that countenanced those two Court Parasites and Ear-Wiggs Mountague and Manwaring who poysoned the Ears of King Charles the First with such infectious Doctrine that proved to be fatal to the King and Kingdoms 'T is true indeed both Montague and Manwaring were doom'd and condemn'd for the same in open Parliament Sentenced and Fined and made incapable of all Ecclesiastical Benefices and Promotions But King Charles was so much in Love with these two wicked Levites and their Doctrines that soon after the Parliament was dissolved he punished them with two Fat Bishopricks That the World may know for what Manwaring was thus Rewarded by the King I shall produce three of his pernicious Assertions out of his two Sermons before the King Printed under the Title of Religion ond Allegiance 1. That the King is not bound to observe the Laws concerning the Subjects Rights but that his Will in Imposing Loans and Taxes without consent in Parliament doth oblige the Subjects Conscience Upon Pain of Eternal Damnation 2. That they who refused the Loan did offend against the Law of God and against the Kings Supreme Authority and thereby became Guilty of Impiety Disloyalty Rebellion c. 3. That Authority of Parliament is not necessary for the raising of Aids and Subsidies and Dr. Sibthorp Vicar of Brackley printed a Sermon which he Preached at the Assizes at Northampton and Dedicated to the King wherein he Poysons his Country with these vile Positions 1. That it is the Prince's Duty to direct and make Laws his Text by the way was Rom. 13.7 Render therefore to all their Dues he justified this by that Opposite Proof Eccles 8.3 4. He doth whatsoever pleases him Who may say unto him what doest thou 2. That all Antiquity is absolutely for absolute Obedience to Princes in al Civil and Temporal Things 3. That if Princes command any thing which Subjects may not perform because against the Laws of God of Nature or Impossible yet they are bound to undergo the Punishment without Resistance and so to vield a Passive Obedience where they cannot Exhibit an Active One. P g Sh k and others have largely since that time obliged the World with these Enslaving Doctrines As this King took great care to Reward such Ministers as these so he was resolved to make Examples of those Pious and Worthy Clergy-men that stood up against the Oppressions of those Times for Brevities Sake I shall instance but two of the many that might be Named The first was that Good Man Dr. Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury because he could not in Conscience comply with the King who with Menaces required him to License that abominable Sermon of Sibthrops before mention'd and thereby make that Good by Divinity which had been done against the Laws And when the Lord Conway Secretary of State was sent with a threatning Message from the King to him this good Old Man persisted in his Refusal saying with the Psalmist I shall not be affraid of any Evil Tydings for my heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. The King instantly Suspended this Archbishop and also confined him and committed the Archiepiscopal Jurisdiction to five Bishops all of the New Church of England and Sibthorp's Patrons viz. London Durham Rochester and Oxford and honest Laud of Bath and Wells The second was Dr. Williams Bishop of Lincoln who also felt the heavy Oppression of this Protestant King In the first Year of his Reign he was Lord Keeper of the Great Seal but upon his appearing in Parliament against the Kingdoms great Grievance the Duke of Buckingham he was Disgraced und Sequestred from the King's Presence and Council Table In his second Year he was accused for speaking publickly against the Loan and also for refusing to give way to proceedings in his Courts against the Puritans The King Imprison'd him in the Tower but this good Bishop out-living his Imprisonment upon the King 's throwing the Gauntlet he came to a Tryal of Skill for the Old English Liberties and he resolutely said Nolumus Leges Angliae Mutari and took Command in the Parliament's Army and bravely asserted his Country's Liberties with his Sword If I should proceed to relate how this King dealt by the Nobility and Gentry both Lawyers and others that stood up for the Laws of the Land and Liberties of the People this Tragical Story would swell to too great a Bulk for a Preface I shall therefore give a short Account of the matters contained in the following Treatise viz. that He Favoured Protected and was Ruled by the worst of Men both Clergy and Laity Secondly That He highly favoured Papists Thirdly That He Govern'd by an Arbitrary Power and raised Money upon his Subjects without Act of Parliament which is directly against the Constitution of the Government of England and of a most dangerous Consequence to the People of England for when ever such a Power is Established in these Kingdoms the People may bid a sad farewell to all their Felicity for they would soon undergood the same Miserable Fate the poor People of France have done ever since that King violated their Magna Charta call'd the Edict of Nants c. which is to be Taxed according to that Prince's Will and Pleasure Fourthly That he was not that Pious Prince the mad World without reason would represent him to be of all these you have too many Instances in the following Treatise which for the satissfaction of Mankind contains not onely 26 Articles or Charges against this King but also the following Tracts all of which were never Printed at large in any one Book before viz. The Popes Letter to King Charles I. and King Charles his Letter in Answer thereunto calling the Pope Most Holy Father c. The Articles of Marriage made in Favour of Papists with France King Charle 's Commission to the Irish Rebels and Philem Oneles and Rorie Macquire 's Declaration thereupon King Charles II's Letter to the Court of Claims of Ireland in behalf of that great Rebel the Marquess of Antrim to