and for the first offence in refusing to forfeit all their Goods for the second their Estates and for the third their Lives And besides this they presented them with the hopes of Liberty That the English Yoke should be stricken off That they should have a King of their own Nation and that then all the Goods and Estates of the English should be divided amongst them With these Motives of Spoil and Liberty which were strengthned by the former of Religion the Rebellion increased The Rebels in Ulster commanded by Sir Phelim O Neal assisted by his Brother the Brother of the Lord Mac Guire Philip O Reley and several others had possessed most of the strong places in that Province and many other which they could not take by force nor treachery were delivered to them by the English upon Articles which they afterwards like true or rather false Papists most perfidiously broke Butchering and Massacring the poor English without pity or compassion to Age or Sex though they still spared the Scotch Plantations in Ulster because of their Numbers and likewise for fear of the Scotch Army so easily to be transported to the North parts of Ireland But now their General Sir Phelim O Neal one of the Race of the late Bloody Earl of Tyrone a pretended Protestant till some time before having got together a vast number of the Natives fell upon them and destroyed their Houses and Goods and though they did not exercise that Cruelty on their Bodies yet they stript them and drove them Naked to the Scotish Shore from thence he marched into other parts and took Dundalk incamping at Arde near Tredagh The King finding his stay to be longer than he thought left the whole business of Ireland to the Parliament who declared a speedy and vigorous Assistance and Voted Fifty thousand Pound for a present Supply By which time the Lords of the Council of Ireland had Armed as many as were able and given Commissions for raising several Regiments of whom the Earl of Ormond was made Lieutenant General and a Regiment was sent from England under Sir Simon Harcourt about which time the King returned out of Scotland and was Entertained and Feasted at London and from thence Conducted to White-Hall after which the King Treated several Chief Citizens at Hampton Court where divers of the Aldermen had the honour of Knighthood December 2. The King Summons both Houses together and tells them That he had staid in Scotland longer than he expected yet not fruitlesly for he had given full satisfaction to that Nation but cannot chuse but take notice of and wonder at the unexpected Distractions he finds at home and then commends to them the State of Ireland next he publishes a Proclamation for Obedience to the Laws in force concerning Religion and the performance of Divine Service without Innovation or Abolishing of Rites and Ceremonies January 20 His Majesty makes another Speech to them and Conjures them by all that is dear to him or them to hasten the business of Ireland After which the Commons ordered a Select Committee to draw up a Petition and Remonstrance to the King the Petition was thus Most Gracious Soveraign your Majesties most humble and faithful Subjects the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled do with joy acknowledge the Favour of God in your safe return into England where the dangers and distempers of the State have caused them to desire your Presence and Authority to your Parliament for preventing of imminent Ruin and Destruction to your Kingdoms of England and Scotland fomented by a malignant party for alteration of Religion and Government the increase of Popery by the Practice of Jesuites and other Engineers and Factors of Rome corrupting the Bishops and Privy Council they being the cause of the late Scottish War and the Irish Rebellion Now for prevention they pray That your Majesty would concur with your Parliament to deprive the Bishops of their Votes To take away Oppression in Religion Church Government and Discipline To purge your Councils of such as are promoters of these Corruptions and not alienate any Escheated Lands in Ireland by reason of the Rebellion and these being granted we will make you happy This was followed by a large Remonstrance containing all the Miscarriages and Misfortunes which they termed Pressures since the beginning of his Majesties Reign As 1. The root and ground of these dangers 2. Their Maturity and Ripeness 3. The effectual means used for their Extirpation and the progress therein made 4. Thâ— Obstructions and Oppositions interrupting 5. Thâ— best means for removing these Obstacles and foâ— accomplishing the Parliaments good Intentions for restoring this Nation to its Ancient Renown The Actors and Promoters of these Evils werâ— described to be 1. The Jesuited Papists 2. Thâ— Bishops and corrupted Clergy 3. Interesteâ— Counsellors and Courtiers The root of the miâ—chief was the Malignant Party whose Practiceâ— were branched into four particulars 1. To foment differences and discontents between thâ— King and People about Prerogative and Priviledge for their own Advantages 2. To suppress thâ— purity and power of Religion 3. To Unite and Conjoyn Papists Arminians and Libertines and out of them all to compose a