and Doctor Stuart to inform him of the nature of this cause and the scandal that might arise thereupon and to certifie what the same may amount unto whither to an irregularity or otherwise and what means may be found for redress However this consultation was managed the Archbishop was not deprived but a Plant was growing up that over-topped him whilst he lived and after his decease obtained the Primacy Doctor Laud who was first chosen to the Bishoprick of St. Davids by the Mediation of the Lord Keeper Williams and was consecrated by the Bishops of London Worcester Chichester Ely Landaff and Oxon the Archbishop in the mean time was not thought irregular for the Casual Homicide This Bishop Doctor Laud was looked upon in those times as an Arminian and a fierce opposer of Puritans and while he lived in Oxford suspected to incline to Popish Tenents as may appear by his Letter of Complaint sent to his Patron Doctor Neal then Bishop of Lincoln against a Sermon preached by Robert Abbot Doctor of the Chair in Oxford in which Letter he inclosed this amongst other Passages of the Doctors Sermon viz. That men under pretence of Truth and Preaching against the Puritans strike at the heart and root of Faith and Religion now established among us That this Preaching against the Puritans was but the practice of Parsons and Campions counsel when they came into England to seduce yong Students And when many of them were afraid to lose their places if they should professedly be thus the counsel they then gave them was That they should speak freely against the Puritans and that should suffice And they cannot intend that they are accounted Papists because they speak against the Puritans But because they indeed are Papists they speak nothing against them If they do at any time speak against the Papists they do beat a little upon the Bush and that softly too for fear of troubling or disquieting the Birds that are in it I Came time enough saith Mr. Laud to be at the rehearsal of this Sermon upon much perswasion where I was fain to sit patiently and hear my self abused almost an hour together being pointed at as I sate For this present abuse I would have taken no notice of it but that the whole University apply it to me and my own Friends tell me I shall sink my credit if I answer not Dr. Abbot in his own Nevertheless in a business of this kinde I will not be swayed from a patient course onely I desire your Lordship to vouchsafe me some direction what to do c. The Arminian Sect opposed by King Iames and by his special concurrence lately broken in the Netherlands by the beheading of Barnevalt the cheif of them began in his latter times to spring up in England and was countenanced by the said Prelate who had newly obtained the opinion and favor of the Marquess of Buckingham The Kings main design then not suffering the suppressing of that way which in common judgment was inclined to Popery or he thought to recover all his losses and to salve all misfortunes by the Spanish Match And for this cause he released multitudes of Priests and Popish Recusants then imprisoned which the Spaniards professed to be a great demonstration of the Kings sincere affection to confirm the correspondence and amity between the Crowns And that this enlargement might be the more expedite and less chargeable the King gave directions to the Lord Keeper Williams Bishop of Lincoln THat whereas he had formerly given order for the release of Recusants by removing them from the several Goals of this Kingdom to be bailed before the Justices of his Bench And finding that this course will be troublesome to the poorer sort of them he doth now require that Writs be directed to the Justices of Assizes enabling and requiring them to enlarge such Recusants as they shall finde in their several Goals upon such conditions and securities as were required by the Judges of his Bench. Accordingly the Writs were issued forth under the Great Seal and the Lord Keeper wrote to the Judges on this manner THat the King having upon deep Reasons of State and in expectation of the like correspondence from Forein Princes to the Professors of our Religion resolved to grant some Grace to the imprisoned Papists had commanded him to pass some Writs under the Broad Seal for that purpose Wherefore it is his Majesties pleasure that they make no niceness or difficulty to extend his Princely favor to all such as they shall finde prisoners in the Gaols of their Circuits for any Church Recusancy or refusing the Oath of Supremacy or dispersing of Popish Books or any other point of Recusancy that shall concern Religion onely and not matters of State But a general offence was taken at this Indulgence to Papists and the Lord Keepers Letter to the Judges which how the Keeper endevored to renounce may be seen in his Letter written to a Person of Honor. AS the Sun in the Firmament appears unto us no bigger then a Platter and the Stars are but as so many Nails in the Pummel of a Saddle because of the enlargement and disproportion between our eye and the object So is there such an unmeasurable distance between the deep resolution of a Prince and the shallow apprehensions of common and ordinary people That as they will ever be judging and censuring so they must needs be obnoxious to error and mistaking The King is now a most Zealous Intercessor for some case and refreshment to all the Protestants in Europe which were unreasonable if he did now execute the rigor of his Laws against the Roman Catholicks Our Viperous Countrymen the English Iesuites in France had many moneths before this favor granted invited the French King by writing a malicious Book to put all the Statutes in execution against the Protestants in those parts which were Enacted in England against the Papists and as they falsly informed severely executed Besides these Papists are no otherwise out of prison then with their shackles about their heels sufficient Sureties and good Recognizances to present themselves at the next Assizes and their own demeanor and the success of his Majesties Negotiations must determine whether they shall continue in this Grace But to conclude from the favor done to the English Papists that the King savors the Romish Religion is a composition of Folly and Malice little deserved by a gratious Prince who by Word Writing Exercise of Religion and Acts of Parliament hath demonstrated himself so resolved a Protestant As for his own Letter to the Iudges he said it recited onely four kindes of Recusancy capable of the Kings clemency not so much to include them as to exclude many other Crimes bearing the name of Recusancy as using the Function of a Romish Priest seducing the Kings Leige-people from the established Religion aspersing the King Church or State or the present Government All which Offences being
of all such as should serve their Princes with the like loyalty had sent him a Blank signed by himself wherein he might set down his own Conditions both in point of Title and Fortune And this he did in no wise to oblige another Princes Subject but only to give encouragement to honest and faithful proceedings And therefore he would not make these offers in private but open and justifiable to all the world and would accompany all that he should do with a Declaration or Patent That what he had done for the Earl of Bristol was for the fidelity wherewith he had served his own Master Hereunto the Earl made answer That he was sorry and much afflicted to hear such language And desired that they should understand that neither this King nor Spain were beholding to him For whatsoever he had done he thought the same to be fittest for his Masters service and his own honor having no relation to Spain and that he served a Master from whom he was assured both of justice and due reward And nothing doubted but his own Innocencie would prevail against the wrong intended by his powerful Adversaries And were he sure to run into imminent danger he had rather go home and cast himself at his Masters feet and mercy and therein comply with the duty and honor of a faithful Subject though it should cost him his head then be Duke or Infantado of Spain And that with this resolution he would imploy the utmost of his power to maintain the Amity between the two Kings and their Crowns and to serve his Catholick Majesty After he had taken his leave and was ready to come away he had another Profer made unto him in private of Ten thousand Crowns to take with him in his purse to make his way and go through with his troubles if haply his own monies might be seised upon And it was told him no body should know it Yes said he one would know it who he was assured would reveal it to his Majesty viz. the Earl of Bristol himself and it would make him not so clear in his own heart as now he was and so he refused the offer The Match was now truly broken but as yet the breach was not declared nor the Treaty quite fallen to the ground but continued after a languishing manner in the hands of Sir Walter Aston The Spaniards by all Advertisements from England were advised to expect a War and accordingly they went seriously to work and prepared themselves for what might happen And Aston being there upon the place conceived it high time that King Iames should resolve upon some course to allay the storm arising or to go hand in hand with them in equal preparations All that was left alive of the Marriage-business was no more then that those Jewels which the Prince had left at his Farewel were not yet returned But if the Letter then expected from England brought no better Answer to their last Offer concerning the Palatinate then such as they had hither to received they will return the Jewels and declare the Marriage broken For by this time they had received intelligence of the Princes treating a Marriage with a Daughter of France the Lady Henrietta Maria. And so it was that King Iames had lately sent the Lord Kensington afterwards Earl of Holland to enquire covertly whether the Match were feasible before he would enter into a Publick Treaty The Lord Kensington returned this Accompt of his Negotiation That there appeared in the face of that Court an extraordinary sweetness smoothness and clearness towards an Alliance with England The Princess herself was observed seldom to have put on a more cheerful countenance then she had done the first night of his appearance in that Court The Queen though a Daughter of Spain wished this Match more then that intended with her own Sister And the Queen-mother who will have the chief stroke in the business expressed her good will and favor as much as might stand with her Daughters honor For the French observe the aspiring of the King of Spain to the Monarchy of Christendom and his approaches to the Kingdom of France and his encompassing it on all sides And they discern that an Alliance with England is the surest way to oppose the mightiness of that King And upon the same accompt they promised brave assistance to the United Provinces gave great encouragement to Count Mansfield and Duke Christian of Brunswick A Gentleman of the Religion was sent to Liege to offer them the Kings protection if that Town will seek it Nevertheless they have not directly embraced this Overture of Marriage because we have not as yet wholly abandoned the Treaty with Spain lest they should lose the Friendship of a Brother-in-law to gain another which may possibly fail them But they say that their hearts are not capable of more content then to see this Motion upon a Publick Commission and all that may touch upon the way of Spain dissolved Neither are they like to strain us to unreasonable Conditions in favor of the Roman Catholicks in his Majesties Dominions For in that matter their Pulse beats so temperately as to promise a good Crisis therein And in case his Majesty be drawn to banish the Priests and Jesuites and to quicken the Laws against other Catholicks to keep a good Intelligence with his Parliament yet they say they hope he will not tie his hands from some moderate favor to flow hereafter from the mediation of that State which is all they pretend unto for the saving of their honor who otherwise would hardly be reputed Catholicks Thus the Lord Kensington having rendred an accompt of his diligence advised to go on roundly with the Match lest otherwise though never so well affected they be altered with the Arts of Spain For saith he undoubtedly the King of Spain will resolve if possible to oblige one side And as the French do think he may please England with the restitution of the Palatinate so we may think he will please the French with rendring of the Valtoline But without the assistance of Parliament and compliance with the people the King could not go through with those weighty works which he was now to take in hand Now the things which troubled the People were set forth to the King in three particulars As That for the Subsidies granted in the two last Parliaments they received no retributions by Bils of Grace That some of their Burgesses were proceeded against after the Parliament was dissolved And that when they have satisfied the Kings demands he will nevertheless proceed to the conclusion of the Spanish Match Hereupon some of his nearest Council perswaded him to begin the work by removing the peoples Jealousies and to cast away some crums of his Crown amongst them and those crums would work miracles and satisfie many thousands And whereas the aim of the former Treaties was the setling of an universal peace in Christendom
