because there is no mony to buy their Commodities and are become so deare that no sort of victuall is sold but at a double rate And which is hardest of all the Army is stinted by the Articles of Cessation to stay within these two Countyes whose provisions are all spent expecting from time to time the payment of those moneys which were promised for their reliefe and are reduced to such extremity as they must either starve or sore against their will breake their limited bounds unlesse some speedy course bee taken for their more timous payment that so soone as may be the Arreers may be paid And because the continued payment of that monethly summe for reliefe of the Northerne Countreyes is a Burthen to the Kingdome of England our Army is a trouble to the Country where they reside our charges of entertaining our Army besides what is allowed from England is exceeding great And our losses and prejudice through absence and neglect of our affaires not small Therefore that all evills and troubles of both Kingdomes may be removed it is our earnest desire that the Parliament may be pleased to determine the time and manner of Payment of the 300000 l. which they were pleased to grant towards reliefe of their Brethren that there may be no let about this when matters shall be drawing towards an end And that his Majesty and they may give order for Accelerating matters in the treaty that the peace being concluded England may be eased of the burthen of two Armies and we may returne to our owne homes which is our earnest desire Ad. Blaire The Remonstrance of both the Houses of Parliament unto the King delivered by the Lord Keeper January the 29th 1640. May it please your Majesty YOUR loyall Subjects the Lords and Commons now assembled by your Majesties Writ in the high Court of Parliament humbly represent unto your gracious consideration that Jesuits and Priests ordained by authority from the Sea of Rome remaining in this Realme by a Statute made in the 27 year of Queen Elizabeth are declared Traytors and to suffer as Traytors That this law is not so rigorous 27 Eliz. cap. 2. as some apprehend or would have others to beleeve for that it is restrayned to the naturall born Subjects only and doth not extend to any strangers at all That it is enacted in the first year of King James 1 Jac. cap. 4. that all Statutes made in the time of Queen Elizabeth against Priests and Jesuits be put in due and exact execution And for further assurance of the due execution of these laws the Statute of the third year of King James invites men to the discovery of the offenders by rewarding them with a considerable part of the forfeiture of the Recusants estate So that the Statute of Queen Elizabeth is not only approved but by the judgement of severall Parliaments in the time of King James of happy memory adjudged fit and necessary to be put in execution That considering the state and condition of this present time they conceive this law to be more necessary to be put in strict execution then at any time before that for divers weighty and considerable reasons viz. For that by divers Petitions from the severall parts of this Kingdome complaints are made of the great increase of Popery and Superstition and the people call earnestly to have the laws against Recusants put in execution Priests and Jesuits swarme in great abundance in this Kingdome and appeare here with such boldnesse and confidence as if there were no laws against them That it appeares unto the House of Commons by proofe that of late years about the City of London Priests and Jesuits have been discharged out of Prison many of them being condemned of high Treason They are credibly informed that at this present the Pope hath a Nunciâ— or Agent resident in the City and they have a just cause to believe the same to be true The Papists as publiquely and with as much confidence and importunity resort to Masse at Denmark house and St. James and the Embassadors Chappels as others doe to their Parish Churches They conceive the not putting of these Statutes in execution against Priests and Jesuits is a principall cause of increase of Popery That the putting of these laws in execution tendeth not only to the preservation and advancement of the true Religion established in this Kingdome but also the safety of your Majesties person and security of the State Government which were the principall causes of the making of the Laws against Priests and Jesuits as is manifestly declared in the preamble of the laws themselves which are the best interpreters of the mindes of the makers of them And because the words being penned by the advise and wisdome of the whole state are much more full and clear then any particular mans expression can be they were therefore read as they are vouched those of the 27 year of Queen Elizabeth being thus viz. That the Priests and Jesuits come hither not only to draw the Subjects from their true obedience to the Queen but also to stir up Sedition Rebellion and open hostility within the Realme to the great endangering of the safety of her Royall Person and to the utter ruin desolation and overthrow of the whole Kingdom if not timely prevented and the tenor of the words of the third year of King James are in this manner viz. Whereas divers Jesuits and Priests doe withdraw many of his Majesties Subjects from the true service of Almighty God and the Religion established within this Realme to the Romish Religion and from their loyall obedience to his Majestie and have of late secretly perswaded divers Recusants and Papists and encouraged and imboldned them to commit most damnable Treasons tending to the overthrow of the whole State and Common Wealth if God of his goodnesse and mercy had not within few houres of the intended time of the execution thereof revealed and disclosed the same The Houses did further informe that some Jesuits and Priests had been executed in the time of Queen Elizabeth and King James of happy memory and when any of them have received mercy it was in such time and upon such circumstance as that the same might be extended unto them without dangers whereas now of late there hath been a great apprehension of endevours by some ill agents to subvert Religion and at this present both Kingdomes have a generall expectation of a through reformation And there is already found so ill a consequence of the the late reprieve of John Goodman the Priest that the House of Commons having sent to the Citizens of London for their assistance in the advancement of money for the present and necessary supply of his Majesties army and reliefe of the Northern Counties upon this occasion they have absolutely denyed to furnish the same and how far the like discontent may be effused into other parts of the Kingdom to the interruption of
subscribing our National oath which was not only impiety and injustice in it self and an utter undoing of his Majesties Subiects but was a weakning of the Scots Plantation to the prejudice of that Kingdome and his Majesties service and was a high scandall against the Kings honour and intolerable abuse to his Majesties trust and authority his Majesties Commission which was procured by the Lievetenant bearing no other penalty then a certification of noting the names of the refusers of the oath But by this his restlesse rage and insatiable cruelty against our Religion and Countrey cannot be kept within the bounds of Ireland By this means a Parliament is called And although by the six subsidies granted in Parliament not long before and by the base means which himself and his Officers did use as is contained in a late Remonstrance that Land was extreamly impoverished yet by his speeches full of oathes and asseverations That we were Traytors and Rebels casting off all Monarchicall Government c. he extorted from them foure new Subsidies and indicta causa before we were heard procured that a Warre was udertaken and forces should be levied against us as a rebellious Nation which was also intended to be an example and president to the Parliament of England for granting subsidies and sending a joynt Armie for our utter ruine According to his appointment in Parliament the Armie was gathered and brought down to the Coast threatning a daily invasion of our Countrey intending to make us a conquered Province and to destroy our Religion liberties and Lawes and thereby laying upon us a necessity of vast charges to keep forces on foot on the West coast to wait upon his comming And as the War was denounced and forces leavied before we were heard So before the denouncing of the War our Ships and goods on the Irish Coast were taken and the owners cast in prison and some of them in Irons Frigats were sent forth to scour our Coasts which did take some and burn others of our Barques Having thus incited the Kingdome of Ireland and put his forces in order there against us with all haste he commeth to England In his parting at the giving up of the Sword he openly avowed our utter ruine and desolation in these or the like words If I returne to that honourable Sword I shall leave of the Scots neither root nor branch How soon he commeth to Court as before he had done very evill offices against our Commissioners cleering our proceedings before the poynt So now houseth all means to stir up the King and Parliament against us and to move them to a present war according to the precedent and example of his own making in the Parliament of Ireland And finding that his hopes failed him and his designes succeeded not that way in his nimblenesse he taketh another course that the Parliament of England may be broken up and despising their wisedome and authority not onely with great gladnesse accepteth but useth all means that the conduct of the Army in the expedition against Scotland may be put upon him which accordingly he obtaineth as generall Captain with power to invade kill slay and save at his discretion and to make any one or moe Deputies in his stead to do and execute all the power and authorities committed to him According to the largenesse of his Commission and Letters Patents of his devising so were his deportments afterwards for when the Scots according to their declarations sent before them were comming in a peaceable way far from any intention to invade any of his Majesties Subiects and still to supplicate his Majesty for a setled peace he gave order to his Officers to fight with them on the way that the two Nations once entred in bloud whatsoever should be the successe he might escape triall and censure and his bloudy designs might be put in execution against his Maiesties Subiects of both Kingdomes When the Kings Maiesty was again enclined to hearken to our petitions and to compose our differences in a peaceable way and the Peers of England conveened at Yorke had as before in their great wisedome and faithfulnesse given unto his Maiesties Counsels of peace yet this firebrand still smoaketh and in that honorable Assembly taketh upon him to breath out threatnings against us as Traytors and enemies to Monarchiall government that we be sent home again in our bloud and he will whip us out of England And as these were his speeches in the time of the Treaty appointed by his Maiesty at Rippon that if it had been possible it might have been broken up So when a Cessation of Arms was happily agreed upon there yet he ceaseth not but still his practises were for war His under officers can tell who it was that gave them Commission to draw near in Arms beyond the Teese in the time of the Treaty at Rippon The Governour of Barwicke and Carlile can shew from whom they had their warrants for their Acts of hostility after the cessation was concluded It may be tryed how it cometh to passe that the Ports of Ireland are yet closed our Country-men for the oath still kept in prison traffique interrupted and no other face of affairs then if no cessation had been agreed upon We therefore desire that your Lordships will represent to the Parliament that this great incendiary upon these and the like offences not against particular persons but against Kingdomes and Nations may be put to a tryall and from their knowne and renowned justice may have his deserved punishment 16. December 1640. THE SCOTTISH Commissioners Demand concerning the Sixt ARTICLE COncerning our Sixt demand although it hath often come to passe that these two have been joyned by the bonds of Religion and nature have suffered themselves to be divided about the things of this World and although our Adversaries who no lesse labour the division of the two Kingdomes then we do all seek peace and follow after it as our Common happinesse do presume that this will be the partition wall to divide us and to make us lose all our labours taken about the former demand wherein by the help of God by his Maiesties Princely goodnesse end Iustice and your Lordships noble and equall dealing we have so fully accorded and to keep us from providing for a firm and well grounded Peace by the wisedome and justice of the Parliament of England which is our greatest desire expressed in our last Demand We are still confident that as we shall concerning this Article represent nothing but what is true just and honorable to both Kingdomes So will your Lordships hearken to us and will not suffer your selves by any slanders or suggestions to be drawn out of that straight and safe way wherein ye have walked since the beginning It is now we suppose known to all England especially to both the honorable Houses of Parliament and by the occasion of this Treaty more particularly to your Lordships That our distresses in our Religion
Reprieve him till Satterday May 11th 1641. THis Letter all written with the Kings own hand the Peers this day received in Parliament delivered by the hand of the Prince It was twice read in the House and after serious and sad consideration the House resolved presently to send 12. of the Peers Messengers to the King humbly to signifie that neither of the two intentions expressed in the Letter could with duty in them or without danger to himselfe his dearest Consort the Queene and all the young Princes their Children possibly be advised With all which being done accordingly the reasons shewed to his Maiesty He suffered no more words to come from them but out of the fulnesse of his heart to the observance of Justice and for the contentment of his people told them that what he intended by his Letter was with an if if it may be done without discontentment of his People if that cannot be I say againe the same that I writ fiat justitia My other intention proceeding out of charity for a few dayes respite was upon certain information that his Estate was so distracted that it necessarily required some few dayes for setlement thereof Whereunto the Lords answered their purpose was to be Suitors to his Maiesty for favour to be shewed to his innocent Children and if himselfe had made any provision for them that the same might hold This was well liking to his Maiesty who thereupon departed from the Lords at his Maiesties parting they offered up into his hands the Letter it selfe which he had sent but He was pleased to say my Lords what I have written to you I shall content it be Registred by you in your House In it you see my minde I hope you will use it to my honor This upon returne of the Lords from the King was presently reported to the House by the Lord Privy Seal and ordered that these Lines should go out with the Kings Letter if any copy of the Letter were dispersed THAT BISHOPS ought not to have Votes in PARLIAMENT 1 BEcause it is a very great hinderance to the exercise of their Ministeriall Function 2 Because they doe vow and undertake at their Ordination when they enter into holy Orders that they will give themselves wholly to that Vocation 3. 4 Because Counsells and Canons in severall Ages do forbid them to meddle with secular affairs because 24 Bishops have dependancie on the two Archbishops and because of their Canonicall obedience to them 5 Because they are but for their lives and therefore are not fit to have legislative power over the honors inheritance persons and liberties of others 6 Because of Bishops dependancie and expecting translations to places of great profit 7 That severall Bishops have of late much incroached upon the consciēnces and liberties of the Subjects and they and their Successors will be much incouraged still to incroach and the Subjects will be much discouraged from complaining against such incouragements if 26 of that Order be to be Judges of those complaints the same reason extends to their legislative power in any Bill to passe for the regulation of their power upon any emergent inconveniencie by it 8 Because the whole number of them is interessed to maintaine the jurisdiction of Bishops which hath beene found so grievous to the three Kingdomes that Scotland hath utterly abolished it and multitudes in England and Ireland have petitioned against it 9 Because Bishops being Lords of Parliament it setteth too great a distance betweene them and the rest of their Brethren in the Ministry which occasioneth pride in them discontent in others and disquiet in the Church To their having Votes a long time Answ If inconvenient Time and usage are not to be considered with Law-makers some Abbots voted as anciently in Parliament as Bishops yet are taken away Therefore the Bishops Certificate to plenary of Benefice and loyalty of Marriage the Bill extends not to them For the secular Jurisdictions of the Deane of Westminster the Bishops of Durbam and Ely and the Archbishop of Yorke which they are to execute in their owne persons the former reasons shew the inconveniencies therein For their Temporall Courts and Jurisdictions which are executed by their Temporall Officers the Bill doth not concerne them The Lord Keepers Speech in the Upper House of Parliament Novemb. 