The Divine Catastrophe OF The KINGLY Family Of the House of STVARTS OR A SHORT HISTORY OF THE Rise Reign and Ruine Thereof Wherein the most secret and Chamber-abominations of the two last Kings are discovered Divine Justice in King Charles his overthrow vindicated and the Parliaments proceedings against him clearly justified By Sir Edward Peyton Knight and Baronet a diligent observer of Those Times London Printed for Giles Calvert at the black Spread-Eagle at the west-end of Pauls 1652. TO THE Supreme Authoritie of this Nation Assembled in this present PARLIAMENT Right honorable Senators WAndering in the Circumference of my contemplations to finde out what was most sutable to present to the Supremacy of Parliament under such a Divine revolution as God hath brought to pass instrumentally by your wisdom and direction and his heavenly Providence in this wide field the Omnipotent guided my thoughts to dedicate a Discourse to your honourable hands concerning the fatal Catastrophe of the last House had Superintendencie over us to the time the Almighty put the Stern of this Commonwealth into a Parliamentary Power which I most humbly wish our celestial Creator to continue till a Snail be able to creep over the whole Globe of the earth In the mean while I crave your pardon that I have not so distinctly in order laid down many remarkable passages worthy recite my Papers being remote a great distance from me yet by Gods grace I have composed a little Enchiridion of divers remarkable events have happened out to prove Gods just revenging hand on the Family of the Kingly Stuarts of Scotland and justified your proceedings and proved that the heavie weight of sin hath given a downfal justly imposed by Providence from above my Observations reaching no higher then from the King of Scots being taken prisoner at Muscleborough-field in Edward the sixth his Reign Now therefore I thrice humbly desire your Patronage especially finding by experience the composition and stile of this present Narrative will incur the displeasure and hatred of most in this State yet I value it not being prompt by a higher power then that of Man which points out by a Divine finger the overthrow of all men exalted above all that is called God whose ruine will be the bridge to let into the Stage of the world the heavenly Government of Christ which shall continue for ever maugre the malice of the Universe Wherefore I most humbly implore the thrice honourable Parliament to accept of This as a testimony of my fidelity to the present Government which I pray God to bless and maintain to advance his glory and bring the whole Nation to a most happie condition which now the present symptomes thereof shew plainly a new approach of a great tranquillity not onely to this but to the three Nations in general Edw. Peyton THE Rise Reign and Ruine OF THE Kingly Family Of the STUARTS SInce Great Britain hath been elevated all along the stems of Plantagenet Theodor or Tedor and Stuart to so high a Tree of Tyranny as she was afore the late wars the Princes had designes proportionable to a way of making themselves absolute Governours which overture hath appeared more or less according to the humour of times and inclination of the Guiders of the Stern for some indued with ability and craftiness necessary to settle an usurped ambition whilst the people were willing to beare the load of that burden have made a progress so politickly to bring their aims to the mark shot at that they have so subtilly dissembled the enterprise as no notice or scandal arrived at their doors nor impatience to the three Countreys of England Ireland and since the access of the Family of the Stuarts to Scotland until King James for hatred of his Mothers death plotted the ruine of Parliaments which ratified Queen Maries execution and left it as his Testament for his successor to follow dictating not long afore his death to Williams Arch-Bishop of York the course he should steer to bring his counsel to conclusion This devillish advice thrust on this wilful Prince with an inconsiderate fury and inflamed with that fire to settle to himself and his successors an unbridled power of dominion which hurried him on with the whirlwinde of passion to discover the mystery which ought to have been concealed till the designe should be accomplished Wherefore of this number in our days was Charles the first who from the beginning of his Government blaming the moderation of his predecessors resolved to go a way contrary to the stream of a pious Rule and the command of God and act during his time that which God would not suffer to be done in many ages past And because the pretention is always encumbed when the object cannot be attained by wicked advice perceiving he had not so well marched to accomplish his drifts with the just power of Parliaments which might found a Trumpet in the behalf of a Commonwealth by advice of his Antecedent and his wicked adherents laboured to raze out the memory breaking up two Parliaments and not satified therewith to practise Tyranny kept the Nation neer fourteen yeers without such most lawful Assemblies where the Rights of the Nation might be discovered and true Liberty appear This he did that the power of Law and property of the Subjects estates might be inclosed in his sole Arbitrary brest To that purpose he made his Sycophants of the Council-Table Judges of the Right of his people the Star-Chamber the Executioners of his unbridled will and the High-Commission the destroyers of Piery and Religion which three though he revoked by Acts yet being angry with himself for so doing he raised a War to make abortive all he had done by an armed power although he seemed willing to affect it afore therefore pursuing the former series of his will for a Law Charles quarrels first with the Gentry and People about Coat Conduct and Ship-money and plotted with his wicked Council that a thousand Germane Horse in the nature of Trayle Battoun should take every one denied to give him money or that would not subscribe to his endless will and easeless power to be hurried to Prison there to end their days some of them being so barbarously used This unjust resolution he took upon him unless they yeelded to his unsatiable desires by which means the eyes of many of the triple Nations were sealed as pigeons are used for traines to devouring Hawks to plume and prey on This struck such a Pannick fear that they imagined all power consisted in the Diadem to be at his mercy because they were ignorant of their Rights which were usually discovered in Parliaments by some practised in the Records But behold God raised up some Heroes within the doors of the Representative and without to awaken the people from a dead sleep or rather to cure them of a disease of lethargy who rouzing like Lions let loose out of a Den opposed this most wicked Oppression by which