testimonia invictissimi unà cum Joanne fratre suo juniore in obsidione Francovalenti hic factâ eruptione arreptus ille ictu bombardae percussus occubuere Anno M.DC.XXI This Monument was erected by the Town of Frankendal in memory of those two Brothers who were Uncles to that Valiant Victorious and Self-denying General THOMAS Lord FAIRFAX late Commander in Chief of the Parliaments Armies in England In France the Marriage-Treaty was not so fair smooth and plausible in the progress as in the entrance King Iames admiring the Alliance of mighty Kings though of a Contrary Religion as also fearing the disgrace of another Breach desired the Match unmeasurably which the French well perceived and abated of their forwardness and enlarged their Demands in favor of Papists as the Spaniards had done before them and strained the King to the Concession of such Immunities as he had promised to his Parliament that he would never grant upon the mediation of Forein Princes The Cardinal Richlieu being in the infancie of his favor and appointed to the managing of the Treaty assured the Catholicks of Great Britain that the most Christian King remembring that he was born and raised up no less for the propagation of the Catholick Cause then for the enlarging of his own Dominions was resolved to obtain honorable Terms for Religion or never to conclude the Match And for his own part such was his compassion towards them that if he might work their deliverance or better their condition not only with Counsel interest and authority but with his life and blood he would gladly do it However this Treaty held fewer moneths then the years that were spent in that of Spain Indeed the Motion from England had a braver expression seeing a Wife was here considered as the only object of the Treaty whereas that of Spain was accompanied with a further expectation to wit the rendring of the Palatinate to King Iames his children In August the Match was concluded and in November the Articles were sworne unto by King Iames Prince Charls and the French King The Articles concerning Religion were not much short of those for the Spanish Match The Conclusion of the Treaty was seconded in France with many outward expressions of Joy as Bonfires and the like Whereupon the Privy-Council sent to the Lord Mayor of London requiring the like to be done here This year Count Mansfield arrived in England whose reception was splendid and honorable He was entertained in the Prince his House in S. Iames's and served in great state by some of the Kings Officers A Press went through the Kingdom for the raising of Twelve thousand Foot with two Troops of Horse to go under his Command for the Recovery of the Palatinate These Forces were intended to pass through France into Germany the French having promised as well an Addition of Strength as a free passage In the mean while there were those that secretly sollicited the King to return into the way of Spain and raised suspitions of Mansfields Enterprise saying he was the Palsgraves Scout and Spy And if the Puritans desired a Kingdom they did not wish it to the most illustrious Prince Charls his Majesties best and true Heir but to the Palatine That it was the Dukes Plot and the Parliaments Fury to begin a War with Spain but it will be the glory of his Majesties blessed Reign that after many most happy years that Motto of his Blessed be the Peace-makers might even â—o the last be verified of him in the letter and be propounded for imitation to the most illustrious Prince and that the experience of his happy Government should carry the Prince in a connatural motion to the same Counsels of Peace And at the same time the more circumspect party in the Spanish Court held it fit to continue the state of things in a possibility of an Accommodation with the King of Great Britain and Gondomar was coming again for England to procure a Peace notwithstanding the Duke of Bavaria used all diligence to combine himself with that Crown offering to depend wholly thereon so that he may be thereby protected in his new acquired Dignity But in these Motions the Elector of Saxony with many Reasons advised the Emperor to apply himself to the setling of a Peace in Germany and with much instance besought him not to destroy that antient House of the Palatinate Count Mansfield was at this time in England and the Forces raised in the several parts of the Kingdom for the recovery of the Palatinate were put under his Command and Marching to their Rendezvous at Dover committed great Spoils and Rapines in their passage through the Counties At that Rendezvous the Colonels and Captains were assigned to receive their several Regiments and Companies from the Conductors employed by those several Counties where the Men were raised A List of some of the Regiments of Foot designed for that Expedition I. EArl of Lincoln Colonel Lieut. Col. Allen. Serjeant Major Bonithon Sir Edward Fleetwood Captain Wirley Capt. Reynolds Capt. Babbington Sir Matthew Carey Capt. Barlee Capt. Cromwel II. Viscount Doncaster Colonel Sir Iames Ramsey Lieut. Colonel Alexander Hamilton Serjeant Major Capt. Archibald Duglas Capt. Zouch Capt. Iohn Duglas Capt. Pell Capt. William Duglas Capt. George Kellwood Capt. Andrew Heatly III. Lord Cromwel Colonel Lieut. Col. Dutton Serjeant Major Gibson Capt. Basset Capt. Lane Capt. Vincent Wright Capt. Ienner Capt. Vaughan Capt. Owseley Capt. Crane IV. Sir Charles Rich Colonel Lieut. Col. Hopton Serjeant Major Killegrew Sir Warham St. Leiger Sir W. Waller Capt. Burton Capt. Francis Hammond Capt. Winter Capt. Goring Capt. Fowler V. Sir Andrew Grey Colonel Lieut. Col. Boswel Serjeant Major Coburne Capt. David Murray Capt. Murray Capt. Forbois Capt. Carew Capt. Ramsey Capt. Williams Capt. Beaton VI. Sir Iohn Borrough Colonel Lieut. Col. Bret. Serjeant Major Willoughby Capt. William Lake Capt. Roberts Capt. Webb Capt. Skipwith Capt. Thomas Woodhouse Capt. George Capt. Mostian The Duke of Buckingham Lord Admiral was required to employ those Ships that were now in the Narrow Seas or in the Havens ready bound for any Voyage for the Transporting this Army from Dover Count Mansfield received his Commission from King Iames bore date the Seventh of November One thousand six hundred twenty and four and was to this effect That his Majesty at the Request of the Prince Elector Palatine and the Kings Sister his Wife doth impower Count Mansfield to raise an Army for the recovering of the Estate and Dignity of the Prince Elector and appoints that the Forces so raised should be under the Government of the said Count Mansfield for the end aforesaid And his Majesty further declares by way of Negative That he doth not intend that the said Count shall commit any spoil upon the Countreys or Dominions of any of his Majesties Friends and Allies and more particularly He doth require the said Count not to make any invasion or do any act of War
Peace as they doubted he would not be brought to enter into War But Count Mansfield procured the King of France to Contract to receive our Troops with promise to enter into the War upon condition it might be regulated by the Council of the French King and England This favor to Count Mansfield That France agreed that his Armies should joyn with the Kings Troops wrought the Princes of Germany to believe that the King would enter into a War Thereupon the Imperialists left their Dyet and sent Tilly to Friezland and to take up the River of Embden which if he had obtained they would have trampled the Low-Countreys under foot and would have become Governors of the Sea Upon this the King of Denmark sent to our King and offered to raise an Army of Thirty thousand men if our King would allow Thirty thousand pounds a Moneth and said He would admit no time of respite for if Tilly had not been presently met and headed all had been lost Whereupon our King called a Counsel and appointed Commissioners and from that time all the Warrants for the issuing of the Moneys were all under the Kings own hand to the Council of War and from them to the Treasurers and the Warrants were from the Lords of the Council for the Levying of Men and for Coats and Conduct-Money A List whereof is hereunder specified Thereupon the Duke asked the Question Whether any thing was done by single Council To which the Lord Conway answered No. For the Treaty of Denmark Project of Count Mansfield Treaties with France and the business of the Navy were done all by the King himself and who can say it was done by single Council when King Iames commanded it whose Council every man ought to reverence especially in matters of War whereunto that King was not hasty The Total of Moneys paid by Warrants of the Treasurers of the Subsidy Money IN Toto for the Four Regiments of the Low-Countries from the Thirtieth of Iune 1624. till the One and twentieth of Iuly 1624. 99878 l. 00 s. 06 d. For the Navy from the Thirteenth of Iuly 1624. till the Three and twentieth of December 37530 l. 08 s. 04 d. For the Office of the Ordinance and Forts in England from the Twentieth of Iuly 1624. till the Fifteenth of Iune 1625. 47126 l. 05 s. 05 d. To defray Charges for Forts in Ireland about October 1624. 32295 l. 18 s. 04 d. For the Service under Count Mansfield for Provisions of Arms transporting of Soldiers from the Fourth of October 1624. till the Tenth of December 1624. 61666 l. 13 s. 04 d. Sum Total 278497 l. 04 s. 11 d. MEmorandum That over and above the several Services before specified and the several Sums issued and to be issued by our Warrants for the same We did long since resolve and order accordingly that out of the Moneys of the Second and third Subsidies these further Services should be performed and Moneys issued accordingly viz. In full of the Supply of all the Forts and Castles before-mentioned Surveyed per Sir Richard Morison Sir Iohn Ogle Sir Iohn Kay in September 1613. with all sorts of Munitions according to several Proportions and Warrants for the same 4973 l. In full for the Reparations of all the said Forts and Castles according to the said Survey 10650 l. 06s 08 d. But the said Subsidies being not like to afford means to perform these so necessary Works We humbly commend the supply of what shall be wanting for the same unto your Majesties Princely consideration Whilest the Commons were inquiring into Publick Grievances the Lords represented to the King a Grievance to their own Order in this following Petition To the Kings most Excellent Majesty The Petition of your ever Loyal Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal now in Parliament Assembled In all humility sheweth THat whereas the Péers and Nobility of this Your Kingdom of England have heretofore in Civility yeilded as to strangers Precedency according to their several degrées unto such Nobles of Scotland and Ireland as being in Titles above them have resorted hither Now divers of the natural born Subjects of those Kingdoms resident here with their Families and having their cheif Estates among us do by reason of some late created Dignities in those Kingdoms of Scotland and Ireland claim Precedency of the Péers of this Realm which tends both to the disservice of Your Majesty and these Realms and to the great disparagement of the English Nobility as by these Reasons may appear I. It is a novelty without president that men should inherit Honors where they possess nothing else II. It is injurious to those Countreys from whence their Titles are derived that they should have a Uote in Parliament where they have not a foot of Land III. It is a grievance to the Country where they inhabite 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 IV. 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 méer Plebeians We therefore humbly beséech your Majesty That you will be pleased according to the examples of the best Princes and times upon consideration of these inconveniencis represented to Your Majesty by the nearest Body of Honor to Your Majesty that some course may be taken and an order timely setled therein by Your Princely Wisdom so as the inconvenience to Your Majesty may be prevented and the prejudice and disparagement of the Péers and Nobility of this Kingdom be redressed To this Petition the King gave Answer That he would take order therein The Earl of Bristol who continued under Restraint and was debarred Access to his Majesty ever since his return out of Spain had been examined touching his Negotiation there by a Committee of Lords appointed by the King Certain Propositions were tendred unto him in order to his Release and composing of that Affair concerning which he had written to the Lord Conway and about this time received the ensuing Letter from him The Lord Conway to the Earl of Bristol My Lord I Received a Letter from your Lordship dated the Fourth of this Moneth written in Answer to a former Letter which I directed to your Lordship by his Majesties Commandment This last Letter according to my duty I have shewed unto his Majesty who hath perused it and hath commanded me to write back to you again That he findes himself nothing satisfied therewith The Question propounded to your Lordship from his Majesty was plain and clear Whether you did rather chuse to sit still without being questioned for any Errors past in your Negotiation in Spain and enjoy the benefit of the late gratious Pardon granted in Parliament whereof you may have the benefit Or