restore him to his Estate for that the said Marquess had made it appear that what he acted in that Rebellion was done by the Express Orders and Commands of Charles I. His Father King Charles I's Warrant by Secretary Nicholas to the King's Printer Commanding him to Print no more than Forty Proclamations that Proclaimed the Irish Rebels An Abstract of those Strange Articles of Peace that King Charles the First made with the Irish Rebells The two Letters he writ to assure the Rochellers of his relieving them and the miserable and deplorable Remonstrance those poor People made to him upon his Sacrificing them to the Mercy of the French King The Earl of Anglesey 's Memorandum Dr. Anthony Walker and Mrs. Gauden 's Proofs that Eicon Basilice was not Writ by King Charles but by Dr. Gauden Bishop of Exeter That Copy of the Kings and Pamelia's Prayers taken out of Eicon Basilice and Sir Philip Sydneys Arcadia will agree almost
Church for the decoring of it according to their old Custom But withal We do here account still as prohibited all unlawful Games to he used upon Sundays only as Bear and Bull-baitings Interludes and at all times in the meaner sort of People by Law prohibited Bowling And likewise We bar from this Benefit and Liberty all such known Recusants either Men or Women as will abstain from coming to Church or Divine Service being therefore unworthy of any Lawful Recreation after the said Service that will not first come to the Church and serve God Prohibiting in like sort the said Recreations to any that though conform in Religion are not present in the Church at the Ser-Service of God before their going to the said Recreations Our Pleasure likewise is That they to whom it belongeth in Office shall present and sharply punish all such as in Abuse of this Our Liberty will use these Exercises before the ends of all Divine Services for that Day And We likewise straightly Command that every Person shall resort to his own Parish Church to hear Divine Sirvice and each Parish by it self to use the sâ—id Recreation after Divine Service Prohibiting likewise any Offensive Weapons to be carried or used in the said times of Recreations And our Pleasure is That this Our Declaration shall be Published by Order from the Bishop of the Diocess through all the Parish Churches and that both Our Judges of Our Circuit and Our Justices of Our Peace be informed thereof Given at Our Mannor of Greenwich the Four and Twentieth Day of May in the Sixteenth Year of Our Reign of England France and Ireland and of Scotland the One and Fiftieth Here follows King Charles II. Corroborating Declaration to have the Recreations and Sports to be used on the Lord's Day NOW out of a like Pious Care for the Service of God and for suppressing of any Humors that oppose Truth and for the Ease Comfort and Recreation of Our well deserving People Wo do ratifie and publish this our Blessed Father's Declaration The rather because of late in some Counties of Kingdom We find that under pretence of taking away Abuses there hath been a general Forbidding not only of ordinary Meetings but of the Feasts of the Dedication of the Churches commonly called Wakes Now Our express Will and Pleasure is that these Feasts with others shall be observed and that Our Justices of the Peace in their several Divisions shall look to it both that all Disorders there may be prevented or punished and that all Neighbourhood and Freedom with Manlike and Lawful Exercises be used And We farther command Our Justices of Assize in their several Circuits to see that no Man do Trouble or Molest any of Our Loyal and Dutiful People in or for their lawful Recreations having first done their Duty to God and continuing in Obedience to Us and Our Laws And of this We command all Our Judges Justices of the Peace as well within Liberties as without Mayors Bayliffs Constables and other Officers to take notice of and to see observed as they tender Our Displeasure And We farther Will that Publication of this Our Command be made by Order from the Bishops through all the Parish Churches of their several Diocesses respectively Given at Our Palace of Westminster the 18th of October in the Ninth of Our Reign God save the King A true Copy of the Commission said to be given by the King to his Catholick Subjects of Ireland with the Warrant and Deposition annexed From our Camp at Newrie this Fourth of Nov. 1641. Philem. O. Neale Rorie Macguire To all Catholicks of the Romish Party both English and Irish within the Kingdom of Ireland we wish all Happiness Freedom of Conscience and Victory over the English Hereticks who have for a long time Tyrannized over our Bodies and usurped by Extortion our Estates BE it hereby made known unto you all our Friends and Country-men That the King 's most Excellent Majesty for many great and urgent Causes him thereunto moving reposing Trust and Confidence in our Fidelities hath signified unto us by his Commission under the great Seal of Scotland bearing date at Edinburgh the first Day of this Instant October 1641. and also by Letters under his Sign Manuel bearing date with the said Commission of divers great and heinous Affronts that the English Protestants especially the Parliament there have published against his Royal Prerogative and also against our Catholick Friends within the Kingdom of England The Copy of which Commission we have here sent unto you to be published with all Speed in all parts of this Kingdom that you may be assured of our sufficient Warrant and Authority herein The Commission CHARLES by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To all Our Catholick Subjects within Our Kingdom of Ireland Greeting Know ye That We for the Safeguard and Preservation of Our Person have been enforced to make Our Abode and Residence in Our Kingdom of Scotland for a long Season occasioned by reason of the Obstinate and Disobedient Carriage of Our Parliament in England against Us who