fourth of France being informed of this congratulation and conceiving it to be a step to unite England and Scotland in one Government Elizabeth waxing old sent a Letter of incouragement to King James to joyn with him in revenge of his Mothers death who replied as the true Copy expressed that he would not fall at difference with Elizabeth since he was now more secure in his Throne then in his Mothers time intimating he was not sorry for her amovall for her life might have procured his ruine Elizabeth after fourty yeers Reign was moved by her privy Council to settle King Iames for successor who said she would not erect a Monument in her life for a follower to expect her end She was a Lady adorned with Majesty Learning Languages Wisdom and Piety yet fearful of death for she hated any word tended to it as shall be manifest by Roger Lord North when carving one Day at Dinner the Queen asked what that covered dish was he lifting up the cover replied Madam it is a Coffin a word moved the Queen to anger And are you such a fool said she to give a Pie such a name This gave warning to the Courtiers not to use any word mentioned her death But this prudent Prince died after fourty four yeers compleat and king James was proclaimed about the last of March 1602. king of England by his privy Council assisted by the Lord Mayor of London Sir Robert Lee. In May after he entered met with many Nobles and Gentlemen the Sheriffs attending him in every County from Berwick so that there was a general applause and Royal entertainment at his entrance into the Charter-house in London yet ominously attended with a great Plague of three thousand dying in a week in the City This Union gave a grand expectation of tranquillity to both kingdoms To effect this better he called a Parliament lasted seven yeers and raised many Subsidies with great sums left by his Predecessor which vast treasure was all bestowed on the needy Scots who like Horse-leeches sucked the Exchequer dry so that Honour and Offices were set to sale to fill the Scots purses and empty the kingdoms treasure This caused a by-word That the Exchequer reached from London to Edinburgh This was not sufficient to gorge their insatiable requests but many Monopolies likewise were erected my self after reporting thirty two Patents to the Parliament in decimo octavo Iacobi The Queen deprived of the nightly Company of a husband turned her delight to the Prince whom she respected above her other children finding him too serious diverted him from so much intensiveness to an amorous gesture in which the English Court took great pride To that purpose she initiated him in the Court of Cupid as one night she shut him under lock and key in a chamber with a beautiful young Lady now dead which shewed her love to the sport indeed morelikea Bawd than a discreet Mother who is bound to season her children in vertue while young that they may hold the taste in age whose example in vertue or vice might draw a world to follow the pattern But after Prince Henry fell mortally sick of a supposed Fever but not without suspition of poyson A Prince whom all Europe expected to be the promoter of some great and famous action because his inclination was bent to the Martial art above his yeers and also excelled in matters of State both in discourse and choice of ablest company which he much delighted in for advice and counsel This ripeness in judgement and dexterity in Souldiery to form Models of any sort of Battels stirred up king Iames to suspect the Prince might depose him especially knowing he was not begot of his body This caused the Lord Saintcleare then Ambassadour in Denmark not to be ashamed to challenge Prince Henry to be his own son to English and Scots there arrived so that by some Pill or other the Prince came to his end This was plainly shewed when he was cut up to be imbalmed his brain was Liver-hued and putrefied an argument of poison as was affirmed by a most learned Physician Butler of Cambridge Now king Iames more addicted to love males then females though for complement he visited Queen Anne yet never lodged with her a night for many yeers Whereupon Gundamore observing how king Iames was addicted told him that the Lady Hatton would not suffer the Lord Cook her husband to come into her fore-door nor he himself to come into her back-door Hatton and Ely houses joyning together where they dwelt she denying him a passage backward to take air Now that the fruit of Mortality might declare humane frailty Queen Anne who had trod so many stately footings in masks of Court Beauty fading strength faling and youth metamorphosed to yeers health to sickness being haunted with a lingering sickness which contracted her end For Doctor Upton at his death not long afore the Queen's declared a Skeleton being in her womb proves she was with childe and that Physick had destroyed it and so the Skeleton remained which was laboured to be purged away but all in vain rotted in her Of this Docter there was a jealousie of revealing it for which his passage was made to another world as his tongue to me at his death uttered who married my neer kinswoman The Queen departed the King sold his affections to Sir George Villiers whom he would tumble and kiss as a Mistress This favourite had erected many Monopolies who finding Parliaments hindered his profit caused his Master to dissolve those Patents and break up the Parliament of decimo octavo raising a number of Privy Seals which were borrowed and never paid And to adde to the iniquity of the times divers Incests were then pardoned insomuch as two Gentlemen who married two sisters one after another got License at Newmarket not to be molested in the High-Commission But above all a godly Minister in Lincolnshire was barbarously murthered by one Cartwright whom King Iames pardoned The reason of this murther was for rebuking him of swearing drunkenness and whoring At this time were many pious Divines silenced by the Bishops who inhibited preaching in the afternoon divers Exercises in several Towns commanded downe an occasion bred much prophaness in England king lames allowing dancing about May-poles and so winked at breaking the Sabbath a vice God curseth everywhere in Scripture What shall I say more All impiety was incouraged in such a sort that lawful Mariages were divorced or nullified as namely the Countess of Essex from the Earl of Essex late General for the Parliament alledging the Lord had a defect and was not able to perform the act of generation although the contrary was after proved to make a gap for Somerset's adultery by a Nullity which Bishop Bilson devised a nick-name being given for this to his son who was rewarded with Knighthood and therefore stiled by the people Sir Nullity Bilson This Bishop maintained Christs personal descention into hell an
