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A62144 A compleat history of the life and raigne of King Charles from his cradle to his grave collected and written by William Sanderson, Esq. Sanderson, William, Sir, 1586?-1676. 1658 (1658) Wing S646; ESTC R5305 1,107,377 1,192

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all retired to Bugden where he lived very Hospitably and in manner and order of the good Bishops not without an eye and ear over him of such as were Intelligencers of Court And at Westminster Hall the Ceremony begun towards the Abbey Church in order thus 1. The Aldermen of London by couples ushered by an Herauld 2. Eighty Knights of the Bath in their Robes each one having an Esquire to support and a Page to attend him 3. The Kings Serjeants at Law Solicitor Atturney Masters of Request and Iudges 4. Privy Councellors that were Knights and the chief Officers of the Kings Houshold 5. Barons of the Kingdome bare-headed in their Parliament Robes with Swords by their sides 6. The Bishops with Scarlet Gowns and Lawn sleeves bare-headed 7. The Vice-Counts and Earls not in their Parliament but in their Coronation Robes with coronetted Caps on their Heads 8. The Officers of State for the day whereof these are the Principal Sir Richard Winn Sir George Goring The Lord Privy Seal The Archbishop of Canterbury The Earl of Dorset carrying the first Sword The Earl of Essex carrying the second Sword The Earl of Kent carrying the third Sword The Earl of Mountgomery carrying the Spurs The Earl of Sussex carrying the Globe and Cross upon it The Bishop of London carrying the Golden Cup for the Communion The Bishop of Winchester carrying the Golden Plate for the Communion The Earl of Rutland carrying the Scepter The Marquess Hamilton carrying the Sword of State naked The Earl of Pembroke carrying the Crown The Lord Maior in a Crimson Velvet Gown carried a Short Scepter before the King amongst the Serjeants The Earl of Arundel as Earl Marshall of England and the Duke of Buckingham as Lord High Constable of England for that day went next before his Majesty The King entred at the West Gate of the Church under a rich Canopy carried by the Barons of the Cinque Ports His own Person supported by Doctor Neil Bishop of Durham on the one hand and Doctor● Lake Bishop of Bath and Wells on the other His train six yards long of Purple●Velvet held up by the Lord Compton Master of the Robes and the Lord Viscount Doncaster Master of the Wardrobe Here he was met by the Prebends of Westminster Bishop Lawd supplying the Deans Place in their rich Copes who delivered into the Kings hands the Staff of King Edward the Confessor with which he walked up to the Throne Which was framed from the Quire to the Altar the King mounted upon it none under the degree of a Baron standing therein save only the Prebends of Westminster who attended on the Altar Three Chairs for the King in several places first of Repose the second the antient Chair of Coronation and the third placed on an high square of five steps ascent being the Chair of State All settled and reposed the Arch-bishop of Canterbury presented his Majesty to the Lords and Commons East West North and South asking them if they did consent to the Coronation of K. Charles their lawful Soveraign The King in the mean time presented himself bareheaded the consent being given four times with great acclamation the King took his Chair of Repose The Sermon being done the Arch-Bishop invested in a rich Cope goeth to the King kneeling upon Cushions at the Communion Table and askes his willingness to take the Oath usually taken by his Predecessors The King is willing ariseth and goeth to the Altar and is interrogated and thus answereth Coronation Oath Sir Sayes the Arch-bishop will you grant and keep and by your Oath confirm to the People of England the Laws and Customes to them granted by the Kings of England your lawful and Religious Predecessours and namely the Laws Customs and Franchises granted to the Clergy by the glorious King St. Edward your Predecessor according to the Lawes of God the true profession of the Gospel established in this Kingdome agreeable to the Prerogative of the Kings thereof and the antient Customes of the Realm The Kings answer I grant and promise to keep them Sir Will you keep Peace and Godly agreement according to your power both to God the holy Church the Clergy and the people I will keep it Sir Will you to your power cause Law Iustice and discretion to mercy and truth to be executed to your Iudgement I will Sir will you grant to hold and keep the Laws and Rightfull Customes which the Comminalty of this your Kingdome have and will you defend and uphold them to the honour of God so much as in you lieth I grant and promise so to do Then one of the Bishops read this Admonition to the King before the people with a lowd voice Our Lord and King wee beseech you to pardon and to grant and to preserve unto Vs and to the Churches committed to your charge all Canonical privileges and do Law and Iustice and that you would protect and defend Vs as every good King to his Kingdomes ought to be Protector and Defendor of the Bishops and the Churches under their Government The King answereth With a willing and devout heart I promise and grant my Pardon and that I will preserve and maintain to you and the Churches committed to your charge all Canonical privileges and due Law and Iustice and that I will be your Protector and Defender to my Power by the Assistance of God as every good King in his Kingdom in right ought to protect and defend the Bishops and Churches under their Government Then the King ariseth and is led to the Communion Table where he makes a solemn Oath in sight of all the people to observe the premisses and laying his hand upon the Bible saith The Oath The things which I have here promised I shall perform and keep So help me God and the Contents of this Book Then were his Robes taken off and were offered at the Altar He stood a while stripped to his Doublet and Hose of White Sattin Then led by the Arch Bishop and Doctor Lawd the Bishop●of St. Davids he was placed in the Chair of Coronation a Close Canopy spread over him the Arch-bishop anointing his Head Shoulders Arms and Hands with a costly ointment the Quire singing an Anthem of these words Zadook the Priest anointed King Solomon Hence he was led up in his Doublet and Hose with a White Coife on his head to the Communion Table where the Bishop of St. Davids Deputy for the Dean brought forth the antient Abiliments of King Edward the Confessor and put them upon him Then brought back to the Chair of Coronation he received the Crown of King Edward presented by the Bishop of Saint Davids and put on his Head by the Arch● Bishop of Canterbury the Quire singing an Anthem Thou shalt put a Crown of pure Gold upon his head whereupon the Earls and Viscounts put on their Crimson Velvet Caps with Coronets about them the
into one Opinion that thereby no reason given to the House their Restraint was an Arrest of the whole Body and a breach of Priviledge must needs follow which was so remonstrated to the King and they therefore released But what ground ●r Presidents had the Judges a late law of their own making for it is well observed That in the Parliament 35. Eliz. Sr. Peter Wentworth and Sr. Henry Bromley by petition to the Upper House to be supplicants with them of the Lower House unto her Majesty for entailing the succession of the Crown the Bill being drawn by them These two were summoned before Sr. Thomas Henage one of the Privy Councel and commanded to forbear the Parliament and to stand secured to their Lodgings and after further examination before the Councel were committed Wentworth to the Tower Bromley and other Courtiers to the Fleet. Another instance Mr. Morice Attorny of the Dutchy of Lancaster for moving against the justice of the Courts of Ecclesiastical Iudges Subscriptions and Oaths was taken out of the House so saith another Authour and committed to Prison for whose release Mr. Wroth humbly moved the House to be petitioners to her Majesty But was answered That the Queen must not accompt for actions of Royal Authority which may be of high and dangerous consequence nor can it become them to search into the Prerogative of Soveraigns These Members were five in all and might have been Precedents for the King and his five Members in due place hereafter But this course now taught the Lords to resent the like indignity to them in the Earl of Arundels case who lay committed to the Tower as before said and so they would sit still without motion to any matter till that he might be re●admitted which was instantly done To ballance with the Dukes Enemies Three Persons his confederates were made Barons to compeer in the Lords House the Lord Mandevil the eldest son to the Earl of Manchester created by Patent Baron Kimbolton Grandison son to the created Baron Imbercourt and Sr. Dudly Carlton made Baron Tregate being newly returned from his Trade of seven years Leiger Ambassadour abroad in Venice and Holland But it is said That the Lords found out an Old Order to Counter checque that designe That no Creations sedente Parliamento should have power to vote but onely to sit Not to Iudge but to learn to understand during that Session so that their Suffrages were excluded But I am assured of the contrary for they sate and voted Hence it is truly observed That in the late Parliament 1640. Seymor Littleton and Capel were so created sedente Parliamento and Digby Rich and Howard of Charlton called by special Writ were also admitted their votes and afterwards the last of the nineteen Propositions to the King at York for the King to passe a Bill to restrain Peers made hereafter to sit and vote in Parliament unlesse with consent of both Houses To which the King absolutely refused But however they were admitted the Duke was put to his own Innocency partially stiled impudency and lodges injustice on the Peers whose ill opinion he sayes deprest him and partial affection elevated the other who received the Attornies charge with undaunted spirit and returned so home an Answer as the House was amply satisfied of which take his own so saying for we hear not a word more nor other of it than that he saies so But the Dukes defence came quick to the Lords the eighth of Iune Who he sayes sequestered him from the House until his cause was determined upon which he was much dejected when really of himself he had forbore the House And therefore this morning had resolved to send it but was advised to present it himself which we shall finde to this purpose The Commons Impeachment and Declaration against the Duke of Buckingham FOr the spe●dy redresse of the great evils and mischiefs and of the chief causes of those evils and mischiefs which this Kingdom of England now grievously suffereth and of late years hath suffered and to the Honour and Safety of our Soveraign Lord the KING and of his Crown and dignities and to the good and welfare of his people the Commons in this present Parliament by the authority of our said Soveraign Lord the King assembled do by this their Bill shew and declare against GEORGE Duke Marquesse and Earl of Buckingham Earl of Coventry Viscount Villers Baron of Whaddon great Admirall of the Kingdoms of ENGLAND and Ireland and of the principalitie of Wales and of the Dominions and Islands of the same of the Town of Calais and of the Marches of the same and of Normandy Gascoigne and Guyen Generall Governour of the Seas and Ships of the said Kingdoms Lieutenant Generall Admirall Captain Generall and Governour of his Majesties Royall Fleet and Army lately set forth Master of the Horses of our Soveraign Lord the King Lord Wa●den Chancellour and Admirall of the Cinque-ports and of the Members thereof Constable of Dover Castle Iustice in Eyre of all Forests and Chaces on this side of the River of Trent Constable of the Castle of Windsor Lieutenant of Middlesex and Buckingham-shire Steward and Bailiffe of Westminster Gentleman of his Bed-chamber and one of his Majesties honourable Frivie Councel in his Realms both of England Scotland and Ireland and Knight of the most noble order of the Garter The Misdemeanors Misprisions Offences Crimes and other matters comprised in the Articles following And him the said Duke do accuse and impeach of the the said Misdemeanors Misprisions Offences and Crimes ARTIC I. The Duke 's 1. Reply THat he the said Duke being young and unexperienced hath of late years with exorbitant ambition and for his own advantage procured and engrossed into his own hands severall great Offices both to the danger ●f the State and prejudice of that Service which should have been performed in them and to the discouragement of others who are thereby precluded from such hopes as their virtues abilities and publique employments might otherwise have obtained THat his late Majesty did of his own Royal Motion bestow them upon him and he hopeth and concieveth he may without blame recieve what his bountiful Master conferred upon him if the Common-wealth doth not suffer thereby Nor is it without precedents that men eminent in the esteem of their Soveraign have held as great and many Offices as himself But if it shall be proved that he falsely or corruptly hath executed those Offices he is and will be ready to resign them with his life and fortunes to his Majesties dispose II. Reply 2. That in the 16. year of the Reign of the late King he did give and pay to the then Earl of Nottingham for the Office of Great Admiral of England and Ireland and of the principality of Wales and Generall Governour of the Seas and Ships of the said Kingdomes and for the surrender of the said Offices to the intent the said Duke might
be kept at Edinburgh the sixth of August next where we intend God willing to be personally present and thereafter a Parliament the twentieth of August and there an Act of Oblivion to be passed And that upon their disarming and disbanding of their forces dissolving and discharging all their pretended Tables and Conventicles and restoring to the King all his Castles forts and Ammunition as also his Royal honours and to every one of his good Subjects their Liberties Lands Houses goods and means whatsoever taken and detained since the late pretended General Assembly the King will presently thereafter recal his Fleet and retire his Forces and cause restitution of their Ships and goods since the aforesaid time And since hereby it appears His Majesty intends not any alteration of Religion or Laws He expects their dutiful obedience And he takes God to witnesse that whatever calamities shall ensue by his necessitated suppressing of the Insolent disobedience is not occasioned by him but by their own procurement The Articles of Pacification were these the seventeenth of Iune 1639. 1. The forces of Scotland to be disbanded and dissolved within twenty four hours after the agreement of the Kings Declaration 2. The Kings Castles for Ammunition and Royal Honours to be delivered after the said Publication so soon as he should send to receive them 3. His Ships to depart presently after the delivery of the Castles and in the mean time no interruption of Trade 4. All persons goods and Ships detained by the King since the first of November to be restored 5. No Meetings Treatings Consultations or Convocations of any of the Scots but such as are warranted by Act of Parliament 6. All Fortifications to desist and to be remitted to the Kings pleasure 7. To restore to every one their Liberties Lands houses goods and means whatever taken and retained from them by whatsoever means since the first of November last The eighteenth of Iune the Declaration was signed by the King and these Articles by the Scots with this submission IN Obedience to his Majesties Royal Commands Wee shall upon Thursday next the twentieth of June dismisse our Forces and Immediately thereafter deliver His Majesties Castles c. And shall ever in all things carry our selves like humble and loyal subjects Signed Rothes Dumfirmlin Lowdon Dowglas Henderson Iohnston Now to show how the Scots performed these Articles Observe 1. That at the Scots very publishing of these Articles of Pacification though so infinitely advantagious to them they meet them with their Protestation scandalous and dishonourable to the King 2. They published a scandalous paper Intituled Some conditions of His Majesties Treaty with His subjects of Scotland before the English Nobility are set down here for remembrance So untrue and seditious as was burned by the Hangman They kept in body diverse forces and in pay all their Officers The fortification at Lieth kept up intire as at first They did after the time limitted and expired continue their unlawful meetings upon matters of State Ecclesiastical and Civil contrary to the Laws and Acts of Parliament They enforce subscription of the subject to the late pretended Assembly at Glasgow contrary to the Kings Proclamation They brand all such persons as took arms for the King with the aspersion of Incendiaries and Traytors to God and their Countrey They protest that all the members of the Colledge of Justice and all other the subjects were nor to attend the Session and would null all their Acts as ineffectual 3. They come to a Parliament wherein they deny the most essential and inherent Prerogatives of the Crown striving to alter the constitutions of Parliament and frame of Government as appears by their first Act which was that nothing done or to be done in Parliament should be valid except the form of electing the Articles heretofore observed were altered contrary to former Parliaments and the power of the Articles which have been ever since King David Bruce more then 300. years for the Lords of the Articles prepare all business bring them to the Parliament as appears the fourth Parliament of King Iames the sixth cap. 218. and indeed for eschewing impertinent confusion all Propositions and Motions are to be delivered to the Clerk Register and by him presented to the Lords of Articles which now they will not endure They urge to confound the third Estate in Parliament of Bishops formerly called the first Estate which King Iames the sixth and all his Predicessours before and since the Reformation were careful to preserve as appears anno 1560. when all church Jurisdiction in the persons of Bishops is alleadged to be dissolved And in anno 1587. when all Temporalities of Benefices were annexed to the Crown the Clergy retained still their Vote in Parliament and represented the third Estate see the first Parliament of Iames the sixth 1587 1597. 1609. Nay by a special Act the eighth Parliament of King Iames the 6. It is declared treason to impugne the three Estates to procure the Innovation of the power and authority of the same 3. Estates or any of them and so these men are thereby now guilty of Treason And to the Act of Oblivion they seek to justifie themselves and all their former proceedings and urge an act of Iustification to be recorded in Parliament which in truth is contrary to the nature of an Act of Oblivion as appears in that Act of Oblivion 1563. And whereas by their Article of Pacification they were to restore to the subject Liberty Lands goods c. the binding part of the Act never intended it seems to restore Bishops and Ministers c. They urge that all Scots assistant to the King shall be made equal if not more lyable to the defraying of their pretended charge in the late Expedition so that in this point the King must not onely justifie his subjects Rebellion but contribute his consent to pay their wages Then consider their demands of the King in this Parliament 1. That the Coyn be not medled with but by advice of Parliament 2. No stranger to command or to inhabit in any Castles of the Kings but by their advice 3. No Honour to be granted to any stranger but such as have a competency of Land rent in Scotland 4. No Commissioner of Iusticiary or Lievtenancy but for a limited time They protest against the Precedency of the Lord Treasurer and Lord Privy Seal as not warranted by a positive Law And though these demands answer themselves in the Negative see what may be said to them 1. For the Coyn Certainly it is a prerogative peculiar to the Crown and in any other person High Treason as in all Kingdoms in the world 2. No doubt they malign at the English strangers In good sooth the English did resent the dishonour to have a poor Scot created an Earl of England without a foot of land or a groat in his purse to perk above an English Viscount at home in England 3. It
Barons and Bishops alwaies standing bareheaded Then every Bishop came to the King to bring their Benediction upon him and he in King Edwards Robes with the Crown upon his Head rose from his Chair and bowed to every Bishop apart Then was girt about him King Edwards Sword which himself after wards took off and offered it up at the Communion Table with two Swords more in relation to Scotland and Ireland or to some antient Principalities with his Predecessors enjoyed in France The Duke of Buckingham as Master of the Horse put on his Spurs and thus compleatly crowned his Majesty offered first Gold then Silver and afterwards Bread and Wine which was to be used at the holy Communion Then the King was conducted by the Nobility to the Throne upon the square Basis of five Descents the Quire singing Te Deum where he received the Oath of Homage from the Duke of Buckingham as Lord High Constable for that day and the Duke swore all the Nobility to be Homagers to his Majesty at the Kings knee Then the Earls and Barons laid their hands on the Crown upon the Kings head protesting to spend their bloods to maintain it to him and his lawful Heirs The Bishops kneeled down but took no oath the King kissing each of them Then the King took a Scrowl of Parchment out of his Bosom and gave it to the Lord Keeper Coventry who read it to the Commons four several times East West North and South the effect His Majesties pardon to all that would take it under his Broad-Seal From the Throne to the Communion Table where the Arch-bishop kneeling at the North side read prayers and the Quire sung the Nicene Creed the Bishops Landaff and Norwich read the Epistle and Gospels The Bishops of Durham and Saint Davids in rich copes with his Majesty received the Communion the Bread from the Archbishop the Wine from Bishop Saint Davids The King received last of all whilest Gloria Patri was sung and some prayers by the Arch-bishop conclude the solemnity After the King had disrobed himself in King Edwards Chapel he came forth in a short Robe of Red Velvet girt unto him lined with Ermins and a Crown of his own upon his head set with very pretious stones And thus the Train going to the Barges at the water-side they returned to White-hall about three a clock afternoon This being as yet the last solemnity of this King Charles I could say no less to preserve it to memory to shew what that State had been till it be so again And now the King calls a Parliament which met the sixth of February Sir Henage Finch Recorder of London chosen Speaker of the Commons House So soon are they summoned after their last Dissolution It was the Kings design then to take this short time of recess to cool the heat of some fiery Spirits and now for him to give all possible satisfaction to their former pressures of Grievances which had been lately fully cleared unto them in pursuance of their pretended devout care for settling of Religion But still the house of Commons scrutiny and by a Committee strictly examine what abuses had interferred the execution of his Majesties Grace therein And the Lords betake themselves to a Grievance of their own Order The old ones had a former complaint five years since to King Iames against such New Lords of foreign Titles of Honour that claimed thereby precedency of Inferior titles at home and were then quelled in that quarrel as being in the pleasure of the Prince to effuse the beames of Honour and to collate what he please upon whom and how he please But now another dress and much more boldly To the Kings most Excellent Majesty In all humility SHeweth unto your most Excellent Majesty your ever Loyal Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal now in Parliament assembled That whereas the Peers and Nobility of this your Kingdome of England have heretofore in civility yielded as to strangers precedency according to their several degrees unto such Nobles of Scotland and Ireland as being in titles above them have resorted hither Now divers of the n●t●ral born Subjects of this Kingdom resident here with their Families and having their chief Estates among us do by reason of some late created Dignities in those Kingdomes of Scotland and Ireland claim Precedency of the Peers of this Realm which tends both to the dis-service of your Maje●●● and these Realms and to the great disparagemont of the English Nobility as by these reasons may appear 1. It is a novelty without precedent That men should inherit Honors where they possess nothing else 2. It is injurious to those Countreys from whence their Titles are derived that any should have Vote in Parliament where they have not a foot of Land 3. It is a grievance to the Countrey where they inhabit that men possessing very large Fortunes and Estates should by reason of foreign Titles be exempted from those services of Trust and Charge which through their default become greater pressures upon others who bear the burthen 4. It is a shame to Nobility that persons dignified with the Titles of Barons Viscounts c. should be obnoxious and exposed to arrest they being in the view of the Law no more then meer Plebeians We therefore humbly beseech your Majesty that you will be pleased according to the example of the best Princes and Times upon consideration of these inconveniences represented to your Majesty by the nearest Body of Honour to your Majesty that some course may be taken and an Order timely settled therein by your Princely Wisdom so as the inconvenience to your Majesty may be prevented and the prejudice and disparagement of the Peers and Nobility of this Kingdom may be redressed To which the King for the present Promised to take order therein And the next News was the commitment of the Earl of Arundel to the Tower and this the cause The King having a Design to reconcile an antient fewd of two families by contracting them into a Marriage between the Lord of Lorn son and heir to the Earl of Arguile and bred up in England a Protestant for that purpose and the Eldest Daughter of the late Duke of Lenox which though well known to the Earl of Arundel he very boldly marries his eldest Son the Lord Matravers unto her and excuses it to be the private contrivance of the two Mothers but he is committed to the Tower and being in time of Parliament the Peers Petition the King That no Peer is to be imprisoned without Order of the Upper House unless for Treason Felony or Denial of the security for the peace which retrived their old dispute Priviledge and lasted the debate of a Months time In which space Mr. Pym Chairman to the C●mmittee of Religion reports the Inquisition of their discovery A Letter to the Lord Maior of York for Reprieve of some Iesuits Priests and other Recusants which Letter was compared
the Room fore●shortened and looking downwards as from the clouds the rarest postures that late ages can paralel being the portraictures of King Iames in several relations with all Imaginary similitude of Him tending towards Eternity for which he was well rewarded with the honour of Knighthood to boot Indeed the Artist had an indifferent esteem for his skill and by his wealth was wise enough to receive Informations on both parts in reference to Peace but never to be Plenepotentiary of either side for truly I cannot call him so much as Agent for any unlesse we admit him Ambo-dexter-Ambassadour for he was the means that a greater man Don Carlos Colonas came after to do the work And I have some knowledge in the particulars that the other was rather set on by us when with that conveniency we had him here It was in Iuly That an Arrest was made upon one Billingham sometimes a Captain at the Isle of Rhe and an attempt made to his Rescue by some Templers being acted in their Quarters of Priviledge to their Houses and to their cost they were wounded by the opposition of the Lord Major and his City Bands that were wilde to flourish out their Ensigns against any Gentlemen their Patrons This undertaking increased to a hot skirmish of above five hundred Of the Majors Militia four were killed and sundry others hurt above an hundred on both sides and so the Evening parted the This uprore so neer the Court caused the King to speed Justice with an extraordinary Session to be held in Guild-Hall London for Arraignment of several of the Malefactors seized vpon in the quarrel And by ill hap laid hold on Two who were accounted Principalls because more publique Captain Ashurst and Iohn Stamford the late Dukes servant for it was no medling with the Students And though Stanford came by but by chance in a Coach and onely drew his sword without any part in the fray These Two onely were found guilty by the City Jury and executed at Tyburn Stanford had his pardon before being in company when a Watchman was killed at a Tavern called Duke-Humphreys and his relations to his late Master made his crime the more remarkable now exceeding the bounds of Reason so without the bounds of Mercy There had been a Manuscript Book contrived long since by Sr. Robert Dudly at Florence 1613. that discontented Catholique who descended from the Dudlies Earls of Warwick and so he stiled himself It was a Rapsodie of severall Projects for increase of the Kings revenue and somewhat in prejudice of proceedings in Parliaments Sundry Copies thereof were disperst by such as meant not much honour to the King and therefore suspected to contrive the Book though pretended for his Majesties Instruction as the manner had been to force such feigned discoveries and fix them for the Kings designes and therefore the Earls of Bedford Somerset and Clare Sr. Robert Cotten Mr. Selden and Mr. Saint Iohn were committed and an Information entered in Star-chamber against them But Sr. David Fowles upon oath cleered the suspition and discovered the Authour and so it ended William Herbert Son of Henry Earl of Pembrook dies in April He was the third Earl from his Creation 3 Elizabeth Baron Herbert of Cardiff Lord Parr Ros of Kendal Marmion and Saint Quintin Lord Warden of the Stanneries Governour of Portsmouth Knight of the Garter Chancellour of the University of Oxford and lately Lord high Steward of the Kings Houshold but not of England He married Mary the Eldest daughter and co-heir of Gilbert Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury and dies without issue so that his honours descended to Philip Herbert his brother He supped the night before his death with the Countesse of Bedford at Bishops-gate upon the day of his birth fifty yeers since from thence he went home to Baynards Castle sitting up as usual very late for he was a hearty feeder and went to bed very well But not long after he fetcht a deep and deadly groan which startled his Lady that lay by and she not able to awake him called for company who found him speechlesse and so continued till eight in the morning and then died as a figure flinger had told him many years before We are told his Character in a high strain of Magnificence but we may give way to his good commendations in a reasonable measure A proper Person well set of graceful deportment his minde truly generous of the ancient stock and manner of Nobility His defects were in letters and Travel He had onely the breeding of England which gave him a conceited dislike of foraign men their manners and mode or of such English that professed much advantage thereby so that the Scots at Court and he were ever separate and therefore he was onely the old Courtier that kept close to the Commonalty and they to him and was therein trusted by his two Soveraigns as not over furnisht with abilities to be lesse then loyal which jealous Princes usually suffered In May 29 day the Queen was brought to Bed of a Son Surpassing joy there was of all true hearts and good subjects and in Iune the 27. baptized at Saint Iameses with princely Ceremonies and named Charles His Godfathers were the King of France and the Prince Elector represented by the Duke of Lenox and the Marquesse Hamilton the Godmother was the Queen Mother of France and her Person represented by the Duchesse of Richmond A man would stand amazed to believe that a sort of pretended sanctified subjects should not desire the King to have any issue I have my Author The Puritan-party that could not descern the cause of joy when the Queen was with childe God having better provided for us then we were aware in the hopeful Progeny of the Queen of Bohemia These men brought in the Reformed Religion Presbytery when it would be un●ertain what Religion the Kings children would follow And he observes to his own knowledge that when the most of the Parish gave publique signes of rejoycing with Bonefires Bell-ringing and mutual feasting onely the Presbyterian or Puritan party as he stiles them were shut up as on the day of general mourning And it may be remembred that afterwards as the Kings Issue increased the Common Prayer for the Kings onely Sister and her children was left out and in place thereof a Prayer compiled for preservation of the Kings Issue for though the Presbyterians hated the whole Book they would not stick to mention the one in their Prayer of the Pulpit and leave those other out of Gods blessing till by express command they were made to conform At his Birth there appeared a Star visible that very time of the Day when the King rode to Saint Paul's Church to give thanks to God for the Queens safe delivery of a Son upon which occasion these Verses were then presented Rex ubi Paulinas accessit gratus ad aras Immicuit medio● lucida stella
Kings Bench in Westminster-hall where a Theatre was erected in height equal with the Bench covered over with green Cloth In the upper end was placed the Tribunal Chair of State for the High Steward on either side the Peers of the Realm and under them the Iudges in the lower end against the State were the Kings learned Council and at their backs two Pews lifted up to face the Court for the Prisoner and his Keeper and in the midst of the Court a place of descension for the Clerk of the Crown and his Assistant where they all met between eight and nine of the Clock that Morning First the Clerk of the Crown and the Iudges the Lieutenant of the Tower and the Prisoner retiring into a Room near hand then the Peers seven and twenty in number those of the Garter order wearing their Coller of Esses about their neck the chiefest of them were Weston Lord Treasurer Earl of Manchester Lord Privy Seal Arundel Earl Marshall of England and so the rest Then enters the Lord High Steward his Grace in a black Velvet Gown trimm'd with Gold Buttons and Lace before him 7. Maces of State born by the Serjeants at Arms attended by Sir Io Burroughs Garter principal King of Arms and Maxwel Usher of the Black Rod. The Judges Assistants for Counsel in case of Law were Sir Nicholas Hide Chief Justice of the Kings Bench Sir Thomas Richardson Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Sir Humphrey Davenport Chief Baron of the Exchequer and Baron Denham four Judges Iones Hutton Whitlock and Crook The learned Council were Sir Robert Heath Attorney General Sir Richard Chelton Solicitor General Sir Io Finch the Queens Attorney General and Sir Thomas Crew Serjeant at Law Sir Thomas Fanshaw Clerk of the Crown and Keeling his Assistant The Clerk of the Crown presented his Grace with the Patent of his Place of Lord High Steward of England After O yes he delivered the Patent to the Clerk of the Crown who read it and returned it back The Black Rod kneeling down presented him with the White Staff or Verge of State After a second O yes his Grace gave leave to the Peers to be covered and Proclamation made That the Judges should bring in as by Writ commanded all the Records touching the Earls Arraignment and the Peers answered particularly to their several names After the third O yes the Lieutenant of the Tower brought in his Prisoner into their powers and his Warrant being read his Grace addressed himself to the Peers My Lord Audley said he for so he stiled him as a Baron of England and not by his Creation of Earl Castlehaven being a forreign Title of Ireland by which Title onely he could not be tried by the Peers the Kings Majesty is given to understand both by report and also by Verdict of divers Gentlemen of quality in your County that you stand impeached of sundry Crimes of a most high and hainous nature and therefore he brings you this day to trial doing therein like the Almighty King of Kings in the eighteenth of Genesis who went down to see whether the sins of the Sons of Sodome and Gomorrah were so grievous as the cry of them that came before him And Kings on Earth can have no better Patern to follow than that of the King of Heaven and so hath summoned by special command these your Peers either to acquit or condemn you they being so noble and so just so indifferent Iudges for his Majesty desires that your Trial should be as equal and upright as Iustice it self wherefore you may speak boldly and confidently without fear to clear your self and so to be set free but if otherwise your own conscience accuse you give the honour to God and the King by confessing the truth without shifts or subtilties against it which are but Consilia adversus Dominum May it please your Grace said Audley I have stood committed close Prisoner six moneths without Friends or Counsel deprived of the knowledg of the particular circumstances of the Crimes laid to my charge unskilfull of the advantages or disadvantages of Law and but weak to plead at the best and therefore desire liberty of Counsel to plead for me Your long Imprisonment said his Grace hath been rather a favour for conveniency to bethink your self and you shall have all possible favour in this your first demand in which the Iudges shall satisfie you as in all other your de●ires in the prosecution of your Trial. The Judges gave opinion that in principal Causes Counsel is not to be allowed for matter of Fact but for matter of Law it may His Grace commanded the Clerk of the Crown to reade his Indictments being three in number The first for a Rape by assisting Brodway his own Servant to ravish his Wife the Countess of Castlehaven The other two for Sodomy committed on the Body of Brodway and on Fitz Patrick his Footman To which he pleaded Not guilty c. And therefore his Grace said thus to the Peers My Lords the Prisoner is indicted of Rape and Sodomy and pleads Not guilty My duty is to charge you with the Trial Yours to judg The Cause may move pity in some detestation in all but neither of them may be put in the Scale of Iustice for a Grain on either side sways the Ballance Let Reason rule your affections your heads your hearts to heed attentively and weigh equally In the right course the Iudges will direct you if doubts arise Ye are not sworn how to proceed the Law supposeth your integrity to Iustice which others are compelled unto by Oath And so God direct you Crew opened the Indictments and so was seconded and by turns all the other but the Attorney General proceeded in brief that the Crimes were far more base and beastly than any Poet invented or History ever mentioned Suetonius indeed sets out the Lives of Heathen Emperours whose Sovereignty had no Law to question their Power nor Religion to bound their wills from acting any Crimes And here ravelling into his former debauched life and profession of Papistry digressing from the matter of the Indictments the Prisoner desired that his Religion nor other circumstances not conducing to his crimes charged might be spared But he was told to forbear to interrupt the Council till the time fitting to make answer And so the Attorney went on with his Religion bred up a Protestant and after fell to Papistry for more liberty in evil or rather of both Professions or of either or of none at all Cor quod ingreditur duas vias non habet successum In the morning at a Mass afternoon at a Sermon believing in God thus basely God left him at the last to his lusts and so to Atheism to work wickedness without hope of Heaven or horrour of Hell His moral actions beyong imagination wicked for though he married this Lady as noble in birth as great in fortune so soon as