have not only presumed to take upon them the Government and Disposing of those Princely Rights and Prerogatives that have justly descended upon Us from Our Predecessors both Kings and Queens of the said Kingdom for many hundred Years last past but also have possessed themselves of the whole Strength of the said Kingdom in appointing Governours Commanders and Officers in all parts and places therein at their own Wills and Pleasure without Our Consent whereby We are deprived of Our Sovereignty and left naked without Defence And forasmuch as We are in Our self very sensible That those Storms blow aloft and are very likely to be carried by the Vehemency of the Puritan in another Copy Protestant Party into Our Kingdom of Ireland and endanger Our Regal and Authority there also Know ye therefore That We reposing much Care and Trust in your Duties and Obedience which We have for many Years past sound do hereby give unto you full Power and Authority to Assemble and meet together with all the Speed and Diligence that a Business of so great a Consequence doth require and to Advise and Consult together by sufficient and discreet Numbers at all Times Days and Places which you shall in your Judgments hold most Convenient and Material for the Ordering Settleling and Effecting of this Great Work mentioned and directed unto you in Our Letters and to use all politick Ways and Means possible to possess your selves for Our Use and Safety of all the Forts Castles and Places of Strength and Defence within the said Kingdom except the places Persons and Estates of our Loyal and Loving Subjects the Scots and also to Arrest and Seize the Goods Estates and Persons of all the English Protestants within the said Kingdom to Our use and in your care and speedy performance of this Our Will and Pleasure we
Archbishop of Canterbury was most justly Beheaded The House of Commons having proof that he had a great Hand in all the Arbitrary Proceedings and Dealings with Rome December 18 th 1640. they Voted him to be a Traytor and Mr. Hollis was sent to the Lords to Accuse him of High-Treason which he did immediately assuring the Lords that in convenient time there should be a charge put in against him to make Good the Accusation desiring that he might be sequestred from the House and Committed which was forthwith done by the Lords The Articles wherewith he was charged consist of these Heads c. 1. For that he had Treacherously endeavoured to subvert the Fundamental Laws and Government of the Kingdom of England and instead thereof to Introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government against Law 2. That he had laboured to Overthrow the Authority of Parliaments and the Force of the Laws of the Kingdom of England 3. That he had laboured to corrupt and pervert the Ministers of Justice 4. That he himself had corruptly bought and sold Justice in his Seat 5. That he had put a New Book of Cannons in Execution against Law Vide 2 Vol. 2 d. Part of Rushworth's Hist Collect. Fol. 1365. sequent 6. That he had Traytorously assumed to himself a Papal and Tyrannical Power both in Ecclesiastical and Temporal Matters 7. That he had laboured to subvert the Protestant Religion and instead thereof to set up Popish Superstition and Idolatry 8. That he had prefer'd notorious Papist to Places of Dignity 9. That he had chosen to himself a Chaplain Popishly affected 10. That he had kept Confederacy and Intelligence with Popish Priests and Jesuits 11. That he had cruelly persecuted Godly Ministers 12. That he had laboured to make Divisions and Discord between us and other Churches 13. That he had stir'd up War and Enmity between his Majesties two Kingdoms of England and Scotland 14. That he had Slandered and Incensed His Majesty against Parliaments 15. That he had laboured to slander Parliaments with the Nick Name of Puritans and commended the Papists for harmless and peaceable Subjects 16. That he had Traytorously indeavoured to advance the Power of the Council Table the Cannons of the Church and the King's Prerogative above the Laws and Statutes of the Realm 17. That he had Wittingly and Willingly Harboured Countenanced and Relieved divers Popish Priests and Jesuits and particularly one call'd Santa Clara alias Damport a dangerous Person and Franciscan Fryar and did also provide Maintenance and Entertainment for one Monsieur St. Gyles a Popish Priest at Oxford knowing him to be a Popish Priest 18. That he had threatningly said there must be a Blow given to the Church such as had not been yet given before it could be brought to Conformity 19. That he punished divers Ministers in Prosecution of the last Cannons made by himself 20. That he had wickedly and malitiously Advised His Majesty to dissolve the last Parliament and presently after it was Dissolved told His Majesty That then he was absolved from all Rules of Government and left free to use all extraordinary Ways for his Supply These were the chief Heads of the Charge against that Proud Popish and Arbitrary Prelate for which he was sent Prisoner to the Tower After some close Inquiries and Examinations taken from the Informations of the late Lord Deputy of Ireland it was sufficiently known that the Archbishop was the Conduite Pipe through which the Popish Party made the pernicious Seed of Division run so smoothly that he was the Wicked Instrument they made use of to stir up the Division between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland and between the Protestants of the Church of England and the Presbyterians These heavy charges being made good against this Bishop and he most righteously executed for these his notorious Evil Actions Why are most of our Clergy and some of our Laity so wicked as to vindicate him and without the least Reason or shaddow of Truth cry him up for a Blessed Martyr that had violated all the Laws of the Land and was so great a Cause of most of the Miseries of England That to