Body sufficient to carry on their Designs And 4. To disaffect the King to the Parliament by Slanders and by putting him upon other ways of Supply than by Parliament and that the Intentions of these Malignants were to subvert the Fundamental Laws and Principles of Government They then charge this Malignant Party more particularly as chiefly occasioning the Dissolution of three several Parliaments without Relief of Grievances The Imprisoning and Fining several of the Members raising great Sums of Money by Loan Privy Seals and Excise and blasting The Petition of Right The succesless Attempts upon France and Spain and Peace made with the Spaniard without consent of Parliament The loss of Rochel occasioned by lending part of our Fleet to the French King deserting the cause of the Palatinate charging the Kingdom with Billeting Souldiers and the Design of bringing in German Horse to inslave this Nation to Arbitrary Contributions Lastly they reflect upon Scandalous Declarations published against the Parliament upon Injustice Oppression Violence Illegal Inlargements of Forrests Coat and Conduct Money Corrupt Councils and Designs Projects Monopolies Illegal Proceedings in Courts of Judicature and Council Table charging the Bishops likewise with many Enormities particularly for contributing to raise an Army for constraining the Scots to conform to their Superstitious Ceremonies concluding with what they have done for the Reformation of these Abuses To their Petition the King returned this Answer That he knows not any Wicked or Malignant Persons whom he doth either countenance or imploy That he would concur with his People in a Parliamentary way against all Popish Designs but would not consent to deprive the Bishops of their Votes in Parliament That he judged the power of the Clergy sufficiently moderated by taking away the High Commission Court and
acquainted them with a Declaration which he had procured of the King That he did discharge the Service Book Book of Canons and high Commission and likewise did annul and rescind all Acts for establishing them and did discharge the urging the Practice of the Five Articles of Perth and that all Persons whomsoever shall be liable to the Censure of Parliament General Assembly or any other Judicatories according to the Nature of the Offence That the Ancient Confelsion of Faith and Band annexed shall be subscribed and received as in K. James time That a General Assembly be holden at Glafcow Nov. 21. 1638 and a Parliament at Edenbourgh May 15. 1639 All former Offences to be pardoned and a General Fast appointed This Declaration being published the Marquess and Council subscribed the Covenanters Confession of Faith c. yet still some matter remained for a Protestation which was read by one Johnson wherein the People were exhorted to consider with whom they had to deal and exceptions were made against Bishops and their Voting in the Assembly After this they Elect Commissioners for the Assembly whom they moved to cite the Archbishops and Bishops to appear there as Guilty Persons which being refused they themselves present a Bill of Complaint against them to the Presbytery at Edenbourgh who accordingly warned them to appear at the next General Assembly At their Meeting the Bishops sent in a Protestation against their Assembly which the Covenanters would not vouchsafe to read but presumed to forbid Six Lords of the Privy Council to fit in their Assembly though nominated by the King His Majesty having notice of their proceedings as to the Bishops and other matters ordered their Assembly to be dissolved which was done accordingly Nov. 21. 1638 and the Covenanters immediately according to their usual method Issued out a Protestation against it and likewise declared 6 former Meetings which were opposite to their ways to be void and of none Effect and soon after they abolished Episcopacy and then prepared for a War as being sensible that the King would maintain the Rights of the Bishops and would likewise strictly call them to Account for their late Transactions About this time a Letter was sent by the Scots to the King of France to implore his Assistance Signed by several of the Nobility The King of England prepares an Army for Scotland with which in the year 1639 he marcheth in Person into the North but while he stayed at York some of the Scots Nobility tampered with the Eaglish telling them that the ruin of the Scots would enable the King to be more severe toward his English Subjects by which Intelligence and Correspondence it was evident that the English had no mind to Fight though their Army was much stronger than the Scots whereupon by the Mediation of some Persons a Treaty of Peace was begun and soon finished wherein it was agreed That His Majesty should publish a Declaration whereby all should be confirmed which his Commissioners had promised in his Name That a General Assembly and a Parliament be held at Edenbourgh in a short time And lastly That upon disbanding their Forces dissolving their Councils and restoring the King to his Forts and Castles c. the King was to recall his Fleet and Forces and make restitution of their Goods since the Breach The Kings Declaration was no sooner