Designs he passed into Silesia after Galasso with the Body of his Army surprized him near Stenaw defeated his numerous Horse and surrounded the Foot which yielded with sixscore Colours Baggage and Artillery and so all Silesia submitted And now by his following progress gave more than suspition what he had hatched for his own ambition and revenge of former disgraces for having collected his Forces at Egnar in Bohemia paid them three Moneths Money and took their Oath to himself without 〈…〉 〈…〉 Two of his Colonels Gordon and Lesly Scots and Butler an Irish Officer invite his chief Generals his Creatures to a Supper at Egnor where they were soon dispatched for their Masters sake the Emperour Butler comes to Wallestein thrusts open his Chamber-door he dressed for his Bed so staggered and hared him with this Reproach O Traitor to the Emperour and Empire Art thou there and therewith ●an him through with his Partizan stark dead and threw him out at the Window Thus ended that ambitious ungratefull Servant raised to this height from an ordinary Gentleman to be Prince of the Empire and G●neralissimo of all his Forces in Germany Ambitious persons falling into perfidy are justly thus served which we mention here to close up the story though it happened the next year And so this Year remarkable for the Death of three Kings Sigismund of Poland who p●ously departed the nine and twentieth of April Gustave of Swede who was slain on the Bed of Honour the sixteenth of November And Frederick of Boheme who died of the Infection the nineteenth of November The Fundamental Laws of the Dane give a double Portion to the eldest Children of either Sex and to the rest equal shares and so by the death of Sophia Queen Dowager of Denmark our Kings Grand-mother there was due to him and his Sister Elizabeth in right of Queen Ann their Mother one hundred and fifty thousand pounds which was promised to our Ambassador the Earl of Leicester sent to that King partly to condole the old Queens death and by the way to demand his Portion The Complement of asking of him received another of owning to him being he was remembred of that Contract made with him 1625. of thirty thousand pounds a Mo●●th unpaid and yet due for support of his Army yet it seems was thus boldly concluded to draw on other Subscribers Confederates in that War and as usual not fully paid by any and so we may well be then in Arrear as I am sure the Dutch and French are to this day with him and us also The King had been very humbly solicited by the Scots earnest and affectionate supplications to chear and comfort them with his Court and to honour them with his Personal Coronation which he now resolves Not that that Crown was of 〈…〉 But the King to make good his own Inclination and Reason of State the main Arguments He sets out the thirteenth of May with a Princely Train the best of Nobility of England and all those here of Scotland and with them remarkable the English Treasurer and Secretary of State His motions were most certain not foreslowed His Guests were setled to their time and places otherwise He had made a mad Moneths Progress and many Entertainments would have been too sudden without such lawfull warning specially that of the Earl of Newcastles at Welbeck which he says cost the Earl six thousand pounds No such time place or provision But what he means was in Iuly the next year at Balfour Castle in Derby shire for the King Queen and their several Courts most sumptuous indeed And the King comes to Edenburgh the tenth of Iune and the eighth after designed for the solemn Celebrating of His Coronation glorious and bravely attended A little Metropolitan City God knows a long street rather But for a show It sets it forth at length from the Castle still descending to the Kings Palace Holy-rood House at a view the whole Triumphant Train a Mile and more where He was Crowned with all possible outward affection to his Person dissimulative for so it soon discovered And from this time we shall sum up the Scots perfidies smothered heretofore For now they begun secretly to consult and so to vent their ●islike of the Kings former Innocent R●vocation of Things scrambled from the Crown in his Fathers minority and his beneficial Commission of surrenders of Superiorities and Titles as before remembred But these Two Exceptions not sufficient to ground a Mutiny they mustered many such and feigned more And fell foul on some fears suggestions Innovation of Religion to be attempted this Parliament now assigned And withal politickly assured that nothing but calumnies could soil with suspicious jealousie or interrupt or relaxe the present joy of the common people grounding it on nothing more or other than a New Ratisioation of old Acts concerning the present Religion the Churches Liberties and priveledges assented unto by most voyces yet a wonder to many that soon dissented such as from that time became the great promoters of the after-Covenant shewing then the distemper of the heart that boyled out with too much heat at their mouth which seriously resolved it self into sedition soon after for having little more to do the King gratifies the greatest suitors with new Titles of Honour and no doubt consented unto by such as seemed disloyal to his just proceedings in Parliament there And yet these began to mutter but not as yet to mutiny till his departure which was not long after his visitation of Falkland Sterling Dumferling and other places eminent for any pleasure though none of them deserving the hazard the King had from danger of drowning in his passage over the Frith from Brunt-Island to Edenburgh and so came home to the Queen at Greenwich the 20. of Iuly But we may not forget whilest he was in Scotland the condition and behaviour of Sr. Iohn Stuart of Trahair lately made Baron Trahair Privy Councellor and Deputy Treasurer upon the resignation of the Lord Nappier a worthy states man Grand-childe to the afterwards renowned Matcheston and brother in law to the right famous Earl of Montrosse being in dislike of the times and aged and yet not without a considerable reward But Trahair acted his game more cunningly than honestly and now came into much favour with the King at this time He was created Earl of Trahair and in some years after Lord Treasurer of Scotland for upon the Earl of Mairs death Lord Treasurer Trahair was substituted in his place Marr was a Man of little Action and loving the Court of England was the lesse skilful to manage the affair of the Treasury But Trahair managing all tripled his own Estate in few years so faithful he was to himself not without complaint of the people And now in this Parliament There was a Tax granted to the King to be paid as formerly in four years amounting to one hundred thousand pounds Scots per
fire-coales into a flame the French being then upon a War with Spain and the Cardinal a great Statist knew that Englands best policy was ever to side with the weakest to ballance the biggest power neither of them to increase above the measure of moderation To that end Monsieur Montril was sent Emissary and Agent to work out the Design in England and Scotland as may appear by the Scots Letter to the French King as hereafter follows and that they had great incouragement from Richelieu but what assistance under hand I could never finde out fair promises and no doubt never to engage against them But Balmerino his great Enemy the Earl of Kinnol Lord Chancellour of Scotland took his leave of this life and left his Office to Spotswood Son to the first Superintendent formerly Arch-bishop of Glasgow and now Arch-bishop of St. Andrews aged above sixty years a learned moderate wise man as by his History appears the first of his Coat since the Reformation of that Dignity and that for the great advantage of the Church if rightly apprehended without that mistaken Vote never known before for three hundred years a Clergy-man to bear that Dignity I shall remember those that were Andrew Foreman 15 Iac. 4. James Stuart Brother to James the fourth James Beaton 10 Jac. 5. and Queen Maries Reign David Beaton Cardinal succeeded him Jo Hamilton Brother to the Duke of Chattleheralt was the last of the Popish Bishops and many more before those and all of them Arch-bishops of St. Andrews and Chancellours Then there were Willam Lowater anno 1412. Andrew Foreman Iac. 4. Gawin Dunbar Praeceptor to James 5 and after him James Beaton And these following were Arch-bishops of Glasgow and Chancellours Adam and Patrick Bishops of Brocher Chancellours annis 1360 1370. Thomas Spence Bishop of Galloway and Chancellour to Jac. 2. William Elphinston Bishop of Aberdene Chancellour to Jac. 3. Indeed in Scotland heretofore Justice was per●ormed by Itinerarie Courts like to the Judicature of Courts in England fifteen Judges in all seven Churchmen and seven Laymen and the President also a Churchman and the best offices of State were formerly in Bishops and Abbots which gave them abilities in purse to perform those great and pious works of charity honour and common benefit Abbies Churches Hospitals Bridges Causewayes and the like all Acts of the Clergy heretofore which now their successours destroy Death indeed was more indifferent with two Great Ones in England two Eminent Men of several factions the One Sr. Richard Weston Earl of Portland Lord High Treasurer of England the Kings great Favourite for his Abilities at this time the more useful in promoting Prerogatives and all advantages of raising money with some regret of the Commons for such services His place was therefore for the present put under power of Commissioners for some time after The other was Sr. Edward Cook a Common Lawyer and so bred up himself to please the people Increasing esteem on that score from his first rise Queen Elizabeths Attorney General chief Iustice of the Kings Bench under King Iames where he lost himself by too much liberty of Eloquence or Impudence and removed from that Court to his Countrey retirement in the County of Buckingham made high Sheriff to humble him towards this King with a clause in his Commission to avoyd his Election of being a Burgesse in Parliament of which he was the more ambitious because thereby the better able to shew his Enmity but he got it in Norfolk his birth-place and he a Law-wrangler was voted legally chosen notwithstanding his Commission of Restraint We may not forget the Affairs of Germany the Swede having a continued confederacy with the protestant Princes and the French assistance against the Emperour and Spain for although they fought and treated for a conjunction Duke Barnard had been so often bafled by former promises of Wallestien before his Murther that now he trusted to fair words no longer And the good Duke Francis Albert of Saxony Leumburgh the Instrument chosen to tye these two different dispositions into a Ligament was not his crafts master but was carried prisoner for many years to Vienna The King of Hungary for the Imperial party having cured the Army with good gold after the disorder of Wallestiens murther and taken new Oath of the souldiers when News came to his camp of a notable victory gotten by Arnem upon the Imperialists in Silesia and of his marching towards Prague whither the King sent so strong a supply Arnem was constrained to retire into Saxony at the same time that the Town of Ratisbone was regained for the Emperour in Iuly the brave and famous General Aldring being slain a little before at Lanshut He was of Luxenburgh ob●curely born whose virtues and valour had raised thus high and eminent in many battels against Iohn de Wiert with successe And the businesse Military in Germany requiring all assistance for the Emperour against such a confederacy of friends Thither comes the Cardinal Infanto from Milan with the old Spanish Italian and Burgundian Bands through all Swit●zerland soon reforming the riotous Swedes by their example into a true Military Discipline These forces joyning with the Imperialists marched into the Duchy of Weitemburgh but first must passe the fiery Tryal of a strong Town Norlington The Swedes and their Allies are likewise summoned together from all parts Horn joyns with Duke Barnard and advises to spare the Enemy a Town or two than to hazzard the publicque cause But the Duke would fight for it and designed the day the sixth of September and the rather because some private offer had been for Overtures of a Peace which the Swedes took for a good Augure what ere it presaged It procured to both Armies the most horred bloody fight that had been between Christians To the Protestants party were already arrived the forces of the Duke of Weitemburgh the Lantgrave of Hassia and Count Cratz He who was for Bavaria and should have betrayed Ingolstade to the Enemy and so being discovered was fled hither wanting none but the Rhingrave and his four thousand men The fight began early the most furious first shock was for a Hillock the storming of a mined fort lost many of the Swedes Infantry The Canon hidden behinde some bushes did mighty Execution also and the Swedes constrained to fly and their Cavalry pursued by the Duke of Lorain and Iohn de Wiert were utterly defeated eighty pieces of Canon three hundred colours and twelve thousand men slain and six thousand prisoners amongst whom that brave man Gustave Horn Nobly received by the King The fruit of this Battel began a peace short and sweet onely to let that miserable Countrey taste of the blessing which lasted not long when the revenger of blood opens the veins to let out more evil fumes This Victory might answer for their Eminent successe heretofore at Leipsick and Lutzen and as the Swedes did then so does
consequently have power to give order for the external part of Gods Service as was by Parliament granted to Queen Elizabeth and her Successours And the first Congregators calling themselves Protestants by Contract with Queen Elizabeth Anno 1559. received by Contract the Common Service-book of the Church of England for the better obtaining assistance from her to beat out the French then nestled in Scotland as Buchanan confesses Scoti ex servitute Gallica Anglorum auxiliis liberati eisdem Ritibus cum Anglis communibus subscripserunt lib. 19. in fine which was done by way of Indenture and thereupon Queen Elizabeth assisted them at their own charges and the English Service-book was so received by the Protestant Kirk of Scotland and practised as appears in Iohn Knox his History p. 111. of Buchanan's Edition in these words It is thought covenient advised and ordained that in all Parishes of this Realm Scotland the Common Prayer-book be publickly read weekly on Sundays and other Festival Days with the Lessons of the Old and New Testament therein contained conform to the Order of the said Book of Common Prayer and if the Curates of the Parishes be qualified to cause them reade the same and if they be not or refuse that the most qualified in every Parish shall reade it And that Preaching and Interpretation of Scriptures be used privately in the most convenient Houses where the People may quietly convene untill it shall please God to move the Princes heart to grant liberty of publick Preaching by faithfull and true Ministers And this was done Anno 1560. being so agreed upon the Year before And according to Queen Elizabeths Contract on her part she sent the Lord Grey with an Army of ten thousand Land-forces and an Navy by Sea which expulsed the French from thence but their turn served they afterwards devised another way of Discipline of their own like as those Covenanters did now refuse this Service-book not for any fault therein but because they would not have their Kirk depend upon the Jurisdiction and Order of the Church of England And whereas these Covenanters accused the Arch-bishop of Canterbury as Authour of this Book with the success thereafter as that they presumed to put their Platform of Geneva Discipline even upon the very Church of England as by their Solemn League and Covenant hereafter appeareth which though it take for a time with the prevalent party of their Faction in England yet shortly after as extravagant and they have since received their reward of slavery so just it is with God Some upright and honest Scots were in policy taken off either by subtilty or force And because the Earl of Strathern a bold man and had the Kings ear and deservedly too being faithfull and true these men set on Sir Iohn Scot Directour of the Chancery a busie Person to inform against his Descent which they call Service as Heir to David Earl of Strathern pretending to the Crown The story was thus briefly Robert the second of that Name and first of Stuarts about the Year of God 1370. entred his Reign at fifty years old having been Regent for his Uncle King David Bruce and had Issue by his Concubine Elizabeth Sir Moor's Daughter three Sons viz. John called Robert the third Robert Duke of Albany and Earl of Fife and Alexander Earl of Buchan In the second year of his Reign he married Aufeme Daughter to the Earl of Rosse and begat of her two Sons Walter Earl of Athol and David Earl of Strathern infeoffing upon them great Estates of Crown-lands intailed onely to their Heirs male legitime or to return to the Crown The King aged and infirm intrusted the power of the Militia to his eldest Son John Earl of Carrick and Lord of Kyll a valiant Person The Queen dying and leaving two young Sons the King marries his former Concubine Besse Moor and preferred her three Sons begotten out of Marriage before his legitimate Sons this being done by the Popes Dispensation and by Act of Parliament or by a Prior clandestine Marriage as was pretended yet the History bears it not But John succeeded by the name of Robert the third because two Kings Johns of England and France had been unfortunate And from this Robert lineally the Race of the subsequent Kings are descended David Earl of Strathern left onely one Daughter married to the Lord Graham's second Son who left onely one young Son Melissus Graham Earl of Strathern and King James the first returning to Scotland after eighteen years but noble Captivity in England and finding the Crown-rents much decayed caused a general search of the Dilapidation and the return made among others that the Earldom of Strathern ought to devolve to the Crown by the Intail and so it was reassumed but the young Earl so near a Kinsman he created Earl of Menteth with some small Rents at which the young mans Uncles the Earl of Athol aspiring to the Crown and Sir Robert Graham quarrel and murdered the King but were exemplarily punished and Athol forfeited since which time the Earls of Menteth lived privately untill this man was set up by the late Duke of Buckingham obtaining of the King neither of them acquainted with the Genealogy to be lineal Heir to that David Earl of Strathern his Predecessour to have the Title of Earl of Strathern who some years after vainly let fall these words that the King held the Crown of him and being tried and found guilty the Title was recalled and he had given to him the Title of Earl of Airth but discourted and put out of place or further medling in State-affairs extremely and specially aimed at by the former Contrivers of his ruine lest he might hinder their wicked intended Designs against the King and the estate of the Church and Bishops for the Man was noted to be very honest and faithfull though f●lly invented those words without any intention of mischief But it is dangerous to dally with the Sovereignty of Kings much more with their Crowns lest the wound become incurable nothing more dear than their Titles and Posterity And the restoring of Menteth in bloud was very disadvantagious to the King and indeed dangerous to the Earl himself comparing his case with others the like heretofore Henry the sixth of England restoring in bloud the Descent and Titl● of the Duke of York who openly thereafter made claim in Parliament for the Crown as in his own right laying down his Title thus The Son of Ann Mortimer who came of the Daughter and sole Heir of Lionel Duke of Clarence third Son of King Edward the third is to be preferred by very good right in succession of this Kingdom before the Children of John of Gaunt the fourth Son of Edward the third but Richard Duke of York is come of Philippe the Daughter and sole Heir of Lionel Duke of Clarence third Son of King Edward the third and to be preferred before the Children of the fourth Son
others progress to an equal poise and in a word the same Ministers of State spurred on by ambitions and to raise their families from time to time have increased suspicions which have hatched these fatal wars through all Europe France styles her self most Christian but meddles least therein ordinarily attracting the Reformates to her interests and being enemies to the Pope and so to Spain which suffers not their doctrines in her dominions But Spain will be Catholique-zealous for her Religion and seldome declines her aid to any of her own unless by force proceeding from the necessity of State affaires through some new conjuncture Lewes the thirteenth attached the house of Austria with much author●ty and power in so much that Richelieu the Angel Guardian of France by his puissant alliances begat an opinion that amongst polititians there he endeavoured the Universality for his Master and so to overthrow the Emperial house by the helpe of the Hollanders and his other underhand underminings which he could never so poise for any time but that the Scales were now up then down to his dying day The Earl of Strafford had passed upon him the Commons accusation and now it was time to form their compleat charge into twenty eight particulars and being ready Ianuary the thirtieth they were presented by Mr. Pym to the Peers in the presence of the Earl and although it was long two hundred sheets and so time would be taken up for engrossing and though the Treasons therein alleaged were of a standing time above fourteen years not suddainly to be answered unto yet the Commons were earnest for dispatch and he enjoyned such hast as by the four and twentieth of February it was read to the Lords in the Kings presence and the next day after to the Commons He craved aid of the Council which in cases of Treason is not allowed in plea de facto it may not but in matters de lege it may and so he had Councel And the place of his Trial could not be in the Lords House being of little Room to hold the House of Commons who desired to be present and to manage the accusation by their own members and in a full body of their house compleat which the Lords would not indure and they come as a Committe and so Westminster-hall was the place assigned and that not to big for this unparralel Trial the King Queen Prince and Courtiers being present and all the Parliament The scene was at the upper end reared of some heigth and above that a Chaire and cloth of State on either side a close private Gallery for the King Queen and Prince Before them seats for the Peers and on either sides Scaffolds mounted for all the house of Commons who sate bare headed and hundreds of others Auditors who could get leave to enter The command of the place and stage was ordered by the Earl of Lindsey not as he was made high constable for the day but as he was Lord great Chamberlain of England in right of his mother Mary the daughter of Iohn de vere the sixteenth Earl of Oxford who maried Peregrine Berty Lord Willoughby of Earesby by whom she had issue this Robert now Earl of Lindsey and thereby the disposing of all the Scaffolding as his fee when the Tryal was ended The Bishops being by ancient Canons disabled to be present at the sentence of blood and death but not from being assistants in examining and deposing of witnesses or giving Councel till now abridged by this Parliament to sit as Peers And it is observed that they were defended to have right of place presence by a Manuscript in many hands de jure Paritat is episcoporum and their Priviledges thereby asserted in this particular which yet they as the times were did not interpose but were contented to be absent giving advantage thereby to the Parliament to deprive them of their votes and after to destroy their calling On Munday the two and twentieth of March the day fixed for his appearing at Westminster-hall almost five moneths time since his first Commitment which it seems was taken up and spent for procuring proofs of witnesses purposely sent for from Ireland And in truth the rather for Intertaining some Overtures of the Court to take of the edge of his adversaries and the best and usual way was by their several preferments The Earl of Bedford to be Lord Treasurer Mr. Pym Chancelor of the Exchequer the Earl of Essex Governour of the Prince Mr. Hamden to be his Tutor the Lord Say Mr. of the wards and Mr. Hollis principal secretary in the place of Windebanck the Deputies place in Ireland also to another and the Earl of Warwick in some command in the Navy And it was in part prosecuted in relation hereto for the Bishop of London did deliver up the Treasury staff and the Earl of New-castle the governance of the Prince the Lord Cottington resigned up his offices in the Court of wards and Exchequer and it was not to be doubted that the Bishop of Salisbury Dr. Duppa would willingly quit his place of Tutor to the Prince But whether the Kings mind was herein mutable or what else intervened they thus concerned and baffled became irreconciliable to the Earls destruction and that this is true may be hinted from the Kings Declararion of the twelfth of August after what Overtures had been made by them saies the Declaration and with what Importunities for offices and preferments what great services should have been done for him and what other undertakings even to have saved the life of the Earl of Strafford So cheap a rate it seems might have saved that Incomparable Statesman The Earl of Arundel was made Lord High Steward and the Earl of Lindsey Lord High Constable and thus set as before said the Earl of Strafford was told by the High-steward that he was called thither to answer the Impeachment of High Treason preferred against him by the Commons of England and Ireland expressed in their accusation to which he had answered and both of them read took up this day and the Court adjourned to the next day when the house of Commons fell upon the first seven general Articles of subverting the fundamental Laws of both Nations and this was managed by Mr. Pym a paper sealed was opened and read which signified from the Parliament of Ireland that they had voted the Earl guilty of High Treason To which he in passion said There was a conspiracy against him to take away his life It would not admit of recollection and the Commons cried out for Justice against him who standing impeached of high Treason accuseth the Parliaments of two Kingdomes of a conspiracy against him for which inconsiderate words he humbly craved pardon not thereby intending either Parliament but meant it by some particular persons Mr. Pym craved that he should forthwith answer to three Articles more which were lately annexed to the charge But although the
to his Son Sir Harry Vane a Key to fetch some Papers out of a Cabiner in which he findes another Key to an inward Shutter which he opens and lighted upon these Notes who forthwith shews them to Master Pym and that afternoon occasioned a Conference with the Lords to whom he urges the Commons former Request that the Earl might answer to new Proofs referring to the three and twentieth Article and were grounded upon these Notes which he then produced and that the Commons desired that the Earl might answer to them the next Day at the Bar in Westminster-hall which was granted April the thirteenth he appeared and the Notes were read upon this ground No danger of a War with Scotland if Offensive not Defensive Then their several Opinions which he collected in brief with Nominal Letters for each Counsellours Name thus K. C. H. How can we undertake Offensive War if we have no more money L. L. IR. Borrow of the City an hundred thousand pounds Go on vigorously to levy Ship-money Your Majesty having tried the affections of your People you are absolved and loose from all Rules of Government and to do what power will admit Your Majesty hath tried all ways and being refused shall be aquitted before God and Man and you have an Army in Ireland that you may imploy to reduce this Kingdom to obedience for I am confident the Scots cannot hold out five Moneths L. Arch. You have tried all ways and have always been denied it is now lawfull to take it by force L. Cot. Leagues abroad there may be made for the defence of the Kingdom The Lower House are weary of the King and Church All ways shall be just to raise Moneys in this inevitable necessity and are to be used being lawfull L. Arch. For an Offensive not any Defensive War L. L. Ir. The Town is full of Lords put the Commission of Array on foot and if any of them stir we will make them smart The Earls Reply That being a Privy-counsellour he conceived he might have the freedom to vote with others his opinion being as the Exigent required it would be hard measure for Opinions resulting from such Debates to be prosecuted under the notion of Treason And for the main hint suggested from his words The King had an Army in Ireland which he might imploy here to reduce this Kingdom He answereth That it is proved by the single Testimony of one Man Secretary Vane not being of validity in Law to create Faith in a Case of Debt much lesse in Life and Death That the Secretaries Deposition was very dubious for upon two Examinations he could not remember any such words And the third time his Testimonie was various but that I should speak such words or the like and words may be very like in sound but differ in sense as in the words of my charge here for there and that for this puts an end to the Controversie There were present at this Debate but eight Privy-counsellours in all two are not to be produced the Arch-bishop and Windebank but Sir Harry Vane affirms the words I deny them then there remain four for further evidence viz. the Marquis Hamilton the Earl of Northumberland the Lord Treasurer and the Lord Cottington who have all declared upon their Honours that they never heard me speak those words nay nor the like Lastly suppose though I granted it not that I spake those words yet cannot the word this rationally imply England because the Debate was not cerning Scotland as is yielded on all hands because England was not out of the way of obedience as the Earl of Clare well observed and because there was never any the least intention of landing the Irish Army in England as the aforesaid Lords of the Privy-council are able to attest And having done the Lord High Steward asked him if he had any more to say in his own defence for the Court was willing to prepare matters for Judgment To which he made a summary Repetition of his several Defences And having ended he spake thus My Lords THere remaines another kind of Treason that I should be guilty of for endeavouring to subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Land That this should be Treason together that is not Treason in one part a Treason accumulative that when all will not do it alone being weaved up with others it should do it seems very strange Under favour my Lords I conceive there is neither Statute nor Common Law which doth declare this endevouring to subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Land to be high Treason for I have been diligent in the inquiry as you know it deeply concerns me and could never discover it It is hard to be questioned for life and honour upon a Law that cannot be shewn for it is a rule in Sir Edward Coke De non apparentibus non existentibus eadem est ratio Ihesu Where hath this fire lain hid so many hundreds of years without smoak to discover it till it thus burst forth to consume me and my children That punishment should precede promulgation of a law to be punished by a law subsequent to the Fact is extreme hard what man can be safe if this be admitted My Lords it is hard in another respect that there should be no token set by which we should know this offence no admonition by which we should avoid it If a man pass the Thames in a boat and split himself upon an Anchor and no Buoy be floting to discover it he who ●weth the Anchor shall make satisfaction but if a Buoy 〈◊〉 sot there every man passeth upon his own peril Now where is this mark where the token upon this Crime to declare it to be high Treason My Lords be pleased to give that regard to the Peerage of England as never to expose your selves to such moot-points such constructive interpretations of Laws If there must be a tryal of wits let the subject matter be of somewhat else than the lives and honours of Peers It will be wisdome for your selves for your posterity and for the whole Kingdom to cast into the fire these bloudy and mysterious volumes of constructive and arbitrary Treason as the Primitive Christians did their Books of curious Arts and betake your selves to the plain letter of the Law and Statute that telleth us what is and what is not Treason without being more ambitious to be more learned in the art of Killing than our fore-fathers It is now full 240. years since any man was touched for this alleged Crime to this height before my self let us not awaken these sleeping Lyons to our destruction by taking up a few musty Records that have lain by the walls so many ages forgotten or neglected May your Lordships please not to add this to my other misfortunes for my other sins be-slave me not for Treason Let not a president be desired from me so disadvantagious as this will be in the consequence to the whole Kingdom
of Queen Elizabeth and himself a person not engaged in any publick pressures of the Common-wealth and therefore most likely to prove just and acceptable to the People The Papists likewise permitted privately to enjoy their Religion and a general good agreement between the Natives and the English in all parts In August the Popish party in Parliament grown high and incompatible with the present Government the Parliament was adjourned for three Moneths and then the Committee returned out of England and arrived at the end of August desiring that all the Acts of that Parliament might be proclaimed and sent down to the several Counties and so they retired to their places of abode In this great serenity and security the late Irish Army raised for the assistance of the Kings service against the Scots was disbanded and all their Army brought into Dublin Then there brake out upon the three and twentieth of October 1641. a desperate Rebellion universal defection and general Revolt of the Natives together which almost all the old English that were Popish totally involved A Rebellion so execrable as no Age no Nation can parallell the abominable Murders without number or mercy upon the Brittish Inhabitants of what sexes age or quality soever they were and this to be contrived with that secrecy amongst themselves that not one English man received any notice thereof before the very Evening of their intended Execution But though there were no direct appearance of the first Contrivers of this Rebellion yet I finde the Romish Clergy and the the Popish Lawyers great Instruments of the Fundamentals whereupon their bloudy Superstructions were reared The Lawyers standing up in Parliament as great Patriots for the Liberties of the Subject and Redress of Grievances boldly obtruding their pernicious speculations as undoubted Maxims of Law which though apparent to wise men yet so strangely were many of the very Protestants and others wel-meaning men blinded with an apprehension of case and redress and so stupified with their bold accusations of the Government as discouraged others to stand up to oppose them And then it was that the Parliament having impeached Sir Robert Bolton Lord Chancellour of Ireland of high Treason with other prime Officers of State that were of English birth and done their worst also against the Earl of Strafford in England Some of these great Masters and pretended Patriots took upon them impudently to declare the Law as they pleased to make new Expositions of their own upon that Text to frame Queries against Government Presidents they had enough of former proceedings in England they disdained the moderate qualifications of such as replied to them but those would not serve their turn New Model of Government they would have drawing it wholly into the hands of the Natives which they knew could not be compassed in a Parliamentary way they onely made preparatives there by desperate Maxims which being diffused would fit and dispose the people to a change Some of their Maxims they declared for Law that any one being killed in Rebellion though found by matter of Record would give the King no Forfeiture of Estate That though many thousands stood up in Arms working all manner of destruction yet if they professed not to rise against the King that it was no Rebellion That if a man were cu●lawed for Treason and his Land rested in the Crown or given away by the King his Heir might come afterwards and be admitted to reverse the Outlawry and recover his Ancestours Estate And many such were published this Session nay they presumed to attempt a suspension of Poyning ' s Act and at last the very abrogation of the Statute the best Monument of the English intire dominion over the Irish Nation and the annexion of that Kingdom to the Imperial Crown of England assuming a power of Iudicature to the Parliament in criminal and capital offences which no former age could presidence And so carried on their Session begun in May till the breaking out of the Rebellion and yet then they would hardly adjourn These and many other such which wise men fore-saw and since came to pass that Fools may run and read them They made the whole Body of State corrupt and ill-affected that the evil humours and distempers of the Kingdom required Cauteries This was the Disease as appears by all the Symptoms and the joint concurrence in opinion of all the pretended Patriots that held themselves wise enough to propose Remedies to so desperate a Malady But indeed although but pretences yet the King had condescended to their present relief giving much more satisfaction to their Agents lately in England than ever they could in any other time expect to receive or hope to enjoy but presently upon their return to Ireland this Conspiracy brake out Certainly the late successes of the Scots in their Insurrections gave encouragement to these they having happily succeeded in their affairs obtained signal Immunities from the King by their last Eruptions Our domestick garboils also might indulge them liberty to perplex the English the more and not the least advantage by the death of the late Deputy the Earl of Strafford whom the Irish equally pursued with the Zelots of Parliament in England and thereupon the unseasonable disbanding of the Irish Army eight thousand raised for the Scotish Expedition All these together added to them for their Design four thousand whereof were granted to Don Alonso de ●ardenes the Spanish Ambassadour to be transported from the danger of Innovation at home and the Officers and Colonels put out by the Parliaments commands might depart with their Regiments whither they pleased These were their Incitements and their Deceits followed they boast that the Queen was in the Head of their Forces that the King was coming with an Army that the Scots had concluded a League with them and to get credit therein they altogether caress the Scots that they were authorised by the Kings Commission which they counter●eited and produced at Farnham Abbey from one Colonel Plunket as appeared afterwards by several Confessions that they asserted the Kings cause against the Puritans of England And to their own Countrey-men they scatter Letters and Advertisements out of England that there was a Statute very lately made to compell all the Irish to be present at the Protestant worship under penalty of loss of their Goods for the first neglect the loss of their Inheritances for the second and their Lives for the third They gave there great hopes of recovering their Liberties and regaining their ancient Customes and to shake off the English yok● to elect to themselves a King of their own Nation and to distribute the Goods and Possessions of the English These Inducements made the Irish mad to perpetrate such hideous Attempts as no leading Age hath heard of They published also these Motives in print that our royal King and Queen are by the Puritans curbed and abused and their Prerogatives restrained diminished and almost wholly abolished