3. 1640. My Lords ANd you the Knights Cittizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons you have been summoned by His Majesties Gracious Writ under the great Seal of England and you are here this day assembled for the holding of a Parliament The Writ tels you t is to treat and consult of the High Great and weighty affairs that concern the estate and safety of the Kingdom It tels you true that since the Conquest never was there a time that did more require and pray for the best advice and affection of the English people It is ill viewing of objects by viewing them in multiplying Glasse and it is almost as mischievous in the speech of such a broken Glasse which represents but to the half The onely and the perfect way is to look in a true Mirror I will not take upon me to be a good looker in it I will onely hold it to you to make use of it The Kingdom of England is this multiplying Glasse you may there see a State which hath flourished for divers hundred yeers famous for time of peace and warre glorious at home and ever considerable abroad A Nation to whom never yet any Conqueror gave new Laws nor abolished the old nor would this Nation ever suffer a Conqueror to meddle with their Laws no not the Romanes who yet when as they subdued all the people made it part of the Conquest to leave their Laws in triumph with them For the Saxons Danes and the Normans if this were a time to travell into such particulars it were an easie task to make it appear that it never changed the old established Lawes of England nor ever brought in any new so as you have the frame and constitution of a Common-wealth made glorious by antiquity And it is with States as with persons and families certainly an interrupted pedigree doth give lustre It is glorious in the whole frame wortth your looking upon long and your consideration in every part The King is the head of the Common-wealth the Fountain of Justice the life of the Law He is anima deliciae legis Behold Him in His glorious Ancestors that have so swayed the Scepter of the Kingdome Behold Him in the high attributes and the great prerogatives which so ancient and unalterable Laws have given and invested him with Behold Him in the happy times that we have so long lived under His Monarchiall government For His excellent Majesty that now is our most Gratious Soveraign you had need wipe the Glasse and wipe your eyes and then you shall truely behold him a King of exemplary Pietie and Justice and a King of rare endowments and
security of the Subject enacted immediately before their comming to employment in the contriving whereof themselves were principall Actors The goodnesse and vertue of the King they served and yet the high and publique oppressions that in his time they have wrought And surely there is no man but will conclude with me that as the deficience of Parliaments hath bin the Causa Causarum of all the mischiefes and distempers of the present times so the frequency of them is the sole Catholicke Antidote that can preserve and secure the future from the like danger Mr. Speaker let me yet draw my Discourse a little nearer to his Majesty himselfe and tell you that the frequency of Parliament is most essentially necessary to the power the security the glory of the King There are two wayes Mr. Speaker of powerfull Rule eyther by Feare or Love but one of happy and safe Rule that is by Love that Firmissinum Imperium quo obedientes gaâ—dent To which Camillus advised the Romans Let a Prince consider what it is that mooves a people principally to affection and dearnesse towards their Soveraigne He shall see that there needs no other Artifice in it then to let them injoy unmolested what belongs unto them of right If that have beene invaded and violated in any kind whereby affections are alienated the next consideration for a wise Prince that would be happy is how to regaine them To which three things are equally necessary 1. Re-instating them in their former Libertie 2. Revenging them of the Authors of those violations 3. And securing them from Apprehensions of the like againe The first God be thanked wee are in a good way of The second in warme pursuit of But the third as essentiall as all the rest till we be certain of a Trienniall Parliament at the least I professe I can have but cold hopes of I beseech you then Gentlemen since that security for the future is so necessary to that blessed union of affections and this Bill so necessary to that security Let us not be so wanting to our selves let us not be so wanting to our Soveraigne as to forbeare to offer unto him this powerfull this everlasting Philter to Charme unto him the hearts of his people whose vertue can never evaporate There is no man M. Speaker so secure of anothers friendship but will thinke frequent intercourse and accesse very requisite to the support to the confirmation of it Especially if ill offices have beene done betweene them if the raysing of jealousies hath beene attempted There is no Friend but would be impatient to be debarred from giving his friend succour and reliefe in his necessities Mr. Speaker permit mee the comparison of great things with little what friendship what union can there be so comfortable so happy as betweene a gracious Soveraigne and his people and what greater misfortune can there bee to both then for them to bee kept from entercourse from the meanes of clearing mis understandings from interchange of mutuall benefits The people of England Sir cannot open their Eares their Hearts their Mouthes nor their Purses to his Majesty but in Parliament We can neyther heare Him nor Complaine nor acknowledge nor give but there This Bill Sir is the sole Key that can open the way to a frequency of those reciprocall indearments which must make and perpetuate the happinesse of the King and Kingdome Let no man object any derogation from the Kings Prerogative by it Wee doe but present the Bill 't is to be made a Law by him his Honour his Power will be as conspicuous in commanding at once that Parliament shall assemble every third yeare as in commanding a Parliament to be called this or that yeare there is more of his Majesty in ordayning primary and Vniversall Causes then in the actuaâ—ing particularly of subordinate effects I doubt not but that glorious King Edward the Third when he made those Lawes for the yearely Calling of Parliament did it with a right sence of his dignity and honour The truth is Sir the Kings of England are never in their Glory in their Splendour in their Majesticke Soveraignty but in Parliaments Where is the power of imposing Taxes Where is the power of restoring from incapacities Where is the legislative Authority Marry in the King Mr. Speaker But how In the King circled in fortified and evirtuated by his Parliament The King out of Parliament hath a limitted a circumscribed jurisdiction But waited on by his Parliament no Monarch of the East is so absolute in dispelling Grievances Mr. Speaker in chasing ill Ministers we doe but dissipate Clouds that may gather againe but in voting this Bill we shall contribute as much as in us lyes to the perpetuating our Sunne our Soveraigne in his verticall in his Noone day lustre A Speech of the Honourable NATHANAEL FIENNES In the House of Commons the 9. of Febr. 1640. Mr. Speaker TWO things have fallen into debate this day The first concerning the Londoners Petition whether it should bee committed or no. The other concerning the government of the Church by Arch-bishops Bishops c. whether it should bee countenanced or no. For the first I doe not understand by any thing that I have yet heard why the Londoners Petition should not be committed or countenanced The exceptions that are taken against it are from the irregularities of the delivery of it and from the Subject matter contained in it For the first it is alledged that the long taile of this blazing starre is ominous and that such a number of Petitioners and such a number that brought the Petition to the House was irregular Hereunto I answer that the fault was either in the multitude of the Petitioners or in their carriages and demeanours if a multitude finde themselves agrieved why it should be a fault in them to expresse their grievances more than in one or a few I cannot see nay to me it seemes rather a reason that their Petitions should be committed and taken into serious consideration for thereby they may receive satisfaction though all bee not granted that they desire But if wee shall throw their Petition behind the door and refuse to consider it that it may seeme an act of will in us And whether an act of will in us may not produce an act of will in the people I leave it to your consideration Sure I am acts of will are more dangerous there than here because usually they are more tumultuous All Lawes are made principally for the quiet and peace of a Kingdome and a Law may be of such indifferent nature many times that it is a good reason to alter it onely because a great number desires it if there were nothing else in it and therefore I doe not see that the number of Petitioners is any good reason why it should not bee committed but rather the contrary Now for their carriage there came indeed three or foure hundred of the 15000 some of the better sort of them
the said Earle did raise an Armie in the said Realme of England consisting of eight thousand foot all of which except one thousand or thereabouts were Papists and the said one thousand were drawne out of the old Army there consisting of two thousand foote and in their places there were a thousand Papists or thereabouts put into the said old Army by the said Earle And the more to ingage and tye the new Army of Papists to himselfe and to incourage them and to discourage and weare out the old Armie the said Earle did so provide That the said new Army of Papists were duâ—ly payeâ— and had all necessaries provided for them and permitted the exercise of their Religion but the said old Army were for the space of one whole yeare and upwards unpaid And that the said Earle being appoynted a Commissioner with eleven severall Counties in the Northern parts of England for compounding with Recusants for their forfeitures due to his Majesty which Commission beareth date the eighth day of Iuly in the fifth yeare of his Majesties Reigne that now is and being also Receiver of the Composition Money thereby arising and of other debts Duties and penalties for his Majesties use by Letters Patents dated the 9. day of the said Iuly he to engage the said Recusants to him did compound with with them at low and under rates and provided that they should bee discharged of all proceedings against them in all his Majesties Courts both temporall and Ecclesiasticall in manifest breach of and contrary to the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme in that behalfe established 19 That the said Earle having taxed and levied the said impositions and raised the said Monopolies and committed the said oppressions in his Majesties name and as by his Majesties Royall command he the said Earle in May the 15 yeare of his Majesties Reigne did of his owne authority contrive and frame a new and unusuall oath by the purport whereof among many other things the party taking the said oath was to sweare that he should not protest against any of his Majesties royall commands but submit themselves in all obedience thereunto Which oath he so contrived to enforce the same on the subjects of the Scottish Nation inhabiting in Ireland and out of a hatred to the said Nation and to put them to a discontent with his Majesty his government there and compelled divers of his Majesties said subjects there to take the said oath some he grievously fined and imprisoned and others he destroyed and exiled and namely the 10 of October Anno Dom. 1639. He fined Henry Steward and his wife who refused to take the said oath 5000. pounds a piece and their 2. daughters and Iames Gray 3000. pounds a piece and imprisoned them for not paying the said fines The said Henry Stewards wife and daughters and Iames Gray being the Kings liege people of the Scottish Nation and divers others he used in like manner and the said Earle upon that occasion did declare that the said oath did not onely oblige them in point of allegiance to his Majesty and acknowledgement of his Supremacie only but to the Ceremonies and governement of the Church established or to be established by his Majesties Royall authoritie and said that the refusers to obey he would prosecute to the blood 20 That the said Earle in the 15. and 16. yeares of his Majesties Reigne and divers yeares past laboured and endevoured to beget in his Majestie an ill opinion of his subjects namely those of the Scottish Nation and diverse and sundry times and especially since the Pacification made by his Majestie with his said Subjects of Scotland in Summer in the 15 yeare of his Majesties Reigne he the said Earle did labour and endeavour to perswade incite and provoke his Majestie to an offensive warre against his said Subjects of the Scottish Nation And the said Earle by his counsell actions and endeavours hath beene and is a principall and chiefe incendâ—ary of the warre and discord betweene his Majestie and his Subjects of England and the said Subjects of Scotland and hath declared and advised his Majesty that the demand made by the Scots in this Parliament were a sufficient cause of warre against them The said Earle having formerly expressed the height rancor of his minde towards his Subjects of the Scottish Nation viz. the tenth day of October in the 15. yeare of his Majesties Reâ—gne he said that the Nation of the Scots were â—â—bâ—â—s and traytors and hee beeing then about to come to England he then further said that if it pleased his Master meaning his Majesty to send him backe againe hee would root cut of the said Kingdome meaning the Kingdom of Ireland the Scottish Nation both root and branch Some Lords and others who had taken the said oath in the precedent Article onely excepted and the sayd Earle hath caused divers of the said ships and goods of the Scots to bee stayed seized and molested to the intent to set on the said warre 21. That the said Earle of Strafford shortly after his speeches mentioned in the last precedent Article to wit in the fifteenth yeare of his Majesties Reigne came into this Realme of England and was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and continued his government of that Kingdome by a Deputy At his arrivall here finding that his Majestie with much wisedome and goodnesse had composed the troubles in the North and had made a Pacification with his Subjects of Scotland he laboured by all meanes to procure his Majesty to breake that Pacification incensing his Majesty against his Subjects of that Kingdome and the proceedings of the Parliament there And having incensed his Majestie to an offensive war against his said Subjects of Scotland by Sea and by Land and by pretext thereof to raise Forces for the maintenance of that war he counselled his Majesty to call a Parlament in England yet the said Earle intended if the said proceedings of that Parliament should not be such as would stand with the said Earle of Straffords mischievous designes he would then procure his Majestie to breake the same and by wayes of force and power to raise monies upon the said subjects of this Kingdome And for the incouragement of his Majestie to hearken to his advice he did before his Majesty and his privie Counsell then sitting in Counsell make a large Declaration that he would serve his Majesty in any other way incase the Parliament should not supply him 22 That in the moneth of March before the beginning of the last Parliament the said Earle of Stafford went into Ireland and procured the Parliament of that Kingdome to declare their assistance in a war against the Scots And gave directions for the raising of an Army consisting of 8000. foot and 1000. horse being for the most part Papists as aforesaid And confederating with one Sir George Râ—dcliffe did together with him the said Sir George trayterously conspire to employ the said Army for the
