. That in Case of Extreme Danger and of his Majesties Refusal to give them the Power of the Militia the Ordinance agreed on by Both Houses for the Militia doth Oblige the People and ought to be Obey'd by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom His Majesty insisting upon the Illegality of This Proceeding Both Houses pass'd this following Vote March 16. That when the Lords and Commons in Parliament which is the Supreme Court of Iudicature in the Kingdom shall Declare what the Law of the Land is to have This not only Question'd and Controverted but Contradicted and a Command that it should not be Obey'd is a High Breach of the Privilege of Parliament pag. 114. Finding themselves Pinch'd upon this Point they fly to a Distinction betwixt the Letter and the Equity of all Laws pag. 150. There is say they in Laws an Equitable and a Literal Sense His Majesty is Entrusted by Law with the Militia but 't is for the Good and Preservation of the Republique against Foreign Invasions or Domestique Rebellions not that the Parliament would by Law Entrust the King with the Malitia against Themselves or the Common-wealth that Entrusts Them to provide for their Weal not for their Woe So that upon Certain Appèarance or Grounded Suspicion that the Letter of the Law shall be emprov'd against the Equity of it the Commander going against its Equity discharges the Commanded from Obedience to the Letter The Pretence of Defending the Government is now Advanc'd to the Reforming of it Apr. 9. 1642. The Lords and Commons do Declare That they intend a Due and Necessary Reformation of the Government and Liturgy of the Church pag. 135. Having already by Violence Encroach'd upon the Militia as against a Foreign Power the First Considerable Use that they make of it is to Employ it against his Majesties Authority and Person Before Hull and Pass'd Two Votes Apr. 28. in Justification of the Action Resolved c. That his Majesties declaring of Sir John Hotham Traytour being a Member of the House of Commons is a High Breach of the Privilege of Parliament And That without Process of Law it is against the Liberty of the Subject and against the Law of the Land Nay they Vote it May 17. To be against the Law of the Land and the Liberty of the Subject his Majesties Commanding of Skippon to attend him at York and The very Removing of the Term to York from Westminster sitting the Parliament they Vote to be Illegal and Order the Lord Keeper notwithstanding his Majesties Command not to Issue out any Writs or Seal any Proclamation for that Adjournment May 20. They Order also the Putting of all the Magazines in England and Wales into the Hands of Persons well Affected to the Parliament pag. 194. They find themselves now in Condition to Threaten the King and the Kingdom with Open War And pass upon the Question these Three following Votes First That it appears That the King Seduc'd by Wicked Counsel intends to make War against the Parliament who in all their Consultations and Actions have propos'd no other End unto themselves but the Care of his Kingdoms and the Performance of all Duty and Loyalty to his Person Secondly That whensoever the King maketh War upon the Parliament it is a Breach of the Trust reposed in Him by his People Contrary to his Oath and tending to the Dissolution of his Government Thirdly That whosoever shall Serve or Assist him in such Wars are Traytors by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom c. And Persuant to these Votes Iuly 12. they Resolve That an Army shall be forthwith Rais'd for the Safety of the King's Person Defence of Both Houses of Parliament and of Those who have Obey'd their Orders and Commands and preserving of the True Religion the Laws Liberty and Peace of the Kingdom pag. 457. All these Votes and Declarations they cause with all Solemnity to be Printed and Publish'd but at the same time his Majesties Proclamations and
Levy'd by Distress and Sale and in Case of Refusal the Parties to be Emprison'd pag. 767. With further Authority Feb. 3. 42. p. 777. to Break open any Chests Trunks Boxes Dores with Power to Seize such Chests with Money or Goods for the Satisfaction of the Sums Assess'd And the same Power Amplifi'd they granted to Commissioners for Levying of Money by a Weekly Assessment upon London and Westminster and every County and City in England and Wales the City of London being Rated the Weekly Sum of 10000 l. and Others in Proportion You have here from their own Publique Acts for I cite none of their Pamphlets a Breviate of the Powers they assumed to themselves over King and People And this so Early in the War too that the Faction was not as yet sure in the Saddle For This was all before 1643. You shall now see the Execution of these Arbitrary Principles by the Covenanters of Both Kingdoms in their Turns and you shall Confess that tho' the