peoples Their many and sore oppressions grieve me I am above mine own what I want in the hands of force and power I have in the wings of Faith and Prayer But this is the strange method these men will needs take to resolve their Riddle of making me a glorious King by taking away my Kingly power thus I shall become a support to my Friends and a terrour to mine Enemies being unable to succour the one or suppress the other For thus have they designed and propo●ed to me the new modelling of Sovereigntie and Kingship so without any realitie of power or without any necessitie of subjection and obedience That the Majestie of the Kings of England might hereafter hang like Mahomet's Tomb by a Magnetick Charm between the power and privileges of the two Houses in an aierie imagination of Regalitie But I believe the surfeit of too much power which some men have greedily seized on and now seek wholly to devour will ere long make the Common-wealth sick both of it and them since they cannot well digest it Sovereign Power in Subjects seldom agreeing with the Stomachs of fellow Subjects Yet I have even in this point of the constant Militia sought by satisfying their fears and importunities both to secure my Friends and overcome mine Enemies to gaine the peace of all by depriving my self of a sole power to help or hurt any yielding the Militia which is mine undoubted Right no less than the Crown to be disposed of as the two Houses shall thank fit during my time So willing am I to burie all Iealousies in them of me and to live above all Iealousies of them as to my self I desire not to be safer than I wish them and my people if I had the sole actual disposing of the Militia I could not protect my People further than they protected me and themselves so that the use of the Militia is mutual I would but defend my self so far as to be able to defend my good Subjects from those mens violence and fra●d who conscious to their own evil merits and Designs will needs perswade the world that none but Wolves are fit to be trusted with the custodie of the Shepherd and his Flock Miserable experience hath taught my Subjects since power hath been wrested from me and imployed against me and them that neither can be safe if both be not in such away as the Law hath intrusted the publick safetie and welfare Yet even this Concession of mine as to the exercise of the Militia so vast and large is not satisfactorie to some men which seem to be Enemies not to me onely but to all Monarchie and are resolved to transmit to posteritie such Iealousies of the Crown as they should never permit it to enjoy its just and necessarie Rights in point of power to which as last all Law is resolved while thereby it is best protected But here Honour and Iustice due to my Successours forbid me to yield to such a total alienation of that power from them which civilitie and dutie no less than Iustice and Honour should have forbad them to have asked of me For although I can be content to eclipse mine own beams to satisfie their fears who think they must needs be scorched or blinded if I should shine in the full lustre of Kingly power wherewith God and the Laws have invested me yet I will never consent to put out the Sun of Sovereigntie to all posteritie and succeeding Kings whose just recoverie of their Rights from unjust usurpations and extortions shall never be prejudiced or obstructed by any Act of mine which indeed would not be more injurious to succeeding Kings than to my Subjects whom I desire to leave in a condition not wholly desperate for the future so as by a Law to be ever subjected to those many factious Distractions which must needs follow the many-headed Hydra of Government which as it makes a shew to the people to have more eys to foresee so they will finde it hath more mouths too which must be satisfied and at best it hath rather a monstrositie than any thing of perfection beyond that of right Monarchie where counsel may be in many as the senses but the Supreme power can be but in one as the Head Happily when men have tried the horrours and malignant influence which will certainly follow my enforced Darkness and Eclipse occasioned by the interposition and shadow of that Bodie which as the Moon receiveth its chiefest light from me they will at length more esteem and welcome the restored glorie and blessing of the Sun 's light And if at present I may seem by my receding so much from the use of my Rights in the power of the Militia to come short of the Discharge of that trust to which I am sworn for my peoples protection I conceive those men are guiltie of the inforced perjurie if so it may seem who compell me to take this new and strange way of discharging my Trust by seeming to desert it or protecting my Subjects by exposing my self to Danger or Dishonour for their safetie and quiet Which in the Conflicts of Civil War and Advantages of Power cannot be effected but by some side yielding to which the greatest love of the publick peace and the firmest assurance of Gods protection arising from a good conscience doth more invite me than can be expected from other mens fears which arising from the injustice of their actions though never so succesfull yet dare not adventure their Authours upon any other way of safetie than that of the Sword and Militia which yet are but weak Defenses against the stroaks of divine vengeance which will over-take or of mens own consciences which always attend injurious perpetrations For my self I do not think that I can want any thing which providential necessitie is pleased to take from me in order to my peoples tranquillitie and Gods glorie whose protection is sufficient for me and he is able by his being with me abundantly to compensate to me as he did to Job whatever honour power or libertie the Chaldeans the Sabeans or the Devil himself can deprive me of Although they take from me all Defence of Arms and Militia all Refuge by Land of Forts and Castles all Flight by Sea in my Ships and Navie yea though they studie to rob me of the hearts of my Subjects the greatest Treasure and best Ammunition of a King yet cannot they deprive me of mine own innocencie or Gods mercie nor obstruct my way to Heaven We enter upon the militarie effects of this civil uncivil War betwixt the King and Parliament both parties preparing their several Armies The King is Generalissimo himself in person over his own his Captain General as yet named was the Marquess Hertford but when he came to action he elected for his General that faithfull loyal well●experienced Commander the Earl of Lindsey Lord High Chamberlain of England And the Earl of Essex was Captain General for
with Mr. Hotham who was in ill case to continue but must be forced to retreat to Hull The Forces of the West in Cornwall for the King began to form into a Body near Pendennis Castle the Governour thereof Sir Nicholas Slaning a gallant Gentleman and assisted 〈…〉 others Sir Bevil Greenvile who possessed themselve●●●aunston the County Town of Cornwall but not long after Sir Ralph Hopton appears in chief command over the Cavaliers The Parliament had Plymouth the neighbour Port Town of Devonshire bordering Cornwall in the South and Sir George Chudly a Stickler for them for a time onely The Kings party increased in Mid-Wales and descending Southwards as he marches the Welch come to him from all parts of Hereford Monmouth mightily increasing by the power and industry of the Earl of Worcester their Brigades reaching to Oxford and round about where Prince Rupert commanded who took Powder and Match marching through Staffordshire to reprieve Manchester The Parliament party lay about Warwick Coventrie Worcester Buckingham and their Brigades round about even to Glocester Some Arms for the King are landed at Newcastle and ten thousand pounds in Money to raise Dragoons in Northumberland and to fall into Yorkshire which appeared for the King The King on his march from Wales descended Southward and now being near Stafford the Parliament order That the Citie of London be strongly guarded and Posts Bars and Chains be erected and set up in places and by-lanes of the Parishes of St. Margarets Westminster St. Martins in the Fields St. Clements Savoy Holborn St. Giles Covent-garden St. Johns Street ●lerkenwell Criplegate Shoreditch White-chapel Islington Mile-end Southwark Lambeth or any other places necessary at the charge of the Parish by equal Assesment Octob. 22. And the Parliament declare a solemn Protestation to all the world In the presence of Almightie God for the satisfaction of their Consciences and the Discharge of that great Trust which lies upon them That no private passion or respect no evil intention to his Majesties person no Design to the prejudice of his just Honour and Authoritie engaged them to raise Forces and take up Arms against the Authours of this War whereof the Kingdom is now inflamed And after they have by clearing themselves lodged the occasion upon the Contrivers Papists about the King for extirpation of the Protestant Religion wherein principally this Kingdom and Scotland are concerned as making the greatest Body of Reformation in Christendom they conclude For all which Reasons they are resolved to enter into a solemn Oath and Covenant with God to give up themselves lives and fortunes into his hands and defend this his cause with the hazzard of our lives against the Kings Armie according to a form agreed upon and to be subscribed and to associate and unite with all the well-affected of the Citie of London and other parts of his Majesties Dominions 〈…〉 expect their dear Brethren of Scotland that they will help and 〈◊〉 defence of this Cause which if the Popish partie prevail must needs involve Scotland in the like alteration of Religion and engage them also in a War against this Kingdom to defend their own Religion And this they do again they say protest before the everliving God to be the chief end of all their counsels and resolutions without any intention to injure his Majestie either in his person or just power Octob. 22. And the Battail of Edg-hill the next morning being Sunday After the Kings party had beat the Enemy at Worcester Fight the three and twentieth of September he joyns all his Brigades near hand and marches to meet General Essex hovering thereabout to watch the Kings Designs who lodged on Saturday night October 22. at Sir William Chancies six miles near Keinton and Essex at Keinton And early the next morning being Sunday the three and twentieth drew up into a Body near Keinton and ascending the top of Edg-hill with his Prospective Glass took view of Essex his Army in the Vale of the Red Horse about a Mile distant but before the King could draw into order he was saluted with three Pieces of Cannon from the other side with three Shouts of their Souldiers And being asked by his Officers what his Majesty meant to do To give him Battel said the King it is the first time I ever saw the Rebells in a Bodie God and good mens prayers to him assist the justice of my cause And instantly ordered the Fight by the return of two Shot of Cannon in answer to theirs about two of the clock after noon the Word was God and King Charls his greatest Body of Horse was on the right Wing and on the left some Horse and Dragoons The Parliaments Army was put into this order the Foot a good space behinde the Horse when the Charge began three Regiments of Horse on the right Wing the Generals Regiment commanded by Sir Philip Stapleton Sir Balfore's Regiment who was Lieutenant General of the Horse and the Lord Fielding's Regiment which stood behinde the other two as a Reserve Sir Iohn Meldrum had the Van with his Brigade Colonel Essex the middle the General 's Regiment the Lord Brook and Colonel Hollis had the Rear in the left Wing were twenty Troops commanded by Sir Iames Ramsey Commissary General And thus they stood The Earl of Lindsey Lord High Chamberlain of England was the Kings Captain General but the Fight was ordered by the Lord Ruthen since made Earl of Forth a Scotish man and the General lead on the main Body with a Pike in his hand it is said that General Essex lead on his Forces also but then it is confessed that he was advised to retire from Danger and so he escaped when the other was killed The Forlorn Hope was commanded by Major Ba●stake and Captain Hamond both of them Officers in Sir Lewis Dive● Regiment of Foot and drawn down the Hill to the side of a Ditch lined with Musquetiers and both sides had no sooner fired but that the Kings Cannon followed and discharged six or seven Shot Prince Rupert General of the Horse commanding the right Wing routed their left Wing and followed them in chafe to Keinton Town and two Miles beyond killing all whom they overtook the Lord Ruthen ordered the left Wing of the Kings Horse with the Lord Wilmot both of them doing gallant service 't is true Prince Rupert presumed that he had left a sufficient Reserve of Horse behinde under command of the Earl of Carnarvan with some other Troops who seeing the Enemies Horse and Foot to run his spirit not accustomed to stand still followed too far and left their own Foot naked of Horse which Essex espying took the advantage and with his Horse fell upon the Foot including these Regiments the Lord Generals Colonel Fieldings and Colonel Bowels a Regiment raised by the Lord Paget and did much execution upon them this service being done by Colonel Hurry afterwards Major General for the Parliament The Lord General Lindsey
Merits The Queen began her Journey this day from Oxford towards the West of England those parts the most free from the powe● of her Enemies and more peaceable for her quiet rather than Oxford where though she were safe yet not secure from noise and business not much though regarding their Forces nor much troubled at the falsities for which the Parliament at VVestminster had voted her a Traitour besides the vain Libells that were let loose from Press and Pulpit in much plenty against the honour and dignity of Majesty and so she was conducted by the King Prince and Duke of York waited on with the chief Nobility and Gentry the first days Journey The King in presence of his Peers before they parted from Oxford received the holy Eucharist at Christ's Church from the hands of the Arch-bishop of Armagh used these publick Expressions immediately before his receiving the blessed Elements he rose up from his knees and beckning to the Arch-bishop for a short forbearance made this Protestation My Lord I espie h●re many resolved Protestants who may declare to the world the Resolution I do now make I have to the utmost of my power prepared my Soul to become a worthy Receiver and may I so receive comfort by the blessed Sacrament as I do intend the Establishment of the true Reformed Protestant Religion as it stood in its beauty in the happy daies of Queen Elizabeth without any connivence at Popery I bless God that in the midst of these publick Distractions I have still liberty to communicate and may this Sacrament be my Damnation if my heart do not joyn with my lips in this Protestation The King had caused a Garison in South Wales at Swansey a Town of good note in the County of Glamorgan under command of the high Sheriff residing there in person and were summoned from a Ship-board by Captain Molton To the Mayor and Gentlemen of Swansey Gentlemen these are to will and require you in the Name of the right honourable Robert Earl of Warwick Lord high Admiral of England Wales and Ireland and his Majesties Navy Royal at Sea that you forthwith yield the Town and Garison to the King and Parliament c. And this is the advice of your Friend who endeavours to preserve you if not I shall keep you without Trade till your forced obedience bring you to the mercie of him that tendereth to you grace and favour Milford-haven from the Ship called the Lion Ro. Molton This Lion-like sawcy Paper the high Sheriff received and suddenly sends Answer To Robert Molton Subscriber unto the Paper directed to the Mayor and Gentlemen of Swansey We cannot understand how we may with any justice or loyaltie return you the name of a Gentleman in answer to your rude and rebellious Paper in the front whereof you have the boldness and presumption in the Name of the right honourable as you term him whom we account otherwise Robert Earl of Warwick by you styled high Admiral of England and his Majesties Navie Royal which he hath illegally possessed to will and require us forthwith to yield the Town and Garison of Swansey into the obedience of the King and Parliament c. In defiance of which your traiterous Summons under a spurious shew of your loyalty and subjection to his Majestie We will not yield Town nor Garison nor any the least interest we hold of Life or Fortune under protection of his sacred Majestie but will defend the same against your proud and insolent Menacing● wherein your proper Trade is exhibited and in the account of a Rebell and Traitour we leave you to your self May 14. Subscribed by the high Sheriff and Gentlemen of Glamorganshire Certainly this Frolick for a Ship Captain to attach a Land Garison was not with any assurance to master it by his great Guns or that he could imagine so great fear in Master Sheriff to quit his trust upon a weak Summons rather it was with an intent to answer that Knack of a Troop of Horse in the North who finding some Sailers drinking in an Ale-house seized their Ship and Goods hard by in a blinde Creek If Captain Molton could have done so by Swansey he needed the less to give warning by Summons but he left it as he found it in the Sheriffs command Latham house was sore beset with a Siege against that noble Countess of Derby for above three Moneths by these Commanders Ashton Moor and Rigby nay by the power of Sir Thomas Middleton and Sir William Fairfax addition upon whom the besieged have sallied out and killed many at several times Colonel Moor's men erected a Breast of Mutton on a Pikes point held it up to the hunger-starved Rascals within daring them to come out and dine and the Countess was called to by name a young Gentleman Captain Chisnall desired my Lady that he might sally out ere the Table should be taken away which he did ere they had dined forced into their Trenches took divers Prisoners and some Colours which instantly they carried to the back Gates of the House opened them and shewing these Colours cried out A Latham a Latham the House is taken hereupon the Enemy being ignorant of this Deceit concluded it to be taken and advancing in a Body came in speed to the Gate where they were welcomed with three Pieces of Cannon and much execution and thus this Lady held out Latham till Prince Rupert came to her Relief For on Tuesday May 21. he marched on his way towards Lancashire and the five and twentieth towards Stopwash a border Town of Cheshire seated on the Banck of the River Mersey dividing these two Counties here the Parliament had a strong Garison who drew out with three thousand Horse and Foot and faced Rupert's Horse but at the coming up of his Foot in the Evening about six a clock the other side withdrew to the Hedges and lining them shot through which he must pass and therefore he commands Colonel Washington with some Dragoons to scowre the Hedges and forced them to the Town whom the Prince followed so close that he entered with them and took the Town Cannon Army and Amunition and many Prisoners Then being so near he sends Relief to the Countess of Derby who had now opposed a strong Siege of eighteen Weeks but her Adversaries were rising and going in fear to stay for Prince R●pert yet not without some Farewell therefore the Garison sallied out fell upon the Enemies Rear killed some and took Prisoners and so way was given for the Earl of Derby to return home to his own house The King having drawn out all his Forces from several Garisons to meet at Goring Heath in Oxfordshire the Parliament at Westminster was much troubled ordering that their General Essex the Earl of Manchester and Lord Grey with what Forces could be raised at London with the Garisons of Windsor and Alisbury and all to meet at the general Rendezvouz Alisbury in the
Forces as formerly 14. That all Honours and Titles conferred on any since the Great Seal was conveyed from the Parliament May 21. 1642. be made null and that those that shall be hereafter made Peers by the King shall not sit in Parliament without consent of both Houses 15. That an Act be passed to confirm all the Treaties between England and Scotland and a Committee of both Houses to be nominated Conservators of the Peace between both Kingdoms 16. An Act for establishing the Declaration of both Kingdoms of the thirtieth of January 1643. with the qualifications as follow The first Qualification That these persons shall expect no pardon In a word all the persons of Honour and Quality that have taken up Arms for the King in England or Scotland which because the Treaty took no effect is but frivolous to insert And all such others as being processed by the Estates for Treason shall be condemned before the Act of Oblivion be passed Then follows the second Qualification All Papists and Popish Recusants who have been now are or shall be actually in Arms or assisting against the Parliaments of either Kingdoms and by name the Marquess of Winton Earl of Worcester Lord Herbert Lord Brudnel Lord Arundel of Warder Earl Castlehaven and seven Knights and Gentlemen The third Qualification All persons that have assisted in the Rebellion of Ireland except such as are come in to the Parliament of England The fourth Qualification Herein are named above fifty Knights and Gentlemen that were at Oxford and it follows All such of the Scotish Nation as have concurred in the Votes at Oxford against the Kingdom of Scotland and all that have assisted in Arms against Scotland Then follows three Branches of this Qualification The fifth Qualification That all Iudges Officers and Practicers of the Law that have deserted the Parliament be incapable of Office or Practice in the Law the like of the Clergie With other Qualifications and Branches depending too tedious to insert and esteemed of all indifferent persons most improper for the King to consent unto And now comes the juggling French Agent Montril from the Queen in France with Letters to the King to make peace with his Parliament by any conditions reasonable And that the Prince of Wales is arrived at Paris without the Kings knowledg whom he designed to have come to him to Newcastle The Parliament had written to the King to give Warrant to his Lieutenant General Ormond in Ireland for disbanding his Forces andre ceive this Answer CHARLS R. That as none can be more deeply affected than his Majestie with the calamities of his Kingdom of Ireland so he will apply all future Remedies And as to the delivering of the City and Castle of Dublin Drogheda and all other Garisons in Ireland held for his Majesty into the hands of the Parliament of England He is most willing that all these places may be so disposed as they may best be secured from the Rebells and most for the safety of his good Subjects doth again earnestly press the Propositions so long expected expecting that they will contain the readiest means not onely of preserving those places which are already in his power but likewise of reducing the rest of that Kingdom possessed by the Rebells to his obedience all which will be setled upon the conclusion of a happy Peace which he will heartily endeavour Newcastle July 11. Which Message met the Commissioners on the way with the Propositions to the King The French Ambassadour Extraordinary had his first Audience of the 17. of Iuly in effect That he had a command from the Queen Regent and King of France to endeavour a composure of the Differences between the King and Parliament but understanding that Propositions are gone to his Majesty he hath no more to say to the Parliament but to take his leave and to desire their Pass for him to the King and to the States of Scotland and had this Answer That the Parliament receive with thankfulness the good Intentions of the King of France to these Kingdoms for ending of the Differences they had done their Endeavours and will so continue to do But they could not agree that any Foreign State interpose in the present remaining Differences nor that his Majesty of France in particular by his present Extraordinary Ambassadour And are very willing the Ambassadour have a Pass and be used with all respect and civility But the Ambassadour staid so long for this ceremony that he was gone towards the King without it The three and twentieth of Iuly the Propositions were presented to the King and the Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery being the best Man though the least able told the King That he knew well how unfit a Spokesman he was and desired that Mr. Goodwin might speak for them The King instantly asked If they had any power to treat They answered No. Then said he Saving the honour of the business an honest Trumpeter might have done as much I hope you expect not a present Answer to this high concernment They told him Their time was limited to ten Days And the French Ambassadour Balieme and Montril the Agent had Audience the next day and very private with the King We may easily believe how the King was beset with Petitions and Prayers hand over head to consent to all these Propositions by the English and Scots about him And how the Commissioners resented it appears in a Letter to the Speaker of the Commons We are sorry we cannot acquaint you with so good success as we desired having this Morning his Majesties Answer Negative with a Paper containing Offers to come to London and treat which we thought not fit to send because we know not the Parliaments pleasure whether or no they will take notice thereof as being no Answer to the Propositions We have taken leave and hasten home Earl Hepsley Goodwin Robinson August 2. 1646. It is likely they were sorry and said so but see what the King says for himself and concerning them dated a day before theirs and sent to the Houses a quick and sudden Answer to their tedious Propositions C. R. The Propositions tendered to his Majestie by the Commissioners c. to which the Houses of Parliament have taken twice so manie moneths for deliberation as they have assigned dai●s for his Majesties Answer do import so great alterations in Government both in Church and Kingdom as it is very difficult to return a particular and positive Answer before a ful debate wherein these Propositions and the necessarie explanations true Sense and Reasons thereof be rightly weighed and understood and that his Majestie upon a ful view of the whole Propositions may know what is left as well as what is taken away and changed In all which he findes upon discourse with the said Commissioners that they are so bound up from anie capacitie either to give Reasons for the Demands they bring or to give ear to
that they should furnish him with Shipping and all things necessary these things were transacted the 1. of August and to imbarque at a port in Angus but their Ship not ready being so designed to engage his neglect he hired a Norway Man of Birgen thither he sends his friends Sir Io. Hurrey Iohn Dromond Henry Graham Iohn Spotswood Iohn Lily Patrick Melvin Geo. Wiseheart Doctor of Divinity Divid Gutlery Pardus La-sound a Frenchman Rodolph a German men pickt out for their abilities he sends them before and himself clad in a course suit he passed disguised as a servant to Iames Wood his worthy Chaplain from the haven of Montrose which flows to Brechen in Angus And from this time the State of Scotland had Elbow room without any Enemies at home The Scots Army being returned home out of England kept up a Body under colour of Civil diffentions there And their General David Lesley had Command of all and having notice that his Enemy Kilketto was retreated out of Arguile into Cantire and the Earl of Antrim into the Isles he drew off from Perth and came to Dundain and Arguile himself retreated to Inerne Castle quartering between Sterling and Dunkel The general Kirk Assembly of Scotland met Iuly 6. and ordered a publick Fast upon these Reasons That Gods hand is stretched out against them in the judgement of the Pestilence mainly increasing The great danger of Religion in the work of Reformation in both Kingdoms from the number and the Policy of Sectaries in England like to overturn the Foundation there laid with the expence of so much blood and pains And therefore they resolve to cleave to the Solemn League and Covenant against all the purposes and endeavours and underminings of their Enemy and pray for the Parliament of England and the Synod of Divines and the good effects and fruits of Truth and Peace which they now had for Montrose was gone But in this distempers of England the Scots increased their Forces and put England into fears and jealousies so that Allarm was often devised to see in what posture the English should be for seven thousand of the Scots were drawing Southward for fresh Quarters and are come over Spey River with Lesley Middleton in the East and Arguile's in the West and the Highlanders keep the Hills And not long after Lesley is come to Iaddard within fourty miles of Newcastle with fifteen hundred Horse and three thousand Foot for his part But notwithstanding the States of Scotland pretend to Disband unless their Kingdom be in danger of trouble the person of the King in any hazard or their Kingdom thereby dishonour'd and therefore for the present they raise two hundred thousand pounds Scotch for the present Sept. 27. but having knowledge by their Commissioners in England of the affairs here they will not Disband for at the beheading of the Lord Hart-Hill at Edenburgh one who had been for the King in the time of Montrose He scattered some Papers there to the people which mention the particulars of great troubles likely to be in England But to caress them and to see what they do 2. of the Lords and 4. of the Commons House are speedily to Post with Instructions to the Estates of Scotland where we leave them till the next year and proceed to a summary of the affairs of Ireland this year The Parliaments Commissioners are gon to Ireland to take possession of Dublin for the Marquess of Ormond and landed them the seventh of Iune and with them were Colonel Iones Captain Merridith Captain Parsons four hundred and fifty Ho●se and one thousand Foot commanded by Colonel Kinaston and four Captains mist at the time that Sir Charls Coot defeated a party of the Rebels The Parliament there now sitting gave good reception to the Commissioners in Iune Colonel Iones is made Governor of Dublin and much troubled by mutinies for advance mony and pay of arrears but were appeased and the old eleven Regiments of Foot reduced to seven viz. the Earl of Kildares Lord Moor Tichburn Benlace Willoughby Baily and Flowers in all about four thousand Many skirmishes are daily in several parts of the Provinces winning and loosing as the fate of war falls out but the complaint comes sad on the Parliament of England that their monies are gon their provisions in the field cannot last six daies and are forced to leave the field and go to garison for want of bread that Owen Roe the Rebel is with great forces in Connaught and Preston is marching against Dublin against whom Colonel Iones marches out with three thousand Horse and Foot and faced each other about twelve miles from Dublin the Enemy being eight thousand who fell on and forced Iones to retreat and then to fly and were pursued four miles taken prisoners and killed many the whole forces being in very sad condition But the eighth of August it was revenged by Colonel Iones upon Preston neer Trim killed five thousand four hundred and seventy Foot Souldiers three hundred of the Gentry seven thousand Arms taken four pieces of ordnance and great pillage with one hundred and fifty Oxen. About twelve a clock the Armies joyned battell continuing two hours Iones his Horse of two wings and some Foot having broken both wings of the Enemies the main body also advanced and did as much against theirs then the Enemy about three thousand drew up into a Bog and in abody whom Iones surrounded the Foot fall in and killed them those that came forth fell into the Horse and were all slain It was the greatest overthrow that we can boast of since the first war of the English against the Irish but not long after he rallies and joynes with Owen Oneal But the Lord Inchequin and his Souldiers understanding the differences of the Parliament and Army in England make their declaration and Remonstrance also yet they resolve to go on against the Rebels but will not admit of any alteration in Martial Government untill their arrears be paid them what is due both in England and Ireland And the Scots are called upon to Recall their ●orces out of Ulster in Ireland there being no further need of their forces the Parliament of England resolving to prosecute that war with the forces of England onely for Colonel Iones was successfull and had taken from the second of October to the nineteenth Castle Ricard Port Castle Athby Grucesfort the Mabber Belliloe Cabbrough Castle War Danmock Carrat Matrose Castle down and Castle Amoin And Inchequin hath his share of success in the Province of Munster the thirteenth of November neer Megallo and Clancard and killed two thousand five hundred upon the plain divers wounded and taken prisoners so that the Enemies loss is reckoned four thousand but at the close of these events the English cry out for recruit of men relief of Provisions and oft times ready to starve but the Kingdom of England are not at better leisure to help them being in much distemper at home
the Earl of Holland to St. Needs and pursued by Colonel Scroop from Hartford who being guided by Spyes got the secret waies thither ere the Defendants were aware yet some were Mounted and in a Body but were beaten by a Forlorn and Routed before the rest entered the Duke with sixty Horse flyes away towards Lincolnshire and escapes beyond Seas Their General not up or not dressed was taken in his C●●mber many that fought got away some slain others prisoners persons of good Note so that the Souldiers said they never met with such golden booties fine clothes gallant Horses and pockets full of Coin The Parliament say they lost but three And for the present the Earl of Holland is sent prisoner to Warwick Castle where he continued untill his Arraignment and Execution at Westminster the 9. of March as hereafter follows But the Prisoners of note were the Earl of Holland Sir Gilbert Gerard Colonel Skemisher Major Holland Major Slepkin Lieu Col. Goodwin Colonel Legg and one hundred more Dalbier and a Son of Sir Kenelm Digbies slain the Lord Andover was after taken at Dover and there imprisoned The Parliament of Scotland were now sitting since the second of March and not well pleased with the English proceedings it was thought fitting here to send English Commissioners to reside there during their Session And of the Lords House were chosen the Earls of Nottingham and Standford the Commons were Mr. Arthurst Colonel Birch Mr. Herle and Mr. Marshal Preachers For the Scots recruit their Army at home and the English expect an Invasion of them being generally dissatisfied there of our proceedings against the King here However the Commssioners of England resident there acquainted our Parliament here with Propositions of Scotland and this their Answer to some Papers sent thither That it was the desire of the Parliament of England to maintain a good correspondency between the two Nations 2. That this Kingdom would take speedy care for the advance of a hundred thousand pounds due unto that Kingdom and so long as that sum or any part should be forborn they should have Interest after the rate of 8. l. per ●ent for the same 3. And that concerning the Arrears due to the Scots Army in Ireland the Parliament of Scotland are desired either to propound a certain sum by the Lump for the service of that Army there or else to appoint Commissioners on their side or appoint their Commissioners with ours to repair into Ireland to audit the 〈◊〉 of that Army So then we find the outward pretences on both sides to keep a good correspondency And to Caress them the more ever and anon the Parliament of England would by debates and Orders shew an inclination to settle the Presbyterian Government here by that means to quiet the bawling Spirits of the Scots Ministery in their Kirk and Pulpits though it was never seriously intended here And even at this time Letters of Intelligence came from Scotland that Sir Tho Glenham Sir Lewis Div●●●ir Marmaduke Langdale and others from the Queen in France are expected in Scotland and many discontented English flock to Edenburgh from all parts Captain Wogans Horse Marched thither from the Army with a full Troop and two Companies of Foot landed out of Ireland at Chester and Marched thither likewise But as the Affairs of the English Parliament had suffered under several distractions so these of Scotland were managed with great disturbance some of their Members would raise an Army to espouse the Kings quarrel and to restore him Another party desire an Army to suppress the Sectaries of both Kingdoms but are loath thereby to strengthen the hands of Malignants in either Kingdom A third would have no Army at all and to some end or other they frame an Oath That Presbyterial Government be maintained That the King be not restored till he subscribe the Covenant and endeavours the extripation of Sectaries That Ecclesiastical Power is not subordinate to the Civil That the Kings Negative voice in England be taken away In Debate of these Passages two of their best Sparks the Earl of Kilmore allied to Hamilton and the Lord Granston to their General Leven went out in a Fury and fought a Du●l and most of many are for War The Parliament of England confer and Vote that all Members be summoned to attend the Houses on the 24. of the next Moneth April for the Estates of Scotland had formed a Committee of danger who had of themselves voted to raise fourty thousand men and these were Duke Hamilton Arguile the Earls of Crawford Lindsey Lauderdale Lanrick Calandar Traquair and Roxborough the Lords Eime●pethen Waneston 〈◊〉 Humbe Collington Arneston Gartland and Ennis and eight Burgess●s But against the manner of this Vote not the matter a Protestation was made by eighteen Lords and fourty other to this effect Whereas we have desired that no Power be granted to any Committee to engage this Kingdom in a War before the Parliament resolve on a War and state the cause and ends thereof it being not agreeable to the Act of Parliament 1640 c. And protest not to be included but may be free of all the evill that may follow thereupon to the cause of God the Covenant Religion and to the Kings person and Authority to this Kirk and Kingdom or the union of both The Scots are come and their General Duke Hamilton consults there with Sir Marmaduke Langdale whether towards Lancashire or New-castle the Duke marches himself in the Van with his Trumpeters before in Scarlet Coats with silver lace and much state His life guard proper persons well cloathed His Standard and other equipage Prince-like In the Van marched four Regiments of Horse seven Colours to a Regiment and in all of the Van about two thousand Their body led by Major General Middleton seven Regiments ten Colours to a Regiment and therein neer seven thousand Some carriages came with them but their compleat will be from Carlisle the only reason of his hasting thither The Rear is brought up by the Earl of Calander with fifteen hundred Additional forces they expect from Major General Monroe of three thousand Scots from Ireland under his Command And for assistance of the English about three thousand now ready to be drawn out into Arms under Langdale in the North. The Scots Declarations are already passed to smooth his passage to the people And being come thus near as Annan he Summons Major General Lambert the Parliaments Northern Commander to this effect Noble sir The Parliament of Scotland upon the imminent danger to Religion his Majesties sacred person and the peace of his Kingdoms from the prevailing power of Sectaries in England did send to the Parliament of England such demands as they conceived necessary and no Answer nor satisfaction therein the danger increasing by Northern Forces drawn to the Borders The Committee of Estates in Scotland have commanded him and other noble Personages his