ruine and destruction of the Kingdome of England and of his Majesties Subjects and of altering and subverting of the fundamentall Laws of this Kingdome And shortly after the said Earle of Strafford returned into England and to sundry persons declared his opinion to be that his Majesty should first try the Parliament here and if that did not supply him according to his occasions he might use then his Prerogative as he pleased to levie what he needed and that he should bee acquitted both of God and man hee tooke some other courses to supply himselfe though it were against the will of his Subjects 23. That upon the thirteenth day of Aprill last the Parliament of England met and the Commons house then being the representative Body of all the Commons in the Kingdome did according to the trust reposed in them enter into debate and consideration of the great grievances of of this Kingdome both in respect of Religion and the publike libertie of the Kingdome and his Majestie referring chiefly to the Earle of Strafford and the Archbishop of Canterbury the ordering and disposing of all matters concerning the Parliament He the said Earle of Strafford with the asistance of the said Archbishop did procure his Majesty by sundry speeches and messages to urge the said Commons house to enter into some resolution for his Majesties supply for maintenance of his warre against his Subjects of Scotlaâ—d before any course was taken for the reliefe of the great and pressing grievances wherewith this Kingdome was then afflicted Whereupon a demand was then made from his Majesty of 12. Subsidies for the release of ship-money onely and while the said Commons then assembled with expressions of great affection to his Majestie and his service were in debate and consideration of some supply before resolution by them made he the said Earle of Strafford with the helpe and assistance of the said Archbishop did procure his Majesty to dissolve the last Parliament upon the 5. day of May last and upon the same day the said Earle of Strafford did treacherously falsely and maliciously endeavour to incense his Majesty against his loving faithfull Subjects who had been members of the said house of Commons by telling his Majesty they had denyed to supply him And afterward upon the same did treacherously and wickedly counsell and advise his Majesty to this effects viz. that having tryed the affections of his people he was loose and absolved from all rules of government and was to doe every thing that power would admit and that his Majesty had tryed all ways and was refused and should be acquitted both of God and man that he had an Army in Ireland meaning the Army above mentioned consisting of Papists his dependants as is aforesaid which he might imploy to reduce this Kingdome to obedience 24 That in the same month of May he the said Earl of Strafford falsly treacherously and maliciously published and declared before others of his Majesties Privie Counsell that the Parliament of England had forsaken the King and that in denying to supply the King they had given him the advantage to supply himselfe by other wayes and divers other times he did maliciously wickedly and falsely publish and declare that seeing the Parliament had refused to supply his Majesty in the ordinary and usuall way the King might provide for the Kingdome in such waies as he should hold fit and that he was not to suffer himselfe to be mastered by the frowardnesse of the people And having so maliciously slandered the said house of Commons he did with the helpe and advice of the said Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Finch late Lord Keeper of the great Seal of England cause to be printed and published in his Majesties name a false and scandalous book entituled his Majesties Declaration of the causes that mooved him to dissolve the last Parliament full of bitter and malicious invectives and false and scandalous aspersions against the said house of Commons 25 That not long after the dissolution of the said last Parliament viz. In the moneths of May and Iune he the Earle of Strafford did advise the King to goe on rigorously in leavying the Ship-money and did procure the Sheriffes of severall Countries to be sent for for not leavying the Ship-money divers of which were threatned by him to be sued in the Starre-Chamber and afterwards by his advice were sued in the Star-chamber for not leavying the same and divers of his Majesties loving Subjects were sent for and imprisoned by his advice about that and other illegall payments And a great loane of a hundred thousand pounds was demanded of the City of London and the Lord Major and the Aldermen and the Sheriffes of the said City were often sent for by his advice to the Councell Table to give an account of their proceedings in raising of Ship-money and furthering of that loane and were required to certifie the names of such Inhabitants of the said City as were fit to lend which they with much humility refusing to doe he the said Earle of Strafford did use these or the like speeches viz. That they deserved to be put to Fine and Ransom and that no good would be done with them till an example were made of them and they were laid by the heeles and some of the Aldermen hanged up 26 That the said Earle of Strafford by his wicked Counsell having brought his Majesty into excessive charges without any just cause he did in the month of Iuly last for the support of the said great charges counsell and approve two dangerous and wicked Projects viz. To seize upon the Bullion and the money in the Mint And to imbase his Majesties Coyne with the mixtures of Brasse And accordingly we procured one hundred and thirty thousand pounds which was then in the Mint and belonging to divers Merchants Strangers and others to bee seized on and stayed to his Majesties use And when divert Merchans of London owners of the said Bullion came to his house to let him understand the great mischiefe that course would produce here and in other parts what prejudice it would bee to the Kingdome by discrediting the Mint and hindring the importation of Ballion hee the said Earle told them that the City of London dealt undutifully and unthankfully with his Majesty and that they were more ready to helpe the Rebell than to helpe his Majesty and that if any hurt came to them they may thank themselves and that it was the course of other Princes to make use of such monies to serve their occasions And when in the same Moneth of Iuly the Officers of his Majesties Mint came to him and gave him divers reasons against the imbasing the said money hee told them that the French King did use to send Commissaries of Horse with Commission to search into mens estates and to peruse their accounts so that they may know what to levie of them by force which they did accordingly leavie and turning
it like a busie angry Waspe his sting is in the tayle of every thing wee have likewise this day heard the report of the conference yesterday and in it the accusation which the Scottish Nation hath charged him withall and we doe all know he is guilty of the same if not more herein this Kingdome Master Speaker hee hath beene the great and common enemie of all goodnesse and good men and it is not safe that such a Viper should be neare his Majesties person to distill his poyson into his sacred eares nor is it safe for the Common-wealth that he sit in so eminent a place of government being thus accused wee know what we did in the Earle of Straffords case this man is the corrupt fountaine that hath infected all the streames and till the Fountaine be purged we can never expect or hope to have cleare channels I shall be therefore bold to offer my opinion and if Jerre it is the error of my judgement and not my want of zeale and affection to the publique good I conceive it is most necessary and fit that we should now take up a resolution to doe somwhat to strike while the iron is hot and to goe up to the Lords in the names of the Commons of this House and in the names of the Commons of England and to accuse him of high Treason and to desire their Lordships his person may be sequested and that in convenient time wee may bring up his charge FINIS A Message sent from the Queenes Majestie to the House of Commons by Mr. Comptroller 5o. Febr. 1640. THat her Majestie hath beene ready to use her best endeavours for the removing of all misunderstanding between the King and people That at the request of the Lords who petitioned the King for a Parliament her Majestie at that time writ effectually to the King and sent a Gentleman expresly to perswade the King to the holding of a Parliament That shee hath since beene most willing to doe all good Offices betweene the King and his People which is not unknowne to divers of the Lords and so shall ever continue to doe as judging it the onely way of happinesse to the King her selfe and Kingdome That all things be justly setled betweene the King and his people and all cause of misunderstanding taken away and removed That her Majestie having taken a knowledge that having one sent to her from the Pope is distastfull to this Kingdome She is desirous to give satisfaction to the Parliament which is convenient time shee will doe and remove him out of the Kingdome That understanding likewise that Exception had beene taken to the great resort to the Chappell of Denmark House shee will be carefull not to exceed that which is convenient and necessary for the Exercise of her Religion Shee further taketh notice that the Parliament is not satisfied with the manner of raising mony for the assistance of the King in his Journey to the North in the yeare 1639 at her entreaty from the Catholiques Shee was moved thereunto meerely out of her deere and tender affection to the King and of the Example of other his Majesties Subjects She seeing the like forwardnesse shee could not but expresse her forwardnesse to the assistance of the King If any thing be illegall shee was ignorant of the Law and was carried therein onely out of a great desire to be assisting to the King in so pressing an occasion but promiseth to be more cautious hereafter not to doe any thing but may stand with the established Lawes of the Kingdome Her Majestie being desirous to imploy her whole power to unite the King and people desireth the Parliament to looke forwards and passe by such mistakes and errors of her Servants as may be formerly committed And this your respect shee promiseth shall be repayed with all the good Offices shee can doe to the House which you shall finde with reall effects as often as there shall be occasion FINIS The Report of the Kings Message by the Lords to the House of Commons January 25. 1640. THat the occasion of his Majesties taking knowledge of the Conviction of John Goodman the Priest lately reprived was upon the constant order that hath been taken for divers yeares that the Recorder hath at the end of every Sessions attended his Majestie with the names of the persons convicted with an expression of their offences to the end that his Majestie might be truly enformed of the Natures of their Crimes and consequently not to be enduced by information to reprive such as were fit for grace and mercy And thereupon that he was lately Condemned for being in order of a Priest meerely and was acquited of the Charge of perverting the Kings people in their beliefe and had never beene Condemned or Banished before His Majestie is tender in matter of blood in Cases of this nature In which Queene Elizabeth and King James have beene often mercifull but to secure his people that this man shall doe no more hurt Hee is willing that he be imprisoned or banished as their Lordships shall advise And if he returne into the Kingdome to be put to Execution without delay And Hee will take such fit course for the expulsion of other Priests and Jesuites as Hee shall be councelled unto by your Lordships And that Hee doth not intend by this particular Mercie to lessen the force of the Lawes FINIS SIR THOMAS ROE his Speech in Parliament 1640. IT is a generall opinion that the trade of England was never greater and it may be true that if it be so yet it will not absolutely conclude that the Kingdome doth increase in riches for the Trade may by very aboundant and yet by consumption and importance of more then is expected the stocke may waste The Ballance would be a true solution of the Question if it could be rightly had but by reason it must be made up by a Medium of the Books of Rates it will be very uncertaine Therefore we must seeke another rule that is more sensible upon which wee may all judge and that may be by the plenty or scarcity of money for it is a true rule If money increase the Kingdome doth gaine by Trade if it be scarce it loseth Let us therefore consider first whether our Gold and Silver be not decreased and then by what meanes it is drayned and lastly how it may be prevented and what Remedies are appliable to effect it It is out of doubt our Gold is gone to travaile without Licence that is visible beyond Seas and every receiver of summes of money must find it privately and I feare the same of Silver for observing the species of late Coyning many halfe Crownes were stamped which are no more to be seene and by this measure I conclude the Kingdome growes poore The causes of this decay of Money may be many It may be stolne out for profit going much higher beyond Seas especially in France and Holland Much hath been
as great Returnes betweene Dansick and Naples as the value of our Cloth which is one million yearely and this in a due place I desire should have his due weight and consideration We have one helpe more if we knew how to use it that is by the new drained Lands in the Fens most fit for Flax and Hempe to make all sorts of Linnen for the body for the house and sayles for ships that is a Dutch and French Trade but in Holland one Acre of Ground is rented at three pounds which if the Hollanders may have in the Fens for 10. s. or 12. s. it will bee easie to draw the manufacture into England which will set infinite people aworke and we may be able to serve other Nations with that which we buy deare from them and then the state and Kingdome will be happy and rich when the Kings customes shall depend upon commodities exported and those able to returne all things which wee want and then our money must stay within our Kingdome and all the trade returne in money To incourage you to this I give you one Example That if the severall sorts of Callicoes made of Cotton-Woolls in the Moguls and Dans Dominions doth cloathe from head to foot all Asia a part of Europe Aegypt much of Africa and the Easterne Islands as farre as Sumatra which makes that Prince without Mines the richest Prince in the world by his Majesties Grace and Priviledges granted to the Dutch I am confident wee may make an undersell in all Linnen cloath in all the Nations in Europe But I have now wandred far from my Theme which was the decay of Trade and of Woollen commodity I must first therefore present to your consideration the causes thereof in my observations whereof some are internall and some externall The internall have proceeded from her owne false making as stretching and such like practises whereby indeed our Cloath is discredited I speake by experience from Dansick and Holland Northward to Constantinople as I will instance in due time This false Lucre of our owne and the interruption in the dying and dressing projected and not overcome gave the first wound though could it have been compassed it had doubled the value of our Commodity This hath caused the Dutch Silesians and Venetians to attempt the making of Cloath and now by experience as I am informed the halfe is not vented that was in the former Age. Another internall cause hath risen from such Impositions as hath made our cloth too deare abroad and consequently taught others to provide for themselves Another internall cause hath sprung from pressaries upon tender Consciences that many of our Clothiers and others have forsaken the Kingdome and carried their Arts with them to the unexpressible detriment of the Common-wealth The externall causes have beene the want of perfection and countenance to our Merchants established abroad in Factories by the State and by the Treaties whereby the Capitulations have not beene kept nor assured unto them neither in Prussia nor in the Sound nor Hamburgh nor Holland nor in the East And this I dare say that Laban never changed Jacobs wages so often as the Hollanders have forced our Merchants to change their residences and the very course of this Trade by Lawes and Tricks for their own advantage of which the Merchant-adventurers will more fully informe you Another externall cause is lamentable Report the increase of the Pyrates and the insecurity of the Mediterranean Seas whereby Bristow and the Westerne Ports that cannot have so great shipping as London are beaten out of Trade and fishing and if once those Theeves shall find the way to Banke and new-found Land they will undoe the West parts of England I will trouble you with a Consideration very considerable in our Government Whether indeed London doth not monopolize all Trade In my opinion it is no good state of a body to have a fat Head thin Guts and leane Members But to bring something before you of Remedy I say thus for my first ground That if our Cloth be not vented as in former yeares let us imbrace some other way to spend and vent our Wools. Cloth is a heavy and hot wearing and serves but one cold corner of the World But if we imbrace the new Draperies and encourage the Wallons and others by Priviledges and Naturalizations wee shall imploy all the wooll wee have set more people a worke then by Cloth and a pound of wooll in those stuffes true made will out-sell two pounds in Cloth And thus wee may supply France Italy Spain Barbary and some parts of Asia by such light and fine stuffes as will fit those warmen Regions and et have sufficient for the cold Clymates to be spent and adventured in true made Cloth by the reputation both of our Nation and commodity But in this course I must observe that these strangers so fit to be nourished and being Protestants may have priviledges to use their owne rights in Religion so as they be not scandalous as the Dutch and French had granted unto them by Queen Elizabeth And certainly the setling of Religion secure in England the feare whereof made many weake minds to waver and abandon this Countrey is and will be a great meanes to resettle both the great and lesser manufactures of woollen commodities For the externall causes wee must flye to the Sanctuary of his Majesties gracious goodnesse and protection who I am confident when the whole businesse shall be prepared for him and that we have shewed him our duty and love and settled his customs in such a bountifull way as hee may reape his part of the fruit of Trade I am confident I say that he will vouchsafe you all favour fit to be conferred upon good Subjects and not onely protect you abroad by his forces and authority and by treaties with his neighbours but by increasing the priviledges of Merchants at home and confirming all their Charters the breach whereof hath beene a great discouragement unto them and without which duely observed they cannot regulate their Trade There are some particulars in the Spanish Trade perhaps worthy of animadversion as under-selling good commodity to make money or barter for Tobacco to the imbasement of our owne Staple for Smoake which in a due place ought to bee taken into Regulation Another consideration for a ground for Trade ought to be the nature of it with whom and for what wee trade and which Trade is more principally to bee nourished which out of doubt are the Northern Trades which are the root of all other because the materials brought from those parts as from Wx Muscove Norway Prussia and Livonia are fundamentall and of absolute necessity for from these Trades we get the materials of Shipping as Pitch Tarre Cordage Masts and such like which inable us to all the Southerne Trades of themselves of lesse use being onely Wine Fruit Oranges and Curiosities for Sauces or effeminacy but by these we sayle to
