Selected quad for the lemma: honour_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
honour_n	earl_n	king_n	succeed_v	1,256	5	9.7316	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57925	The Tryal of Thomas, Earl of Strafford, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, upon an impeachment of high treason by the Commons then assembled in Parliament, in the name of themselves and of all the Commons in England, begun in Westminster-Hall the 22th of March 1640, and continued before judgment was given until the 10th of May, 1641 shewing the form of parliamentary proceedings in an impeachment of treason : to which is added a short account of some other matters of fact transacted in both houses of Parliament, precedent, concomitant, and subsequent to the said tryal : with some special arguments in law relating to a bill of attainder / faithfully collected, and impartially published, without observation or reflection, by John Rushworth of Lincolnes-Inn, Esq.	Strafford, Thomas Wentworth, Earl of, 1593-1641, defendant.; Rushworth, John, 1612?-1690.; England and Wales. Parliament. House of Commons.	1680 (1680)	Wing R2333; ESTC R22355	652,962	626

best account he can and offer some proofs Sir Robert Loftus was the Vice-Admiral of the Province of Lemster himself was Vice-Admiral of the Province of Munster and about that time the Lord Admiral sent Direction and Command to the Vice-Admiral of Lemster and Munster to seize all the Scotch Ships then in those Ports so that what was done was done by the authority of my Lord Admiral and if their Lordships asked Mr. Slingsby he will say that about that time there came these Commands and by virtue thereof these Ships were stayed Mr. Slingsby being Interrogated whether about that time my Lord Admiral sent Warrants to the Vice-Admirals to seize the Scotch Ships in their several Ports He Answered That he received the Letters just as my Lord was going into England and dispersed them to the Vice-Admirals he executing that for Munster as Deputy to my Lord and the Ships were stayed after my Lords going into England and not before Whence my Lord of Strafford concluded That it appeared that he hath not been an extraordinary stirrer of difference between the King and the Subject he never desiring any thing but peace and quietness and that all things might be ended as he trusts they shall with good understanding and perpetuity of affection amongst our selves and with them And there his Lordship left the 20th Article hoping he had fully and clearly satisfied their Lordships as to any crime in it but whether his Judgement did mislead him in an opinion he will not dispute but will confess willingly That no man is more ready to mistake than himself His Lordship proceeds to the 21 Article which his Lordship read This he said he perceives is a particular they have much insisted on but have not as he conceives offered any substantial proof for what they alledge The first proof of the 21 Article was my Lord Primates Examination wherein he sayes That in a discourse betwixt them concerning the levying of money on the Subjects in case of imminent necessity his opinion was the King might use his Prerogative as he pleases but first it was best to try his Parliament This is the only Testimony in this particular being Singularis Testis he knows it will weigh with their Lordships accordingly and then it is no otherwise but by way of Discourse and Argument and how far that shall be layed to a mans Charge he must submit in regard of the reasons subsequent in the next Article so that he will reserve himself to this point till he comes thither But the words fairly and cleerly understood abide a sence no way of danger to him that speaks them For they are That the King may use his Prerogative as he pleases and the Kings pleasure is always just and will not use his Prerogative but justly and fairly and for a man to think otherwise were a higher offence Besides many things are lawful which if they were done to the uttermost of the Power that his Prerogative and the Law of the Land gives him might be prejudicial to His Subjects which notwithstanding he in his goodness and discharge of the Trust God Almighty hath put into him never hath nor will exercise but suffer them to be imployed for the Subjects advantage according to the present occasion And therefore to say he may use His Prerogative as he pleases might be without prejudice to the Subject and very lawful But it is a greater offence by much to think that the King will use his Prerogative otherwise then as befits a Christian and pious King And therefore he hopes these words shall not be laid to his charge as a signal crime and of so high deadly and capital a nature as Treason The next proof offered is my Lord Conway and he sayes on some discourse which being private between friend and friend neither of them thought they should come here to give an account of My Lord Conway asked him where the means should be for the Supply of the Kings Army He told him in Parliament and doubted not but the Parliament would supply His Majesty so far he was from thinking there should be that misfortune as the breach of that Parliament but quite contrary And for the words That if the King should be denyed in just and lawful things he might justifie before God and men the seeking means to help himselfe though it were against their will He must needs say That to help a mans self is a very natural motion for commonly a mans self is the last creature that leaves him and that which is natural to every man is natural to the King who is accountable not only for himself but also for all his people The next is Mr. Treasurer And he says That the 5th of December was Twelvemonths to the best of his Remembrance upon a Proposition of a Parliament to the King he the Earl of Strafford should say That if the Parliament should not succeed he would be ready to assist His Majesty any other way He sees not where the heynousness of the words lies nor where the venom is that should endanger him as to his Life and Honor And if he said he would assist His Majesty any other way if it were needful or any way conducing to his purpose he is verily perswaded Mr. Treasurer himself said as much but that is not material for he conceives it not blameble in either of them to have said so much therefore he laies it not on him as a Recrimination For the Question was a Parliament or no Parliament a Parliament was the desire of every man to settle the Common-wealth by that they might stare super vias antiquas And when they were moving His Majesty for a Parliament for him to say he would help any other way doth always presuppose what must be presupposed that it must be in all lawful ways The King cannot command unlawful ways and he hath that opinion of His Majesty and of His Truth and Faithfulness that He will not Command him any wayes but lawful wayes he having not carried himself in his Masters service so as that he can have an opinion of him that he will do any thing but what is honourable and just and therefore he hopes it is spoken without offence being fairly and rightly understood That is of lawful ways the ways the King could command and the wayes himself could serve him in being no other And this is all they bring to prove that part of the 21 Article that concerns his procuring of His Majesty to break the Parliament and by Force and Power to raise Money on the Subjects And this is all he sayes and all they charge out of that Article This he must add That when he sayes he will serve the King in any other ways in all Debates whensoever he expressed himself to that purpose he did ever in the conclusion end with this That there was no safe nor sure expedient to settle a right understanding between the King and

