this next Michaelmas Let thither also reach their prescribed time for liberty And that till then their protections shall remain in as full vertue and authority as if the Parliament were actually sitting To the Right Honorable the LORD Deputie SHewing that in all ages past since the happy subiection of this Kingdome to the imperiall Crown of England it was and is a principall study and Princely care of his Maiesty and his most Noble Progenitors Kings and Queens of England and Ireland to the vast expence of Treasure and bloud that their loyall and dutifull people of this land of Ireland being now for the most part derived from the Brittish Ancestor should be governed according to the municipiall and fundamentall lawes of England that the Statute of Magna Charta or the great Charter for the liberties of England and other laudable lawes and Statutes were in severall Parliaments here enacted and declared that by the means thereof and of the most prudent and benigne government of his Maiestie and his royall Progenitors this Kingdome was untill of late in its growth to a flourishing estate whereby the said people were hertofore enabled to answer their humble and naturall desires to comply with his Maiesties Royall and Princely occasions by the free gift of 150000 l. ster and likewise by another gift of 120000 l. ster more during the government of the Lord Viscount Faulk-land and after by the gift of 40000. l. and their free and chearfull gift of 6. entire Subsidies in the 10. year of his Maiesties Reign which to comply with his Maiesties then occasions signified to the then H. of Commons they did allow should amount in the collections unto 250000. l. although as they confidently beleeve if the sayd Subsidies had not been levied in a moderate Parliamentary way they would not have amounted to much more than half the said sum besides the four entire Subsidies granted in this present Parliament So it is may it please your Lordship that by the occasion of the ensuing and other grievances and innovations though to his Maiestie no considerable profit this Kingdome is reduced to that extreme and universall poverty that the same is now lesse able to pay a Subsidie then it was heretofore to satisfie all the before recited great payments and his Maiesties most faithfull people of the same do conceive great fears that the grievances and the consequences therof may hereafter be drawn into precedents to be perpetuated upon their posterity which in their great hopes and strong belief they are perswaded is contrary to his Maiesties Royall and Princely intention towards his said people some of which said grievances are as followeth I. First the generall and apparent decay of Trades occcasioned by the new and illegall raysing of the book of Rates and Impositions as xii d. a piece custome for Hides bought for 3.4 or 5. s. and many other heavie Impositions upon native and other commodities exported and imported by reason thereof and of the extream usage and sensures Marchants are beggered and both disinabled and discouraged to trade and some of the honorable persons who gain thereby are often Iudges and parties and that in conclusion his Maiesties profit therby is not considerably advanced II. Secondly the arbitrary decision of all civill causes and controversies by paper petitions before the Lord Lievetenant and Lord Deputy and infinite other Iudicators upon references from them derived in the nature of all actions determinable at the Common-law not limited unto certain times seasons causes and things whatsoever and the consequence of such proceedings by receiving imomoderate and unlawfull fees by Secretaries Clerkes Pursivants Serjants at Armes and otherwise by which kinde of proceedings his Majesty loseth a considerable part of his Revenue upon originall writs and otherwise and the Subject loseth the benefit of his writ of error Bill of reversall vouchers and other legall and just advantages and the ordinary course and Courts of Justice declined III. Thirdly the proceedings in civill causes at the Councell boord contrary to the law and great Charter and not mitted to any certain time or season IV. Fourthly that the Subject is in all the materiall parts thereof denyed the benefit of the principall graces and more especially of the Statute of Limitations of the 21. Jan. granted by his Majesty in the 4 year of this Reign upon great advice of the Counsell of England and Ireland and for great consideration and th n published in all the Courts of Dublin and in all the Courts of this Kingdome in open Assizes whereby all persons do take notice that contrary to his Majesties plous intention his Subiects of this Land have not enioyed the benefit of his Maiesties Princely promise thereby made V. Fiftly the extraiudiciall avoyding of Letters Patents of estates of a very great part of his Maiesties Subiects under the great Seale the publique faith of the Kingdome by private opinions delivered at Councell Boord without legall Evictions of their estates contrary to the Law and without precedent or example of any former age VI. Sixtly the Proclamation for the sole exemption and uttering of Tobacco which is bought at very low Rates and uttered at high and excessive Rates by means wherof thousands of Families within this Kingdome and of his Maiesties subiects in severall Islands and other parts of the West Judies as your Petitioners are informed are destroyed and the most part of 〈◊〉 Coyne of this Kingdome is ingrossed into particular hands Insomuch that your Petitioners do conceive that the profit arising and ingrossed thereby doth surmount his Maiesties Revenues certaine and casuall within this Kingdome and yet his Maiestie receiveth but very little profit by the same VII Seventhly the unusuall and unlawfull increasing of Monopolies to the advantage of few to the disprofit of his Maiesty and the impoverishment of his people VIII Eighthly the extream and cruell usage of certain late Commissioners and other towards the Brittish Farmers and Inhabitants of the City and County of London-derry by meanes whereof the worthy plantation of that Country is almost destroyed and the Inhabitants are reduced to great poverty and many of them forced to forsake the Country the same being the first and most usefull Plantation in the large Province of Vlster to the great weakning of the Kingdome in this time of danger the sayd Plantation being the principall strength of those parts IX Ninthly the late erection of the Court of high Commission for causes Ecclesiasticall in these necessitous times the proceedings of the sayd Court in many causes without legall warrant and yet so supported as prohibitions have not been obtained though legally sought for and the excessive fees exacted by the ministers thereof and the incroaching of the same upon the iurisdiction of other Ecclesiasticall Courts of this Kingdome X. Tenthly the exorbitant and Barbarous Fees and pretended Customes exacted by the Clergie against the Law some of which have beene formerly represented to your Lordship XI Eleventhly the
