in every Word Twenty Articles against that wicked Prelate Laud and to give a clear Demonstration of this Holy Martyrs Religion and Piety His Declaration for the lawfulness of Sports and Pastimes on the Lord's Day is printed in this Book at Large To conclude If all these and many more sad matters of Fact already in this and other Books produced to the World will not be of force enough to satisfie the generality of Mankind that they have been most notoriously imposed upon by the Clergy and some of the Laity in their Defence of King Charles I. against the Parliament of 1640. and People of England I shall conclude that nothing but the coming down of an Angel from Heaven will be able to convince them of their Error I shall therefore leave them to God and end all with this hearty Prayer That he would be pleased so to open their Eyes that they might see what will make for the Peace and Happiness of these Kingdoms and no longer promote and keep up those Unhappy Divisions that are yet amongst us after above 40 Years Controversie on this Melancholly Subject ERRATA PAge 2. line 5. read Immerited p. 4. l. 11. r. Gorges p. 4. l. 15. r. Desert f. Defect p. 4. last line r. Coat p. 5. l. 24. r. that p. 6. l. 12. r. the King p. 6. l. 25. r Bath p. 9. l. 13. r. Prins p. 10. l. 25. Dele and also King Charles II's Declaration after his Restoration p. 12. l. 23. r. Papists p. 14. l. 10. r. things f. time p. 15. l. 10 r. proportion p. 18. l. 5. dele it p. 18. l. 9. incert to after Relations p. 21. l. 21. r. Wentworth p. 21. l. 28. r. Suspiria p. 23. l. 3. r. dismiss p. 27. l. 25. r. have done p. 28. l. 27 r. Zyons p. 37. l. 18. r. alia p. 39. l. 21. after imaginable r. to enslave his people p. 44. l. 25. r. Article p. 46. l. 12. r. therein p. 48. l. 12. r. irreconcilable p. 50. l. 29. r. have p. 51. l. 34. dele not p. 54. l. 19. r. cordially f. Cardinals ENGLANDS Black List OR A short Account of some of the many Illegal Arbitrary Popish and Tyrannical Actions of King Charles I. falsely and unjustly call'd the Pious Martyr of ever Blessed Memory I shall not pretend to describe them Gradually or Annually but as they Occur 1. HE took in the Duke of Buckingham to be one of the chief Conductors of all his Affairs notwithstanding the said Duke was impeached for a very suspicious Playster and Portion administred to King James the First See the Earl of Bristols and Sir Dudley Digg's Speeches against him in Rushworth The Duke's Mother and many near about him were Papists and advanced Men popishly Devoted to places of the chief Câ—mmand in the Court and Camp Three Parliaments in the beginning of this Reign found and declared this Duke the cause of all their Miseries and Disasters the Grievance of Grievances yet King Charles would against all Justice protect him 2. He made that wicked Bishop Laud who was afterwards deservedly beheaded another of his Favourites by whose precious Councils poor England hath notoriously suffered to write his Life according to his Actions would sufficiently darken the Lustre of those immerite and impious Encomiums given by that Notorious Jacobite Mr. Wharton The Pious Dr. Abbatt then Arch Bishop of Canterbury hath in his Writings given a sad account of him 'T is said that Archbishop Sancroft had a great hand in putting forth this Book 3. His Marrying Heneretta Maria of France a violent Papist and agreeing to private Articles in favour of Papists viz. That those who had been Imprisoned as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal should be Released That Papists should be no more molested for their Religion by which means the Papists grew impudent and Scoff'd at Parliaments and Law Read the Articles at large in this Book 4. That received a Letter from the Pope and writ him an Answer saluting Antichrist with the Title of Sanctissime Pater Most Holy Father That Procured the Pope's Dispensation for his Marriage which was solemnized by Proxy according to the Ceremonies of the Romish Church See the Pope's and King's Letter at large in this Book 5. That pursuant to his Private Article with France immediately Granted a special Pardon to twenty Popish Priests for all the Offences they had Committed against the Laws and Built a Chapel at Somerset-House with Conveniencies for Fryars which were permitted to walk abroad in their Habits Baker the Jesuit was one of many that was Pardoned after the Lords and Commons had sent a Petition to him for advancing the True Religion and suppressing of Popery He made Weston who died a Papist his Lord Treasurer and preferred so many Papists to places of great Trust as Lord Lieutenants Deputy Lieutenants Justices of the Peace c. That the Commons of England complain'd by their Petition of near One Hundred of all Ranks he restrain'd the Ecclesiastical and Temporal Courts from intermedling with Papists which was little less then a Tolleration He not only Schreened but Pardoned Mountague his Chaplain whom the Commons had Voted had endeavoured to Reconcile England to Rome and instanced that he maintain'd these Positions That the Church of Rome is and ever was a True Church That Images might be used for the instructions of the Ignorant and for Exortation of Devotion That Saints have a Memory and a more peculiar charge of their Friends and that it may be admitted that some Saints have a peculiar Patronage Custody Protection and Power as Angels also have over certain Persons and Countrys by special Deputation That impiously and prophanely scoffed at Preaching Lectures Bibles and all shew of Religion and though the Commons prayed that for these and other matters Mountague might be Punished and his Books Burnt yet the King would do neither but Pardon'd him as aforesaid being incensed at the Commons prosecuting a Man after his own Heart 6. That to the great Dishonour of England the Scandal of the Protestant Religion and the great Weakening of the Protestant Interest abroad Did lend Eight Ships Equip'd with the subsidies given for the relief of his distressed Protestant Sister the Electress Palatine and the poor oppressed Protestants of the Palatinate to the French King to fight against the miserable Protestants of Rochel Captain Pennington in the Vantguard went Admiral the Commanders and Mariners protested against the Service though tempted with Chains of Gold c. Declaring they would sink rather then fight against their own Religion The Duke of Rohan and the French Protestants sollicited the King not to let the Ships go again and had good Words and Hopes Nevertheless Ordered Pennington by Letter Dated the 28th of July 1625. without Delay to Consign the Vantguard into the Hands of the Marquess de Effiat for the French King's Service and to require the seven other Ships in his Name to put themselves into the Service of the
by the charitable Protestants of England for their relief in Equipping Ships to be sent to the Assistance of the French King against the poor Protestants of the Isles of Rhee and Rochell 18. That without doubt had a great hand in the Notorious Irish Rebellion wherein above 150 thousand poor Protestant Souls were most Barbarously Murthered and this will more plainly appear by reading the Commission given by this King in the 17th Year of his Reign dated from Edinborough and also the Commission thereupon of Peilem Oneale and Rorie Macguire to all the Papists both English and Irish within the Kingdom of Ireland both which for the Readers better satisfaction are Printed at large in this Book and also a sheet of Paper call'd Murther will Out containing King Charles II's Letter to the Court of Claims in Ireland 1663. Requiring the then Commissioners to restore the Earl of Antrim to his Estate for that he had made it appear he had acted nothing but by Order and Commission from King Charles I. read the Letter at large Take notice this Earl of Antrim had been a very great Rebell yet restored for serving that King in murthering his Protestant Subjects neither can any impartial Men think that King Innocent of this Wicked Act if they consider how Treacherously and Basely he delt with the Protestants of England of the Palatinate of the Isles of Rhee and Rochell What Articles he made with France in favour of Popery upon his Match what a mighty Influence his Popish Queen had over him how he employed in great Places of Trust not only great Favourers of Popery but also many profest Papists and was very much Advised and Govern'd by their Counsels to the great Sorrow and Misery of his poor Protestant Subjects as also that in the Summer before that dreadful October 1641. a Committee of the most Active Papists all afterwards in the head of the Rebellion were in great favour at White-Hall and admitted to many private Consultations there with the King in the Queens Presence and those Irish Priests departed not thence till within two Months before that Bloody Rebellion and Massacre It was at that time I morally believe that King Charles favoured the Irish Massacre and the Irish Papists were so well assured of it that they called themselves the Queen's Army and said they had good Warrant in Black and White for their Proceedings and cryed out against the Parliament of England as the King's Enemies He that has a desire of being satisfied how great a favourer King Charles was of Papists let him read Mr. Pinn's Book called The Royal Court Favourite He was very much advised by the then Parliament to send early Relief to the poor Protestants of Ireland but it is notoriously known how backward he was therein and that he suffered them to be Sacrificed to the cruel Mercy of the Irish Cut-Throats It is also plain that the Parliament had long and often requested the King to Declare the Irish Rebels yet was this rare Protestant Martyr so Tender of the Poor Catholicks Reputation for Acting according to his Commands that no less than three Months past before he would gratifie the House of Commons with Proclaiming them Rebels and when he had against his real inclination thus done he was resolved That but a small number should be Printed and Published and in order thereunto the following Warrant was sent to the King's Printer from his Secretary of State IT is His Majesty's Pleasure that you forthwith Print in very good Paper and send unto Me for his Majesties Service Fourty Copies of the Proclamation inclosed leaving convenient space for his Majesty to Sign above and to affix the Privy Signet underneath And His Maiesties Express Command is Chat you Print not above the said Number of Copies and forbear to make any further Publication of them till his Pleasure be further Signified for which this shall be your Warrant White-Hall Jan. 2. 