spent their Powder Poor King Charles How is he burdened and even pressed downe upon whom not his own Actions onely are charged but those of his Servants those of his Courts those of Strangers nay and those of meer fortune and Contingency If this expedition of the Spaniard were by the Kings contrivance or privity why did he sit still permitting them to be assaulted within his own Harbours why did he suffer his owne Ships to be idle Spectators of their Ruine How comes it that there never followed thereupon the least expostulation for so great a losse from the King of Spaine It is well knowne the Spaniards were wasted in Flanders the Natives began to know their owne strength and were in hand with a Machination to shake off the Spanish yoake from their necks in emulation of their Brethren of the Vnited Provinces There was but need then of a recruit which could not be compassed without sending a strong Fleet to convey men into Flanders And this was the Fleet which we quietly beheld beaten and scatterd Mean time what miserable shifts are these men at home put unto when they are glad to catch after such shadows thereby to bring an envy and hate upon their King The whole Charge of Tyrannicall Government made good upon Themselves 1. If it be exemption from Accompt which constitutes a Tyrannicall Government the two Houses cannot wash their hands of it by their owne Rules no men pretending to higher Priviledge therein no men seeking to fortifie themselves more against all possibility of being reckoned withall 2. If the Characters which Aristotle in the 4. of his Politicks chap. 10. assigneth and most other States-men unto Tyrannicall Rule be true the Parliament have out-done all Tyrants in all Ages The Badges are these First To acknowledge no Boundary of Law to their Actions besides their own will 2. To rule by violence over their Equals and Superiors 3. To regard mainly their owne private Vtility not the Publick Examine their Proceedings by these Marks and you shall find them sutable to a hairs breadth Is not much of this quarrell for the repeal of Lawes formerly established Doth not the King continually invite provoke them to this Touch-stone Nay what law that stood in their way have they not suspended or annulled Their whole Ecclesiasticall Government is besides nay against clear law Their Secular hath been altogether Arbitrary for what law warrants their Militia their dealing thus with His Majesty their Imprisonments Oppressions Extortions And what law had they for alienating the Bishops lands not only from the Bishops but from the whole Clergy for ever Lastly that I be not infinite what Law to cut off Canterbury's Head to murther Tomkins Challoner c. 2. How could they possibly maintaine their Power without an Army do they not trample and revel it over their Lords and Masters we will say nothing now of His Majesty their Soveraigne whom they insult upon Have not they set their feet upon the Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdome ruin'd and undone them whereas themselves for a great part are of the basest among the people Among whom except what they can reckon their Places at a hundred cannot make one thousand pounds by the yeare 3. What have they done for the Publick Though it be a bold I feare it is a true Challenge John Lilburne makes which I am tempted once more to observe I here challenge them to shew me one deed they have done from the beginning of their Convention for the benefit of the people We are sure they have not been wanting to themselves All Places of profit are distributed among their Members Our monies to the summe of 3 or 400000l are put up in their bags Our Persons are at their devotion Their Priviledges are what they list The truth is All the evidences of tyranny against all the Kings of England untill this present age could not amount unto so much as the two Houses have bin guilty of within these very few years Nay it was impossible for all the Kings of England ever to attaine unto it so true a Prophet was even Master Hampden who when some expressed much Impatience at the want of a Parliament wished them to pray for a good one for nothing could undoe England but a Parliament The fourth Personall Charge That he hated Parliaments That he was a Hater of Parliaments they do back with these Proofs 1. That he never called any in twelve years 2. Prohibited all speech of any 3. Dissolved them at his pleasure 4. Searched the Closets and Pockets of the Members after Dissolution 5. Imprisoned others which prov'd the occasion of their death 6. Even in Parliament charged 5 of their Members 7. Offered them violence in his owne Person attended by a Train of Papists and others 8. Endevoured to over-awe them by bringing the Northern Army to London and that when he had declared against it 9. Called a Mock-Parliament at Oxford 10. Raised War against this Parliament which never King did against any but He. 11. Vpbraided his owne at Oxford with the Name of a Mungrell-Parliament The Improbability of this Charge 1. This cannot be easily admitted for a truth That the King should hate a Parliament if you consider 1. That he was an Advocate for them in his Fathers time and by his Endevour procured many good Laws for them in his days which was confessed in the Parliament as you may find in the Journall thereof 2. That to give them satisfaction he pressed his Father against his Resolution and Reason to begin a War with the House of Austria and obtained it though King James like a Prophet told him That it was not their Hate toward the House of Austria nor their Zeale to the Protestant Cause which moved them to put him upon that suit But a designe to bring him into a Noose that being in distresse by reason of it they might desert him and then make their Markets of the Crowne And he did particularly acquaint him with the steps and Gradations which they would proceed in first question and strip him of his Tonnage and Poundage then bind his hands from making other Provision for himself afterwards bring him upon his knees to them 3. Since his Reigne never any King called more Parliaments then He for so short a space notwithstanding those twelve years Intermission 4. All the Kings of England never offered more compliance or performed more Acts of Grace then He did 5. Lastly few Kings have testified a greater desire of correspondence with or of condescention to a Parliament then His Majesty hath done by this 1. In resigning up his faithfull Servants to be disposed of according to their will even against his Conscience 2. In offering them as it were a Blanke Jan. 20. 1640. which is to be seen in their own Book of Declarations 3. In giving up so many Bishops whose Votes for the most part were at his devotion to be expelled the House of Lords 4. Lastly In