prevent the Peoples being too Religious advised and highly promoted the Declaration of Sports on the Lord's Day a time so odious in the sight of any thing of a Christian that it ought never to be forgotten 21. That after he had compleatly acted the part of a great Tyrant and thereby had justly lost the general Love Esteem and Affection of the best Protestants of the three Kingdoms He willingly consented that Bishop Gauden Bishop Duppa c. should compose a Book and call it His Portraiture or Picture and this Book the King was to own as his that it was composed by him when God knows he had neither so much Piety nor Capacity as that Work re-required though as a Noble Peer lately said Let that Book be Written by the King or by any body else there is little in it that deserves Esteem The design of this Book was three-fold the first was By the Lies thereby to justifie the King 's Arbitrary and Illegal Actions secondly Heavily to load the People of England with Rebellion c. for standing up for the legal Liberties and Properties belonging to them though absolutely forced thereunto to prevent the Inundation of Misery and Popish Slavery that the King and his wicked Court Favourites were then bringing on the three Kingdoms thirdly The cunning drift of the Factious and Defeated Party design'd to make the same Advantage of his Book as they did before of his Regal Name and Authority and intended it not only for a Defence of the King 's former Actions but also for promoting their own future Designs As for the Book who ever is the real Author has no occasion to value himself for that Work two things being with the greatest ease to be prov'd upon him First That he is a most Notorious Lyer both as to his Assertions of the King's Innocency of those sad matters justly laid to his Charge and also of his many unjust Accusations of the People of England and secondly That he was a Thief and had so much Piety as to have recourse to the famous Sir Philip Sydney's Arcadia a Romance in the time of his Troubles and from thence to steal the Prayer of Pamelia to an Heathen Diety being under Imprisonment not finding a suitable Form in the Liturgy Psalms of David or any other places of the sacred Scripture And that the Reader may be satisfied of the Truth of this Piece of Thievery I have thought fit to Print both Prayers in Collums one against the other That of Pamelias may be found in Pembrook's Arcadia p. 248. 13 Edit Printed 1674. That of King Charles I's is call'd a Prayer in time of Captivity Printed in a Great Folio call'd the Works of King Charles and also in his Eicon Basilike The King's Prayer O Powerful O Eternal God to whom nothing
her Husband had writ that call'd the King's Book it coming at last to the knowledge of Dr. Nicholson then Bishop of Gloucester who desiring to be fully satisfied in that point did put the Question to her upon her receiving the Sacrament and she then affirmed that it was wrote by her Husband This Persons of undoubted credit now living in Gloucester can affirm for a Truth and it is not question'd but the present Bishop of Gloucester will acknowledge that those Persons have related this matter to him that it is well known to Mrs. Gauden's Brother and several of her Relations that Mrs. Gauden constantly in her Conversation Declared That her Husband was the Author of this Book I could if necessity requird produce a great many Arguments more out of Doctor Walkers or other Writings to prove the Truth of this matter but shall conclude it with this one of the Doctors in reference to the Providence of this Discovery Though God had many Holy Righteous and Gracious ends to serve his Providence by in the Publication of this Book yet as I find it expressed in this very Book Chap. the last p. 262. of the first Edition God's wise Providence we know oft permits many Events which his revealed Word in no sort approves And I confess I have many cogent reasons to persuade me that God was not well pleased with Dr. Gauden others or my self for what we contributed to it And though for the aforesaid ends he suffered it to succeed yet I know not but he may have other ends now to serve by suffering this Discovery to be Wrung and rested from me I had almost said by some Bodies viz. Hollingworths Impertinent Affection to meddle with what he understands not Thus spake that good Man I had not enlarged so much on this 21 st Article but that I was desirous of giving full satisfaction to the World of the Real Author of Eicon Basilice That Posterity might not be deceived by the many Impudent Ignorant False and Scandalous Assertions of most of the Clergy and too many of the Laity who to their Eternal Shame have taken more care and pains to defend that Book and its pretended Author King Charles I. than they done to Vindicate the Holy Bible and the Truth of the Christian Religion 22. That caused the Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts to be made Use of to the general Grievance of the People of England and was unwilling to part with them till he found these Courts were highly offensive to the Parliament and that it was not Seasonable to displease the Kingdom at that time for which Reasons at last he pass'd the Bills to take them away And indeed there were many and great Reasons why those abominable oppressive Courts should be pull'd down and taken away For that Old Serpent Arch-Bishop Laud and divers of his Brethren had cast off all Humanity and were metamorphosed into Ravenous Wolves and these Courts were under their Management The Star-Chamber had abounded in Extravagant Censures whereby the Subjects were oppress'd by Grievious Fines Imprisonments Stigmatizings Mutilations Whippings Pillories Gags Banishments c. And the High Commission Court was grown to such Excess of Sharpness and Severity as was not much less than the Spanish Inquisition To repeat two or three of the many Instances of the Horrid Oppressions and barbarous Cruelty