My Lord Keeper did first let us know that his Majesty had commanded the Lords Commissioners of the great Councell to give an account of their Treaties at Yorke and Rippon to both Houses and of his Majesties gracious intentions in a businesse so much importing the honour and safety of the Kingdome that there might be made a faithfull relation with all candor and clearnesse which was the summe of his Majesties instructions His Lordship declaring that my Lords of the upper House for the saving of time had thought fit to give this account to a Committee of both Houses which hath occasioned the meeting at this Conference and election being made of the Earle of Bristoll by the Lords Commissioners he began his Narration directed to the Lords of the upper House and to the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the house of Commons and thus the Earle of Bristoll began That the Lords Commissioners intended not to looke further back into the businesse then the Acts of their own imployments They did intend to give no account of the pacification interrupted nor war renewed no account how the Armies in England Ireland and by Sea were designed nor of any occasion They purposed not to lay fault upon any man nor to enquire into the cause why the Scots as they pretended from necessity were drawne to enter this Kingdome nor why the Kings Army when service was to be done was out of the way But that those through whose hands these have passed might hereafter give their own account His Lordship told us that his Majesty was pleased to call his great Councell at Yorke to whom he made two propositions The first was how his Army which seemed to be in distresse for want of pay should be relieved and maintained To this to shew their duties to the King the Lords resolved to ingage themselves and to that purpose to send chosen Deputies to London to negotiate a supply The second proposition was that after the Scots had passed Northumberland taken Newcastle and possessed the Bishopricke of Duresme they sent a Petition to his Majesty which containeth in generall termes a desire to have their grievances taken into consideration Which Petition and Answer thereunto was read unto us A. N. A. and presented for our clearer understanding Upon receipt of his Majesties Answer the Scotish Lords sent his Majesty a second Petition directed in a Letter to the Earle of Lanrick K. Q. in which they made their particular demands and declared that according to his Majesties command they would advance no further and this Petition was also read and delivered unto us of which his Lordship desired that great Assembly to take especiall notice for that much of the future discourse would depend upon it The businesse thus stated at the great Councell the second proposition was what Answer should be made to that Petionary Letter and in what manner it should be carried In which his Majesty required their Councell Whereupon the Lords replyed that it was impossible for them to give any well grounded advice unlesse the true state of his affaires and the Condition of his Army were laid before them Whereupon his Majesty commanded the Earle of Traquaire N. L. to make the Narration of the Scotish businesse and their late Acts of Parliament and the Lord Lievtenant generall to give an account in what condition the Army stood and what was answered by my Lord Lievtenant was read in his owne words Besides this declaration the Earle of Bristoll delivered upon a further enquiry how the state of the businesse then stood That the Scots Army had passed Northumberland without resistance that they had disputed the passage of the River of Tyne at Newburne where our horse retyred in disorder that his Majesties foot Army consisting of twelve or fourteene thousand men in Newcastle likewise retired to Yorke whereby the Towne of Newcastle a place of great consideration was without one stroke strucken fallen into the Scots hands and the Bishopricke of Duresme drawn under Contribution That in this state the Gentry of the Bishopricke repayred to Master Treasurer who carryed them to his Majesty from whom they were referred to my Lord Lievtenant of the Army who gave them this answer positively That they could looke for no help nor protection from the King and therefore they might use the best meanes they could to preserve their lives and estates Whereby those distressed Provinces the ancient Bulwarks of this Kingdome full of brave and valiant men being now fallen into the power of an Army which of necessity must live were forced to consent to a contribution by Treaty and a very heavy one though such without which the Scotish Army could not subsist The agreement was 350. l. a day for the Bishopricke of Duresme 300. l. a day for Northumberland 200. a day for the Towne of Newcastle in all 850. l. a day which should it continue would amount unto 300000. l. for one yeare These Gentlemen much lamented their estates that the Scots should be irritated as they call it by being proclaimed Traytors His Lordship made a little digression and asked leave to speake truth in such language as the Scots had presented their state unto them That having proclamation made against them being threatned with a great Army of thirty or forty thousand men another of ten thousand out of Ireland and by Parliament declared Traytors and Rebels and having heard of another Army providing of eight or ten thousand by shipping to hinder their Trade at least their Commerce with England that they were drawne together by necessity as they pretended of defence further alledging that it was a common discourse of which they had seene papers that they should bee reduced into a Province which would be but one Summers worke and therefore they having drawne their power together as any Nation would doe and being assembled and their Country being poore taking advantage of the time and that all those Armies that should oppose them were out of the way and those unfortunate Provinces left like a list of Cloath they were forced to enter in England that thus they had lamented and thus the state stood before the Lords when it was examined in the great Councell Thus their Lordships found that the Scots had increased their confines neere fourescore miles in England and had passed the Rivers of Tweed and Tyne and that the River of Tees the boundary of Yorkeshire Duresme being possessed was not to be defended being foordable in many places by forty horse a front that if the Scots should passe that River there was no possibility to hinder them from comming to Yorke or to any part of England without hazarding a Battell which my Lord Lievtenant had declared unto them he would not advise for though the Kings Army consisted of seventeene or eighteene thousand good bodies of men yet being untrained and unused to Armes he would be loath to hazzard such an Adventure upon them but if they
MY Lord Primate of Ireland and my Lords and the rest of these noble Gentlemen It is a great comfort to me to have your Lordships by me this day because I have been known to yours long time and I now desire to be heard a few words I come here my Lords to pay my last debt to sin which is death and through the mercies of God to rise again in eternall glory My Lords if I may use a few words I shall take it as a great curtesie from you I am come here my Lords to submit to the judgement that is passed against me I do it with a very quiet and contented minde I do freely forgive all the world a forgivenesse not from the teeth outwards as they say but from my heart I speak it in the presence of Almighty God before whom I stand that there is not a displeasing thought that arifeth in me against any man I thank God I say truely my conscience bears me witnesse that in all the honour I had to serve his Majesty I had not any intention in my heart but did aime at the joynt and individuall prosperity of the King and his people although it be my ill hap to be misconstrued I am not the first man that hath suffered in this kinde it is a common portion that befalls men in this life righteous judgement shall be hereafter here we are subject to errors and misiudging one another One thing I desire that I might be heard and do hope that for Christian charities sake I shall be beleeved That I was so farre from being against Parliaments that I alwayes did think Parliaments in England to be the happy constitutions of the Kingdome and Nation and the best means under God to make the King and his people happy As for my death I do hear acquit all the world and beseech God to forgive them In particular I am very glad his Majesty conceives me not meriting so severe and heavy a punishment as the utmost execution of this sentence I do infinitely rejoyce in it and in the mercy of his and do beseech God to return to him the same that he may finde mercy when he hath most need of it I wish this Kingdom all prosperity and happinesse in the world I did it living and now dying it is my wish And I professe heartily and do humbly recommend it to you and wish that every man would lay his hand on his heart and consider seriously whether the beginning of the peoples happinesse should be written in letters of bloud I fear they are in a wrong way I desire Almighty God that no one drop of my bloud rise up in judgement against them I have but one word more and that is for my Religion My Lord of Armagh I do professe my self seriously faithfully and truly to be an obedient sonne of the Church of England in that Church I was borne and bred in that Religion I have lived and now in that I dye prosperity and happinesse be ever to it It hath been said I was inclined to Popery if it be an obiection worth the answering let me say truly from my heart that since the time that I was 21. yeers of age unto this day going on 49. yeers I never had thought or doubt of the truth of this Religion nor had ever any the boldnesse to suggest to me the contrary to my best remembrance and so being reconciled to the mercies of Christ Jesus my Saviour into whose bosome I hope shortly to be gathered to enioy eternall happinesse which shall never have end I desire heartily to be forgiven of every man if any rash or unadvised words or deeds hath passed and desire all your prayers and so my Lord farewell and farewell all things in this world The Lord strengthen my faith and give me confidence and assurance in the merits of Christ Jesus I trust in God we shall all meete to live eternally in Heaven and receive the accomplishment of all happinesse where every fear shall be wiped from our eyes and sad thought from our hearts And so God blesse this Kingdome and Jesus have meroy on my soul Then turning himself about he saluted all the Noblemen and took a solemne leave of all considerable persons on the Scaffold giving them his hand And after that he said Gentlemen I would say my prayers and I intreat you all to pray with me and for me then his Chaplain laid the book of Common-prayer upon the chair before him as he kneeled down on which he praied almost a quarter of an houre then he prayed as long or longer without a book and ended with the Lords prayer then standing up he spies his brother Sir George Wentworth and cals him to him and saith brother we must part remember me to my sister and to my wife and carry my blessing to my eldâ—st sonne and charge him from me that he fear God and continue an obedient sonne of the Church of England and that he should approve himself a faithfull subject to the King and tell him that he should not have any private grudge or revenge towards any concerning me and bid him beware that he medle not with Church livings for that will prove a moth and canker to him in his estate and wish him to content himself to be a servant to his Country as a Justice of peace in his County and not aiming at higher preferments carry my blessing also to my daughters Anne and Arrabella charge them to fear and serve God and he will blesse them not forgetting my little Infant that yet knowes neither good nor evill and cannot speak for it self God speak for it and blesse it then sayd he now I have nigh done one stroke will make my wife husbandlesse my dear children fatherles and my poore servants master lesse and seperate me from my dear brother and all my friends but let God be to you and them all in all After that going to take off his doublet and to make himselfe unready he sayd I thank God I am no more afraid of death nor daunted with any discouragements rising from any fears but do as cheerfully put off my doublet at this time or ever I did when I went to bed Then he put off his doublet and wound up his hair with his hands and put on a white cap. Then he called where is the man that should do this last office meaning the Executioner call him to me When he came and askt him forgivenesse he told him he forgave him and all the World Then kneeling down by the block he went to prayer again himself the Bishop of Armagh kneeling on the one side and the Minister on other to the which Minister after prayer he turned himself and spoke some few words softly having his hands lifted up this Minister closed his hands with his then bowing himself to the earth to lay his head on the blocke he told the Executioner that he would first lay down his hâ—ad to