fit for a Kings use because submitting to the regret of the peoples hate and had no doubt abilities to have ballanced affairs to the better had not his Assassination left things loose in the very time that he endeavoured to fasten them These grievances such as they were murmured into common knowledge made the Multitude most averse to supply the Kings necessities and his Instruments of Invention seeking thereby their own ends to advance the Pr●sbyterian Faction by a discontented bussle put the King upon the most regretful wayes that proved his ruine Of Scotland But to heighten these Differences the Scots are called home from foreign parts and flocking to the English Court upon large expence their former begging trade almost out of use began confederacie with the English Puritan and Presbyter crying out upon the Queen and Popery some advantages they finde ready fitted to hand the busie Arch-bishop who must in this time of high discontent press a full conformity of their Kirk in Scotland with the English Discipline which occasioned the Commons and cunning Lords of both Nations to combine watching such a conjuncture of time and state that should force the King in to the Parliamentary way which they effected mightily insisting upon their Priviledges enlarged by former favour of Soveraigns specially of Queen Eli●●beth whose interest lay couched in the Mad-headed Multitude lately become loose by sundry Laws which gave them equality with the Peerage and now cry out for liberty And so we shall enter upon some Observations in reference to their first Actors on their own Stage It is observable that upon the change of Soveraignty a Mutability and alteration of men and manners to follow The former Councellors and Favourites of State to decline yielding or overpowred with the Factions and Complots of such as seek to set up themselves with others ruine as in England so in Scotland The Earl of Niddisdale married into the Kindred of the Duke of Buckingham took to Faction the Earl of Mentith of the Ancient Noble Family of Grahames their Spirit was preserved in him but the Estate decayed in them all only Sir Iames Grahame I remember of some credit heretofore with King Iames applyed his policy then in spite to Somerset for the Induction of the Favourite Villiers buoy'd up by the Scots upon his score who had interest with that Duke ever after his noble 〈◊〉 and perfect character never ingratefull Another was Sir William Alexander of Menstrie and but Master of Requests for Scots Affairs yet great enough to bear up with any the most ambitious who with p●rsons some Bishops of their own and others of such like humours advised a general Revocation of things passed heretofore partly in minority of Princes in prejudice to the Crown a course most usual just and reasonable with the Kings Predecessors and yet now become grievous for great men to part with Grounded no doubt and that Legally upon former Revocations after dissolution of the Popish Religion and so annexed to the Crown but it was at this time done with all moderation and in effect for ease to the Gentry and the Ministery who of all proved most ingrate Another Symptome of discontent proceeded from men of the Noblest extraction Lords of the Erection or Laicks or as in England Impropriators who usually abused their gathering in of their Tithes against whom Petitions were frequent from almost all the Ministers and Gentry and their Farmers for their oppression in matters of Tithes none having power to carry away his nine parts or any part untill the Proprietary have set out his tenth part The Ministers likewise received no Tithes or but a poor pittance or stipend and so in dependence of such Patrons upon all occasions of Faction good or bad A necessary considered in point of State also That all those Ministers and others that pay Tithes the greatest part of the people should depend on the Nobility or Laick persons upon which reasons for reformation there issued out Commissions to sundry the Prime of Estates and Degrees the very offenders not omitted and called Commissioners of Surrenders of Superiority and Tithes the effect accordingly rendred a due and equal amendment of evill manners and freedom from that bondage and so acknowledged from all Nor were the Patrons displeased in point of profit as it was ordered only they were curbed of their usurpation in their Powers and Superiority over the people and therefore to deceive them it was bruited abroad as a design of the Bishops and struck at the Liberty of Religion Other complaints were fram'd against the Dependants and Favourites of the Lords of Session obstructing the equality of Justice Three of the chiefest Earls Hadington Lidsdale and Southeck led the way of surrendring their Patents from King Iames ad vita● vel culpam and all others Patents were reformed durante benepl●cit● Regis Yet see the ingenuity and grace of the King the last two Earls continued Privy Councellors And Hadington removed from the place of Secretary was rewarded with the custody of the Privy-seal of more honour but less gain And which angered them all Sir William Alexander made a Lord and soon after Secretary of State yet still to stop the mouth of malice Hadington had half the benefit of the signet Mentith made President of the Council a new Office in that Nation which formerly resided in 〈◊〉 Chancellour and afterwards created Earl of Stratherne These Mutations gave the first motions of discontent and proceed to Mutiny for Niddesdale comes thither with Commission of Grievance framed at Court to be setled in form of the English Star-chamber intentionally to raise fines from offenders for the Kings use which Niddesdale meant to beg to pay his debts A design effectually ruinous only to great men notorious oppressors But the Earls of Kinnoul Chancellor Marr Treasurer and old Hadington Privy-seal having continual intelligence out of the Kings Bed-chamber the most Scotch-men his own servants therein from first and last fatal Informers of all his secrets so moved their Faction and Friends armed with Scots Pistols and Whinyards their Mode in mutiny opposed Niddesdale to his teeth the very day of delivery of the Commission to be confirmed by the Council and old Hadington with his Hanger a man now of the Gown in the head of the Rout Niddesdale was fairly enforced to steal away by a back Postern and posted to England with his Commission in his Cloak-bag This the first fatal opposition to Soveraignty and Justice and the first foil which was never removed to the last of the Kings life Alexander also made an Earl unable to execute his Office of Secretary was contented to have assistance of another the manner of England Sir Archibald Attchison a Judge in Ireland his intimate friend but of such an unquiet Spirit as from his first Accession gave fuel to all those after Seditions Upon the surrenders of Superiority and Tythes Sir Iohn Stewart of Traham amongst others was deputed by the Gentry
remember my Father moved by your counsel and won by your perswasions brake the Treaties in these perswasions I was your instrument towards him and I was glad to be instrumental in any thing which might please the whole body of the Realm nor was there any then in greater favour with you then this man whom you now so traduce And now wh●n you finde me so sure intangled in war as I have no honourable and safe retreat you make my necessity your priviledge and set what rate you please upon your supplies a practise not very obliging towards Kings Mr. Coke told you it was better to dye by a foreign enemy then to be destroyed at home Indeed I think it is more honourable for a King to be invaded and almost destroyed by a foreign enemy then to be despised at home This was sharp and sowre yet the C●mmons kept close to their custom and reply with a Remonstrance That with extream joy and comfort they acknowledge the favour of his Majesties most gracious expressions of affection to his people and this present Parliament That concerning Mr. Coke true it is he let fall some few words which might admit an ill construction and that the House was displeased therewith as they declared by a general check and though Mr. Coke's explanation of his minde more cleerly did somewhat abate the offence of the House yet were they resolved to take it into further consideration and so have done the effect whereof had appeared ere this had they not been interrupted by this his Majesties message and the like interruption ●efel them also in the businesse of Doctor Turner As concerning the examination of the Letters of his Secretary of State as also of his Majesties own and searching the Signet Office and other Records they had done nothing therein not warranted by the precedents of former Parliaments upon the like occasions That concerning the Duke they did humbly beseech his Majesty to be informed that it hath been the constant and undoubted usage of Parliaments to question and complain of any person of what degree soever and what they should do in relation to him they little doubted but it should redound to the honour of the Crown and safety of the Kingdom Lastly As to the matter of supply That if addition may be made of other things importing his service then in consultation am●ngst them they were resolved so to supply him as might evidence the truth of their intentions might make him safe at home and formidable abroad The King tired with pro and con Petitions Answers Speeches Remonstrances was resolved to reply to them in brief That he would have them in the first place to consult matters of the greatest moment and that they should have time enough for other things hereafter But their designes were otherwise and the Important business to them was an Inquisition against the Duke and Incour●gement to the Parliament to any Informations The Earl of Bristow being excluded the House petitions them to prefer his Accusation which was soon admitted whom the Duke necessarily incounters and begins the charge against him But it is some Scandal to vertue to say that many good men were passing jocund at the contest Indeed the Lower Members might make it their mirth to finde the Upper Ones so malitious and imprudent to persecute each other being a presage of ruine by degrees and time to them all when as the policy of the Commons would not suffer one of theirs to be questioned till themselves considered of their Crimes which kept them close together Imboldned thus to preserve themselves to the last But the Duke ptocures the King by his Attorny Generall to summon Bristow to the Lords Bar as a grand Delinquent and to his face accuses him of High-Treason To which he Answers That he was a f●ee man and a Peer unattainted and had somewhat to say of high consequence Being bid to proceed Then saith he I accuse that man the Duke of Buckingham of High Treason and will prove it And forthwith produceth twelve Articles of his Charge May the second 1 That the Duke did secretly conspire with the Conde of Gondam●r Ambassador of Spain before the said Ambassadors last return into Spain 1622. to carry his Majesty then Prince into Spain to the end he might be enforced and instanced in the Romish Religion and thereby have perverted the Prince and subverted the true Religion established in England 2. That Mr. Porter was made acquainted therewith and sent into Spain and such message framed at his return as might serve for a ground to set on foot the conspiracy which was done accordingly and thereby both King and Prince highly abused 3. The Duke at his arrival in Spain nourished the Spanish Ministers not onely in the beleef of his own being Popishly given by absenting himself from all exercises of our Religion then constantly used in the Earl of Bristows house and conforming himself to please the Spainard by kneeling to and adoring their Sacraments but gave them hope also of the Princes conversion which caused them to propound worse conditions for Religion then had been formerly setled and signed by the Earl of Bristow and Sr. Walter Aston 4. That the Duke did many times in the presence of the Earl of Bristow move his Majesty at the instance of the Conde of Gondamar to write a letter to the Pope which the Earl utterly disswaded and that although during the Earls abode in England he hindred the writing any such letter yet the Duke after the Earls return procured it wrot 5. That the Pope being informed of the Dukes inclination in point of Religion sent him a particular Bull in parchment therein perswading him to pervert his Majesty 6. That the Duke in Spain did abuse the King of Spain and his Ministers so as they would not admit of a Reconciliation with him whereupon seeing the match would be to his disadvantage he endeavoured to break it not for any service to this Kingdom nor dislike of it in it s●lf nor for that he found as since he hath pretended th●t the Spaniard did not really intend it but out of his particular end and indignation 7. That he intending to cross the match made use of Letters of his Majesty then private to his own ends and not to what they were intended as also concealed many things of great importance from his late Majesty thereby overthrowing his Majesties purposes and advancing his own ends 8. That for the foresaid ends he hath abused both Houses of Parliament by a sinister relation of the carriage of affairs as shall be made appear in every particular of that relation 9 That he imployed his power with the King of Spain for the procurement of favours and offices which he bestowed upon unworthy persons for the recompence and hire of his lust which is a great infamy and dishonour to our Nation that a Duke a privy Counsellor and Ambassador eminent in his Majesties favour and
Ships richly laden in their usual course of Trade the Duke moved the Lords then assembled in Parliament to know whether he should make stay of those Ships for the Service of the State which motion being approved by the Lords the Duke accordingly did stay those ships and after procured a joynt Action to be entred in the Court of Admiralty in the name of the late King and himself as Lord Admirall against 15000 lib. pretended to be Pyratically taken by some Captains of the said Merchants ships and in the hands of the said Captains and accordingly an Attachment was served upon the said Merchants Whereupon the said Merchants being urged to bring in the 15000 lib. or to go to Prison made new suit to the Duke for the release of their ships who pretending that the Parliament must be moved therein the Merchants much perplexed and considering that they should lose much by unlading their ships and the losse of their voyage resolved to tender to the said Duke ten thousand pounds for his unjust demand who by colour of his Office extorted and exacted from them the said ten thousand pounds and upon receipt thereof and not before released the said ships That the motion in Parliament about the stay of the East-India ships was onely upon apprehension that they might be serviceable for the defence of the Realm That the Action entred in the Court of Admiralty against the East-India Company was not after as is suggested but divers moneths before that motion in Parliament yea before the Parliament began That the composition mentioned in this Article was not moved by the Duke but made by the late King and that the Company without any menaces or compulsion agreed to the Composition as willing to give so much rather then to abide the hazzard of the suit That of the said sum all but two hundred pounds was imployed by his late Majesties Officers for the benefit of the Navie And lastly that those ships were not discharged upon payment of the said sum of ten thousand pounds but upon an accommodation allowed that they should prepare other ships for his Majesties service whilest they went on their Voyage which accordingly they did VII Reply 7. That the Duke being great Admirall of England did by colour of the said Office procure one of the principall ships of the Navy-Royal called the Vant-guard and six other Merchants ships of great burthen to be conveyed over with all their Ordnance Ammunition and apparel into the Kingdom of France and did compell the said Masters and Owners of the said ships to deliver the said ships into the possession and command of the French King and his Ministers without either sufficient security for their redelivery or necessary caution in that behalf contrary to the duty of his Office and to the apparent weakening of the Navall strength of this Kingdom That those Ships were lent to the French King without his privity that when he knew thereof he did what appertained to his Office That he did not by menace nor any undue practice by himself or any other deliver those ships into the hands of the French that what errour hath since happened was not in the intention any way injurious to the State nor prejudicial to the interest of any private man VIII Reply 8. That the Duke knowing the said ships were intended to be imployed against the Rochellers and the Protestants else-where did compel them as aforesaid to be delivered unto the said French King and his Ministers to the end that they might be imployed against those of the Reformed Religion as accordingly they were to the prejudice of the said Religion contrary to the intention of our Soveraigne Lord the King and to his former promise at Oxford and to the great scandal of our Nation That understanding a discovery that those ships should be imployed against Rochel he endevoured to divert the course of such imployment and whereas it is alledged that he promised at Oxford that those ships should not be so imployed he under favour saith he was mis-understood for he onely said that the event would shew it being confident in the promises of the French King and that he would have really performed what was agreed upon IX Reply 9. That he hath enforced some who were rich though unwilling to purchase honours as the Lord Roberts Baron of Trure who was by menaces wrought to pay the summe of Ten thousand pounds to the said Duke and to his use for his said Barony He denyeth any such compulsion of the Lord Roberts to buy his honour and that he can prove that as the said Lord did then obtain it by the solicitations of others so was he willing formerly to have given a great sum for it X. Reply 10. That in the 18. year of the late King he did procure of the late King the Office of High Treasurer of England to the Viscount Mandevil now Earl of Manchester for which Office he received of the said Vi●count to his own use the sum of 20000 l. of money and also did procure in the 20. year of the late King the Office of Master of the Wards and Liveries for Sir Lionel Cranfield afterward Earl of Middlesex and as a reward for the said procurement he had to his own use of the said Sir Lionel Cranfield the sum of 6000 l. contrary to the dignity of his late Majesty That he had not nor did receive any penny of the said sums to his own use that the Lord Mandevil was made Lord Treasurer by his late Majesty without any Contract for it and though his Majesty did after borrow of the said Lord 20000. pounds yet was it upon proviso of repayment for which the Duke at first past his word and after entred him security by Land which stood ingaged untill his late Majesty during the Dukes being in Spain gave the Lord satisfaction by Land in Fee-farm of a considerable value whereupon the Dukes security was returned back And that the 6000 l. disbursed by the Earl of Middlesex was bestowed upon Sir Henry Mildmay by his late Majesty without the Dukes privity who had and enjoyed it all entire XI Reply 11. That he hath procured divers Honours for his kindred and Allies to the prejudice of the antient Nobility and disabling the Crown from rewarding extraordinary virtues in future times That he believeth he were rather worthily to be condemned in the opinion of all generous minds if being in such favour with his Majesty he had minded only his own advancement and had neglected those whom the Law of Nature had obliged him to hold most dear XII Reply 12. That he procured and obtained of the late King divers Mannors parcels of the Revenues of the Crown to an exceeding gre●● value and hath received and ●o his own use disbursed great sums of money that did properly belong unto the late King and the better to colour his doings hath obtained severall privie Seals from
supposed to be framed before their dissolution Wee have been Ingenuous and clear in the particulars of Buckingham and Bristow in which the Historian may be susspected partially affected with his distinctions though he seems in his Paragraph of reference to his former Story to vindicate the King and Buckingham as if he meant to forestall the Readers judgement with his own opinion such presumption not consisting with the duty of a just Relator And he will seem to intimate that by this sudden Rupture of the Parliament the Duke scap'd a scouring And because Bristow may be thought to have hard measure now imprisoned at the Kings mercy where he lodged under the Notion of a high Delinquent to the King and State for his former mis-actions in Spain but time wrought upon his discretion and by his private means and submission he was afterwards reprived to his Countrey House Sherbourn and after taken into favour and became a faithfull servant to his Master But to cleer this story the passages are heretofore sufficiently laid open in the History of King Iames their proper place where both in Germany and Spain He and others acted so much in the Match to which I refer the Reader We shall onely conclude That he was no sooner returned home but brought under strict Examination of twenty Interrogatories full and home to which he gave Answer in writing to King Iames long and tedious in twenty sheets of paper And by that Narration the several Treaties of the whole Match from first to last are amply opened and may hereafter see light by it self By which it is apparent that when able and prudent men come to act their own parts they are then mostly not of the clearest sight and commonly commit such errours as are both discernable and avoidable even by men of mean abilities And it was thereupon considered whether the tendring him any further Charge unto which he might be able to frame a probable satisfactory Answer would not then rather serve to declare his Innocency than to prepare his Condemnation and so instead of pressure upon him reflect back with disadvantage upon the proceedings against him which were intended by Star Chamber Whether it were not better to desist from further questioning him without blemish to the Princes honour or prejudice to the service And though Bristol in sundry places of that his intended Answer seems diversly to violate the Rule of the provident Mariner who in foul weather and storm to prevent Shipwrack rather puts down than sets up his sailes Yet it was considered either to have him quick and roundly put to it or to proceed slowly and moderately permitting him for a time to remain where he was reprieved to his own house laid aside and in the way to be forgotten a state of being no doubt by his complexion and so apprehended by himself equivalent to the severest and sharpest censure that could be possibly afflicted on him And in this condition he found means from the Parliament to set upon the Duke to prevent the Kings design who first by his Attorney accused Bristol of Treason And thus much of their quarrel which ended with this Parliament And happy it was for Bristol to end so for though it is supposed That he had the better head-piece and the other only the better back Certainly the Dukes head was too hard for him and his brains more quick and nimble Besides other advantages for Bristow's own Creatures stole his papers into copies from time to time which were communicated to the Duke who had he lived would have undone the Earl Lewis of France some years since having a designe against Italy and the Valtoline and upon that score obtained of King Iames the loan of a gallant ship of his Navy-Royal the Vantguard and the Merchants consent for six of their own ships to joyn with that But in the Interim before they was fitted for that purpose K. Iames dies He dead and Lewis finding the cause of the Hugonots too strong and violent to be mitigated by Treaty and the Card. Duke Richlieu intent to bring them under by success of former designs plotted his main force against those of Rochel a strong maritain city in France for● countenanced into a firm revolt by the practice of Count Subize upon Sundry Overtures heretofore and now waxed formidable and fit for subjection But this violent resolution had been palliated by Embassies of King Iames and very lately by two more of King Charles the Earl of Holland and Sir Dudley Carlton his Assistant in Commission who pacified that high difference upon which the power and design of the Hugonotes depended And gave a real resolution for Lewes to advance greater forces against the Valtoline then very hotly pursued by advantage of Confederation with England in enmity against Spain also and gave the suddain occasion to hasten those former ships lent to the French in that design and Sir Iohn Pennington a Gallant Sea Commander intrusted Admiral over them Subi●e an Out-lodger in Revolt had gotten together a scattered number of small Ships which unawares surprized the Isle of 〈◊〉 and some Ships in that Harbour even at the instant when the French Army was ready to March into the Valtoline But the Duke of Vendosm not far off with Forces of the French King got thither some Troops and prevented of the seisure of the Fort Lewes neer Rochel And now not trusting to any Overtures evermore counterfeit from that City for the time only to palliate their Rebellion All possible speed was resolved upon to bring them under by power and to turn the present Design for Italy upon Rochel And first Lewes finds means to him shipping of the Dutch pretended for the Valtoline demanding of Pennington now in the French Port The delivery of those Ships agreeable to former promise which he utterly refused But was ready to receive a Commander in Chief and a competent number of Land Men not exceeding the English and so to be imployed in the French Kings service Nor could he be courted from this into any other conditions of yielding up his Masters Ships though he did at last which was urged against the Duke of Buckingham as a great crime by his permission But the passages we discover from Penningtons own Letters to the Duke from Stokes-Bay and afterwards at Diep in answer to Letters sent Express to him by his own Secretary Nicholas peremptorily to deliver these six Ships to the hands of the French Kings Command and according to his Masters pleasure signified by Secretary Conway and to take security of the French for their valuation dated 21. Iuly 1625. And at that time a Letter from the French King to receive his Cousin the Duke of Momorancy and his Souldiers aboard to join with his great Fleet against his rebellious subjects and to have possession that night Pennington offered to accept of all particulars but not to quit his Ships and dispossess himself of their Command T is true
by Courtney Hawley and Bingley Part of these two Companies about two hundred a piece stood at the mouth of that Causway which bore not above five a Brest The other part was placed at the side of the Causway not far from Damier Our horse in the mean time by reason of these companies so dispersed one Troop thereof consisted of not above 30. and the other but 38. to receive the enemies first charge amongst those were some of the Reformed as it were to inclose the Companies and all this the enemy knew and what companies could not come to assistance To Schomburgh comes Marilane and requires the word yet he intended not presently to fight us but to afflict and take our last as a noble Gallant confessed for there they appear to approach the Causway not so by a strait but by oblique course The French now advance a pace and are stoutly received by us but overprest by multitude they underwent diverse fortune For one part of our Horse fell amongst whom was that gallant and unrevenged Cunningham Another part yielded amongst whom was the Lord Mountjoy and he civilly used Others by the Enemies numerous power and their own weight in a steep place were forced to fly and whiles thus hurryed through the straits of the Causway into Ditches and Salt pits we were thrown The way thus opened the French pursue and made no small slaughter upon us For with very long pikes they pierced some of us already in the dirt whose face not long before they scarce durst behold And those by our own horse to whom onely they could give place were thrust besides the top of the Causway and so pierced by the enemies spears Those Companies next the horse at Damiere with their colours flying fought a while but as the former overpowred with the number fell or fled Amongst these the Reformed by uneven and turning paths made their way to the fur●her bridge with much danger For the Enemy spared none that they met with And in truth here was a very great Slaughter Buckingham did much by direction and example Nor did the diversity of their thoughts suite well some endeavouring to fly others forbad it they rendred themselves by turns to the enemies pleasure and endeavouring by heaps to pass the Bridge one stopping another and so forced the contrary way until mutually knitting together they were thrown into the Sea And in truth Rich and Bret and many other Noble souls defending that bloody bridge encombred and prest perished in the waters and as many as fell to the French were surely destroyed Beyond the Bridge was ammunition for which Crosby contended but by a promiscous torrent of fliers and pursuers forced away having no leasure to distinguish Friends from Foes But upon a turn of fortune the French were forced beyond the Bridge Marilane leading them whom Sir Thomas Fryar and Hacksvil with gallant Spirits fall upon and Crosby with the next stand and rallied force assist and so wrested the victory from the enemy And herein not to be partial consult with their own writers they confess it and name their gallants slain This nimble victory makes us consult to pursue the French but the paucity and fewness of our men night also come caused us to forbear and themselves say Their return so disturbed and altered the French affairs that Marilane forsaken by his runnawayes could neither by fair means nor force of Sword detain them It may be suspected so few to put to flight the French but remember heretofore the battails of Cressie Poictiers Agencourt small handfuls of ours vanquished theirs the French Naturally they must confess it spend all their fury at Assault and without fear given create fear to themselves for they chill their internal strength and run headlong into danger the cause in themselves I must confess the victory which we claim was as I may say but lamentable which yet the Law of Arms allows us No man perished of ours but who desired to dy pent up to fight not to fly we fought for French against French theirs not our own quarrel The number of ours lost are now in question We say but 500. they reckon of us 1100. and how By the old Breeches which we cast off and the miserable beseeches bought of the Islanders to make a shew and fill up their Accompt And for their purchase of our number of Colours an oversight of us not to send them away with our Guns I told you before how we were weakned not a dozen left to an ensign and for the French who buried their own accompt but two or three hundred we cannot disprove them The night as I said came on they are fled we not able to pursue We were to make good our design to depart the Isle of Rhe not to be forced to be gone Yet still we stand expecting fresh Assaults from the French which they might easily do but did not and returned We went on and Crosby had the Watch Guard that night and order at the third Watch to burn the bridge which he did without damage The next day Buckingham minding his departure sends Fryar and Bret to demand the dead bodies and Dolbier to treat about Exchange of Prisoners Schomburgh consents to the first but refers the second to his Kings pleasure and so some tīme after all were returned without ransome to either friends We make aboard but here the question the glory of the field who of our own to stay last upon the shore to avoid dispute it was ordered by lot and on ship too we weighed not anchor till eight daies dared the enemie with their numerous fresh Fleets to fight And so saies Schomburgh to the King He intends himself to declare to his Majesty the English state and stay in the Anserne Island ere they departed Buckingham aboard calls a Council and demands their opinions freely if enough had been done in honour to depart All consented in one and that truly we had done well But Buckingham offered his desire to land and force the Continent and somewhat might be conceived in safety to the Rochellers and their affairs who were concluded under such a condition no dou●● as rendred them in appearance as yet Neuters to our Design or at least under pressure of submission and so to secure themselves might betray us The 9. day we hoised sail and met the Earl of Holland neer our Western Coast where at Plymouth the whole Fleet came to ancher and our Duke posted to Court to the King who received him with extraordinary welcome after three Moneths stay in the Isle and some weeks and odd daies from the hour he went from England The ordinary Prisoners on both sides were upon former Treaty to be returned home And therefore it is not well recited to say That Lewis gratiously dismist them as an offertory to his Sister the Q. of England and refused the Lord Mountjoys round sum of his ransom
doth Order That Mr. Brooks and the Dean and Chapters shall be satisfied all their charges in this suit by their Adversaries That Ezekias Harris Thomas Green Miles Corbet and Henry Davy who subscribed the Mittimus for Mr. Brooks Imprisonment and for the wrong done to his Person and the indignity offered to his place and function shall be committed to Prison during his Majesties pleasure and they to make further acknowledgement of their offence as shall be hereafter Ordered That Mr. Brinesley shall be removed from that Town onely yet shall not Officiate any where unlesse conforming to the Canons of the Church That the said pretended Chappel be converted to the first use a Ware●house 25. March 1632. The Kings power now appeared in the Narrow Seas with three-score sail os well manned Ships under command of the Earl of Northumberland who set out from the Downes towards the North where the Dutch Busses were Interrupted in their fishing some of them being seized and others sunk until they were enforced to fly from thence to his Majesties harbour their Commissions for that purpose craving leave to fish and trade with the English by permission under the Kings Grant as a perquisite of the English Interest and preservation of his Regality in the Brittish Sea And therefore to say the King had no designe paramount there unto but onely to reduce them to a precarious condition is much mistaken for he both sought more and they yeelded to more without any such policy as to caresse them for their Amity Fardinand the second weakened in body by many years and tormented in minde by mighty Wars resolving to settle the Empire calls a Diet at Ratisbone the midst of September where after consultation for succession the French under hand promoting Bavaria but the Poland Ambassadour prevailed more by his eloquent oration for the Emperours Sonne already King of Hungary to be elect King of the Romanes by the Name of Fardinand the third the 22. of December and the Father died the 15. of February following This Emperour by the good successe of his Lievtenants in Wars had maintained his Scepter in and out sometimes several and altogether against all the world almost For no sooner crowned King of Boheme then that people revolted and chose another when he became Emperour the seditions of the Hungarians and of his own subjects in Austria Ma●sfealt and Halderstadt never left worrying him whilest they lived The Danes felt the force and smart of his Army the English Scots and Hollanders combined against him The Swedes and the whole Protestant Body of the Princes Nay the French also by profusion of blood and treasure His pesants excited against him and to corrupt the Faith of his great Ministers no sooner got out of one war but springs up another like Hydra's to torment him His best weapons were his own dayly pious prayers which the late King Gustave seemed more to dread then he did his Armies He Attacked the Arms of the Turk Catholicks Lutherans and Reformates and over all Triumphant He lived to see his Son Crowned King of the Romanes in spight of all his Enemies the Swedes to be shut up in Pomerania and the French beaten out of Germany and the Armies of Austria almost at the gates of Paris He hearkened religiously to the Jesuites the reason of the Reformates to revolt and to call in a stranger the Swed● to gnaw out their own entralls which they soon repented And now was the Earl of Arundel Earl Marshal of England assigned Ambassadour to the new Emperour Fardinand the third elected at this Imperial Diet. To whom he presents the condition of his Majesties Nephew the Palsgrave of the Rhene And being now in the English Court the eyes of all the Christian Princes were fixed upon the cause of his fufferings which had been so often represented to his Emperial Predecessours not without great expectation to his restauration which his Master hoped might take good effect by his now Emperial grace and favour And for answer The Emperour told him That he made no doubt in time he might be considered for enjoying the Lower-Palatinate But for the other It much concerned the Duke of Bavaria's present Interest and possession and how he could be induced to a Treaty disadvantagious to himself he wished the Ambassadour to make that Counsel the best of his business To that end he was to dispute with the deputies of the Emperour with some of them he prevailed for their good Inclinations towards the Palsgrave as very effectuall for confirmation of a setled peace amongst the Princes And to that end they made their several respective humble Remonstrance and advice But Bavaria spake like a souldier That what he had with so much hazzard of his Person and expence of treasure wonne by the sword in defence of the Empire against an enemy he would now maintain with the same power in the possession The Ambassadour was now assured that this his resolution needed not so much mis-spent time in the Treaty but to have been told it at the first And to shew his disdain to be thus used took no leave at all but hastened homewards nor could the Emperours friends two Ambassadours Spanish and Polish sent after to moderate his anger and to promise better effects after some weeks patience nothing prevails to invite him back again he comes directly home where he found the King in some regret at this affront of his Ambassadour and so returned with like disdain upon an Imperial Agent sent hither to excuse the one and to offer some conditions as improbably to bring other effects which therefore was an entrance to a further breach of amity between these Princes and much increased by the hopes of a Marriage between the King of Poland and the Lady Elizabeth Sister to the Prince Elector and Prince Ratzevil sent hither to treat it with our King and almost concluded whilest the Diet of that Nation met and consulted for their consents and soon granted by the Peers and people but the third Estate the Clergy so much Jesuite as to be foundered by the way with propositions from the House of Austria Emperour and King of Spain for Cecilia Arch Duchesse and second Sister of the Emperour and so was this instantly concluded and the other fell off as did the Prince Elector to an absolute dispair of his former Interests The usual visitations Provincial of Arch Bishops of England for setling Church affairs having good effects from that of Canterbury He now also intends the like upon the University of Cambridge somewhat out of tune in several Coledges Emanuel and Sidney Chappels not Consecrated for divine Service and Sacraments which yet were solemnly administred there And this the University challenged within their own Charter and power to examine and were exempt from any visitation unlesse of themselves or the Kings Majesty as their gracious Founder But at the dispute before the King and his Privy
who was Henry The very same reason in the Title of the Earl of Strathern the Children of a first Marriage by Common Law are to be preferred in the succession before the Children of the second Marriage for the marrying of Elizabeth Moor did but legitimate her Children to succeed after the Children of the first Marriage As for the authority of Parliament we may consider whether that Authority may confer and intail a Crown from a lawfull Heir thereof to the next apparant Heirs Or whether an Oath given unto a King by Mans Law should be performed when it tendeth to the suppression of Truth and Right which stand by the Law of God Then if one Parliament hath power to intail a Crown whether may not another Parliament upon the like consideration restore the same to the right Heirs But it may be objected that the Subject resigneth all his Right to his King and then consider whether a Subject may safely capitulate with his Prince that is to give over and quit claim all Right and Title which he hath to his Sovereign Crown his right being sufficient And if by his Capitulation his Heirs be bound And if besides it be honourable for a Prince to accept his conditions The trouble which Edward Baliol raised in Scotland their Histories mention notwithstanding that his Father John Baliol had resigned unto Robert King of Scotland all the Right which he or any other of his had or thereafter might have to the Crown of Scotland He anno 1355. gave to Edward the third King of England a full Resignation of his pretended Right of the Crown of Scotland as before being assisted by the said King and the confederate Gentlemen of Scotland in a Parliament holden at Perth where he had been confirmed King of Scotland by the three Estates If the Pope the King of Spain or France after some Revolution of years seeking to trouble the peace of this Isle should entertain and maintain one of the Heirs of the Earl of Strathern as Queen Elizabeth did Don Antonio the Prior of Crato who claimed the Crown of Portugal to reclaim whose Kingdom she sent a Fleet to settle him or should marry one of them to their nearest Kinswoman and served him armed with power to claim his Title to the Crown of Scotland as King James the fourth of Scotland practised upon Perkin Warbeck named Richard Duke of York to whom he gave in Marriage Katherine Gordoun Daughter to the Earl of Huntley and thereafter all his Forces to establish his said Ally invaded England whether had he not a fair Bridg to come over to this Isle It would be likewise considered if the Earl of Strathern though a mean Subject these two hundred years having been debarred all Title to the Crown and now by the favour of King Charls being restored in bloud and served Heir to his great Progenitours and indirectly as by appendices to the Crown if either out of displeasure and want of means to maintain his Estate he or his should sell or dispose their Right and Title of the Kingdom of Scotland to some mighty Prince such as was perhaps lately the King of Sweden who wanted nothing but a Title to invade a Kingdom not knowing whether to discharge his victorious Forces It would be considered if that Title disposed to such a Prince were sufficient to make him King of Scotland or if establishing his Right upon fair conditions such as is Liberty of conscience absolution and freedom from all Taxes Subsidies the People of Scotland might give him their Oath of Allegiance or if he might redact the King of Scotland to give him satisfaction or composition for his Right to the Crown of Scotland It was to be considered the times turning away the mindes of Subjects from their Prince by changes as hath befallen that inconstant Nation to these present times how dangerous was it besides to his own person And for the Earl the Examples following may inform for first Lewis King of France having under stood that a Nobleman of Artois called Canacare had vaunted to be lineally descended as in truth he was from Clodioule Chevelu and so by that succession was Heir to the Crown caused him extirpate and all his Race Henry 4. King of England after the deposure of King Richard the second kept Edmund Mortimer Earl of March who had a just Title to the Crown under such Guard as he could never attempt any thing till to his Death But Henry the seventh King of England took away Edward Plantaginet Duke of Warwick Heir to George Duke of Clarence in jealousie of his succession to his Uncle Edward the fourth Margaret Plantaginet his sole Daughter married to Richard Pole by Henry the eighth restored to the Earldom of Salisbury was attainted three score and two years after her Father had suffered and was beheaded in the Tower in whose Person died the Sirname of Plantaginet Ann Plantaginet Daughter to Edward the fourth being married unto Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey and Duke of Norfolk was the ground and chief cause that King Henry the eighth cut off the Head of Henry Earl of Surrey though he pretended that the cause of his Arreignment was for bearing certain Arms of the House of York which onely belonged to the King Mary Queen of England put to death the Lady Jane Grey and the Lord Guilford her Husband for their Title to the Crown and by the same reason was the destruction of Mary Queen of Scotland by Queen Elizabeth The like reason also made King James of Great Brittain imprison the Lady Arabella and her Husband she being with childe but by Imprisonment and flight she miscarried and died and then he was released The Duke of Guise deducing his Genealogy from Charls le grand in the Reign of the French King Henry the third was suspected to aspire to that Crown and suffered at last for that presumption And to return to Scotland it is evident in their History that for th●se two hundred years last past the Race of Euphane Ross in her children David Earl of Strathern and Walter Earl of Athol have been kept under and for good reason of State ought to be so still unless the policy of a Prince w●uld the rather raise them up to a considerable susp●●ion thereby to deserve a greater Destruction This discourse of Strathern is inserted f●r particular satisfaction of some English that have doub●ed of his Desc●nt And now the S●ots begin to invest themselves with the supreme Ensigns of Sov●reignty and Marks of Majesty by erecting of four Tables of Council for ordering the Aff●irs of tha● Kindgom a new way of Judicature of their own composing in contempt of the King and his Council erected much like those of the detestable pretended holy League in France entring into Covenant against all Opposers the King himself not excepted They erected many Tables in Edinburgh four were principal consisting of the Nobility Gentry Bu●ro●ghs and Ministers many subordinate Tables of