price of moneys must rise and fall to fit their occasions we see this by raising the Exchange of Franckford and other places of their usuall time of the Marts This frequent and daily change in the Low-Countries of their moneys is no such injustice to any there as it would be here for there they being all Merchants or mechanicks they can rate accordingly their labour and their Ware whether it be Coyne or other merchandize to the present condition of their own money in Exchange And our English Merchants to whose profession it properly belongeth do so according to their just intrinsique valew of their forreign Coyn in all barter of commodities or Exchange except usance which we that are rated and tyed by the extrinsiques measure of moneys in all our constant reckonigs and annuall bargains at home cannot do And for us then to raise our Coyn at this time to equall their proportions were but to render our selves to a perpetuall incertainty for they will raise upon us daily them again which we of course shall follow else receive no profit by this present change and so destroy the Policie Justice honor and tranquilitie of our State for ever To the Right Honourable the Lord Deputy The â—â—mble and just Remonstrance of the Knights Cittizens and Burgesses in Parliament assembled SHewing that in all ages since the happy subjection of this Kingdome to the Imperiall Crowne of England it was and is a principall study and Princely care of his Majesty and his most noble Progenitors Kings and Queens of England and Ireland to the vast expence of treasure and blood That their loyall and dutifull people of this Land of Ireland beeing now for the most part derived from Brittish Ancestors should be governed according to the municipall and fundamentall Lawes of England That the statute of Magna Charta or the great Charter of the liberties of England and other laudable lawes and statutes were in severall Parliaments heere enacted and declared that by the means thereof of the most prudent benign government of his Majestie his Royall Progenitors this Kingdome was untill of late in its growth a flourishing estate whereby the said people were heretofore enabâ—ed to aâ—â—iver their humble and naturall desires to comply with his Majesties Princely and royall occasions by their free gift of 150. thousand pounds sterling and likewise by another free gift of 120. thousand pounds more during the government of the Lord Viscount Faulkland and after by the gift of 40. thousand pounds and their free and cheerefull gift of siâ—â— intire Subsidies in the tenth yeare of his Majesties Reignâ— which to comply with his Majesties then occasions signified to the then house of Commons they did allow should ammount in the Collections unto 2 hundred and fifty thousand pounds although as they confidently believe if the Subsidies had been levyed in a moderate Parliamentary way they would not have amounted to much more then halfe the sum aforesaid besides the foure intire Subsidies graunted in this present Parliament Soe it is may it please your Lordship by the occasion of insuing and other grievances and Innovations though to his Majesty no considerable profit this Kingdome is reduced to that extreame and universall poverty that the same is lesse able to pay 2 Subsidies then it was hertofore to satisfie all the before-recyted great payments his Majesties most faithfull people of the Land do conceive great fears that the said grievances and consequences thereof may be hereafter drawne into presidents to be perpetuated upon their posterity which in their great hopes and strong beliefe they are perswaded is contrary to his Royall and Princely intention towards his said people of which greivances are as followeth 1 First the generall apparant decay of Trades occasioned by the new and illegall raising of the booke of rates and impositions upon native and other Commodities exported and imported by reason whereof and of extreame usage and censures Merchants are beggered both and disinabled and discouraged to Trade and some of the honourable persons who gaine thereby often Iudges and parties And that in the conclusion his Majesties profit thereby is not considerably advanced 2. The arbitrary decision of all civill causes and controversies by paper petitions before the Lord Lieutenant and Lord Deputy and infinite other Iudicatories upon references from them derived in the nature of all actions determinable at the Common Law not limited into certaine time cause season or thing whatsoever And the consequences of such exceeding by immoderate and unlawfull fees by Secretaries Clarkes Pursivants Serjeants at Armes and otherwise by which kinde of proceedings his Majesty looseth a considerable part of his revenue upon originall writs and other wise and the Subject looseth the benefit of his writ of Error bill of reversall vouchees and other legall and just advantages and the ordinary course and Courts of Iustice declined 3. The proceedings in civill causes at Counsell board contrary to the Law and great Charter not limited to any certaine time or season 4 That the Subject is in all the materiall parts thereof denyed the benefit of the Princely graces and more especially of the statute of limitations of 21. of Iac. Graunted by his Majesty in the fourth yeare of his Raigne upon great advice of Counsell of England and Ireland and for great consideration and then published in all the Courts of Dublin and in all the Counties of this Kingdome in open assizes whereby all persons doe take notice that contrary to his Majesties pious intentions his Subjects of this land have not enjoyed the benefit of his Majesties Princelie promise thereby made 5. The extrajudiciall avoyding of Letters Pattents of estates of a very great part of his Majesties subjects under the great Seale the publique faith of the Kingdome by private opinions delivered at the Counsell board without legall evictions of their estates contrary to the law and without president or example of any former age 6. The Proclamation for the sole emption and uttering of Tobacco which is bought at every low rates and uttered at high and excessive rates by meanes whereof thousands of families within this Kingdome and of his Majesties Subjects in severall Ilands and other parts of the West Indies as your Petitioners are informed are destroyed and the most part of the coyn of this Kingdome is ingross ed into particular hands Insomuch as the petitioners do conceive that the proffit arising and engrossed thereby doth surmount his Majestyes revenue certain or cosuall within this Kingdome and yet his Majesty receiveth but very little profit by the same 7. The universall and unlawfull increasing of Monopolies to the advantage of a few to the disprofit of his Majesty and Impoverishment of his people 8. The extream and cruell usage of certain late Commissioners and other stewards the Brittish Farmers and Inhabitants of the City and County of London Derry by meanes whereof the worthy Plantation of that Country is almost destroyed and the