Rigours of the Kirk may serve as a Foil to any Other Tyranny the English have yet had the Honour to out-strip their Masters According to the Common Method of Innovatours their First Work was by Press and Pulpit to Defame the Government their Next was by Popular Artifice to stir up the Multitude by Tumults to Reform it and Lastly if they found their Party strong enough to Depend upon to Enter into a Confederacy and Set up for themselves This was the Course that Knox Willock and their Followers took in Scotland under the Queen Regent in 1555. and afterward under King Iames VI. And Cartwright with his Complices went the same way to Work also under Queen Elizabeth only the Conspiracy of Arthington Hacket Coppinger Wigginton c. was Discover'd and the Plot Disappointed But the Libels and Tumults in Scotland 1637. which led to that Impious Bond and Covenant in 1638. had better success See his Late Majesties Large Declaration upon That Subject And after their Pattern so had the Practices in England in 1641. when the Parliament was so Over-aw'd by Tumults that the Vote of the Two Houses was no other in Effect than the Sense of the Rabble in the Lobby It was but their Bawling for Justice upon the Noble Earl of Strafford their Crying down of Bishops and Popish Lords and the thing is Done The Riots were so Great that the Lords press'd the Commons at a Conference to Joyn with them in a Declaration for the Suppressing of them But it was Answer'd saying We must not Discourage our Friends This being a time we must make use of All our Friends God forbid says Mr. Pim that the House of Commons should proceed in any way to Dishearten People to obtain their just Desires in such a way Exact Collections pag. 532. The Kirk would have said that they did not know with what Spirit they were Over-Rul'd as they told King Iames in the Case of Gibson and Black for delivering Treason in the Pulpit The next thing that follow'd in Course was a Combination and That shall be the first Point we 'l handle in the Common Practices of the Party which in One Word amounts to no less than the Dissolution of a Legal and the Setting up of a Tyrannical Government The Practices and Usurpations of the Presbyterians upon the Civil Government TO be as Clear now in their Practices as I have been in their Positions you shall have as good Evidence for their Proceedings as you have had already for their Principles And I 'le begin with the Foundation of their Empire their Audacious and Mysterious Covenant Not with the Matter or the Design of it but only to shew you that Covenanting is the Method of the Party The First Covenant of Scotland bears Date Decemb. 3. 1557. at Edinburgh The Second at Perth May 31. 1559. The Third at Sterling Aug. 1. And a Fourth at Leith Apr. 27. 1560. They Enter'd also into Another Covenant at Ayr Sept. 4. 1562. which Knox calls a New Covenant In England 1583. they Subscrib'd their Discipline and Enter'd into a League both by Promise and Writing to do their Parts toward the Establishing of it In Scotland 1638. so soon as ever they had settled their Tables of Advice the First Act of those Tables was their Solemn Covenant And so likewise in England the Commons Impos'd a Protestation and then went on to Covenants and Othes without End Here 's an Vsurpation upon Sovereignty the very first step they set in the Exacting of an Oth without due Authority beside that all Leagues of Subjects among themselves are in the Eye of the Law no better than Seditious Conspiracies Wee 'l come now to the Pretence of these Covenants which is only an Artifice of Inveigling the Silly People into a Confederacy against the Government under the Notion of Promoting the Common Good The End of the First Scottish Covenant above-mention'd at Edinburgh is said to be the Defence of Christs Gospel and his Congregation and of every Member of it against all Opposers to the Death The Second at Perth goes further and Extends to all Persons that shall trouble them upon what Pretence soever In the Third at Sterling they bind themselves from any Correspondence with the Queen either by Word or Writing In their Fourth at Leith they Covenant a Direct Revolt and the reducing of all men by Force that are not of their Opinion In their Last Bond at Ayr they declare against all men as Enemies that shall not submit to their Government And upon the Whole Matter they Found all their subsequent Proceedings upon the Obligation of the First Covenant for the Defence of Christ's Gospel The Pretext of the Scottish Covenant in 1638. was the Defence of the King's Majesty his Person and Authority in the Defence and Preservation of the True Religion Liberties and Laws of the Kingdom As also the Mutual Defence one of another against all sorts of Persons whatsoever And the English Protestation of 1641. looks the very same way viz. for the Maintenance of