and broken the said Trust therewith committed unto him And hath not according to his said Offices during the time aforesaid safely kept the said Seas insomuch that by reason of his neglect and default therein not onely the trade and strength of this Kingdom of England hath been during the said time much decayed but the same Seas also have been during the same time ignominiously infested by Pirates and Enemies to the loss both of very many Ships and Goods and of many of the Subjects of our Soveraign Lord the King and the Dominion of the said Seas being the antient and undoubted Patrimony of the Kings of England is thereby also in most eminent danger to be utterly lost V. Whereas about Michaelmas last past a Ship called the St Peter of Newhaven whereof Iohn Mallerow was Master laden with divers Goods Merchandise Monies Jewels and Commodities to the value of Forty thousand pounds or thereabouts for the proper accompt of Monsieur de Villieurs the then Governor of Newhaven and other Subjects of the French King being in perfect Amity and League with our Soveraign Lord the King was taken at Sea by some of the Ships of his Majesties late Fleet set forth under the command of the said Duke as well by direction from him the said Duke as great Admiral of England as by the Authority of the extraordinary Commission which he then had for the command of the said Fleet and was by them together with her said goods and lading brought into the Port at Plymouth as a prize among many others upon probabilities that the said Ship or Goods belonged to the Subjects of the King of Spain And that divers parcels of the said goods and lading were there taken out of the said Ship of St Peter that is to say Sixteen Barrels of Cocheneal Eight Bags of Gold Twenty three Bags of Silver two Boxes of Pearl and Emeralds a Chain of Gold Jewels Monies and Commodities to the value of Twenty thousand pounds or thereabouts and by the said Duke were delivered into the private custody of one Gabriel Marsh servant to the said Duke and that the said Ship with the residue of her goods and lading was from thence sent up into the River of Thames and there detained whereupon there was an arrest at Newhaven in the Kingdom of France on the seventh day of December last of two English Merchants Ships trading thither as was alleadged in certain Petitions exhibited by some English Merchants trading into France to the Lords and others of his Majesties most honorable Privy-Council after which that is to say on the 28 day of the said moneth his Majesty was pleased to order with the advice of his Privy-Council that the said Ship and Goods belonging to the Sucjects of the French King should be redelivered to such as should re-claim them and accordingly intimation was given unto his Majesties Advocate in the chief Court of Admiralty by the right honorable Sir Io. Cook Knight one of his Majesties principal Secretaries of State for the freeing and discharging of the said Ship and Goods in the said Court of Admiralty And afterwards that is to say on the Six and twentieth of Ianuary last it was decreed in the said Court by the Judge thereof with the consent of the said Advocate That the said Ship with whatsoever Goods so seised or taken in her Except Three hundred Mexico Hides Sixteen Sacks of Ginger one Box of gilded Beads Five Sacks of Ginger more mentioned in the said Decree should be clearly released from further detention and delivered to the Master and thereupon under Seal a Commission was in that behalf duty sent out of the said Court to Sir Allen Appesly Sir Iohn Worstenholme and others for the due execution thereof The said Duke notwithstanding the said Order Commission and Decree detained still to his own use the said Gold Silver Pearls Emeralds Jewels Monies and Commodities so taken out of the said Ship as aforesaid And for his own singular avail and covetousness on the sixth day of February last having no information of any new proof without any legal proceeding by colour of his said Office unjustly caused the said ship and goods to be again arrested and detained in publick violation and contempt of the Laws and Justice of this Land to the great disturbance of Trade and prejudice of the Merchants These were enlarged by Mr Selden who said That by nature of his Office the Duke as Admiral ought to have guarded the Seas By his Patent he is made Magnus Admirallus Angliae Hiberniae Walliae Normaniae Aquitaniae Villae Calesij Marchiarum ejusdem praefectus generalis classium Marium dictorum regnorum The Seas of England and Ireland are committed to the Admiral as a part of the Demesne and Possessions of the Crown of England not as if he should thereby have Jurisdiction onely as in case of the Admirals in France or Spain The State of Genoa Catalonia and other Maritine parts of Spain the Sea-Towns of Almain Zeland Holland Friezland Denmark Norway and divers other parts of the Empire shew That the Kings of England by reason that their said Realm hath used time out of minde to be in peaceable possession are Lords of the Seas of England and of the Islands belonging to them And though Grotius that Hollander wrote of purpose to destroy all Dominion in the East-Ocean yet he speaks nothing against the Dominion of our English Seas howsoever he hath been misapprehended but expressly elsewhere saith Meta Britanicis littora sunt oris the utmost limits of the Demesne of the Crown of England are the Shores of the neighbouring Countries the whole Sea or the Territorium maximum that intervenes being parcel of the possession of the Crown the keeping and safe-guard of these committed to the Lord Admiral by the name of the Praefectus Marium Admirallus being but the same anciently Before the use of the word Admiral came in which was under Edw. 1. the Admirals had the Titles of Custodes Maris And this Praefectura or Custodia or Office of safe-guarding the Seas binds him to all care and perpetual observance of whatsoever conduceth to that safe-guard as in Custos sigilli Custos Marchiarum Custos portium custos comitatuum agreeable to the practice of former times 1. In certifying yearly to the King and his Council the many Forces both of the Kings ships and ships of Merchants the names of the owners the number of Marriners c. That the King and his Council may always know his force by Sea 2. In shewing wants of ships c. for the safe-guarding of the Seas with the Estimates of the Supply that so they might be procured In personal attendance upon the service of guarding the Seas upon all occasions of weight In 7 H. 4. Nich. Blackborn and Rich. Cliderowe one of the Knights of Kent were made Admirals for keeping the Seas upon consideration had of it in Parliament and
they ought not to have righted themselves before Legal Complaint and a denial on our part and then by way of Reprisal and not by Imbargo So that the Duke doth humbly leave it to the consideration of your Lordships whether the harm which hath hapned to our Merchants hath not been more occasioned by the unseasonable justifying of the actions of the French which animated them to increase their injuries then by any act either of the Duke or any other To this Article which consisteth of two main Points the one of the Extorting Ten thousand pounds unjustly and without right from the East-India Company the other admitting the Duke had a right as Lord Admiral the compassing it by undue ways and abusing the Parliament to work his private ends the Duke giveth this Answer wherein a plain Narration of the Fact he hopeth will clear the Matters objected and in this he shall lay down no more then will fully appear upon Proof About the end of Michaelmas Term 1623. the Duke had information given him by a principal Member of their own Company that the Company had made a great advantage to themselves in the Seas of East-India and other parts of Asia and Africa by rich prizes gotten there forcibly from the Portugals and others and a large part thereof was due to his Majesty and to the Duke as Admiral by the Law for which neither of them had any satisfaction Whereupon directions were given for a legal prosecution in the Court of Admiralty and to proceed in such Matter as should be held fittest by the Advice of Council In the Moneths of December and Ianuary in that year divers Witnesses were examined in the Admiralty according to the ordinary course of that Court to instruct and furnish Informative Processes in this behalf After the Tenth of March 1623. an Action was commenced in the Court in the joynt names of his Majesty and the Admiral grounded upon the former proceeding this was prosecuted by the Kings Advocate and the demand at first was Fifteen thousand pounds The Action being thus framed in both their names by Advice of Council because it was doubtful in the judgment of the Council Whether it did more properly belong to the one or to the other or to both and the form of entring that Action being most usual in that Court on the Eight and twentieth of April 1624. the Judicial Agreement and Sentence passed thereupon in the Admiralty Court wherein the Companies consent and their own offer plainly appeareth so that for the second part of the right it were very hard to conclude that the Duke had no right contrary to the Companies own consent and the sentence of the Court grounded on their Agreement unless it shall fully appear That the Company was by strong hand inforced thereto and so the money extorted Therefore to clear that scruple That as the matter of the Suit was just or at least so probable as the Company willingly desired it for their peace so the manner was as just and honorable your Lordships are humbly entreated to observe these few true Circumstances The Suit in the Admiralty begun divers moneths before the first mention of it in Parliament and some moneths before the beginning of it in that Parliament it was prosecuted in a legal course and upon such grounds as will yet be maintained to be just The Composition made by the Company was not moved by the Duke but his late Majesty on the behalf of himself and of the Duke treated with divers Members of the Company about it and the Duke himself treated not at all with them The Company without any compulsion at all agreed to the Composition not that they were willing to give so much if they might have escaped for nothing but that they were willing to give so much rather then to hazard the success of the Suit And upon this Composition concluded by his Majesty the Company desired and obtained a Pardon for all that was objected against them The Motion in Parliament about the stay of the Companies Ships then ready prepared and furnished was not out of any respect to draw them the rather to give the Composition but really out of an apprehension that there might