exercised in these Tyrannical Courts Upon the 17 th of February 1629. Dr. Leighton coming out of Black Fryers Church it seems then he was no Conventicler was seized by a Warrant from the High Commission Court and dragged to Bishop Laud's House from thence without any Examination he was carried to New-gate and there clapt into Irons and thrust into a Nasty Hole where he continued from Tuesday Night till Thursday Noon without Meat or Drink They kept him in that loathsome Place where Snow and Rain beat in upon him Fifteen Weeks not permitting his Wife or any Friend to come near him and denyed to give him a Copy of his Commitment then they brought him into the Star-Chamber Court where an Information was Exhibited against him for Publishing a Book call'd Lyon's Plea against the Prelates Dr. Leighton confess'd that in 1628. He drew up the Heads of that Book and having the approbation of five hundred Persons under their hands some whereof were Parliament Men. He went into Holland and got between five and six hundred Printed for the use of the Parliament but they being Dissolved he returned home not bringing any of them into the Land but made it his special care to suppress them In the same information the Doctor was charged with these Words in the said Book We do not read of greater Persecutions of God's People in any Nation professing the Gospel then in this our Island especially since the Death of Queen Elizabeth He confessed the Words and Answered That the thing was too true as appeared by the Prelates taking away Life and Livelihood from many Mâ—nisters and private Men of whom many were pined to Death in Prison and many wandred up and down their Families being left desolate and helpless That besides this the Blood of Souls had been endanger'd by the Removal of the Faithful Shepheards from the Flock this was a cutting Truth And Wicked Laud being enraged Desired the Court to put the highest Censure that could be put upon him which they did to his Content Condemning him to have his Ears cut his Nose slit to be Branded in the Face Whipped at a Post to stand on a Pillory to pay Ten Thousand Pound fine tho' they knew he was not worth so much and to be perpetually Imprisoned This Hellish Sentence being past that vile Wretch Laud was so well pleased with it that he pull'd of his Cap and holding up his Hands gave thanks to God who had given him Victory over his Enemies This Sentence being so miserably severe the Execution thereof was little expected But Laud had his design for upon the 26 th of November 1630. The Censure was Executed in a most cruel manner His Ears were cut his Nose slit his Face Branded with burning Irons he was tyed to a Post and Whipped with a treble Cord to that cruel Degree that he himself Writing the History thereof Ten Years after affirmed that every lash brought away the Flesh and that he should feel it to his dying day He was lastly put into the Pillory and kept there near two hours in Frost and Snow and then after this most barbarous Usage not permitted to return to his Quarters in the Fleet Prison in a Coach provided to carry him but compelled in that sad Condition and severe Season to go by Water After this was kept Ten Weeks in Dirt and Mire not being sheltered from Rain and Snow They shut him up most closely Twenty Two Months and he remain'd a Prisoner Ten or Eleven Tears not suffered to breath in the open Air until that Noble Parliament of November 1640. most happily delivered him When he came
in these particulars 1. That the design of altering Religion had been potently carried on by those in greatest Authority about him the Queen's Agent at Rome the Pope's Nuncio here are not only Evidences of this Design but have been great Actors in it 2. That the War with Scotland was procured to make way for this Intent and chiefly fomented by the Papists and others Popishly affected whereof we have many Evidences 3. That the Rebellion in Ireland was framed and contrived here in England and that the English Papists should have risen about the same time We have several Testimonies c. The Irish Rebels affirm That they do nothing but by Authority from the King they call themselves the Queen's Army the Booty which they take from the English they mark with the Queen's mark and it is proved that their purpose was to come to England after they had done in Ireland 4. The labouring to infuse into Your Majesties Subjects an evil Opinion of the Parliament and other Symptons of a disposition of raising Arms and dividing your People by a Civil War in which Combustion Ireland must needs be lost and this Kingdom miserably wasted and consumed if not wholly ruined and destroyed 5. That Your Majesty sent away the Lord Digby by your own Warrant beyond Sea after a Vote had passed in the House of Commons Declaring That he had appear'd in a Warlike manner at Kingston upon Thames to the terror of your Majesties good Subjects that he being so got beyond Sea he vented his traiterous Conceptions that Your Majesty should declare your Self and retire to a place of Strength and intimated some service which he might do in those parts whereby in probability he intended the procuring of some Foreign Force to strengthen Your Majesty in that Condition into which he would have brought you which malicious Counsel we have great cause to doubt made too deep an Impression in Your Majesty considering the course you are pleased to take of absenting your Self from that Parliament and carrying the Prince with you which seems to express a purpose in Your Majesty to keep your Self in a readiness for the Acting of it 6. The manifold Advertisements which we have had from Rome Venice Paris and other parts That they still expect that Your Majesty has some great design in hand for the altering of Religion the breaking the Neck of your Parliament and that you will yet find means to compass that design that the Pope's Nuncio hath sollicited the Kings of France