published but the Covenanters set forth another Protestation for adhereing to there Assembly at Glasco and their Covenant whereupon the King who intended to be present at their General Assembly not finding the Scots punctual in performing Articles and perceiving they would treat of some matters distasteful to him goes into England after which the Assembly sate at Edenbourgh and abolished Episcopacy the Liturgy High Commission and Book of Canons and then made several demands of the King of a various nature His Majesty understanding how things went and that the Scots levyed Taxes and prepared Arms he commanded by his Commissioner the Earl of Traquair that their Parliament should be Adjourned for some time but the Covenanters declared against this Command and sent a Remonstrance to the King and afterward Hamilton and Traquair likewise came to London where there were such proceedings as did the more exasperate the jarring parties against each other In this year 1639 a Spanish Fleet of near Seventy Sail and Twenty five thousand Men designed to be landed at Dunkirk for the relief of Flanders were set upon by the Dutch in the Downs and Eleven of them taken and sent into Holland three perished upon the Coast of France one near Dover and five were sunk in the Fight What the real intent of this Fleet was is yet uncertain for it seemed unlikely that Twenty five thousand Men should be sent only for a Recruit and the Admirals refusing to shew his Commission when required thereto by the King makes it seem yet mon suspicious The Scots Commissioners having delivered their Message return home to Edenbourgh Nov. 19. 1639. the same night that a great part of the Castle Walls fell down and the Anniversary of the King Birth day A while after the King sent the Lord Estrich and others to tepair the Walls who were resisted by the Covenanters as not judging the Lord Estrich to be a fit Governour for the Castle which Office was designed him by the King The King being hereat extreamly offended resolved since fair means would not prevail to force the Scots to reason and to that end considers how to make provisions for Men and Money and calling a secret Cabinet Council consisting only of Archbishop Laud the Earl of Strafford and Duke Hamilton who drove on his own particular interest it was concluded That for the Kings supply a Parliament must be called in England and another in Ireland but because the Debates of Parliament would take up some time it was resolved that the Lords should subscribe to lend the King money The Earl of Strafford subscribed Twenty thousand pound the Duke of Richmond as much but Hamilton pretended poverty preserving his money for other uses the rest of the Lords Judges Officers and other Dependants and many of the Gentry yea even several Popish Recusants contributed according to their ability The Scots on the other side fore-seeing the storm prepared for their own Defence making Treaties in Denmark Sweden Holland and Poland and the Jesuits who are never idle did likewise endeavour to foment the differences to which end Con the Popes Nuncio Sir Toby Matthews Read and Maxwell two Scots endeavoured to perswade the discontented People That the King designed to iuslave them to his will and pleasure Which practices of theirs were discovered by Andreas Habernsfield a Nobleman of Bohemia who declared That many of the Nobility of England and chief Favourites at Court were consenting to these Transactions and particularly the Earl and Countess of Arundel Secretary Windebank and Endymion Porter Con also performed the part of a Firebrand as all his Successors
the Popes Nuncio's that came after him did likewise and had formerly offered a Cardinals Cap to the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Popes Name In the year 1640 and the Sixteenth of the King a Parliament was called at Westminster April 13. in which the Earl of Strafford was highly honoured for his good service in Ireland in obtaining four Subsidies to maintain Ten thousand Foot and Fifteen hundred Horse And that England might follow this Example the King tells the Parliament that if they would supply him so as to suppress the Insolencies of the Scots he would acquit his claim to Shipmoney and giue satisfaction to their just Demands By which Proposals the Parliament were sensible of the Kings Necessities and therefore required satisfaction 1. For clearing the Property of the Subject 2. For establishing the True Religion 3. For Priviledges of Parliament But whilst they were debating whether the Grievances of the People or the Kings Supply should be first considered and Matters were in an hopeful posture Secretary Vane either accidentally or on purpose overthrew all at once by declaring that the King required Twelve Subsidies whereas he at that time only desired Six which so much inraged the House and made things so ill that by the Advice of the Junto the Parliament was dissolved having only sate Twenty two days however the Privy Councel likewise advised their Dissolving being assured the heats in the House of Commons were so great that they intended that very day to have voted against the War with Scotland whereby the King would have been in a worse