this next Michaelmas Let thither also reach their prescribed time for liberty And that till then their protections shall remain in as full vertue and authority as if the Parliament were actually sitting To the Right Honorable the LORD Deputie SHewing that in all ages past since the happy subiection of this Kingdome to the imperiall Crown of England it was and is a principall study and Princely care of his Maiesty and his most Noble Progenitors Kings and Queens of England and Ireland to the vast expence of Treasure and bloud that their loyall and dutifull people of this land of Ireland being now for the most part derived from the Brittish Ancestor should be governed according to the municipiall and fundamentall lawes of England that the Statute of Magna Charta or the great Charter for the liberties of England and other laudable lawes and Statutes were in severall Parliaments here enacted and declared that by the means thereof and of the most prudent and benigne government of his Maiestie and his royall Progenitors this Kingdome was untill of late in its growth to a flourishing estate whereby the said people were hertofore enabled to answer their humble and naturall desires to comply with his Maiesties Royall and Princely occasions by the free gift of 150000 l. ster and likewise by another gift of 120000 l. ster more during the government of the Lord Viscount Faulk-land and after by the gift of 40000. l. and their free and chearfull gift of 6. entire Subsidies in the 10. year of his Maiesties Reign which to comply with his Maiesties then occasions signified to the then H. of Commons they did allow should amount in the collections unto 250000. l. although as they confidently beleeve if the sayd Subsidies had not been levied in a moderate Parliamentary way they would not have amounted to much more than half the said sum besides the four entire Subsidies granted in this present Parliament So it is may it please your Lordship that by the occasion of the ensuing and other grievances and innovations though to his Maiestie no considerable profit this Kingdome is reduced to that extreme and universall poverty that the same is now lesse able to pay a Subsidie then it was heretofore to satisfie all the before recited great payments and his Maiesties most faithfull people of the same do conceive great fears that the grievances and the consequences therof may hereafter be drawn into precedents to be perpetuated upon their posterity which in their great hopes and strong belief they are perswaded is contrary to his Maiesties Royall and Princely intention towards his said people some of which said grievances are as followeth I. First the generall and apparent decay of Trades occcasioned by the new and illegall raysing of the book of Rates and Impositions as xii d. a piece custome for Hides bought for 3.4 or 5. s. and many other heavie Impositions upon native and other commodities exported and imported by reason thereof and of the extream usage and sensures Marchants are beggered and both disinabled and discouraged to trade and some of the honorable persons who gain thereby are often Iudges and parties and that in conclusion his Maiesties profit therby is not considerably advanced II. Secondly the arbitrary decision of all civill causes and controversies by paper petitions before the Lord Lievetenant and Lord Deputy and infinite other Iudicators upon references from them derived in the nature of all actions determinable at the Common-law not limited unto certain times seasons causes and things whatsoever and the consequence of such proceedings by receiving imomoderate and unlawfull fees by Secretaries Clerkes Pursivants Serjants at Armes and otherwise by which kinde of proceedings his Majesty loseth a considerable part of his Revenue upon originall writs and otherwise and the Subject loseth the benefit of his writ of error Bill of reversall vouchers and other legall and just advantages and the ordinary course and Courts of Justice declined III. Thirdly the proceedings in civill causes at the Councell boord contrary to the law and great Charter and not mitted to any certain time or season IV. Fourthly that the Subject is in all the materiall parts thereof denyed the benefit of the principall graces and more especially of the Statute of Limitations of the 21. Jan. granted by his Majesty in the 4 year of this Reign upon great advice of the Counsell of England and Ireland and for great consideration and th n published in all the Courts of Dublin and in all the Courts of this Kingdome in open Assizes whereby all persons do take notice that contrary to his Majesties plous intention his Subiects of this Land have not enioyed the benefit of his Maiesties Princely promise thereby made V. Fiftly the extraiudiciall avoyding of Letters Patents of estates of a very great part of his Maiesties Subiects under the great Seale the publique faith of the Kingdome by private opinions delivered at Councell Boord without legall Evictions of their estates contrary to the Law and without precedent or example of any former age VI. Sixtly the Proclamation for the sole exemption and uttering of Tobacco which is bought at very low Rates and uttered at high and excessive Rates by means wherof thousands of Families within this Kingdome and of his Maiesties subiects in severall Islands and other parts of the West Judies as your Petitioners are informed are destroyed and the most part of 〈◊〉 Coyne of this Kingdome is ingrossed into particular hands Insomuch that your Petitioners do conceive that the profit arising and ingrossed thereby doth surmount his Maiesties Revenues certaine and casuall within this Kingdome and yet his Maiestie receiveth but very little profit by the same VII Seventhly the unusuall and unlawfull increasing of Monopolies to the advantage of few to the disprofit of his Maiesty and the impoverishment of his people VIII Eighthly the extream and cruell usage of certain late Commissioners and other towards the Brittish Farmers and Inhabitants of the City and County of London-derry by meanes whereof the worthy plantation of that Country is almost destroyed and the Inhabitants are reduced to great poverty and many of them forced to forsake the Country the same being the first and most usefull Plantation in the large Province of Vlster to the great weakning of the Kingdome in this time of danger the sayd Plantation being the principall strength of those parts IX Ninthly the late erection of the Court of high Commission for causes Ecclesiasticall in these necessitous times the proceedings of the sayd Court in many causes without legall warrant and yet so supported as prohibitions have not been obtained though legally sought for and the excessive fees exacted by the ministers thereof and the incroaching of the same upon the iurisdiction of other Ecclesiasticall Courts of this Kingdome X. Tenthly the exorbitant and Barbarous Fees and pretended Customes exacted by the Clergie against the Law some of which have beene formerly represented to your Lordship XI Eleventhly the
price of moneys must rise and fall to fit their occasions we see this by raising the Exchange of Franckford and other places of their usuall time of the Marts This frequent and daily change in the Low-Countries of their moneys is no such injustice to any there as it would be here for there they being all Merchants or mechanicks they can rate accordingly their labour and their Ware whether it be Coyne or other merchandize to the present condition of their own money in Exchange And our English Merchants to whose profession it properly belongeth do so according to their just intrinsique valew of their forreign Coyn in all barter of commodities or Exchange except usance which we that are rated and tyed by the extrinsiques measure of moneys in all our constant reckonigs and annuall bargains at home cannot do And for us then to raise our Coyn at this time to equall their proportions were but to render our selves to a perpetuall incertainty for they will raise upon us daily them again which we of course shall follow else receive no profit by this present change and so destroy the Policie Justice honor and tranquilitie of our State for ever To the Right Honourable the Lord Deputy The â—â—mble and just Remonstrance of the Knights Cittizens and Burgesses in Parliament assembled SHewing that in all ages since the happy subjection of this Kingdome to the Imperiall Crowne of England it was and is a principall study and Princely care of his Majesty and his most noble Progenitors Kings and Queens of England and Ireland to the vast expence of treasure and blood That their loyall and dutifull people of this Land of Ireland beeing now for the most part derived from Brittish Ancestors should be governed according to the municipall and fundamentall Lawes of England That the statute of Magna Charta or the great Charter of the liberties of England and other laudable lawes and statutes were in severall Parliaments heere enacted and declared that by the means thereof of the most prudent benign government of his Majestie his Royall Progenitors this Kingdome was untill of late in its growth a flourishing estate whereby the said people were heretofore enabâ—ed to aâ—â—iver their humble and naturall desires to comply with his Majesties Princely and royall occasions by their free gift of 150. thousand pounds sterling and likewise by another free gift of 120. thousand pounds more during the government of the Lord Viscount Faulkland and after by the gift of 40. thousand pounds and their free and cheerefull gift of siâ—â— intire Subsidies in the tenth yeare of his Majesties Reignâ— which to comply with his Majesties then occasions signified to the then house of Commons they did allow should ammount in the Collections unto 2 hundred and fifty thousand pounds although as they confidently believe if the Subsidies had been levyed in a moderate Parliamentary way they would not have amounted to much more then halfe the sum aforesaid besides the foure intire Subsidies graunted in this present Parliament Soe it is may it please your Lordship by the occasion of insuing and other grievances and Innovations though to his Majesty no considerable profit this Kingdome is reduced to that extreame and universall poverty that the same is lesse able to pay 2 Subsidies then it was hertofore to satisfie all the before-recyted great payments his Majesties most faithfull people of the Land do conceive great fears that the said grievances and consequences thereof may be hereafter drawne into presidents to be perpetuated upon their posterity which in their great hopes and strong beliefe they are perswaded is contrary to his Royall and Princely intention towards his said people of which greivances are as followeth 1 First the generall apparant decay of Trades occasioned by the new and illegall raising of the booke of rates and impositions upon native and other Commodities exported and imported by reason whereof and of extreame usage and censures Merchants are beggered both and disinabled and discouraged to Trade and some of the honourable persons who gaine thereby often Iudges and parties And that in the conclusion his Majesties profit thereby is not considerably advanced 2. The arbitrary decision of all civill causes and controversies by paper petitions before the Lord Lieutenant and Lord Deputy and infinite other Iudicatories upon references from them derived in the nature of all actions determinable at the Common Law not limited into certaine time cause season or thing whatsoever And the consequences of such exceeding by immoderate and unlawfull fees by Secretaries Clarkes Pursivants Serjeants at Armes and otherwise by which kinde of proceedings his Majesty looseth a considerable part of his revenue upon originall writs and other wise and the Subject looseth the benefit of his writ of Error bill of reversall vouchees and other legall and just advantages and the ordinary course and Courts of Iustice declined 3. The proceedings in civill causes at Counsell board contrary to the Law and great Charter not limited to any certaine time or season 4 That the Subject is in all the materiall parts thereof denyed the benefit of the Princely graces and more especially of the statute of limitations of 21. of Iac. Graunted by his Majesty in the fourth yeare of his Raigne upon great advice of Counsell of England and Ireland and for great consideration and then published in all the Courts of Dublin and in all the Counties of this Kingdome in open assizes whereby all persons doe take notice that contrary to his Majesties pious intentions his Subjects of this land have not enjoyed the benefit of his Majesties Princelie promise thereby made 5. The extrajudiciall avoyding of Letters Pattents of estates of a very great part of his Majesties subjects under the great Seale the publique faith of the Kingdome by private opinions delivered at the Counsell board without legall evictions of their estates contrary to the law and without president or example of any former age 6. The Proclamation for the sole emption and uttering of Tobacco which is bought at every low rates and uttered at high and excessive rates by meanes whereof thousands of families within this Kingdome and of his Majesties Subjects in severall Ilands and other parts of the West Indies as your Petitioners are informed are destroyed and the most part of the coyn of this Kingdome is ingross ed into particular hands Insomuch as the petitioners do conceive that the proffit arising and engrossed thereby doth surmount his Majestyes revenue certain or cosuall within this Kingdome and yet his Majesty receiveth but very little profit by the same 7. The universall and unlawfull increasing of Monopolies to the advantage of a few to the disprofit of his Majesty and Impoverishment of his people 8. The extream and cruell usage of certain late Commissioners and other stewards the Brittish Farmers and Inhabitants of the City and County of London Derry by meanes whereof the worthy Plantation of that Country is almost destroyed and the
thee are utterly deleated Many evidences there be in this part of the Communion of the bodily presence of Christ very agreeable to the doctrines taught by his Secretaries which this paper cannot containe They teach us that Christ is received in the Sacrament Corporaliter both objective and subjective Corpus Christi est objectum quod recipitur corpus nostrum subjectum quo recipitur The booke of England abolisheth all that may import the oblation of any unbloudy Sacrifice but here we have besides the Preparatorie oblation of the Elements which is neither to be found in the booke of England now nor in King Edwards booke of old the oblation of the body and bloud of Christ which Bellarmine calleth Sacrificium Laudis quia Deus per illud magnopore laudatur This also agreeth well with their late Doctrine We are ready when it shall be judged convenient and we shall be desired to discover much more matters of this kinde as grounds layd for missa sicca or the halfe masse the private masse without the people of communicating in one kinde Of the consumption by the Priest and consummation of the Sacrifice of receiving the Sacrament in the mouth and not in the hand c. Our Supplications were many against these bookes but Canterbury procured them to be answered with terrible Proclamations We were constrained to use the remedie of Protestation but for our protestations and other lawfull meanes which we used for our deliverance Canterbury procured us to be declared Rebels and Traytors in all the Parish Kirks of England when we were seeking to posseâ—â—e our Religion in peace against these devices and Novations Canterbury kindled warre against us In all these it is knowne that he was though not the sole yet the principall Agent and Adviser When by the pacification at Barwick both Kingdoms looked for peace and quietnesse he spared not openly in the heating of many often before the King and privately at the Councell-Table and the privy Join to to speake of us as Rebels and Traytors and to speak against the pacification as dishonorable and meet to be broken Neither did his malignancie and bitternesse ever suffer him to rest till a new warre was entred upon and all things prepared for our destruction By him was it that our Covenant approven by Nationall Assemblies subscribed by his M. Commissioner and by the Lords of his M. Counsell and by them commanded to be subscribed by all the Subjects of the Kingdome as a testimony of our duty to God and the King by him was it still called ungodly damnable Treasonable by him were oathes invented and pressed upon divers of our poore Country-men upon the pain of imprisonment and many miseries which were unwarrantable by Law and contrary their Nationall oath When our Commissioners did appeare to render the reasons of our demands he spared not in the presence of the King and Committee to raile against our Nationall Assembly as not daring to appeare before the World and Kirks abroad where himselfe and his actions were able to endure tryall and against our just and necessary defence as the most malicious and Treasonable contempt of Monarchiall Government that any bygone Age hath heard of His hand also was at the Warrant for the restraint and imprisonment of our Commissioners sent from the Parliament warranted by the King and seeking the peace of the Kingdomes When we had by our Declarations Remonstrances and Representations manifested the truth of our intentions and lawfulnesse of our actions to all the good Subjects of the Kingdome of England when the late Parliament could not be moved to assist or enter in warre against us maintaing our Religion and liberties Canterbury did not onely advise the breaking up of that high and honorable Court to the great griefe and hazzard of the Kingdome but which is without example did sit still in the Convocation and make Canons and Constitutions against us and our just and necessary defence ordaining under all highest pains that hereafter the Clergie shall preach foure times in he yeare such doctrine as is contrary not only to our proceedings but to the doctrine and proceedings of other reform'd Kirks to the judgement of all sound Divines and politiques and tending to the utter slavery and ruining of all Estates and Kingdomes and to the dishonor of Kings and Monarchs And as if this had not been sufficient he procured six Subsidies to be lifted of the Clergie under pain of deprivation to all that should refuse And which is yet worse and above which malice it self cannot ascend by his means a prayer is framed printed and sent through all the Paroches of England to be sayd in all Churches in time of Divine Service next after the prayer for the Queene and Royall Progeny against our Nation by name of Trayterous Subjects having cast of all obedience to our annointed Soveraign and comming in a rebellious manner to invade England that shame may cover our faces as Enemies to God and the King Whosoever shall impartially examine what hath proceeded from himselfe in these two books of Canons and Common-prayer what Doctrine hath been published and printed these years by-past in England by his Disciples and Emissaries what grosse Poperie in the most materiall points we have found and are readie to shew in the posthume writings of the Prelate of Edinburgh and Damblane his own Creatures his nearest familiars and most willing instruments to advance his counsells and projects sall perceive that his intentions were deep and large against all the reformed Kirks and reformation of Religion which in his Majesties Dominions wes panting and by this time had rendred up the ghost if God had not in a wonderfull way of mercy prevented us and that if the Pope himselfe had been in his place he could not have been more popish nor could he more zealously have negotiated for Rome against the reformed Kirks to reduce them to the Heresies in Doctrine the Superstitions and Idolatry in worship and the Tyranny in Government which are in that Sea and for which the reformed Kirks did seperate from it and come forth of Babel From him certainly hath issued all this deluge which almost hath overturned all We are therefore confident that your Lordships will by your meanes deale affectually with the Parliament that this great firebrand be presently removed from his Majesties presence and that he may be put to triall and put to his deserved censure according to the Lawes of the Kingdome which sall be service to God honor to the King and Parliament terror to the wicked and comfort to all good men and to us in speciall who by his means principally have been put to so many and grievous afflictions wherein we had perished if God had not been with us We do indeed confesse that the Prelates of England have been of very different humors some of them of a more hot and others of them men of a more moderate temper some of them more and some