1641. Edward Nicholas See here what special care was taken that a few only should come to the knowledge of this Proclamation when at the same time it was well observed he dealt far otherwise by the Scots for they were more sharply Proclaimed and those Proclamations with great care and dilligence dispersed throughout the whole Kingdom and ordered to be read in all Churches accompanied with Publick Prayers and Execrations But his Aversion to the Proclaiming and Proceeding against the Irish Rebels is not to be much wondred at for they call themselves The Queen's Army and declared that they Rose to maintain the King's Prerogative and the Queen's Religion against the Parliament much more might be collected from divers Authors of this Tragical Story which for Brevity Sake I shall now omit 19. That to his Eternal Infamy against all Laws both Humane and Divine caused A Declaration to be Published concerning the Lawfulness of Sports Pastimes c. on the Lord's Day and gave Archbishop Laud an Order under his Hand to see that this Declaration was Printed Read the Order and Declaration Printed at large in this Book and also King Charces II's Declaration after his Restoration It is a wonderful and amazing thing that there can be found amongst us such Clergymen and Gentlemen that against all Reason and Truth shall make a Saint nay a Martyr of this as you see Pious King How these Men at the Great Day of Judgment will be able to Answer for the many abominable Lies and Blasphemies they have been Guilty of in Defending this King's Tyrannies and Oppressions and Deifying him after a most scandalous Rate is a Mystery to me The Publication of this Licentious Book was so apparently destructive to Religion and so dishonourable to God and the King That the Pious and Sober Clergy of that time absolutely refused either to Read it or to permit it the said abominable Declaration to be Read and how barbarously and unchristianly they were used for their Refusal is too well known 20 That gave Wicked Arbitrary and Tyrannical Orders Instructions and Commissions to the Earl of Strafford Lord Lieutenant of Ireland all which the said Earl took such care to Execute that the Parliament which was made up of Grave Able and discerning Persons fell so severely upon him that they caused him to be Committed to the Tower Impeached him and soon after caused him to be according to his deserts Beheaded He pleaded the King's Authority for what he had done but the Commons saw no reason to acquit him 'T was observed that tho the King and Queen would not publickly Solicite for his Relief yet several secret Instances were made by them both to save him that had obeyed their Commands c. But the just Cries of the People c. necessitated the King against his Will to sign the Warrant for his Execution And having now given a short account of the Earl of Strafford I think it proper for the satisfaction of all those good People that desire to be rightly informed for what Laud
is so Great that it may resist or so Small that it is contemn'd look upon my Misery with thine Eye of Mercy and let thine Infinite Power vouchsafe to limit out some proportion of Deliverance unto me as to thee shall seem most Convenient Let not Injury O Lord Triumph over me and let my Faults by thy Hand be Corrected and make not my unjust Enemies the Ministers of thy Justice But yet my God if in thy Wisdom this be the aptest Chastisment for my unexcusable Transgression if this ungrateful Bondage be fittest for my over high Desires if the Pride of my not enough humble heart be thus to be broken O Lord I yield unto thy Will and chearfully embrace what sorrow thou wilt have me suffer only thus much let me crave of thee let my craving O Lord be accepted of since it even proceeds from thee that by thy goodness which is thy self thou wilt suffer some Beam of thy Majesty so to shine in my mind that I who in my greatest Affliction acknowledge it my Noblest Title to be thy Creature may still depend confidently on thee let Calamity be the Exercise but not the overthrow of my Vertue O let not their prevailing Power be to my Destruction and if it be thy Will that they more and more vex me with Punishment yet O Lord never let their wickedness have such a hand but that I may still carry a pure mind and stedfast Resolution ever to serve thee without fear or Presumption yet with that humble confidence which may best please thee so that at last I may come to thy Eternal Kingdom through the Merits of thy Son our alone Saviour Jesus Christ Amen Pamelia's Prayer to the Heathen Deity O All seeing Light and Eternal Life of all things to whom nothing is either so Great that it may resist or so Small that it is contemn'd look upon my Misery with thine Eye of Mercy and let thine Infinite Power vouchsafe to limit out some proporrion of Deliverance unto me as to thee shall seem most Convenient Let not Injury O Lord Triumph over me and let my Faults by thy hand be Corrected and make not mine unjust Enemies the Minister of thy Justice But yet my God if in thy Wisdom this be the aptest Chastisment for my unexcusable Folly if this low Bondage be fittest for my over high Desire if the Pride of my not enough humble heart be thus to be broken O Lord I yield unto thy Will and joyfully embrace what sorrow thou wilt have me suffer only thus much let me crave of thee let my craving O Lord be accepted of thee since even that proceeds from thee let me crave even by the Noblest Title which in my greatest Affliction I may give my self that I am thy Creature and by thy goodness which is thy self that thou wilt suffer some Beam of thy Majesty to shine into my mind that it may still depend confidently on thee let Calamity be the Exercise but not the overthrow of my vertue let their Power prevail but prevail not to Destruction let my Greatness be their Prey let my pain be the sweetness of their Revenge let them if so it seem good unto thee vex me with more and more Punishment but O Lord let never their Wickedness have such a hand but that I may carry a pure mind in a pure Body and pausing a while O most gracious Lord said she whatever becomes of me preserve the vertuous Musidorus Having now given an Account of the design of Publishing this special Book and also what it is composed of I shall now produce divers Reasons enough I think to convince any rational Man that will not be willfully blind And first I shall give you the Noble Earl of Anglesey's Memorandum perfixt before the Book reputed to be King Charles I's called Icon Basilice and found by Edward Millington who sold the said Earl's Library all Written with the Earl's own Hand in these Words King Charles the Second and Duke of York did both in the last Session of Parliament 1675. when I shew'd Them in the Lord's House the Written Copy of this Book wherein are some Corrections and Alterations written with the late King Charles I's own Hand Assure me That this was none of the said King 's Compiling but made by Dr. Gauden Bishop of Exeter which I here incert for the undeceiving others in this Point by attesting so much under my Hand ANGLESEY This Noble Earl's Advertisement or Memorandum must have the greater Weight for that he concealed it for ought I can hear from the Publick which doubtless he would not have done if he had had any design to carry it on by making it Publick This Memorandum being true the World has the Words of two Kings that Bishop Gauden and not King Charles Composed this lying Book For further proof that Dr. Gauden writ this Book take a Summary Account of some Papers relating Eicon Basilice now or lately in the Hands of Mr. North Merchant living on Tower Hill London whereby it appears that Dr. Gauden late Bishop of Exeter and afterwards of Worcester was the Author of that Book and not King Charles I. as the World hath for above Forty Years been imposed upon to believe Mr. North is a worthy Person and