way they certainly fulfilled Gods determination upon the seventh Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter being Sabbattical since the beginning of the world to bring down the Mountain of Monarchy which had continued more then five hundred yeers to depress the extortion practised in Europe from Charlemain's Age a Symptome and Harbinger for France Spaine Germany Turky and Papacy to change from an unbridled power to an Aristocratical or Plebeian way of rule which will better advance the Kingdom of Jesus Christ thorow the Universe whereby it appeares that England by Gods assistance may be the elder brother to bring to pass so mighty an alteration on the the stage of Christendom By divers ungodly Sophisms of State for the space of ten yeers King Charles raised up innumerable Projectors and ungodly burdens to enthral the Nations by an Arbitrary way imposing Monopolies many unlawful Taxes under which they remained without remedy of relief the eyes and eares of all in high authority being blinde and deaf not to hear nor see Petitions of just complaints insomuch that the people generally cried out Where are our Laws and demanded if all Justice were banished out of their quarters and with eyes lift up to Heaven desired that those caterpillers might not swell too big like a Spleen to bring a Consumption to the whole body praying also that their empty purses might not be filled with blood although their eyes with tears Now this miserable condition perceived by the wrinkles sorrow made on the brow of our disordered affaires all wise counsels banished and the reputation of a pious State withered was augmented by King Charles his imposing the Common-Book of Prayer on the Scots wherein God seemed to be deaf a time for the sins of this Nation multiplied against the Divine Majesty yet at last he heard the prayers of the Saints that the Scotish men could not endure this imposition so Diametrically opposite to the Kirk and disposition of the Nation This Stratagem was by the artifice of Laud Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to bring into the Country Episcopal Government to unite both Kingdoms in one forme of Church in something agreeable with Rome as a bridge over which he might bring both people to Popery to ingratiate himself with the Pope for a Cardinals Cap. Lo how Charles and Scotland differed in this wide field of behaviour the interest of the King made Will a Law and the other avoided such a Slavery the issue was growing by this Edict obstinate they could not endure it But King Charles persisted in his wilful determination to finde out this subject to work the effects of his indignation upon so that this occasion was fitly presented to his wishes to raise an Armed Power to subdue them to his unbridled Pleasure But when this War exenterated his Coffers for lack of Money he was constrained nolens volens to call a Parliament by the advice of the fomer wicked Counseller who perswaded him to it making the King believe that at his pleasure he might on all accasions break the neck of such Assemblies In the mean while the enterprise was hatched on the basis of a contrariety of inclination by which he might set a bone to divide and governe both because that Nation by the immense bounty of King James was grown exceeding rich which sowed seeds of envy in England to oppose the Scot. But by this Parliament God who hath sole power in sublunaries turned this cross blow to the good of both to enlarge the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for the Liberty of England and Scotland But because the errand of my Discourse is not solely to shew the abuses of State but rather by reckoning up a brief Catalogue of some to demonstrate and delineate the just Judgement of God on the Family of these Stuarts for Cruelties and Murthers one of another that we may raise up our praises to God who out of the ashes of intended ruine hath made the Source of so glorious a State as now is planted on our English Stage wherein God findes this Common-wealth very consistent with his adequate glory in consummating the fulness of the Gentiles and calling home of the Jews foretold in the Scriptures to be performed in the latter Ages of the World to the intent Promises and Prophecies should be accomplished for the Dominion of Christ to extend to the ends of the earth that those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death may be brought into a more perspicuous light to follow the steps Christ hath traced out for all to walk in which the over-grown pride of Kings and Emperours would not submit to Therefore to demonstrate and observe how the Almighty hand of God hath determined the extirpation of the Royal Stock of the Stuarts for murthering one of another for their prophane Government and wanton Lasciviousness of those Imps ingrafted in that Stock I am forced to raise the fabrick of this Relation higher by the fourth Story and last staire of the great Grand-father of Charles the first who was slaine at Muscle-borough-field by the English Army under the command of the Earl of Arundel and Surrey This King I say left a sole Daughter Mary Suart Inheritrix of that Realm who when she attained of Viripotency was sought for a consort to the Dolphin of France which title of right belongs to the first Son of the King of that Crown This Prince after the Marriage ended his days by a shiver of a Launce at the sport of Tourney in Paris A Match contrived by the French for the Scots to be Goads in our sides to hinder our invading of France to which we had a just Title But this Mary deprived of her mate by this sad accident living some few yeers in the French Court where she was educated in the School of Venus proved an apt Scholar in that wanton Academy and affecting in her inclination to be more absolute in her passion of Love to chuse without controul a Paramour sutable when how long and who she pleased grew weary of the delights of Paris desiring variety returned into Scotland where she had more power she being constant in nothing but in Inconstancy A place where the amorous way was much in esteeme though the Church-Government somewhat hindered it which was then not of such force as since This Princess cast her glances everywhere about to finde a beauty fit for her imbrace and at last fixt her liking on the Lord Darnel of the House and Family of the Stuarts of Boote in Scotland whose Ancestors were there famous contesting long ago for the King with one Wallis in their home-bred broiles who sided with the people To say truth this Lord was a goodly and amiable person fit for any Compeership how great soever but after some time this Princess soon satiated grew weary of the conjunction by reason of a servant she entertained called David Ritsoe an Italian Musician who exceled in the Airs of Italy above others in that Faculty who inchanting