onely to put them in a posture for his Service 2. This was limited according to the Fundamentall Laws of the Kingdome and the Liberty of the Subject 3. It amounted but to a Petition which is printed and may be read in the first Vol. of the Decl 4. This came from the Officers unto the King and those Members of Parliament Now in that conjuncture of Affaires wherein was the King too blame when the Soldiers were discontented the Parliament grew high there were visible Symptomes of an intention to model the State anew to cast out the Government of the Church If the King did so far comply with them as to allow nay to countenance them by an humble Petition to represent their sense of the Innovations they feared and of a Breach of the Laws of the Land How happy had it been for us if it had proceeded and taken place Is it not the same which this Army hath accomplished to the destruction of the Law and dissolution of all legall Authority The Raising of War against them Answered The raising of the War will be Answered in another place As for the Aggravation a thing never done but by King Charls it is no wonder since never King needed before to deale with a Parliament by Armes One Breath of his mouth was enough to dissolve them The Mock-Parl at Oxford Answerd and retorted The Mock-Parliament was not to be so slightly thought of Themselves and their owne men the Army appeale to the equitable construction of the Law And if so pray what equity would justifie this Parliament about That The King is confessedly one Estate The Lords with him were two for one twenty or more Earles as many Barous when two Lords made up a House here often and Ten were thought a goodly number Nay the House of Commons there were neer upon the number with those that staied here Did the wals at Westminster make a Parliament surely in the equitable construction those Gentlemen made it much rather who were called together by the Kings Writ and sent by their respective Counties and Burroughs But why do we dispute that Did not many of these men that talke thus flee themselves Did they not eat up an Engagement with the Army Was there not an intention at least of another Mock-Parliament If their Returne to Westminster had not been so quick and easie we cannot forbear to thinke they would actually have done the selfe-same thing themselves which they thus condemn in others The Mungrell Parliament Answered The King hath sufficiently explained himself for that matter that he used that Expression in reference to the Earle of Sussex and his faction who had made a breach in that fair Correspondence that was maintained between them formerly The Charge of Crimes done by his Ministers We proceed from the pretended faults which relate immediately to the Kings owne person before this Rupture with the Parliament unto those done by his Ministers and those especially under this Classis concerne Oppression of us in our Estates Of which sort are the Enforced leaues Privy-Seales Coat-and-Conduct-money Enlarging Forests Enclosing Commons Ingrossing Patents Monopolies c. The Answer to these in generall To these in generall 1. That they were put in execution in times of great necessity The King was engaged in a bloody war and by the incitement encouragement and promise of this faction of men and deserted as soone as he was well entered the best Revenue of the Crown questioned if not with-held The King of Denmarke beaten for want of supply Germany over-run the Protestant cause all over Christendome in a precipice great Preparations made round about Hanibal ad portas What Irregularities might not be excused in such exigencies by that Supreame Law of Necessity which bears out all transgressions 2. None of these were contrived by Himself many of them were by his Counsell at Law many were suggested by Mr. Noy in particular his Attorney a man well versed in the Laws and ancient Records of the Kingdome one who could have given a good accompt of his Actions and was once thought a great Champion of the Laws against Arbitrary Incroachments 3. There was a Redresse offered upon the first Complaint and the Subject fenced by wholsome Laws against any such future Attempts 4. The Instruments who first contrived or abetted and put then in execution are many of them in both Houses more of them in Places of eminent trust None of them all ever punished upon this score but for some other fault In Particular The Privy-Seales Answered His Majesty was so carefull to satisfie his Subjects for what they had lent him this way that he sold unto the City of London Land at 12000. l. rent of Assise and out of the money due thereupon left and secured in the Chamberlain of Londons hand the summe of 216000. l. 15. s. 4. d. to the end that out of this such might be paid as had formerly lent unto the King either by Privy-Seale or otherwise which the City made this advantage of not contented with such a bargain though they paid for the purchase by the very Wood and Timber upon the ground as the King was informed They sent their Emissaries into all Countries where they knew there were any of the Kings Creditors who were ignorant of this Assignment and agreed with them at under-rates nay for little or nothing for the debt they accounted as desperate and by that meanes at once deceived the people of their repayment and the King of the reputation of his Justice Forrests Answered 1. The King herein used and followed the advice of his Counsell at Law and of the Lord of Holland yet was his Lordship their Confident untill this quarrell divided them 2. What was done herein was upon Oath and by due process at Law 3. His Majesty remitted his clear Right where the people were troubled for instance a great part of the County of Essex 4. He allowed them to be bounded by the Countries themselves Enclosing of Commons Answered and retorted 1. It was done by vertue of Law which investeth him with that power 2. It might have been for the benefit not of the Kingdome onely but of the very particular Inhabitants of those respective places if Instruments had done their duty 3. The Parliament keeps those in their possessions still without refunding any Compensation to those they pretend were injured 4. Nay at this time they set upon a worke of Enclosure of more then all the Commons in England which have been enclosed these 100. years I mean the Draining of the Fennes in Lincoln-shire whereby thousands of poor people are bereft of their subsistence The adjacent parts are endammaged by the Torrent of the waters turned upon them to their vast prejudice Engrossing of Patents and Monopolies Answered That I may Answer these I shall lay for a Ground That all Graunts and Letters-Patents of the King of England are not Monopolies though concerning Trade or Manufacture or the labour of the