time or no. The Lord High Steward answered that their Lordships Commandment is to let his Lordship know That if the House of Commons proceed not by their Members to manage the Evidence this day then what his Lordship hath to say to this House may be put off to another time And so their Lordships Adjourned to the House above by which is meant the House where the Lords use to sit in Parliament and appointed the next morning to proceed in this business The Second day Tuesday March 23. 1640 THeir Lordships being set the Lord Steward recited in brief the proceedings of the day before adding that naturally and properly it belongs in the next place for those whom the House of Commons have deputed to manage their Evidence in pursuance of the Articles of Impeachment to begin the work of the day Then Mr. Pym one of the Committee appointed for the management of the Evidence began as followeth My Lords We stand here by the Commandment of the Knights Citizens and Burgesses now assembled for the Commons in Parliament And we are ready to make good that Impeachment whereby Thomas Earl of Strafford stands charged in their Name and in the Name of all the Commons of England with High Treason This My Lords is a Great Cause and we might sink under the weight of it and be astonished with the Lustre of this Noble Assembly if there were not in the Cause strength and vigour to support it self and to encourage us It is the Cause of the King it concerns His Majesty in the Honour of His Government in the Safety of His Person in the Stability of His Crown It is the Cause of the Kingdom It concerns not only the Peace and Prosperity but even the Being of the Kingdom We have that piercing Eloquence the Cries and Groans and Tears and Prayers of all the Subjects assisting us We have the three Kingdoms England and Scotland and Ireland in Travail and Agitation with us bowing themselves like the Hindes spoken of in Iob to cast out their Sorrows Truth and Goodness My Lords they are the Beauty of the Soul they are the Perfection of all created Natures they are the Image and Character of God upon the Creatures This Beauty Evil Spirits and Evil Men have lost but yet there are none so wicked but they desire to march under the shew and shadow of it though they hate the reality of it This unhappy Earl now the Object of your Lordships Justice hath taken as much care hath used as much cunning to set a face and countenance of Honesty and Justice upon his Actions as he hath been negligent to observe the rules of Honesty in the Performance of all these Actions My Lords it is the greatest baseness of wickedness that it dares not look in his own Colours nor be seen in its natural Countenance But Virtue as it is amiable in all respects so the least is not this That it puts a Nobleness it puts a Bravery upon the Mind and lifts it above Hopes and Fears above Favour and Displeasure it makes it always uniform and constant to it self The Service Commanded me and my Colleagues here is to take off those Vizards of Truth and Uprightness which hath been sought to be put upon this Cause and to shew you his Actions and his Intentions in their own natural Blackness and Deformity My Lords He hath put on a Vizard of Truth in these words wherein he says That he should be in his Defence more careful to observe Truth than to gain Advantage to himself He says he would endure any thing rather than be saved by Falshoood It was a noble and brave Expression if it were really true My Lords He hath likewise put on the Vizard of Goodness on his Actions when he desires to recite his Services in a great many particulars as if they were Beneficial to the Common-wealth and State whereas we shall prove them Mischievous and Dangerous It is left upon me My Lords to take off these Vizards and Appearances of Truth and Goodness in that part of his Answer which is the Preamble And that I shall do with as much Faithfulness and Brevity as I can 1. The First thing My Lords that I shall observe in the Preamble is this That having recited all those great and honourable Offices which he hath done under His Majesty he is bold to affirm That he hath been careful and faithful in the Execution of them all My Lords If he might be his own Witness and his own Judge I doubt not but he would be Acquitted It is said in the Proverbs of the Adulterous Woman That she wipes her mouth and says she had done no Evil. Here is a wiping of the mouth here is a verbal expression of Honesty But My Lords the foulness and unjustness will never be wiped off neither from his Heart nor from his Actions I mean for the time past God may change him for the time to come That is the first thing I observe 2. My Lords In the second place out of his Apologetical Preamble I shall observe this He doth magnifie his own Endeavours in five particulars 1. That he hath Endeavoured the maintenance of Religion I may miss in words I shall not miss in sense 2. That he hath Endeavoured the Honour of the King 3. The Encrease of His Revenue 4. The Peace and Honour and Safety of the Kingdom 5. The Quiet and Peace of the People These are his five particulars and I shall give a short Answer to every one of them 1. For Religion My Lords we say and we shall prove that he hath been diligent indeed to favour Innovations to favour Superstitions to favour the Incroachments and Usurpations of the Clergy But for Religion it never received any advantage by him nay a great deal of hurt 2. For the Honour of the King My Lords We say it is the Honour of the King that He is the Father of His People that He is the Fountain of Justice and it cannot stand with His Honour and Justice to have His Government Stain'd and Polluted with Tyranny and Oppression 3. For the Increase of His Revenue It is true there may be some Addition of Sums but we say There is no Addition of Strength nor Wealth because in those parts where it hath been increased this Earl hath taken the greatest share himself And when he hath spoiled and ravined on the People he hath been content to yield up some part to the King that he might with more security enjoy the rest 4. For the Strength and Honour and Safety of the Kingdom My Lords In a time of Peace he hath let in upon us the Calamities of War Weakness Shame and Confusion 5. And for the Quiet of the Subjects He hath been an Incendiary he hath Armed us amongst our selves and made us weak and naked to all the World besides This is that I shall answer to the second Head of his Apology 3. The Third is