condition than before their sitting About the same time a Convocation of Bishops sate with Commission to make such Canons as they judged for the peace of the Church and amongst other things they imposed an Oath called c. Et cetera as an Anticovenant against the Scots which because it occasioned much difference may not be unfitly inserted I A. B. Do swear that I do approve the Doctrine and Discipline or Government established in the Church of England as containing all things necessary to Salvation and that I will not endeavour by my self or any other directly or indirectly to bring in any Popish Doctrine contrary to that so established nor will I ever give my consent to alter the Government of this Church by Archbishops Deans and Arch Deacons c. Et cetera and so forth as it stands now established and as by right it ought to stand nor yet ever to subject it to the Usurpations and Superstitions of the See of Rome And all these things do I plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear according to the plain and common sense or understanding of the same words without any Equivocation mental Evasion or secret Reservation whatsoever And this I do heartily willingly and truly upon the faith of a Christian So help me God in Jesus Christ This Oath was imposed upon all Ministers and gave great Offence This was the chief business of this Convocation which ended May 26 1640. Arch Bishop Laud by his earnest proceedings against Nonconformists and such as were called Puritans and by his strict enjoyning of Ceremonies especially reviving old Ceremonies which had not been lately observed procured much hatred to himself from the People particularly the Londiners who had a particular disgust against him for his severity upon Mr. Burton Pryn and Bastwick insomuch that upon May 9 1640 a Paper was fixed upon the Royal Exchange inciting the Apprentices to rise and sack his House at Lambeth the Monday after which they were the more inclined to do because it was reported that he was the chief instigator of the King to dissolve the last Parliament but the Arch Bishop had notice of their Design and provided accordingly however upon Monday at midnight about Five Hundred of them beset his House and endeovoured to enter but were repulsed and forced to depart having in some measure vented their Spleen in words and breaking his Glass-Windows The next day many of them were apprehended and imprisoned but three days after they were forcibly rescued from thence by their Companions who broke open the Prison doors for which one of the Ring-leaders was drawn hanged and quartered and his head and quarters set upon London-Bridge The King grew daily more offended against the Scots and calls a Select Juncto to consult about them where the Earl of Strafford delivered his mind in such Terms as were afterward made use of to his distruction War against them was resolved on and Money was to be procured one way or other the City of London was invited to lend but refused and pleaded poverty being distasted iâ— seems at some proceedings in the Star Chamber about their Plantation of London Derry in Ireland which was judged to be forfeited for some alledged misdemeanors and the Undertakers fined yet the Citizens were willing to offer a large Sum for the building a Magnificent Pallace for the King in St James's Park which took no effect The Gentry contributed indifferent freely so that with their Assistance the Royal Army was compleated the King himself being Generalissimo the Earl of Northumberland General and the Earl of Strafford Leiutenant General Northumberland falls sick and therefore the King takes the Command upon himself and sends away part of the Army Horse and Foot under the Lord Conway into the North. July 20th 1640. the Queen was delivered of a Son who was Châ—istened Henry afterward Created Duke of Glocester In the mean time the L. Conway had but ill Success for having drawn about 1200 Horse and 3000 Foot to secure the Passes upon the Riveâ— Tyne the Scotch Army under their General Lesly advanced thither better provided then before and August 27 Lesly desired leave of the L. Conway for his whole Army to pass to the King with their Petition which was denied whereupon about 300 Scotch Horse attempted to pass the River but were beaten back by the English Musquetiers who were placed under a Breast-work Lesly comes on with his Horse and charges Commissary General Wilmot who maintained the ground very stoutly till overborn with multitude and Canon they were put to a disorderly Retreat both Horse and Foot upon which the L. Conway hastes to the King with the unwelcome News Sir Jacob Astly Governor of Newcastle finding himself unable to deâ—end the place deserts it sinking the great Guns â—n the River whereby Newcastle and Durham came â—n a short time into the hands of the Scots And now Strafford comes up with whom the King retreats â—o York and stays there while Strafford who was â—ow sole Commander charges the whole miscarâ—iage upon Conway who as stoutly denies it The King had formerly declared the Scots to be Rebels and Traytors by Proclamation and commanded that publick Prayers should be put up against them in all Churches but at this time he is contented to treat with them and to that end he receives a Petition from them complaining of their Grievances To which he answers by