the Doctrine of the Church of England the Power and Privileges of the Parliament and Liberty of the Subject And what 's the very Title of their Solemn League and Covenant in 1643. but Reformation and Defence of Religion the Honour and Happiness of the King the Peace and Safety of the Three Kingdoms So soon as ever they had by these specious Appearances decoy'd an Inconsiderate Part of the Nation into the Net they Emprov'd the Fraud by Expounding upon all their Bonds and Covenants quite Contrary to the Common Intent and Acceptation of the same And made way thereby to the Destruction of all those Interests which the People thought they had Sworn to Preserve But the Subject was so hamper'd betwixt the Dread of the Othe among those that did not understand the Nullity of the Obligation and the Forfeiture of Life Fortune and Estate if they should not persue it according to the Oraculous
she would have a Mass in Private But the Preachers decrying that Toleration in their Pulpits produced a Dangerous Tumult against the Freedom of her own Chappel After several Riots and Open Rebellions which were still promoted and seconded by the Presbytery In Iuly 1564. the Queen was Marri'd to the Lord Darnly And Iune 19. 1566. brought to bed of a Son afterward Iames VI. in the Castle of Edinburgh In 1567. they sent the Queen Prisoner to Lochlevin and pass'd an Act of Assembly for the Securing and Disposing of the Person of the Infant-Prince with Direction to move the Queen to a Resignation of her Government and the Appointing of a Regent during his Minority which by Force and Menaces her Majesty was compell'd to do and her Renunciation and Commission Publish'd at the Market-Cross at Edinburgh the Prince being Crown'd and Anointed King in the Church of Striveling the Third day after the Publication being Iuly 29. On the 20th of August the Earl of Murray was Elected Regent King Iames being as yet but Thirteen Months old At the Beginning of the Spring in 1568. the Queen made her Escape and was convey'd to Hamilton where several Lords meeting in Council her Resignation was declar'd Void as Extorted by Fear and Proclamation issu'd against the Rebels that had Usurped her Authority The Dispute in short was brought to a Battle May 13. the Queens Army Defeated and She her self fled into England for Protection where the Faction never left the Persute of her till they brought her to the Scaffold But here you 'l say there was a Foreign Interest and Popery in the Case If That were All how came it that they handled the Young King at as Course a rate every jot as they had treated his Mother tho' their Natural Prince and afterward the Celebrated Champion of the Protestant Cause The Government of Scotland had been Administer'd by Four Regents when upon the Earl of Morton's desire to be Discharg'd of his Regency the King not twelve years old as yet accepted of it and his Acceptation thereof was Proclaim'd at Edinburgh March 12. 1577. where the Regent himself was Assisting As an Earnest of the Respect they bare to his Majesties Authority Andrew Melvil presented a Form of Church Government to the Parliament at Striveling in 1578. which they referr'd to certain Commissioners who agreed to such General Heads as did not touch the Authority of the King nor prejudg the Liberty of the State But this did not content Them so that they resolv'd to put their Conclusions in Practice the next Assembly without staying for a Ratification Spotswood's Hist. Fol. 302. In Glasgow the next Spring the Ministers put the Magistrates of the City upon Demolishing the Cathedral but the Tradesmen Interpos'd and Defended it In 1582. Montgomery was Process'd for Preaching at Glasgow The King by his Warrant commanded the Assembly to desist which the Moderatour peremptorily refus'd and thereupon the Officer pull'd him from his Seat and Clap'd him up in the Tolbuyth for which they Decreed him to be Excommunicate tho' the King himself earnestly perswaded them to the Contrary After this Contempt of the Kings Authority they made a Violent Seizure of his Person and carri'd him Prisoner to the Castle of Ruthen where they kept him Close Nine Months forcing him by a Writing under his hand to command the Duke of Lenox to Depart the Kingdom and Imposing upon him what Servants they pleas'd under pretence of Zeal to Religion and Care of his Person They did also Petition the next General Assembly at Edinburgh to give their sence of the Action Who made themselves Judges and did so highly approve of it that they appointed all Ministers to recommend the Actors of it as good Christians and Patriots pretending that there was no other way to preserve their Religion and Freedoms And yet this Duke dy'd soon after in France of the Reformed Communion For the Countenance of this Proceeding they force the King being but Seventeen years of Age to emit a Proclamation commanding all those that had Levy'd any Forces upon Pretence of his Restraint to Disband within Six hours upon Pain of Death and Declaring that he was at Liberty and had only his Friends about him In the Summer following under Colour of Viewing the Castle of St. Andrews It was contriv'd that the Gates should be shut upon his Followers and so he deliver'd himself from his Guard It would be but the same thing over again to Enumerate the Repeated Usurpations of their Government and the Contumacy of their Ministers their Rebellious Practises at Striveling Glasgow c. and that Horrid Outrage against the Octavians in Edinburgh Decemb. 