the Queen with his voice made her think there was no happiness but in his approach into her Cabinet a place wherein she continually resided but from thence the Lord Darnel was banished above nine months divorced from her in joy although he sought divers means in vaine At last for a medicine to remedy his discontent one Dowglas administred Physick for his cure to amove Ritsoe from the Queen and put the Lord her husband into her armes So violent was the Ingredience that Ritsoe was taken from this Princess by twelve arrived Lords and their retinue who put her into the Lords armes killing Ritsoe laid his dead body on the same trunk was his bed the first night he arrived to the Queens service But there was much adoe afore this Tragedy was acted To understand this better this Dowglas an Agent for the twelve banished Lords out of Scotland to return could not effect it unless the Lord Darnel undertook the accomplishment upon the former condition to dispatch Ritsoe from Court But they being jealous of Darnels promise not fixt in other Puntilio's would not believe him till pricking his fingers he wrote an assurance under his hand with blood in a paper really to effect it which was acted when the Queen leaned on Ritsoes shoulder at the game of Primero with the Earl of Morton Chancellor of Scotland who cherished this unlawfull familiarity a verity justified on Oath by Darnel and one of the twelve Lords the Lord Ruthin at his execution on the Scaffold a place where dying men speak true This Lady very sorrowful retiring to Sterlin Castle shortly after was brought abed of King James but took no delight in her husbands company for the Lord Bothwel became a new Corrival in her affection who both consented as Germanicus wife with Sejanus after she had been lascivious with him to blow up her husbands body with Gun-powder who was cast dead on a tree next morning a spectacle made Scotland amazed at so fearful a murder By this most wicked designe she grew so contemptible to her Realm that she was fain to flee to Queen Elizabeth for succour but lo some yeers afore severall Treasons were here discovered that this Mary set the Traytors awork to take away our late Queens life who were afore condemned for Traytors and suffered death for this Mary was the next pretender to the Crown from Henry the seventh but God prevented it by her Privy Council counted the wisest of all Europe who counselled Elizabeth to condemn her to free England from Treasons against her Person But the sage Princess conjectured if the death should be by her Edict it might raise the hatred of forraine Princes against her and therefore caused the sentence onely to be ratified by Act of Parliament the Vote of the whole Realm insomuch that a mock-Secretary called Davison was chosen to go to Fotheringham where she was rewarded with a Hatchet a just Judgement of God on her After this King James being about sixteen yeers old was crowned and had for Tutor one Bohannon called amongst us Buchanan a learned Divine and wise to train up young Princes whose Books are famous through this part of the world This prudent Schoolmaster observing the young Prince's facility to signe any Grant for his Servants without reading by which means he had pardoned many murthers and passed other Instruments of damnable consequence to the Commonwealth in which this Tutor imitated Theodosius's godly fraud to discerne the hearts of his Courtiers soundness in Religion who having taken great pains with the King from his childhood desired a boon which King Iame was willing to grant therefore one morning the king going out early a hunting Buchanan brought an absolute resignation of his kingdom with all Immunities to it which was signed without aspect At night returning from field-sports retiring usually afore supper to read some profitable Author which his Schoolmaster chose all shut out of the Cmhaber Buchanan sate down in the kings Chair and told him that he was king giving him the writing to peruse which reading he shed tears for his folly yet Buchanan after comforted him and charged his Scholar not to signe any Grant but what was just and so threw the Grant of all Scotland into the fire About this time Queen Anne was brought out of Denmark for a match a Lady of a goodly presence beautiful eyes and strong to be joyned with a Prince young and weak in constitution an union unsutable for a Virago to couple with a Spiny and thin Creature a course made her fancy work as a Fat for to further a female content and placed in her delight one Master Stuart of the house the Earle of Murry His haunting her Chamber too sedulously bred such a jealousie in King Iames for to impart his thoughts to Marquess Huntly and get dispatched this Stuart out of the way burning his house and himself in it After whose death the Queen found others to satisfie her unruly appetite as namely the Earle of Gowry a Lord of a comly visage good stature and of an attracting allurement who upon King Iames suspition of often society with the Queen converted to the Poyson of hatred the friendship and love of the Earl causing Ramsey after Earl of Holderness with others to murther Gowry in his own house giving it out for a stale that the Earl with others would have killed him And to make his falshood appear odious in shape of truth appointed the fifth of August a solemne day of Thanksgiving for his supposed delivery and in this mocked the God of Heaven After this the Queen entertained into her service one Mr. Beely a Dane to whom she bore an affection this Gentleman came with her into England and grew more entire in her thoughts with whom I had a familiarity to be a Commissioner for him in a Grant his Mistress procured for him of King Iames of felons goods in divers Counties who in great secrecie discovered to me he was naturall Father of King Charls but waxing old the Queen took two proper Gentlemen of the House of Bohannon to her service these being partners in her affection fell out in a Duell and killed one another for priority in her love Not long after Gowries death Prince Henry was born at Edinburgh whereupon Queen Elizabeth sent the Earl of Sussex Ambassadour to congratulate this birth and be Godfather with a gallant retinue but Scotland being poor and the king wanting money to discharge the glory of such a Royal entertainment the Earl of Orkney a Bastard of the former king's pawned his Estate in the Islands of Scotland to raise a great sum to discharge the Christening Behold how King James did not onely not disengage this Morgage but suffered this Earle to die in Prison at Blackness neer Edinburgh-Castle an ingratitude indelible for after-ages to detest I omit the Murders Inchantments Witcheries committed by his Predecessors of weight enough without more to pull down that House But Henry the