and Spain to lend Your Majesty 4000 Men a piece to help to maintain your Royalty against the Parliament These are some of the grounds of our Fears and Jealousies which made us so earnestly to implore your Royal Authority and Protection for our Defence and security in all the ways of Humility and Submission which being denyed by Your Majesty We do with sorrow apply our selves to the use of that Power viz. the Militia which by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom resides in us yet still resolving to keep our selves within the Bounds of Faithfullness and Allegiance to your Sacred Person and your Crown And as to the Fears and Jealousies which His Majesty seem'd to have Entertained of them The Lords and Commons thus Answered We have according to Your Majesties desires laid our hands upon our Hearts we have asked our selves in the strictest Examination of our Consciences we have searched our Affections our Thoughts considered our Actions and can find none that can give Your Majesty any just Occasion to absent your self from White-Hall and the Parliament but that you may with more Honour and Safety continue there than in any other place Your Majesty lays a great Charge upon Us if you will graciously be pleased to let us know the Particulars we shall give a clear and satisfactory Answer But what hope can we have of ever giving Your Majesty satisfaction when those particulars which you have been made believe were true yet being produced and made known to us appeared to be false and Your Majesty notwithstanding will neither Punish nor Produce the Authors But go on to contract new Jealousies and Fears upon general and uncertain Grounds affording Us no means or possibility of particular Answer to the clearing of our selves We beseech Your Majesty to consider in what state you are how easie and fair a way You have to Happiness Honour and Greatness Plenty and Security if you will joyn with the Parliament in the Defence of the Religion and publick good of the Kingdom this is all we expect from you And for this we return to you our Lives Fortunes and utmost Endeavours to support Your Majesty Your just Power and Soveraignty over us but it is not Words that can secure us in these our humble Desires We cannot but too well and sorrowfully remember what Gracious Messages we had from You this Summer when with your Privity the bringing up the Army was in Agitation We cannot but with the like Affections recall to our Minds how not two days before your own coming to the Commons House You sent a Gracious Message that You would always have a care of their Priviledges as of your own Prerogative of the safety of their Persons as of your own Children That which we expect which will give us Assurance that you have no thought but of Peace and Justice to your People must be some real effect of your Goodness to them in granting those things which your present necessity of the Kingdom do inforce us to desire and that you will be Graciously pleased to put from you those Mischievous Counsellors which have caused all these Dangers and Distractions and to continue your own Residence and the Princes near London and the Parliament which we hope will be an happy beginning of Contentment and Confidence betwixt Your Majesty and People and be followed with many succeeding Blessings of Honour and Greatness to Your Majesty and of Security and Prosperity to them These are brief Heads of the Declaration to which the King Answered Have I violated your Laws To which both Houses made this pertinent Reply We are heartily sorry We have such plentiful Matter of an Answer to that Question Have I violated your Laws I must also take Notice that in the beginning of the Year 1642. a time when the King was in appearance transacting matters amicably with the two Houses and we seemed to be in a deep Peace a time when he Declared That he had received no other Carriage from his Parliament than what he professed himself satisfied with and that if the Bills he had past were again to be offered he should cheerfully and readily Assent unto them Even then he dispatch'd away Letters and an Agent to the King of Denmark complaing of the Parliament and asking Supplies from thence AD PROPUL SANDOS HOSTES you know the English of that is to Subdue his Enemies and declared himself in these Words Ad allia Consilia Animum Convertendum
Petition for Redress of their Grievances 3. In dissolving their Synod and Parliament Burning the Pacification made with them by the Hangman's hands and Imprisoning the Lord 's sent by them to Petitiom him to perform his Sollemn Promises and Redress their Grievances 4. In levying Doctrines against them and raising a Civil War to justify himself in the Violation of their Laws A Civil War it was said the Great Lord Digby seeing we are of the same Religion and under the same King And 5. In attempting to make use of the Love and Affection of the English to Enslave and Ruin the Scotish Nation It is not improper here to observe 1. That the Scotish Covenant was not a new Invention or Innovation but Established by the Law of Scotland and taken by King James the First seventy Years before King Charles the Second took it 2. That Bishops and Clergymen in Conjunction with Papists abetted and assisted this T in the violation of the Laws when the Bulk of the Nobility Gentry and People of England appeared undauntedly in Defence of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom 3. That Popery hath greatly spred in Scotland ever since Laud's Superstition was introduced here the Number of Papists not exceeding 600. And therefore Presbetery being now restored by a Law it may be reasonably hoped that it will reduce many who have been deluded into that Idolatry 4. That Princes are not always to trust to the Insinuations and Suggestions of Scotish Bishops seeing that when they instigated King Charles I. to Dissolve the Synod and Parliament he was seduced by them into