His people and to make both happy but Parliaments as shall appear clearly and plainly by that time he hath given his proofs and so it will appear he meant only lawful ways The next particular wherewith he is charged is to procure the Parliament of the Kingdom of Ireland to declare their assistance in a War against the Scots For that if their Lordships please to give him leave he thinks the thing it self will best shew it self and therefore he desired the Remonstrance of the Two Houses of Parliament in Ireland might be read And that of the Commons-House was read being in effect THe Declaration of the Commons-House there Importing Whereas they have with one consent cleerly given to His Majesty Four entire Subsidies towards His present preparations to reduce His disaffected Subjects the Covenanters in Scotland to their due obedience They still hope that His Majesties great Wisdom and unexampled Clemency may yet prevail with the worse affected of those His Subjects to bring them to that conformity and submission which by the Laws of God and Nature they owe to him But if His Majesty shall be enforced to use His Power to vindicate His just Authority This House for themselves and the Commons of this Kingdom do profess that their Zeal and Duty shall not stay here at these four Subsidies but Humbly promise That they will be ready with their Persons and Estates to their uttermost ability for His Majesties future Supply in Parliament as His great occasions by the continuance of His Forces against that distemper shall require This they pray that it may be represented to His Majesty by the Lord Lieutenant and Recorded as an Ordinance of Parliament and published in Print as a Testimony to all the world and succeding ages That as this Kingdom hath the happiness to be governed by the best of Kings so they desire to give cause That he shall account this people amongst the best of His Subjects The Declaration of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being of the same Tenor was spared to be read Upon which my Lord of Strafford said That if he had procured this Declaration it had been no crime considering what preceeded in the Kings Council there But he says he hath no part in it it was done with the greatest freedom and cheerfulness that ever he did or shall see a thing of that nature done It must be ascribed to that Nation and the Zeal Affection and Chearfulness by which they discovered themselves to the Kings service to which there was no need to invite them But if he had had a part in it he might have justified it considering what precedent Instructions he had from the King which he could shew but that he is loath to take up their Lordships time The next thing he is charged withal is for confederating with Sir George Ratcliffe and together with him traiterously conspiring to employ the Army raised in Ireland for the ruine and destruction of the Kingdom of England and of His Majesties Subjects and subverting the fundamental Laws of this Kingdom To which he saith That truly if it be made appear that he had so much as any such thought in his Breast he should easily give Judgement against himself as not worthy to live If he should confederate to the destruction of the Countrey that bore him and consequently to the making of himself and his posterity little else than Vassals who were born a free people by the goodness of Almighty God and under the Protection and Justice of the King and particularly of His Majesty That he hath a heart that loves freedom as well as another man and values it as highly and in a modest and dutiful way will go as far to defend it And therefore certainly he is not altogether so probably to be thought a person that would go against it Nay he thinks that man doth the King the best service that stands for the modest Propriety and Liberty of the Subject It hath been once his opinion which he learnt in the Honourable House of Commons when he had the honor to sit there it hath gone along with him in the whole course of his service to the Common-wealth and by the Grace of God he shall carry it to his Grave That the Prerogative of the Crown and Liberty of the Subject should be equally looked upon and served together but not apart The proof they offer for this is a strange manner of proof For First they prove by Sir Robert King what Sir George Ratcliffe said they will not admit the examination of Sir George Ratcliffe but here is a Report upon a Report And what sayes this Gentleman He tells of some time Sir George Ratcliffe said which was not concerning him the Defendant and was impertinent for him to repeat But the Deponent sayes in the conclusion That as he understood them there was some danger towards c. Then comes my Lord Ranalaugh and reports the words of Sir George Ratcliffe and in conclusion sayes That by some things he did gather he had fears there might be some intendment to employ that Army in Ireland or some other place but he the Defendant offers to their Lordships That what Sir George Ratcliffe said was nothing to him and so could not charge him with it The meanest Subject in the Kingdom cannot commit Treason by Letter of Attorney and it is a priviledge which though he hath the honor to be a Peer he shall never desire that a Peer may do it by Proxy Sir George Ratcliffe cannot speak nor procure Treason for him and being Sir George Ratcliffes words they cannot be his the Earl of Straffords offence and he hopes Sir George will answer them as an honest Gentleman and a Privy-Counsellor to the King which he hath the honor to be in Ireland And how Sir Robert King understood them is as little if not less to him the Defendant Sir Robert's understanding of a thing can make no crime to him my Lord of Strafford And for my Lord Ranalaugh's fears he may take them back again for it will be shewed they were groundless fears viz. That this Army was intended for English ground For him to imagine that because my Lord of Strafford said It was like to be a troublesome world and that he was willing to sell his Land therefore this Army should come into England These be Non sequiturs and fancies of his own and there was no colour for such fears in his Lordship Besides my Lord Ranalaugh was not acquainted with the Design and therefore he might easily mistake but others were acquainted with it in such manner as is expressed in his Answer and which my Lord said he shall now declare viz. That there was no intention or purpose of bringing this Irish Army into England And whereas to the Design he hath exprest in his Answer of having two Honourable Persons to be made privy and divers others to his Papers he Humbly besought their Lordships to favour him