and so perplext with the thoughts to miseries into which I finde my selfe plunged and besides the departure of the messenger that carried those letters was so suddaine that it was not possible to perform this dutie to your Lordship sooner For the which I do most humbly crave pardon your Lordship may now please to accept the expressions from the saddest and most wounded soule in the whole World who am a spectacle of misery in my selfe in my distressed Wife and Children and in my whole fortunes who have left the attending of my Soveraigne and Master and accesse to the best Prince in the world who am become a scorne and by-word to all the world both at home and abroad a wanderer an Exile from mine own Country now in the declination of my years and likely to end my dayes in a remote Country and far from the comfort of all my friends What I am guilty of none knows so well as his Majesty whom I have served faithfully diligently painfully and with as true and loyall an heart according to my poore abilities as any other whatsoever and if I found my Conscience charged with any crime of basenesse corruption infidelity or any thing else unworthy of a Gentleman I should not venture to addresse these complaints to your Lordship or to any other person of Honour in this disconsolate estate being an object not altogether unworthy of your Lordships compassion be it for no other respect but that I have long served the King and Queens Majesties I doubt not but your Lordship in your generosity and goodnesse will have a lively sense and fâ—â—ling of my sufferings and vouchsafe me such reliefe as in your Honour you may and if my self who by course of Nature cannot be now of long continuance be not considerable I most humbly beseech your Lordship to have pity upon my poore innocent wife and children that they receive such comfort and assistance from you in my absence that they may be preserved from perishing And to that end I most humbly crave your Lordships favour to this Bearer my Sonne and to give him the honour of accesse whensoever he shall make his addresses to you wherein you shall doe a worke of singular charity and because there is an opinion in the world that I have much improved my fortunes by the Romane party and there hath beene some designe by my ministery to introduce Popery into England I shall most humbly crave your Lordships patience in giving me leave to clear those two great misunderstandings which if they were true were sufficient to render me uncapable of his Majesties favours or of the compassion of any person of honour whatsoever For the first it is notorious to all the world that having now served his Majestie in the place of a Secretary above eight years I have not added one foot of Land to the inheritance left me by my father which in Land and Lease was not above 500. pounds per annum a poore and inconsiderable estate for a Secretary and such an one as most Secretaries have more than trebled in a short time for my manner of living it hath been much under the dignity of a Secretary and if I had not been very frugall I could not have subsisted where then this concealed Masse of Treasurie is I wish those that speak so liberally of it would let me know for I doe protest to God I am utterly to seek where to discover it and at this present I am so unfurnished with monies that if his Majestie cause me not to be supplied I am unable to subsist in these parts without exposing my Family in England to the danger of starving and yet neither my purpose nor inclination is to live otherwise here than in the greatest obscurity and closenesse that possibly I may I assure your Lordship that those of the Roman party that passed my hands by his Majesties commandement were poore distressed creatures and farre from being able to inrich me and besides how little I have attended my own private and how freely and like a Gentleman I hope I may speak the truth without ostenation I have done curtesies to all I wish it should rather appeare by the testimonie of such as have made use of my services then by mine own My Father and I have served the Crown of England neare 80. years together in which time if a greater estate had been raised it might well have been justified confidering the great imployments neer the persons of Queen Elizabeth King James and his Majesty that now is we both have had and your Lordship may believe it for I avow it upon the faith of a Christian that it is no more then I have above mentioned and whether there are not many from lesse imployments have risen to be Noblemen and made their fortunes accordingly I leave to the world to judge For the other suspition of my being a favourer or an advancer of Popery I protest before the Almighty God and as I shall answer at the last dreadfull day that I know no ground for the least suspition thereof neither am I my selfe nor is any other to my knowledge guilty of the least thought of any such purpose For my self I received my Baptisme in the Church of England and I know nothing in the Church of Rome that can win me from that Church wherein I was made a Christian I doe therefore hold this Church of England not onely a true and Orthodox Church but the most pure and neer the primitive of any in the Christian world and this I will be ready to seale with my blood whensoever there shall be occasion with this further protestation that if I did not hold it so I would not continue in it for any worldly respects whatsoever For that which hath passed my hands for favor of that party it hath been meerly ministeriall as his Majesty best knows and I must be bold to say that his Majesty hath not been deceived by it but hath received many greater advantages besides that if a Secretary of State should not hold intelligence with the party is absolute to disable him for the service of the State and that hath been done alwaies more or lesse and so must alwaies continue Kings and their Ministers of State have ever had and might ever have a Latitude according to time and occasion and cannot be so tied according to strictnesse of law as others are without perill to the government therefore when the Roman party were practique and busie about the State there was reason to be more strict but now by the wisedome of the Queen and her good Officers they are better tempered lesse severity hath been used it being the prerogative of the Prince to use moderation according to accusation further than this I have not had to doe with the Roman party nor thus far but in obedience to my Masters commandement which I hope shall not be censured a crime this being my condition I most humbly