a Member of the Church of England he and Mr. Charles Gauden the Bishop's Son married two Sisters and Mr. Gauden dying about Ten Years since all his Papers were left with his Widow and Mr. North having occasion to look them over for some relating to his Sister-in-laws affairs found these relating to the Eicon Basilice carefully tied up together Mr. North by reason of his Marriage had many years acquaintance with Bishop Gauden's Family and knows that the Bishop's Widow at first gave them to her Darling Son Iohn Gauden and upon his Death they came to Mr. Charles Gauden And further that in his many years knowledge of that Family it hath constantly and without any manner of doubt been declared that the Bishop was the Author of the Book There are several Letters and Papers I shall briefly give the Contents of them for the truth of which I shall refer to the Original Papers and to those many reverend and worthy Persons who have Read or been at the Reading of them Bishop Gauden at the time of King Charles the Second's Restauration was incumbent of Bocking in Essex and from that fat Parsonage was promoted to the Lean Bishoprick of Exeter which he complain'd was not sufficient to keep up the Port of a Bishop and thought that by his Merits he might lay claim to a better and the Death of Dr. Duppa Bishop of Winchester being daily expected he apply'd himself to the King with great Importunity to be translated thither pleading his Desert which as is evident from the Papers I mention could be no other than that of having written a Book which did such great Service to the Royal Family that King Charles the 2d thought
her Husband had writ that call'd the King's Book it coming at last to the knowledge of Dr. Nicholson then Bishop of Gloucester who desiring to be fully satisfied in that point did put the Question to her upon her receiving the Sacrament and she then affirmed that it was wrote by her Husband This Persons of undoubted credit now living in Gloucester can affirm for a Truth and it is not question'd but the present Bishop of Gloucester will acknowledge that those Persons have related this matter to him that it is well known to Mrs. Gauden's Brother and several of her Relations that Mrs. Gauden constantly in her Conversation Declared That her Husband was the Author of this Book I could if necessity requird produce a great many Arguments more out of Doctor Walkers or other Writings to prove the Truth of this matter but shall conclude it with this one of the Doctors in reference to the Providence of this Discovery Though God had many Holy Righteous and Gracious ends to serve his Providence by in the Publication of this Book yet as I find it expressed in this very Book Chap. the last p. 262. of the first Edition God's wise Providence we know oft permits many Events which his revealed Word in no sort approves And I confess I have many cogent reasons to persuade me that God was not well pleased with Dr. Gauden others or my self for what we contributed to it And though for the aforesaid ends he suffered it to succeed yet I know not but he may have other ends now to serve by suffering this Discovery to be Wrung and rested from me I had almost said by some Bodies viz. Hollingworths Impertinent Affection to meddle with what he understands not Thus spake that good Man I had not enlarged so much on this 21 st Article but that I was desirous of giving full satisfaction to the World of the Real Author of Eicon Basilice That Posterity might not be deceived by the many Impudent Ignorant False and Scandalous Assertions of most of the Clergy and too many of the Laity who to their Eternal Shame have taken more care and pains to defend that Book and its pretended Author King Charles I. than they done to Vindicate the Holy Bible and the Truth of the Christian Religion 22. That caused the Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts to be made Use of to the general Grievance of the People of England and was unwilling to part with them till he found these Courts were highly offensive to the Parliament and that it was not Seasonable to displease the Kingdom at that time for which Reasons at last he pass'd the Bills to take them away And indeed there were many and great Reasons why those abominable oppressive Courts should be pull'd down and taken away For that Old Serpent Arch-Bishop Laud and divers of his Brethren had cast off all Humanity and were metamorphosed into Ravenous Wolves and these Courts were under their Management The Star-Chamber had abounded in Extravagant Censures whereby the Subjects were oppress'd by Grievious Fines Imprisonments Stigmatizings Mutilations Whippings Pillories Gags Banishments c. And the High Commission Court was grown to such Excess of Sharpness and Severity as was not much less than the Spanish Inquisition To repeat two or three of the many Instances of the Horrid Oppressions and barbarous Cruelty exercised in these Tyrannical Courts Upon the 17 th of February 1629. Dr. Leighton coming out of Black Fryers Church it seems then he was no Conventicler was seized by a Warrant from the High Commission Court and dragged to Bishop Laud's House from thence without any Examination he was carried to New-gate and there clapt into Irons and thrust into a Nasty Hole where he continued from Tuesday Night till Thursday Noon without Meat or Drink They kept him in that loathsome Place where Snow and Rain beat in upon him Fifteen Weeks not permitting his Wife or any Friend to come near him and denyed to give him a Copy of his Commitment then they brought him into the Star-Chamber Court where an Information was Exhibited against him for Publishing a Book call'd Lyon's Plea against the Prelates Dr. Leighton confess'd that in 1628. He drew up the Heads of that Book and having the approbation of five hundred Persons under their hands some whereof were Parliament Men. He went into Holland and got between five and six hundred Printed for the use of the Parliament but they being Dissolved he returned home not bringing any of them into the Land but made it his special care to suppress them In the same information the Doctor was charged with these Words in the said Book We do not read of greater Persecutions of God's People in any Nation professing the Gospel then in this our Island especially since the Death of Queen Elizabeth He confessed the Words and Answered That the thing was too true as appeared by the Prelates taking away Life and Livelihood from many Mâ—nisters and private Men of whom many were pined to Death in Prison and many wandred up and down their Families being left desolate and helpless That besides this the Blood of Souls had been endanger'd by the Removal of the Faithful Shepheards from the Flock this was a cutting Truth And Wicked Laud being enraged Desired the Court to put the highest Censure that could be put upon him which they did to his Content Condemning him to have his Ears cut his Nose slit to be Branded in the Face Whipped at a Post to stand on a Pillory to pay Ten Thousand Pound fine tho' they knew he was not worth so much and to be perpetually Imprisoned This Hellish Sentence being past that vile Wretch Laud was so well pleased with it that he pull'd of his Cap and holding up his Hands gave thanks to God who had given him Victory over his Enemies This Sentence being so miserably severe the Execution thereof was little expected But Laud had his design for upon the 26 th of November 1630. The Censure was Executed in a most cruel manner His Ears were cut his Nose slit his Face Branded with burning Irons he was tyed to a Post and Whipped with a treble Cord to that cruel Degree that he himself Writing the History thereof Ten Years after affirmed that every lash brought away the Flesh and that he should feel it to his dying day He was lastly put into the Pillory and kept there near two hours in Frost and Snow and then after this most barbarous Usage not permitted to return to his Quarters in the Fleet Prison in a Coach provided to carry him but compelled in that sad Condition and severe Season to go by Water After this was kept Ten Weeks in Dirt and Mire not being sheltered from Rain and Snow They shut him up most closely Twenty Two Months and he remain'd a Prisoner Ten or Eleven Tears not suffered to breath in the open Air until that Noble Parliament of November 1640. most happily delivered him When he came