which meanes the Clergy were the eyes eares hands legs and above all the braine to support the Kings insupportable Tyranny To this head I will reduce their Idolatrous cringing to the altar bowing at the name of Jesus and making Churches Idolatrous usually kneeling and praying in them when no service of God was used and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reverence at the Eucharist was to no other purpose but to support Antichristian Episcopacy what honour was done in the Church was placed on them transferring the honour done from the place to the persons administring service a cause made King Charles take them into his intimacy to support his absolute Monarchy to do what he pleased with Subjects property real personal and vital as also finding the Papacy conduced more to Regality he favoured them more then Protestants for when the Justices in all parts persecuted the Papists upon the Statutes they were disgraced and removed and the Protestant persecuted and punished and the Priests delivered out of Prison In which rout amongst others was Secretary Windebank a principal Agent to get in favour with Queen Mary insomuch that I knew divers Papists brought out of Newgate and their pursuers punished This last-recited Secretary was a Creature to Laud both brothers in iniquity to accomplish such matters Did not king Charles his Letter written in Spain to the Pope shew his Inclination to set up Popery if the Pope would grant him a dispensation to marry the Infanta yea certainly it cannot be denied by any rational man if he considers fully the bent of those times he must be convinced by a truth I shall utter When the king came from Greenwich with the Queen on a Tuesday morning a little afore the last Parliament she landing at Sommerset-House where she lodged the king arriving at Whitehall a day he used to hear a Sermon the Queen drew him from the Sermon to Sommerset-House insomuch as a Lord to whom I gave a visit told me when he came not to the preaching at twelve of the clock long expected in anger that the king was then at Mass and reconciled to the Pope and so this Lord in haste went after Mass-time to Sommerset-house and there dined It is therefore no marvel why the Almighty sent so much misery upon these three Kingdomes and wrought such a fatal Catastrophe to turn the spoakes of the Wheel upside down raising the humble out of the dust and abasing the proud and high-minded By this as by a prospective glass we may behold how king Charles erected the Fabrick of his potency or rather the structure of his ill government For it will appear plainly that king Charles negotiated with the Pope to reduce England to Popery privately therefore it is known to all that king Charles entertained three Nuncio's from the Pope Gregorio Pansano Signeur Con and another under pretence to regulate the Popish Clergy under the Bishop of Calcedon appointed by Barbareno the Popes Nephew protector of the English Catholicks when the purpose was to reduce to any union the Protestant Clergy with the Roman And was not Arthur Bret appointed to go Embassador to Rome from king Charles who dyed by the way and after there was sent Sir Iames Hambleton of the House of Abercorn To make a step further I will inform the Reader After Buckingham's death the Earl of Holland was highest in favour with king Charles who bestowed on him neer one hundred and fifty thousand pound in few yeers and he was no less esteemed of the Queen being her Agent to receive moneys forfeited and compositions given her by her consort as namely to free Sir Giles Alington's punishment for marrying his neece twelve thousand pound was paid to Holland for the use of the Queen they sharing money and delights together This made the Kings love of Holland not alwayes firm for a suspition arose as a Devil to be the bane of friendship which thus happened such was the intirety twixt the Queen and this Lord she having sent Letters into France to one Monsieur de Ierre then in prison she inclosed a Letter unsealed in Hollands Letter sealed which was intercepted by the Ambassador the Lord Ierome Weston resident in Franc and sent to his Father the Lord Treasurer by whom it was shewn to the king a matter made him so passionately jealous of Holland as he was confined to Kensington Whereupon the Queen was so discontented as she bedded not with the King some nights and was so inraged for Hollands confinement as till the king released him she would not entertaine him to her bed But as Nature is frail so she flying imbraces made the husband more earnest to persue her fruition so that at last Hollands enemies are chid and he brought into favour These are the devices of cunning Dames when silly men being horn-beaten oftentimes are cured without a plaister he had better have put them into his pocket After this the Queen advertized of Charles his lubricity with divers Ladies his Mistresses which appeared because he was jealous of a Lord handing a Countess he dearly loved through the court of Whitehall at which he shewed much indignation for a great time In the mean time there were not people wanting who nourished each in suspition so that both seeing themselves peccant one had freedome of Mistresses and the other of Servants Now I must crave your pardon if I have not observed so punctually the times this being rather a Rhapsody then a continued History and therefore I am constrained to patch up the post with the prior faults being all of one batch of Tyranny as Ben. Volington Wist Stroud and Eliot Mr. Hambden Sir Iohn Corbet Sir Iohn Hevingham were confined for being faithfull in Parliament Moreover for discovering the designe of a thousand German horse the Earl of Sommerset the Earl of Clare dead Sir Robbert Cotton dead my Lord Saint Iohn Mr. Selden and Mr. Iames were sent to the Tower The occasion was this as I remember Pickerni Master-Falconer found the written project in the kings Cabinet it being open who took it out and brought it to Sommerset and so it came to the hands of Sir Robert and the other four usually meeting but Sir Robert had a man would take his cups freely and at a Taverne told it to a false brother who betrayed them all for which cause the five were brought aurium tenus into the Star-chamber because it was discovered afore it was acted But it is more memorable how king Charles was angry with the Parliament of the petitions of Right as he was so far from punishing Sir Richard Plumly for pulling a Knight Hubard out of a Coach and beating him so that he dyed and to shew his hatred to Hubard who was one of them held the then Speaker of the Parliament Sir Iohn Finch in the Chair that he advanced this Plumly to be Admiral of the Irish Seas and made him a Knight for his service for killing Hubard when justly he