God had endowed the Church of England with which God himself hath given by his Law unto the universall Church and in that which the Kings of England by their Charter have bequeathed to the particular Church of England and this we doubt not was the cause that moved Hen. 8. so effectually and powerfully to bend himselfe against the Popes Supremacy usurped at that time over the Church of England for saith the King we will with hazard of life and losse of our Crown uphold and defend in our Realms whatsoever we shall know to be the will of God The Church of God then in England not being free according to the great Charter but in bondage and servitude to the See of Rome contrary to the Law of God the King judged it to stand highly with honour and his Oath to reform redresse and amend the abuses of the same See If then it might please our gracious Soveraign Lord King Charles that now is in Imitation of that his noble Progenitor to vouchsafe an abolishment of all Lordly Primacy executed by Archepiscopall and Episcopall authority over the Ministers of Christ his Highnesse in so doing could no more rightly be charged with the violation of the great Charter then might King Henry the eight with the banishment of the Popish Supremacy or then our late Soveraign Lady Q. Elizabeth could be justly burdened with the breach of her Oath by the Establishment of the Gospell Now if the Kings of England by reason of their Oath were so straitly tied to the words of the great Charter that they might not in any sort have disanulled any supposed Rights or Liberties of the Church used and confirmed by the said Charter unto the Church that then was supposed to be the Church of God in England then be like King Henry 8. might be attainted to have gone against the great Charter and against his Oath when by the overthrow of Abbeys and Monasteries he took away the Rights and Liberties of the Abbots Priers for by expresse words of the great Charter Abbots and Priers had as large and ample a Patent for their Rights and Liberties as our Archbishops and Bishops can at this day challenge for their Primacy If then the Rights and Liberties of the one as being against the Law of God be duely and lawfully taken away notwithstanding any matter clause or sentence contained in the great Charter the other having but little reason by colour of the great Charter to stand upon their pantofles and to contend for their painted sheaves for this is a Rule and Maxime in Gods laws that In omni Juramento semper excipitur authoritas majoris Unlesse then they be able to justifie by the holy scriptures that such Rights and Liberties as they pretend for their spirituall Primacy over the Ministers of Christ be in Deed and Truth inferred unto them by the holy law of God I suppose the Kings Highnesse as successor to Hen. 8. and as most just inheritour of the Crown of England by the words of the great Charter and by his Oath is bound utterly to abolish all Lordly Primacy as hitherto upheld and defended partly by ignorance and partly by an unreasonable and evill Custome My Lord DIGBIES Speech in Parliament 1640. Master Speaker THis happie meeting is to bemoane and redresse the unhappie State of this Common-wealth Let me have I beseech you your leave to give you in a word a short view of our griefes then see whence they flow Our Lawes our liberties our lives and which is the life of all our Religion all which have been by the endeavours of so many Ages secured and made so much our owne can scarce be called ours Our Lawes the only finews and ligeaments of our estates which should run in an even streame are now made to disdaine their bancks and to overflow and drown their fields which they should gently redresse our liberties the very spirit and essence of our weale which should differ us from slaves and speake us English-men are held away by them that even whiles they take them from us cannot but confesse they are our proper dues Are not our lives in danger when an enemy disguised like a friend provoked is as it were suffered because indirectly and in vaine resisted to come almost into our bosomes to rifle some of their goods others of their loyalty which perhaps they could not neither would have touched might we with united force have resisted And lastly which is the soule of all our grievances our Religion which should have beene our Cordiall in all our distempers like a forced Virgin laments ever that her pure innocencie is taken from her and sure all these effects must have their causes That we have just and wise Lawes we may thanke those good Kings that made them the settled exposition of just circumscribed Lawes to binde and defend the Subject That they are so well framed and usefud and to containe enough to make a good King and people be perfect be safe and happie What do we owe to these grave Councellors who sate here before us and that they out-live the malice of some unbounded spirits we are beholding to them that Reprieved them from ruine with their lives and fortunes we call them ours because we are freely born to them as to the Ayre we breath in we claime them and should possesse them under the Protection of our gracious King who is their great Patron and disposes them not inconsiderately but by the advice of those learned expositors of the Lawes the Judges and those whom he trusts to be his great and faithfull Councellors If those pervert the ground and meaning of the Law and contract â—he power of it or make it speake lowder or softer as they themselves are tuned for it the blame should deservedly fall on those mistrusted ministers who are the base betrayers of his Majesties honor and his Peoples right to vindicate which necessitie hath here assembled you Mr. Speaker Is not this offence and m lice as great who should undermine my Tenour and surruptiously deprive me of my evidence by which I held my Inheritance as he who by violence should wrest it from me The Scots we have heard branded as Traytors because they have contrary to the law of Nations and their loyaltie invaded our Kingdome in Arms what other title have they merited who have invaded our Lawes and liberties the precious evidence by which we should freely enjoy our selves and our estates The first we may resist and drive forth by united force and it will be called pietie to the King and Countrie if force be lay'd against the other it will be stiled Rebellion What now remaines but that we should use the Law which because it hath beene inverted and turned against us contrary to its owne naturall and plaine disposition should now right us and it self against our Adversaries Surely the Law is not so weak and improvident to take care for others and never provide