Charles I. did most Dishonourably and Perfidiously Betray the poor Protestants of the Isle of Rhee and Rochel I shall produce Copies of two of his Letters to them LETTER I. The King of England's Letter Directed to the Mayor Sheriffs Peers Burghers and Inhabitants of the City of Rochell dated 19 th of May Old Stile 1628. Gentlemen BE not Discomforted though my Fleet be return'd hold out unto the last for I am resolved that all my Fleet shall Perish rather than you shall not be Relieved and to this end I have Countermanded it and have sent Ships to make them change their Design that they had taken to come back I shall shortly send you some number of Ships to reinforce it and with the help of God the Success will be happy for that Deliverance Your Good Friend CHARLES R. And on the 21 st in the Morning there came to Rochell from England a Soldier bringing another Letter from the King Dated 27 th of May Old Stile sealed with the Arms of England which was as followeth Gentlemen I Have been troubled to here that my Fleet was upon the Point of Returning without Answering my Commands which were to force the Entry of your Provisions whatever came of it and have given it new Orders to Return into your Road and not stir untill it hath relieved you with Victuals or that I have sent them an Additional strength for which I have caused Men to work with all Diligence Be assured that I will never Abandon you and that I will imploy all the Force of my Kingdom for your Deliverance untill it please God to bless Me with giving you an assured Peace Given at Our Palace at Westm May 27 1628. Old Stile GENTLEMEN Your Good Friend CHARLES R. Whosoever shall carefully Read and Consider these two Letters and the Sollemn Declarations there and observe how contrary to his Royal Word he Sacrificed these Poor Protestants will have cause to harbour the worst of thoughts of this King and to blush at the horrid Impudence and Impiety of those Wicked Wretches that would make a Saint and a Martyr of him And to demonstrate this Treachery I shall incert a Copy of the Remonstrance made by one of the Deputies of the City of Rochel because it will very much illustrate the Subject and be as an Eternal mark of Infamy to the Memory of that Prince and deserves to be Engraven on Brass and Wrote on Marble that so the Remembrance of it may never be lost it is as followeth A Copy of the Remonstrance of the Sieur Vincent to the King of Great Britain drawn out of his own Journals SIR THE Grief which obliges us to fill the Ears of Your Majesty with our Cries and to Reiterate them so often ought to be extream to the last Degree Behold us now Sir prostrate at your Feet to Wash them with our Tears and God Almighty Grant that we do not in a little time come to Sigh out our last Breath with the News of the Desolation of our City We know not how Sir to conceal it from You the Sence we have of Her being at Her last Gasp puts us into Despair seeing the Succours which Your Majesty hath made us hope would be ready hath been deferred from day to day for many Weeks together SIR the City of Rochell did by us beg of You with all the Humility they were capable of Expressing to receive them into your Protection and You as Solemnly agreed to it since they have had at divers times all the Assurances possible as well from your own Month as under the Hand of Your Majesty that you would never abandon them Whereupon by a Miracle of Constancy they have held our hitherto firm a whole Year contending with the Horrours of a most gastly Famine that thereby they might give Your Majesty full leisure to send them the Succours You were graciously pleased to promise them and thus constant and unshaken were they even when all Europe believed they ought to have despaired in that after they had Relief as they thought several days in their sight it returned without effecting or attempting any thing And though our Enemies have from thence taken occasion to make them divers Overtures of Accommodation which their extream Necessities seemed to Counsel them to hearken unto yet they chose rather to run the Hazzard of their utter Destruction then to be wanting in the least to the Promises we had Sworn for them to Your Majesty or to shew they had the least Diffidence of your Protection After all this Sir shall it be Recorded in the History of Your Reign That they perished in your Hands without having reaped any other Fruit of the Good Will Your Majesty hath professed towards them and of the Assurance they have therein relied upon then the rendring them irrecountable to their King from whom otherwise they might have hoped to have found Grace and Favour Pardon Sir this from a People who see themselves upon the very Threshold of their Sepulchers if they cannot avoid Sighs which may seem undecent in your Royal Presence It is common for those that are near their End to finish their Lives with Groans In the Name of God Sir so long as there remains any Breath in us and before we do quite Expire command your Succours to hasten to our Assistance provided that diligence be yet used we will remain Caution to Your Majesty with the Peril of our Heads that they will arrive time enough to save us As to the Impossibilities that some may be willing to find in it permit us to tell You freely Sir That those are only founded either in their fear or their very little Affection for us and that besides the Report which some Persons unsuspected have made to Your Majesty we beseech You be You judge whether our City which is within fight of the Digne and Pallisade and carriage of her Cannon would send time after time to implore Your Assistance if they thought it would be unprofitable to them and if having every day offers of Capitulation upon advantagious Conditions if they would hearken to it for themselves alone they would be so imprudent to neglect the opportunity But we are ready if it shall please Your Majesty to permit it to take upon us the first Risques and Hazzards of the Execution to the end that we may be justified to all the World in the sincerity of our Proceeding and that it may not be imputed to us that we are prodigal of the Blood of Your Majesties Subjects to ill purpose to be sparing of our own No Sir there is no such impossibility as what some would pretend The only Cause of our Fears comes from the slowness and continual neglects from one Day to another and one Week to another which makes our hopes Recoil After the Return of your Fleet we comforted our selves with the Promise that was made us by Your Majesty That it should depart again within fifteen days but when
Petition for Redress of their Grievances 3. In dissolving their Synod and Parliament Burning the Pacification made with them by the Hangman's hands and Imprisoning the Lord 's sent by them to Petitiom him to perform his Sollemn Promises and Redress their Grievances 4. In levying Doctrines against them and raising a Civil War to justify himself in the Violation of their Laws A Civil War it was said the Great Lord Digby seeing we are of the same Religion and under the same King And 5. In attempting to make use of the Love and Affection of the English to Enslave and Ruin the Scotish Nation It is not improper here to observe 1. That the Scotish Covenant was not a new Invention or Innovation but Established by the Law of Scotland and taken by King James the First seventy Years before King Charles the Second took it 2. That Bishops and Clergymen in Conjunction with Papists abetted and assisted this T in the violation of the Laws when the Bulk of the Nobility Gentry and People of England appeared undauntedly in Defence of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom 3. That Popery hath greatly spred in Scotland ever since Laud's Superstition was introduced here the Number of Papists not exceeding 600. And therefore Presbetery being now restored by a Law it may be reasonably hoped that it will reduce many who have been deluded into that Idolatry 4. That Princes are not always to trust to the Insinuations and Suggestions of Scotish Bishops seeing that when they instigated King Charles I. to Dissolve the Synod and Parliament he was seduced by them into a belief That the Scotish Covenanteers were a contemptible Number and their Party in Scotland was sufficient to deal with them 5. That the Scots were not Rebells in taking Arms to Assert their Rights and Vindicate the Laws and Liberties of their Countrey That the horrid Imposition of Laud's Popish Liturgy did occasion the Troubles of Scotland is very manifest from Dr. Burnet's now Bishop of Salisbury his Memoirs of Duke Hamilton for he saith Page 30. The Liturgy had some Alterations from the English which made it more Invidious and less Satisfactory The Imposing it really varied from their former Practices and Constitutions Pag. 33. The Lords Petition'd complaining against the Liturgy and Book of Canons offering under the highest Penalties to prove they contain'd things both contrary to Religion and the Laws of the Land pag. 36. The Earls of Traquaire and Roxbourgh by Letter to the King advised him to secure the People of that which they so much apprehended the fear of Innovation of Religion saying that they found few or none well satisfied pag. 33. The Earl of Traquaire went to Court and gave Account that all the Troubles were occasioned by introducing the Liturgy with which scarce a Member of Council except Bishops was well satisfied Neither were all these Cardinals for it for the Archbishop of St. Andrews from the beginning had withstood these Designs and the Archbishop of Glascoe was worse pleased Their Commissioners in their Charge against Laud exhibited to the Parliament of England 1641. say pag. 11. c. This Book inverteth the Order of the Communion in the Book of England of the divers secret Reasons of this Change we mention one only In joyning the Spiritual Praise and Thanksgiving which is in the Book of England pertinently after the Communion with the Prayer of Consecration before the Communion and that under the Name of Memorial or Oblation for no other ends but that the Memorial and Sacrifice of Praise mention'd in it may be