and Liberties were of late more pressing than we were able to bear That our Complaints and Supplications for redresse were answered at last with the terrors of an Army That after a pacification greater preparations were made for war whereby many Acts of Hostility were done against us both by Sea and Land The Kingdome wanted administration of Justice and we constrained to take Arms for our defence That we were brought to this extreme and intolerable necessity either to maintain divers Armies upon our Borders against Invasion from England or Ireland still to be deprived of the benefit of all the Courts of Justice and not onely to maintain so many thousands as were spoyled of their ships and goods but to want all Commerce by Sea to the undoing of Merchants of Saylors and many other who lived by Fishing and whose Callings are upholden from hand to mouth by Sea trade Any one of which evils is able in a short time to bring the most potent Kingdome to Confusion Ruine and Desolation how much more all the three at one time combined to bring the Kingdome of Scotland to be no more a Kingdome Yet all these behoved We either to endure and under no other hope than of the perfect slavery of our selves and our posterity in our souls Lives and means Or to resolve to come into England not to make any Invasion or with any purpose to fight except we were forced God is our Judge our actions are our witnesses and England doth now acknowledge the truth against all suspicions to the contrary and against the impudent lies of our enemies but for our relief defence and preservation which we could finde by no other means when we had essayed all means and had at large expressed our pungent and pressing necessities to the Kingdome and Parliament of England Since therefore the war on our part which is no other but our coming into England with a Guard is defensive and all men do acknowledge that in common equity the defendant should not be suffered to perish in his just and necessary defence but that the persuer whether by way of Legall processe in the time of Peace or by way of violence and unjust invasion in the time of war ought to bear the charges of the defendant We trust that your Lordships will think that it is not against reason for us to demand some reparation of this kinde and that the Parliament of England by whose wisedome and justice we have expected the redresse of our wrongs will take such course as both may in reason give us satisfaction and may in the notable demonstration of their Justice serve most for their own honour Our earnestnesse in following this our Demand doth not so far wrong our fight and make us so undiscerning as not to make a difference between the Kingdome and Parliament of England which did neither discerne nor set forward a Warre against us And that prevalent faction of Prelates and Papists who have moved every stone against us and used all sorts of means not onely their Counsells Subsidies and Forces but their Church Canons and Prayers for our utter ruine which maketh them obnoxious to our just accusations and guilty of all the losses and wrongs which this time past we have sustained Yet this we desire your Lordships to consider That the States of the Kingdome of Scotland being assembled did endeavour by their Declarations Informations and Remonstrances and by the proceedings of their Commissioners to make known unto the Councell Kingdome and Parliament of England and to forewarn them of the mischief intended against both Kingdomes in their Religion and Liberties by the Prelates and papists to the end that our Invasion from England might have been prevented if by the prevalency of the faction it had been possible And therefore we may now with the greater reason and confidence presse our Demand that your Lordships the Parliament the Kingdome and the King himself may see us repaired in our losses at the cost of that faction by whose means we have sustained so much dammage And which except they repent we finde sorrow recompenced for our grief torments for our toyl and an infinite greater losse for the Temporall losses they have brought upon a whole Kingdome which was dwelling by them in peace All the devices and doings of our common enemies were to bear down the truth of Religion and the just liberties of the Subjects in both Kingdomes They were confident to bring this about one of two wayes Either by blocking us up by Sea and Land to constrain us to admit their will for a law both in Church and Policy and thus to make us a precedent for the like misery in England or by their Invasion of our Kingdome to compell us furiously and without order to break into England That the two Nations once entred into a bloody Warre they might fish in our troubled waters and catch their desired prey But as we declared before our coming We trusted that God would turn their wisedome into foolishnesse and bring their devices upon their own pares by our Intentions and Resolutions to come into England as among our Brethren in the most peaceable way that could stand with our safety in respect of our common enemies to present our petitions for setling our peace by a Parliament in England wherein the intentions and actions both of our adversaries and ours might be brought to light The Kings Majesty and the Kingdome right informed The Authors and Instruments of our divisions and troubles punished All the mischiefs of a Nationall and doubtfull warre prevented and Religion and Liberty with greater peace and amity than ever before established against all the craft and violence of our enemies This was our Declaration before we set our England from which our deportments since have not varied And it hath been the Lords wonderfull doing by the wise counsels and just proceedings of the Parliament to bring it in a great part to passe and to give us lively hopes of a happy conclusion And therefore we will never doubt but that the Parliament in their wisedom and iustice will provide that a proportionable part of the cost and charges of a work so great and so comfortable to both Nations be born by the Delinquents there that with the better conscience the good people of England may sit under their own Vines and Fig-trees refreshing themselves although upon our great pains and hazard yet not altogether upon our cost and charges which we are not able to bear The Kingdome of England doth know and confesse that the innovation of religion and liberties in Scotland were not the principall designe of our common enemies but that both in the intention of the workers whose zeal was hottest for setling their devices at home and in the condition so the work making us whom they conceived to be the weaker for opposition to be nothing else but a leading case for England And that although by the power of God which
is made perfect in weaknesse they have found amongst us greater resistance than they did fear or either they or our selves could have apprehended Yet as it hath been the will of God that we should endure the heat of the day so in the evening the precious wages of the vindication of religion liberties and laws are to be received by both Kingdoms and will enrich we hope to our unspeakable ioy the present age and the posterity with blessings that cannot be valued and with the good people of England esteem more than treasures of Gold and willingly would have puachased with many thousands We do not plead that conscience and piety have moved some men to serve God upon their own cost and that justice and equity have directed others where the harvest hath been common to consider the pains of labouring and the charges of the sowing yet thus much may we say that had a forraigne enemy intending to reduce the whole Island into Popery made the first assault upon her weaknesse we nothing doubt but the Kingdome of England from their desire to preserve their Religion and liberties would have found the way to bear with us the expence of our resistance and lawfull defence how much more being invaded although not by England yet from England by common enemies seeking the same ends we expect to be helped and relieved We will never conceive that it is either the will or the weal and honour of England that we should go from so blessed a work after so many grievous sufferings bearing on our backs the insupportable burdens of worldly necessities and distresses return to our Country empty and exhausted in which the people of all ranks sexes and conditions have spent themselves The possessions of every man who devoted himself heartily to this cause are burdened not onely with his own personall and particular expence but with the publike and common charges of which if there be no relief neither can our Kingdom have peace at home nor any more credit for Commerce abroad Nor will it be possible for us either to aid and assist our friends or to resist and oppose the restlesse and working wickednesse of our enemies The best sort will lose much of the sweetnesse of the enjoying of their religion and liberties and others will run such wayes and undirect courses as their desperate necessity will drive them into We shall be but a burthen to our selves a vexation unto others of whose strength we desire to be a considerable part and a fit subject for our enemies to work upon for obtaining their now disappointed but never dying desires We will not alledge the example of other Kingdomes where the losses of necessary and just defence had been repaired by the other party nor will we remember what help we have made according to our abilities to other reformed Churches and what the kingdome of England of old and of late hath done to Germany France and Holland nor do we use so many words that England may be burthened and we eased or that this should be a matter of our Covetousnesse and not of their Justice and kindnesse Justice in respect of our adversaries who are the causes of the great misery and necessity to which we have been brought kindnesse in the supply of our wants who have been tender of the welfare of England as of our own that by this equality and mutuall respect both Nations may be supported in such strength and sufficiency that we may be the more serviceable to his Majesty and abound in every good work both towards one another and for the comfort and reliefe of the reformed Churches beyond the Seas that we may all blesse God and that the blessing of God may be upon us all The English Peers demand concerning the preceding Articles WHether this be a positive demand or onely an intimation of the charge thereby to induce the Kingdome of England to take your distressed estate into consideration and to afford you some friendly assistance The Scottish Commissioners answer to the demand WE would be no lesse willing to bear our losses if we had ability than we have been ready to undergo the hazard But because the burden of the whole doth far exceed our strength We have as is more fully conceived in our Papers represented to your Lordships our charges and losses not intending to demand a totall repairation but of such a proportionable part as that we may in some measure bear the remanent which we conceive your Lordships having considered our reasons will judge to be a matter not of covetousnesse but of the said Justice and kindenesse of the Kingdome of England Proposition of the Peers to proceed to the other Demands during the debate of the Scottish losses THat in the Interim whilst the Houses of Parliament take into consideration your Demand of losses and dammages you proceed to settle the other Articles of the peace and intercourse betwixt the two Kingdomes Answer to the Peers Demand WE have represented our losses and thereby our distressed condition ingenuously and in the singlenesse of our hearts with very great moderation passing over many things which to us are great burthens that there might be no difficulty or cause of delay on our part hoping that the honorable Houses of Parliament would thereby be moved at their first convenience to take the matter to their consideration We do not demand a totall reparation nor do we speak of the payment till we consult about the setling of a solid peace at which time the wayes of lifting and paying the money may be considered We do onely desire to know what proportion may be expected That this being once determined and all impediments arising from our by-past troubles removed we may with the greater confidence and more hearty consent on both sides proceed to the establishing of a firm and durable peace for time to come It is not unknown to your Lordships what desperate desires and miserable hopes our adversaries have conceived of a breach upon this Article And we do foresee what snares to us and difficulties to your Lordships may arise upon the post poning and laying aside of this Article to the last place And therefore that our adversaries may be out of hope and we out of fear and that the setling of peace may be the more easie We are the more earnest that as the former articles have been so this may be upon greater reasons considered in its own place and order Your Lordships upon the occasion of some motions made heretofore of the transposing of our Demands do know that not onely the substance but the order of the propounding of them is contained in our instructions And as we can alter nothing without warrant the craving whereof will take more time than the Houses of Parliament will bestow upon the consideration of this Article So are we acquainted with the reasons yet standing in force which moved the ordering of this Demand And therefore let us still be earnest with your Lordships that there be no halting here where the adversaries did most and we did least of all by reason of the justice and kindenesse of the Houses of Parliament expect it Resolved on the Question THat this House doth conceive that the summe of three hundreth thousand pounds is a fit proportion for that friendly assistance and relief formerly thought fit to be given towards the supply of the losses and necessities of our Brethren of Scotland And that this House will in due time take into consideration the manner how and the time when the same shall be raised Answer of the Scots Commissioners WE intreat your Lordships whose endeavours God hath blessed in this great work to make known to the Parliament that we do no lesse desire to shew our thankfulnesse for their friendly assistance and relief than we have been earnest in demanding the same But the thankfulnesse which we conceive to be due doth not consist in our affections or words at this time but in the mutuall kindenesse and reall demonstrations to be expected from the whole Kingdome of Scotland in all time coming and that not onely for the measure and proportion which the Parliament hath conceived to be fit and which to begin our thankfulnesse now we do in name of the whole Kingdome cheerfully accept of but also for the kinde and Christian manner of granting it unto us as to their Brethren which addeth a weight above many thousands and cannot be compensed but by paying their reciprocal love and duty of Brethren And for the resolution to consider in due time of the raising of the same for our relief which also maketh the benefit to be double This maketh us confident that God whose working at this time hath been wnoderfull hath decreed the peace and amity of the two Kingdomes and will remove all rubs out of the way that our enemies will at last despair to divide us when they see that God hath joyned us in such a fraternity And that divine providence will plentifully recompence unto the Kingdome of England this their justice and kindenesse and unto Scotland all their losses which shall not by these and other means amongst our selves be repaired but by the rich and sweet blessings of the purity and power of the Gospel attended with the benefits of an unhappy and durable peace under his Majesties long and prosperous raigne and of his royall posterity to all generations FINIS