the French and other strangers assistance the Iesuit in particular had combinations with the Covenanters not in love to them but in policy to ruine the right Reformed Religion by setting up the Presbytery and so all Schism to succeed and a Plot was pretended to bring it about The Narrative of this Design was sooner sent abroad than by Master Pryn or the other after him and needs not the credulity of Sir William Boswel 's Relation as to the thing but whether the Indictor devised this Narration and himself onely the Plotter as usual with politick Pretenders is much suspected yet it is confessed to be framed square enough to publick fame to be believed for truth and thus it was for I have met with some different Copies commonly transcribed which yet need not for they were scattered in Manuscript from the very Authours A Noble-man of Boheme Andreas ab Habern-field now become Physician to the Lady Elizabeth the Palsgrave relict made it known by a Friend to Sir William Boswel and by his means sent to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury Most Illustrious and Reverend Lord We have willingly and cordially perceived that our Offers have been acceptable both to his Royal Majesty and likewise to your Grace This is the onely Index to us that the Blessing of God goeth along with you whereby we are the more extimulated chearfully and freely to declare and discover those things whereby the hazzard of both your lives the subversion of the Realms both of England and Scotland the tumbling down of his Excellent Majesty from his Throne is projected Now lest the discourse should be enlarged with superfluous cicumstances we will onely premise some things which are meerly necessary to the matter First be it known to them that this good man the Informer of the ensuing discoveries was born and bred in the pontifical Religion and spent many years in Ecclesiastical Functions At length being judged a fit person for carrying on the present designe by the advice and command of the Lord Cardinal Barbarino he was made co-adjutor to Con the then Popes Nuncio to whom he appeared so diligent and sedulous in his office that hope of great preferment was given to him But he guided by a better inspiration was not wun by those sugar baits and conscious to himself of the vanities of that Religion whereof he had sometimes been a strenuous Defender having also observed the malice of rhe Romish party found his Conscience much oppressed for ease whereof he resorted in his belief to the Orthodox Religion And thought it his best way to reveal a plot tending to the destruction of so many Innocent souls conceiving his minde would better repose should he vent what he knew into the bosom of some confiding Friend This done he was seriously admonished by that Friend to give manifest tokens of his Conversion and to deliver from imminent danger so many innocent souls To this counsel he willingly consigned himself and delivered the subsequent matters to Writing whereby the Articles lately presented to your Grace may be clearly explicated and demonstrated 1 That the main of the businesse may be known it is to be considered that all these Factions which this day make Christianity reel have their rise from the Iesuitical off-spring of Cham which branch it self into four Orders The first are Ecclesiasticks these take into care the promotions of Religious affairs The second are Polititians their office is to take care for the raising of civil combustions in and refoming of Kingdoms The Third are Seculars who are properly designed for to intrude into offices of near relation to the persons of Princes to insinuate themselves into Civil affairs of the Court as Bargains and Sales The Fourth are men of a lower Orb Intelligencers and spies then to creep into the services of eminent persons Princes Earls Barons or the like and endevour to pervert or cheat them A Society of so many Orders the Kingdom of England nourisheth For scarce all Spain France and Italy can yield so great a multitude of Iesuites as London alone Where are found more then fifty Scotch Iesuites there the said Society hath elected for it self a seat of iniquity and hath conspired against the King and his greatest confidents especially against the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and likewise against both Kingdoms For it is most certain that the said Society hath resolved upon an Universal Reformation in the Kingdoms of England and Scotland And the determination of the end necessarily inferreth a determination of the means For promotion therefore of the undertaken villanny this Society is dubbed with the title of The Congregregation for the propagation of the Faith with acknowledgeth the Pope of Rome for their principal and Cardinal Barbarino for his Substitute and Deputy The chief patron of this Society is the popes Legate who hath special care of the business into his bosom this rabble of Traytours weekly deposite their Intelligences The Residence of this Legation was obtained at London in the name of the pope by whose mediation it might be lawful for Cardinal Barbarino to work so much the more easily and safely upon the King and Kingdom For none could so easily circumvent the King as he who should be palliated with the popes Authority Seignior CON was at that time the Popes Legate the Universal Minister of that conjured Society and a vehement promoter of the plot whose secrets as likewise those of all other intelligencers the present Informer of all these things did receive and dispatch as the business required CON tampered with the chief men of the Kingdom and left nothing unattempted by which he might corrupt them all and incline them to the Romish party he enticed with many various baits the very King himself he sought to delude with gifts of pictures Antiquities Idols and such like trumperies brought from Rome which yet prevailed nothing with the King Thus familiarly entertained by the King oft at Hampton-Court and at London he was intreated to undertake the Cause of the prince Palatine that he would interpose his authority and by Intercession perswade the Legate of Colen that the Palatine in the next Diet for the Treating about peace might be inserted into the conditions which hee promised but performed the contrary He intimated indeed that hee had been solicited by the King to such an effect but did not advise such consent lest peradventure the Spaniard should say that the Pope of Rome did patronize an heretical Prince In the interim CON smelling from the Arch Bishop the Kings most Confident that the Kings minde was altogether pendulous and doubtful resolved to move every stone and bend all his strength to gain him to his side being confident hee had prepared the meanes For he had a command to make offer of a Cardinals Cap to the Lord Arch-Bishop in the name of the Pope of Rome and that he should allure him also with higher promises that he might corrupt his sincere minde Yet
height as the Crown-customes increased five times greater in fine not onely to subsist of our self but to contribute to the English Exchequer and to make some retribution of those vast expenses from hence for four hundred years past The main assistance to this War came from the Gentry of England all Knights and Gentlemen holding Lands in capite of the King were to send Horse and Men answerable to their abilities so that the Aids completed the royal Army where of the Earl of Northumberland was appointed General and the Earl of Strafford his Lieutenant General but in truth Northumber land fell extreme sick and therefore not to disorder the form of the other Officers the King took the Command upon himself Generalissimo for I never read of a Royal Army and the King present but himself was chief the Earl of Northumberland his General and the Earl of Strafford Lieutenant General and having seen the Queens safe delivery of a Son born the twentieth of Iuly and christened Henry after created Duke of Glocester He hastens his Rendezvouz and the twentieth of August takes leave of London Two days after he declares the Scots to be Rebells by Proclamation That by all ways of mildness and clemency he hath endeavoured to appease the rebellious courses of his Subjects of Scotland who upon pretences of Religion have sought to shake off his Regal Government and now do take up Arms and invade his Kingdom of England and therefore his Majesty doth now declare that all those who have already entered or shall presume to enter in war like manner in any part of England and their Adherents and Assistants shall be adjudged and are hereby denounced Rebels and Traitours against his Majesty nevertheless if they will yet acknowledg their former crimes and crave pardon and yield obedience for the time to come he tenders them his gracious pardon they retiring home and demeaning themselves as loyal Subjects for the future August 22. 1640. And a Prayer is published for the Kings Majesty in his Expedition against the Rebells of Scotland to be said in all Churches c. viz. O Eternal God and mercifull Father by whom alone Kings reign thou Lord of Hosts and Giver of all Victory we humbly beseech thee both now and ever to guide and preserve our most gracious Sovereign Lord King Charls to bless him in his Person with health and safety in his Counsels with wisdom and prudence and in all his Actions with honour and good success especially against those his traiterous Subjects who having cast off all obedience to their Anointed Sovereign do 〈…〉 His Army was marched before hastening to meet the Scots who were entered England already for being come to North-alerton in the way to New-castle he was met by the Lord Conway with the ill News of a Defeat at Newburn upon Tine the Day before which was thus The Lord Conway Commander there in chief advising to secure the most considerable Passes had upon August 27 drawn out 1200. Horse and 3000. Foot placing the Infantry under shadow of a Breast-work to gall the Scots in their● Pass over the River Tine near Newburn but their General Lesly over night had planted nine Pieces of Ordnance on his side of the River and blinded them with Bushes from sight of the English and in the morning craves leave of the Lord Conway to pass with his Petition to his Majesty he was admitted to pass with a considerable number but not with his Army but Lesly must not divide his Forces and so fords over 300. Horse which were by those behinde the Breast-work enforced to retire and Lesly to acquit them plaid his Cannon from the Blinde so furiou●ly as drove them from their Poast and like raw Souldiers cast down their Arms and fled Then their Cavalry re-advanced upon Mr. Wilmot Commissary General of the Horse accompanied with prime Gentlemen and stood to the Charge of Horse and Cannon also which so galled them and over powred by number as they retired in disorder 300. slain and imprisoned and Conway fain to retreat with this ill News to the King and because New-castle was not tenable against the Scots Army Sir Iacob Ashley the Governour was forced to desert it and two days after they possessed Durham And now comes the Earl of Strafford who brought up the Rear of the Army retreating to York whom the King staid and where there was time afforded to examine and conclude this Miscarriage upon Conway notwithstanding his best art of flourish and stout animosity to vindicate his either Cowardice or Treachery or both for so he was accused During this time the English Garison at Barwick issued out and recovered some Pieces of Cannon which had been left by Lesly at Dunse as over-usefull for his Train which gave Allarm to the Earl of Hadington commanding in Lo●thian and the Merse with two thousand Horse and 〈◊〉 to pursue and rescue the Cannon and carried them to D●nglass but the next day Hadington and twenty more ●nights and Gentlemen in an instant were all slain by an accident of ●ire which blew up the Magazine of Va●lt that lay in a 〈◊〉 on the other side of the Court twelve score from his Lodging not slain therein very frolick and merry but were come out into the midst of the Court and there killed by the Stones that flew from the Vault which made it the more miraculous but whether by Accident or Design was never known But during these military actions the Scots gaining ground upon the English and now ●eated where they would be in warm Quarters with New-castle Coal good Fires Meat Drink and Lodging of the best and all these in great plenty They now take time to petition the King int●tuling it The humble Petition of the Lords of the last Parliament and others his Majesties loyal Subjects of Scotland Complaining in general of their sufferings for relief whereof they are constrained to come without prejudice to the peace of England or any the Subjects therein untill they are pressed with strength of Arms to oppose their Passage at Newburn and now present themselves to his Majesties goodness for satisfaction of their full demands and repair of their wrongs and losses with the advice of the Parliament of England to be convented To all the King answers by his Secretary of Scotland the Earl of Limrick that the King expects their particular Demands having already summoned the Peers of England to meet at York September 24. and commands them to advance no farther York September 5. LIMRICK Three days after comes their Demands directed to the Earl of Limrick in terms humble enough but very peremptory as to the Points Right Honourable As nothing on earth is more desired of us than his Majesties favour so we shall desire nothing herein but what may suit to his Majesties honour and peace of his Dominions The Particulars we should have expressed in our Petition but that they
peace he gave order to his Officers to fight us and so to be engaged in bloud the better for his wicked Designs against both Kingdoms And although his Majesty with consent of his Peers were inclined to a Peace as before he onely in that honourable Assembly raged against us as Traitours and Enemies to Monarchical Government to be sent home nay he himself would undertake to whip us home in our own bloud That after the Cessation of Arms he during the Treaty drew up his Army near the Tees and gave his Warrants to the several Governours of Barwick and Carlile for their Acts of Hostility and he the Man that continueth several parts of England in terms of difference sundry Scots imprisoned still no free Trade nor other face of affairs there as before the Cessation And therefore desire their Lordships that this great Incendiary not onely against private persons but even against Kingdoms and Nations may come to his Trial and endure condign justice and punishment And for this their good service the Scots had favour from the House of Commons to have an hundred thousand pounds voted for the Expence of their Army who besides plundered the Counties round about their Quarters And not to separate him from his confident Sir George Ratcliff who was brought out of Ireland and this Impeachment charged against him The Impeachment of Sir George Ratcliff First that he had conspired and joined with the Earl of Strafford to bring into Ireland an Arbitrary Government and to subvert Fundamental Laws Secondly to bring in an Army from Ireland to subdue the Subjects of England Thirdly that he joyned with the Earl to use Regal power and to deprive Subjects of their liberties and properties Fourthly to take out fourty thousand pounds out of the Exchequer in Ireland and bought Tobacco therewith and converted the same profit to their own uses Fifthly that he hath traiterously confederated with the Earl to countenance Papists and built Monasteries to alienate the affections of the Irish Subjects from the subjection of England Sixthly to draw the Subjects of Scotland from the King Seventhly that to preserve himself and the said Earl he had laboured to subvert the Liberties and Privilege of Parliaments in Ireland The Parliament taking things in turn having turned out of the House of Lords and safely lodged two Delinquents the most active and powerfull the one from the State the other from the Church the next in course must concern the Law the most eminent Malignant as they conceived was the Lord Keeper Finch who took it for his wiser way to prevent the effects of what was in preparing against him the Commons charge of High Treason In reference to it he caressed them with an Oration such as it is in vindication of himself in such particulars as he knew most in force and because it contained more than bare words we may examine the merit thereof which was all that he had time to say for himself Mr Speaker I give you thanks for granting me admittance to your presence I come not to preserve my self and Fortunes but to preserve your good opinion of me for I profess I had rather beg my Bread from door to door with Date obolum Bellisario with your favour than be never so high and honoured with your displeasure I came not hither to justifie my words actions or opinions but to open my self freely and then to leave my self to the House What disadvantage it is for a man to speak in his own cause you well know I had rather another would doe it but since this house is not taken with words but with truth which I am best able to deliver I presume to do it my self I come not with a set speech but with my heart to open my self freely and then to leave it to the house but do desire if any word fall from me that shall be misconstrued I may have leave to explain my self For my Religion I hope no man doubts it I being religiously educated under Catterton in Emmanuel Colledge thirty years I have been in Grays Inn thirteen years a Bencher and a diligent hearer of Dr. Sibs who if he were living would testifie that I had my chiefest encouragement from him And though I met with many oppositions from many in that house ill affected in Religion yet I was alwaies supported by him Five years I have been of the Kings Council but no Actor Avisor or Inventor of any project Two places I have been preferred unto Chief Iustice and Lord Keeper not by any sute or merit of my own but by his Majesties free gift In the discharge of these places my hands have never touched my eyes have never been blinded with any reward I never biassed for friend-ship nor diverted for hatred for all ●●at know me know that I was not of a vindicative nature I do not know for what particulars or by what means you are drawn into an ill oppinion of me since I had the honour to sit in that place you sit in Mr. Speaker In which I served you with fidelity and Candor Many witnesses are of the good Offices I did you and resumed expressions of thankfulness from this house for it for the last day I had share in it no man expressed more Symbols of sorrow then I. After three daies Adjournment the King desired me it might be adjourned for some few daies more whether was it then in his Majestie much less in me to dissolve the House But the King sent for me to White hall and gave me a Message to the House and commanded me when I had delivered the Message that I should forthwith come to him and if a question was offered to be put he charged me upon my Allegeance I should put none I do not speak this as a thing I do now merit but it is known to divers men and to some Gentlemen in this House All that I say is but to beseech you all consider what you would have done in this strait betwixt the King my Master and this honourable House The Shipping business lieth heavy upon me I am far from justifying that my opinion if it be contrary to the Iudgment of this House I submit I never knew of it at the first or ever advised any other I was made Chief Justice four daies before the Writ went out for the Port I was sworn sixteen daies after Chief Justice and those writs issued forth without my privity The King Commanded the then Chief Justice the now Chief Baron and my self to look on the Presidents and to certifie him our opinions what we thought of it That if the whole Kingdome were in danger it was reasonable and fit to lay upon the whole Kingdome and not upon the Port only and commanded the th●n Chief Justice and my self and the now Chief Baron to return him our opinions Our opinions were and we thought it agreeable to Law and reason that if the whole were in danger the
Earl craved not to Answer an unexpected addition without time assigned yet the Lords prevailed and put him to a present reply 1. That he had withdrawn four and twenty thousand pounds and more from the Exchequer in Ireland and converted to his own use 2. That in the beginning of his Government the Garrisons of Ireland had been maintained by the English Treasury 3. That he had advanced popish and infamous persons as the Bishop of Waterford and others to the prime Room in the Church of Ireland Answer 1. That England was indebted to Ireland so much which he took up upon his own credit and paid it in again producing the Kings Authority and Letter for the same 2. That the Garrisons had been formerly burdensom to England which he so found and had so improved the Kings Revenues there that they were not burdensom at all 3. That he never preferred any but whom he conceived consciencious and honest not being able to prophesie of mens future conditions And for the Bishop of Waterford he hath satisfied the Law The next Day March 24. the particular Articles were inforced to each he answered in order The further Impeachment of Thomas Earl of Strafford by the Commons assembled in Parliament The first Article was not insisted upon 2. That shortly after the obtaining of a Commission dated the 21. of March in the 8. Year of his now Majesties Reign to wit the last Day of August then next following he the said Earl to bring his Majesties Liege-people into a dislike of his Majesty and of his Government and to terrifie the Iustices of the Peace from executing the Laws he the said Earl being then President of the Kings Council in the Northern parts of England and a Iustice of Peace did publickly at the Assizes held for the County of York in the City of York in and upon the said last Day of August declare and publish before the People there attending for the administration of Iustice according to the Law and in the presence of the Iustices sitting that some of the Justices were all for Law but they should finde that the Kings little finger should be heavier than the loyns of the Law Testified by Sir David Fowls and others The Earls Reply That Sir David Fowls was his profest Enemy that his words were clearly inverted that his expression was That the little finger of the Law if not moderated by the Kings gracious clemency was heavier than the Kings loyns That these were his words he verified First by the occasion of them they being spoken to some whom the Kings favour had then enlarged from Imprisonment at York as a Motive to their Thankfulness to his Majesty Secondly by Sir William Pennyman a Member of the House who was then present and heard the words Which Sir William declaring to be true the House of Commons required Iustice of the Lords against him because he had voted the Articles as a Member of the House whereupon Sir William wept 3. That the Realm of Ireland having been time out of minde annexed to the Imperial Crown of this his Majesties Realm of England and governed by the same Laws the said Earl being Lord Deputy of that Realm to bring his Majesties Liege-people of that Kingdom likewise into dislike of his Majesties Government and intending the subversion of the Fundamental Laws and settled Government of that Realm and the distraction of his Majesties Liege-people there did upon the 30. Day of September in the 9. Year of his now Majesties Reign in the City of Dublin the chief City of that Kingdom where his Majesties Privy Council and Courts of Iustice do ordinarily reside and whither the Nobility and Gentry of that Realm do usually resort for Iustice in a publick Speech before divers of the Nobility and Gentry and before the Maior Aldermen and Recorder and many Citizens of Dublin and other his Majesties Liege-people declare and publish that Ireland was a conquered Nation and that the King might do with them what he pleased and speaking of the Charters of the former Kings of England made to that City he further said that their Charters were nothing worth and did binde the King no further than he pleased Testified by the Earl of Cork and two other Lords The Earls Reply That if he had been over-liberal of his tongue for want of discretion yet could not his words amount to Treason unless they had been revealed within fourteen days as he was informed As to the Charge he said True it is he said Ireland was a conquered Nation which no man can deny and that the King is the Law-giver in matters not determined by Acts of Parliament he conceived all loyal Subjects would grant 4. That Richard Earl of Cork having sued out Process in course of Law for recovery of his Possessions from which he was put by colour of an Order made by the said Earl of Strafford and the Council-table of the said Realm of Ireland The said Earl of Strafford upon a Paper-petition without legal proceedings did the twentieth Day of February in the eleventh Year of his now Majesties Reign threaten the said Earl of Cork being then a Peer of the said Realm to imprison him unless he would surcease his Suit and said that he would have neither Law nor Lawyers dispute or question any of his Orders And the twentieth of March in the said eleventh Tear the said Earl of Strafford speaking of an Order of the said Council-table of that Realm made in the time of King James which concerned a Lease which the said Earl of Cork claimed in certain Rectories or Tithes which the said Earl of Cork alleged to be of no force said that he would make the said Earl and all Ireland know so long as he had the Government there any Act of State there made or to be made should be as binding to the Subjects of that Kingdom as an Act of Parliament And did question the said Earl of Cork in the Castle-chamber upon pretence of Breach of the said Order of Council-table and did sundry other times and upon sundry other occasions by his words and speeches arrogate to himself a Power above the Fundamental Laws and established Government of that Kingdom and scorned the said Laws and established Government The Earls Reply It were hard measure for a man to lose his Honour and his Life for an hasty word or because he is no wiser than God hath made him As for the words he confessed them to be true and thought he said no more than what became him considering how much his Masters Honour was concerned in him that if a proportionable obedience was not as well due to Acts of State as to Acts of Parliament in vain did Councils sit And that he had done no more than what former Deputies had done and than what was agreeable to his Instructions for the Council-table which he produced And that if those words were Treason they should have been revealed within
proclamations viz. one dated the one and twentieth day of May in the eleventh of his Majesties reign and the other dated the one and thirtieth day of January in the same year thereby prescribing and enjoyning the working of Flax into Yarn and Thread and the ordering of the same in such wayes wherein the Natives of that Kingdome were unpractised and unskilful which proclamations so issued were by his Commands and Warrants to his Majesties Iustices of peace and other Officers and by other rigorous means put in execution and the Flax wrought or ordered in other manner than as the said proclamation prescribed was seized and employed to the use of him and his agents and thereby the said Earl endeavoured to gain and did gain in effect the sole sale of that native commodity The Earls Reply That he did endeavour to advance the Manufacture of Linnen rather than of Woollen because the last would be the greater detriment to England That the Primate of Ireland the Arch-bishop of Dublin Chancellour Loftus and the Lord Mount Norris all or the Council and Subscribers of the Proclamation were as liable to the Charge as himself That the reducing of that Nation by Orders of the Council-board to the English Customes from their more savage usages as drawing Ho●ses by their tails c. had been of former practise that the Project was of so ill avail to him as he was the worse for the Manufacture thirty thousand pounds at least by the Loom he had set up at his own charge The Fourteenth Article was not urged 15. That the said Earl of Strafford traiterously and wickedly devised and contrived by force of Armes in a warlike manner to subdue the Subjects of the said Realm of Ireland to bring them under his tyrannical power and will and in pursuance of his wicked and trayterous purposes aforesaid the said Earl of Strafford in the eighth year of his Majesties reign did by his own authority without any warrant or colour of Law tax and impose great sums of money upon the Townes of Baltemore Bandenbridge Talowe and divers other Townes and places in the said Realm of Ireland and did cause the same to be levied upon the Inhabitants of those Towns by Troops of Souldiers with force and arms in a warlike manner And on the ninth day of March in the twelfth year of his now Majesties reign trayterously did give authority unto Robert Savill a Serjeant at armes and to the Captains of the companies of Souldiers in several parts of that Realm to send such numbers of Souldiers to lie on the Lands and Houses of such as would not conform to his orders until they should render obedience to his said orders and warrants and after such submission and not before the said Souldiers to return to their Garrisons And did also issue the like warrants unto divers others which warrants were in warlike manner with force and Arms put in execution accordingly and by such warlike means did force divers of his Majesties Subjects of that Realm to submit themselves to his unlawful commands And in the said twelfth year of his Majesties reign the said Earl of Strafford did trayterously cause certain troops of horse and foot armed in warlike manner and in warlike array with force and armes to expel Richard Butler from the possession of Castle-cumber in the Territory of Idough in the said realm of Ireland and did likewise and in like warlike manner expel divers of his Majesties Subjects from their houses families and possessions as namely Edward Brenman Owen Oberman Patrick Oberman Sir Cyprian Horsfield and divers others to the number of about a hundred families and took and imprisoned them and their wives and carried them prisoners to Dublin and there detained them until they did yield up surrender or release their respective estates and rights And the said Earl in like warlike manner hath during his Government of the said Kingdom of Ireland subdued divers others of his Majesties Subjects ●ase to his will and thereby and by the means aforesaid hath levied war within the said Realm against his Majesty and his liege people of that Kingdom Testified by Serjeant Savil. The Earls Reply That nothing hath been more ordinary in Ireland than for the Governours to put all manner of Sentences in execution by the help of Souldiers that Grandison Falkland Chichester and other Deputies frequently did it Sir Arthur Teningham to this point deposed that in Falkland 's time he knew twenty Souldiers assessed upon one man for refusing to pay sixteen shillings That his Instructions for executing his Commission were the same with those formerly given to the Lord Falkland and that in both there is express warrant for it That no Testimony produced against him doth evidently prove he gave any Warrant to that effect and that Serjeant Savil shewed onely the Copy of a Warrant not the Original it self which he conceived could not make Faith in Case of Life and Death in that high Court especially it being not averred upon Oath to agree with the Original which should be upon Record That he conceived he was for an Irish Custome to be tried by the Peers of that Kingdom 16. That the said Earl of Strafford the two and twentieth of February in the seventh year of his now Majesties reign intending to oppress the said Subjects of Ireland did make a proposition and obtained from his Majesty an allowance that no complaint of injustice or oppression done in Ireland should be received in England against any unless it first appeared that the party made first his address to him the said Earl and the said Earl having by such usurped tyrannical and exorbitant power expressed in the former Articles destroyed the Peers and other Subjects of that Kingdom of Ireland in their lives consciences land liberties and estates the said Earl to the intent the better to maintain and strengthen his power and to bring the people into a disaffection of his Majesty as aforesaid did use his Majesties name in the execution of his said power And to prevent the Subjects of that Realm of all means of complaints to his Majesty and of redress against him and his agents did issue a Proclamation bearing date the seventeenth day of September in the eleventh year of his Majesties Reign thereby commanding all the Nobility undertakers and others who held estates and offices in the said Kingdom except such as were imployed in his Majesties service or attending in England by his special command to make their personal residence in the said Kingdom of Ireland and not to depart thence without licence of himself And the said Earl hath since issued other Proclamations to the same purpose by means whereof the subjects of the said Realm are restrained from seeking relief against the oppressions of the said Earl without his license which Proclamation the said Earl hath by several rigorous waies as by fine imprisonment and otherwise put in execution on his Majesties subjects as namely one Parry and
others who came over only to complain of the exorbitances and oppressions of the said Earl Testified by the Earl of Desmond the Lord Roch Marcattee and Parry The Earls Reply That the Deputy Falkland had set out the same Proclamation That the same Restra●nt was contained in the Statute of 25 of Henry 6. upon which the Proclamation was founded That he had the Kings express Warrant for the Proclamation That he had also power to do it by the Commission granted him and that the Lords of the Council and three Justices not onely yielded but pressed him unto it That it was done upon just cause for had the Ports been open divers would have taken liberty to go to Spain to Doway Rhemes or Saint Omers which might have prooved of mischievous consequence to the State That the Earl of D' Esmond stood at the time of his Restraint charged with Treason before the Council of Ireland for practising against the Life of one Sir Valentine Coke That the Lord Roch was then a Prisoner for Debt in the Castle of Dublin and therefore incapable of a Licence That Par ry was not sined for coming over without Licence but for several Contempts against the Council-board in Ireland and that in his Sentence he had but onely a casting Voice as the Lord Keeper in the Star chamber The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Articles were not insisted upon 19. That the said Earl having taxed and levyed the said impositions and raised the said Monopolies and committed the said oppressions in his Majesties name and as by his Majesties Royal command he the said Earl in May the fifteenth year of his Majesties reign did of his own authority contrive and frame a new and unusual oath by the purport whereof among many other things the party taking the said oath was to swear that he should not protest against any of his Majesties Royal commands but submit themselves in all obedience thereunto Which oath he so contrived to enforce the same on the subjects of the S●o●ish Nation inhabiting in Ireland and out of a hatred to the said Nation and to put them to a discontent with his Majesty and his Government there and compelled divers of his Majesties said subjects there to take the said oath some he grievously fined and imprisoned and others he destroyed and exiled and namely the 10. of October Ann. Dom. 1639. he fined Henry Steward and his wife who refused to take the said oath five thousand pounds a peece and their two daughters and James Gray three thousand pounds a peece and imprisoned them for not paying the said fines The said Henry Stewards wife and daughters and James Gray being the Kings liege people of the Scotish Nation and divers others he used in the like manner and the said Earl upon that occasion did declare that the said oath did not only oblige them in point of allegiance to his Majesty and acknowledgement of his supremacy only but to the Ceremonies and Government of the Church established or to be established by his Majesties royal Authority and said that the refusers to obey he would prosecute to the bloud The Earls Reply That the Oath was not violently enjoyned by him upon the Irish Scots but framed in compliance with their own express Petition which Petition is owned in the Proclamation as the main Impulsive to it That the same Oath not long after was prescribed by the Council of England That he had a Letter under his Majesties own hand ordering it to be prescribed as a Touch-stone of their Fidelity As to the greatness of the Fine imposed upon Steward and others he conceived it was not more than the heinousness of their offence deserved yet had they petitioned and submitted the next day that would wholly have been remitted 20. That the said Earl in the fifteenth and sixteenth Years of his Majesties Reign and divers Years past laboured and endeavoured to beget in his Majestie an ill opinion of his Subjects namely those of the Scotish Nation and divers and sundry times and especially since the Pacification made by his Majestie with his said Subjects of Scotland in Summer in the fifteenth Year of his Majesties Reign he the said Earl did labour and endeavour to perswade incite and provoke his Majesty to an Offensive War against his said Subjects of the Scotish Nation and the said Earl by his counsel actions and endeavours hath been and is a chief Incendiary of the War and Discord between his Majesty and his Subjects of England and the said Subjects of Scotland and hath declared and advised his Majesty that the Demand made by the Scots in this Parliament were a sufficient cause of War against them The said Earl having formerly expressed the height and rancour of his minde towards his Subjects of the Scotish Nation viz. the tenth Day of October in the fifteenth Year of his Majesties Reign he said that the Nation of the Scots were Rebells and Traitours and he being then about to come to England he then further said that if it pleased his Master meaning his Majesty to send him back again he would root out of the said Kingdom meaning the Kingdom of Ireland the Scotish Nation both Root and Branch Some Lords and others who had taken the said Oath in the precedent Article onely excepted And the said Earl hath caused divers of the said Ships and Goods of the Scots to be staied seized and molested to the intent to set on the said War The Earls Reply That he called all the Scotish Nation Traitours and Rebells no one proof is produced and though he is hasty in speech yet was he never so defective of reason as to speak so like a mad man for he knew well his Majesty was a Native of that Kingdom and was confident many of that Nation were of as heroick spirits and as faithfull and loyal Subjects as any the King had As to the other words of rooting out the Scots both Root and Branch he conceives a short Reply may serve they being proved by a single ●estimony onely which can make no sufficient faith in case of Life Again the Witness was very much mistaken if not worse for he deposeth that these words were spoken the tenth day of October in Ireland whereas he was able to evidence he was at that time in England and had been so near a Moneth before The one and twentieth and two and twentieth Art●cles were not urged 23. That upon the thirteenth Day of April last the Parliament of England met and the Commons House then being the Representative Body of all the Commons in the Kingdom did according to the trust reposed in them enter into Debate and Consideration of the great Grievances of this Kingdom both in respect of Religion and the publick Libertie of the Kingdom and his Majestie referring chiefly to the said Earl of Strafford and the Arch-bishop of Canterbury the ordering and disposing of all matters concerning the Parliament he the said Earl of