understood according to the Popish meaning Bellarmin de Missa Lib. 2. Chap. 21. not of the Spiritual Sacrifice but of the Oblation of the Body of the Lord. The Corporal Presence of Christ's Body is also to be found here for the Words of the Mass-Book serving to this purpose which are not to be found in the Book of England are taken in here Almighty God is incaâ—…'d That of his Almighty Goodness he may vouchsafe so to Bless and sanctifie with his Word and Spirit these Gifts of Bread and Wine that they be unto us the Body and Blood of Christ On the one part the Expressions of the Book of England at the delivery of the Elements Of feeding on Christ by Faith and of Eating and Drinking in Remembrance that Christ died for thee are utterly Deleted To prove that Laud did send this Liturgy to Rome to be approved of Read a Book of Good Credit Entitled New Survey of the West Indies Wrote by a Reverend Divine of the Church of England Mr. Thomas Gage Minister of Deal in Kent 't is in pag. 280. in the Folio Edition He there tells you That being a Fryar he went to Rome with Letters of Recommendation to Cardinal Barbarini the Pope's Nephew Entituled The Protector of England That coming acquainted with Father Fitzherbert of the English Colledge of Jesuits he highly praised Archbishop Laud and said That he not long since sent a Common Prayer Book which he had composed for the Church of Scotland to be first viewed and approved by the Pope and Cardinals and That they liked it very well for Protestants to be Trained up in a Form of Prayer and Service yet the Cardinals first giving him thanks for his Respect sent him word that they thought it was not fitting for Scotland that Father Fitzherbert told him he was Witness of all this being sent for by the Cardinal to give him his Opinion about it and of the Temper of the Scots And that Laud hearing the Censure of the Cardinals concerning his Intention and Form of Prayer to ingratiate himself the more in their Favour Corrected some things in it and made it more harsh and unreasonable for that Nation This Good Man Mr. Gage after he had here related the matter as above expresses himself thus This most True Relation of Archbishop Laud I have oft spoke of in private Discourse and publickly in Preaching and I could not in Conscience omit it here both to vindicate the just Censure of Death whiâ—h the Parliament gave against him and to reprove the ungrounded Opinion and Error of some Ignorant Spirits who have since his Death highly exalted and cryed him up as a Martyr 'T is worthy of Notice that these Passages making Laud to appear a great Villain were by the means of Priest Craft left out of the Impression in Octavo Something like this of Mr. Gage may be found in Bishop Burnet's Memoirs of Duke Hamilton fol. 83. he relates That in the Year 1638. one Abernethy who from a Jesuit turned a zealous Presbyterian spread a story in Scotland which took wonderfully of the Liturgy of that Kingdom being sent to Rome to some Cardinals to be Revised by them and that Seignior Con the Popes Nuncio to the Court of England had shewed it to Abernethy at Rome and though Con denied it afterwards as is pretended yet it doth not follow that what Abernethy asserts was false for
it is well known that Con being a Jesuit might Lye for the Holy Church If I had time and that this Book would not be too large I could produce very many more instances of King Charles his Tyrannical Oppressing his Subjects of England Scotland and Ireland I shall end this Melancholly Story with the Heads of the many Articles of Mis-government of that Prince viz. His taking Buckingham Laud and many more Evil Counsellors into the highest Favour and being Govern'd by them His Popish Match and Private Articles in favour of Popery His receiving a Letter from the Pope and sending him an Answer calling him most Holy Father c. His Pardoning 20 Popish Priests c. pursuant to the Private Articles of Marriage His most unchristian like Betraying the Isle of Rhee and Rochell a sad Story His plucking up the Root of all Property by taking the Peoples Goods against their Wills and their Liberties against Law His giving Commissions to Try and Execute his Subject by Martial Law His Raising Money by Loans against Law His requiring London and other places to set out Ships for him at their own Charge His Billotting Soldiers many of which were Papists on his poor Subjects His giving Commissions to several Lords to raise Money by way of Excise His ordering his Treasurer to pay 30000 l. to buy a large number of German Horse with Arms both for Horse and Foot to be brought to England against the Parliament His causing Mr. Chambars a Merchant to be fin'd 2000 l. for complaining of the hard Usage the Merchants of England had His oppressing and Imprisoning all Ranks and Orders of Men Unjustly His threatning the House of Commons if they would not give Money His shameful betraying the Palatinate and keeping the Charity of England from them His having without doubt a great Hand in the wicked Irish Rebellion His large Demonstration of his Piety by ordering a Declaration of Sports on the Lord's Day His giving Wicked Arbitrary and Tyrannical Orders Instructions and Commissions to the Earl of Strafford Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and endeavoured to save him from the Parliaments Just and necessary Prosecution His suffering the Bishops Gauden and Duppa to compose a lying Book call'd Eicon Basilice and to put it out in his Name the better to justify his evil Actions against his People His causing the Star-Chamber and High Commission Courts to be made use of to the great Grievance of the People of England His falsely charging with Treason and unjustly imprisoning the Lord Mandevil Mr. Hollis Mr. Strode and many others and would produce no Witness against them His Tempting and Incouraging his English and Irish Armies to come and Destroy the Parliament His dealing most Basely and Treacherously with the Parliament whilst Treating at Uxbridge His having a hand in the untimely Deaths of King James the First and Prince Henry His being an Exorbitant and Outragious Tyrant upon the People of England Murder will Out OR THE KING'S LETTER JUSTIFYING THE MARQUESS of ANTRIM And declaring That what he did in the Irish Rebellion was by Direction from his Royal Father and Mother and for the Service of the Crown Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be ye horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord Jer. 2. 12. For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed nor any thing hid which shall not be known or come abroad Mat. 10. 26. London Printed 1698. IRELAND Aug. 22 d. 1663. Ever Honoured Sir LAST Thursday we came to Tryal with my Lord Marquess of Antrim but according to my Fears which you always surmised to be in vain he was by the King 's Extraordinary and Peremptory LETTER of Favour restored to his Estate as an Innocent Papist We proved Eight Qualifications in the Act of Settlement against him the least of which made him uncapable of being restored as Innocent We proved 1. That he was to have a hand in surprizing the Castle of Dublin in the Year 1641. 2. That he was of the Rebels party before the 15th of September 1643. which we made appear by his hourly and frequent intercourse with Renny O Moore and many others being himself the most notorious of the said Rebels 3. That he entred into the Roman Catholick Confederacy before the Peace in 1643. 4. That he constantly adheard to the Nunctio's Party in opposition to His Majesty's Authority 5. That he sat from time to time in the Supream Council of Kilkenny 6. That he signed that execrable Oath of Association 7. That he was Commissionated and acted as Lieutenant General from the said Assembly at Kilkenny 8. That he declared by several Letters of his own Penning himself in Conjunction with Owen Ro Oneale and a constant Opposer to the several Peaces made by the Lord Leiutenant with the Irish We were seven Hours by the Clock in proving our Evidence against him but at last the King's Letter being opened and read in Court Rainsford one of the Commissioners to us That the King's Letter on his behalf was Evidence without Exception and thereupon declared him to be an Innocent Papist This Cause Sir hath though many Reflections have passed upon the Commissioners before more startled the judgments of all Men than all the Tryals since the beginning of their sitting and it is very strange and wonderful to all of the Long Robe that the King should give such a Letter having divested himself of that Authority and reposed the Trust in the Commissioners for that Purpose And likewise it is admired that the Commissioners having taken solmn Oaths To execute nothing but according to and in pursuance of the Act of Settlement should barely upon His Majesty's Letter declare the Marquess Innocent To be short there never was so great a Rebel that had so much favour from so good a King And it is very evident to me though young and scarce yet brought upon the Stage that the consequence of these things will be very bad and if God of his extraordinary Mercy do not prevent it War and if possible greater Judgments cannot be far from us where Vice is Patroniz'd and Antrim a Rebel upon Record and so lately and clearly proved one should have no other colour for his Actions but the King 's own Letter which takes all Imputations from Antrim and lays them totally upon his own Father Sir I shall by the next if possible send you over one of our Briefs against my Lord by some Friend It 's too large for a Pacquet it being no less in bulk than a Book of Martyrs I have no more at present but refer you to the King's Letter hereto annexed CHARLES R. RIght Trusty and well-beloved Cousins and Counsellors c. We greet you well How far We have been from interposing on the behalf of any of Our Irish Subjects who by their miscarriages in the late Rebellion in that Kingdom of Ireland had made themselves unworthy of Our Grace and Protection is notorious to all Men and