made but my Oath once being taken doth binde mee in all places and in all conditions so long as I live Thus much I thought good to speake concerning the power of imposing new Oathes as to the matter of this new Oath it is wholly illegall Jt is against the Law of this Land it is against the Law and light of Nature it is against the Law of God it is against the Lawes of this Kingdome and that no obscure Lawes nor concerning any meane or petty matters It is against the Law of the Kings Supremacy in that it maketh Arch-bishops Bishops Deanes Arch-Deacons c. to bee jure Divino whereas the Law of this Land hath annexed to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme not onely all Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction but also all superioritie over the Ecclesiasticall State and it is to bee derived from him by Câ—mmission under the Great Seale and consequently it is Jure humano Again it is against the Oath of Supremacy established by Law poynt blanke for therein I am sworne not onely to consent unto but also to assist and to the uttermost of my power to defend all Iurisdictions Preheminences c. anneâ—ed to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme of which this is one and that which immediately precedeth this Oath in the Statute and whereunto it doth especially relate That his Majesty may exercise any Iurisdictions or Ecclesiasticall Government by his Commission under the great Seale directed to such persons as he shall thin 〈◊〉 meet so that if he shall thinke other persons more meet then Arch-bishops Bishops c. I am sworne in the Oath of Supremacy not onely to assent thereunto but to assist and to the uttermost of my power to defend such an appoyntment of his Majesty and in this new Oath I shall swear never to consent unto such an alteration In the like manner it is against the Law and Light of Nature that a man should sweare to answer c. to he knowes not what It is against the Law and light of Nature that a man should sweare never to consent to alter a thing that in its owne nature is alterable and may prove inconvenient and fit to bee altered Lastly it is against the Law of God for whereas there are three rules prescribed to him that will sweare aright that he sweare in Iudgement in Truth and righteousnesse hee that shall take this new Oath must needs breake all these three Rules He cannot sweare in Iudgement because this Oath is so full of ambiguities that he cannot tell what he sweares unto not to speak of the unextricable ambiguity of the c. There is scarce one word that is not ambiguous in the principall parts of the Oath as first What is meant by the Church of England whether all the Christians in England or wherher the Clergie onely or onely the Arch-Bishop Bishops Deanes c. Or whether the Convocation or what In like manner it is as doubtfull what is meant by the Discipline and what by the Dotirine of the Church of England for what some call Superstitions Innovations if others affirme to be consonant to the Primitive and that the purest Reformation in the time of Edward the 6. and in the beginning of the Reigne of Queene Elizabeth and so for the Doctrine of the Church of England if all the Positions that of later yeares have beene challenged by some of Divines to bee Arminian and Popish and contrary to the Articles of our Religion and which on the other side have beene asserted and maintained as consonant to the Doctrine of our Church and if the Articles of Religion were gathered together they might make a pretty volume Nay Sancta Clara will maintaine it in despight of the Puritanes that the Doctrine of the Church of Rome is the Doctrine of the Church of England Truely it were very fit that wee knew what were the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England before we sweare to it and then Sir give me leave to say that I should be very loath to sweare to the Discipline or to the Doctrine and Tenents of the purest Church in the World as they are collected by them farther than they agree with the Holy Scriptures Lastly it is as doubtfull what is meant by the Doctrine and Discipline established and what by altering consenting to alter whether that is accompted or established which is estalished by a Act of ParliameÌ„t or wether that also that is established by Canons Injunctions c. and whether it shall not extend to that which is published by our Divines with the allowance of authority so for consenting to alter whether it be only meant that a man shall not bee active in altering or whether it extend to any consent and so that a man shall not submit to it nor accept of it being altered by the State More ambiguities might be shewne but these are enough to make it cleare that hee that shall tâ—k this Oath cannot sweare in Iudgement Nor can he sweare in Truth for it is full of untruths It is not true that Discipline is necessary to salvation It is not true that Arch-Bishops Bishops Deanes Arch-Deacons c. are jure Divino as they must needs bee if the Law-mamakers ought of right to establish them as they are established for the Law-makers are not bound as of right to frame their Lawes to any other than the Lawes of God alone Now whether Bishâ—ps be jure Divino we know it is a dispute among the Papists and never did any Protestant hold it till of late yeares but that Arch-bishops Deanes Arch-Deacons c. should be jure Divino I doe not know that ever any Christian held it before and yet he that taketh this Oath must sweare it Lastly as hee that taketh this Oath cannot sweare in Iudgement nor in Truth so neither can hee sweare in Righteousnesse for it is full of unrighteousnâ—sse being indeed as hath beene well opened a Covenant in effect against the King and Kingdome for if the whole State should finde it necessary to alter the Government by Arch-Bishops Bishop c a great part of the Kingdome especially of the Gentry for not onely the Clergy but all that take Degrees in the Vniversities are bound to take it will be preingaged not to consent to it or admit of it Againe it is a great wrong to those that shall bee Parliament-men that their freedome shall be taken away being bound up by an Oath not to coâ—sent to the altering of a thing which it may befit and proper for a Parliament to alter And suppose that for the present it bee no hinderance to the service of God nor yet burdensome to the King and Kingdome yet if it should prove so hereafter for a man to bee bound by an Oath never to consent to alter it may bee a great wrong to God in his service and to the King and Kingdome in their peace and welfare and therefore this Oath cannot be taken in