do not through me wound the interest of the Common-wealth And howsoever these Gentlemen say they speak for the Common-wealth yet in this particular I indeed speak for it and shew the inconveniencies and mischiefs which will fall upon it For as it is said in the Statute 1. of Henry 4. No man will know what to doe or say for fear of such penalties Doe not put my Lords such difficulties upon Ministers of State that men of wisedome of Honour of Fortune may not with cheerfulness and safety be imployed for the publique if you weigh and measure them by graines and scruples the publique affaires of the Kingdome will lie waste no man will meddle with them who has any thing to lose My Lords I have troubled you longer than I should have done were it not for the interest of these dear pledges a Saint in heaven hath left me At this he stopt a while offering up some tears to her ashes what I forfeit my self is nothing but that my indiscretion should extend to my posterity it woundeth me to the very soul. You will pardon my infirmity something I should have added but am not able therefore let it pass And now my Lords for my self I have been by the blessing of almighty God taught that the afflictions of this present life are not to be compared to the eternal weight of Glory which shall be revealed hereafter And so my Lords even so with all tranquillity of mind I freely submit my self to your judgment and whether that judgment be of life or death Te Deum laudamus When he had done two of the Members Mr. Glyn and Mr. Pym endeavouring to render him as odious as it is usually observed from Declamatours satisfying the Ear of the Auditours but not their judicial Censure for the point came to be this the Commons are to justifie their Charge by Law upon the matters of Fact as yet not appearing under the Letter of any Statute of Treason As for that of the 25 of Edward 3. it came short but yet it is supplied with this Proviso annexed that because all particular Treasons could not be then defined therefore what the Parliament should declare to be Treason ●n time to come should be punished as Treason within which compass they intend to bring him and that by Bill of Attainder The Earl put upon a point of Law desires Council which by no means the Commons would assent unto and notwithstanding all the reason in the world it was canvased three Days and at last concluded that his Council should plead such matters as they should be restrained unto Saturday the seventeenth of April the Earl appears with his Council Master Lane the Prince's Attourney Master Gardner Recorder of London Master Loe and Master Lightfoot Lane argued that the said Statute of 25 Edward 3. was a Declarative Law and so not to be interpreted as of consequence equity or construction but by the express Letter onely that it was a penal Law and so not to admit of any Constructions or Inferences for the true nature of penalties enforce the keeping of known Laws not of conjectural and dubious And for the Salvo he affirmed that in the sixth of Henry 4. the Nobility petitioned the Parliament to limit all Treasons by Statute in which Parliament Chapter 10. an Act passed thereupon that the Salvo should be holden repealed in all times to come nothing to be esteemed Treason but what was literally contained in the Statute of 25. Edward the third nor could the rest of the Council speak more then what had been said by Mr. Lane being so sufficient for matters of Law unless their Lordships would state any other questions to which they were ready to answer upon which the Court adjourned without prefixing any time of meeting The Commons meant it not to meet any more the Earl had satisfied all curious observations of his defence and the Commons knew it well enough but they resolved to attaint him by Bill which was debated by the Commons the nineteenth day and the Earl voted by them guilty of high Treason meerly upon the evidence of Secretary Vane and his notes but upon reading the Bill engrossed in their house the one and twentieth day It was hardly canvassed by the Poll the dissenters being fifty nine and my Lord Digby the most eminent that urged for him and yet it passed That afternoone with all expedition it was brought to the Lords and the four and twentieth day they were put in minde to fix a day for reading of it to which they returned answer that on Munday and Tuesday after they would not fail being not over harty to do it then for it was debated by the Lords to be a business of very high concernments and so perplext as necessarily required a conference with the Common who put it upon Mr. St. Iohn the Kings Solicitor to satisfie them and to justifie the Bill by Law upon Thursday the nine and twentieth and to offer reasons enforcing them to this way of proceeding against the Earl who was ordered to be there present And the Commons to shadow the violence of this proceeding with the Earl they bethought themselves of some publique affair and so petition the King 1. For removing of all Papists from Court. 2. For disarming of them generally throughout the Kingdome 3. For disbanding the Irish Army To which they had Answer the eight and twentieth 1. They all knew what legal trust the Crown hath in that particular therefore he shall not need to say any thing to assure them that he shall use it so as there shall be no just cause of scandal 2. He is content it shall be done by Law 3. And for the last he had entered into consultation about it finding many difficulties therein and he doth so wish the disbanding of all Armies as he did conjure them speedily and heartily to joyn with him in disbanding those two here Scots and English I am now come to the point to consider of the Differences between two Writers our Historian and his Observatour concerning the Death of the Earl of Strafford and reflecting upon the late Arch-bishop of Armagh Primate of all Ireland whilest he was living and so pursued since his Death I being intrusted by him when time and occasion should happen to offer in publick what I had in charge under his own hand-writing and others also not to quarrel it any further but to rectifie mis-understandings if it may be done without malice on any side and so I shall handle it as a Moderatour We begin from the Bill of Attainder which was read in presence of the Earl at the Bar. Whereas the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons in this present Parliament assembled have in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England impeached Thomas Earl of Strafford of High-treason for endeavouring to subvert the ancient and fundamental Laws and Government of his Majesties Realms
of England and Ireland and to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Goverment against Law in the said Kingdoms and for exercising a tyrannous and exorbitant Power over and against the Laws of the said Kingdoms over the Liberties Estates and Laws of his Majesties Subjects and likewise for having by his own Authority commanded the laying and assessing of Souldiers upon his Majesties Subjects in Ireland against their consent to compell them to obey his unlawfull Commands and Orders made upon Paper-petitions in Causes between party and party which accordingly was executed upon divers of his Majesties Subjects in a warlike manner within the said Realm of Ireland and in so doing did levy War against the Kings Majesty and his Liege-people in that Kingdom And also for that he upon the unhappy Dissolution of the last Parliament did slander the House of Commons to his Majesty and did counsel and advise his Majesty that he was loose and absolved from Rules of Government and that he had an Army in Ireland which he might imploy to reduce this Kingdome for which he deserves to undergo the paines and Forfeitures of high Treason And the said Earl hath been also an Incendiary of the wars between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland all which offences have been sufficiently proved against the said Earl upon his Impeachment Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty and by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by ●●thority of the same that the said Earl of Strafford for the hainous crimes and offences aforesaid stand and be adjudged and attainted of high Treason and shall suffer such pain of death and incur the Forfeitures of his Goods and Cattels Lands Tenements and hereditaments of any estate of freehold or Inheritance in the said Kingdomes of England and Ireland which the said Earl or any other to his use or in trust for him have or had the day of the first sitting of this present Parliament or at any time since Provided that no Iudge or Iudges Iustice or Iustices whatsoever shall adjudge or interpret any Act or thing to be Treason nor hear or determine any Treason nor in any other manner than he or they should or ought to have done before the making of this Act and as if this Act had never been had or made Serving alwaies unto all and singular persons and bodies politique and corporal their Heirs and successors other than the said Earl and his Heirs and such as claim by from or under him all such right title and Interests of in and to all and singular such of the said Lands Tenements and Hereditaments as he they or any of them had before the first day of this present Parliament any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding Provided that the passing of this present Act and his Majesties assent thereunto shall not be any determination of this present sessions of Parliament and all Bills and matters whatsoever depending in Parliament and not fully enacted and determined And all Statutes and Acts of Parliament which have their continuance until the end of this present session of Parliament shall remain continue and be in force as if this Act had not been This Bill of Attainder being read opened and affirmed by sundry Presidents and Acts of Parliament might no doubt remove the misty cloud of the Peers understanding And therefore the next day the heat of that house appeared towards his destruction contrary to the Kings conscience whose Judgement was that he deserved relief And to that end the first of May he called both Houses together and to them he opened himself for the Earls defence thus My Lords and Gentlemen I had no intention to have spoken to you of this business to day which is the great business of the Earl of Strafford because I would do nothing which might hinder your occasions But now it comes to pass that I must of necessity have past in the judgment I think it most nec●ssary to declare my conscience therein I am sure you know I have been present at the hearing of this great cause from one end to the other and I must tell you that in my conscience I cannot condemn him of high Treason It is not fit for me to argue this business I am sure you will not expect it a positive Doctrine best becomes the mouth of a Prince yet must I tell you three truths which I am sure no man can tell so well as myself First That I had never any intention of bringing over the Irish Army into England nor ever was advised by any body so to do Secondly That there was never any debate before me either in publique Councel or private Committee of the disloyalty of my English subjects nor ever had I any suspicion of them Thirdly That I was never counselled by any to alter the least of any of the Laws of England much less to alter all the Laws Nay I tell you this I think no body durst ever be so impudent as to move me to it For if they had I should have made them such an example and put such a mark upon them that all posterity should know my intentions by it they being ever to govern by the Law and no otherwise I desire rightly to be understood for though I tell you in my conscience I cannot condemn him of high Treason yet cannot I clear him of misdemeanours therefore I hope you may find out a way to satisfie justice and your own fears and not oppress my conscience My Lords I hope you know what a tender conscience is and I must declare unto you that to satisfie my people I would do great matters but in this of conscience neither fear nor any other respect whatsoever shall ever make me goe against it Certainly I have not deserved so ill of this Parliament at this time that they should press me in this tender point therefore I cannot suspect you will go about it Nay I must confess for mis-demeanours I am so clear in them that though I will not chalk out the way yet I will shew you that I think my Lord of Strafford is not fit hereafter to serve me or the Common-wealth in any place of trust no not so much as a Constable Therefore I leave it to you my Lords to find out some such way as to bring me out of this straight and keep your selves and the Kingdome from such inconveniences So then in effect he tells them of his presence at the hearing of that great cause from one end to the other and that positively in his conscience he cannot condemn him of High Treason but could not clear him of misdemeanours and he hoped that they might finde out a way to satisfie Justice and their own fears and not to oppress the Kings conscience which neither fear nor any other respect whatsoever should make him go against it and leaves them the way to bring him out of this straight This
service nor any Man to March upon such pretence the three and twentieth of October and Copies sent abroad to all the Counti●s And the same night the Lord Blaney arrived with the newes of the surprisal of his House his wife and children by the Rebels of Mon●ghan This Rebellion began first in the North in the Province of Ulster so that every day and hour ill newes came posting like Iobs Messengers of fearful Massacres upon the English which increased a fear of some Massacre in Dublin by the Papists there The Council began to consider of their own forces to defend and were assured that the Mony was in the Exchequer the Kings revenues and English Rents for that halfe year lodged in Tenents hands a fit prey for the Rebels which they seized some Artillery Arms for 10000. men 1500. barrels of powder with Match and lead laid in by the last Earl of Strafford By which L●st of his it appeared that the old standing Army in Ireland consisted only of 41. Companies of foot and 14. Troopes of Horse The foot Officers 246. and of Souldiers 2051. Inall 2297. The Horse Officers 42. and Horsemen 901. In all 943. These so dispersed as not without difficulty to march yet the Councel sent their Patents to several Garisons to march to Dublin And Letters dispatched to the King in Scotland and to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland not got out of London of the Rebellion and ill State of the Kingdome depending on Gods assistance the fidelity of the old English Pale and aid out of England that they intended to prorogue the Parliament and adjourn the Term. And that their present Army now subsisting contain but 2000. foot and 1000. Horse the five and twentieth of October 1641. with a poscript for recompense to Conally for his disc●very as may stand with the Mark of his Majesties bounty for that service who had a present peece of money and a certain annuity during his life very considerable who carried these Letters to the Lord Lieutenant Those to the King were sent to Secretary Vane in Scotland and convayed by sea by Sir Henry Spotswood Other Letters were sent to the Earl of Ormond at Carick to repair with his forces to Dublin and commissions were sent to the Lords Viscounts of Clandeboys and Ardes and to others for the raising of the Scots in the Northern parts into Arms with power to destroy the Enemy or to receive them to Mercy but all these dispatches were sent by sea the whole Land passages stopt by ●he Rebels The Lords of the English pale repair to the Council offering their faith and service It is a large Circuit of Land possessed by the English from the first Conquest being the Counti●s of Dublin M●th L●wth Kildare Yet some of these Lords Popish ●umbly offered their sense of the wars in the late Proclamation as to be misinterpreted viz. the Conspiracy of evil affected I●●sh Papists as to reflect upon their persons which were afterwards explained to please them and so Proclaimed And now the Rebels up in all places they in Ulster had by the latter end of October possessed themselves of all the great part of the Province of Ulster except the Cities of London derry Colraingue and the Town a●d Castle of E●cikillen the chief Rebels were Sir Philip Oneale 〈◊〉 Oneale his brother Rowry Mac Guire brother to the Lord Mac Guire Philip O Rely Mulmere O Rely Sir Conno Mac Gennes Call Mac Ruian Mac Mahon these with others the chief of every Sept had as at one instant surprized the Castles and places of the most considerable strengths and the English being lovingly intermixed with the Irish for a long time made the Conspiracy more easily to be effected Besides such of the English as had gotten into some places of strength able to indure a siege yet upon good quarter rendered themselves were sure to be butchered and murthered in cold blood men women and children And to keep of the Assistance of the Scots they openly professed and really did spare them the more easily afterwards to be swallowed up at a bit These were the first fruits of the Rebellion in all the Northern parts acted by Phelim O Neale the chief of that Sept and the onely remain of cruel alliance to the late Earl of Tirone He was of very mean parts with courage or conduct His education in England a Student of Lincolns Inn and a Protestant till of late lived lasily of a mean estate untill now that the Natives set him up for their General and with such Numerous a rabble that he marched down towards Lisnagarvy neer the Scots and fell upon them now without mercy and with other forces came up into the Pale and took in Dondalk about the beginning of November then they marcht to the County of Lowth and incamped at Ardee a small Town within seven miles of Tredagh antiently called Drohedagh which they Besieged afterwards The Newes from Dublin being instantly posted to the Town of Tredagh was there encountred with the like mischievous tidings from the North the treacherous surprisal of the Castles Blainey Carrick Charlemont Monahan with others came thick and three fold one upon another and a rumour that Dublin was already taken confirmed by numbers stripped and wounded that fled hither The first succour was the Lord Viscount Moor being then at Mellifont ten miles off who by the sad newes of his Sister the Lady Blan●y and her children imprisoned made speed to save himself with some part of his Troop not more than sixty hither at Midnight joyned in Counsel with the Major suddainly to prevent the mischief by many vipers in their own Bowels but of all the Muster not above fourty to be found gave great suspition the rest were not found Instantly were drawn out many old peeces scowred and planted at several Gates fower more were heaved out of a Merchants Ship in the Harbour and some powder the Lord Moor posts to Dublin offers to make up his own Troop and to raise one hundred foot with amunition which was speedily brought thither with him with a Commission to Captain Sea foule Gibson to command these Men and instantly to take the watch who was the 〈◊〉 and last worthy of Record for his faithful service watching 〈◊〉 own per●erson for ten nights together and continuing the war became Colonel of a Regiment By this time the Rebels had taken Dundalk and Dromiskin and pillaged all the Protestants within five miles The Papist Townsmen were discovered by their smiling countenance All promised relief failing Sir Faithful Fortescue being Governour posted to Dublin where finding no hope of Assistance he quitted his charge not willing to loose himself and his honour to boote in an impossible undertaking After a solemn fast some forces sallied out upon the thickest of the Rebells who fled and left much plundred goods and Cowes to comfort the Towns-people two hundred Rebels and eighty brought in Prisoners
horse of the Lord Ormonds Troop made their way through without loss of a man A great loss to us and a greater gain to the Rebells of Ammunition and monies and now it appeared plain who were the Enemies in the Pale heretofore Neuters The Governour of Drogheda upon our Scouts intelligence issued out with 600. foot and two Troopes of horse but came too late and now it became certain that whilst the Commissioners were in the Treaty at the Town they themselves were of this Plot. Not long after the Enemy took another advantage The Master of a Chester Bark corrupted by some Popish Merchants abroad he run her on ground at the Skerms in faire weather ri●●ing the English Passengers of store of money and fraughted with powder and Ammunition designed for Dublin At the which Landing of the English the Lord Netherfield as in favour to them sent them to Dublin assuring them that he would take Tredagh the next morning which was believed at Dublin before the Account and evermore in these surprisals the Enemy would boast of the special hand of Gods providence in their successes and likelyhood to deliver the Kingdom unto Catholiques The Lords and Gentlemen of the Pale being secretly the first contrivers of the Rebellion and had now drawn the Rebells down from the North into the Pale and that presently after the defeat of the English at Gelianston bridge the Lord Germanston a secret conspiratour summons the County at Dulick and after to the Hill of Crofty to the number of 1000. persons to whom came divers of the chief Leaders of the Northern Rebells where they are associated to live and die in their quarrel And a week after the like summons was to all the Lords and Gentry of the County of Meath to meet at the Hill of Taragh where multitudes assembled And now by reason the Northern Rebells had setled their Camp within the River of Boyne besieging Tredagh between that and the City of Dublin and all entercourse of the Pale interrupted the passages stopt so that the State were ignorant of what passed there They therefore called a grand Council of the Lords within distance of Dublin and so Letters were posted to them in effect That the State had present occasion to confer with them concerning the present estate of the Kingdom and the safety thereof And pray and require to his Lordship to be at Dublin the eight day of this Moneth at which time others of the Peers will be here From his Majesties Castle of Dublin the third of December 1641. To our very good Lord Georg Earl of Kildare Your very loving friends William Parsons John Bucla●r c. And the same day to other several persons who near about that time had made the publick Combination with the Ulster Rebells And there they frame their General answer thus in effect May it please your Lordship We have heretofore presented our selves and freely offered our advice and furtherance which was by you neglected c. Having received advertisement that Sir Charls Coot had uttered at the Council-board some speeches tending to execute upon these of our Religion a general Massacre by which wee are deterred to wait on your Lordships not having security for the safety of our lives but rather to stand upon our Guard till we shall be secured from perills Nevertheless we all protest to continue faithfull advisers and furtherers of his Majesties service concerning the present state of this Kingdome and the safety thereof Your Lordships humble servants Fingale Germaston Slame Dunsany Netervile Oliver Lowth Trimbleston Dec. 7. 1641. To this Letter the State gives answer by Proclamation with all satisfaction to the Lords to remove all misunderstandings and clear Sir Charls Coot from any such pretended speeches or any intention thereto and pray the Lords to attend the Board on the seventeenth day after But not prevailing Netervile and others of the Pale gather forces and quarter at Swores within six miles of Dublin and there encamped To whom the State send thei● warrant Immediately upon sight hereof to disband and separate and that Netervile and six other principal persons amongst them do appear to morrow morning at ten a Clock before the Council upon their utmost perills   Ormond Ossery c. Dec. 9. 1641. To which they answer That for the safety of their lives they were constrained to meet and resolve so to continue till they might be assured of their lives Hereupon by publique Proclamation the Earl of Ormond Lieutenant General of the Army hath warrant to suppress them and to bring up such shipping and vessels to the new Crane at Dublin and to destroy the rest the fourteenth of December The Rebels now declare Germanston general of their forces in the Pale Hugh Birne Lieutenant General and the Earl of Fingale General of their Horse and several Commissions to raise forces and in a very seemly order and proportion frame an Army with all manner of provisions accordingly The sad condition of Ireland was very often recommended to the King and Parliament of England with a proposition 10000. Scots to be sent over from Scotland with Letters met the King at his return from thence to London And Commissioners out of Scotland arrived at London to treat with the Parliament therein they make offer of 10000. men provided to receive forth an advance of 30000. l. of brotherly assistance to be afforded them by the Kingdom of England to have shipping for their transport and upon Landing in Ireland to have 100 horse joyn with each 1000 foot but to receive order and to obey their Scotish General which was condescended unto and great hopes of the effe●ts specially that the Parliament was so very often urged thereto by his Majesties several speeches as that of the fourteenth of December 1641. More he could not say or offer to do in person therein But ah alas all was delaied and nothing performed for the Parliament was more busied to quarrel their priviledges with the King and the house of Commons utterly refused to send any English Forces which the Lords proposed to be 1000. Foot so that Dublin began to be nearly distressed All the provinces of Munster likewise in rebellion The State therefore again send over Letters into England That the Rebells were formidable 20000 in a Body besides several other Brigadoes in divers Counties and complain that of the 20000. l. lately sent to them they received but 16000. But in fine the last of December arrives Sir Simon Harcourt with his Regiment out of England Tredagh was now beset on all sides by Sea and Land all ways of entercourse to Dublin stopped divers designs were devised for conveyance of intelligence thither And now upon this grand confedaracy of Meath and Lowth they style themselves the Catholique Army The Town increased their Fortifications Breast works before each Gate Platforms in convenient places where the walls were defective centinels put to their stands Ordnances mounted abundance
the Kings Answers unsatisfactory And that the Kingdom be put into a posture of Defence in such a way as is agreed upon by Parliament and a Committee to prepare a publick Declaration from these two Heads 1. The just causes of the Fears and Iealousies given to the Parliament and to clear them from any Iealousies conceived against them 2. To consider of all matters arising from his Majesties Message and what is fit to be done A man would wonder upon what grounds they should arm by Sea and Land specially so hastily resolved as the next day March 2. Advertisements they say of extraordinary preparations by the neighbouring Princes both by Land and Sea the intentions whereof are so represented as to raise a just apprehension of sudden Danger to the King and his Kingdoms unless the wisdom of Parliament prevent it And therefore the Earl of Northumberland Admiral of England is commanded with all speed to order the Rigging of the Kings Ships and fit them immediately for the Sea And to frighten us into fear all Masters and Owners of Ships are perswaded to do the like for the emergent occasions of publick Defence In order to these the Beacons were new made up Sea-marks set up such riding posting with Pacquets whispering and Tales telling as put the people in fear of they knew not what wise men onely told the Truth discovering the Enemy wholly at home I have been as brief as may be in the business of this year and yet to satisfie the curious I cannot omit all the occasions of this miserable Eruption which follows presuming yet that this Declaration designed may be spared the recording for certainly no new matter can be invented and what hither to hath been the cause the Reader has leave to judg But not to amuse your imaginations it self must satisfie the Declaration was born to Roiston by the Earls of Pembroke and Holland He who read it to the King this Lord being raised and created to become his most secret Counsellour the most intimate in affection the first of his Bed-chamber his constant companion in all his sports and recreations even in that place and to this hour At the sight of him the Kings countenance me thought mixed into compassion and disdain as who should as Caesar did Et tu mi fili But on he went to this effect March 9. The manifold Attempts to provoke your Majesties late Armie and the Scots Armie and to raise a Faction in London and other parts the Actours having their dependence countenance and encouragement from the Court witness Jermin's Treason who was transported beyond Sea by your Majesties Warrant and that dangerous Petition delivered to Captain Leg by your Majesties own Hand with a Direction signed C. R. The false and scandalous Accusation against the Lord Kimbolton and the five Members Plotting and designing a Guard about your person labouring to infuse into the people an ill opinion of the Parliament as if to raise Arms for a Civil War in which Combustion Ireland would be lost That the Lord Digby was sent to Sir John Pennington to be landed beyond Sea to vent his traiterous conceptions for the King to retire to some place of strength offering to correspond by cyphers with the Queen as if to procure some forreign Forces to assist your Majestie answerable to your remove with the Prince as in a readiness for the acting of it Manifold Advertisements which they have from Rome Venice Paris and other parts expecting the effects of the Kings Design to alter Religion and ruine the Parliament That the Popes Nuntio hath solicited the Kings of France and Spain to lend his Majesty four thousand Men a plece to help to maintain his Royalty against the Parliament And this foreign Force the most pernicious and malignant Design of all the rest so they hope it is from his thoughts Because no man will easily believe you will give up your People and Kingdom to be spoiled by strangers if you did not likewise intend to change both your own profession in Religion and the publick profession of the Kingdom that so you might be more assured of these foreign States of the Popish Religion for the future support and defence They ●eseech his Majesty to consider how fair a way he hath to happiness honour greatness plenty security if he would but joyn with his Parliament and people in defence of the Religion and Kingdom This is all they expect from him and for which they shall return their Lives Fortunes and utmost Endeavours to support him and Sovereignty And for the present have but onely this to desire To turn away his wicked Counsellours and put his trust in Parliament At the reading of that part which mentioned Master Iermin's transportation by his Majesties Warrant the King interrupted him and said That 's false And at the business of Captain Leg he told him 'T is a Lie And at the end of all he said He was confident the Parliament had worse information than he had Councils What have I denied you The Militia said Holland That 's no Bill The other replied It was necessary Which I have not denied but in the manner His Lordship would perswade the King to come near the Parliament Have you given me cause said the King This Declaration is not the way to it and in all Aristotle's Rhetoricks there is no such Argument of perswasion Pembroke that he might say something said it over again The Parliament prays him to come to them The King told him Words were not sufficient What would you have Sir said he The King replied To whip a Boy in Westminster School that could not tell that by my Answer Then the Lord asked him to grant the Militia for a time Not an hour this was never asked of any King with which I will not trust my Wife and Children But his Majesties Answer to all was this That to their Fears and Iealousies he would take time to satisfie all the World hoping that God would in his good time discover the secrets and bottoms of all Plots and Treasons to set him upright with his people For his Fears and Doubts are not trivial while so many scandalous Pamphlets seditious Sermons sundry Tumults publick are uninquired into and unpunished He must confess his Fears calling God to witness they are the greater for the Religion for his people and for their Laws than for his own Rights or safetie of himself and yet he tells them none of these are free from Danger What would you have said he Have I violated your Laws Have I denied any one Bill What have ye done for me Have my people been transported with Fears and Apprehensions I have I offer a free pardon as your selves can devise There is a Iudgment from Heaven upon this Nation if these Distractions continue God so deal with me and mine as all my thoughts and intentions are right for the maintenance of the true Protestant profession the observation and preservation of
of answering these they ran quite away leaving the Field with five hundred Muskets fourteen Barrels of Pouder a whole Stand of Pikes with some Arms but their Cannon they got off This Fight lasted form two a clock afternoon till one the next morning These aforesaid we finde slain with eight Officers and some Gentlemen of note Mr. Leak Son to the Lord Daincourt found dead at day-light with his Enemies Colours about his arm Mr. Barker Lieutenant Colonel Wall Serjeant Major Lower Captain Iames Captain Chalwell and Mr. Bostard But then it is said that Waller's Foot were absolutely dispersed or cut off with great loss of Officers Horse and Foot modestly reported onely it is assured the Cavaliers kept the Field Arms and Pillage and such other signs of Victory And this was done the fifth of Iuly Whilest Waller fights their General Essex solicites the Parliament with Letters inclining to petition for a Peace which though it took well with some Lords yet being read to the Commons Mr. Vassal a London Burgess desired that their General should be pressed to speak more plainly and that if after the expence of two Millions of Treasure he had a minde to lay down Arms he should let them know it that as good a Souldier as he should take them up meaning Sir Will. Waller who was generally cried up by the City untill they heard of his Defeat near the Devises Round-way-down whither the King having sent some Troops of Horse towards the West which came within three Miles of the Devises were met with by Waller's Forces being on the Down between the Cavaliers and the Town to hinder their joyning with the rest of the Army Some Regiments of Horse on each side began the fight with equal success till Waller's Horse made ● Retreat to their Strength which lay on a Hill where he was and drew out his Foot and commanded the Onset but his Horse not enduring the hazzard left the Foot to their Enemies Sword or mercifull Quarter hundreds of them slain and more Prisoners taken four fair Brass Guns Ammunition and Baggage eight and twenty Colours and nine Corners I wonder at this Defeat for Sir William Waller had advantage of number in Men and Arms five Regiments of Foot six of Horse five hundred Dragoons eight Brass Guns It is confest that the Cavaliers were but fifteen hundred Horse additional to the other Forces with two small Pieces of Cannon And to adorn the Victory the Queen made her triumphant Entry into Oxford that day her Return from beyond Seas And on the other side to encourage Sir William Waller at this time when their Generalissimo was suspected the Parliament voted to make and confirm Leases of the Office of Botelier of England a Place of good profit and credit both The twelfth of August the Earl of Lindsey Great Chamberlain of England was welcomed to Oxford from his Restraint and Imprisonment since Edg-hill Fight being now received by the Queen Council and Court with all Expressions of Honour to him and more could not be done for the present in respect of the Kings absence at Glo●ester Siege The five and 20. of August the Earls of Bedford and Holland went from London towards Oxford and being gotten to Wallingford intrusted themselves with the Kings Forces untill their coming to submit to his Majesty in the mean time they are received by the Governour Colonel Blagge with honourable respect and so at last they were brought to the King professing their Duty and Allegeance and acknowledging their Errours this long time whom the King received with favour and forgiveness They held not out in this their Protestation but fled back again to the Parliament The Committees of Nottingham and Lincoln held intelligence with some Prisoners of theirs in the Marshals ●ustody at Newark whom they designed to blow up or to surprize the Magazine there whilest they had some favour and freedom of the Goaler their Letter conveyed to the Imprisoned discovers as much as will be necessary to know the men more than the matter Gentlemen and Prisoners for the Lord Jesus our long laboured Design is now ripe Your care is expected according to your faith and promise We doubt not but the opportunity of the Liberty afforded you may advance the good Cause The Magazine is near enough to you Give notice to our Br●thren under the Provost Marshall Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall finde so doing Matth. 24. 46. The appointed time holdeth which we hope to our hands Lift up your heads for your Redemption draweth nigh Luke 21. 28. Where●ore comfort one another with these words 2. Thess. 4. 18. The rest will we set in order when we come 1 Cor. 11. 24. Greet all the Brethren 1 Thess. 5. 26. The Lord establish the Work of our hands upon us Work of our hands establish he it Psal. 90. is the Prayer of Yours in the Lord The Committee of Nottingham and Lincoln Scripture is often made use of by the Sectaries to factious and seditious ends and here to the hazzard of Murder the easiest terms I can afford them The Lecturers were the most busie meddling men even so as ever have been the Ki●kmen of Scotland and therefore Mr. Saltmarsh a seditious Minister contrived certain Propositions of Counsel which were read in the House amongst many were these 1. That all means should be used to keep the King and his People from sudden union 2. To cherish the War under the Notion of Popery as the surest means to engage the People 3. If the King would not grant their Demands then to root him out and the royal Line and collate the Crown upon some body else This last was too harsh to be swallowed by reasonable good men who excepted against it but Mr. Henry Martin said He saw no reason to condemn Mr. Saltmarsh adding That it were better one Family should be destroyed than many To which Mr. Nevil Pool replied That Mr. Martin might explain what One Family he meant Martin bold and beastly answers The King and his Children For which Speech before the time was ripe to discover that Secret he was voted a Prisoner to the Tower Mr. Pym himself urging upon him his extreme lewdness of life but this punishment was but to cool the heat of the House for that time for Martin was soon released upon the change of the Lieutenant of the Tower forthwith following The Recruits of the Army fell heavy upon the City of London who were caressed with all kindness to finish the Work and to set out Sir William Waller again and to win upon them Sir Edward Coniers was commanded to surrender his Lieutenancy of the Tower unto Pennington the Mayor of London and so Mistris Mayoress was quit with Mistris Ven that she should be Governess of Windsor Prison as she called it and thereby command over Souldiers which was a power she now might equal with hers