a belief That the Scotish Covenanteers were a contemptible Number and their Party in Scotland was sufficient to deal with them 5. That the Scots were not Rebells in taking Arms to Assert their Rights and Vindicate the Laws and Liberties of their Countrey That the horrid Imposition of Laud's Popish Liturgy did occasion the Troubles of Scotland is very manifest from Dr. Burnet's now Bishop of Salisbury his Memoirs of Duke Hamilton for he saith Page 30. The Liturgy had some Alterations from the English which made it more Invidious and less Satisfactory The Imposing it really varied from their former Practices and Constitutions Pag. 33. The Lords Petition'd complaining against the Liturgy and Book of Canons offering under the highest Penalties to prove they contain'd things both contrary to Religion and the Laws of the Land pag. 36. The Earls of Traquaire and Roxbourgh by Letter to the King advised him to secure the People of that which they so much apprehended the fear of Innovation of Religion saying that they found few or none well satisfied pag. 33. The Earl of Traquaire went to Court and gave Account that all the Troubles were occasioned by introducing the Liturgy with which scarce a Member of Council except Bishops was well satisfied Neither were all these Cardinals for it for the Archbishop of St. Andrews from the beginning had withstood these Designs and the Archbishop of Glascoe was worse pleased Their Commissioners in their Charge against Laud exhibited to the Parliament of England 1641. say pag. 11. c. This Book inverteth the Order of the Communion in the Book of England of the divers secret Reasons of this Change we mention one only In joyning the Spiritual Praise and Thanksgiving which is in the Book of England pertinently after the Communion with the Prayer of Consecration before the Communion and that under the Name of Memorial or Oblation for no other ends but that the Memorial and Sacrifice of Praise mention'd in it may be understood according to the Popish meaning Bellarmin de Missa Lib. 2. Chap. 21. not of the Spiritual Sacrifice but of the Oblation of the Body of the Lord. The Corporal Presence of Christ's Body is also to be found here for the Words of the Mass-Book serving to this purpose which are not to be found in the Book of England are taken in here Almighty God is incaâ—…'d That of his Almighty Goodness he may vouchsafe so to Bless and sanctifie with his Word and Spirit these Gifts of Bread and Wine that they be unto us the Body and Blood of Christ On the one part the Expressions of the Book of England at the delivery of the Elements Of feeding on Christ by Faith and of Eating and Drinking in Remembrance that Christ died for thee are utterly Deleted To prove that Laud did send this Liturgy to Rome to be approved of Read a Book of Good Credit Entitled New Survey of the West Indies Wrote by a Reverend Divine of the Church of England Mr. Thomas Gage Minister of Deal in Kent 't is in pag. 280. in the Folio Edition He there tells you That being a Fryar he went to Rome with Letters of Recommendation to Cardinal Barbarini the Pope's Nephew Entituled The Protector of England That coming acquainted with Father Fitzherbert of the English Colledge of Jesuits he highly praised Archbishop Laud and said That he not long since sent a Common Prayer Book which he had composed for the Church of Scotland to be first viewed and approved by the Pope and Cardinals and That they liked it very well for Protestants to be Trained up in a Form of Prayer and Service yet the Cardinals first giving him thanks for his Respect sent him word that they thought it was not fitting for Scotland that Father Fitzherbert told him he was Witness of all this being sent for by the Cardinal to give him his Opinion about it and of the Temper of the Scots And that Laud hearing the Censure of the Cardinals concerning his Intention and Form of Prayer to ingratiate himself the more in their Favour Corrected some things in it and made it more harsh and unreasonable for that Nation This Good Man Mr. Gage after he had here related the matter as above expresses himself thus This most True Relation of Archbishop Laud I have oft spoke of in private Discourse and publickly in Preaching and I could not in Conscience omit it here both to vindicate the just Censure of Death whiâ—h the Parliament gave against him and to reprove the ungrounded Opinion and Error of some Ignorant Spirits who have since his Death highly exalted and cryed him up as a Martyr 'T is worthy of Notice that these Passages making Laud to appear a great Villain were by the means of Priest Craft left out of the Impression in Octavo Something like this of Mr. Gage may be found in Bishop Burnet's Memoirs of Duke Hamilton fol. 83. he relates That in the Year 1638. one Abernethy who from a Jesuit turned a zealous Presbyterian spread a story in Scotland which took wonderfully of the Liturgy of that Kingdom being sent to Rome to some Cardinals to be Revised by them and that Seignior Con the Popes Nuncio to the Court of England had shewed it to Abernethy at Rome and though Con denied it afterwards as is pretended yet it doth not follow that what Abernethy asserts was false for