17. 1596. When the King appoints a Feast they Indict a Fast the Council Orders the Ministers of Edinburgh to give Thanks for his Majesties Deliverance from Gowry's Conspiracy Their Answer was That they were not acquainted with the Business And when it was urg'd that they were only to affect the People with the Sence of his Majesties having scap'd a great Danger they Reply'd That nothing should be Vtter'd in the Pulpit but That whereof the Truth was known Nay they would not so much as pray for the Kings Mother when her Death was Resolv'd upon tho' the very Form was prescrib'd in the most Innocent Terms Imaginable viz. That it might please God to Illuminate her with the Light of his Truth and save her from the apparent Danger wherein she was cast And This would have been the Issue too of the English Project under Queen Elizabeth as appears by the Insolence of their Demands and the Virulence of their Writings if the Conspiracy had not been nipp'd in the Bud. The Scottish Insurrection in 1637. was only their Old Method Reviv'd Of which in a few Words Out of the Kings Declaration upon That Subject Upon occasion of a Seditious Uproar at Edinburgh Octob. 18. 1637. his Late Majesty order'd the Discharge of all such Meetings upon Pain of Death And his Proclamation being Publish'd at Sterling Lithgow and Edinburgh was encounter'd with a Protestation against it at the same Times and Places and with the same Solemnity as if they had been Both by the same Authority Immediately upon this Affront the Protestors erect Publique Tables of Council for Ordering the Affairs of the Kingdom without the Consent of the King and in Contempt of his Majesty and Council At These Tables having First agreed upon their Covenant they conclude upon Certain Propositions of Instruction to the Party No Answer must be made to State-Questions without Advice All Proclamations to be Protected against and to take nothing for Satisfaction Less than their Whole Demand This way of Anti-Protesting they made use of from first to last Upon his Majesties Proclamation for Dissolving the Assembly at Glasgow 1638. they did not only Protest and Refuse to Depart but Cited the Kings Council that Sign'd the Proclamation to appear before the King and Parliament In This their
presses the Two Houses to a Speedy Establishment of the Presbytery And here again no Mention of his Majesty But what 's the Sum now of these Propostions that stand in Competition with the Kings Freedome Life and Dignity First Only the Iustifying and Confirming of all they had done Secondly The giving away of the Militia of England and Ireland for Twenty Years with Power to Raise Men and Money Thirdly His Majesty must Swear and Sign the Covenant Impose it upon the Three Kingdomes Abolish Episcopacy and settle Religion as Both Houses shall Agree Fourthly All Honours since 1642. must be made Null and Void No Peers admitted in Parliament for the Future but by Consent of the Two Houses Fifthly All Great Places and Offices of Honour in England and Ireland to be Dispos'd of by Consent of Parliament and in Fine his Majesty must deliver to Death Beggery and Scorn all that ever Serv'd him Thus was this Glorious Prince Betray'd and Sold according to the COVENANT Here 's the True English of it and the Divinity of that Moloch to which this Nation has offer'd up so many Noble Sacrifices Are not our Fundamental Laws Persons Consciences and Estates Secure and Happy under the Care and Wing of such Blessed Guardians How meanly have we Prostituted the Reverence of the Land and of the Government to the Lusts of these Imperious Shameless Ravishers Take Notice here of some of the Kirks following Resolves upon the Main Point in Question First That the Kings Taking of the Scotch Covenant and Passing Some of the Propositions does not Warrant Scotland to Assist him against England Secondly That upon bare Taking the National Covenant they may not Receive him Thirdly That the Clause in the Covenant for Defence of the Kings Person is to be understood In Defence and Safety of the Kingdom Fourthly That his Majesty shall Execute no Power in Scotland without satisfying every Point Fifthly That Refusing the Propositions he shall be dispos'd