be need of their strength for the defence of the Realm at home and if so then all private respects must give way to the Publick Interest These Ships upon the importunity of the Merchants and Reasons given by them were suffered nevertheless to fall down to Tilbury by his late Majesties direction to speed their Voyage the better whilst they might be accommodated for this Voyage without prejudice to the publick safety they were discharged when there was an Accommodation propounded and allowed which was That they should forthwith prepare other Ships for the home service whilst those went over with their Voyage which they accordingly did That the Motion made in the Commons House was without the Dukes knowledge or privity That when there was a rumor that the Duke had drawn on the Composition by staying of the Ships which were then gone the Duke was so much offended thereat that he would have had the former Communication to have broken off and have proceeded in a legal course and he sent to the Company to that purpose but the Company gave him satisfaction That they had raised no such rumor nor would nor could avow any such thing and entreated him to rest satisfied with their publick acts to the contrary That after this their Ships being gone themselves careful of their future security solicited the dispatch of the Composition consulted with Councel upon the Instruments which passed about it and were at the charge thereof and the money was paid long after the sentence and the sentence given after the Ships were gone and no security given at all for the money but the sentence and when this mony was paid to the Duke the whole sum but Two hundred pounds thereof onely was borrowed by the King and employed by his own Officers for the service of the Navy If these things do upon proof appear to your Lordships as is assured they will he humbly submitteth it to your judgments how far verbal Affirmations or Informations extrajudicial shall move your judgments when Judicial Acts and those things which were acted and executed prove the contrary To this Article which is so mixt with Actions of great Princes as that he dareth not in his duty publish every passage thereof he cannot for the present make so particular an Answer as he may hath and will do to the rest of his Charge But he giveth this general Answer the truth whereof he humbly prayeth may rather appear to your Lordships by the Proofs then by any Discourse of his which in Reason of State will happily be conceived fit to be more privately handled That these Ships were lent to the French King at first without the Dukes Privitie That when he knew it he did that which belonged to an Admiral of England and
was secured but the Party whom Toras sent did his errand and no doubt gave the King of France a perfect account of their condition in the Citadel whilst the English Gentleman was detained that he could not do the like service for the King of England in delivering to him what he had in command from the Duke The French Gentleman returns to the Leagure at S. Martins but by reason the English Gentleman was not permitted to go for England the Frenchman was not permitted to go again into the Citadel Toras again renews the Treaty pretending that if he had not Relief such a day by such an hour he would surrender And spun out the time so long that in good earnest Relief got in both of men victuals and ammunition and the same Vessels which brought the Relief carried away the sick and wounded and unserviceable men in the Citadel So the Treaty proceeded no further and the Enemy holds upon their Pike-heads Mutton Capons Turkies c. to let the English see they had no want Now we go to work with Mine and Battery And presently also comes news that the French had landed more Forces near the Meadow-Castle a place also at the first neglected though then unmanned And orders are given to draw out men leaving the Trenches unguarded to encounter the French that were landed Which was performed with some reasonable success but the Enemy got security under the Castle and thereupon the English retreated and were enforced to fight to recover their Trenches which the Enemy had now possessed and many mens lives were lost in the regaining thereof This last refreshment of the Enemy being about the middle of October caused the Duke to enter into Council and to think of a resolution for a Retreat which he communicated to Sobiez and tells him further That the season is past his Army diminished his Victuals consumed and his Council of War had judged it fitting to retire Sobiez answered the Duke That the Earl of Holland's Fleet was coming with Supplies that the Relief given was not considerable that the Retreat would draw after it the loss of Rochel and thereby make Sobiez guilty of the ruine thereof but above all it would bring an irreparable prejudice and dishonor upon his Master of Great Britain that had made an Enterprise of so little honor and profit Upon this the Duke continues the Siege and shortly after resolves to storm the Citadel and Works to which it was said the English Commanders were much averse but the French Commanders were zealous for it And so for a farewell Novemb. 6. a vain Attempt was made on all sides of the Citadel In short we lost men and honor for the Fort was unaccessible besides well manned with fresh supplies of men newly put in And having left many dead and hurt we were forced to retire This ill success with the advise given that the Troops of the other Forts did increase the French notwithstanding our Shipping pouring their Forces amain into the Island hastened the Duke to raise the Siege and to retreat to ship his men again for England Novemb. 8. early in the morning the Drums beat and the Army prepares for a March but scarce had the Rearguard come out but the Troops of the Enemy appeared equal in number for Foot and far stronger in Horse which the Enemy had during the Siege landed in the Island under the favor of the Little-Fort and the Meadow-Castle the two places so strangely omitted at the first to be possessed by the English Yet notwithstanding their strength and the advantage of falling upon an Army on a retreat which had endured much hardship and received many discouragements would not the Enemy engage in plain field when the Duke several times drew up the Army in their march and made a stand in hopes of a Battel But the wary French Commander shunned the hazard of Fight on equal terms foreseeing a greater advantage with less hazard For no sooner were the English entred into the Narrow Causey and Lane having on each hand deep ditches and Salt-pits but the Enemy observed the advantage and that the English had neglected to raise a Fort at the entry of the Causey to secure their retreat and yet worse that they had not raised a Fort at the further end thereof near the Bridge to secure the passage over it but had only raised a small Work not tenable on the further side of the Bridge whereupon the Enemy advanced with great fury on a weak Rearguard of Horse and quickly put them to a retreat who in that Narrow Causey disordered the Foot and the Enemy thereby took the advantage followed close and did much execution upon the English Those who escaped the sword were drowned in the Salt-pits and Ditches and the Crowd was so great on the Bridge the Enemy pursuing them over that many English were drowned in the River Yet in this discomâ—ited condition the English took courage faced about rallied their Forces made up a smart body that drew up to fight the Enemy but the French not daring to engage but upon great advantage were enforced to retreat over the Bridge The English lost several hundreds of men and many Colors and great was their dishonor The loss of the men was not so great as that they were left upon so unequal terms where the proof and valor of an Englishman could not put forth it self Novemb. 9. the Army was shipped and the Duke promiseth the Rochellers to come again to their relief and presently after set sail for England meeting with the Earl of Holland as he was setting out of Plymouth coming with a Supply And now every man passeth his censure upon this Expedition Some laying the fault upon the Duke 1 For being too slow in his march after the first landing whereby the Enemy got in provision and heartned his men 2 In being too remiss during the Siege in not preventing provisions for going into the Citadel by doubling Guards at Land and Sea when the wind stood fair 3 In omitting to take in the Little Fort from whence as it was said proceeded all the misery that afterwards followed 4 In retreating before all things were certainly prepared in order to a secure march in narrow places and passages The Duke pleaded for himself That he acted for the most part by the advice of a Council of War and if Orders were given and not observed it was not his fault That had the Earl of Holland come with a Supply of shipping men and victuals so soon as he might and ought to have done he had then without doubt so narrowly blocked up the Harbor to the Citadel by Sea that no Provision should have got into it The Earl of Holland answered for himself That when he was ready to have gone aboard the Fleet at Plymouth the Ships with Provision were not come out of Chattam and when the Provisions were shipt time was spent before he could
Protestant League with the Princes on the other part drawing in secret oâ— State the countenance of France to give the more reputation of assistance to them and security to it self Spain seeing his hopes thus fruitless by these Unions and streights began first to break if he might the Amity of France and England But finding the Common danger to be a fast tie he raiseth up a party in that Kingdom of his own by which the French King was so distressed that had not the English Council assisted and relieved him Spain had there removed that next and greatest Obstacle of his Ambition His Council now tells him from these examples That the way to his great work is impossible so long as England lay a let in his way And adviseth him that the remove of that Obstacle be the first of his intents This drew on those often secret practises against the person of the Queen and his open fury in Eighty Eight against the body of the State which she perceiving following the advice of a free Council would never after admit of a Peace winning thereby the hearts of a loving people who ever found hands and money for all occasions at home and keeping sacredly all her Alliances abroad securing to her Confederates all her time freedom from fear of Spanish slavery and so ended her old and happy days in glory Spain then by the wisdom and power of that great Lady despoiled so of his means to hurt though not of his desires makes up with her Peaceful Successor of happy memory that Golden League That disarming us at home by the opinion of Security and giving them a power in our Councils by believing their Friendships and pretended Marriage gave them way to cherish amongst us a Party of their own and benefit of power abroad to lead in Jealousie and some division between us and our Confederates By which we see they have swallowed up the Fortune of your Majesties Brother's Estate with the rest of the Imperial States distressed the King of Denmark by that quarrel diverted Sweden's assistance by the Wars with the Pole and moving them now with offer of the Danish Crown And now whether from the Plot of our Fatality hath cast such a bone between France and us as hath made themselves by our quarrel of Religion a fast Confederate and us a dangerous Enemy So as now we are left no other assurance against their malice and ambition but the Netherlands where the tie of mutual safety is weakned by daily discontents bred and fed between us by some ill-affected to both our securities that from the doubtfulness of friendship as we now stand we may rather suspect from our own domestick Faction if they grow too furious they will rather follow the example of Rome in her growing that held that equal safety honorable and more easie dare regnum then subjugare provinciam considering the power they have in their hands then to give any friendly assistance to save the present condition of a State You may therefore see in what terms we stand abroad and I fear we are at home for resistance in no better state There must be to withstand a Forein Invasion a proportion both of Sea and Land-Forces For to give an Enemy an easie passage and a Port to relieve him in is no less then to hazard all at one stake And it is to be considered That no March by