December 3. they presented their Petition against their Prosecutors And now the Papists began to fear a Cloud for Justice Howard was to deliver up a Catalogue of all Recusants within the Liberties of Westminster to prevent which he was stabbed by one Mr. John James in Westminster hall for which he was imprisoned in the Gate-house in order to a more severe punishment But Sir Francis Windebank Secretary of State fearing to be called to Account by the Parliament for reprieving Jesuits and Priests which he knew would be produced against him if not worse matters fled privately into France December 7th the Commons Voted Ship-money with the Opinion of the Judges thereupon to be Illegal and a Charge of High Treason was ordered to be drawn up against eight of them and they resolved to begin with the Lord Keeper Finch December 11th Alderman Pennington and some hundreds of Citizens presented a Petition subscribed by 15000 Hands against Church Discipline and Ceremonies and a while after the House of Commons Voted That the Clergy in a Synod or Convocation have no power to make Canons or Laws without Parliaments and that the Canons are against the Fundamental Laws of this Realm the Kings Prerogative the Property of the Subject the Right of Parliaments and tend to Faction and Sedition In pursuance hereof a Charge was ordered to be drawn up against Arch-bishop Laud as the principal framer of those Canons and other Delinquencies which Impeachment was seconded with another from the Scotch Commissioners upon which he was committed to the Black Rod and 10 weeks after Voted Guilty of High Treason and sent to the Tower The Scots likewise prefer a charge against the Earl of Strafford then in Custody requiring Justice against them both as the great Incendiaries and Disturbers of Church and State and Sir George Ratcliff the Earls Bosom Friend had Articles also drawn against him to this purpose That he had conspired with the Earl to bring Ireland under an Arbitrary Government and to subvert the Fundamental Laws and to bring an Army from Ireland to subdue the Subjects of England That he perswaded the Earl to use Regal Power and to deprive the Subjects of their Liberties and Properties That he countenanced Papists and built Monasteries to alienate the Affections of the Irish from England That he withdrew the Subjects of Scotland from their King And lastly That to preserve himself and the Earl of Strafford he laboured to subvert the Liberties and Priviledges of Parliament in Ireland The Lord Keeper Finch was the next Person designed to be censured and notwithstanding a Speech made in his own Vindication he was Voted a Traytor upon several Accounts and among the rest for soliciting perswading and threatning the Judges to deliver their Opinions for raising Ship-money and for several ill Offices done in moving the King to Dissolve the last Parliament and causing the publishing the Kings Declaration thereupon Next day he was accused before the Lords but he foresaw the Storm and went over into Holland The Parliament having now removed their Enemies and increasing in Reputation were designing a Bill for a Triennial Parliament for promoting which Petitions came from divers places one whereof was subscribed with 800 Hands directly against Episcopacy which the King took notice of and calling both Houses together tells them Of their slowness and the charge of Two Armies in the Kingdom and that he would have them avoid two Rocks the one about the Hierachy of Bishops which he was willing to Reform but not to alter The other concerning frequent Parliaments which he liked well but not to give his Power to Sheriffs and Constables About this time one Goodman a Popish Priest condemned at the Sessions in London was reprieved by the King upon which both Houses petitioned to know who were the Instruments of it and receiving an unsatisfactory Answer they Remonstrated against the Toleration of Papists and the Popes Nuncio Rosetti and this Goodman whom they desired might be left to the Justice of the Law To this the King answers That the increase of Popery and Papists in his Dominions is extreamly against his mind and that he would use all possible means for the restraining of it As for the Popes Nuncio Rosetti he had no Commission but only to preserve Correspondence between the Queen and the Pope which was allowed her by the Articles of Marriage however he had prevailed with her to remove him and is contented to remit the particular Case of Goodman to both Houses The Scots had been now quartered in England five months during which a Cessation had been concluded at Rippon but the full Pacification was reserved for London where Commissioners sate on both Parties to hear the Demands of the Scots and to make answer thereunto After which the Scots presented the great Account of their Charges which was Five hundred fourteen thousand one hundred twenty eight pounds nine Shillings besides the loss of their Nation which was Four hundred and forty thousand pounds This Reckoning startled the English Commissioners till the Scots told