Church for the decoring of it according to their old Custom But withal We do here account still as prohibited all unlawful Games to he used upon Sundays only as Bear and Bull-baitings Interludes and at all times in the meaner sort of People by Law prohibited Bowling And likewise We bar from this Benefit and Liberty all such known Recusants either Men or Women as will abstain from coming to Church or Divine Service being therefore unworthy of any Lawful Recreation after the said Service that will not first come to the Church and serve God Prohibiting in like sort the said Recreations to any that though conform in Religion are not present in the Church at the Ser-Service of God before their going to the said Recreations Our Pleasure likewise is That they to whom it belongeth in Office shall present and sharply punish all such as in Abuse of this Our Liberty will use these Exercises before the ends of all Divine Services for that Day And We likewise straightly Command that every Person shall resort to his own Parish Church to hear Divine Sirvice and each Parish by it self to use the sâ—id Recreation after Divine Service Prohibiting likewise any Offensive Weapons to be carried or used in the said times of Recreations And our Pleasure is That this Our Declaration shall be Published by Order from the Bishop of the Diocess through all the Parish Churches and that both Our Judges of Our Circuit and Our Justices of Our Peace be informed thereof Given at Our Mannor of Greenwich the Four and Twentieth Day of May in the Sixteenth Year of Our Reign of England France and Ireland and of Scotland the One and Fiftieth Here follows King Charles II. Corroborating Declaration to have the Recreations and Sports to be used on the Lord's Day NOW out of a like Pious Care for the Service of God and for suppressing of any Humors that oppose Truth and for the Ease Comfort and Recreation of Our well deserving People Wo do ratifie and publish this our Blessed Father's Declaration The rather because of late in some Counties of Kingdom We find that under pretence of taking away Abuses there hath been a general Forbidding not only of ordinary Meetings but of the Feasts of the Dedication of the Churches commonly called Wakes Now Our express Will and Pleasure is that these Feasts with others shall be observed and that Our Justices of the Peace in their several Divisions shall look to it both that all Disorders there may be prevented or punished and that all Neighbourhood and Freedom with Manlike and Lawful Exercises be used And We farther command Our Justices of Assize in their several Circuits to see that no Man do Trouble or Molest any of Our Loyal and Dutiful People in or for their lawful Recreations having first done their Duty to God and continuing in Obedience to Us and Our Laws And of this We command all Our Judges Justices of the Peace as well within Liberties as without Mayors Bayliffs Constables and other Officers to take notice of and to see observed as they tender Our Displeasure And We farther Will that Publication of this Our Command be made by Order from the Bishops through all the Parish Churches of their several Diocesses respectively Given at Our Palace of Westminster the 18th of October in the Ninth of Our Reign God save the King A true Copy of the Commission said to be given by the King to his Catholick Subjects of Ireland with the Warrant and Deposition annexed From our Camp at Newrie this Fourth of Nov. 1641. Philem. O. Neale Rorie Macguire To all Catholicks of the Romish Party both English and Irish within the Kingdom of Ireland we wish all Happiness Freedom of Conscience and Victory over the English Hereticks who have for a long time Tyrannized over our Bodies and usurped by Extortion our Estates BE it hereby made known unto you all our Friends and Country-men That the King 's most Excellent Majesty for many great and urgent Causes him thereunto moving reposing Trust and Confidence in our Fidelities hath signified unto us by his Commission under the great Seal of Scotland bearing date at Edinburgh the first Day of this Instant October 1641. and also by Letters under his Sign Manuel bearing date with the said Commission of divers great and heinous Affronts that the English Protestants especially the Parliament there have published against his Royal Prerogative and also against our Catholick Friends within the Kingdom of England The Copy of which Commission we have here sent unto you to be published with all Speed in all parts of this Kingdom that you may be assured of our sufficient Warrant and Authority herein The Commission CHARLES by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To all Our Catholick Subjects within Our Kingdom of Ireland Greeting Know ye That We for the Safeguard and Preservation of Our Person have been enforced to make Our Abode and Residence in Our Kingdom of Scotland for a long Season occasioned by reason of the Obstinate and Disobedient Carriage of Our Parliament in England against Us who have not only presumed to take upon them the Government and Disposing of those Princely Rights and Prerogatives that have justly descended upon Us from Our Predecessors both Kings and Queens of the said Kingdom for many hundred Years last past but also have possessed themselves of the whole Strength of the said Kingdom in appointing Governours Commanders and Officers in all parts and places therein at their own Wills and Pleasure without Our Consent whereby We are deprived of Our Sovereignty and left naked without Defence And forasmuch as We are in Our self very sensible That those Storms blow aloft and are very likely to be carried by the Vehemency of the Puritan in another Copy Protestant Party into Our Kingdom of Ireland and endanger Our Regal and Authority there also Know ye therefore That We reposing much Care and Trust in your Duties and Obedience which We have for many Years past sound do hereby give unto you full Power and Authority to Assemble and meet together with all the Speed and Diligence that a Business of so great a Consequence doth require and to Advise and Consult together by sufficient and discreet Numbers at all Times Days and Places which you shall in your Judgments hold most Convenient and Material for the Ordering Settleling and Effecting of this Great Work mentioned and directed unto you in Our Letters and to use all politick Ways and Means possible to possess your selves for Our Use and Safety of all the Forts Castles and Places of Strength and Defence within the said Kingdom except the places Persons and Estates of our Loyal and Loving Subjects the Scots and also to Arrest and Seize the Goods Estates and Persons of all the English Protestants within the said Kingdom to Our use and in your care and speedy performance of this Our Will and Pleasure we
shall perceive your wonted Duty and Allegiance unto Us which We shall accept and reward in due time Witness Our self at Edinburgh the first day of October in the Seventeenth Year of Our Reign More of these secret Intreagues of King Charles the First and Second you will find in a Book Entituled Great Britain's Miseries in a short History of the manifold Difficulties this Kingdom has laboured under these 40 Years last past A LETTER From Pope Gregory XVth to Charles Steward Prince of Wales and since King of England during the time of his being in Spain As likewise the said Prince's Answer Both taken out of the History of England at the Pages 1162 1163 1164. Written by the Sieur Andrew du Chesne being the Third Edition printed at Paris in the Year 1641 by William Loyson at the Pallace in the Middle of the Prisoners Gallery and which are also to be met with in the French Mercury of the Year 1623 when these Letters were Written both which the said King never Disown'd Most Noble Prince AFter wishing you all immaginable Health and the Illumination of Gods Divine Grace We give you to Understand That whereas Great Britain has always abounded in Virtues and in Persons of singular Merit and Esteem and consequently fill'd both Worlds with the Glory of its Renown so she has also very frequently exacted the Consideration and Commendation of the Apostolick See And indeed the Holy Church was but yet in its Infancy when the King of Kings pitch'd upon it for the Portion of his Inheritance and which he did with so great Zeal and Affection that scarce the Roman Eagles got possession of it before the Cross And we may withal Observe that many of its Kings likewise being instructed in