their affairs and was resolved to be relieved the recruit of the Parliaments Army was too slow for the service the London trained bands must do the deed and shop-windows must be shut up and trading suspended the expedition cried up out of every Pulpit and an Army was raised in an instant and upon their March Against whom Prince Rupert is sent from the siege at Glocester to retard their speed untill the King might rise and be gon which was upon the fifth of September and the Rear guard had fired their huts The Earl of Essex came to the brow of the Hills seven miles from the City and gave his warning piece but the Town had no minde to hinder the King being glad of his departing when all his indeavours were now prepared ready for a storm the besieged in want their Amunition consumed to three Barrels of powder but the Towns loss of men were not many not one hundred say they and two or three Officers Captain Harcus and his Ensign the King lost many more and especialy his precious time to no purpose had he waved Glocester and Marched to London directly whilst the Parliament had no Army in the Field London full of discontent and disorder and their actions of Council unresolved The Kings Northern Army under the Earl of Newcastle there also prevailing but it was his fate to be overtaken with this idle siege Sir Nicholas Crisp One of the Farmers of the Kings Customs of England had a high command also both in the Army by Land and afterwards in the Navy by Sea He being Colonel of a Regiment of Horse and his first service took the charge of Convoy of the train of Artillery sent from Oxford to the siege of Glocester and brought it in safety to the Kings Camp and there very much esteemed He was quartered in Rouslidge near Glocester at a Knights house where finding Sir Iames Enyon and other Gentlemen of no Command in the Army and had taken up so much of the house as was Incommode to the Colonel yet he continued then there with much civility Not long it was that the Guests had some horses missing out of the Pastures and so charged upon default the Colonels Souldiers and indeed very ruffly demanding the accompt from the Colonel himself who promised indeavours to finde them out bu● refused to draw out his Regiment for that purpose onely to satisfie Sir Iames who urged it for his friend himself no otherwise concerned But being a person of eminency and of a Spirit answerable impatient of any delay or orderly proceedings departs and sends a Gentleman with this summon to Sir Nicholas Crisp to meet him with his sword in a field near the Quarters and with this express addition That if he did refuse upon any pretence he would pistoll him against the wall Upon which sharp and suddain summons of an hours warning the Colonel accompanied with a Gentleman findes Sir Iames at the place with him that brought the challenge and as it became a Christian desired to understand the true reason of the meeting professing that his Duty to the King in the charge he had there of present service might justifie his refusal to fight Yet he told him he was come to give him all satisfaction first as a Christian if he had done him Injury of which he professed ignorance Sir Iames shortly replied He came thither to receive no other satisfaction but by the sword which instantly he drew out and as soon so don by the other whose fortune was at an encounter to give a pass that pierced Sir Iames about the rim of the belly of which he was caried off to the same house in eminent danger But whilst he had life and memory the Colonel gave him a visit beseeching him to put by all passions and receive him infinitely afflicted at this misfortune unwillingly provoked to this mischief and so with Christian reconciliation they parted and he died two daies after Hereupon a legal trial was offered for any complainant to prosecute the matter And after some time on Munday the second of October a Council of war being set thereupon gave their opinion and sentence thus In the cause depending against Sir Nicholas Crisp Knight concerning the death of Sir James Enyon Knight slain by him in a Duel in September last The Court being informed that an Affixer was duly set up upon the Court house door according to their Order of the eight and tewentieth of September last and the affixer afterwards taken down and brought into the Court and Proclamation being made and no man appearing against him according to the Affixer yet upon examination of all the matter and difference between them and that the friends of the slain taking notice thereof The Court proceeded to sentence That although the Court doth condemn all manner of Duels and utterly disallow them yet in this particular case of Sir Nicholas Crisp in consideration of the great injury he received in his own Quarter and how much he was provoked and challenged the Court hath thought fit to acquit him from any punishment in this Court and doth leave and recommend him to his Majesties mercy for his gracious pardon the second of October 1643. Forth Lord Lieutenant general and President Dorset Bristol Northampton Andover Dunsmore Jacob Astley Arthur Aston William Brumchard John Byron Who all reported to the King the whole matter and brought him to kiss his hand and received a Pardon under the great feal of England and to confirm him in the Kings affection He had a Commission to be Admiral of a Fleet at Sea set out by himself and was undon for his Masters service The solemn League by Oath and Covenant being ordered to be sworn unto by all and divers consciencious persons excepting against the same and refusing were therefore committed and sequestred to their utter undoing Amongst many Doctor Featly that excellent and learned Divine and Minister at Lambeth had given by Letter to the Lord Arch-Bishop of Armagh Primate of all Ireland an accompt of his demeanour in this business of the Scotish Covenant and was therefore committed to the prison in the Lord Peters house in Aldersgate Street as many other noble houses turned into Jayles both his livings given away and his books bestowed upon White of Dorchester It was the Doctors reasons that raised all this stir He first excepted against these words We will indeavour the true reformed● Protestant Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Discipline worship and Government according to the word of God These words said the Doctor imply that the Worship Discipline and Government of the Church of Scotland is according to the word of God which said he is more than I dare subscribe unto much less confirm by an Oath for first I am not perswaded that any Plat form of Government in each particular circumstance is Jure Divino Secondly admit some were yet I doubt whether the Scots Presbytery be
Parliament at Edenburgh but Montrose and his friends do not appear The Covenanters out vote the Royal party by seventy voyces assuming all Soveraign power with the King and ordain to Levy a powerful Army against the King in ayd of the English Parliament And now again they deal with Montrose who to work the Kings interests the better he accepts and is caressed by Alexander Henderson the Covenanters Apostle to satisfie his conscience who to sift the secrets with Napier Ogleby and Keer meet neer Sterling To those Henderson discovers that it was resolved to send an Army in ayd of their brethren in England against the King that for his own part he was happy to be a Minister and Mediatour in so blessed a businesse entreating Montrose to speak his minde freely and to commit the affairs to him effectually to manage it with the Parliament for profit and honour to them all To which Montrose returns a hopeful answer In company of Henderson comes one Sir Iames Rolloch chief of an ancient Family and Kinsman to Montrose who assures him that Henderson had instructions from the Parliament to treat Montrose acquaints all his friends who though passionate for the King yet his loss being without recovery and themselves unable to act they would be lookers on But he and Ogleby post's to England and arrive at Oxford whilst the King was at the siege of Glocester to the Queen they communicate all but she over-affected to the interest and power of the Hamiltons neglects them who go to the King at Glocester and inform him that of necessity the strength of treasons ought to be broken ere it grew to big The King in distresse what to doe to struggle with the deep-rooted confidence he had of the Hamiltons the subtil devices of desperate Courtiers who daily buzzed in his ears too Montrose's prejudice in ballance with Hamiltons and so returns to his winter quarters at Oxford where the publique reports of Scotland fixed Montrose's discoveries to be true the Scots Army being raised 18000. foot and 2000. horse and upon the borders then Hamilton in Scotland posts his Letters of discovery to the King with this excuse that he and his friends had prevailed to prevent an invasion the last Summer but now winter is come and the Army marching The King shews these Letters to Montrose and commands his advice and counsel to recover him from the treachery of such ●o whom he had intrusted his greatest concernments It was with several daies counsel thus concluded That the King should send some Souldiers out of Ireland in●o the west of Scotland to order the Marquesse of Newcast●● the Kings General of his Northern Forces in England to assist Montrose with a party of Horse to enter the south of Scotland and so into the heart of that kingdom That the King of Denmark might be dealt with for some Troops of Germane Horse And Montrose to have some Army from beyond seas into Scotland All these the King would undertake to effect and gave assured trust in Montrose his valour faith and good fortune And instantly sends for the Earl of Antrim of Scotish extraction descended of the Noble and ancient Family of the Mac-donalds and lately matched in mariage to the Duke of Buckinghams Widow and being driven out of Ireland resided at the Court at England Antrim confirms this Counsel with assurance to Montrose that he would be in Arguile a part of Scotland bordering upon Ireland by the first of April 1644. and this was in December And Sir Io. Cockram is sent forthwith to the King of Denmark for Horse and Arms and post is sent to the Marquesse of Newcastle to prepare for Montrose's coming who is instantly Commissioned to be Governour of Scotland and General of the Kings Army there But presently comes Hamilton and his Brother the Earl of Lanerick post from Scotland and gives out by the way that they were banished their Countrey for Loyalty to the King and were forced to fly to him for succour With much adoe the King was advised to forbid them the Court Lanerick stayes in Oxford and suddainly gets to the Parliament at London and afterwards to the Scotish Army so soon as they entred England and ever since to do them service And thereupon Hamilton is sent prisoner to Pendennis Castle in Cornwal Montrose having intelligence of several Scots Counties suspected of disloyalty advised the King to invite the Scots in Court to a Protestation heartily to detest the courses of the Covenanters and condemned the coming in of the Army into England against the King and the Laws of the Land as an act of treason promising and vowing to acquit themselves of that scandal and to the utmost of their power and hazard of their lives and fortunes to oppose those that were guilty But as the most Scots took this Protestation so the Earl of Traquair and Mr. William Murray of the Bedchamber a while refusing for fear of the Covenanters yet afterwards engaged themselves by solemn oath to aid Montrose in Scotland by a day prefixt which Oath they basely broke Montrose hastens to the Marquesse Newcastle who discourses of nothing more then the necessity of his Army the Scots having spoiled his Recruits and were quartered within five miles of him that he could not spare a Horse but if hereafter he should winde himself from this present danger he would not be wanting in the best of his service to Montrose and so in much necessity he affords him 200. Horse with 2. brasse field pieces with Orders to all the Kings Forces to aid him in his journey to Scotland and was met by the Counties of Cumberland and Westmerland with 800. Foot and three Troops of Horse and he had got together some noble friends with 200. Horse more and enters Scotland the 13. of April 1644. where we leave him to that yeare It was this year that the French were famous for the Battle of Rocroy being besieged by Don Francisco de Melo with an Army so compleat as nothing additional could be devised But ere he sets down he creates the Duke of Alburquerque General of the Horse a young Portug●ese and God knowes a pittiful Souldier whom the Officers did not obey But when the French fell on they need not fight for the enemy began to rout and then to run and the other to follow their execution And this service was done by the fate without fighting of the Duke of Anguien now Prince of Conde He had the glory but General Gassion did the work and was the cause of the taking of Theouville But Melo was therefore turned out of command though of himself a gallant person but ill successe must be punished to please the Fates for the King of Spain was constrained thereby to call him home and to give the Government to Castel-rodrigo till the Arch Duke Leopold came himself thither But as the French won the day here so oftentimes they lose others these Two Monarches shuffling for the Goal
which was assessed in Money proportionable to the condition of the Family The Scots are come and great care taken at Westminster for pay of that Army the twentieth part over all the North they have power to assess for themselves and all Malignants Estates that they can seize within their reach Nay several Counties and Associations are assessed for them Against whom the Marquess of Newcastle marched Northwards and to attack him in Yorkshire follows Sir Thomas Fairfax who was guided by his Father as the Father is by the grand Committee at Westminster as the Committee is by the Scots This dependency being very necessary to assure them good Welcome for so says their Letter to the Lord Fairfax My Lord VVe have taken into consideration the opportunity offered for reducing of Yorkshire whilest the Marquess of Newcastle hath drawn his Forces towards the North to oppose the Scots and how necessary it is to hinder his further Levies that Sir Thomas your Son march into the VVest Riding with all his Horse with two Regiments of Foot out of Lancashire and that your self take the Field with what For●es you can and joyn with your Son for effecting these ends to hold a continual Intelligence with the Scots Army by drawing near Tees March 2. Northumberland Jo Maitland And here we see the great Earl of Northumberland invites the ancient Enemies of England into his own County and the Lord Fairfax into Yorkshire Cambridg University lay under the ordering of the Earl of Manchester Serjeant Major General of the Association where these Heads of Houses were turned out Dr. Beal Dr. Martin Dr. Stern in whose places were put in Masters of the Colleges Mr. Palmer Mr. Arrowsmith Mr. Vines as men more fit indeed such others as these were changed into the like I know not how more fit I am sure some of them are famous for false Latine Sir William Waller forward on his way to finde out the Lord Hopton who was drawn out of Winchester with sufficient Horse to oppose Sir William Balfore whom Waller had sent before to possess Alresford but came last for his Lordship was there first and forced Waller into small Villages in the morning Hopton drew down to Bramdean Heath and found Waller on a fair Hill and would not be forced thence till a long Dispute the Hill thus gained Colonel Lisle with his commanded Men kept it all night in this time of darkness Waller had mastered another Hill of greater advantage by the covert of Trees and Hedges which Colonel Appleford was to repossess and found it a hard Task to mount up against the powring shot of such as lined the Hedges not seen from whence it came Volleys well performed which yet were fain to give way to force which cost them dear enough for they paid a good price for it Here was a pretty breathing if Waller went off Hopton would follow to his undoing if they came on they would undo themselves but the Allarm was given by a mistaking Corporal of Hopton's who took his Enemies for Friends and so were engaged too far to seek throughout within their Ambuscadoes who now play their parts by this Advantage and put Hopton to a Retreat and neither parts had cause to cry Victoria for both sides were soundly beaten I intitle the Fight to the Lord Hopton but General Forth was there upon the other score he came in with the Lord Iohn Stuart sore wounded but I know not how concluded for dead yet Sir Arth●r Has●erig called it A safe Deliverance though at London it was cried up for a Victory on this side Sir William Balfore in his Letter to his General ●ssex numbers then to be eight Commanders killed by him the Lord Stuart indeed and Sir Iohn Smith died afterwards of their wounds two gallant Gentlemen so did Colonel Sandys and Colonel Manning and Colon●l Scot Colonel Appleyard and Captain Pierson Sir Edward Stowel and Sir Henry Bard these were hurt and deserve honourable mention But at London they mention three Lords killed Stuart is confessed but not the General who they make a double one for his two Titles Forth and Ruthen And so they are described to be Gebal Moab and Ammon and to be utterly vanquished by the Servant of God Sir VVilliam VValler And the Parliament had some of theirs slain Dalbier wounded and Colonel Thomson had his Leg shot off by a Cannon Bullet And this happened upon a Friday March 29. The Cavaliers in disorder drew their Cannon off towards VVinchester but wheeled off unseen to Basing House VValler marches to VVinchester which was rendered to him upon Summons and Hopton is now at Oxford But a solemn Thanksgiving was ordered in London for this Victory and some Members sent to the City to encourage them for Supplies The Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery told them That the City Auxiliaries had done their part and if they went but once more they would rid the Kingdoms of these Rogues the occasion of all our miseries And upon these preparations and success of the Parliament the King draws all his Forces to a Rendezvouz to oppose his Adversaries And as VValler had done such Encouragements heightened others to undertake Mountains Colonel Griffith commonly called Prince Griffith had the confidence to propose to the House of Commons That if he might have a Commission to command in chief of all North Wales next under General Essex and to have Delinquents Estates there by him to be discovered and the Income of such as he should conquer in North Wales not exceeding the Sum of fifteen thousand pounds he would engage his Life and Estate to raise such Forces as should reduce Wales to obedience Which was referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms And he set out in all magnificence with his Silver Trumpets and guarded Coats But at his first Encounter with some of Prince Rupert's Forces whom he sought out for a single Duel Prince Griffith was totally routed which occasioned a merry Lady to tell him He looked sadly ever since he lost his Silver Trumpets And so cashiered he became debaucht and abused the Lady Herbert for which he was imprisoned but her honour much concerned he was released and so having spent a reasonable Fortune he was necessitated to travel beyond Seas where at Paris he was killed in a Tavern the end of his impudency We may enter this Spring with the setting out of General Essex and his Army to be recruited to seven complete Regiments of Foot and six Regiments of Horse and a constant Pay of thirty thousand five hundred and four pounds a Moneth for four Moneths And the Parliaments Navy to be complete for this Summer with addition of twelve Merchants Ships in the places of nine others unserviceable and fifteen small Catches to be added to the Fleet. And a new way of Contribution was devised for getting Moneys towards the charge of arming the Auxiliary Forces now raising within the City of London That all Inhabitants
little darknesse upon nature but thou by thy mercies and passion hast broke through the jawes of death So Lord receive my soul and have mercie upon me and blesse this Kingdom with peace and plenty and with brotherly love and charity that there may not be this effusion of Christian blood amongst them for Iesus Christ his sake if it be thy will Then laying his head upon the Block and praying silently to himself he said aloud Lord receive my soul which was the signal to the Executioner who very dexterously did his Office at a blow This one Note I may not forget as a truth from an Honourable person then present upon the Scaffold that though the Chinks were stopped yet there remained a small hole from a knot in the midst of a Board and in which his finger of the right hand happened to fall into and to stop that also that his desire might be fulfilled lest his blood might descend on the peoples head his soul ascending to Heaven and leaving his body on the Scaffold to the care of men imbalming it with their tears His body was accompanied to the earth afterwards with great multitudes of people whom love had drawn together to perform that Office and decently Interred in the Church of Allhallows-Barking a Church of his own Patronage and jurisdiction according to the Rites and ●eremonies of the Church England He deserved that honour at his death being the greatest Champion of the Common Prayer Book whilst he lived Nor need Posterity take care to provide his Monument It being well observed by Sir Edward Deering He who threw the first stone at him that St Pauls Church will be his principal Monument and his own Book against the Iesuite his lasting Epitaph and so I leave him to that comfort which the Psalmist gives him The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance and shall not be affraid of any evil report Psal. 112. 6 7. Take this though for the present Thy brave attempt on Pauls in time to come Shall be a Monument beyond a Tombe Thy Book shall be thy Statua where we finde The Image of thy Nobler part thy Minde Thy Name shall be thy Epitaph and he Who hears or reads of That shall publish Thee The Kings Party had Garisoned a repaired Castle at the Devises and Colonel Devereux had a Garison at Roudon House between the Devises and Malmsburie being set upon and Besieged Colonel Stephens in Wiltshire newly made by the Parliament Governour of Beverston Castle was willing to give aide to the Besieged at Roudon and sets upon the Besiegers with three Troopes of his own and some Malmsburie Foot without staying for Devereux assistance broke through the Cavaliers and Relieves the House with Provision and Powder and alighting would needs eate and refresh himself with his friends giving time to the Cavaliers Party to Rally and cast up a Brestwork before the passage and so he with 1400. Horse and Foot cooped up all together and so the Besieged more straitned then before News gets to Glocester from whence comes sixty Horse well commanded and were to joyn with one hundred Horse and Dragoons from Malmsburie to break through the Cavaliers and these added to the four hundred and thirty within the House were conceived to force a Passage through the first Sconce But then comes Sir Iacob Ashlie with three thousand Massie raises the County about Strodewater doing what he could to face the Garison at Cirencester and to divert the danger of the Besiegers but nothing prevailed and so they were faine to Surrender upon bad quarter The Cavaliers grow strong on all sides and a stream of ill success rushes in upon their enemies upon Colonel Hopton having raised sixty Horse and fourty Foot Garisoned Castle-ditch near Lidburie in Herefordshire a Party from thence of three hundred Horse and Foot in twenty four houres took him Horse and Foot Prisoners to Hereford Sir Iohn Winter hath Guards set round about upon him to straiten his Garison his own House in the Forest of Deane but they break out through all those Guards and joyn with a Party of Foot from Cheystow which Landed at Lancaught intending to make good the Passe over Wye and so to issue out of Wales at pleasure To oppose them all the Guards drew together thither Sir Iohn violently charged the Forlorn of Foot who gave back to let in their Foot and so both Horse and Foot fell upon him some were slain Colonel Gamne and Vangerris Colonel Pore of Berkley Castle drowned but Sir Iohn and his escaped being the industrious enemy to all his Parliament neighbours These things happened the latter end of the year February about the time of surprizing Shrewsburie by the Parliament Prince Rupert falls back out of Shropshire and comes upon Herefordshire with all his Army the greatest in the Kingdom being a confluence of these Forces his own formerly Prince Maurice Colonel Gerard Lord Hastings Lord Ashlie and Sir Marmaduke Langdale and yet impresse more men in aboundance in all the neighbouring Counties with store of Arms necessity casting them in such waies of violence and coercive power prest-men of suspected fidelity and lesse value often deceiving them in Battle yet the King was forced to these waies for conducing to the sudden forming of an Army when the Kings affairs became desperate and so thrust in with the old Volunteers made up the bulk of a great Body when the Parliament had no such necessity to enforce rather a more cunning way to win upon that party the City of London being the undrained Magazine of Men and Money the common Asse that bare the burden and so ends this year A continuance of the brief Narrative of the Kings Affairs Military in Scotland under Conduct of the Marquesse of Montrose Montrose with considerable Forces enters Scotland 13. April 1644. comes to Dunfrize seises that Town expecting Antrims Irish but being there in some danger returns to Carlisle with his men for the Earl of Calander had raised a new Army in Scotland to second General Leslie in England and now besieging York Montrose having beaten a Garison out of Morpith pillaged the Castle and took a Fort at the mouth of Tine He plentifully sent Victuals to Newcastle which come from Almwick And is now sent for by Prince Rupert then in his way to raise the siege of Yorke but could not possible get to him till the retreat from that unfortunate Battle of Marston-moor and so returned back to Carlisle with a few but faithful gallant men He sends the Lord Oglebie and Sir William Rollock into the heart of Scotland in disguise who return with sad news that all Strengths in Scotland were possessed by the Covenanters The Earl of Traquair contrary to his Oaths and promises to the King was an Agent for the Covenanters Yet this man was more in the Kings Favour then any Scotish except the Hamiltons Montrose in these Difficulties sends Oglebey with his earnest
strength of Murray Rosse Sutherland Cathnes and the Sept of Frasers were ready to meet him with a desperate Army of five thousand Horse and Foot Montrose had onely fifteen hundred for those of Clanrenold and Athole men hoping no use of them got leave to go home with the Spoil of Arguile and to return when he had occasion this was his comfort he had Souldiers brought up to hardness the others new raised raw and rude Nay if Montrose could be made afraid Arguile with three thousand Foot was at an old Castle Innerlogh upon the bank of Logh-Aber Montrose meant to fight him first where he knew the Coward lodged and leaguer'd to see the Game plaid over by the Northern men But Montrose now thirty miles off seeks him out not the ordinary way but about through unknown by-paths monstrous to imagine and killing the Scouts came upon Arguile ere he was aware yet in a fright he was allarm'd it was Mid-night but Full Moon light as day by which they skirmished whilest Arguile was got in a Cock-boat ready to quit all The Morn was Candlemas day and by the Sound of Montrose's Trumpets a sign that he had Horse though unusual there the Arguile's Sirname began the Battel but the common Souldiers in the front after once Discharge began to run when with a Shout eagerly pursued the rest were routed and ran all 9. miles upon execution fifteen hundred slain the chief of that Name fell in Campo Belli in the Field of War I cannot say in the Bed of Honour in that Rebellion and such as could be saved he used courteously and sent them home They did not fight but fly so as of Montrose's men but three killed and many hurt amongst whom was Sir Thomas Oglebey Son to the Earl of Arley of which he died after He had done good Service in England under his Father in Law the Lord Ruthen Earl of Forth and Branford and this Victory ended this year but opened a way to Montrose for future Victories The Queens industry in France had laboured out a Design of some Assistance from the Duke of Lorain who was at leasure with a rambling Army and Money in his Purse to do somewhat for any body and with Reputation to himself he thought not amiss to treat with the Queen of England now in the French Court at Paris and he with his Forces about Colein Much trouble there was in earnest which way to pass to the Water-side whether through France or Holland then where to land in England Westward or Northward But the Cardinal Mazarine was too wise for either he went on in Richlieu's former Rode to increase not to amend the English miseries and so the King was abused in the help from Lorain though it held on in hope the next year The King had treated with Denmark whose natural affection to him by bonds of affinity intended his assistance but he became suddenly imbroiled in his home-affairs by the ambitious success of the Swedes in Germany and so in their conquering condition fell upon Denmark upon the credit of that great Astrologer Ticho Brahe who had foretold That the good King Christian should be driven out of his Kingdom and that this mutable fate should● fall upon him 1644. The Design of the Swede was sudden in a word to snap some Ships and Barques at Anchor in the Haven and so entered into the Isle of Fune and craftily rendered themselves Masters of all unawares without a blow The King of Denmark strucken with amazement at this Invasion instantly gives notice to the States General at the Hague but the cause he could not unless that of Ambition and Treachery in a Neighbour Nation but we may ghess the reason and it was thus The good King Christian for so he was esteemed always endeavoured by solicitation to mediate the Mischiefs of Germany and to interpose his Arbitration as yet Neuter both Enemies accept him Umpire and the place Munster and their Ambassadours to meet there and in the mean time the Emperour was induced to withdraw his Garison from Wolfenbotel rendering the Town to the Duke of Luneburgh the Swede grew jealous of their cause to intrust it with the Dane as more affectionate to the Empire and so minding to be afore-hand sends no Ambassadour but marches with his Army into his Territories and hires Ships and S●a-men in Holland General Torstenton for the Swedes advanceth into Holstein surprizes Kiel and with ease and speed seizes Iutland onely the Isle of Fune was made defensible the Approaches intrenched and Torstenton repulsed there The Dane on the sudden gets together a little Fleet which lay before Getenburgh prepares more Ships and Men and implores assistance from his Fri●ns on all sides complaining of this treacherous Invasion without cause given or pretended and that in time of peace and kindness from this King but on the sudden the Swedes had surrounded their Adversaries and another of their Generals Coninxmark takes the Arch-bishoprick of Bremen belonging to the King when he was Prince so that the good old man h●d but two Islands left him Zeland and Fune and at Sea the Swedes had hired Vessels from Holland under Martin Ties whom yet the Dane drove into a Neighbour Port. The King was as full of courage as age threescore and seven years old and now his own Admiral himself in the fights and bloud round about him whose example exhorted all and forced the Swedish Fleet with ●ull sail to fly to the Haven of Kiel then comes the King a shore and becomes his own ●eneral by land waging the War by Skirmishes the Swedes having got the strong place Christian Pries leaving the King but two more Gluckstat and Cremp When in comes Gall●sso from the Emperour and arrives at Oldesto enters Hamburgh and Lubeck Treats with the Dan●● against the common Enemy the Swede The French Mediatour was the Ambassadour Monsi●ur de la Tuillerie his Outward Errand was so but his aime was otherwise to undoe the House of Austria by any means Richlieu's Maxime bequeathed to Mazarine The Dunkerkers took part with the Dane not willing to let goe the Sound a prey to be divided between the Hollander and Swede and so to give leave to all Traders into the Baltick Sea to which the King inclined and with those helps to attach his Enemies on all sides Now were the Politick Agents set on work to serve the Interest of their respective Masters French and Holland joyned Arguments against all Allies to deter the Dane from doting on the Emperialist ayd and so to endanger his amity with all other Potentates Enemies to that ambitious House of Austria During disputes on Land the Swedes Fleet got loose into the main Sea which cost Admiral Galdie his head for suffering their escape And the King Marches with sixteen thousand men all Germans into Sca●● and there to give Gustavus Horne battel but the French Tuillerie seeing the odds against his Masters interest steps in between
their journey to Westminster during their stay there and to return when they shall think fit whom his Majesty intends to send to the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England at Westminster and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland furnished with such propositions as his Majesty is confident will be the Foundation of a happy peace Oxford Decemb. 5. 1645. For the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore To which the Parliament return Answer signed by the two Speakers and the Scotish Commissioners in effect thus That they were sensible of the sad condition of the three Kingdomes occasioned by his Majesties separation from them and that they will use all means possible for procuring of a safe and well grounded peace for the setling of his just and legal prerogative their undoubted priviledges and the Subjects liberties That had his Majesties intentions been the same with his pretences and expressions a happy peace had been setled long since That they cannot agree to his desires for coming of the Lords and Gentlemen with their attendants and followers into their Quarters in regard the design may be of dangerous consequence But that to shew their earnest endeavours and intentions for peace they were before his Majesties Letters sent in debate of propositions for peace which they are ready to draw up and finish with all expedition to be signed by way of Bill by his Majesty Decemb. 10. But although they had ordered Tuesdayes and Saturdayes express for debate of the Propositions yet they are not finished therefore the King remindes them with a Message in pursuance of the former thus C. R. His Majesty cannot but extreamly wonder that after so many expressions on your part of a deep and seeming sense of the miseries of this afflicted Kingdom and of the dangers incident to his Person during the continuance of this unnatural VVars your many great and so often repeated Protestations that the raising of these Arms hath been only for the necessary defence of Gods true Religion his Majesties honour safety and prosperity the peace comfort and security of his people you should delay a safe Conduct to the persons mentioned in his Majesties Message of the fifth of this instant December which are to be sent unto you with propositions for a well-grounded peace A thing so far from having been de●ied at any time by his Majesty whensoever you have desired the same that he believes it hath been seldom if ever practised among the most avowed and professed enemies much lesse from Subjects to their King But his Majesty is resolved that no discouragements whatsoever shall make him fail of his part in doing his utmost endeavours to put an end to these Calamities which if not in time prevented must prove the ruin of this unhappy Nation And therefore doth once again desire that a safe Conduct be forthwith sent for those persons expressed in his former Message and doth therefore conjure you as you will answer to Almighty God in that day when He shall make Inquisition for all the blood that hath and may be yet spilt in this unnatural War as you tender the preservation and establishment of the true Religion by all the bonds of Duty and Allegiance to your King or compassion to your bleeding and unhappy Country and of charity to your selves that you dispose your hearts to a true sense and imploy all your faculties in a more serious endeavour together with his Majesty to set a speedy end to these wasting Divisions and then he shall not doubt but that God will again give the blessing of peace to this distracted Kingdom Oxford the 15. of December 1645. For the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore All this would not do the King in some trouble finding their neglect stirs them up another way offering a personal Treaty to prevent the Inconveniencies of Misunderstandings and the distance of place for amendments therefore he offers to come home to them and Treat December 26. C. R. Notwithstanding the strange and unexpected delayes which can be precedented by no former times to his Majesties two former Messages his Majesty will lay aside all expostulations as rather serving to lose time then to contribut any remedy to the evils which for the present doe afflict this distracted Kingdom therefore without further preamble his Majesty thinks it most necessary to send these Propositions this way which he intended to doe by the persons mentioned in his former Messages though he well knows the great disadvantage which overtures of this kind have by the want of being accompanied by well instructed Messengers His Majesty conceiving that the former Treaties have hitherto proved ineffectual chiefly for want of power in those persons that Treated as likewise because those from whom their power was derived not possibly having the particular informations of every several debate could not give so clear a judgement as was requisite in so important a businesse If therefore his Majesty may have the engagement of the two Houses of Parliament at Westminster the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland the Major Aldermen Common-Councel and Militia of London of the chief Commanders in Sir Thomas Fairfax his Army as also those in the Scots Army for his Majesties free and safe coming to and abode in London or Westminster with such of his servants now attending him and their followers not exceeding in all the number of three hundred for the space of fourty dayes and after the said time for his free and safe repair to any of his Garisons of Oxford Worcester or Newark which his Majesty shall nominate at any time before his going from London or Westminster his Majesty propounds to have a personal Treaty with the two Houses of Parliament at Westminster and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland upon all matters which may conduce to the restoring of peace and happiness to these miserable distracted Kingdoms And to begin with the three Heads which were Treated on at Uxbridg And for the better clearing of his Majesties earnest and sincere intentions of putting an end to these unnatural distractions knowing that point of security may prove the greatest obstacle to this most blessed work his Majesty therefore declares that he is willing to commit the great trust of the Militia of this Kingdom for such time and with such powers as are exprest in the Paper delivered by his Majesties Commissioners at Uxbridg the sixth of February last to these persons following viz. the Lord Privy Seal the Duke of Richmond the Marquesse of Hertford the Marquess of Dorchester the Earl of Dorset Lord Chamberlain the Earl of Northumberland the Earl of Essex Earl of Southampton Earl of Pembroke Earl of Salisbury Earl of Manchester Earl of Warwick Earl of Denbigh Earl of Chichester Lord Say Lord Seymour Lord Lucas Lord Lexington M. Denzil Hollis M. Perpoint M. Hen. Bellasis M. Rich. Spencer Sir Thomas Fairfax M. John Ashburnham Sir Gervas ●lifton Sir Hen.