them They did not give in that Account as expecting a Total Reparation of their Charges and Losses but were content to bear a part of it hoping for the rest from the Justice and Kindness of England There was some opposition made to the Demands however Moneys were raised for the present from the City of London for the Supply of both the Northern Armies as the Parliament had done once before At this time a Match was propounded between the young Prince of Orange and the Lady Mary Eldest Daughter to the King which his Majesty liked well of and communicated it to the Parliament with whom it found an unanimous and general Reception in regard of the Alliance to be thereupon concluded with the States General and likewise that he was of the same Protestant Religion with England so that the Marriage was soon concluded Presently after four Members of the Commons delivered a Message to the Lords of a Popish Design of Levying an Army of Fifteen thousand in Lancashire and Eight thousand in Ireland and that the main promoters thereof were the Earls of Strafford and Worcester In February Sir Robert Berkly one of the Judges about Ship-money was accused of High Treason and committed Prisoner to the Black Rod. In this Month the King passed that Act for a Triennial Parliament and to let them know what value he put upon this great favour his Majesty told the Two Houses That hitherto they had gone on in those things which concerned themselves and now he expected they should proceed upon what concerned him The King then likewise signed the Bill of Subsidies which gave them such universal content that Sir Edward Littleton Lord Keeper was ordered To return the Humble Thanks of Both Houses to his Majesty at Whitehall Upon which there were Bonefires and Bells ringing in and about London in the same manner as formerly upon granting the Petition of Right March 1 1640
Nicholas and Sir Lewes Dives signifying That if the King would openly declare his mind and betake himself to some place of security that he might come freely to him he doubted not but he should do him some acceptable Service These Letters were intercepted by the Parliament and by them after perusal sent to the King with their Intreaties to him That he would perswade the Queen not to correspond with Digby or any other whom his Great Council had proclaimed Traytors There was a Report that the Parliament intended to Accuse the Queen of High-Treason as one that had so much power with the King to misadvise him this rumour the Parliament exused as a publick Scandal upon them which she seemed satisfied with yet provides against the danger and therefore prevails with the King to accompany her Daughter Mary Princess of Orange into Holland carrying with her all the Kings and her own Jewels together with those entailed upon the Crown intending with those and some other Assistance to raise a Party sufficient to maintain the King and his Regalities against the Parliament In the mean time Mr. Pym at a Conferrence complaining of the General Flocking of Papists into Ireland affirmed That since the Lieutenant had ordered a stop upon the Ports against all Irish Papists many of the Chief Commanders now in the head of the Rebels had been licensed to pass thither by his Majesties immediate Warrant The King was highly offended at this Speech which he signified to the House who in their Answer to his Message justifie Mr. Pym's words to be the sense of the House and That they had yet in safe Oustody the Lord Delvin Sir George Hamilton Colonel Butler Brother to the Lord Miniard now in Rebellion and one of the Lord Nettervils Sons To which the King replies That he thought Mr. Pym 's Speech was not so well grounded as it ought to have been and that the aforementioned persons had their Passes granted before he knew of the Parliaments Order of Restraint and therefore expected their Declaration for his Vindication from thut odious calumny of conniving or underhand favouring that abhorred Irish Rebellion But this His Majesties desire proved fruitless for they next moved the King to turn out Sir John Byron out of the Lieutenancy of the Tower and at their Nomination Sir John Conyers succeeded they then proceeded to name fit Persons for trust of the Militia in the several Counties and by Act of Parliament Disabled all Clergy-men from exercising Temporal Jurisdiction After which the King by a Message offers them To require by Proclamation all Statutes concerning Popish Recusants to be put in Execution That the seven Condemned Popish Priests shall be Banished and all Romish Priests within twenty days shall depart the Kingdom That he refers the consideration of Church Government and Liturgy wholly to the Houses and offers to go himself in Person against the Rebels in Ireland But the Commons were now busie about a Petition for Vindicating their Five Members wherein they desire the King to send them the Informers against the said Members or otherwise to desert their Prosecution would not suffice because the whole Parliament was concerned in the Charge And then they proceeded to settle the Militia for the defence of the Parliament Tower and City of London under the Command of Serjeant Major General Skippon who had