It cannot be for the Honor of the King that His Sacred Authority should be used in the practise of Injustice and Opprssion That His Name should be applyed to patronize such horrid crimes as have been represented in Evidence against the Earl of Strafford and yet how frequently how presumptuously his Commands his Letters have been vouched throughout the course of this Defence Your Lordships have heard when the Judges do Justice it is the Kings Justice and this is for His Honor because He is the fountain of Justice But when they do Injustice the offence is their own but those Officers and Ministers of the King who are most officious in the exercise of this Arbitrary Power they do it commonly for their advantages and when they are questioned for it then they fly to the Kings Interest to His Direction And truly my Lords this is a very unequal distribution for the King that the dishonor of evil courses should be cast upon him and they to have the advantage The prejudice which it brings to him in regard of his profit is no less apparent it deprives him of the most beneficial and most certain Revenue of his Crown that is The voluntary Aids and Supplies of His People His other Revenues consisting of goodly Demeans and great Mannors have by Grants been alienated from the Crown and are now exceedingly diminished and impaired But this Revenue it cannot be sold it cannot be burdened with any Pensions or Annuities but comes intirely to the Crown It is now almost Fifteen years since His Majesty had any Assistance from His People and these illegal wayes of supplying the King were never prest with more Violence and Art then they have been in this time and yet I may upon very good grounds affirm That in the last Fifteen years of Queen Elizabeth She received more by the Bounty and Affection of Her Subjects then hath come to His Majesties Coffers by all the inordinate and rigorous courses which have been taken And as those Supplies were more beneficial in the Receipt of them so were they like in the use and imployment of them Another way of prejudice to His Majesties profit is this Such Arbitrary Courses Exhaust the people and disable them when there shall be occasion to give such plentiful Supplies as otherwise they would do I shall need no other proofe of this then the Irish Government under my Lord of Strafford where the Wealth of the Kingdom is so consumed by those horrible Exactions and Burdens that it is thought the Subsidies lately granted will amount to little more than half the proportion of the last Subsidies The two former wayes are hurtful to the Kings profit in that respect which they call Lucrum Cessans by diminishing his Receipts But there is a third fuller of mischiet and it is in that respect which they call Damnum emergens by increasing his Disbursements such irregular and exorbitant attempts upon the Liberties of the People are apt to produce such miserable Distractions and Distempers as will put the King and Kingdomes to such vast Expences and Losses in a short time as will not be recovered in many years We need not go far to seek a proof of this these two last years will be a sufficient Evidence within which time I assure my self it may be proved that more Treasure hath been wasted more loss sustained by His Majesty and His Subjects then was spent by Queen Elizabeth in all the War of Tyron and in those many brave Attempts against the King of Spain and the Royal Assistance which she gave to France and the Low Countries during all Her Reign As for greatness this Arbitrary Power is apt to hinder and impair it not onely at home but abroad A Kingdom is a Society of men conjoyned under one Government for the Common good The World is a Society of Kingdomes and States The Kings Greatness consists not onely in His Dominion over His Subjects at home but in the Influence which he hath upon States abroad That He should be great even among Kings and by His Wisdom and Authority so to incline and dispose the Affairs of other States and Nations and those great events which fall out in the World as shall be for the good of Mankind and for the Peculiar advantage of His own People This is the most glorious and magnificent greatness to be able to relieve distressed Princes to support his own Friends and Allies to prevent the Ambitious Designs of other Kings and how much this Kingdom hath been impaired in this kind by the late mischievous Counsels your Lordships best know who at a near distance and with a more clear sight do apprehend these publick and great affairs then I can do Yet thus much I dare boldly say that if His Majesty had not with great Wisdom and Goodness forsaken that way wherein the Earl of Strafford had put Him we should within a short time have been brought into that miserable condition as to have been useless to our Friends contemptible to our Enemies and uncapable of undertaking any great Design either at home or abroad A fourth consideration is That this Arbitrary and Tyrannical Power which the Earl of Strafford did exercise in his own Person and to which he did advise His Majesty is inconsistent with the Peace the Wealth the Prosperity of a Nation It is destructive to Justice the Mother of Peace to Industry the spring of Wealth to Valour which is the active Virtue whereby the prosperity of a Nation can only be procured confirmed and enlarged It s not only apt to take away Peace and so intangle the Nation with Wars but doth corrupt Peace and puts such a malignity into it as produceth the effects of War We need seek no other proof of this but the Earl of Straffords Government where the Irish both Nobility and others had as little security of their Persons or Estates in this peaceable time as if the Kingdom had been under the rage and fury of War And as for Industry and Valour who will take pains for that which when he hath gotten is not his own or who fight for that wherein he hath no other interest but such as is subject to the Will of another The antient encouragement to men that were to defend their Countreys was this That they were to hazard their Person pro Aris focis for their Religion and for their Houses But by this Arbitrary way which was practised in Ireland and counselled here no man had any certainty either of Religion or of his House or any thing else to be his own But besides this such Arbitrary courses have an ill operation upon the courage of a Nation by embasing the hearts of the People A servile condition does for the most part beget in men a slavish temper and disposition Those that live so much under the Whip and the Pillory and such servile Engines as were frequently used by the Earl of Strafford they may have the