whole matter of my Lord of Stafford Mr. St. Johns Argvment The KINGS Majesties First Speech in Parliament the third of November 1640. My Lords THe knowledge I had of the desires of my Scottish Subjects was the cause of my calling the last Assembly of Parliament wherein had I beene beleeved I sincerely thinke that things had not fallen out as now we see But it is no wonder that men are so slow to beleeve that so great a sedition should be raised on so little ground But now my Lords and Gentlemen the honour and safety of this Kingdome lying so neerely at the stake I am resolved to put my self freely and cleerly on the love and affections of my English Subjects as these of my Lords that did wait on me at York very well remember I there declared Therefore my Lords I shall not mention mine own interest or that support I might justly expect from you till the common safety be secured though I must tell you I am not ashamed to say those charges I have been at have been meerly for the securing and good of this Kingdome though the successe hath not been answerable to my desires Therefore I shall only desire you to consider the best way both for the safety and security of this Kingdome wherein their are two parts chiefly considerable First the chastifing out of the Rebells And secondly that other in satisfying your just grievances wherein I shall promise you to concurre so heartily and cleerely with you that all the World may see my intâ—ntions have ever beene and shall be to make this a glorious and flourishing Kingdome There are only two things that I shall mention to you First the one is to tell you that the Loane of money which I lately had from the City of London wherein the Lords that waited on me at Yorke assisted me will only maintain my Armie for two moneâ—hs from the beginning of that time it was granted Now my Lords and Gentlemen I leave it to your considerations what dishonour and mischiefe it might be in case for want of money my Armie be disbanded before the Rebells be put out of this Kingdome Secondly the securing the calamities the Northern people endure at this time and so long as the treaty is on foot And in this I may say not only they but all this Kingdome will suffer the harme therefore I leave this also to your consideration for the ordering of these great affairs whereof you are to treat at this time I am so confident of your love to me and that your care is for the honour and safety of the Kingdome that I shâ—ll freely and willingly leave to you where to begin only this that you may the better know the state of all the Affairs I have commanded my Lord Keeper to give you a short and free accompt of these things that have happened in this interim wiâ—h this Protestation thaâ— if this accompt be not satisfactory as it ought to be I shall whensoever you desire give you a full and perfect accompt of every particular One thing more I desire of you as one of the greatest means to make this a happy Parliament That you on your parts as I on Mine lay aside all suspition one of another as I promised my Lords at Yorke It shall not be my fault if this be not a happie and good Parliament The Kings speech in Parliament the fift of November 1640. My Lords I do expect that you will hastily make relation to the House of Commons of those great affairs for which I have called you hither at this time and for the trust I have reposed in them and how freely I put my selfe on their love and affections at that time and that you may know the better how to do so I shall explaine my selfe concerning one thing I spake the last day I told you the Rebells must be put out of this Kingdome it 's true I must needs call them so so long as they have an Armie that do invade us and although I am under treaty with them and I under my great Seale do call them Subjects and so they are too but the state of my Affairs in short is this It 's true I did expect when I did will my Lords and great ones at Yorke to have given a gracious answer to all your grievances for I was in good hope by their wisedomes and assistances to have made an end of that businesse but I must tell you that my Subjects of Scotland did so delay them that it was not possible to end there Therefore I can no wayes blame my Lords that were at Rippon that the treaty was not ended but must thanke them for their pains and industry and certainly had they as much power as affections I should by that time have brought these distempers to a happy period so that now the treaty is transported from Rippon to London where I shall conclude nothing without your knowledge and I doubt not but by your approbation for I do not desire to have this great work done in a corner for I shall lay open all the steps of this mis-understanding and causes of the great differences between Me and my Subjects of Scotland And I doubt not but by your assistance to make them know their duty and also by your assistance to make them return whether they will or no. The Kings Speech to both the Houses Ianuary 25. 1640. My Lords THe Knights Citizens Burgesses The principall cause of my comming here at this time is by reason of the slow proceedings in Parliament touching which is a great deale of inconvenience Therefore I think it very necessary to lay before you the state of my affairs as now they stand therby to hasten not interrupt your proceedings First I must remember you that there are two Armies in the Kingdome in a manner maintained by you the very naming of which doth more cleerly shew the inconvenience thereof then a better tongue then mine can expresse Therfore in the first place I shall recommend unto you the quick dispatch of that businesse assuring you that it cannot rest upon me In the next place I must recommend unto you the State of my Navie and Forts the condition of both which is so well known unto you that I need not tell you the particulars only thus much they are the Walls and defence of this Kingdome which if out of order all men may easily judge what incouragement it will be to Our enemies and what disheartning to our friends Last of all and not of the least to be considered I must lay before you the distractions that are at this present occasioned through the cause of Parliament for there are some men that more maliciously than ignorantly will put no difference betweene Reformation and alteration of government Hence it commech that divine Service is irreverently interrupted and Petitions in an ill way given in neither disputed nor denied But I will enter into no more particulars
abilities of nature and what he hath got by acquisition depth of judgement quicknesse of apprehension unparaleld moderation in great Councels and great affaires such as you my Lords that had the happinesse to attend Him at the Councell of the Peeres at York to your great joy and comfort can witnesse and after ages will remember to His eternall honour and same For His just and pious Government I dare boldly say that if any under Him as our Instrument have had the distributing of justice to His people have not done as they ought the fault is their own and they have done contrary to the Royall Nature and expresse Command of our Gratious Soveraign from whom I have often learned this golden Rule and Maxim he serves me best that serves me with honesty and integrity Behold Him in another part of Himself in His dearest comfort our Gracious Queen the mirror of Vertue from whom since Her happy arrivall here now above three lustres of yeetes never any Subject record other then gratious and benigne Influence and I dare a vow as She is neerest and dearest to our Soveraign so there is none whose affections and endeavours His Majesty onely excepted hath or doth or can cooperate more to the happy successe of this Parliament and the never to be equalled joy and comfort of a right understanding between the King and His people Behold Him in His best image our excellent young Prince and the rest of the Royall and lively Progeny in whom we cannot but promise to our selves to have our happinesse perpetuated From the Throne turn your eyes upon the two supporters of it on the one side the Stemne of honour the Nobility and Clergy on the other side the Gentry and Commons Where was there or is there in any part of the world a nobility so numerous so magnanimous and yet with such a temper that they neither ecclipse the throne nor overtop the people but keep in a distance fit for the greatnesse of the Throne Where was there a Common-wealth so free and the ballance so equally held as here And certainly so long as the beam is so held it cannot be otherwise in right Anglis if you turn the line never so little it groweth quickly accute or obdure and so in States the least deviation makes a great change But His Majesties great wisedome and goodnesse and the assistance of the Honourable Assembly I do not doubt will be a means to make us stear between the Teophick of moderation that there be no declension from the poole of severity I am by His Maiesties Command to relate to you some proceedings since the last Assembly here You may remember the Summer preceding this last His Majesty went with an Army into the North ingaged in honour so to do by reason of the câ—urses that were taken by divers of the Subjects in Scotland in the prejudice of Monarchy and rendring lesse glorious this Kingdom I know not under what pretence but all that time they came very neer England with an Army so neer that it was believed they would have then entred and invaded the Kingdome They did professe the contrary neither did they want remonstrations and declarations to infuse this opinion into the hearts of His Majesties people before it would by the effects What their intentions from the beginning were His Maiestie by His goodnesse and wisedome settled a Peace and made a pacification at Barwick upon which both Armies were disbanded which pacification and every Article of it His Maiesty for His part hath been so far from violating that whensoever any question shall be made of it shall plainly and clearly appear it was His care to see it in all things performed On the contrary those Subiects of His not contented with that grace which His Maiesty then gave them in those Articles of pacification they have strained them beyond the bounds and limits of the intention and meaning but they over and above attempted and acted divers things so prejudiciall to Monarchy and contrary and repugnant to the Law and settled constitution and usage of that Kingdome that His Maiesty could not in honour continue at it This being made known unto His Maiesty and to His Privy Councell by those who best knew the State and affairs of that Kingdom and that were most trusted and imployed by His Maiesty His Maiesty by the unaminous consent of His Privy Councell resolved to raise an army to reduce them to their modest and iust condition of true obedience and subiection to defend this Kingdome from all damage and danger that by their means how specious soever they shaddow their pretences they might fall upon it His Maiesty then foresaw and foretold that the raising of an Army at this time was but to stand upon their own defence as they professed and they had an intention to enter this Kingdome and to seize upon some place of importance and eminency and His Maiesty in particular named Newcastle Had His Maiesty then had means and money aswell as he had certain knowledge of their intentions I do beleeve that these calamities that have fallen upon that Town and the Counties adioyning had been prevented Perhaps the misinterpretation of His Maiesties intentions and the misunderstanding of His actions and I am a fraid the two benigne interpretation of the attempts actions and professions of the Subiects in Scotland added sâ—me impediment to that which the most of us I hope have lived to repent of His Maiesty howsoever wâ—nt in Person to the North to see His Army ordered and to take care for the safety and defence of this Kingdom asmuch as he possible could He had not long been there but that which he foresaw and foretold fell out for the Scots passed with their Army the Rivers Tweed and Tine and seized upon Newcastle which of what importance it is you all know And that they force contribution of the Counties of Noâ—thumberland and the Bishoprick of Durbâ—m besides many other spoiles and distructions that were committed His Maiesty well considering of what weight and importance this was and then having neither time nor place to call this assembly of Parliament He did resolve as had been frequently used to summon a great Councell of all the Peeres that by their advice and assistance there might be some interruption given to the calamity that was likely to spread over the whole Kingdome And commanded Writs to issue accordingly That was not done to prevent but to prepare for a Parliament It was not to clash or entor fire with this assembly by acting or ordering any thing which belongeth to this high and supream jurisdiction but onely to give their assistance for the present to render things more fit for this great assembly That His Maiesties intention was so it is cleer for before ever any petition was delivered or ever any speech of petition for a Parliament His Maiesty had resolved to call one The Lords understood It so will plainly appear by the
proceedings of the Assembly of which if those that were Officers and Ministers there had been come to Town upon whose help I rested for my particular instruction I should have been better able to have given you an accompt And His Maiesty was pleased to let you know that when there was an occasion of any particular you may be satisfied in it According to His Maiesties command 24. of September all the Peeres were summoned all except some few did meet where His Maiesty was In the first place pleased to declare unto us His resolution to call a Parliament and to all our ioyes and contents as he hath now done it to yours and ours declared that there was nothing he did more desire then to be rightly understood of His people And whosoever he be that shall go about effect it I am sure he cannot to attempt or indeavour to alter this gracious declaration and resolution of His Maiesty or whosoever shall go about to poyson the hearts of His good Subiects with an opinion that it can be so or lesson the affection of His loving Subiects for certainly never Subiects of the world better loved their King then the English nor ever did ever English-men better love a King then now if I say there be any sucâ— may acurse and punishment fall up 〈◊〉 But â—et the Royall Throne be for ever Hâ—â— Majesty was then pleased to tell us the cause for which 〈◊〉 had called us together In the first place it was touching an answer to a petition that had bâ—en since his coming to York And before His assembly sent unto him from those His Subiects of Scotland that were at Newcastle The first thing that His Maiesty desired their advice in was â—â—e answer to that petition The next thing His Maiesty conceived And all that were there were of one opinion with one voyce and consent that it was not fit His Maiesty should disband His Army so long as the Scotch Army was on foot And His Maiesty wished them to take into their consideration what way to have maintenance for His Army in the mean time His Maiesty having opened the cause of calling them together was pleased to expresse himself that He would leave to the Lords their freedom of Debate and himself was ready to have been gone from the Councell but at the humble suite of the Lords he stayed And I am perswaded that nothing was of that ioy to them as His Maiesties presence with such freedome of discourse did every man deliver himself with such grace and sweetnesse did his Maiesty hear them and such content did they take in His moderating guiding and directing those Councells My Lords as holding it most necessary took the latter of those two considerations propounded by His Maiesty to their thoughts and that was the supplying and supporting His Maiesties Army till this Parliament might take some course in it His Maiesty and my Lords did declare themselves as before I have opened unto you that they could never attempt nor have the least thought to make by any Act or Order any thing tending to the Subiect but that it might be left wholly to the supream Jurisdiction And therefore not seeing any other way they resolved by letter to addresse themselves to the City of London And with their letters they sent half a dozen of my Lords My Lord Privy Seal my Lord of Clare who was appointed to go but his urgent occasions prevenâ—ed him Viscount Cambden Lord Coventry Lord Goring and _____ And these Lords they did expresse the joy and content they took in the Kings grace and confidence they had of His gracious assistance was such that they did freely offer themselves and as I dare say there is none but is yet ready to enter into security with His Maieâ—ty And the City gave an answer fit for the Chamber of the King and part of the money is already lent and will be ready I assure my self to supply the rest For the other part the first thing propounded by His Majesty was touching the answer that was to be given to that petition and to the demands of the Subjects in Scotland upon which occasion His Majesty was pleased by those great Officers and Ministers of His that knew best and understood the laws and usages of that Kingdome to expound their demands particularly and to make appear unto their Lordships upon every one wherein they had expounded the Articles of pacification which His Majesty ever desired might be the Square and Rule of the treaty with them My Lords tooke into consideration what was fit to be done for his Majesty then professed as he did oft and as he hath done it during the time of that Councell to be wholy ruled guided and directed by their advice f r the honor of this Nation and safâ—ty of it he did leave it to their wisedomes and considerations against whose advice and without whose judgements and advice he would do nothing My Lords howsoever they had received this information and explanation upon every particular of their demands yet in justice they thought it was fit to hear what could be said on the other side how the objection might be answered and what objection might be made by them against that which seemed to be plain enough For this purpose they were all of opinion and his Majesty was pleased to be of the same opinion that some Lords selected and trusted by that great Councell should Treate with those Subjects of Scotland upon all those particulars to the end that they might see what they did cleerly intend to the end that if a firm peace which was most desired from us might be had or a just Warre to be begun My Lords of the great Councell that were appointed for that purpose were the Earles of Bedford Hertford Essex Salisbury Warwick Bristow Holland and Barkeshire The Barons were the Lords Wharton Paget Rimbolton Brooke Pawlet Howard of Esaich Savile and Dunsmore After which choice some generall insurrections proceeding from the debate and discourses in that great Councell a Commission under the great Seale was given unto them to enable them to treate and conclude as they in their wisedomes and Judgements should thinke fit The place appointed for this treaty was at Rippon where the Lords Commissioners wanted the happinesse of that that they and we had at Yorke of his Maiesties presence And that might be the occasion that more time was spent in it then otherwise would have been yet my Lords omitted not their parts but were desirous to look into the depth to see the utmost extent of their demands But before those of Scotland could come to the maine treaty to explaine themselves touching their demands they made a preparatory demand of maintenance for their Armie and did go so high as to demand Forty thousand Pounds a moneth My Lords that were very unwilling to do any Act or make any order whatsoever as I have opened unto you for the sustenance maintenance and