not in the least intrench on these present Articles Moreover this Parliament may either Repeal or Suspend Poyning's Law which imports that no Parliament shall be held in Ireland till the Acts are first Certify'd into England 3. That all Acts made to the prejudice of the Irish Roman Catholicks since the 7th of August 1641. shall be null and void and that they be vacated accordingly in the next Parliament and in the mean time they have no Force 4. That all Processes in prejudice of the said Roman Catholicks made since the said 7th of August 1641. shall be made void in such manner as no Memory shall remain thereof and this when ever the said Twelve or the major part of them shall desire the same and in the interim they are to be of no Force and what has already been done upon their Account is to be restor'd or made good 5. The Roman Catholicks shall be deem'd qualified to Set in the succeeding Parliaments 6. All Debts are to remain as they were on the 23 d. of October 1641. notwithstanding any Alliance made on account of these Processes and this to be Enacted by the next Parliament 7. That the Estates and reputed Estates of all the Inhabitants of the Counties of Cannought Clare Thomond Limerick and Tipperary be secured to them according to the 25 th Article of the Grant in the 4 th Year of his Majesties Reign to be held by the same Rents and Tenures as they were in the said 4 th Year And as for the Laws in the Counties of Kilkenny and Wickloe to which His Majesty was Entitled by Offices found for him during the Earl of Stafford's Government the State of them is to be considered the next intended Parliament when his Majesty will Assent to what is Just and Honourable and that the Act for limitation of His Majesties Titles for the security of his Subject's Estates in this Kingdom be pass'd in the said Parliament pursuant to what was Enacted in the 21 st Year of James I. in England 8. All Incapacities impos'd on the Irish Catholicks to be taken away in the succeeding Parliament and they enabled to Erect Inns of Court or Free Schools where the Lord Lieutenant in conjuction with the Twelve or the major number of them shall think fit and the Students and Scholars are to take only an Oath of Allegiance this likewise is to be Enacted by the next Parliament 9. Roman Catholicks are to be deem'd qualifi'd for any Trust in the Army and to be prefer'd according to their respective Merits As likewise to be receiv'd into the Civil Government with the like Priviledges also they are to be entrusted with any Garisons in the same manner And that till full settlement in Parliament 15000 Foot and 2500 Horse of the Irish Roman Catholicks shall be of the standing Army which number may be either Augmented or diminish'd by the power of the Lord Lieutenant and the aforesaid Twelve or their Majority as often as they shall see convenient 10. The King is to receive 12000 Pound annually in lieu of whatever profits may accrue to him within the Jurisdiction of the Court of Wards 11. No Noble Man for the future is to be allowed to make above 2 Proxies in Parliament and all Blank Proxies to be totally disallowed Also where a Baron has not 200 Pound per Ann. a Viscount 400 an Earl 600 a Marquiss 800 and a Duke 1000 they shall be disabled to sit in Parliament and the Commons also are to be stated and resident within the Kingdom 12. As for the Parliament of Ireland depending on that of England they are left to make such Declaration therein as shall be agreeable to their Laws of their Kingdom 13. That for the future the Council Table is to be confin'd within its own Bounds and to meddle only with matters of State and Weight other Business between Party and Party is to be left to the Ordinary course of Law 14. Several Acts shall be Repeal'd relating to Wool Flocks Tallow c. and divers Officers appointed by the Lord Lieutenant and the aforesaid Twelve or the majority of them to ascertain the Rates of all Merchandize either to be Exported or Imported 15. All Persons wrong'd by Offices found in the first of King James I. or since in the Province of Ulster and other Provinces of this Kingdom may Petition His Majesty and be Redrest upon Examination 16. That as to the particular cases of 16 Persons nam'd they may Petition in the next Parliament and shall be relieved accordingly 17. The former Inhabitants of Cork Youghall and Downegarven shall be restored to their respective Estates where their Number does not endanger the Garrifons and shall chuse and return Burgesses as formerly 18. An Act of Indemnity to pass in the next Parliament to extend to all His Majesties Loving Subjects of this Kingdom and Pyrates on the Sea except such as have been Convicted or Attainted on Record before the 23 of October 1641. it shall not extend to remit any of the King's Debts or Subsidies due before the said time provided that such Barbarous Crimes as shall be agreed upon by the Lord Lieutenant and the Twelve or the Majority of them be left to be adjudg'd by such Commissioners as the said Lord Lieutenant and the Twelve shall Assign and that the power of such Commissioners be limitted to two Years The other Provisoes are omitted for Brevities sake 19. The great Officers of the Kingdom are excluded from being Farmers of the Customs 20. An Act of Parliament to pass against Monopolies pursuant to that Enacted in England in the 21 st of James I. with a clause to Repeal all Grants of Monopolies Likewise Commissioners to be appointed by the Lord Lieutenant and the Twelve or the majority of them to rate the Customs and Impositions on Aquivita Tobacco c. 21. Commissioners agreed upon by the Lord Lieutenant and the Twelve or their Majority were to regulate the Court of Castle Chamber 22. The two Acts prohibiting the Plowing with Horses by the Tail and the Burning of Oats in the Straw to be Repealâ—d 23. That the Grievances Petition'd for by both Houses of Parliament and by Agents sent for that purpose in the 4 th Year of His Majesties Reign shall be Redressed 24. All Sea Affairs to be determin'd in this Kingdom and in case of Appeal it may be only to the Chancery of Ireland or to the Parliament of this Kingdom and until such a Parliament is the Admiralty and all Maritine Causes are to be ordered and settled by the Lord Lieutenant together with the Advice and Consent of the Twelve or their majority 25. That His Majesties Subjects be eased of all Rents and Encrease of Rents raised by the Commission for defective Titles in the Lord of Stafford's Government This to be by Act of Parliament 26. That by Act to be pass'd in the next Parliament all Interest Money not satisfied since the 23 d. of October 1641. until the