free Conference concerning the Trial of Thomas Earl of Strafford and they are to present to the House what they think fit to be done thereupon Monday March 15th 1640. A Message from the Lords That the House of Peers desire a Conference concerning the time of the Earl of Strafford's Trial and some other Circumstances that concern that Trial they desire it presently in the Painted-Chamber if it may stand with the conveniency of this House by the same former Committee Answer returned by the same Messengers That this House has taken their Lordships Message into Consideration and will give a meeting presently as is desired by the same Committee Mr. Whitlock Reports the Conference had with the Lords concerning the Trial of the Earl of Strafford in haec verba That the Lord of Bath did tell Us That he had something to acquaint Us from the Lords That their Lordships had Ordered That the Place for the Trial of the Earl of Strafford shall be in Westminster-Hall That the King hath been acquainted therewith and hath been pleased to assent thereunto That the time for the said Trial shall begin on Monday next at Nine of the Clock in the Forenoon and that against that time Care is taken that all things shall be prepared and made ready and that the Lords will be pleased to give notice of the time appointed for this Trial to the Earl of Strafford to attend accordingly and a Warrant is to be directed to the Lieutenant of the Tower to bring the said Earl of Strafford at the time and to the place aforesaid After this the Earl of Essex told Us The Lords did take into Consideration something alledged in the Earl of Strafford's Answer to the 27 Article wherein the Peers that were of the Great Council had some Aspersion cast upon them that they had entred this Protestation Whereas the Lords of the Great Council at York to clear their Honours only have made their Protestation That they did neither Command nor Approve the raising of Monies in York-shire as is alledged by the Earl of Strafford in his Answer to the 27th Article Now the said Protestation is by this House unanimously admitted And it is likewise Ordered That so much may be intimated to the Committee of the House of Commons at the next Conference Moved That the Committee for the Earl of Strafford do consider of the last part of the Report now made concerning the Protestation made by the Lords of the Great Council at York how far they may make use of it in the Evidence at the Trial of the Earl of Strafford Ordered That the Committee for the Earl of Strafford consider of the last part of the Report of the Commitee concerning the Protestation made by the Lords of the Great Council at York how far they may think fit to make use of it as Evidence at the Trial. Tuesday March 16th 1640. Mr. Whitlock Reports from the Committee for the Earl of Strafford That whereas the House of Commons have formerly declared to their Lordships that the Earl of Strafford being Impeached by them they do conceive it doth belong to them to Resolve in what manner they will be present at his Trial and that of Right they may come as a House if they please but for some special Reasons upon this occasion they are Resolved to send their own Members as a Committee of the whole House Authorized by the House to be present at the Trial to hear and some particular Persons of themselves to manage the Evidence The House of Commons doth still continue their Resolution in every part thereof and therein and in the matter of allowing Counsel And their Lordships Reservation to their Judgment what is matter of Fact and what not the House of Commons do save to themselves as they have formerly done all Rights that do appertain to them according to Law and the course of Parliament and do declare That the Proceedings in this Case shall not be drawn into President to the Prejudice of the Commons Ordered That this Protestation be by way of Conference transferred to the Lords Wednesday March 17th 1640. Ordered That Mr. Pym shall make Report of three especial Cases that concern the Earl of Strafford's business on Friday morning next Thursday March 18th 1640. Ordered That the Earl of Strafford's Committee of Twelve do attend that Service and lay aside all other Excuses and Occasions unless they be otherwise Commanded by this House and Mr. Glyn is added to this Committee Friday March 19th 1640. Ordered That a Warrant under Mr. Speaker's Hand be directed to the Master of the Marshalsey of the Kings Bench requiring him to send Robert Coyne a Prisoner there upon Execution in safe Custody to attend the Committee for the Earl of Strafford De die in Diem so long as the Committee shall so require Ordered That Patrick Allen an Irish Merchant who has a Petition depending here shall have the Liberty to go abroad with a Keeper to Prosecute his business here and to be examined as a Witness at the Committee for the Earl of Strafford Sir Thomas Barrington Sir Iohn Culpepper Sir Io. Strangwayes Mr. Ashburnham Sir Io. Hotham Sir William Litton Sir Io. Holland Sir Robert Pye Mr. Wheeler Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Whittaker are appointed as a Committee to View the place for the Earl of Strafford's Trial and to think of some convenient manner for the Committee of the House to go in and be present at the said Trial and for Mr. Speaker to be there in a private manner and they are to meet this Afternoon at Two of the Clock in the inner Court of Wards Saturday March 20th 1640. Ordered That the Earl of Strafford's Committee of 13 shall have Power to manage the Evidence in such manner as they shall think fit to manage the same at the Trial of the Earl of Strafford Ordered That Mr. White and Mr. Prideaux be appointed to take Notes of the Passages of the Trial of Thomas Earl of Strafford and to Report them to the House if occasion be and that the Committee shall have Power if occasion be to make use of two more such as they shall think fit though not of the House Moved from the Earl of Strafford's Committee That it would please the House to give a fair and candid Interpretation of the Committees Labours and Endeavours in this business Upon Sir Iohn Culpepper's Report from the Committee appointed to view the Place and to Regulate the Order and the Manner of the Committee of the Houses coming and being there It was Ordered 1. That the Members of the Commons shall sit together without any Intermixture of others in that place which is prepared for them 2. That in respect of the inconveniency of it the Members shall not come to meet at the House on Monday morning but come directly to the place of the Trial. 3. That for the well-ordering of the business the said Committee with the addition