formerly been an Experienced Souldier in the Low-Countries The King had deferred his Answer to their Petition for settling the Militia of the Counties according to their nomination till his return from Dover where he took leave of his Wife and Daughter and so returned to Greenwich from whence he sent to Hampton Court for his two Eldest Sons to come to him though contrary to the mind of the Parliament who would have disswaded him from it And now the Parliament thought fit to consider of the reducing of Ireland and ordered two Millilions and an half of those Acres to be Confiscate of Rebels Lands in Four Provinces shall be allotted to such Persons as will disburse Money for carrying on that War and several other Provisions were made for their Security which the King confirms Feb. 26. 1641 and in pursuance thereof a considerable Sum of Money was raised the People being generally free in their Contributions The King being now at Greenwich sends this Answer to the Petition about the Militia That he is willing to condescend to all the Proposals concerning the Militia of the Counties and the Persons mentioned but not of London and other Corporations whose Government in that particular he thought it neither Justice nor Policy to alter but would not consent to divest himself of the Power of the County Militia for an indefinite time but for some limited space This Answer did not satisfie so that the Breach growing daily wider the King declined these parts and the Parliament and removed to Theobalds taking with him the Prince and the D. of York About the beginning of March he receives a petition from the Parliament wherein they require the Militia more resolutely than before affirming Than in case of denial the imminent dangers would constrain them to dispose of it by Authority of Parliament desiring also that he would make his abode near London and the Parliament and continue the Prince at some of his Houses near the City for the better carrying on of Affairs and preventing the Peoples Jealousies and Fears All which being refused They presently Order That the Kingdom be put into a posture â—f Defence in such a way as was agreed upon by Parliament and a Committee to prepare a publick Declaration from these two Heads 1. The just Causes of the Fears and Jealousies given to the Parliament at the same time clearing themselves from any Jealousies conceived against himself 2. To consider of all matters arising from his Majesties Message and what was fit to be done And now began our Troubles and all the Miseries of a Civil War the Parliament every day entertaining or pretending to entertain new Jealousies and Suspicions of the Kings Actions which howsoever in complement they made shew of imputing only to his Evil Council yet obliquely had had too great a Reflection upon his Person They now proceed on a sudden to make great preparations both by Sea and Land and the Earl of Northumberland Admiral of England is commanded to rig the Kings Ships and fit them for Sea and likwise all Masters and Owners of Ships were perswaded to do the like The Beacons were repaired Sea-marks set up and extraordinary posting up and down with Pacquets all sad Prognosticks of the Calamities ensuing The King being now at Roysion March 9 the Earls of Pembrook and Holland bring him the Parliaments Declaration and read it to him wherein they represent to him some former miscarriages As the attempts to incense the late Nor hern Army against the Parliament The Scotish Troubles L. Jermins Treasons and Transportation by the Kings Warrant The Petition delivered to Captain
Leg with the Kings own hand with the Direction signed C. R. The business of the Lord Kimbolton and the five Members The suspicious designing a Guard about his Person and under hand promoting the Irish Rebellion The ordering Sir John Pennington to land the Lord Digby beyond Sea from thence to alienate the King from his Parliament and to procure Forreign Forces for his Assistance which now said they appeared more credible by reason of his removal with the Prince and the manifold Advertisements from Rome Venice Paris and other parts certifying that the Popes Nuncio had sollicited the Kings of France and Spain to lend his Majesty 4000 Men apeice in reference to some Design against Religion and the Parliament and lastly They desire him to turn away his wicked Councellors and to rely upon his Parliament which if he would do they would sacrifice their Lives Fortunes and utmost endeavours to the Supportation of his Soveraignty After the reading of the Declaration the Lords would have perswaded the King to come near the the Parliament and to grant the Militia for a time which his Majesty refused and told them in short That their Fears and Doubts and Jealousies were such as he would take time to satisfy the whole World of but that his own doubts were not Trivial occasioned by so many Scandalous Pamphlets and Seditious Sermons divers publick Tumults hitherto uninquired into and unpunished and sometime after the King published a Declaration to the People in Answer to theirs the sum of which was That he had no evil Councellors about him but leaves such to their censure where they should find them That