Land can be of that speed to make head against the landing of an Enemy Then that follows That there is no such prevention as to be Master of the Sea To this point of Necessary Defence there can be no less then Two hundred and forty thousand pounds For the Land-Forces if it were for an Offensive War the men of less livelihood were the best spared and we used formerly to make such War Purgamenta reipub if we made no further purchase by it But for the safety of a Commonwealth the wisdom of all times did never intrust the Publick Cause to any other then to such as had a portion in the Publick Adventure And that we saw in Eighty Eight when the care of the Queen and of the Council did make the body of that large Army no other then of the Trained Bands which with the Auxiliaries of the whole Realm amounted to no less then Twenty four thousand men Neither were any of these drawn from forth their Country and proper habitations before the end of May that they might be no long grievance to the Publick such Discontentments being to us a more fatal Enemy then any Forein forces The careful distributing and directing of their Sea and Land-forces being more fitting for a Council of War then a private man to advise of I pass over yet shall ever be willing and ready when I shall be called humbly to offer up such Observations as I have gathered by the former like occasion in this Realm To make up this Preparation there are requisite two things Money and Affections for they cannot be properly severed It was well and wisely said of that great and grave Councellor the Lord Burleigh in the like case to the late Queen Win hearts and you have their hands and purses And I find that of late Diffidence hath been in the one and hath unhappily prevented the other In gathering then of Money for this present need there are three things requisite Speed Assurance and Satisfaction And the way to gather as in other like cases hath been done must be by the path-way formerly called Via regia being more secure and speedy For by unknown and untrodden ways it is both rough and tedious and never succeedeth well This last way although it took place as it were by a Supply at first and received no general denial yet since it hath drawn many to consult with themselves and others in the consequence as it is now conceived a pressure on their Liberties and against Law I much fear if that now again it be offered either in the same face or by Privy-seal it will be refused wholly Neither find I that the restraint of the Recusants hath produced any other effect then a stiff resolution in themselves and others to forbear Besides although it were at the first with some assurance yet when we consider the Commissions and other forms incident to such like services as that how long it hangs in hand and the many delays that are we may easily see that such a Sum granted by the Parliament is far sooner and easier levied If any will make the succession of times to produce an inevitable necessity to enforce it if denied whether in general by Excise or Imposition or in particular on some select persons which is the custom of some Countries and so conclude it as there for the Publick State suprema lege He must look for this to be told him That seeing Necessity must conclude always to gather Money 't is less speedy or assured then that by a Parliament The sucess
your Majesties Service and to the safety of your Majesties sacred Person we most zealously present to your Princely wisedom craving your Majesties chearful and gratious approbation His Majesties Answer to the eighth Article TO the eighth his Majesty doth well approve it as a matter of necessary consideration and the Parliament now sitting he recommendeth to both Houses the preparation of a fitting Law to that effect And his Majesty doth further declare that the mildeness that hath been used towards those of the Popish Religion hath been upon hope that forain Princes thereby might be induced to use moderation towards their Subjects of the Reformed Religion but not finding that good effect which was expected His Majesty resolveth unless he shall very speedily see better fruits to add a further degree of severity to that which in this petition is desired ON Wednesday the second of April the Propositions sent from the King were mentioned and several Gentlemen expressed themselves severally on that subject IT is said that the greatest grievance is want of supply but I hold it a greater grievance that his Majesty is brought into those necessities especially considering the supplies that of late have been given to the King two Subsidies of Parliament besides privy Seals the late Loan whereby five Subsidies were forcibly and unadvisedly taken and we have yet purchased to our selves nothing by all these but our own dishonor we have drawn and provoked two powerful enemies upon us it is not then what the Subjects do give unless his Majesty imploy men of integrity and experience otherwise all that we give will be as cast into a bottomless bag SOme propositions we shall not meddle with as a soveraign Army to be transported we are not fit for that yet but we will not reject it for great Princes who give out Rumors of raising great Armies do put their Enemies to great fears then the defence of our Coasts nothing is more necessary but the bill of Poundage is for that particular supply and how far it may prejudice us for a future Precedent to give other supply let us be advised Mr. Secretary Cook observing a distinction made upon the propositions as if some of them were to be omitted I know said he you will do it upon deliberation some there are not possible to be omitted as the Guarding of the Seas defence of the Elbe Rotchel and those draw on all the rest Ships must have Men and Munition and we cannot divide any of these This House is tender of the Countrey the King will not lay a burthen that cannot be born We may supply his Majesty without this give we now what we please the King may make use of it before the People are able to pay and we shall not onely make his Majesty subsist but advance his reputation in the world by the unity of his People more then by any treasure INdeed there may be some necessity for a war offensive but looking on one late dysaster I tremble to think of sending more abroad Let us consider those two great undertakings at Cales and Ree at Cales that was so gloriously pretended where our men arrived and found a Conquest ready namely the Spanish Ships a satisfaction sufficient and fit for us and this confessed by some then imployed and never but granted by all that it was feasible and easie why came this to nothing After that opportunity lost when the whole Army was landed with destruction of some of our men why was nothing done if nothing was intended why were they landed and why were they shipt again For Rees voyage was not the whole action carried against the judgement of the best Commanders was not the Army landed Not to mention the leaving of the Wines nor touch the wonder that Caesar never knew the enriching of the Enemy by curtesies Consider what a case we now are in if on the like occasion or with the like instruments we shall again adventure another expedition It was ever the wisedom of our Ancestors here to leave Forain Wars wholly to the State and not to meddle with them SIr Edw. Cook When poor England stood alone and had not the access of another Kingdom and yet had more and as potent Enemies as now it hath yet the King of England prevailed In the Parliament Roll in the 42. year of Edw. 3. the King and the Parliament gave God thanks for his victory against the Kings of Scotland and of France he had them both in Windsor Castle as Prisoners What was the reason of that Conquest four reasons were given 1. The King was assisted by good Counsel 2. There were valiant men 3. They were timely supplied 4. Good Imployment 3. R. 2. The King was inviron'd with the Flemins Scots and French and the King of England prevailed 13. R. 2. The King was invironed with Spaniards Scots and French and the King of England prevailed 17 R. 2. Wars were in Ireland and Scotland and yet the King of England prevailed and thanks were given to God here And I hope I shall live to give God thanks for our Kings victories 7 H. 4. One or two great men about the King so mewed him up that he took no other advice but from them whereupon the Chancellor took this Text and Theam in his Speech at the Parliament Multorum consilia requiruntur in magnis in bello qui maxime timent sunt in maximis periculis Let us give and not be afraid of our enemies let us supply bountifully cheerfully and speedily but enter not into particulars Solomons Rule is Qui repetit separat nay separat foederatos We are united in duty c. to the King the King hath fourscore thousand pounds a year for the Navy and to scowre the Narrow-seas it hath been taken and we are now to give it and shall we now give more to guard the Seas besides when that is taken of our gift it may be diverted another way It shall never be said we deny all supply I think my self bound where there is commune periculum there must be commune auxilium I Cannot forget that duty I owe to my Countrey and unless we be secured against our Liberties we cannot give I speak not this to make diversions but to the end that giving I may give cheerfully As for the Propositions to be considered of I incline to decline them and to look upon the State of our Countrey whether it be fit to give or no Are we come to an end for our Countries Liberties have we trenched on the rates of the Deputy Lieutenants are we secured for time future WE all desire remedies for our Grievances and without them we shall neither be willing nor able to give for my part I heartily desire remedy but which is the best and wisest way that is the question As we have made some progress in our Grievances so let us now go on to supply There is a Proverb Non bis
of the Church he would take away occasion by commanding all persons that had any of those Books in their hands to deliver them to the Bishop of the Diocesse or if it be in either Universities to the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor thereof who were commanded to suppresse them And if any by preaching reading or making of Books pro and contra concerning those unnecessary questions shall revive the difference he was resolved to take such order with them and those Books as they shall wish they had never thought upon those needlesse Controversies But ere this Proclamation was published the Books were for the most part vented and out of danger of seasure and the suppressing of all writing and preaching in Answer thereunto was it seems by some the thing mainly intended for the several answers made by Doctor Featly and Doctor Goad in their parallels by Master Burton Master VVard Master Yates Master VVotton as also by Francis Rows Esq in a Book called King Iames his Religion were all suppressed and divers of the Printers questioned in the high Commission Moreover Bishop Montague and Doctor Manwaring procured a Royal pardon of all Errors heretofore committed by them either in speaking writing or printing for which they might be hereafter questioned And Doctor Manwaring censured by the Lords in Parliament and perpetually disabled from future Ecclesiastical preferments in the Church of England was immediately presented to the Rectory of Stamford-Rivers in Essex and had a dispensation to hold it together with the Rectory of St. Giles in the fields The Town of Rochel was at this time straitly beleagured by the French King and the King of England had prepared a Fleet to relieve it under the Command of the Duke of Buckingham who being advanced as farre as Portsmouth on Saturday August 23. being Bartholomew Eve was suddenly slain in his own Lodgings there by one Leivtenant Felton about nine in the morning who with one blow having got a knife for the purpose struck the Duke under the left rib and up into the heart leaving the knife in his body and got away undiscovered In the fall to the ground the Duke was heard to say The villaine hath killed me Company coming presently in found him weltring in his blood and each person looking upon another marvelled who should do so horrid an act a jealousie was presently had of Monsieur Sobeez who was then there labouring for speedy relief to be sent to Rochel but he protesting his innocency Felton immediately stept out and said I am the man that did the deed let no man suffer that is innocent whereupon he was immediately apprehended sent to London and there