come to a Resolution so soon as to come to their Lordships for a Conference this Afternoon If they can they Resolve to sit this Afternoon and desire their Lordships to do the like if it may stand with their Conveniency Mr. Peard brings Answer That their Lordships will meet at Four of the Clock Resolved upon the Question That a Committee of the whole House shall hear the Earl of Strafford's Counsel in Westminster-Hall concerning matter of Law Ordered That the House do this Afternoon take the Proceedings against the Earl of Strafford into further Consideration The Committee is to retire presently into the Committee-Chamber to prepare Heads for a Conference to be desired with the Lords concerning the further Proceedings against the Earl of Strafford Mr. Maynard Reports the Heads of this Conference to this effect 1. To take Notice of their Lordships Resolution to hear the Earl of Strafford's Council in matter of Law 2. To put their Lordships in mind of the saving of this House in that Point and further to tell them That if after his Council shall be heard any doubt shall remain with their Lordships they shall be ready to satisfie them in due time 3. That to this end they do intend to send a Committee of this House only to hear what his Council shall say These Particulars raised some Debate in the House and being put to the Question the House was divided upon it but yet after the Tellers were appointed the Noes yielded to the Yeas without telling 4. To desire that their Lordships will be pleased to use all Expedition to put an end to this Trial as much as in Justice may be 5. To desire a continuance of their Care that the Counsel under colour of speaking to the matter of Law ravel not into the matter of Fact Sir Robert Harly went up to the Lords to desire a free Conference with their Lordships by a Committee of both Houses upon the free Conference had Yesterday with their Lordships concerning the further Proceedings against the Earl of Strafford Sir Robert Harly brings Answer That their Lordships will give a present meeting as is desired The Committee that was appointed to prepare Heads for the Conference concerning the further Proceedings against the Earl of Strafford are to manage this Conference and to Report it if occasion be Ordered That the Committee formerly appointed to preserve places for the Committee of the whole House in Westminster-Hall do apply their Endeavours in that Service A Message from the Lords by Justice Foster and Justice Heath That the Lords have sent this Message that they will be set to morrow at ten in the Forenoon in Westminster-Hall to hear the Earl of Strafford's Council in matter of Law Saturday April 17th 1641. Post Merid. Ordered That the House be Resolved into a Grand Committee to take into further Consideration the Bill of Attainder of Thomas Earl of Strafford Mr. Speaker left the Chair Mr. Peard was called to the Chair of the Grand Committee and Mr. Speaker again assumed the Chair Ordered That the Debate of the Bill of Attainder of the Earl of Strafford be resumed on Monday morning at Seven of the Clock Monday April 19th 1641. Ordered That after the Conference shall be ended the House shall again be Resolved into a Committee to resume the farther Debate of the Earl of Strafford and all the Members are required to return from the Conference to the House Resolved upon the Question That the endeavour of Thomas Earl of Strafford to subvert the Ancient and Fundamental Laws of the Realm of England and Ireland and to Introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government against Law in both these Kingdoms is High Treason The Lord Digbye's Speech in the House of Commons to the Bill of Attainder of the Earl of Strafford April 21. 1641. Mr. Speaker We are now upon the Point of giving as much as in Us lies the Final Sentence unto Death or Life on a great Minister of State and Peer of this Kingdom Thomas Earl of Strafford a Name of hatred in the present Age by his Practices and fit to be made a Terrour to future Ages by his Punishment I have had the Honour to be Imployed by the House in this great business from the first hour that it was taken into Consideration It was matter of great Trust and I will say with confidence that I have served the House in it both with Industry according to my ability and with most exact Faithfulness and Secrecy And as I have hitherto discharged my Duty to this House and to my Country in the Progress of this Great Cause so I trust I shall do now in the last period of it to God and to a good Conscience I do wish the peace of that unto my self and the blessings of Almighty God to me and my Posterity according as my judgment on the life of this man shall be consonant with my heart and the best of my understanding in all Integrity I know well Mr. Speaker that by some things I have said of late whilst this Bill was in agitation I have raised some prejudices upon me in the Cause Yea some I thank them for their plain dealing have been so free as to tell me that I suffered much by the backwardness I have shewn in this Bill of Attainder of the Earl of Strafford against whom I had been formerly so keen and so active Mr. Speaker I beg of you and the rest but a suspension of Judgment concerning me till I have opened my heart unto you freely and clearly in this business Truly Sir I am still the same in my Opinions and Affections as unto the Earl of Strafford I confidently believe him the most dangerous Minister the most insupportable to free Subjects that can be charactared I believe his Practices in themselves have been as High as Tyrannical as any Subject ever ventured on and the malignity of them are hugely aggravated by those rare abilities of his whereof God hath given him the use but the Devil the application in a word I believe him still that grand Apostate to the Common-wealth who must not expect to be pardoned in this World till he be dispatched to the other And yet let me tell you Mr. Speaker my hand must not be to that dispatch I protest as my Conscience stands informed I had rather it were off Let me unfold unto you the mystery Mr. Speaker I will not dwell much upon justifying unto you my seeming variance at this time from what I was formerly but by putting you in mind of the difference between Prosecutors and Judges How misbecoming that fervour would be in a Judge which perhaps was commendable in a Prosecutor Judges we are now and must put on another Personage It is honest and noble to be earnest in order to the discovery of Truth but when that hath been brought as far as it can to light our judgment thereupon ought to be calm and cautious In prosecution upon