it like a busie angry Waspe his sting is in the tayle of every thing wee have likewise this day heard the report of the conference yesterday and in it the accusation which the Scottish Nation hath charged him withall and we doe all know he is guilty of the same if not more herein this Kingdome Master Speaker hee hath beene the great and common enemie of all goodnesse and good men and it is not safe that such a Viper should be neare his Majesties person to distill his poyson into his sacred eares nor is it safe for the Common-wealth that he sit in so eminent a place of government being thus accused wee know what we did in the Earle of Straffords case this man is the corrupt fountaine that hath infected all the streames and till the Fountaine be purged we can never expect or hope to have cleare channels I shall be therefore bold to offer my opinion and if Jerre it is the error of my judgement and not my want of zeale and affection to the publique good I conceive it is most necessary and fit that we should now take up a resolution to doe somwhat to strike while the iron is hot and to goe up to the Lords in the names of the Commons of this House and in the names of the Commons of England and to accuse him of high Treason and to desire their Lordships his person may be sequested and that in convenient time wee may bring up his charge FINIS A Message sent from the Queenes Majestie to the House of Commons by Mr. Comptroller 5o. Febr. 1640. THat her Majestie hath beene ready to use her best endeavours for the removing of all misunderstanding between the King and people That at the request of the Lords who petitioned the King for a Parliament her Majestie at that time writ effectually to the King and sent a Gentleman expresly to perswade the King to the holding of a Parliament That shee hath since beene most willing to doe all good Offices betweene the King and his People which is not unknowne to divers of the Lords and so shall ever continue to doe as judging it the onely way of happinesse to the King her selfe and Kingdome That all things be justly setled betweene the King and his people and all cause of misunderstanding taken away and removed That her Majestie having taken a knowledge that having one sent to her from the Pope is distastfull to this Kingdome She is desirous to give satisfaction to the Parliament which is convenient time shee will doe and remove him out of the Kingdome That understanding likewise that Exception had beene taken to the great resort to the Chappell of Denmark House shee will be carefull not to exceed that which is convenient and necessary for the Exercise of her Religion Shee further taketh notice that the Parliament is not satisfied with the manner of raising mony for the assistance of the King in his Journey to the North in the yeare 1639 at her entreaty from the Catholiques Shee was moved thereunto meerely out of her deere and tender affection to the King and of the Example of other his Majesties Subjects She seeing the like forwardnesse shee could not but expresse her forwardnesse to the assistance of the King If any thing be illegall shee was ignorant of the Law and was carried therein onely out of a great desire to be assisting to the King in so pressing an occasion but promiseth to be more cautious hereafter not to doe any thing but may stand with the established Lawes of the Kingdome Her Majestie being desirous to imploy her whole power to unite the King and people desireth the Parliament to looke forwards and passe by such mistakes and errors of her Servants as may be formerly committed And this your respect shee promiseth shall be repayed with all the good Offices shee can doe to the House which you shall finde with reall effects as often as there shall be occasion FINIS The Report of the Kings Message by the Lords to the House of Commons January 25. 1640. THat the occasion of his Majesties taking knowledge of the Conviction of John Goodman the Priest lately reprived was upon the constant order that hath been taken for divers yeares that the Recorder hath at the end of every Sessions attended his Majestie with the names of the persons convicted with an expression of their offences to the end that his Majestie might be truly enformed of the Natures of their Crimes and consequently not to be enduced by information to reprive such as were fit for grace and mercy And thereupon that he was lately Condemned for being in order of a Priest meerely and was acquited of the Charge of perverting the Kings people in their beliefe and had never beene Condemned or Banished before His Majestie is tender in matter of blood in Cases of this nature In which Queene Elizabeth and King James have beene often mercifull but to secure his people that this man shall doe no more hurt Hee is willing that he be imprisoned or banished as their Lordships shall advise And if he returne into the Kingdome to be put to Execution without delay And Hee will take such fit course for the expulsion of other Priests and Jesuites as Hee shall be councelled unto by your Lordships And that Hee doth not intend by this particular Mercie to lessen the force of the Lawes FINIS SIR THOMAS ROE his Speech in Parliament 1640. IT is a generall opinion that the trade of England was never greater and it may be true that if it be so yet it will not absolutely conclude that the Kingdome doth increase in riches for the Trade may by very aboundant and yet by consumption and importance of more then is expected the stocke may waste The Ballance would be a true solution of the Question if it could be rightly had but by reason it must be made up by a Medium of the Books of Rates it will be very uncertaine Therefore we must seeke another rule that is more sensible upon which wee may all judge and that may be by the plenty or scarcity of money for it is a true rule If money increase the Kingdome doth gaine by Trade if it be scarce it loseth Let us therefore consider first whether our Gold and Silver be not decreased and then by what meanes it is drayned and lastly how it may be prevented and what Remedies are appliable to effect it It is out of doubt our Gold is gone to travaile without Licence that is visible beyond Seas and every receiver of summes of money must find it privately and I feare the same of Silver for observing the species of late Coyning many halfe Crownes were stamped which are no more to be seene and by this measure I conclude the Kingdome growes poore The causes of this decay of Money may be many It may be stolne out for profit going much higher beyond Seas especially in France and Holland Much hath been