imprisoned The King was within four miles of Portsmouth when the news was brought him of the death of the Duke he bid secure the murderer and Bishop Laud had advertisement of his death the 24th of August being then at Croiden with Bishop Neal and other Bishops consecrating Bishop Montague for Chichester Notwithstanding the death of the Duke the King pursued the design of relieving Rochel and again set out a Fleet with provision and fire-ships to put relief into the Town the Fleet went from Plymouth the beginning of September did several times attempt the Barricado but in vaine and so was enforced to give over any further attempt which the Rochellers perceiving gave themselves for lost and immediately came to a capitulation upon very mean tearmes as to themselves yet Lowes King of France was careful by Articles had they been performed that those outrages should not be committed upon the entry of the Town which the few remaining inhabitants were much afraid of and afterwards felt and so mixt mercy with his conquest yet presently after high outrages were committed and great was the persecution of the Reformed Churches which constrained them again to send to the King of England to implore aid with these expressions that what they writ was with their teares and their blood but the treaty being shortly after made between the two Crowns all things were setled in peace between the King and those of the reformed Religion Concerning the state of Rochel at the surrender we have seen a Relation to this purpose that the misery of the besieged was almost incredible having lived long upon Horse-flesh Hides and Leather Dogs and Cats hardly leaving a Horse alive still in hopes that the relief promised from England would prove effectual to them they held it so long till they were but about four thousand left alive of fifteen thousand souls most of them died with famine and when they begun to be pinched with the extremity of hunger they died so fast that they usually carried their Coffins into the Church-yard and other places and there laid themselves in and died great numbers of them being unburied when the forces of the King of France entred the Town and many corps eaten with Vermin Ravens and Birds The Fleet which thus put to sea for the Relief of Rochel was defective both in victuals which was tainted and in tackling and other materials insomuch as at the return thereof information being given to the King and Council of divers defaults and defects in the said ships victuals and provision of this and the former expedition to Rochel and in the discipline and performance of Commands and resolutions taken in that action to the great prejudice of the service it was ordered that the Earls of Denbigh Linsey and Morton and the Lord Wilmott and Master Secretary Cook should forthwith meet together and consider of the Relation made by the Earl of Linsey and inform themselves of defaults in the particulars before mentioned and make report thereof to the Board The Scots under the command of the Earl Morton and some Irish also were sent to quarter in the Isle of VVeight which Island was unacquainted with the quartering of Forreigners In Essex many robberies and outrages wâ—re committed by the Souldiers then returned from Sea Whereupon the Privy Councellors required the Justices of Peace in that County to choose a Provost Marshal for the apprehending of all such as wandred up and down the Country or behaved themselves dissorderly that they might be punished according to Law and to cause strong guards and watches to be kept in all passages And upon advertisement of some hostile preparations from forraign enemies the Privy Councel taking care for securing the coasts in Kent Sussex Hampshire Dorcetshire and Devonshire renued their directions to the Lords of those Counties for the careful watching of Beacons c. About the time the Fleet went last to the relief of Rochel the King being solicited by the Ambassadours of the King of Denmark and the united Provinces to send shipping to secure the Elbe and men for the defence of Lackstat resolved upon the sending of five Ships accordingly but first to dispatch the men for the relief of the Town the preservation whereof did mainly impart
a Treaty of a Match since in Eighty Eight even while there was a Treaty of Peace their Armado came upon us Again we shall find it was forbidden in the best people in the world to marry with a differing Religion The injunction the reason and the effect are laid down in Deuteronomy to the Jews And if we descend to our own Books and Chronicles we shall find that God hath crossed if not cursed our alliance and association particularly with the Spanish Nation the position of that Country and the disposition of that People being as it were so malignant and ill-agreeing with us The Prince of the greatest performance that ever this Kingdom or Christendom had was the Black Prince Yet our Chronicle records that going into Spain to settle Don Pedro in that Kingdom besides the monstrous ingratitude and peafidiousness of the Spaniard who failed in the performance of those Conditions he had promised which caused the miserable Revolt in France to the loss of our inheritance the Prince was so poisoned in that Country that he never had his health after Moreover he beseeched his Lordship to observe that all the Marriages which the Heirs and Princes of this Crown have made in England for these last six-score years except the several second Matches of Henry the Eight have been onely and no-where else but with Spain which how little God hath blest the success shews Prince Arthur married the Spanish Kings daughter We know God took him away suddenly within a very small time and without any issue In a Politick respect we would yet make a second Match so Prince Henry afterwards King married the same daughter But doubtless God was less pleased with that Match which was less lawful and therefore God took away all the male-children of it and left only a daughter in whose short Reign was shed more blood for the true Religion in six years then for the false in these succeeding sixty years We made then a third Adventure and Marriage with Spain Queen Mary with King Philip which was so discontenting to the People that it caused Wyats Rebellion so discomfortable to the Queen that it brake her heart being left and neglected of her Husband and so dishonorable and prejudicial to the Kingdom that merely for the Spaniards sake we having no difference at all with France we lost Calis in six days which had been above two hundred years in our possession He added lastly Though I have not so much judgment nor so little wit as to presume to advise where to match yet I assume so much as to think a Match at home cannot be held any ways inconvenient We find the first and the last of our Kings that ever matched with their Subjects were Ed. 4. and Hen. 8. From which two Matches God as it were to shew the less we rely upon others abroad the more he will help us himself at home gave two daughters two Elizabeths two such Queens then which there were never two more blessed Instruments of Gods glory and this Kingdoms good by establishing Peace in the Land and Religion in the Church until his Majesties happy coming who brought both with him The French were very jealous of the Conjunction between Spain and England and thought it the safest way to make peace at home and imploy their strength to bound the Incroachments of Spain and the House of Austria By which means a bitter Persecution ceased in that Kingdom The Protestants of France were permitted to call home their banished Ministers to build their ruined Temples and to enjoy their liberty in Religion This benefit did the Kings closing with Spain procure to a people almost ruined But after all the Kings concessions the Spaniards contrived new delays and proposed harder terms The Pope had obliged the Catholick King to see the Conditions performed and to protract the Marriage till matters in England were in perfect execution Whereupon the Divines advise that King that the Promises of Marriage be made presently but the Consummation thereof and the delivering of the Infanta be deferred till May the year following And the death of Pope Gregory did strengthen this contrivance For the Spanish Ministers pretended that in regard there was no Contract but a Treaty only on foot the Dispensation which lay in the Nuncio's hands was by the Popes death suspended and a Ratification from the new Pope was requisite before any further progress could be made Cardinal Barberine was chosen Successor to Gregory the Fifteenth and took the name of Urban the Eight Soon after his election he wrote these ensuing Letters the one to King Iames the other to Prince Charls Serenissimo IACOBO Magnae Britanniae Regi Illustri URBANUS P. â— VIII SErenissime Rex salutem lumen Divinae gratiae Scotiae regnum quod inclytos terris Reges sanctissimosque coelo cives peperit cum ad Cardinalatus nostri patrocinium pertinuerit laetitiae simul ac moeroris uberem nobis materiam afferebat Exultabamus gaudio cogitantes in ea Regione quam Romanorum arma expugnare omnino non potuerunt Romanae Ecclesiae fidem feliciter triumphasse Scotumque Regem nullum hactenus extitisse qui Pontificiae authoritatis hostis obierit At enim vertebatur in luctum cythara nostra cum ad praesentium temporum miserias oculos lachrymis manantes converteremus Videmini enim laborante discordiarum patre obliti esse eum qui nutrivit vos contristati nutricem vestram Hierusalem Quare Apostolica sedes quae populos istos jampridem Christo genuit moerore conficitur dum tam praeclaâ—am haereditatem verti videt ad extraneos damnique sui magnitudinem Britannorum Regum laudibus istarumque Provinciarum gloria metitur Id vero praeter caetera dolendum orbi Christiano videtur Jacobum regem Catholicorum regum prolem sanctissimae Parentis filium à Pontifice Maximo atque à Majoribus suis in Religionis cultu dissentire Si enim sublime istud ingenium quod literarum studiis prudentiae artibus Rex celeberrimus excoluisti affulgenti Patri luminum assentiretur facilè conjicit Christiana Respublica quanto publicae concordiae bono factum esset ut Nationes istas Insulasque aut montium claustris aut Oceani gurgitibus dissitas Scoticus rex imperio conjungeres Videtur enim Majestas tua ob eam rem facta esse tot Provinciarum domina ut ab eo cui parent facilius celeriusque Regna ista medelam ac salutem acciperent Quare assiduis precibus jam tum eum venerabamur qui dat salutem Regibus ut to Divinae clementiae beneficia quibus in conspectu Potentium admirabilis es ad Britanniae incolumitatem Ecclesiae gaudium conferret Affulsit autem nobis non ita pridem beata spes oriens ex alto cum te Austriacae affinitatis cupidum cognovimus ex Catholica matre progigni exoptantem eos qui tuam haereditatem adire populosque istos ditione tenere debent