the surest means of their Salvation have all along prefer'd the Holy Cross to the Regal Scepter and the Doctrine of Religion either to Ambition or Covetousness transmitting thereby Examples of Piety both to foreign Nations and Posterity So that having sufficiently merited in Heaven the Privileges and Preeminences of Beatitude they have also Obtain'd on Earth the Triumphal Ornaments of never-dying Sanctity And now altho' the Church of England has for some time been born and seperated from the true Catholick Faith yet at the same time we perceive the Court of Great Britain adorn'd and embellish'd with so many Moral Virtues that we cannot but be encourag'd in our Love towards her and should Acknowledge her as one of the chiefest Ornaments of the Christian Name provided she were but Qualify'd and Influenc'd with the Orthodox and Universal Truth For which reason and so much the rather as we have the deepest Sence of and the sincerest Respect for the Glory of your most Serene Father and your own great Natural Abilities so we heartily and passionately desire that the Gates of Heaven may be set open to you and the Tenets of the True Church be receiv'd by you Moreover whereas Gregory the Great Our Glorious Predecessor of most pious Memory first taught the People of your Nation to obey the Law of the Gospel and to submit to the Apostolic Authority so we tho' Inferiour to him both in Piety and Virtue yet of the same Name and Dignity with him do think it but reasonable that we follow his holy Steps and endeavour to procure the Salvation of your Country especially at thsi Juncture when your happy Intentions Most Noble Prince have rais'd in us hopes of a successful Event Therefore as you are at present at the Court of the most Catholick King with Inclinations to make an Alliance with the House of Austria we cannot but extreamly commend Your Design and the rather by reason that we are satisfy'd that your principal end in it is the promoting the Advantage of our Supream Prelacy and Dignity For since you seem so earnestly to desire the Infanta of Spain in Marriage we may easily infer that in all probabily the ancient seeds of Christian Piety which have formerly flourish'd so prosperously in the Hearts of the Kings of Great Britain may revive and recover their pristine Glory in you and we cannot think that he who professes so sincere an esteem for such an Alliance should be an Enemy to the Catholick Religion or be ever enclin'd to molest the Holy See In pursuance whereof we have commanded continual and most humble Orations to be put up to the Father of Mercies that it would please his Divine Goodness to establish you as the blooming Flower of Christendom and the Sole Hopes of Great Britain in the Throne of your Noble Ancestors who for the most part have all made it their chiefest Business to Assert the Authority of the Soveraign Pontificat and to combat the Monsters of Heresy Propose to Yourself the Modells of former Ages inspect the Behaviour of your Fore-fathers and they will shew you what Method you are to take to get the Throne of Bliss and what Policy Temporal Princes have always made use of to inherit an Eternal Kingdom Behold your gloriours Predecessors Enthron'd above Who formerly waited on by Angels went to Rome to Honour and do Homage to the Lord of Lords and to the Successors of his Holy Apostle St. Peter Their Works and Examples are of so many Voices whereby God Exhorts you to imitate their Lives to whose Empire you shall one day arrive Is it possible that you can suffer the Hereticks to Profane and Condemn those Holy Men whom the Faith of the Church enjoyns us to believe to Reign above the Clouds with Jesus Christ and to have command and Authority over all the Principalities and Potentates of the Earth See these blessed Saints stretch out their Arms to Conduct you safe to the Court of this most Catholick King and behold with what Ardour they desire to lead you to the Bosom of the Mother-Church That Church which is often suppliant with inexpressible Agonies before the Throne of Almighty Wisdom for your Reformation and Safety and which even now tenders its Apostolick Charity with all imaginable Christian Affection to receive you to her self You that are her Darling Son You that are her most desir'd tho' hitherto her too misguided Off-spring Certainly you can never be more Obliging to the Christian State than to put the Prince of Apostles into the possession of your most noble Island which has almost all along hitherto approv'd its self the most potent Arbiter both of Church and State The most glorious Work will the easier be Effected if you first shew an Example by Opening to God that knocks at the Door of your Heart and wherein consist the Absolute Happiness and Salvation of this Kingdom This is so great Charity occasions us to desire that You and your most Serene Father should be qualify'd with the glorious Titles of Deliverers and Restorers of the Ancient and Paternal Religion of Great Britain which we hope may be speedily Effected by means of the great Power and Goodness of God in whose Hands the Hearts
Archbishop of Canterbury was most justly Beheaded The House of Commons having proof that he had a great Hand in all the Arbitrary Proceedings and Dealings with Rome December 18 th 1640. they Voted him to be a Traytor and Mr. Hollis was sent to the Lords to Accuse him of High-Treason which he did immediately assuring the Lords that in convenient time there should be a charge put in against him to make Good the Accusation desiring that he might be sequestred from the House and Committed which was forthwith done by the Lords The Articles wherewith he was charged consist of these Heads c. 1. For that he had Treacherously endeavoured to subvert the Fundamental Laws and Government of the Kingdom of England and instead thereof to Introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government against Law 2. That he had laboured to Overthrow the Authority of Parliaments and the Force of the Laws of the Kingdom of England 3. That he had laboured to corrupt and pervert the Ministers of Justice 4. That he himself had corruptly bought and sold Justice in his Seat 5. That he had put a New Book of Cannons in Execution against Law Vide 2 Vol. 2 d. Part of Rushworth's Hist Collect. Fol. 1365. sequent 6. That he had Traytorously assumed to himself a Papal and Tyrannical Power both in Ecclesiastical and Temporal Matters 7. That he had laboured to subvert the Protestant Religion and instead thereof to set up Popish Superstition and Idolatry 8. That he had prefer'd notorious Papist to Places of Dignity 9. That he had chosen to himself a Chaplain Popishly affected 10. That he had kept Confederacy and Intelligence with Popish Priests and Jesuits 11. That he had cruelly persecuted Godly Ministers 12. That he had laboured to make Divisions and Discord between us and other Churches 13. That he had stir'd up War and Enmity between his Majesties two Kingdoms of England and Scotland 14. That he had Slandered and Incensed His Majesty against Parliaments 15. That he had laboured to slander Parliaments with the Nick Name of Puritans and commended the Papists for harmless and peaceable Subjects 16. That he had Traytorously indeavoured to advance the Power of the Council Table the Cannons of the Church and the King's Prerogative above the Laws and Statutes of the Realm 17. That he had Wittingly and Willingly Harboured Countenanced and Relieved divers Popish Priests and Jesuits and particularly one call'd Santa Clara alias Damport a dangerous Person and Franciscan Fryar and did also provide Maintenance and Entertainment for one Monsieur St. Gyles a Popish Priest at Oxford knowing him to be a Popish Priest 18. That he had threatningly said there must be a Blow given to the Church such as had not been yet given before it could be brought to Conformity 19. That he punished divers Ministers in Prosecution of the last Cannons made by himself 20. That he had wickedly and malitiously Advised His Majesty to dissolve the last Parliament and presently after it was Dissolved told His Majesty That then he was absolved from all Rules of Government and left free to use all extraordinary Ways for his Supply These were the chief Heads of the Charge against that Proud Popish and Arbitrary Prelate for which he was sent Prisoner to the Tower After some close Inquiries and Examinations taken from the Informations of the late Lord Deputy of Ireland it was sufficiently known that the Archbishop was the Conduite Pipe through which the Popish Party made the pernicious Seed of Division run so smoothly that he was the Wicked Instrument they made use of to stir up the Division between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland and between the Protestants of the Church of England and the Presbyterians These heavy charges being made good against this Bishop and he most righteously executed for these his notorious Evil Actions Why are most of our Clergy and some of our Laity so wicked as to vindicate him and without the least Reason or shaddow of Truth cry him up for a Blessed Martyr that had violated all the Laws of the Land and was so great a Cause of most of the Miseries of England That to prevent the Peoples being too Religious