should have questioned him for his life And to sound King Charles his heart it is probable King Charles was in his heart a Papist by the Queens perswasion and her mother for after going from the Parliament he sent Pardons for divers Priests condemned who ingeniously finding this would make a rupture 'twixt King and Parliament the Prisoners petitioned the Houses sending the Pardons to the House and desired rather then there should be a breach between them to suffer death for which prudence the Parliament would not let them die In both these kings times swearing was in such esteem principally from king Iames his example cursing the People with all the plagues of Egypt though king Charles granted twelve pence an Oath through the Kingdome to Robin Lashly which was observed more to get money then suppress swearing for such a negligence was in the Magistrates seeing the great Courtiers garnished their mouthes with God-dammees as if they desired Damnation rather then Salvation Bribery the nurse of Justice was so rife in those days that right was not distributed to the owner a vice augmented by Knights of the Post very frequent in City and Country And Lawyers would take sees and never plead for their Clients and sometimes on both sides insomuch as in a Suit depending 'twixt my self and my Son we gave fees to one and the fame person Wherefore on these times God hath brought on us a lamentable war Now let all the world behold how king Charles violated the rights of Parliaments coming into the House with great power to carry away the five members To prove how great a breach of priviledge of Parliament this was the Author hereof wrote a discourse against it affixing his hand it being taken in his Waggon at Banbury by the kings party for which he was condemned to die by Sir Robert Heath and his Estate given away I will not repeat how much he hath suffered for being faithful to Parliaments both afore since the access of this onely I will rehearse that being taken Prisoner by the Cavaliers he lost four hundred pounds in money apparel waggon and fourty horses and likewise in Wiltshire at Broad Choak in houshold-stuff four hundred pounds which was carried into Langford after a Garrison taken by Colonel Ludlow for the Parliament which he had never restored although he often petitioned Another wrong long since he had when Sir Robert Heath had inclosed two thousand acres of Common as Lord of Soham one named Anne Dobbs was kept with bread and wain Cambridge Castle by a Justice of Peace a Creature of Sir Roberts to confess the Author of this Discourse counselled her with others to pull down the Enclosure taken from the Common by that means to take away his life as a Rebel when it was well known he had no hand in it but then was sitting in Parliament as a member By this it appeares the king chose good Judges and Justices which were so corrupt The reason was that the Author being condemned he might forfeit a Mannor next adjacent This Justice of Peace was a mortal enemy of his Sir Robert Heath having bought four hundred pound a yeer of the Justice where the accused was Lord that Sir Robert might beg it of the king And if we examine the king of Denmark brother of Queen Anne the first time he was entertained into England what debauchedness was exercised in his welcome to king Iames to add punishment to the family who both were so drunk at Theobalds as our king was carried in the armes of the Courtiers when one cheated another of the Bed-chamber for getting a grant from king James for that he would give him the best Jewel in England for a Jewel of a hundred pound he promised him and so put king Iames in his arms and carryed him to his lodging and defrauded the Bed-chamber-man who had much ado to get the king into his Bed And Denmark was so disguised as he would have lain with the Countess of Nottingham making horns in derision at her husband the high Admiral of England which caused a deep discontent between them And generally the Courtiers were then so debauched in that beastly sin as at that time in the wayters chamber at supper a Courtier was found dead on the Table the wine foaming out of his mouth a horrid sight to behold And it is worthy of observation to consider the carriage of the king of Denmark and his Son usually in his own Country for at my being there I saw the old king as his custome was to call for the Master of his houshold when he made a voyage or progress wrote on a Pastboard what he should doe and so took the waggon to go to his Boares houses and eat Martlemas Beef powdred pork bacon or such like as they had ready and after repast took for a collation the handsomest daughter kinswoman or servant in the house al her kindred adorning her with all sorts of wearing ornaments whom the King carried to one of his Guest-houses where he had not above three or four Lodgings and a Kitchen and solaced himself with this jewel so long as he pleased and after brought her home A fruition made her in much esteem with her friends after so adulterous a fact Likewise it was the custome of his Son to ride on a Sled drawn with horses bells fastned to them which tingled as he passed through the Townes the noise caused the women to run out of doors the Prince beholding one more amiable then the rest beckning to her with his finger presently she came to the Sled and accompanied him to some Hostery till he had satisfied fully his lust Also their usual course is to prophane the Sabbath in such sort as all the Carpenters in the Kingdom that day work gratis to make the Kings ships and the people go to Church in their worst cloaths making no difference 'twixt the Lords day and other daies who in stead of Godly exercises use much prophaness Give me leave to repeat that this King ordinarily would be drunk and namely one time Sir Iohn Peoly being his Servant after an Inhabiter at Wroungay in Norfolk he commanded Pooly to ask any gift to the value of half his Kingdome and he should have it But he finding his Master so beastly out of tune demanded a great pair of Stags hornes for which after so moderate a request the king bestowed on him three thousand Dollars Is it not known to all Germany that his drinking out of reason with his Commanders lost many battels to the Emperous General Wallestine which proved a disaster to the united Protestant Princes so that he was faine to submit to the Emperour with much loss and disgrace to the prejudice of the cause of God In which war his brother king Iames proved a Coward to back a religious cause for he would not raise men nor money yet the Parliament incited and urged him thereto to whom he made this answer He would