against the King of France which he could not otherwise have done with any Colour either of Justice or Policy by sending an Army to the Isle of Ree by sending two several Fleets to their reliefe If all succeeded not that ought not to be laid in his dish For the Meanes onely are in mans power God keeping events and Successes in his owne The Horse is prepared against the day of Battell but safety is from the Lord. It is very certaine he did his utmost endeavour I know those who will testifie he gave the most earnest Injunction possible for their Reliefe though it should prove to the endangering of his whole Fleet. And it is observable The grudge hereof hath not yet been forgotten by the Crowne of France which in a slye Revenge hath probably helped to raise this Devill of Intestine War in our Nation and denied all considerable Supplies to the King of England in these daies of his distresse yea though a Daughter of the Crowne and her numerous Issue be involved in the same Calamity 8. But to give you the best last The truth Ground of the whole Businesse will be made very cleare and beyond all scruple by this following Narrative which I have delivered from honest and understanding States-men The Palatinate being wrested from the Palsgrave The Protestants in Germany almost ruinated Our King unable at that time by his own strength to relieve them there was a League proposed and agitated between the Crowns of France England Denmark the States of Holland and Venice against the House of Austria and this in good measure was brought toward perfection especially by the managery of the Duke of Buckingham The wise Cardinall of France making advantage of those Traverses and taking Time by the fore-top deals with the Duke for supply of these above-mentioned Ships The Duke being Admiral and presuming high upon his Masters allowance commands the Ld. Conway then Secretary of State to write to Penington his Vice-Admirall to put the Ships under the French service and Seales this Letter with the Signet But Penington refusing to do it upon such Authority the Duke himself as Admirall seconds the first Letter with his Command which being likewise disputed a Letter was sent with the Kings Name subscribed and signed with the Privy-signet yet without His Majesties knowledge which was no difficulty considering the Signet is usually kept by the Secretary and that many Blanks are usually and must of necessity be left in trust with great Officers especially so great as the Duke then was Nay I have been informed that the King being at Woodstock when the Newes hereof was first imparted to him and that by Sir John Penington himself was in a great rage at it and not without some difficulty reconciled unto the Duke about it Is it now a rationall and just Inference to lay the Miscarriage of Rochel upon His Majesties score Have they so much Compassion toward Strangers and so little Justice toward their own rightful Soveraign Are they so deeply affected with the wounds given to the Protestant Religion through the sides of Rochel Would God they themselves did not stab it ten times more desperately by these their un-Protestant un-Christian unparalell'd Proceedings to the dishonour of God the Grief and Anguish of every good Soule the Joy and unspeakable Advantage of our common Adversary of Rome Hoc Ithacus velit magno lucrentur Atridae The Settlement which they intend and the Conclusion ANd thus have we examined the truth of their Declaration against His Majesty before we conclude It will be worth while to examine a little the truth of what they declare for Themselves We shall use our utmost endevour to settle the present Government as it may stand with the Peace and Happiness of the Kingdom I ask How can they settle the Peace of the Kingdome without a King If their Hornes should prove as long as themselves are curst and God permit them to fill up the measure of their Iniquities by the accession of the Murder of this King which we do even tremble to mention yet have some reason to believe they do designe One of their Members having professed as much and offered himself a Felton for that fact yet never so much as question'd And one Hall being a Suitor for the Command of a Ship in their Navy unto their Committee of Admiralty was accused for having said The Parliament were foolish that they had not hired somebody to kill the King whilst he was in the hands of the Scots It was thereupon replied by Sir A. Haslerigg Have you no more against him let him go to chuse We must have such men as will be faithfull against him and since that they gave him the Command of a very good Ship Allow I say they should be able to compasse this How will they trust the Children of a Father in whose bloud they have imbrued their hands And how will they be able to alienate the Crowne from that Royall Line which so many Millions of this Nation and the best for Estate the ablest for Judgment wil sacrifice their dearest Bloud for being obliged thereunto by many both Sacred and Civil Bonds which is incorporated into so many Kingdoms and States abroad Scotland Denmark France Holland c. But grant they may arrive at this Impossibility What Peace or Settlement therein can this Kingdome expect from their hands who have used us or rather abused us thus whiles as yet they stood but upon their Good Behaviour while they were no more then Probationers or Candidates of Soveraignty Our Peace must be to lie down quietly under their Pawes while they like Harpyes do snatch away the meat out of our Mouths like Vultures feed upon our live bodies whilst as a wise man said such Statists use to do they tosse our heads our very lives like Tenis-balls to make them sport withall Our Settlement is like to be firm indeed which must depend upon their Ordinances a Lawyer of their own at an Assize could handsomely call it Jus Vagum Incognitum one of them justling the other daily out of fashion according as the vane of their Humour sits In a word It is impossible there should be either Peace or Settlement whilst His Majesty is a Prisoner till there be mutuall Condescendencies and Provision made for all considerable Interests on foot which His Majesty hath gratiously offered and by a Personall Treaty managed with due Christian temper on all hands may through Gods blessing be yet accomplished The End