thereupon their Lordships will be pleased to take care that the Grand-Iury men either by Evidence or their own Knowledge indict them which are not already indicted before the end of the Assises and that their Lordships admit no Traverse unless the Persons convicted have first yeilded their bodies into the custody of the Sheriff as their Lordships know well all the Iudges with one voice resolved the Law to be 3 That there be special care taken of Schoolmasters and Teachers of any kinde who are Popish that they be presented and proceeded against 4. That their Lordships give knowledge to the Counties where they sit that the married Women who are Popish Recusants convicted by the Law ought to be committed to the Common-Goal without Bail unless their husbands redeem their liberty by the constant payment of 10 l. a moneth and that it must be executed Your Lordships ready to be commanded ROB. HEATH Inner-Temple Mar. 7. 1625. The Commons proceeded in the Examination of Grievances and had a Report made unto them That the reason wherefore our Merchants Ships and Goods were seised in France was by reason of Sir Iames Bagg Vice-Admiral for Cornwal and other mens dealings towards the French in seising upon their goods in several Ports in England and particularly the seising of the Ship called the Peter of New-haven and brought into Plymouth by order from the Lord Duke after the King and Council had ordered this Ship to be restored upon a just Claim and that the Court of Admiralty had also released her That till this action the French did not begin to seise any English Goods or Ships That twenty and three bags of silver and eight bags of gold were by Sir Francis Steward delivered to the Lord Duke the Duke having notice hereof said he would justifie the stay of the Ship by order from the King The Council of War appointed to manage the business for the relief of the Palatinate were called into the House of Commons and this Question was propounded unto them Whether their Advice was followed which they gave for the four Ends mentioned in the Act of Parliament 21 Iacobi for which the moneys given by that Act were to issue Lord Carey Earl of Totnes and Lord Brook desired to be excused from answering the Lord Vere said He had been much absent in the Low-Countries and could say little the Lord Grandison said that since Iuly last they had seldom met Sir Robert Mansel and Sir Iohn Oyle desired a Copy of the Question and that they might all confer together before they gave Answer to a Question of this Concernment Afterwards the same persons except the Lord Vere were called in again who gave unsatisfactory answers when they were pressed to deal clearly and fully in the business It was answered by some of them That they conceived by the Act of Parliament they were bound to make no other Answer then what they had done Others desired before they answered that they might have the Kings consent first That obtained and a special Order of the House requiring an Answer Sir Robert Mansel declared his readiness to give a cleer and full Account While matters were thus debated Mr Secretary Cook delivered a Message from the King to the Commons declaring his Majesties occasion for Supply This Message was strengthened by a Conference which the Lords desired with the Commons where William Earl of Pembrook represented the Affairs of Christendom how they stood before the breach of the Treaties with Spain and how at that present shewing That the condition of the Palatinate was nothing bettered That Count Mansfiels Army was raised for the diversion of the League Catholick in Germany That the King of Denmark had thereupon engaged himself to stand or fall in this Quarrel in case of Supplies That the Swedes were forward and lastly That his Majesty had made a strict Alliance with the Hollander upon these terms That they shall bear a fourth part of the expence of our Navy and onely have a fourth part of the spoils the Lands and Cities conquered to be the Kings The fruits of all rich advantages will be lost if a speedy Assistance be not resolved on The Commons not thinking fit to take into consideration the matter of Supply at present call for a Report from the Committee appointed to consider of the Causes and Remedies of Evils which being made by Mr Wandesford it was resolved That the Diminution of the Kingdom in strength and honor is a general Evil which we suffer under a second the increase and countenancing of Papists a third the not guarding of the narrow Seas a fourth Plurality of Offices in one hand a fifth sales of Honors and places of Judicature a sixth delivery up of Ships to the French a Seventh misimployment of three Subsidies and three fifteens c. And they further ordered That the Duke whom these Misdemenors especially reflected on have notice that the Commons House intend suddenly to resume the debate of these things and Mr Clement Cook said openly That it were better to die by an Enemy then to suffer at home The Lords at that time more readily complying with the Kings desires appointed a Committee to consider of the safety and defence of the Kingdom in general and particularly of the safeguard of the Seas the store of Ammunition and Arms and all things incident thereunto and of strengthening the Forts for this the King gave them thanks and desired them to proceed with alacrity The Committee of Lords made haste and reported their advice to the House That one Fleet be presently set to Sea against the King of Spain to annoy him and to prevent the Invasion of this Kingdom That another be set out to defend our own Coasts and the Merchants from Pirats and that consideration be had of maintaining the Armies under the King of Denmark and Count Mansfield but the House would give no opinion thereupon till they had Conference with the House of Commons which was desired upon this occasion To which Message the Commons onely returned this Answer That they desire to have a good correspondency with their Lordships and will be ever carefull of the safety and defence of the Kingdom and maintain their own priviledges as is fitting and immediately proceed with the debate concerning the Duke which was a little interrupted as well by a Letter of the Kings to the Speaker as by a Message delivered by Sir Richard Weston touching Supply King Charles to the Speaker Trusty and Welbeloved c. HAving assembled the Parliament early in the beginning of the year for the more timely help and advice of our People in our great and important Affairs and having of late not onely by Message but also of our self put our House of Commons in minde of our pressing occasions and of the present Estate of Christendom wherein they have equal interest with us as well in respect of their own former engagements
and spun out two days time It was managed by Eight Members and Sixteen more as Assistants The Eight cheif managers were Sir Dudley Diggs Mr. Herbert Mr. Selden Mr. Glanvile Mr. Pym Mr. Sherâ—and Mr. Wandesford and Sir Iohn Elliot Sir Dudley Diggs by way of Prologue made this Speech My Lords THere are so many things of great importance to be said in very little time to day that I conceive it will not be unacceptable to your Lordships if setting by all Rhetorical Affectations I onely in plain Country Language humbly pray your Lordships favor to include many excuses necessary to my manifold infirmities in this one word I am Commanded by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House to present to your Lordships their most affectionate thanks for your ready condescending to this Conference which out of confidence in your great Wisdoms and approved Justice for the service of his Majesty and the welfare of this Realm they desired upon this occasion The House of Commons by a fatal and universal Concurrence of Complaints from all the Sea-bordering parts of this Kingdom did finde a great and grievous interruption and stop of Trade and Traffick The base Pirates of Sally ignominiously infesting our Coasts taking our Ships and Goods and leading away the Subjects of this Kingdom into Barbarous captivity while to our shame and hindrance of Commerce our enemies did as it were besiege our Ports and block up our best Rivers mouths Our friends on slight pretences made Imbargoes of our Merchants Goods and every Nation upon the least occasion was ready to contemn and slights us So great was the apparent diminution of the antient Honor of this Crown and once strong Reputation of our Nation Wherewith the Commons were more troubled calling to remembrance how formerly in France in Spain in Holland and every where by Sea and Land the Valors of this Kingdom had been better valued and even in latter times within remembrance when we had no Alliance with France none in Denmark none in Germany no Friend in Italy Scotland to say no more ununited Ireland not setled in peace and much less security at home when Spain was as ambitious as it is now under a King Philip the Second they called their Wisest the House of Austria as great and potent and both strengthned with a malitious League in France of persons ill-affected when the Low-Countreys had no Being yet by constant Councils and old English ways even then that Spanish pride was cooled that greatness of the House of Austria so formidable to us now was well resisted and to the United Provinces of the Low-Countreys such a beginning growth and strength was given as gave us honor over all the Christian World The Commons therefore wondring at the Evils which they suffered debating of the Causes of them found they were many drawn like one Line to one Circumference of decay of Trade and strength of Honor and Reputation in this Kingdom which as in one Centre met in one great Man the cause of all whom I am here to name The Duke of Buckingham Here Sir Dudley Diggs made a little stop and afterwards read the Preamble to the Charge viz. The Commons Declaration and Impeachment against the Duke of Buckingham FOr the speedy Redress of great Evils and Mischeifs and of the cheif cause of these Evils and Mischeifs which this Kingdom of England now grievously suffereth and of late years hath suffered and to the honor and safety of our Soveraign Lord the King and of his Crown and Dignity 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 Marquess and Earl of Buckingham Earl of Coventry Viscount Villers Baron of Whaddon Great Admiral of the Kingdoms of England and Ireland and of the Principality 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 Guienne General-Governor of the Seas and Ships of the said Kingdom Lieutenant-General Admiral Captain-General and Governor of his Majesties Royal Fleet and Army lately set forth Master of the Horse of our Soveraign Lord the King Lord Warden Chancellor and Admiral of the Cinque Ports and of the Members thereof Constable of Dover Castle Iustice in Eyre of all the Forests and Chases on this side the River Trent Constable of the Castle of Windsor Gentleman of his Majesties Bed-Chamber one of his Majesties most Honorable Privy Council in his Realms both in England Scotland and Ireland and Knight of the most Honorable 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 said Misdemeanors Misprisions Offences and Crimes My Lords THis lofty Title of this Mighty Man methinks doth raise my spirits to speak with a Paulò Majora Canamus and let it not displease your Lordships if for Foundation I compare the beautiful structure and fair composition of this Monarchy wherein we live to the great work of God the World it self In which the solid Body of incorporated Earth and Sea as I conceive in regard of our Husbandry Manufactures and Commerce by Land and Sea may well resemble us the Commons And as it is incompassed with Air and Fire and Sphears Celestial of Planets and a Firmament of fixed Stars all which receive their heat light and life from one great glorious Sun even like the King our Soveraign So that Firmament of fixed Stars I take to be your Lordships those Planets the great Officers of the Kingdom that pure Element of Fire the most Religious Zealous and Pious Clergy and the Reverend Judges Magistrates and Ministers of Law and Justice the Air wherein we breathe All which encompass round with cherishing comfort this Body of the Commons who truly labor for them all and though they be the Foot stool and the lowest yet may well be said to be the setled Centre of the State Now my good Lords if that glorious Sun by his powerful Beams of Grace and Favor shall draw from the Bowels of this Earth an exhalation that shall take Fire and burn and shine out like a Star it needs not be marvelled at if the poor Commons gaze and wonder at the Comet and when they feel the effects impute all to the incorruptible matter of it But if such an imperfect mixture appear like that in the last age in the Chair of Cassiopeia among the sixed Stars themselves where Aristotle and the old Philosophers conceived there was no place for such corruption then as the Learned Mathematicians were troubled to observe the irregular motions the prodigious magnitude and the ominous prognosticks of that Meteor so the Commons when they see such a blazing Star in course so exorbitant in the Affairs of this Commonwealth cannot