an Order made my Lord of Strafford threatned the Earl of Corke for Suing at Law That the Justification brought by my Lord of Strafford is an Aggravation restraining Liberty to Sue at Law to a year else to be concluded for ever Whereas my Lord of Strafford says he hath spoken unwisely but done nothing sure he that Threatens doth something and his Actions will appear in the next Articles For the Priviledge of Peerage It were to be wished he had known or remembred it sooner in my Lord Mountnorris his Case That though he says Acts of State are to be allowed for temporary provision till an Act of Parliament yet when things are propounded and rejected in Parliament shall he supply it by an Act of State We desire to examine one Witness more The Earl of Strafford excepting against it as not regular the Lords Adjourned to their House to take consideration of it And a little after returning the Lord Steward declared their Lordships Resolution That the Witness might be examined The matter in question arising from what was offered from the Earl of Straffords Defence Roger Lotts Sworn and examined what words my Lord of Strafford gave out when an Act for Powder would not pass in the Commons House and what Act of State was thereupon made He Answered That he had the Honour to be one of the Members of that Parliament that began 1634. and ended April 1635. That at the Close of that Parliament my Lord of Strafford then Lord Deputy told the House of Commons then sent for up That they had Voted against some Bills in the lower House amongst the rest that of Gun-powder where it was made Felony for any man to buy or have any unless he got a License first for it That my Lord afterwards told them That notwithstanding they had Voted against it yet he would make that and some other Bills they had Voted against Acts of State that should be as good and said he heard it was done afterwards but he doth not know that This Witness is something of Justification of my Lord of Corke's Testimony against which my Lord of Strafford hath made some Exception And the Lord Digby added something for the Justification of my Lord of Killmallocks Testimony against which my Lord of Strafford had likewise excepted And so the Reply was concluded To the Deposition of Roger Lotts my Lord of Strafford Answered I had received direction concerning Powder it being not conceived fit for Reasons of State to buy and have Powder at pleasure or that that Commodity should be so frequently brought into the Kingdom and committed to unsafe hands so in that point I did but what I was commanded out of many Reasons which I desire I may forbear to express it not conducing to my Acquittal or Condemnation And so the Lords Adjourned The Sixth day Saturday March 27. 1641. THE Fifth Article The Charge That according to such his Declarations and Spéeches the said Earl of Strafford did use and exercise a Power above and against and to the Subversion of the said Fundamental Laws and Established Government of the said Realm of Ireland extending such his Power to the Goods Freé-holds Inheritances Liberties and Lives of his Majesties Subjects of the said Realm and namely the said Earl of Strafford the Twelfth day of December Anno Domini 1635. in the time of full Peace did in the said Realm of Ireland give and procure to be given against the Lord Mountnorris then and yet a Peér of the said Realm of Ireland and then Uice-Treasurer and Receiver-general of the Realm of Ireland and Treasurer at War and one of the Principal Secretaries of State and Kéeper of the Privy Signet of the said Kingdom a Sentence of death by a Council of War called together by the said Earl of Strafford without any Warrant or Authority of Law or Offence deserving any such punishment And he the said Earl did also at Dublin within the said Realm of Ireland in the month of March in the Fourtéenth year of his Majesties Reign without any Legal or due Procéedings or Trial give and cause to be given a Sentence of Death against one other of his Majesties Subjects whose name is yet unknown and caused him to be put to Death in Execution of the same Sentence THe Manager began to open this Article shewing That though my Lord of Strafford insisted on it That whatever his words were his Actions were not against Law This Article comes properly to reply to that Answer It charging him with exercising of a Tyrannical Power over the Person of a Peer of that Realm And first It was desired that the Sentence of Death against my Lord Mountnorris might be read which was attested on Oath to be that which was delivered by Mr. Secretary Windebanck upon the Commons humble Suit to His Majesty for His leave to have a Copy thereof That the Papers concerning my Lord Mountnorris might be delivered into the House occasioned upon my Lord Mountnorris his Petition to the House in that behalf The Sentence was read Reciting first His Majesties Letter Iuly 21. then last wherein notice is taken of the Respect due to the Deputy and General of His Majesties Army and of the Carriage of my Lord Mountnorris holding a Captains place in the Army in uttering Speeches inciting a Revenge on the Earl of Strafford Lord Deputy and Lord General and Command thereby given on receipt thereof to call a Councel of War and that the Lord Mountnorris should undergo such censure as the said Councel of War should impose for the Lord Deputies full reparation Secondly That a Councel of War was accordingly called the words are also set forth and the occasion as followeth That within three or or four days after the Lord Deputy had Dissolved the Parliament his Lordship sitting in the Presence Chamber one of his Servants in moving a Stool happened to hurt the Lord Deputies Foot then indisposed through an accession of the Gout which being spoken of at the Lord Chancellors Table one said to the Lord Mountnorris being there present it was Your Lordships Kinsman who is one of the Lord Deputies Gentlemen Ushers that did it Whereupon the Lord Mountnorris publickly and in a scornful and contemptuous manner answered Perhaps it was done in Revenge of that publick Affront that my Lord Deputy did me formerly But I have a Brother that would not have taken such a Revenge Thirdly The Sentence likewise sets forth That the Lord Mountnorris would not Answer the said Charge negatively or affirmatively though required by the Councel of War Fourthly That thereupon the Witnesses for proof thereof were called viz. Viscount Moore and Sir Robert Loftus who upon Oath deposed the same words to be so then and there spoken and the Lord Mountnorris at last submitted himself to the Councel protesting that whatsoever interpretation might be put upon his words he intended no hurt to the person of his said Lordship