in the North yet I dwell in England Sir BENJAMIN RUDYERDS Speech concerning the QUEENS Joynture Jan. 1640. Mr. SPEAKER GOD hath blessed the Queens Majestie with a blessed Progeny already whereby she hath relieved and fortified this Kingdome which may put us in minde in a fit time to provide according to their birth and interest Shee is the daughter of a great and famous King she is the wife of our King which to us includes all expressions But in one thing Mr. Speaker her Majestie is singular in that she is the Mother to the greatest Prince that hath beene borne amongst us above these hundred yeers which cannot but work a tendernesse in us The Queene likewise may be another Instrument of happinesse to us in her good affection to Parliaments by a good hansell in this And I beleeve we shall see effects of it for it neerly and wisely concernes her Majestie even in all the Relations that are most deare to her to contribute her best Assistance to Uphold the Government and greatnesse of the kingdome By which meanes also the king will be better enabled to make a further enlargement of his bounty towards her in some degree proportionable Wherefore Mr. Speaker it will become this House to shew our cheerfulnesse in passing of the Bill Articles against Doctor Piercie Bishop of Bath and Wells exhibited by Mr. James Minister within his Diocesse 1 HEE hath Ex officio convented mee before him for having two Sermons preached in my Church on Michaelmas day to the great disturbance hinderance of the sale of the Church Ale as his Lordship pretended and further examined me upon Oath whether I had not the said Sermons preached for the same purpose and intent admonishing me for the future neither to preach my selfe nor suffer any other to preach in my Cure in the afternoon of either the Lords-day or holy dayes 2 I heard him say to his Register That whereas Information had been given concerning certain Ministers that they expounded upon the Catechisme this Information was too narrow to catch them and therefore it should have runne thus that they Catechised or expounded upon the Catechisme Sermon-wise and then they would have been obnoxious to censure 3 At the meeting to elect Clerks of the Convocation he threatned to send forth Censures of the Church against all that would not pay in the Benevolence late granted in the late Synod within a fortnight after the second day of November last past And further at the said election his sonne gave eight single voyces two as Arch-Deacon of Bath two as Prebend of the Church of Wells two as Parson of Buckland Saint Mary two as Vicar of Kingsbury and many others also there present gave as many double voyces as they had Benefices and Dignities against which one Mr. Rosnell protested saying that it was illegall The Bishop replyed that they gave in severall capacities and thereupon commanded him silence saying that he was a young man 4. That upon the meer Information of Mr. Humphry Sydenham Rector of Buckington that in a certain Sermon Preached at the Visitation of the Arch Deacon of Taunton I bespattered the Clergie The Bishop summoned me before him down to Wells and there objected unto mee that I had preached a scandalous Sermon wherein I had cast some aspersions on some of the Clergy Upon which charge I proferd to bring in an exact Copy of the Sermon I preacht and to depose that I spake neither more nor lesse then was contained in the said Copy This the Bishop would not accept of saying that he would not have the Ministers who came to witnesse against mee troubled with a second journey One of my Proctors desired time till the next Court day for me to give in my answer the Bishop commanded him to hold his Peace and the other Proctor though he was retained by me had received a Fee never opened his mouth pretending unto me that because the Bishop was so highly displeased with mee he durst not appeare in my behalf being denyed time to give in my answer at the next Court day I desired respit untill the afternoon this also was denyed In fine contrary to the rules of their own Court he examined witnesses against me and proceeded to Censure me before he received my full answer he would not heare the answer which I could give to the Articles objected to me which I proferd to give and which he had by oath required me to give further by vertue of the oath he administred unto me he questioned me not only concerning matters of outward fact but also concerning my most secret thoughts intentions and aymes Moreover whereas the witnesses confessed that I only said in the foresaid Sermon that some put the Scriptures into a staged dresse the Bishop perswaded them that that expression was equivalent with the Article objected that some mens Sermons were Stage Playes and they by his perswasion swore down right that I saidsome mens Sermons were Stage Playes The Doctor made an Act and Order that I should make publique retractation which I refused to doe and appeald unto the Arches But upon either the Bishops or M. Sidenhams Information my Procter Hunt renounced my appeale and Sir John Lambe dismissed the same cause without hearing unto the Bishop againe 5 The Churchwardens of my Parish by order from the Bishop were enjoyned to turn the Communion Table and place it Altar-wise c. Now they that they might neither displease the Bishop nor transgresse against the Rubrick of the Liturgie made it an exact square Table that so notwithstanding the Bishops order the Minister might still Officiate at the North side of the Table M. Humphry Sydenham informed against this and upon Information the Bishop sent to view it and upon his view he certified the Bishop that it was like an Oyster Table whereupon the Bishop ordered the Churchwardens to make a new one 6 Upon M. Humphry Sydenhams Information that M. John Pym was a Parliamenteer the Bishop would not suffer me any longer to sojourn in his house although before such Information he gave me leave And when I demanded of some of his servants the reason why his Lordship had thus changed his minde they told me that his Lordship was informed by M. Sydenham that M. Pym was a Puritane The Lord Andevers speech in March 1640. concerning the Star-Chamber MY Lords since your Lordships have already looked so farre into priviledges of Peers as to make a strict inquisition upon forraign honours Let us not destroy that among our selves which we desire to preserve from strangers And if this greivance I shall move against have slept till now It is very considerable lest custome make it every day more apparent than other your Lordships very well know there was a Statute framed 3 Hen. 7. Authorizing the Chancellor Treasurer and Privy Seale and the two Chiefe Justices calling to them one Bishop and a temporall Lord of the Kings Councell to receive complaints