THE REGALL APOLOGY OR The DECLARATION of the Commons Feb. 11. 1647. Canvassed WHEREIN Every Objection and their whole Charge against His Majesty is cleared and for the most part retorted Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King no not in thy thought Hosea 10.3 4. For now they shall say We have no King because we feared not the Lord what then should a King do to us They have spoken words swearing falsly in making a Covenant Prov. 28.2 For the iniquity of a land many are the Princes thereof Printed in the yeare 1648. The PREFACE THis hath been an Accusative age in England and the Prince of Darknesse was never more imitated by us in that Epither notwithstanding our new lights Yet for the most part our Accusations have been but like the crackling of thornes under a pot And our Accusers like the Mountaines which swelled into that bulke as it summon'd the expectation of the world and were delivered of a poore Mouse You cannot name us many Charges which either have not been quite withdrawn or sunk into a lower streame Pray what Delinquent as they terme them Abate us but the Tragedie of Strafford and Canterbury with the Hothams and a very few more who fell in a fit of Justice and were sacrificed to Revenge and Passion hath been brought to a Period commensurate to his Charge How did the Impeachment of the Judges eccho through the kingdome yet some of the chief were not only permitted to sit on those Chaires which it was pretended they dâ—d prostitute but offer'd Preferment also What a terrible Mouth was opened upon the twelve Protesting Bishops yet the turn being serv'd and the Votes against their whole Order passed in the House they were not onely acquitted of their Charge but also dismiss'd from Custody How high ran the Tyde once against the Monopolists what ease from other Burdens did not the People believe they should have by the squeezing of those swolne Spunges yet who among them hath received the measure of his Desert Nay which of them that would nimbly dance after the Pipe of his great Accusers hath not been even hugg'd in their Bosome protected from the lawfull Attempts of injur'd and oppressed Subjects What Haranges have been made against evill Counsellors How was the Kingdome born in hand with hopes of some exemplary Punishment upon or some severe Admonition at the least unto them And yet name but one single Privy-Counsellor ever questioned for ill advice formerly given to the King Of late what a Charge was entred against the 11. Members some of them Persons of eminent Integrity and Merit the Pillars of their respective Houses yet we hope well in their behalf It will not stand with the Justice of a Parliament to install one the Earle of Pembroke again upon the Bench and make him their Judge when his hand was to all the Warrants for Leavy's and bring them to the Bar condemn them for Traytors who signed but onely one whose fault was in comparison but looking over the Hedge while the Other Stole the Horse What hath been said against the late Lord Maior and the Aldermen Stars of the first Magnitude in their Orbe whose influences have strongly contributed unto the prosperity of the Parliament's Cause yet we despair not but that they also may be dismiss'd if they would but fairly sit downe themselves For we are not ignorant of the under-hand Offers which have been made them and the Devices which have been in Agitation to come off with them handsomly And it is a good Omen that Alderman Culham whose guilt if it were any was greater then any of his Brethrens is discharged upon his humble submission These are Instances enough to prove what I proposed and Both sufficient to convince any judgement That it was not Publique Justice nor Reliefe of the Kingdomes grievances which were the springs of these actions but sinister and private designes of their owne Something like that of Absalom Oh that I were made Judge or rather Tyrant in the Land that every man which hath a suit or a cause might come unto me and I would doe him justice But all these former Proceedings are but rude Essays in comparison of this last Grand accusative Declaration against the KING which we are asham'd of already and after-Ages will condemne as the Top of malicious Villany and an unspeakable Scandall to our Religion And that which boils up the Iniquity to the height the King is debarr'd the Priviledge of His meanest Subject of the greatest Malefactor which is to Plead for Himselfe and to wipe off these black Aspersions whereby His Honour is so deeply wounded Nay to heare or know His Accusation Let me therefore be pardon'd the Presumption if in this case the unworthiest of millions of His people I become an Advocate for my oppressed Soveraigne and with a few sparkes which I shall strike as neere as is possible from the Rock of Truth afford some Evidence of His Innocencie untill the Searcher of all Truth shall bring forth his righteousnesse as the light and his judgement as the noone day The Method of the Apology In my discourse upon this Argument I shall proceed this way 1. I shall premise somewhat which may serve for a discovery of the Grounds and Designs of the Declaration 2. I shall give some generall Answers to the Declaration in grosse 3. A distinct particular Answer to each Article or part thereof In which last part I shall speak to the Title first The Votes after Then to the Particular Charges as they are reducible to certain Heads The first of what the King is pretended to have committed in relation to this Kingdome of England The second to what he did in relation to Forraigne Estates To the first I shall reduce all which were done 1. Before his Reigne untill he wore the Crowne 2. From His Coronation untill this Rupture between His Majesty and the Parliament whether they relate more immediately to His owne Person or to His Officers and Ministers as the Privie-Councel men His Councel at Law and Servants or to His Courts of Justice 3. All Passages since the Rupture To the second Head or Classis I shall reduce whatsoever is objected concerning 1. Scotland 2. Ireland 3. the Protestants in Rochel and all France In which if any particular relate to more heads then one we shall to avoid repetion treat upon it under that which it is most proper unto In the Discourse I shall first repeat the Charge then give an Answer and where it is their owne doing lay the charge before their owne doores The Ground and Designe of the Declaration discovered It is well knowne to all the world That from the beginning of our War to trace the pedigree of them no higher there have been two main parties in the Parliament to omit their sub-divisions commonly distinguished by the names of Presbyterians and Independents who though in the generall they concurr'd in beating down the power of the King yet had