for him towards the upper end of the Table And there stood charged with several dis-respectful words spoken by him and the words mentioned in the Censure that was read were the words That he was charged to have spoken those words in breach of certain Articles by which the Army of Ireland was Governed the 13th and the 41st That there was much interlocution from my Lord Deputy to my Lord Mountnorris and returned from my Lord Mountnorris to my Lord the substance was That he was ready to give his Charge That he had violated those Articles That my Lord Mountnorris desired time to answer by Counsel and that he might have his Charge in writing That being not readily granted he insisted on it That he might have time to prepare his Answer but was told it was contrary to the form of that proceeding But whether that Objection of the form came from my Lord himself or from some other Member of the Board that I heard before named I cannot possibly say But thus stands the state of it my Lord Mountnorris neither confessing nor denying the Charge my Lord Deputy replyed Sir If you do neither confess nor deny the Charge how shall we proceed The Deputy called on the Lord Moore and said What shall we say to this business My Lord saith the Lord Moore what I can say is under my Hand That a little time after a Letter was read from the King whereby His Majesty was pleased to give direction to proceed in a Martial Court for Reparation and Honour of the Lord Deputy on the Complaint and Information given to the King That my Lord Mountnorris instantly fell on his Knees expressing a great deal of Grief and Sorrow and in truth Passion and had not much to say for himself and soon after was bid to withdraw and being withdrawn my Lord Deputy said That as he had complained to the King so he would expect that Honour from the Board That his Cause should be taken into consideration and such Redress given as was fit He demanded Justice according to the Articles insisted on And having declared it there was a silence amongst us for some time That he was the first that brake that silence and in as humble manner and terms as he could light upon did humbly desire my Lord Deputy to give him leave to ask whether he would give leave to wave either of those Articles but my Lord said he would demand Justice on both That this being so there was some Interlocution of discourse among the Council and in truth he thinks that he was one of the first that said that these Articles and the words cannot bear so good a construction but that there may be some danger of a breach upon these Articles Being asked whether the words were not represented to the Council of War in a Paper written and the Testimony given in pursuance of that Paper He Answered That as he remembers my Lord Moore having made a return to my Lord Deputy My Lord What I can say your Lordship hath under my hand he thinks my Lord Deputy said My Lord if you deny it I have it under your hand to shew And thereupon as he remembers the Clerk of the Council standing by had direction to draw up some Interrogatories which my Lord Moore did acknowledge and Sir Robert Loftus too did affirm that they were spoken by my Lord Mountnorris as much as was mentioned in the Paper Being asked how many Companies of the Army were then in Town how many in a Company and whether they were exercised in a more than ordinary Training and how many Companies the Army consists of He Answered That he thinks the Horse-Troops were 40 or 50 at the most some my Lords own The Foot-Companies were 50. And of those Companies there were he takes it two Horse-Troops besides my Lord 's own Troop and four Foot-Companies they were called up to guard and attend our Occasions in Parliament and they did their Duties as Souldiers every day as indeed my Lord of Strafford was careful of well exercising the Army as any General he ever saw and there are forty Companies of the old standing Army Being asked on my Lord of Straffords Motion Whether my Lord of Strafford did not declare he would not give Judgment in the Cause but Appeal to them as a Suitor for Reparation He Answered That my Lord of Strafford held them to the Point of the Articles demanding Justice on the Articles that he said sometimes he would depend on our Judgment in it and yet he would hold us to the Point of the Articles And further that if there were not a necessity of his being there he would have withdrawn too But my Lord would not give the Council a latitude to proceed according to the King's Letter for Reparation but he held them to the Point of the Articles Being asked on my Lord of Strafford's Motion Whether he did not tell my Lord Mountnorris when he went out of the Room that he would not speak a word till he came into the Room again and whether he did not do it accordingly and whether he sate bare all the while as a Party and not as a Judge In answer he desired leave to offer to their Lordships that he acquainted their Lordships before that as soon as my Lord Mountnorris was withdrawn my Lord did declare what he the Lord Renula had formerly said But after the Council fell into debate of it he spake not a word nor gave any interruption And he cannot positively say that he sate bare all the while Being asked Whether this was not in the time of full Peace and whether any Rebels or Enemies were in the Kingdom He Answered Certainly it was a time of very full and happy Peace To prove that in discourse concerning this Sentence my Lord said afterwards He would not lose the Honour or Share of it The Earl of Cork being asked to that purpose Answered That all he can remember is that the Sentence was publickly read in the Star-Chamber and my Lord said He would not lose his Share in the Honour of it but he cannot remember the day Lord Viscount Dillon asked to that purpose Answered That he happened to be in the Star-Chamber that day by my Lord of Strafford's Command and carried the Sword that day That the reading of the Sentence he remembers not but the words he heard That the Sentence given against my Lord Mountnorris by the Council of War was a noble and just Sentence and for his part he would not lose his share of the Honour of it The Commons proceeded to that part of the Charge which concerns the execution of another man by Martial Law William Castigatt sworn being asked several questions touching that part particularly Whether he knew one executed by Martial Law and by whom c. He Answered Yes his name was Thomas Denewitt and it was last Summer was two years that he was on the Green when he was