advised and highly promoted the Declaration of Sports on the Lord's Day a time so odious in the sight of any thing of a Christian that it ought never to be forgotten 21. That after he had compleatly acted the part of a great Tyrant and thereby had justly lost the general Love Esteem and Affection of the best Protestants of the three Kingdoms He willingly consented that Bishop Gauden Bishop Duppa c. should compose a Book and call it His Portraiture or Picture and this Book the King was to own as his that it was composed by him when God knows he had neither so much Piety nor Capacity as that Work re-required though as a Noble Peer lately said Let that Book be Written by the King or by any body else there is little in it that deserves Esteem The design of this Book was three-fold the first was By the Lies thereby to justifie the King 's Arbitrary and Illegal Actions secondly Heavily to load the People of England with Rebellion c. for standing up for the legal Liberties and Properties belonging to them though absolutely forced thereunto to prevent the Inundation of Misery and Popish Slavery that the King and his wicked Court Favourites were then bringing on the three Kingdoms thirdly The cunning drift of the Factious and Defeated Party design'd to make the same Advantage of his Book as they did before of his Regal Name and Authority and intended it not only for a Defence of the King 's former Actions but also for promoting their own future Designs As for the Book who ever is the real Author has no occasion to value himself for that Work two things being with the greatest ease to be prov'd upon him First That he is a most Notorious Lyer both as to his Assertions of the King's Innocency of those sad matters justly laid to his Charge and also of his many unjust Accusations of the People of England and secondly That he was a Thief and had so much Piety as to have recourse to the famous Sir Philip Sydney's Arcadia a Romance in the time of his Troubles and from thence to steal the Prayer of Pamelia to an Heathen Diety being under Imprisonment not finding a suitable Form in the Liturgy Psalms of David or any other places of the sacred Scripture And that the Reader may be satisfied of the Truth of this Piece of Thievery I have thought fit to Print both Prayers in Collums one against the other That of Pamelias may be found in Pembrook's Arcadia p. 248. 13 Edit Printed 1674. That of King Charles I's is call'd a Prayer in time of Captivity Printed in a Great Folio call'd the Works of King Charles and also in his Eicon Basilike The King's Prayer O Powerful O Eternal God to whom nothing
Religion should be the last thing upon which he should Treat for if he do agree upon strickness against the Catholicks it would discourage them to serve him and if afterwards there should be no Peace he could never expect succours from Ireland or any other Catholick Prince In another of her Letters we find her writing thus January 17. 1644. It comforts me much to see the Treaty shall be at Uxbridge I received Yesterday Letters from the Duke of Lorrain who sends me word if his service be agreeable to you he will bring 10000 Men. Above all have a care not to abandon those who have served you as well the Bishops as the poor Catholicks By the King's Letters to the Queen in February when the Treaty at Uxbridge was depending He Stiles the Parliament Unreasonable Stubborn Perfidious Rebels presses her to hasten all possible Assistance to him particularly that of the Duke of Lorrain He tells her That the limitted days for treating are now almost expired without the least Agreement upon any one Article wherefore I fend for enlargement of days That the whole Treaty may be laid open to the whole World and I assure thee thou needst not doubt the Issue of this Treaty for my Commissioners are so well chosen though I say it that they will neither be Threatned nor Disputed from the Grounds I have given them which upon my Word Is according to the little Note thou so well remembers Be confident that in making Peace I shall ever shew my Constancy in adhereing to Bishops and all our Friends which could be meant of no other than the Catholicks for the Queen in her Letter before mentioned had given him Charge of both together and not forget to put a short Period to this perpetual Parliament We find in another Letter Dated the 5 th of March expressing himself in these Words I have thought of one means more to furnish Thee with my assistance than hitherto thou hast had it is That I give Thee power to promise in my Name that I will * If this were so good a King Why so much clamour against King James the II. for designing the same thing take away all the Penal Laws against the Roman Catholicks in England as soon as God shall enable me to do it In relation to Ireland he wrote to the Marquess of Ormond to this Effect Jan. 7. The Rebells here have agreed to Treat and most assuredly one of the first and chiefest Articles they will insist on will be To continue the Irish War which is a Point not popular for me to break on of which you are to make a double use First To hasten with all possible diligence the Peace there the timely conclusion of which will take off that Inconvenience which otherwise I may be subject to by the Refufal of that Article upon any other Reason Secondly By dexterous conveying to the Irish the danger there may be of their Total Exclusion from those Favours I intend them in case the Rebells here clap up a Peace Not doubting of a Peace I must again remember you to press the Irish for their speedy Assistance to Me here and their Friends in Scotland I desire that the Irish would send as great a Body as they can to Land about Cumberland which will put those Northern Counties in a brave Condition Upon the 14 th January he Writes thus to the Queen As for the Peace of Ireland to shew Thee the Care I have had of it and Fruits I hope to receive from it I have sent Thee the last Dispatches I have sent concerning it For God's sake let none know the particulars of my Dispatches Some secret piece of Villany against his Protestant Subjects no Doubt that he was so affraid of having it Discovered Another Letter to Her of the 20 th of March hath this Expression I find that thou much mistakes me concerning Ireland I desire nothing more than a Peace there and ever forbid thy Commerce there By another Lettter he commanded Ormond to Dispatch the Irish Peace out of hand and thereby promises that the Penal Laws against the Roman Catholicks Shall not be put in Execution The Peace being made and that when the Irish give him that Assistance which they have promised for the suppression of this Rebellion then he would consent to the Repeal of them by a Law and Concludes Recommending to him again the speedy dispatch of the Peace of Ireland Another Letter to Ormond upon the 27 th of February 1644. was That he thought himself bound in Conscience not to lose that assistance which he might hope from his Irish Subjects for such scruples as in a less pressing condition might reasonably be struck at by him and therefore Commanded him to conclude a Peace with the Irish whatever it cost so that his Protestant Subjects there might be secured and his Regal Authority preserved If the present taking away the Penal Laws against Papists will do it said he I shall not think it a hard Bargin so that freely and vigourously they engage themselves in my Assistance against my Rebells of England and Scotland for which no Conditions can be too hard not being against Conscience or Honour By another Letter to the Marquess of Ormond in the same Month he Writes thus Now again I cannot but mention the necessity of hastning the Irish Peace for which I hope you are already furnished by Me with Materials sufficient But in case against all Expectation and Reason Peace cannot be had upon those Terms you must not by any means fall to a New Rupture with them but continue the Cessation ⸫ There was at this time high Division in London between the Presbyterians and Independants therefore to ruin both by fomenting misunderstandings between them the Independants are to be Cajoled a thing worthy remembrance in all times He wrote to the Duke of Richmond one of his Commissioners for the Uxbridge Treaty To remember to Cajole well the Independants and the Scots nay he instructed Secretary Nicholas to bribe the Commissioners for the Parliament with the promise of Security Rewards and Places Now upon the whole matter let any impartial and unbyassed Person tell me whether he doth not in his Conscience believe that the Parliament were far more sincere in making an Honourable Peace for poor England than this apparently False Popish and tricking King whom the wicked part of Mankind so madly cry up for a Martyr 26. That for many Reasons it was concluded That King Charles had no small share in the abominable Act of Poysoning his own Father King James I. and that Good Man Prince Henry his Son It being very plain divers Parliaments were but short lived if they did but mutter that an Enquiry should be made of their untimely Ends and that the Duke of Buckingham was protected for that and other Villanies And that I may Demonstrate to the World more fully than I have already done in the 6 th Articles That King