away if they durst Their Trades decayed threatned to be quite ruined Their late Lord Major and Aldermen some of which were their fastest friends and Zelots impeached for their lives upon no ground Their whole Common Councell menaced Divers of their Ablest Members marked out already for destruction Nay the whole City kept in continuall feares of fire or sword or other violence by them The Assembly-men and Ministry give no better accompt of their faith toward them neither How did they tickle them at the beginning of these troubles with Engagements and Covenants for a Church-Government to their content making them a glorious Clergy establishing a free and full maintenance for Preaching Ministers Yet their Persons are now more vilified then ever Their Function exposed to contempt and scorn Their maintenance abridged and that by the connivance of the Houses nay the example private encouragement if not the project of their Members We will not twit them with their deceitfull Ordinances of self-deniall which onely broke the ice to ingrossement of all Places and Offices of profit into Members hands or their Confidents to Distribution of at least 300000l of our Estates amongst themselves Of Accompts of the Kingdom by which they have encreased their expences many thousands without mention to perfect or call any man to refund Of hearing complaints against bribery and injustice of their Members whereby they may take notice of the Person that dares question any of their Houses and after they have worried him there by a fruitlesse and chargeable attendance find some advantage to break his back nor many such like Nor yet stop they there in falsifications of their owne but they compell others to break their Oaths and Promises I say nothing now of those Oaths they force upon the Consciences of such men as had rather trust God with their Soules then them with their Bodies and Estates They have compelled their owne side to break those Articles and Engagements which they had struck up witnesse the Cessations in York-shire made by the late Lord Fairfax and that in Cheshire Nay themselves entertain'd and by their Ministers perswaded some Hundreds of Men taken Prisoners at Brainceford and dismiss'd by the King upon their Oath to beare no more Armes against him within very few daies to vomit those up again as unlawfull Obligations Last of all Is it not a great part of their Quarrell against the King that they cannot enforce him to forget his Oath whereby he stands obliged to defend the Church in her Rights and Priviledges that he will not yeild up the Laws of the Land to be new-modell'd according to their Lusts and the Power to protect his Subjects which he is bound by Oath to do into their hands that they may oppress them at their pleasure how infinite is this Argument I pray God they have not halted even with him also We are strongly tempted to believe that their Fastings their Prayings their zealous and solemne Executions of Pictures and Crosses were but Pageantry to deceive the People rather then true Devotions to make an Atonement with the Almighty and perhaps we could prove it upon many But God is the only Searcher of Hearts and to him we refer them for that matter The Charge of Popery upon the King This Charge hath two Branches the One of his Inclination to Popery and favour of that Religion the Other of a Concurrence with the Papists to destroy all the Protestants in England and Ireland For the former they offer these proofs 1. His Letter to the Pope when he was in Spaine 2. The Articles of Marriage both with the Spanish and French 3. That he had an Agent in Rome 4. That by the Queen and the Earl of Ormond he offered a Toleration unto the Irish Papists though he had formerly vowed against it as also to take off the Penall Laws 5. His entertaining of a Nuncio here 6. His leaving of Blanks with Secretary Windebank a notorious favourer of Papists when he went to Scotland when he denied a Commission to the Parliament as they desired Letters of the said Secretary whereupon he durst not endure the Examination but fled The latter is confirmed many ways as 1. By a pious Designe the Queen had in hand helped forward by a Fast 2. An Information given upon Oath to the Arch-bishop 3. An Attestation of a Servant of the Queen-Mother 4. Speeches of the Rebels in Ireland 5. Vnusuall Preparations of Armes and Ammunition Mounting Guns on the Tower Nay 6. Found in Papists houses 7. Commissions given them to rise c. The King clear'd from the Aspersion of Popery Indeed it was necessary to rake together so many Circumstances whereby to pin this vizard on again which was even fallen off when the Kings owne strict and plous Life continuall defence of the true Protestant Religion against all Opposition and his highest and publick solemn Protestations even upon the receiving of the Holy Sacrament being added to divers strong Presumptions doe assoile him It is not unknown to us now that his Father of blessed Memory sending some Ministers into Spaine after him charged them to have a care of Buckingham as for his Son Charles he durst trust him for perseverance in his Religion What a sleight advantage did the King take to rid his hands of the Queen's Priests What strict Commands did he give that none should be permitted to enter into her Chappell who was not her Meniall Servant We know that nor the Queen 's owne power with him nor the Mediation of her friends about him could extend to dis-place a poore Porter at Saint James's who for keeping out a Citizen that under pretence of being her Servant would have pressed in for to go to the Chappell and for such other strict performances of His Majesties commands had much incens'd her We remember also his severe Edicts and Proclamations against those of that Religion in generall his Instructions to his Ministers for their prosecution his Banishment of Doctor Smith Bishop of Calcedon If his under Officers failed of their duties it is but justice to set the Saddle upon the right horse What Law did he ever refuse nay hath he not called on them to offer for the Education of Popish Children in the Protestant Religion for their better Conviction or further Punishment and that even at times of his dis-advantage and danger to dis-oblige any of his Subjects I have heard many of the Papists revile him under that notion that he would give them all up as a sacrifice for to compasse a peace with his Parliament though they have remained loyall to him in his extremity They themselves have published such Letters of his never intended for their view written in private to his Queen with whom if with any one alive he would be free sure in that point wherein he declares himself to be different in judgement from her What need we say more Though at the first when the war was commenc'd Master Hampden being asked