calling Assemblies Stwards of Courts to send out Warrants to keep Courts and yet both are subject one to the Chancellors of the Universities the other a servant upon the matter to the Lords of Mannors We need not fear Darlings of the multitude in this State every one will labour to be a darling of the people and none will make himself great unless he meanes to be ruined and be an Ostracisme Certainly to prevent this it were good to extinguish all the print and stamp of Monarchy not to give a provocation to raise power The Pretorian Cohorts advanced Emperors at their pleasure the Janizaries the great Turkes but our Army is so pious there is no fear especially being not in body but some in Irelana some in Scotland and dispersed in several Countries those who pay the Souldiers shall have obedience but as the proverb is No money no Swiss No money no obedience While the Romane Senate was rich none durst assaile the Monarchy but as Tacitus reports when the greatness of the Senate and riches decayed then Cesar invaded after he had conquered Pompey It is to be observed that what overthrows Monarchy the same overthrows a Senatical government The Maiors of the Palace at Paris had power to raise and depose kings at pleasure till it was justly taken away if there be any such power in the City of London it is to be taken away for they may by wealth potency and multitude do the like to the Parliament yet they deserve much to be respected for they have done as much for the good of the State as any City ever did in the whole world and therefore are to be incouraged to have Immunities and Priviledges bestowed on them by the Parliament I deny not that there were priviledges belonging to the kings of England but those are due to him so long he is a defender of the people and a good king but if he proves not Gods Vice-gerent but becomes an enemy to the Commonwealth his Regency is suspended and he is but a common person otherwise kings might destroy the people and become an enemy So that his Title is annihilated and made void as a shepheard who ought to preserve his sheep when he goes about to kill and slay them he cannot be called a shepherd but a destroyer of his sheep The example of king Henry the eighth who when the House of Commons would not consent to pul down the Abbeys sent for them and kept them in a room all night and in the morning came to them and perswaded them to pass the bil who in fear next day did it this is no argument to shew the power of Kings it was their obstinacy to oppose against the will of God who determined to destroy those wicked houses which were erected in a blind zeal thinking by their erection to make their souls saved A king is compared to a father if he would kill his own children he ceiseth to have care of them and is to be justly stiled a murther and no parent to preserve the issue of his body Parliaments were to be called every two or three yeers to reforme abuses in the Nation but king James said they were assembled to supply his wants and raise money and therefore he denyed them any other discourse whereas indeed Parliaments were called for all the members to complaine of their grievances which were alwayes redressed there And there were tryers of petitions within the House to examine whether their complaints were just certainly if there were some now appointed without the door of the Parliament to take petitions and examine whether they were fitly to be delivered to the house or no it would give great content to the people for I am confident there have been many petitions delivered which ought not to be presented to interrupt the weighter affaires there transacted And upon this the Parliament have unjustly been charged that they would not hear them when in reason they ought not to be preferred for many of them might have been redressed by Law or some other way Now to shew how the prerogative was advanced and that was done by making Lord-Lieutenants in every County and so Deputy-Lieutenants a device invented by the Earl of Leicester when he returned from being Deputy-protector of the Low-Countryes under Elizabeth Protectress who wished the Qeen from a form he had observed in those parts from whence he came for a way that furthered the opposing of Spaine to make such for if there should be an Invasion or Rebellion in England it would be too long to send up to the Councel but it might easily be suppressed by them two of the Deputy-Lieutenants having power to suppress them by rasing forces to oppose and subdue them Whereupon I remember there was a Rising against the Inclosures of Commons so much irksome to the people for in some places the people rose to pull them down and were suppressed by the power of the Deputy-Lieutenants and divers hanged up but the Deputy-Lieutenants were after faine to get pardons it being contrary to law Likewise a Cut-purse being taken in Whitehall in the then presence King James commanded the Lord Garret the Knight-Marshal presently to hang the Cut-purse which was done instantly but the Knight-Marshal was faine to get a pardon under seal This shews plainly that no King can takeaway the life of any without a lawful tryal by jury ergo he cannot murther his Subjects nor raise a war during the sitting of the Parliament for there he is to be in person then the king is less and the Parliament supreme Now when the king takes his sword into his hand and departs from the Parliament he loseth his priviledge of king in Parliament and becomes an enemy to the State and then justly his name as king ought to be put out in any Commission and the Parliaments authority is to be used only I am therefore perswaded that the adoring of kings hath wrought this misprision and mistake of the power of kings which by laws of God and man they have not so that idolizing them hath ruined the right of the people much The Lawyers also for preferment and advancement have given a greater prerogative to the soveraignty then was due If we examine our Municipall laws and all Civil Laws they are no way justifiable but as they are correspondent to the Judicial Laws of the Jews which were set down by God to be a patern for all to be paterned by I finde no such power given by God And where it may be objected that God forewarned the Jews not to have a king over them and expressed what inconveniences would follow of having kings according to the custome of Nations what slavery they should be in this was not to shew that it was just so to do but that their power and tyranny would force them to it Another thing that increased the prerogative and diminished the right of the people was that the printed Statutes were not according