Answer in writing under their hands whether they would conform to the Lord Conways Letter and to the Instrument peraffetted at Rochester for delivery over of the said ships yea or no offering to procure them a sufficient discharge to their contentment for their so doing The same day also Sir Ferdinando Gorge and the rest by writing under their hands subscribed did declare as followeth namely That they were willing to obey our King but held not the security peraffetted at Rochester by the three Ambassadors to be sufficient though honorable and so they absolutely refused to deliver their ships upon that security desiring better caution in that behalf 1. By Merchants of Paris 2. To be transferred to London 3. Irrevocable 4. And such as might not be protected by Prerogative and to have this under the Hands and Seals of both Kings All this while our King or body of the Council knew nothing in certain of any other design of the French then only of their pretence against Genoa and believed that all the Articles and Instruments that had passed between the French and us or the Captains Masters and Owners of the English ships had been penned and contrived with full and good Cautions accordingly for pâ—evention of all dangers that might grow to the contrary Also the same 28 Iuly the Captains and Masters taking notice of Mr. Nicholas pressing them to deliver their ships before security given to their content contrary to former Propositions which they held unreasonable did make answer unto the Marquis in writing That until they should have security to their contentment they would not quit the possession of their ships unto the French which was but reasonable and they sent therewith a valuation of their several ships as they would stand to They likewise demanded a performance of all things formerly sent to his Lordship from them by Mr. Nicholas save only for the security by money deposited saying that for all the rest they durst not proceed otherwise Lastly they prayed for a speedy Answer that the delay in this business may not seem to be in them But D' Effiat being confident of the Duke of Buckingham's Letters promises and proceedings aforesaid would not consent to these reasonable demands of the Captains and Masters of the English ships protracting the time till he might hear further from the said Duke out of England While these things were thus in handling both in France and in England there were written over out of France into England Letters of advertisement how and upon what ground or by what act or means procured or occasioned appeareth not yet from one Mr. Larking a servant to the Earl of Holland and a kind of Agent a person some way imployed by our State or under some of our Ambassadors or Ministers in France That the Peace was concluded with those of our Religion in France and that within fourteen days the War would break forth or begin in Italy with a Design upon Genoa a matter of great importance for annoying the Spaniard This Letter of Larking came to the English Court at Richmond 28 Iuly when the Duchess of Chevereux Child was there Christened and the Contents thereof as hath been alleaged were confirmed by the Ambassadors of Savoy and Venice By the advantage and colour whereof the Duke of Buckingham drew the King who all this while knew nothing of the Design upon Rochel or those of our Religion but thought the â—ormer Articles had been safe and well penned both for him and his Subjects according to the most religious and politick intention and Instructions in that behalf originally given by his late Father to write a Letter dated at Richmond the same 28 Iuly directed to the said Captain Pennington to this effect viz. His Majesty did thereby charge and command the said Captain Pennington without delay to put his Highness former Command in execution for consigning the Vantguard into the hands of the Marguis D'Effiat for the French with all her Furniture assuring her Officers his Majesty would provide for their Indemnity And to require the seven Merchants ships in his Majesties name to put themselves into the service of the French King according to the promise his Majesty had made unto him And in case of backwardness or refusal commanding him to use all forcible means to compel them even to sinking with a Charge not to fail and this Letter to be his Warrant This Letter was sent by Captain Thomas Wilbraham to Captain Pennington who was yet in the Downs In the beginning of August 1625. Captain Pennington went over again to Diep carrying with him the said Letters of his Majesty and certain Instructions in writing from the Duke of Buckingham to Mr. Nicholas agreeable in substance to the former verbal Instructions given by the Duke to him at Rochester as the said Nicholas alleadgeth who also affirmeth that in all things what he did touching that business he did nothing but what was warranted by the Dukes Instructions to him which if it be true then the Duke of Buckingham who commanded and imployed him therein must needs be guilty of the matters so acted by the said Mr. Nicholas If there be any subsequent act or assent of Council or of some Counsellors of State for the going of these ships to the French or for putting them into their power it was obtained only for a colour and was unduly gotten by misinforming the Contents of the sealed Articles and concealing the Truth or by some other undue means Neither can any such latter act of Council in any sort justifie the Dukes proceedings which by the whole current of the matter appears to have been indirect in this business even from the beginning About the time of Captain Pennington's coming over to Diep the second time Mr. Nicholas did in his speeches to the Captains and Masters of the seven Merchants ships threaten and tell them That it was as much as their lives were worth if they delivered not their ships to the French as he required which put them in such fear as they could hardly sleep And thereupon two of them were once resolved to have come again away with the ships and because the former threats had made them afraid to return into England therefore to have brought and left their ships in the Downs and themselves for safety of their lives to have gone into Holland Captain Pennington being the second time come into Diep there forthwith delivered and put the said ship the Vantguard into the absolute power and command of the French King his Subjects and Ministers to the said French Kings use to be imployed in his service at his pleasure and acquainted the rest of the Fleet with the effect of his Majesties Letter and Command and demanded and required them also to deliver and put their ships into the power and command of the French King accordingly The Captains Masters and Owners of the seven Merchants ships refused so to do as conceiving it was not
Madam Saint George that he was resolved no longer to endure it So the King dismissed and sent back into France the Queens Retinue of French first paying all that was due for Wages or Salaries and gave the King of France an account of the action by the Lord Carlton for the preserving of their mutual Correspondency and Brotherly Affection But this Dismission was ill resented in France and Audience denied to the Lord Carlton and the matter was aggravated high at the French Court as a great violation of the Articles of the Marriage And those persons who returned into France being for the most part yonger-brothers and had parted with their Portions at home in expectation of raising their Fortunes in the service of the Queen of England did heighten the discontent This jarring with France breaks forth to a publick War and King Charles is at once engaged against Two Great and Mighty Princes It is not our purpose to relate the particulars of those private transactions which were here in England concerning the preparing of a Fleet and Army nor how the same was managed at first by an Abbot who had relation to the Duke of Orleance and had been disobliged by Cardinal Richlieu This Man was full of Revenge against the Cardinal and labored much and at last effected the dismissing of the French about the Queen his cheif end therein was to put an affront upon Richlieu and withal to heighten the differences between the Two Crowns of England and France to which purpose he remonstrated to the Duke of Buckingham the Commotions and Discontents that were in France and how hardly the Protestants there were treated notwithstanding the Edict of Peace procured by the Mediation of the King of Great Britain This Abbots Negotiation with the Duke procured the sending of Devic from the King of England to the Duke of Rhoane who was drawn to engage to raise Four thousand Foot and Two hundred Horse upon the landing of the English Army in France but not before This private transaction was also managed by Mr. Walter Montague but in another capacity The Duke of Sobiez and Monsieur St. Blanchard contributed their endeavors also to hasten the Fleet and the raising of the Army in England against the French for the relief of those of the Reformed Religion there The King declared as a ground of his War with France That the House of Austria conspiring the ruine of all those of the Reformed Religion throughout Christendom as he said plainly appeared in the affairs of Germany had such an influence upon the Council of France as to prevail with them to obstruct the landing of Count Mansfields Army contrary to promise with whom the French should have joyned forces for the relief of the Palatinate and the German Princes which failer of performance in them proved the ruine of that Army the greatest part whereof perished and was by consequence the loss of the whole Protestant Party in Germany His Majesty further declared That having by his Mediation prevailed for a Peace between the French King and his Protestant Subjects and engaged his word That the Protestants should observe the Articles of Agreement Nevertheless the King of France contrary to the said Articles blocked up their Towns Garisons and Forts and had committed many spoils upon them when they had done nothing in violation of the Edict of Peace And that the King of France had committed an example of great injustice in full Peace to seise upon One hundred and twenty English Ships with all their Merchandise and Artillery for which Reasons the King was resolved to send a powerful Army and Navy to require satisfaction The Duke of Buckingham was made Admiral of this Fleet and Commander in chief of the Land forces and had a Commission to that purpose wherein it is expressed That his Majesty hath taken into his Princely consideration the distressed estate of his dear Brother-in-law and onely Sister the Prince and Princess Elector Palatine and their Children and finding himself in Nature and Honor nearly bound unto them At their request and for their just Relief in recovering their rightful Patrimony taken from them by the Advice of his Privy Council did the last year prepare and set out to Sea a Royal Fleet for Sea-service for performance of such services as on his Brother-in-laws and Sisters behalf his Majesty had designed And for the doing of those designs and for the honor and safety of his people his Majesty hath now prepared a new Fleet which he intends with all convenient expedition to set out to be employed as well by way of Offence as of Defence as shall be most behoveful for his said Brother-in-Law his service and therefore doth by the said Commission appoint the Duke of Buckingham to be Admiral Captain-General and Governor of his said Royal Fleet with such Soldiers and Land-forces as shall be conveyed therein for the accomplishment of such execution and employment as they shall be designed unto according to such private Instructions as his Majesty shall give unto the said Duke His Majesty by the said Commission giving to the Duke power to lead and conduct the said Navy and Army and with them to fight against his said Brother-in-law and Sisters enemies or the enemies of the Crown of England and to advance to the Order of Knighthood such persons employed in the Fleet Forces and Supplies as by their Valor Desert and good Service in this Expedition shall be thought fit in his the said Dukes discretion to merit the same and as to the Office of Captain-General doth appertain On the Seven and twentieth of Iune the Duke set fail from Portsmouth in order to the Relief of the Palatinate with the Fleet consisting of One hundred fail of Ships whereof Ten were of the Kings Royal Navy having aboard about Six or seven thousand Land-soldiers and towards the latter end of Iuly he appeared with his Fleet before Rochel who once much longed for their coming but now shut their Gates at their appearance Hereupon the Duke of Sobiez went a shore with Sir William Beecher from the Duke of Buckingham Sir William Beecher being also accompanied with a Letter of Credence from his Majesty of Great Britain they were at last admitted into the Town and the Magistrates called an Assembly and there Sir William Beecher declared unto them That the Duke of Buckingham was come with a great Fleet and Army to their assistance which his Master had sent out of a fellow-feeling of their sufferings and to require from the King of France a performance of the Articles of Peace made by the King of Englands Mediation on the behalf of the Protestants in France And further declared unto them That if they do now refuse to give their assistance by joyning forces with the English he said he would and did protest before God and Man in the name of the King his Master That his said Master was