and the Tower Answered Vnusuall Provision of Ammunition fire-workes c. about the Tower and White-Hall mounting Ordinance upon the White-Tower c. was made indeed but only in Order to security at that seditious and tumultuous time Would these good men think it a just Challenge against them Now that they have mann'd White-Hall with ten times the number and the Mewes to boote Now that they have raised Batteries in the Tower mounted Canon cleansed the ditches brought in a Garrison of strangers and laid aside or over-sized the ordinary Guard That therefore they intend to destroy the Presbyterians or the rest of the Kingdome 6. That of Commissions to Papists Answered Commissions were indeed given to the Papists but since the war was begun and I would faine learne what Priviledge the Papists have from being imployed in defence of their King and whether it had been wisdome in us to hazard our selves and that the Protestants should spend their Mettle one upon another while they sate still and looked on Yet I cannot compute upon the most severe survey that the hundredth Commission was issued unto Papists What danger could there be in that disproportion 7. The Charge against His Majesty of Tyranny The third Charge against His Person is of Tyranny and an Endeavour to enslave us which is proved 1. By His Principles in regard he holds forth to us in his Declarations That he is liable to Account for nothing he doth to any man and that nor one nor both Houses of Parliament can make or declare a Law 2. By his Practises as 1. In attempting to enslave us by the German-Horse 2. By the Spanish fleet That Charge Answered To the first The Principle which the King holds out was ever taken for Truth heretofore 1. All his Predecessors in this all Soveraigne Princes in other States have made claime hereto and for ought I have heard were never questioned before for it To passe by King James and all others which might admit exception Hear what Queen Elizabeth saith Although Kings and Princes Soveraigne owing their Homage and service only unto Almighty God the King of all Kings and in that respect not bound to yeild account or render a reason of their Actions to any other but God their Soveraigne yet though among the most ancient and Christian Monarchs the same Lord God hath committed unto us the Soveraignty of this Kingdome of England and other Dominions which we hold immediately of the same Almighty God and so thereby accompt only to his Divine Majesty We are notwithstanding this our Prerogative moved to declare c. In a Declaration of the causes moving her to give assistance to the Netherlands printed by her own Printer 1585. 2. The Lawyers of the Kingdome have constantly taught us the same who call the King Caput Principium Parliamenti Pater Patriae the Head and beginning of his Parliament the father of his Country who also tell us expressely Omnis sub Rege Ipse sub nullo nisi Deo Non est inferior sibi subjectis and Rex non habet superiorem nisi Deum satis habet ad panam quòd Deum expectat ultorem The King hath no Peere in this Land and he cannot be judged The Regality of the Crown of England is immediately subject to God and to none other 3. This very Parliament hath made a tacite acknowledgment hereof as well as all others by taking the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance by making their Addresses to the King under the notion of his leige men and most humble subjects and by their very Petitions 4. It hath been the practise of all Ages and was of this present Parliament to decline the King even in those things which had been acted by his Commands and to fall upon the Ministers according to the sense of that Law Maxime The King can do no wrong It were strange now that the Children might call the Father to an account The Hee le lift it self against or the Members question the Head The Subject over-top the Soveraigne The Fable hath a good Morall and I doubt is verified in our times The Taile of the Dragon once made that pretence of Governing against the Head but having obtained the liberty to Lead after a great deale of toyle led all the Body into a ditch But this being granted and proved how will the consequence ensue It is not the exemption from Accompt which makes a Tyrant but owning no Law making his Will and Pleasure to be the standard of all his Actions There is no State wherein there is not an ultimate Judicature which is not to be Accomptable By this rule all Government should be Tyrannous 2. That both Houses can make no Law they themselves confesse I am sure the Lord Cooke in his fourth booke Printed by their own speciall Command doth often That they can declare a Law is against reason If the King be necessary to the making doubtlesse he is also to concur in the Interpretation otherwise to what purpose doth his Councell serve But to arrogate a Power to declare a Law contrary to the evident sense or interpretation received ever since it was made even though a hundred or a thousand years is a monstrous usurpation and the greatest evidence of a Tyrannicall spirit that is possible If they have a power to interpret only according to the evidence of the letter or former acceptation where then is the Priviledge and what need there be a quarrell That of the German Horse Answered 1. The Horse out of Germany was but in Proposall never resolved on much lesse put in execution Now an Embrio is no perfect man nor a Designe to be esteemed a Fact much lesse is a bare Proposall 2. It appears to be rather the Duke's doing who at that time took upon him the managery of most affaires in this Kingdome And why should they make the King black with the Dukes faults if that were one But 3. the true designe of those Horse was onely to discipline our English and make them more expert for forraigne Imployments as it may be remembred we had divers old Foot-soldiers and Officers out of Holland for a while to that purpose and how unskilfull our Nation was therein as also of what Consequence it was Our Army in the Isle of Ree was a fatall evidence and since that their owne Armies have felt at Worcester Edge-hill and other Fights untill by frequent Experience and the great pains of some Dutch and Scotch Officers they were made formidable 4. The Instruments whose Counsels were used in this great pretended Crime who made the first offer to raise and conduct those Horse have been harbour'd in the bosome of the Houses and imployed in Places of signall trust as Sir William Balfours Dalbiere c. That of the Spanish Fleet Answered Rather then they will want a Charge the Spanish fleet shall furnish them with one though brought into our Havens by meer necessity being pursued by the Hollanders and having