he desired the Judgments of Heaven might be manifested upon those who had any design against the Protestant Profession That the Scottish Troubles were buried in perpetual silence by the Act of Oblivion and passed in Parliaments of both Kingdoms That they charging him with any inclining to the Irish Rebels was a high and causless injury to his Royal Reputation That he never intended to exasperate the late Army or in any wise to use them against the Parliament That Captain Leg's Petition was brought to him subscribed by the Officers of the Army desiring that the Parliament might not be hindred from reforming the Church and State to the Model of Queen Elizabeths days and was advantageous to them And to assure Sir Jacob Ashly of his Opinion therein he writ C. R. That the Lord Digby and Mr. Jermin neither were at White-hall nor had any Warrant from him after the Restraint That he had given sufficient Answer about Kimbolton and the five Members That the care of his own safety caused him to raise a Guard at White-hall and to receive the Loyal Tender which the Gentlemen of the Inns of Court did make him of their Service And that he looked upon their Forreign Advertisements by them mentioned as meerly wild and irrational The King goes further Northward whilst the Parliament Voted the Ordinance for Defence of the Kingdom not to be prejudicial to the Oath of Allegiance but to be obeyed as the Fundamental Laws and that the Kings Commands for Lieutenancy over the several Counties were illegal and void but he coming to Huntington sends them a Message March 15. That he intends to make his Residence at York and desires them to hasten their Succours for Ireland and not upon any pretence of Order or Ordinance to which he is not a Party of the Militia or any other thing to Do or Execute against the Laws which he himself was to keep and his Subjects to obey declaring his Subjects not to be obliged to obey any Act Order or Injunction to which he hath not given consent In answer to which they resolve That the absence of the King so far from his Parliament was destructive to the Relief of Ireland and therefore all those Councellors which advised him to it are to be suspected as Favourers of that bloody Rebellion as likewise those who perswaded his Majesty to question or contradict their Votes which was a high breach of Priviledge of Parliament March 16. The King at Stamford published a Proclamation for putting the Laws in Execution against Popish Recusants and from thence he goes to York and there March 24 Repeals his Grant for passing the Bill against Tonnage and Poundage of June 22 last past commanding the payment thereof for the future according to the Act of the First of King James and so this year ended It was now the year 1642 and the 18th of his Majesties Reign when a fresh Difference arose for the Earl of Northumberland Admiral of England being indisposed the King ordered Sir John Pennington Vice Admiral to take the charge of the Summer Fleet for the Narrow Seas but the Parliament earnestly desired that it might be conferred upon the Earl of Warwick but were refused by the King to their great distaste During the Assizes at York the Gentry Ministers and Freeholders of that County presented a Petition to the King to endeavour an Agreement with the Parliament who advises them to apply themselves to the Parliament for the good of all And next day he sends a Message to the Houses That he intended to raise his Guard out of the Counties near Chester Two thousand Foot and Two hundred Horse to be supplied with Arms from the Magazine at Hull upon taking the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance That if the Parliaments Undertaking for the Irish War would not suffice to defray the Charges of raising and paying them he would pawn or sell his Land or Houses desiring them withal to quicken their Levies for Munster and Connaught as the Scots already did theirs of Ulster and offers his Person against the Rebels The Parliament having for some time mistrusted the Kings going North to be intended for seizing the Magazine at Hull endeavoured to prevent it declaring their suspicion of his design to raise an Army and therefore pray That it might be removed from thence to the Tower of London as a place of more safety and easier transport for Ireland and that the Repreive for the popish priests in Newgate may be recalled and they executed And to make all sure Sir John Hotham a Member of the House of Commons is sent down to take upon him the Government of that place who by his sudden coming thither prevented the Earl of New-castle who was designed by the King to be Governor thereof so that when the King came to Hull in Person with his Guard consisting of Lords and Gentlemen April 23. 1642 he finds the Gates shut upon him and the Bridges drawn up but from the Wall Hotham appears and upon his knees intreats his Majesty Not to command that which without the breach of his Trust he could not yeild obedience to Whereupon the King finding his entrance prevented caused Hotham instantly to be proclaimed Traytor and by Letters to the Parliament complained of that Indignity and required satisfaction but they justified him therein and sent a