thee are utterly deleated Many evidences there be in this part of the Communion of the bodily presence of Christ very agreeable to the doctrines taught by his Secretaries which this paper cannot containe They teach us that Christ is received in the Sacrament Corporaliter both objective and subjective Corpus Christi est objectum quod recipitur corpus nostrum subjectum quo recipitur The booke of England abolisheth all that may import the oblation of any unbloudy Sacrifice but here we have besides the Preparatorie oblation of the Elements which is neither to be found in the booke of England now nor in King Edwards booke of old the oblation of the body and bloud of Christ which Bellarmine calleth Sacrificium Laudis quia Deus per illud magnopore laudatur This also agreeth well with their late Doctrine We are ready when it shall be judged convenient and we shall be desired to discover much more matters of this kinde as grounds layd for missa sicca or the halfe masse the private masse without the people of communicating in one kinde Of the consumption by the Priest and consummation of the Sacrifice of receiving the Sacrament in the mouth and not in the hand c. Our Supplications were many against these bookes but Canterbury procured them to be answered with terrible Proclamations We were constrained to use the remedie of Protestation but for our protestations and other lawfull meanes which we used for our deliverance Canterbury procured us to be declared Rebels and Traytors in all the Parish Kirks of England when we were seeking to posseâ—â—e our Religion in peace against these devices and Novations Canterbury kindled warre against us In all these it is knowne that he was though not the sole yet the principall Agent and Adviser When by the pacification at Barwick both Kingdoms looked for peace and quietnesse he spared not openly in the heating of many often before the King and privately at the Councell-Table and the privy Join to to speake of us as Rebels and Traytors and to speak against the pacification as dishonorable and meet to be broken Neither did his malignancie and bitternesse ever suffer him to rest till a new warre was entred upon and all things prepared for our destruction By him was it that our Covenant approven by Nationall Assemblies subscribed by his M. Commissioner and by the Lords of his M. Counsell and by them commanded to be subscribed by all the Subjects of the Kingdome as a testimony of our duty to God and the King by him was it still called ungodly damnable Treasonable by him were oathes invented and pressed upon divers of our poore Country-men upon the pain of imprisonment and many miseries which were unwarrantable by Law and contrary their Nationall oath When our Commissioners did appeare to render the reasons of our demands he spared not in the presence of the King and Committee to raile against our Nationall Assembly as not daring to appeare before the World and Kirks abroad where himselfe and his actions were able to endure tryall and against our just and necessary defence as the most malicious and Treasonable contempt of Monarchiall Government that any bygone Age hath heard of His hand also was at the Warrant for the restraint and imprisonment of our Commissioners sent from the Parliament warranted by the King and seeking the peace of the Kingdomes When we had by our Declarations Remonstrances and Representations manifested the truth of our intentions and lawfulnesse of our actions to all the good Subjects of the Kingdome of England when the late Parliament could not be moved to assist or enter in warre against us maintaing our Religion and liberties Canterbury did not onely advise the breaking up of that high and honorable Court to the great griefe and hazzard of the Kingdome but which is without example did sit still in the Convocation and make Canons and Constitutions against us and our just and necessary defence ordaining under all highest pains that hereafter the Clergie shall preach foure times in he yeare such doctrine as is contrary not only to our proceedings but to the doctrine and proceedings of other reform'd Kirks to the judgement of all sound Divines and politiques and tending to the utter slavery and ruining of all Estates and Kingdomes and to the dishonor of Kings and Monarchs And as if this had not been sufficient he procured six Subsidies to be lifted of the Clergie under pain of deprivation to all that should refuse And which is yet worse and above which malice it self cannot ascend by his means a prayer is framed printed and sent through all the Paroches of England to be sayd in all Churches in time of Divine Service next after the prayer for the Queene and Royall Progeny against our Nation by name of Trayterous Subjects having cast of all obedience to our annointed Soveraign and comming in a rebellious manner to invade England that shame may cover our faces as Enemies to God and the King Whosoever shall impartially examine what hath proceeded from himselfe in these two books of Canons and Common-prayer what Doctrine hath been published and printed these years by-past in England by his Disciples and Emissaries what grosse Poperie in the most materiall points we have found and are readie to shew in the posthume writings of the Prelate of Edinburgh and Damblane his own Creatures his nearest familiars and most willing instruments to advance his counsells and projects sall perceive that his intentions were deep and large against all the reformed Kirks and reformation of Religion which in his Majesties Dominions wes panting and by this time had rendred up the ghost if God had not in a wonderfull way of mercy prevented us and that if the Pope himselfe had been in his place he could not have been more popish nor could he more zealously have negotiated for Rome against the reformed Kirks to reduce them to the Heresies in Doctrine the Superstitions and Idolatry in worship and the Tyranny in Government which are in that Sea and for which the reformed Kirks did seperate from it and come forth of Babel From him certainly hath issued all this deluge which almost hath overturned all We are therefore confident that your Lordships will by your meanes deale affectually with the Parliament that this great firebrand be presently removed from his Majesties presence and that he may be put to triall and put to his deserved censure according to the Lawes of the Kingdome which sall be service to God honor to the King and Parliament terror to the wicked and comfort to all good men and to us in speciall who by his means principally have been put to so many and grievous afflictions wherein we had perished if God had not been with us We do indeed confesse that the Prelates of England have been of very different humors some of them of a more hot and others of them men of a more moderate temper some of them more and some