Crowns doe certainly under the same thought suppose him void of Common Reason without the use of his right Wits 3. There was never any Officer or man of quality not the Lord Mac-guire himself who was in the contrivement of the Rebellion that did ever in good earnest when he was in the power of the English and under sentence of Condemnation nay at the point of death which is no time to dissemble that ever did affirme the King any way privy thereunto Though Mac-guire was much importuned fairly promised threatned nay turned off the Cart and recovered again a fact too barbarous toward a very Rebell did acquit the King upon his death to use his owne words and any other man in England except one and he but a private Gentleman who came by chance as he said to the knowledge thereof from being guilty so much as of knowing it 4. In all His Majesties Declarations Messages Letters Speeches to the Parliament he doth not onely speak with much abhorrence and detestation of them but conjure and excite the Parliament to relieve his Protestant Subjects there and to revenge the Bloud that was shed offering his own Person and all other Concurrences therein 5. It may be added that most of the Soldiery imployed in that Action most of the Ministry expulsed by the Natives most of the English Gentry who had their abode in that place even Sir Hardres Waller was so before he came over and that so high that he told the Lord of Ormond though Sir W. Waller were his Kinsman he had learnt to spew such out as forgot their Allegiance to His Majesty and since that untill he saw this Side thrive best and last of all the Independents to whom for their successe sake he hath glew'd himself are but cold friends of the Parliaments and adhered to the King at least in their Opinions which they could not possibly have done if they had ground to suspect their Miseries to have been derived from him especially considering their Necessities and the hopes they might have from the Parliament of Subsistence if not of Preferment also Particular Answers to the particular Proofs Although by what hath been spoken His Majesties Innocence be as clear as the noon-day yet we will be at the pains to follow these men through every step of their Track 1. Of the Seale of Scotland to the Rebels Commissioners 1. It was a wonder the Scots could be ignorant of it by whom the King was sufficiently watched and onely we English at the distance of 300 miles and nothing interested therein should have such Intelligence 2. It is easily averred but untill we meet with better proof then their bare word we have but a poore deale of reason to believe them 3. Mac-guire upon his Death professed he never saw any who had as much reason to see it as any man having been a prime Agent in the very contrivement of that Rebellion 4. If a Commission under the Seale was shewed and boasted of it might easily be done What Difficulty was there for them to make one and afterward set it to what they pleased we know who did as much and issued out Commissions against the King in his Name What great labour was it to fasten an old labell to a new Parchment faire enough to deceive those who were willing to be deceived Nay how weak had they been if they had not done so and done what else was possible to ensure their owne side to amaze the English and cast Bones between us 5. It is of no more truth because affirmed by Sir Philem Oneale or by others of the Rebels The same Persons did withall if these Declarers had been pleased to quote the whole evidence affirme That they were sure of the Scots to be of their side Remonst p. 37. That they had the E. of Argyle's hand and most of the Nobility of Scotland ibid. That the King himself was in person among them These and many other of the same bran Sir J. Temple tells us ingenuously were the devices to delude others and to distract us The Copy of it and the Oaths may be called in question when there are no Particulars named but if true they may be suborn'd on purpose or be of that false Commission which was given them by their owne King Tyrone for so some of the Examinations doe testifie They cared not for King Charles and had a King of their own p. 54. of the Remonstrance 2. His giving 5 Counties and other Acts of Grace Answered For those Acts of Grace imply'd in the Letter by the L. Dillon giving up 5 Counties upon the private mediation of the Commissioners 1. It argues their ingratitude not the Kings concurrence in that they would after so much favour so far dishonour him and seek his mischief 2. They were granted at such a Conjuncture of time that the King had been taught more lessons then one against irritating of a Kingdome or exasperating of Waspes and was concerned to give them satisfaction rather then let them carve for themselves according to the Examples they had before their Eyes 3. These were granted by him not by private mediation of the Commissioners but by the Importunity of both Houses of Parliament see Sir Jo. Temple p. 13. by whom they were sent and under the notion of Redresse of Grievances in which it is worth your notice what our Author testifies That many of the Protestants in Parliament were made instrumentall to them under pretence of Ease and Redresse of Grievances 4. Those Acts were thought necessary by the Lords of the Counsell and further Grace and it is called by our Author An unbending themselves into a happy and just complyance with the seasonable desires of the people and mollifying the sharp Humours raised by the rigid Passages of former times 3. His not Disbanding the Irish Army Answered That the Irish Army was no sooner Disbanded was 1. upon point of Honour and Safety to this Kingdome whilst the Scots kept theirs on foot it was for neither to disband 2. for that Kingdome Had these men been sent into Spaine as was intended by the King and in good earnest sollicited by that Embassadour but opposed by the Parliament that place had been disburdened of so many Pests How doth it reflect upon the King if the Natives had another designe besides his I am sure the same Author confessed that the Natives were very unwilling that they should be sent into Spaine as much as the Parliament here 4. Their Pretences for the King Oaths c. Answered That they pretended to vindicate the King took an Oath of Allegiance to the King stiled themselves the Queens Army or in their Letters of Mart gave in charge to spare the Kings Ships 1. It is of no moment but to shew their cunning and care to maintain divisions among us under that Colour It is not long since we had such Protestations taken and enforced Our Armies at the beginning pretended to fight for