of according to the Covenant and the Treaties Nor would the Two Houses Probably have Us'd him any better if he had gone to Them For upon his First withdrawing himself they Voted it Treason and Death without Mercy for any Man to Harbour and Conceal the Kings Person upon a Supposition that his Majesty was then in London This was the 4th of May and on the 6th the Commons Voted him to Warwick Castle which was Unvoted again upon the 9th and in Iune they Voted the Kings going to the Scots a Design to prolongue the War Let me not appear to Confound the Faction of Scotland with the Nation for no Country affords greater Instances of Integrity and Honour Nay I have heard it from good Authority that the Kings going into Scotland which he most earnestly desir'd was carry'd in the Negative only by Two Voyces His Majesty is now under the Care of his New Governours and a Prisoner to the Covenanters at Holdenby where he desir'd only Two of his Chaplains that had not taken the Covenant and Then a Common-Prayer Book for his own Private Use but Neither could be Granted him At the Isle of Wight the same Faction had the handling of him again where they still Treated his Majesty much at the same Rate And they Us'd his Royal Successour not much better in 1650. When to Auspicate the Project for the Recovery of his Crown in the very Dependence of a Treaty at Breda with him upon the Instigation of the Kirk they Murther'd the Brave and Generous Montross with the most horrid Circumstances of Malice Imaginable And how they Us'd the King himself afterward at his Coming among them I am not willing to mention Nay when the Time appointed by Gods Providence was come for the Restoring of the King the Presbyterian Ministers in London Publish'd a kind of Squinting Gratulation upon That Occasion as if Popery were coming in with his Majesty for Company And the same Party upon the Re-Admission of the Secluded Members press'd upon the House of Commons these Two following Votes for the Justification of the Rebellion in 1641. and in order to the Exclusion of the Royal Party from the next Choice 1. I do Acknowledge and Declare that the War undertaken by Both Houses of Parliament in their Defence against the Forces rais'd in the Name of the Late King was Iust and Lawful and that Magistracy and Ministry are the Ordinances of God 2. Resolv'd that All and Every Person who have Advised or Voluntarily Aided Abetted Assisted in any War against the Parliament since the First day of Jan. 1641. His or Their Sons unless He or They have since manifested their Good Affections to This Parliament shall be Vncapable to be Elected to serve as Members of the next Parliament So that as their Feud against Kings is Implacable their Aversion likewise to all those that Love their Prince descends from Generation to Generation How Inconsistent Presbytery is with Monarchy is sufficiently manifest But they 'l say for themselves that Kings may be Misled and that it is not the Form of Government that is Grievous to Them but the Male-Administration of it To which it may be Reply'd That All Governours under what Form soever are to Them Alike where they themselves are not Vppermost And that the Reformation of Personal Failings will not do their Business without the Total Subversion of all those wholesome and Profitable Laws that stand in the Way of their Discipline It being their Custome to Reproach Princes and their Ministers for straining the Prerogative while they Themselves at the same time Usurp over Kings Parliaments and People And Trample under their Feet All that is Sacred in Society and Government Princes 't is true may have their Errours and their Passions but what have the Innocent Laws done Are They Popishly Affected too But where ever Presbytery reigns there can be no Law but their own Will. Did they not in Scotland Damn Bishops as Anti-Christian and Deprive Ecclesiastiques of their Voyces in Parliament Convention and Council notwithstanding Three Acts of Parliament that is to say of 1584. 1597. and 1606. expresly to the Contrary And did they not pronounce the Acts of the Assemblies of Glasgow and Perth to be Void and Illegal tho' Enacted as Municipal Laws Ask them now says his Late Majesty Large Declaration Pag. 416. by what Authority they do these things expresly against Acts of Parliament Acts of Council and Acts of General Assemblies They Answer that Those Acts of Assembly were unduely Obtain'd and that now they have Rescinded them For Acts of Parliament and Acts of Council they Express great Wonder that any man should Question their Authority over Them For if Christ be above the King Christ Council must likewise be Supreme Parliaments being only the Council of the Kingdom And for the Kings Privy Council and Iudges they must submit to the Councellours and Iudges under Christ who is the King of Kings Nor is it all that