alone not to behold their departure and cut her fingers with the Glass windows as Duplex the French Historiographer writes And Charles the first afore his marriage had for a Mistress a great married Lady it is probable the Prince would follow the same course after marriage by whom she had a boy and when he was Prince of Wales bestowed on the Christening eight thousand pound it is to be supposed he being so good an husband and wise would not lay out so much cost for nothing When he kept a book like Henry the seventh what bribes that he shared he set down punctually So much received for such an Office Place or Honour and would be displeased if he had not his part agreed for with his servants And likewise the French Queen Grandmother of Charles the supposed second King of Scots was so familiar with Marquess d'Ancre whom she advanced to so high a command that by his actions and the government after in her Regency France was almost overthrown and the prime Nobility and by her counsel to her daughter here there was procured matters of dangerous consequence to England since her arriving who perswaded her daughter to draw King Charles to the Romish part as by many affaires appeared and got a Patent to transport leather into France most prejudiciall which was condemned by this Parliament Wherefore on all sides Charles the second from them may justly expect not to prosper especially by his rebellious invading of England for if he had any right yet his invasion and the Conquest hath justly extinguished his title especially king Charles and his mother playing fast and loose so often that no issue from thence can either be legitimate or pious from so ungodly a derivative So that if the quantity of battels fought so great a revolution of the State the several qualities and persons interested or the long continuance of broyles could render a war memorable this the Parliament hath undergone and the new General finished is in the highest degree of Gods miraculous deliverances after more then twenty battels in three Nations and above 300000 slaine and the State changed of face and Masters multitudes of Forts taken and surrendred so that the Victorious are but losers till the State be brought to be as the French proverb is en bon point in perfect health after a war that hath continued almost nine yeers The Subject came from king Charles leaving his Parliament in the suds and violently raising a destructive war to ruine three Nations It had rather been wisdome in the king to apply to the people lenitives not corrosives great wounds are to be fewed not rent which is the part of a good Chirurgeon Restoratives are to be given not Purges to the patient so Kings ought to amend what was amiss and not oppose them with violence appease their fury not exasperate them by a war for this thunder-bolt by wicked Councel was contrived to break forth in fiery flashes at an instant in the three Nations about the 23 of October 1642. Wherefore the Parliament now assembled aimes at this end that as in Grammar there can be no good construction nor coherence to make true Orthography without the Substantive and Adjective conjoyned which is resembled to the Parliament the supreme authority now settled by Gods assistance appointing the Councel of State who will bring mighty things to pass cause the annual Officers to nourish all the members in their several callings that there may be a semblable endeavour of the well being of every good Citizen inhabitant as well as those in authority that piety may be exalted and increased by the Lamps of the Sanctuary indued with the Spirit of God that the whole body may be governed Apostolically whereof Christ is the Head without whom nothing can be effected for if Christ be not chiefest in our thoughts no State can be durable but like a sandy foundation will moulder away That the Electors may love the Elected and esteeme and obey them who spend their spirits to advance the common good keep and defend the weale publick in health and prosperity that it be not hecticall meager nor leane nor too Saturnicall nor too Jovial but in a golden temper These are wise Physitians who cure the maladies fevers and destempers that blood may run in every viene of the State to nourish the whole body in justice equity and right through the cava vena cava porta and smaller veines the great Cities and Townes as well as the small that the Officers and Magistrates have not a dogs appetite to turne Judicature to a bad chylos but to an equall distribution of right that the heart the courage of the People may be fostred in good actions without respect of persons but with regrad to the right of the cause that vice and sin may be punished with a parenthesis of mercy that the Republick may have foraine and native commodities that the Land lie not freshforth as the Lord termes it but that there may be importation and exportation that Manufacture may be maintained to keep from the bane of idleness and debauchedness that trade may dish out all things necessary for use seemly ornament and lawful Pleasure that the Merchant the Purveyors of the Nation export and import all commodities for the good of the State that just Impositions Impost Subsidie and Excise may be paid without corruption and defrauding the State that Artificers may be able to maintaine their families that laws may be kept within the chanel of Gods rule and direction that potency surround not the peoples property nor wink at the spoile of inferiours that those in Authority regard more the publick then their private interest that the Orphant widdows and fatherless be relieved the innocent freed and the nocent escape not punishment and that the Navy the walls and bulworks may be maintained in good equippage for the honour and defence of the Nation By this meanes the wise and sage Councel of State will undermine the enemies plots so that their malice hurt us not by intelligencers in Forraine parts imployed to prevent mischief to the Commonwealth wherein the Earl of Salisbury dead was vigilant at the annual expence of 2000 pounds And therefore I am confident the Parliament frames the State to this fashion if time and repose the midwives of all affairs would give them leave to bring forth to action their contrived principles in which hitherto they have been impeded by the plots of male-contents and by procuring provisions for subjugating Ireland and Scotland the enemies of God and of this State Consider therefore O England that they do as wise Physitians are accustomed afore the perfect remedy of patients consumption advise not to action imployment and troubles in affaires till restored to strength and vigor Wherefore now I come to observe how miraculous it is that my Lord General descended by his Mother by the male-stock of the Stuarts should be a revenger under God and the