either by Treatie or Conquest the later of which his Majestie hopes none will have the impudencie or impietie to wish for And for the former if his personal assistance in it be not the most likely way let any reasonable man judg when by that means not onely all unnecessary Delaies will be removed but even the greatest Difficulties made easie And therefore he doth now again earnestly insist upon that Proposition expecting to have a better Answer upon mature consideration And can in be imagined that any Propositions will be so effectual being formed before a personal Treatie as such as are framed and propounded upon a full Debate on both sides Wherefore his Majestie who is most concerned in the good of his people and is most desirous to restore peace and happiness to his three Kingdoms doth again instantly desire an Answer to his said former Messages to which he hath hitherto received none Given at our Court at Oxon the four and twentieth of January 1645. To the Speaker of the House of Peers c. The King Prince and Rupert and Maurice were reconciled and all at Oxford extremely straitned for Provisions being blocked up but what Refreshments came at dear Rates he commands a Fast and Prayers to God directed to the Vice-chancellour and Heads of Houses in the Universitie of Oxford That Divine Service established by Law be read daily Morning and Evening as now it is in your respective Houses and also that upon Wednesdays and Fridays to meet four times each Day at Divine Service and so to continue during these sad Times and a general Fast each Friday from Food till five a clock after the Evening Service and this to be done now and hereafter according to the good Example of the Primitive Christians Edw. Nicholas But unhappily it fell out that now again the Parliament intercepted some Irish Letters and Papers in a manner the whole Transactions Copies between the King and the Irish Rebells Amongst many this Commission to Edward Lord Herbert Earl of Glamorgan to treat with the Irish Rebells CHARLS R. Charls by the grace of God c. To our trustie c. Edward Earl of Glamorgan We reposing great and especial trust and confidence in your approved wisdom and fidelitie do by these as firmly as under our great Seal to all intents and purposes authorize and give you power to treat and conclude with the confederate Roman Catholicks in our Kingdom of Ireland if upon necessitie any thing be condiscended unto wherein our Lieutenant cannot so well be seen in as not fit for us for the present publickly to own therefore we charge you to proceed according to this our Warrant with all possible secrecie and whatsoever you shall engage your self upon such valuable considerations as you in your judgment shall deem fit We promise in the word of a King and Christian to ratifie and perform the same of that which shall be granted by you and under your Hand and Seal The said confederate Catholicks having by their Supplies testified their zeal to our Service And this shall be in each particular to you a sufficient Warrant Given at our Court at Oxon the twelfth of May 20 Car. This Commission being but a Paper Copy and so hinted to the King he was pleased to pass it over as no sufficient ground to put him to the acknowledgment thereof yet it became him to excuse the effects of Glamorgan's Negotiations with the Irish which it seems were so averse from Ormond's Instructions as the Kings Lieutenant that Glamorgan was there committed by him and the Council And how to piece up these passages from censure he is pleased to frame a Declaration and sends it to the Parliament by Message Ian. 29. CHARLS R. His Majestie having received Information from the Lord Lieutenant and Council in Ireland That the Earl of Glamorgan hath without his or their directions or privitie entred into a Treatie with some Commissioners on the Roman Catholick partie there and also drawn up and agreed unto certain Articles with the said Commissioners highly derogatorie to his Majesties Honour and Royal Dignitie and most prejudicial unto the Protestant Religion and Church there in Ireland whereupon the said Earl of Glamorgan is arrested upon suspition of high Treason and imprisoned by the said Lord Lieutenant and Council at the instance and by the impeachment of the Lord Digby who by reason of his Place and former Imploiment in these affairs doth best know how contrarie that Proceeding of the said Earl hath been to his Majesties Intentions and Directions and what great prejudice it might bring to his affairs if those Proceedings of the Earl of Glamorgan should be any waies understood to have been done by the Directions liking or approbation of his Majestie His Majestie having in his former Messages for a personal Treatie offered to give contentment to his two Houses in the business of Ireland hath now thought fitting the better to shew his clear Intentions and to give satisfaction to his said Houses of Parliament and the rest of his Subjects in all his Kingdoms to send this Declaration to his said Houses containing the whole truth of the business which is That the Earl of Glamorgan having made offer unto him to raise Forces in the Kingdom of Ireland and to conduct them into England for his Majesties Service had a Commission to that purpose and to that purpose onely That he had no Commission at all to treat of any thing else without the privitie and directions of the Lord Lieutenant much less to capitulate any thing concerning Religion or any proprietie belonging either to Church or Laitie That it clearly appears by the Lord Lieutenants Proceedings with the said Earl that he had no notice at all of what the said Earl had treated and pretended to have capitulated with the Irish untill by accident it came to his knowledg And his Majestie doth protest That untill such time as he had advertisement that the person of the said Earl of Glamorgan was arrested and restrained as is abovesaid he never heard nor had any kinde of notice that the said Earl had entred into any kinde of Treatie or Capitulation with those Irish Comissioners much less that he had concluded or signed those Articles so destructive both to Church and State and so repugnant to his Majesties publick Professions and known Resolutions And for the further vindication of his Majesties Honor and Integritie herein he doth declare That he is so far from considering any thing contained in those Papers or Writings fra●ed by the said Earl and those Commissioners with whom he treated as he doth absolutely disavow him therein and hath given commandment to the Lord Lieutenant and the Council there to proceed against the said Earl as one who either out of falsness presumption or follie hath so hazarded the blemishing of his Majesties Reputaion with his good Subjects and so impertinently framed those Articles of hisown head without the consent
without the House of Lords We the Commons c. remembering that in the beginning of this War divers Protestations Declarations Suggestions c. were spread abroad by the King whereby the sincere Intentions of the Parliament for the publick good were mis-represented and so no need of a present War which is otherwise apparant by discoverie of the Enemies secrets and Gods immediate Blessings and Successes upon the Parliaments affairs and which Mistakes for some time had blemished the justice of this cause that if the Enemie had prevailed how dangerous the consequence would have been is now apparant And now notwithstanding Gods blessing on all our Endeavours Forces and Armies c. there are still the same spirits though under Disguise putting false constructions upon what hath already passed the Parliament as upon the thing under present Debate begetting a belief That we now desire to swerve from our first grounds aims and principles in the undertaking this War to recede from the solemn League and Covenant and Treaties between us and Scotland and that we would prolong these uncomfortable Troubles and bleeding Distractions to alter the fundamental constitution and frame of this Kingdom to leave all Government of the Church loose and unsetled and our selves to exercise the same arbitrary power over the persons and estates of the Subjects which this present Parliament thought fit to abolish by taking away the Star-chamber High Commission and other arbitrary Courts and the exorbitant power of the Council Table All which c. though our former actions are the best Demonstrations of our faithfulness to the publick yet if mis-believed may involve us into new Imbroilments We do declare our Endeavours are to setle Religion according to the Covenant to maintain the fundamental Rights of the Kingdom the Liberties of the Subject to desire a well-grounded peace in the three Kingdoms c. In effect Concerning Church-government we having so fully declared for a Presbyterial Government having spent so much pains taken up so much time for setling of it passed most of the particulars brought to us from the Assemblie of Divines called onely by us to advise of such things as shall be required of them by the Parliament and having published several Ordinances for putting the same in execution because we cannot consent to the granting of an arbitrary and unlimited power and jurisdiction to near ten thousand Iudicatories to be erected within this Kingdom and this demanded in a way inconsistent with the Fundamentals of Government excluding the power of Parliaments in the exercise of that Iurisdiction nor have we yet resolved how a due regard may be had that tender consciences which differ not in any Fundamentals in Religion may be so provided for as may stand with the Word of God and the peace of the Kingdom And let it be observed that we have had the more reason not to part with the power out of our hands since all by-past Ages manifest that the Reformation and purity of Religion and the preservation and protection of the people hath been by Parliament and the exercise of this power our Endeavours being to setle the Reformation in these Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches and according to our Covenant Concerning a peace which is the right end of a just VVar to that purpose both Houses of Parliament have framed several Propositions to be sent to the King such as they hold necessary for the present and future safety of this Kingdom some of which are transmitted to our Brethren of Scotland where they now remain whose consent we doubt not to obtain since the Parliament of England is and ought to be sole and proper Iudg for the good of this Kingdom wherein we are so far from altering the fundamental constitution and Government of this Kingdom by King Lords and Commons that we onely have desired that by the consent of the King such powers may be setled in the two Houses to prevent a second and more destructive VVar not judging it wise or safe for the pretended power of the Militia in the King to have any authoritie in the same for the future introducing an arbitrary Government over this Nation and protecting Delinquents by force from the justice of Parliaments the chiefest grounds of the Parliaments taking up Arms in this Cause We do declare we will not interrupt the ordinary course of Iustice nor intermeddle in cases of private interest And as the Parliament have already for the benefit of the people taken away the Court of Wards and Liveries and all Tenures in capite and by Knights Service so we will take special care for the peoples ease in Levies of Moneys and in reducing Garisons Lastly whereas both Nations have entered into a solemn League and Covenant and Treaties between us concluded which we shall and have duly performed that nothing be done to the prejudice of either of them presuming that the good people of England will not receive prejudicate opinions by any forced constructions of that Covenant which is only to be expounded by them by whose authority it was established in this Kingdom April 18. But in great regret the Parliament order that the Preface to the Pamphlet intituled The Scots Commissioners Papers and the stating of the Question about the Propositions of Peace was this day burnt by the Hangman April 21. At length of time the eleventh of Iuly the tedious Propositions are finished and sent to the King by the Committee Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery and the Earl of Suffolk Mr. Goodwin Sir Iohn Hippesley Mr. Robinson and Sir Walter Earl The Propositions in general are these 1. That his Majesty would pass an Act for the Nulling of all Oaths Declarations and Proclamations against the Parliament of England of Scotland their Ordinances or their Adherents 2. The King to swear and sign the Covenant and an Act for the three Kingdoms to swear unto 3. An Act to take away Bishops and their Dependents 4. To confirm by Act the Assembly of Divines at Westminster 5. To settle Religion as the Parliament shall agree 6. In unity and uniformity with Scotland as shall be agreed upon by both Parliaments 7. An Act to be confirmed against Papists 8. Their Child●en to be educated in the Protestant Religion 9. And for Levies against their Estates 10. Against saying of Mass in this Kingdom 11. And in Scotland if they think fit 12. For observation of the Lords Day against Pluralities Non-Residents and for Regulating the Universities 13. That the Militia of England Ireland and Wales by Sea and Land be in the hands of the Parliament for twenty years and the like for Scotland and to raise Moneys for the same and to suppress all Forces raised in that time without their authority against all foreign Invasion Provided that the City of London may enjoy their Privileges to raise and imploy their
of Lemster and Ulster Novem. 1646. That the exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion be in Dublin and Drogheda and in all the Kingdom of Ireland as free as in Paris in France and Bruxells in Flanders That the Council of State called the Councel-Table be of Members true and faithful to his Majestie and such as may be no fear or suspition to go to the Parliaments party That Dublin Drogheda Team Newby Catherly Carlingford and all Protestant Garisons be manned by their Confederate Catholicks to maintain and keep the said Cities and Garisons for the use of our Soveraign Lord King Charls and his lawful Successors and for defence of the Kingdom of Ireland That the present Councel of the Confederators shall swear truly and faithfully to keep and maintain for the use of his Majesty and his Lawful Successors and for defence of the Kingdom of Ireland the abovesaid Cities and Garisons That the said Councellors and all Generals Officers and Souldiers whatsoever doe swear and protest to fight at Sea and Land against the Parliaments and all the Kings Enemies and that they will never come to any convention or agreement with the said Parliamentiers or any of the Kings Enemies to the prejudice of his Majesties Rights or of this Kingdom of Ireland That according to our Oaths of Association we will to the best of our power and cunning defend the Fundamental Lawes of this Kingdom the Kings Rights the Lives and Fortunes of the Subjects Owen O Neal Tho. Preston The Lord Lisle designed Lieutenant General of Ireland is but now this day taking leave of the Parliament to goe to Ireland Ian-28 and ere we can hope of his arrival there he writes to the Parliament he is willing to return for they had Debated his return before and so he came home again April 1. But the Parliament Vote the sending over more Forces into Ireland and with all vigour to carry on a Defensive War in that Kingdom with seven Regiments of Foot consisting of eight thousand four hundred besides Officers with three thousand Horse and one thousand two hunded Dragoons And all these to be taken out of the General Fairfax Army which was the occasion of much distemper between the Armies and the Parliament as will appear the next year But according to our former Method we may not omit the Kings affairs Military in Scotland under the Conduct of the Marquess of Montrose this year 1646. Montrose his late successe made him famous abroad which soon came to the Kings knowledg and although he were not able to send him supplies sufficient to Arm against the great power of his Enemies yet it was thought very fit to comply with him in Complements and therefore the King ot caresse him in some way sends from Oxford several Letters and Messengers to Montrose whilst he continued at Bothwel four miles East of Glascow amongst whom was Andrew Sandiland a Scotish man but bred in England a Church-Man faithful to the King and beloved of Montrose with whom he continued to the end of the War Another was Sir Robert Spotswood Son President of the Session in Scotland and now the Kings Secretary for that Kingdom The Instructions by all of them were to this effect That it was the Kings Pleasure Montrose should joyn unto himself the Earls of Roxborough and Traquair and to confide in their advice and endeavours of whose fidelity there was no question to be made That he should hasten towards the Tweed the River that runneth to Barwick and divides the Kingdoms where he should meet a party of Horse instantly sent by the King out of England with which he might safely give Battel to David Lesly if he should march that way with the Covenanters Horse as was suspected he would Each Messenger said as much and the King evermore over credulous confirmed the same by his Expresse which Montrose resolves to obey And here he receives a larger Commission from the King by Spotswood wherein he was impowered to give the honour of Knighthood which he did to Mack Donel at his departure Montrose intends the Kings commands and Journies to Calder Castle when the Earl of Albony whether Montrose would or no carries away with him his own men and all others of the Northern Forces Montrose passing by Edenburgh led his small Army through Louthian and in Straithgal joyns with Dowglasse whose forces mouldred daily In that coast Traquair himself came to him pretending faith and Loyalty to the King and the next day sends to him his Son the Lord Linton with a gallant Party of Horse as if to be under his Command that by that like pledg he might the better shadow his Villany which he intended the ungratfullest person to him and in him also to the King And now Montrose within twelve miles of Roxborough and Hume without any caresse from them and therefore mistrusting he resolves to seek them out and to bring them to reason But they cunningly send to David Lesly who by that time was come to Barwick with all the Scotish Horse out of England and willingly give him leave to pretend to the seizing of the Earls as Enemies to the Covenanters which was done the day before Montrose came to them Then comes Lesly over Tweed marching East of Loth●●● Montrose knowing their Wiles and fearing to be blocked up from passing to the North and Highlanders marches into Armindale so to Niddesdale South-westwards and the County of Ayre to raise Horse the Enemies strength being therein And from Kelsor comes to Iedburgh and Selkirk where he Quartered busied in some dispatches all night to the King and although he appointed the best of his Scouts who it seemes were false and suffered the Enemy with all their Forces to come within four miles ere he had warning Lesly that day when Montrose departed from Iedburgh must●ered his Men upon Gladsmar in Lothianshire and marched straight to Serathgale to surprize Montrose upon the borders of Tweed and Linton had private Order from Traquair his treacherous Father to withdraw his party of Horse from Montrose and the Enemy within half a mile with six thousand the most Horse charged his Wing disorderly got together but Valiantly defended themselves until the third charge disranked routed the Foot after some resistance and over powered many who were all put to the sword after by Lesly's peculiar command and so to the very Women and Horse-boyes most of the Horse and some Foot shifted well and came to Montrose the next day An honest Irish Man seeing one of the Kings Standards engaged valiantly rescued it and stripping the staff wrapped it about his middle and brought it to Montrose who honoured him with the bearing thereof ever after The other Standard also born by William Hie Brother to the Earl of Kinole stript it off the staff and conveyed it with him to the borders of England and after when the coast was clear brought it to the North to his General But in
according to the prescript of his word which hath long since been miserably convulst and disjoynted And this a National Synod duly called and freely debating will best effectuate To the King namely my Successor you will render full right if you restore those things which by the clear letter of the Law stands expressed Lastly you will put the people in their rights and due Liberties not by listing them in the consort of the Throne and sway of the Scepter but by recovering unto the Laws their Authority and the peoples observance to the abrogating of which by the enormous power of the Sword when as by no means I could be induced I was brought hither to undergoe a Martyrdom for my people So his last breath gently dissolving into a most meek prayer the Bishop of London promps him ●hat if his most excellent Majesty pleased he would openly profess what he thought touching his Religion not that any one alive could suspect it of which himself at all times throughout the whole space of his life had given manifest testimony but for custom and the peoples satisfaction Hereupon saies the King That he deposited the testimony of his faith with that holy man meaning the Bishop or else expected defence on this behalf of all men who well knew his Life and profession Namely That I dye saith he in the Christian faith according to the profession of the Church of England as the same was left me by my Father of most blessed memory Then looking about upon the Officers Having saies he a most gracious God and most just Cause that I shall by and by ●●●ange this corruptible Crown for an Immarcessible one I both trust and exult and that I shall depart hence into another Kingdom altogether exempt and free from all manner of disturbance Then preparing towards the Circumstances the Bishop put on his night-cap and unclothed him to his Sky-colour Satten Wastecoat He said I have a good Cause and a gracious God and gave his George Order to the Bishop bidding him remember to give it to the Prince There is but one Stage more Sir saies the Bishop this is turbulent and troublesome and but a short one but it will soon dismiss you to a way further even from Earth to Heaven there you are assured of joy and comfort I go saies the King from a Corruptible to an Incorruptible Crown where no disturbance can be but peace and joy for evermore Then lifting up his eyes and hands to Heaven mildly praying to himself he stooped down to the Block as to a Prayer Desk and most humbly bowed down his generous neck to God to be cut off by the vizarded Executioner which was suddenly done at one blow Thus fell Charles and thus all Britain with him Tuesday 30. of Ianuary about the minute of two a clock afternoon There are those persons who have seriously observed some passasages afterwards against the Corps which they stile barbarous in relation to his blood shed thereabouts nay to the Block and to the Sand distained therewith and to his Hair the ground whereof was 〈◊〉 those things were procured by the Royal party well-affected even for a price Certainly there were very many such that coveted any thing as a Relique which evidenced his Martyrdom as they esteemed it And to this day there are divers Devoters that affirm the effects of Cure by application of those things distained with his bloud we need not go farre to finde out the truth hereof if we take the Narrative of the Woman-patient at Dedford near the City of London being thereby cured of her blindness and many others of like infirmities His Head and Trunk was instantly put into a Coffin covered with black Velvet and conveyed into the Lodgings at Whitehall There it was imbowelled by Chirurgions of their own but a Physitian privately thrusting himself into the dissection of the body relates that Nature had designed him above the most of Mortal men for a long life And all sides manifested by those that beheld the admirable temperature almost all ad pondus of his body and mind Then they bear it to St. Iames's House and Coffin it there in Lead About a fortnight after some of the Kings Friends the greatest of Nobility and Honour the Duke of Lenox Marquess of Hartford the Earl of Southampton and the Bishop of London begged the Body to bury it which they conducted to Windsor Chappel Royal and interred it there in the Vault of King Henry the eighth having only this Inscription upon the Coffin Charls King of England From the Bishop of London long time kept Prisoner they take away all the Kings Papers ransack his Coffers and clothes for Scripts and Scroles but Almighty God in his providence hath preserved a Volume of the Kings own a Posthume work of which if any man or Broughton shall impartially weigh the matter the Elegancy of the Stile the nerves of Reason the ardour of Piety even envy it self will confess he deserved the Kingdom amongst Writers and though his own is wrested from him the mercy of his Lord and Saviour hath given 〈◊〉 Crown of Erernal Glory He was a King worthy to be numbred amongst the best of Princes in al-beading ages a strength of will but of more and greater Endowments of vertue of a most strict temperature in the natural disposition of flesh and blood and by the effects of Divine grace the most exact observer of Conjugal Rites and therein for his continency much admired His personage comely of an even well timber'd tallness which assisted him to be excellent in all exercises and therein to be indefatigable for the minde or body None of the Kings no not one not of Britain only but also all as many as any where sat on Throne ever left the world with more sorrow for his his luck women miscarried men fell into melancholly some with Consternations expired men women and children then and yet unborn suffering in him and for him The Pulpit places of all Sects and Opinions lamented even the same men in vain bewailing the losse of him whom they strove heretofore who should first undoe now they extoll and compare to Iob for patience to David for piety to Solomon for prudence most worthy he was of Government if otherwise it had not been his due to Govern herein he performed that great piece to Act one man in every place with the same Tenor of Vertue and condition The same Mean in the most different fortunes without any mutation of the temperature of the mind He addulced as with Charms his Enemies to be made his adorers Reproaches he converted into Praises He in a word excelled in goodness of whom this world was not worthy and therefore the Heavens have him there He had his failings of perfection in the first years of his Reign not so well versed in the affairs of State but that he being put to it trusted too much to others
when once they have fully shaken off this yoke of vulgar incroachment since the publick interest consists in the mutual and common good both of Prince and people Nothing can be more happy for all then in fair grave and honourable waies to contribute their Counsels in Common enacting all things by publick consent without Tyranny or Tumults We must not starve our selves because some have surfeited of wholsome food And if neither I nor you be ever restored to our Right but God in his severest Iustice will punish my Subjects with continuance in their sin and suffer them to be deluded with the prosperity of their wickedness I hope God will give me and you that grace which will teach and enable us to want as well as to wear a Crown which is not worth taking up or enjoying upon sordid dishonourable and irreligious terms Keep you to true principles of piety vertue and honour you shall never want a Kingdom A principal point of your honour will consist in your deferring 〈◊〉 respect love and protection to your Mother my Wife who hath many waies deserved well of me and chiefly in this that having been a means to bless me with so many hopeful Children all which with their Mother I recommend to your love and care shee hath been content with incomparable magnanimity and patience to suffer both for and with me and you My prayer to God Almighty is whatever becomes of me who am I thank God wrapt up and fortified in my own Innocency and his Grace that he would be pleased to make you an Anchor or Harbour rather to these tossed and weather-beaten Kingdoms a Repairer by your wisdom justice piety valour of what the folly and wickedness of some men have so far ruined as to leave nothing entire in Church or State to the Crown the Nobility the Clergie or the Commons either as to Laws Liberties Estates Order Honour Conscience or Lives When they have destroyed me for I know not how far God may permit the malice and cruelty of my enemies to proceed and such apprehensions some mens words and actions have already given me as I doubt not but my bloud will cry aloud for vengence to heaven So I beseech God not to pour out his wrath upon the generality of the people who have either deserted me or engaged against me through the Artifice and hypocrisie of their Leaders whose inward horrour will be their first tormentor nor will they escape exemplary judgments For those that loved me I pray God they may have no miss of me when I am gon so much I wish and hope that all good Subjects may be satisfied with the blessings of your presence and virtues For those that repent of any defects in their duty toward me as I freely forgive them in the word of a Christian King so I believe you will finde them truly zealous to repay with interest that Loyalty and Love to you which was due to me In sum what good I intended do you perform when God shall give you power much good I have offered more I purposed to Church and State if times had been capable of it The deception will soon vanish and the vizards will fall off apace This Mask of Religion on the face of Rebellion for so it now plainly appears since my restraint and cruel usage that they fought not for me as was pretended will not long serve to hide some mens deformities Happy times I hope attend you wherein your Subjects by their miseries will have learned That Religion to their God and Loyalty to their King cannot be parted without both their sin and their infelicity I pray God bless you and establish your Kingdoms in righteousness your soul in true Religion and your Honour in the Love of God and your people And if God will have disloyalty perfected by my destruction let my memory ever with my name live in you as of your Father that loves you and once a KING of three flourishing Kingdoms whom God thought fit to honour not only with the Scepter and Government of them but also with the suffering many indignities and an untimely death for them while I studied to preserve the Rights of the Church the power of the Laws the honour of my Crown the priviledge of Parliaments the Liberties of my people and my own Conscience which I thank God is dearer to me than a thousand Kingdoms I know God can I hope he will restore me to my Rights I cannot dispair either of his mercy or my peoples love and pitty At worst I trust I shall but go before you to a better Kingdom which God hath prepared for me and me for it through my Saviour Iesus Christ to whose mercy I commend you and all mine Farewell till we meet if not on earth yet in heaven The world was busied with Epitaphs upon his death and there were those who have been passionately disposed to parallel his sufferings with the holy Jesus but we forbear to censure them or to say so much Only we may aver that he was a King whose Reign and Death makes as full and perfect a Story of goodness and glory as earth would suffer and whose Christian virtues deserve as faithful a Register as Earth can keep but Reader not to overwhelm thee in a deluge of sorrow as I am drowned in tears I conclude The End Those wonderfull mutations in Church and State which followed hereupon even to this day we may God willing adventure to sum up hereafter in a succeeding continued History whilst these by favour finde acceptance A Table of the chief Occurrences in the preceding HISTORY A. A Rch-bishop Abbot sequestred fol. 104 dies 194 The King Marches to Aino 586 Aldern Fight 876 Sir Giles Allington his incest 160 his case and sentence 161 French Ambassadour affronted 661 Amiens described 2 Sir Robert Amstroder sent Ambassador to the Emperour 143 and again the second time 162 Bishop Andrews dies 72 Princess Anne born 218 Arguile defeated 795 Bishop of Armagh his Speech 68. His direction to the Parliament touching the Leiturgie and Episcopal Government 363. He confirms Dr. Reynalds original of it 366 367. His Propositions in Church Government 423 Design of the Army discovered 409. New Modelling of it 770. They mutiny for money 926. They Petition the Parliament 979 are discontent 984 draw towards London 986. Their Representative 987. They come to Southwark 1000. March in state to Westminster and through London 1001. Their desires 1008. Their Agitators send Letters to the General 1011 which he answers 1013. They demand their Arrears and are voted payment 1098 Their large Remonstrance 1099 and Declaration 1100. They come to White-Hall ibid. Their Representative stiled the Agreement of the people 1107 Arras lost 371 Earl of Arundel committed 30 sent Ambassador to the new Emperour of Ger. 212. and aboard the Spaniards 280 Arundel Castle surrendred to Waller 662 Ashburnham sent into England 89 Lord Ashley defeated 885 Ast Ferry Fight 733 Lord
Scotland i●●●terposeth The Kings Letter to the Council of Scotland The Scots answer Scots Council declare Parliament of England's Protestation Earl of Bristol's Speech for Accommodation Parliament Declaration observed 19. Propositions to the King Eik Bas. c. 11. upon the 19. Propositions sent to the King The Answer to the 19. Propositions The King caresses the County of York Preparations for War The King Provides Arms. The Kings Letters with his Commission of Array Parliaments Votes thereupon The Kings Protestation And the Lords The Kings General Declaration Proclamation against Levies as by the statutes in force Parliaments answers The faction distingui●hed by Caval●ers and Round-heads The Author● advice Introduction to this Civil War The King caresses his people in the County of Nottingham Proclamation Earl of Essex made General of the Foot and the Earl of Bedford of the Horse Par●●aments Petition Earl of Stamford Proclaimed Traytor Parliaments Declaration of defence Earl of Essex General Ea●l of Essex proclamed Traitour and all other his complices Eikon Basil. upon the listing and raising Arms against the King Proclamation for aid of his Subjects The Kings g●and Declaration Scots Army kept up Bishops voted down Parliament give advises to their Deputy Lieutenants in the Northern Counties The King proposeth the 〈◊〉 Treaty for Peace and is re●used Sir Iohn Lucas Proclaimmed Traytor by the Parliament and committed Scots Declaration in answer to the Parliament of England The Parliament joyn with the Scots Kirk to reform all Christendom Parliament assure payment on Publick Faith out of Delinquents Estates Lord Strange impeached of high Treason Mich. Term adjourned The Articles of N●utral●●y for Yorkshire in●ringed Mr. Fountain committed Essex his Ensigns Colours Persons excepted out of pardon by the Parliament The Netherland States are caressed on both sides Eikon Basil. c. 10. Military effects Sir Iohn Hotham begins the quarrel in the North. Portsmouth beset Parliaments directions to their General Essex Sir Iohn Byron for the King Marches to Oxford Marquess Herford seizeth Sherborn Earl of Essex sets out o● London The Kings Spe●ch to his Army Parliament petition the King by their General Essex The Kings Speech to the Gentry of Denbigh and Flintshire 〈◊〉 of the Kings Army to come to London A pitifull Plot by a poor Scot. Worcester Fight Sept. 23. Col. Th. Essex garisoneth Bristol L Col. Massey Governour of Glocester Edg-hill Battel The victory disputed Exchange of prisoners The King Marches to Aino Takes Banbury and Broughton House The King Marches to Brainford The Kings Declaration after his victory at Edgehill October 25. The King Charged with favouring Papists upon their Petition Address to the King voted Parliaments Declaration to the Scots The Kings Message to the Lords of his Privy Council in Scotland Parliaments commendance of their General Effects of the address to the King Lord Brook's Speech at Guild-hall His second Speech there Petition of the Parliament The Kings Answer Brainford Fight Nov. 15 The Kings Message to the Parliament Parliaments Answer The King replies Parliament petition the King A Letter from the Hague intercepted The military affairs in the North. City of London petition the King The Kings Answer Parliaments desires presented to the King at Oxford by the Earls of Northumberland Pembroke Salisbury and Holland with eight of the Commons Answered The actions of the North. The Lord Fairfax and others proclamed Traitors A Treaty proposed by the King The Treaty ends The Queen returns from Holland The state of the County of Gloc●ster Cirencester taken by storm of Prince Rupert Synod began to sit Affairs of Germany In Catalonia Cardinal Ri●●●lieu dies His Character Lewis the just and the 13. dies His Character Anno 1643. Sir Rudyerd's Speech Treaty at Oxford L. Brook killed at Lich●ield Close Lichfield Close besieged by the Kings party Lichfield won by P. Rupert Reading besieged by the Parliament Cheapside Cross pulled down Hotham to betray Hull and Lincoln The Queen● Army The King and Queen meet at Edghill Ambassadour from France Solemn League and Co●enant with the Scots Eikon Bas. c. 14. Yeomans and Bourchier hanged at Bristol and why Tomkins and Chaloner hanged at London and why A new Seal voted and framed Mr. H. Martin seizeth the Regalia at Westminister P. Rupert's ●ight near Tame Mr. Io. H●mbden slain His Character The Hothams of Hull seized Prisoners to the Parliament Lands-down fight against Sir W. Waller by the Cornish Iuly 5. Gen. Essex advises of peace Fight at Round-way●down The Queen entereth Oxford E. of Lindsey returns from his Imprisonment by the Parliament The Earls of Bedford and Holland revolt to the King and back again to the Parliament Prisoners animated to treachery Ministers make Propositions The City must set out Sir W. Waller again General Essex musters at Hounslo-heath Exeter delivered up to P. Maurice The King caresses the County of Cornwall by Declaration Judg Berkley fined Siege of Glocester by the King A general Storm A Mine wrought Two spies return unto the Town Essex's Army in distress The Leaguer take leave to depart the fifth of September Sir Nicholas Crisp kils Sir Iames Enyon Solemn League and Covenant Dr. Featly imprisoned and why Proclamation against the Solemn League and Covenant Minister of the Savoy his Blasphemy Sir G. Chidleigh leaves the Cause The Earl of Holland returns to the Parliament Irish Forces come over to the King in England Cessation of Arms in Ireland for a year Vide the Kings Narrative of Uxbridg Treaty Eikon Bas. c. 12. Articles for the Brittish Army in Ir●land Cirencester surprized Newbery first fight Noble men slain a●d hurt Several successes on either side Sir William Vavisor for the Kings retire Sir Iohn Winter for the King More Irish Forces for the King The Kings Garisons Parliaments Garisons Cavaliers seek ●or Forage with success Captain Backhouse was to betray Glocester Backhouse his Letter of design Lord Digby's Answer Glocestershire Actions Waller retreats to Monmouth Prince Maurice enters Teuxbury Teuxbury surprized P. Maurice defeats Waller Parliament Forces defeated Sir Winter's house in Dean Forrest Sir W. Waller defeated at the Devices Bristol surrendered to Prince Rupert Eccleshal Castle and Town taken Stafford taken by treachery Ordinance to seize upon the Kings Revenues Virginia not ass●ssed with Excise Sir William Wallers Commission Parliaments Manifesto concerning Professours Organs in Paul's Church pull'd down Treason to assist the King French Ambassadour affronted The Kings Successes Arundel Castle surrendred to Waller Protestation and Oath of the Associates of Devon and Cornwall for the King University of Cambridg ord●red Parliament assembled at Oxford The Parliament at Oxford write to General Essex for a Peace Scots Army enters England Their Declaration Eikon Bas. p. 100. c. 13. Montrose his undertaking for the King Sir Thomas Glenham's answer to Argiles Letters Newark siege raised by Prince Rupert Military affairs under conduct of the Marquesse of Montrose Battel of Rocroy for the French Battel of Burling for the Emperour Duke of Lorain
make Peace with the Parliament from Cardiffe Aug. 1645. CHARLES REX Nephew this is occasioned by a Letter of yours which the Duke of Richmond shewed to me last night And first I assure you I have been and ever will be very careful to advertise you of my resolutions as soon as they were taken and if I enjoyned silence to that which was no secret it was not my fault for I thought it one and I am sure it ought to have been so Now as for your Opinion of my Business and your Counsel thereupon If I had any other quarrel but the defence of my Religion Crown and Friends you had full reason for your advice for I confess that speaking either as a meer Souldier or Statesman I must say there is no probability but of my ruine Yet as a Christian I must tell you that God will not suffer Rebels and Traitors to prosper or this Cause to be overthrown And whatsoever personal punishment it shall please him to inflict upon me must not make me repine much less give over this quarrel And there is as little Question that a composition with them at this time is nothing else but a submission which by the grace of God I am resolved against whatsoever it cost me for I know my Obligation to be both in Conscience and Honour neither to abandon Gods Cause nor to injure my Successors nor forsake my Friends Indeed I cannot flatter my self with expectation of good success more then this to end my daies with Honour and a good Conscience which obligeth me to continue my endeavours as not despairing that God may yet in due time avenge his own Cause though I must avow to all my Friends that he that will stay with me all this time must expect and resolve either to dye for a good Cause or which is worse to live as miserable in maintaining it as the violence of insulting Rebels can make him Having thus truly and impartially stated my Case unto you and plainly told you my positive resolutions which by the grace of God I will not alter they being neither lightlie nor suddenlie grounded I earnestly desire not in any wise to hearken after Treaties assuring you as low as I am I will doe no less then what was offered in my Name at Uxbridge confessing that it were as great a miracle that they should agree to so much reason as that I should be within a moneth in the same condition that I was immediatelie before the Battel at Naseby Therefore for Gods sake let us not flatter our selves with these conceits and believe me your very imagination that you are desirous of a Treatie will but loose me so much the sooner and therefore as you love me whatsoever you have alreadie done applie your discourse hereafter according to my resolution and judgement As for the Irish I le assure you they shall not cheat me but it is possible they may cozen themselves For be assured what I have refused to the English I will not grant to the Irish Rebels never trusting to that kinde of People of what Nation soever more then I see by their Actions And I am sending to Ormond such a dispatch as I am sure will please you and all honest men a Copie thereof by the next opportunitie you shall have Lastly be confident I would not have put you nor my self to the trouble of this long Letter had I not a great estimation of you and a full confidence of your friendship to CHARLES REX Cardiffe Aug. 1645. These are the Kings grounds and reasons rebus sic not to descend beneath the propositions offered at Uxbridge And herein he was resolved not trusting to publick counsels in the affairs of Peace And therefore in General most opinions of his Friends were for a Treatie grounding their reasons upon the Kings desperate condition little hope being left to him by force to end these differences To the desire of a Treaty some Councellors in the Princes Army now in the West had advised his Highness to send to his Majesty to that effect Whereupon the Prince writes to the General Fairfax who with his Forces were quartered about him to grant his pass for the Lord Hopton and the Lord Culpepper to go to the King and mediate with him for a Treaty with the Parliament To which after a fortnights consult with his Committee he returns answer or rather his advice for the Prince to disband his Army he now commands which he conceives would be the readiest way for the security of him and his posterity and of those who attend and adhere to him Which if he will do the General would in person conduct himself to the Parliament November 8. To which Answer the Lord Capel had Commission three weeks after to Reply In answer to yours of the eight of the last Moneth His Highness hath commanded me to let you know that he did not believe that his overture of engaging himself in the mediation of a blessed peace for his miserable Kingdome which he did and doth still very earnestly desire to labour in would have brought him an inhibition to quit his duty and loyalty to his royal Father by dividing his Interest from that of his Majesties whereby he should render himself unworthy and uncapable of the fruits of that peace he labours for If his former propositions may be consented unto he hopes God will so bless his sincere intentions and desires as to make him a blessed Instrument to preserve this Kingdome from desolation But if that be rejected he shall give the world no cause to believe that he will forfeit that honour and integrity which can onely preserve him in a capacity of doing that service and shall with patience attend Gods good pleasure untill his endeavours may be applied with preservation of his innocency This is all I have in command from His Highness Exon. Decemb. 1. Your servant Arthur Capel And no reply hereto the King then at Oxford taking knowledge of these passages is put to the extremity of seeking it himself whether of his own inclination or pressed thereto by his Council He sends a Trumpet to the Parliament with a Letter for safe conduct for certain persons of Honour to be sent with propositions of peace which came inclosed in a Letter of Sir Thomas Glenhams Governour of Oxford and directed to the Speaker of the House of Peers Decemb. 5. C. R. His Majesty being deeply sensible of the continuation of this bloody and unnatural war cannot think himself discharged of the duty he owes to God or the affection and regard he hath to the preservation of his people without the constant application of his earnest endeavours to finde some expedient for the speedy ending of these unhappy distractions if that may be he doth therefore desire that a safe conduct may be forthwith sent for the Duke of Richmond the Earl of Southampton John Ashburnham and Jeffrey Palmer Esqs and their attendance for