pretended 2. The Time when when the Scots were hardly setled upon their lees againe and the Parliament of England high flowne already and advanced in their Contestation 3. Their Preparatives to Rebellion by invading new Priviledges as to determine in Cases Capitall and Criminal Charging of Publike Officers banding against Greivances c. and an Itch also to have procured a longer if not a Perpetual Parliament if Possible which is evident in Sir John Temples relation under the Authority whereof it is probable they designed to act afterwards rather then of a Supreame Councell which was done here even to the joynt prosecution of some particular Officers as the Earle of Strafford c. 4. Their Proceedings first to sequester and seize the Goods of those whom they declared Enemies to the State 5. The persons on whom they wreak'd their Malice most Clergy-men and Officers of State 6. The Copy they writ by or at least pretended to write by namely the Scots 7. The backwardnesse of our Parliament to send any reliefe thither which was evidenced by their disputes and Punctilio's with the King and indeed their denials to assist without his perfect resignation of himselfe to them seizing money to the summe of 100000. l. to their owne use though indeed they have paid it since out of the Kingdomes purse upon the Clamour of the people and notice given of it by the King imploying such forces as were raised under that notion here in England against His Majesty Particularly the Regiment of Colonell Bamfield of Chidley and others suspending the Journey of the Earle of Leicester first then of the Lord Lisle thither a man of their owne Election untill his Commission was almost expir'd Pretending to send over succours since but letting them lie upon the Countries untill they become intolerable and then disbanding them as super-numeraries The Miseries they expose their owne Army there to of which they were soundly told by Captaine Cope lately who charged them in the very House with the death of Thousands with the Ruine of more and with streames of Blood which cry'd for vengeance against them in that place To all which if you adde 8. The fierce prosecution of Strafford whose continuance in that place and strict discipline would have prevented that Insurrection or crushed it in the shell 9. Their withstanding the sending of that Army out of the Kingdome which had discharged it of so many instruments of rebellion 10. The Profession of divers of their Confidents especially in the Army That they cannot fight against the Irish with a good Conscience That their quarrel is but to enjoy their Religion and Liberty And 11. a speech which was uttered before this Rupture by a true friend of theirs at Manidowne in Hamp-shire when the Scots first came into England What if this Kingdome should rise for their Property and Liberty and Ireland take that Advantage what will he be King of then a shrewd speech though I beleeve the man had no fore-sight of this Combustion with many other Circumstances One would verily believe the Bustles in England and the Rebellion in Ireland were like Castor and Pollux ovo prognatus eodem hatch'd by a Common-Councell of Parliament Irish and that they were mutually engaged to promote each others Interest But we must be ingenuous and allow them better measure then any they have yet allowed unto their Soveraigne All we aime at is but to open to the world that there may be full as much or rather a great deale more charged on themselves as to that Businesse then upon His Majesty The Charge of Rochel We are now in sight of the shoare and shall conclude with the businesse of Rochel which Towne they say they can fully shew was betraied by the King and so was there a fatall Blow given to the Protestant Cause in France They tell us how he lent divers of the Navy and Merchants ships to the King of France to be imployed against those whom he was engaged to assist And when some Commanders disputed his Commands he gave order to Sir John Penington to put them into the service of that King or else to sinke them That Answered 1. Herein they impose a blinde beleife upon us we have little reason to take their bare word as we hinted before whose Interest is to deceive us and who have done it so oft We never yet could discover in them any such Tendernesse either in blasting the Kings Honour or in covering their owne shame as to conceale any thing which was to their owne Advantage or his disgrace 2. How could his Maj. betray those whom he had never taken into Protection as at that time he had not done by them Are they themselves treacherous too or have they betraied the Hollanders against whom they sent divers of the Kings Souldiers taken at Naseby to be imployed in the Spanish service 3. Though it be acknowledged that there were ships lent unto the King of France yet it was not to that purpose to employ them against the Protestants and the King of England was a stranger to the designe of the King of France therein Q. Elizabeth when that very Towne of Rochel was beseiged by the King of France and some of his Subjects with the Duke of Montgomery had releived it disclaimed the Act called them who did it Pirates professed she would not protect nor afford them any supply Camb. Eliz. 4. King James in his life time had in effect promised assistance unto the French King against any of his Subjects whatsoever were their Religion or their pretence 5. The same thing was done by the States of Holland at the same time who lent unto the King of France twenty saile of ships whereas ours were but seven under the Command of Hauthain their Admiral who did in the same manner demur at the Imployment being charm'd by some pittifull Letters from Rochel untill the Rochellers treacherously and unawares surpris'd and burnt his Vice-Admiral which rouz'd him up in good earnest and made him not onely set upon but wholly discomfit them by the helpe of our and other ships Now it is very improbable the Hollanders would have conspir'd against the Cause of Religion and their owne Church-discipline which the French held forth if there had not been some other just cause of that War 6. We might very well be tender in undertaking the Protection of those Protestants for it is not quite forgotten how Queen Elizabeth sent over a considerable Army to their Assistance and that upon Articles between them which Army of hers was set upon and beseiged by those very men whom they were come to defend and expuls'd out of that Kingdome and out of New-haven by the help of the Protestants who by meanes of their succours had gotten the better Composition with their own King as you may read in Mr. Cambden and others Anno 1563. 7. The King did what was possible toward their releife when he had the advantage of Hostility