unsuccessefull Warres abroad sometimes the absence of the Prince sometimes Competitions of Titles to the Crowne somtimes perhaps the vices of the King himselfe But let us but rightly weigh and consider the posture the aspect of this state both toward it selfe and the rest of the world the person of our Soveraigne and the nature of our suffering since the third of his Reigne And there can be no cause coulorable inventible wherunto to attribute them but the intermission or which is worse the undue frustration of Parliament by the unluckly use if not abuse of Prerogative in the dissolving them Take in your view Gentlemen a State in a state of the greatest quiet and security that can be fancied not only in joyning the calmest peace it selfe but to improve and secure its happy condition all the rest of the world at the same time in Tempest in Combustions in uncomposable Warres Take into your view Sir a King Soveraigne to three Kingdomes by a Concentring of all the Royall lines in his Person as undisputably as any Mathematical ones in Euclide A King firme and knowing in his Religion eminent in vertue A King that had in his owne time given all the Rights and Liberties of his Subjects a more cleare and ample confirmation freely and graciously then any of his Predecessors when the people had them at advantage extortedly I meane in the Petition of Right This is one Mappe of England Mr. Speaker A man Sir that should present unto you now a Kingdome groaning under that supreme Law which Salus populi periclitata would enact The liberty the property of the Subject fundamentally subverted ravisht away by the violence of a pretended necessity a triple Crown shaking with distempers men of the best conscience ready to fly into the wildernesse for Religion Would not one sweare that this were the Antipodes to the other yet let me tell you Mr. Speaker this is a Mappe of England too and both at the same time true As it cannot bee denyed Mr. Speaker that since the Conquest there hath not been in this Kingdome a fuller concurrance of all circumstances in the former Caracter to have made a Kingdom happy then for these 12. yeares last past so it is most certaine that there hath not beene in all that deduction of ages such a Conspiracie if one may so say of all the Elements of mischiefe thein second Character to bring a flourishing Kingdom if it were possible to swift ruine and desolation I will be bold to say Mr. Speaker and I thanke God wee have so good a King under whom wee may speake boldly of the abuse by ill Ministers without reflection upon his person That an Accumulation of all the publike Grievances since Magna Carta one upon another unto that houre in which the Petition of Right past into an act of Parliament would not amount to so oppressive I am sure not to so destructive a height and magnitude to the rights and property of the Subject as one branch of our beslaving since the Petition of Right The branch I mean is the judgment concerning ship-money This beeing a true representation of England in both aspects Let him Mr. Speaker that for the unmatcht oppression and enthralling of free Subjects in a time of the best Kings raigne and in memory of the best lawes enacted in favour of Subjects liberty can find a truer Cause then the ruptures and intermission of Parliaments Let him and him alone be against the setling of this inevitable way for the frequent holding of them 'T is true Sir wicked Ministers have beene the proximate causes of our miseries but the want of Parliaments the primary the efficient Cause Ill Ministers have made ill times but that Sir hath made ill Ministers I have read among the Lawes of the Athenians a form of recourse in their Oaths and vows of greatest most publique concernment of a three-fold Deity Supplicium Exauditori Purgatori Malorum depulsori I doubt not but we here assembled for the Common-wealth in this Parliament shall meet with all these Attributes in our Soveraigne I make no question but he will graciously heare our Supplications purge away our Grievances and expell Malefactors that is remove ill Ministers and put good in their places No lesse can be expected from his wisdome and goodnesse But let me tell you Mr. Speaker if we partake not of one Attribute more in him if we addresse not our selves unto that I meane Bonorum Conservatori we can have no solid no durable Comfort in all the rest Let his Majesty heare our Complaint never so Compassionately Let him purge away our Grievances never so efficaciously Let him punish and dispell ill Ministers never so exemplarily Let him make choyce of good ones never so exactly If there be not a way setled to preserve and keepe them good the mischiefes and they will all grow again like Sampsons Locks and pull downe the House upon our heads Beleeve it M. Speaker they will It hath been a Maxime amongst the wisest Legislators that whosoever meanes to settle good Lawes must proceed in them with a sinister opinion of all Mankinde and suppose that whosoever is not wicked it is for want only of the opportunity It is that opportunity of being ill Mr. Speaker that wee must take away if ever wee meane to be happy which can never be done but by the frequencie of Parliaments No state can wisely be confident of any publique Ministers continuing good longer then the rod is over him Let me appeale to all those that were present in this House at the agitation of the Petition of Right And let them tell themselves truly of whose promotion to the management of affaires doe they thinke the generality would at that time have had better hopes then of Mr. Noy and Sir Thomas Wentworth both having beene at that time and in that businesse as I have heard most keen and active Patriots and the latter of them to the eternall aggravation of his Infamous treachery to the Common-wealth be it spoken the first mover and insister to have this clause added to the Petition of Right that for the comfort and safety of his Subjects his Majesty would be pleased to declare his will and pleasure that all his Ministers should serve him according to the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme And yet Mr. Speaker to whom now can all the inundations upon our liberties under pretence of Law and the late shipwrack at once of all our property be attributed more then to Noy and those and all other mischiefes whereby this Monarchie hath beene brought almost to the brinke of destruction so much to any as to that Grand Apostate to the Common-wealth the now Lieutenant of Ireland The first I hope God hath forgiven in the other world and the latter must not hope to be pardoned in this till he be dispatcht to the other Let every man but consider those men as once they were The excellent Law for the
holy Church and of his grace and bounty he will confirme all those liberties priviledges and rights granted and given by him and his noble Progenitors to the Church by their Charters which plainly sheweth that they have their Episcopall Jurisdiction from the Kings of England and not Iure divino by divine right and this likewise is acknowledged by themselves in the Statute of 37. H. 8. cap. 17. that they have their Episcopall jurisdiction and all other Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction whatsoever solely and onely by from and under the King The second thing that is trenching upon the Crowne is this that it is holden at this day that Episcopacy is inseparable to the Crowne of England and therefore it is commonly now said No Bishop no King no Miter no Scepter which I utterly deny for it is plaine and apparant that the Kings of England were long before Bishops and have a subsistance without them and have done and may still depose them The third is likewise considerable as trenching upon the Crowne which is that was said under the Gallery that Episcopacy was a third estate in Parliament and therefore the King and Parliament could not be without them This I utterly deny for there are three estates without them as namely the King who is the first estate the Lords Temporall the second and the Commons the third and I know no fourth estate Besides the Kings of England have had many Parliaments wherein there have beene no Bishops at all as for example Ed. 1.24 of his reigne held his Parliament at Edmundbury excluso Clero and in the Parliament 7. R. 2. c. 3. 7. R. 2. c. 12. it doth appeare that they were enacted by the King with the assent and agreement of the Lords Temporall and Commons where the estates of Parliamen are mentioned and not the Clergie Divers other statutes might likewise be named to this purpose which I omit The fourth and last thing is of the Bishops holding of the Ecclesiasticall Courts in their owne names and not in the name of the King nor by Commission from him contrary to the Statute of 1 Edw. 6. cap. 2. and contrary to the practice of Bishop Ridley Coverdale and Ponnet who tooke Commissions from the KING for holding their Ecclesiasticall Courts as may be seene at this day in the Rolles And although it will be objected that by a late Proclamation in the yeare of our Lord God 1637. wherein the opinion of the Iudges mentioned it is declared upon their opinion that the act of 1 Edw. 6. was repealed and that Bishops may now keep Courts in their owne names and send processe under their owne Seales yet it is well knowne that the Statute of 1 Q. Mary which repealed the Statute of 1 Ed. 6. was it selfe repealed by the Statute of 1 Iac. cap 25. Whereupon it was holden upon a full debate of this poynt in Parliament 7 Iac. which I have seene that upon consideration of the Statutes of 1 Iac. and 1. Eliz. cap 1. and 8 Eliz. cap. 1. that the Statute of 1 Ed. 6. was revived and that Bishops ought not to keepe Courts in their owne names So that for these reasons so nearely concerning the right of the Crowne of England in the poynt of Episcopacy I am against the proposall of that question and am for the retaining of the London Petition and for a thorow Reformation of all abuses and grievances of Episcopacy mentioned in the Ministers Remonstrance which Reformation may perhaps serve the turne without alteration of the Government of England into a forme of Presbytery as it is in other Kingdomes of Scotland France Genâ—va and the Low Countries which for mine owne part had I lived in these Kingdomes I should have bin of the opinion of the Protestant party in point of Presbytery because those Kingdomes are governed by the Civill Law which maintaines the jurisdiction of the Pope and Papall Episcopacy which the ancient Lawes of England condemne being likewise in themselves opposite to the Civill and Canon Lawes And if notwithstanding all the Reformation that can be made by the Lawes of this Land a better forme of government may evidently appeare to us concerning which there is no forme now before us it is to be taken by us into consideration according to that imperiall Constitution in these words In rebus nobis constituendis evidens utilitas esse debet ut ab eo jure recedatur quod diu aequum visum est And so Mr. Speaker I shortly conclude that for these Reasons omitting divers more the London Petition is to be retained The Speeches of Sir Benjamin Rudyer in the High Court of Parliament Mr. Speaker WEe are here assembled to doe Gods businesse and the Kings in which our owne is included as wee are Christians as wee are Subjects Let us first feare GOD then shall wee honour the King the more for I am afrayd wee have beene the lesse prosperous in Parliaments because wee have preferred other matters before Him Let Religion be our Primum Quarite for all things else are but Etcaetera's to it yet we may have them too sooner and surer if wee give God his precedence We well know what disturbance hath been brought upon the Church for vain petty trifles How the whole Church the whole Kingdome hath beene troubled where to place a Metaphor an Altar Wee have seene Ministers their Wives Children and Families undone against Law against Conscience against all Bowells of Compassion about not dancing upon Sundayes What doe these sort of men think will become of themselves when the Master of the house shall come and finde them thus beating their fellow servants These Inventions were but Sives made of purpose to winnow the best men and that 's the Devills occupation They have a minde to worry preaching for I never yet heard of any but diligent preachers that were vext with these and the like devices They despise prophesie and as one said They would faine be at something were like the Masse that will not bite A muzzl'd Religion They would evaporate and dis-spirit the power and vigour of Religion by drawing it out into solemne specious formalities into obsolete antiquated Ceremonies new furbish'd up And this belike is the good worke in hand which Dr. Heylin hath so often celebrated in his bold Pamphlets All their Acts and actions are so full of mixtures involutions and complications as nothing is cleare nothing sincere in any of their proceedings Let them not say that these are the perverse suspitious malicious interpretations of some few factious Spirits amongst us when a Romanist hath bragged and congratulated in print That the face of our Church begins to alter the Language of our Religion to change And Sancta Clara hath published That if a Synod were held Non intermixtis Puritanis setting Puritanes aside our Articles and their Religion would soone be agreed They have so brought it to passe that under the name of Puritans all our Religion is branded and under
their office then is to governe But in my opinion they governe worse than they Preach though they preach not at all for wee see to what passe their government hath brought us In conformity to themselves They silence others also though Hierom in one of his Epistles saith that even a Bishop let him be of never so blamelesse a life yet he doth more hurt by by his licence then he can doe good by his example Mr. Speaker It now behooves us to restraine the Bishops to the duties of their Function as they may never more hanker after heterogeneous extravagant employments Not be so absolute so single and solitary in actions of Moment as Excommunication Absolution Ordination and the like but to joyne some of the Ministry with them and further to regulate them according to the usage of Ancient Churches in the best times that by a well-temper'd Government they may not have power hereafter to corrupt the Church to undoe the Kingdome When they are thus circumscribed and the publique secur'd from their Eruptions then shall not I grudge them a liberall plentifull subsistence else I am sure they can nevâ—â— be given to Hospitality Although the calling of the Clergie be all glorious within yet if they have not a large considerable outward support they cannot be freed from vulgar Contempt It will alwaies be fit that the flourishing of the Church should hold proportion with the flourishing of the Common-wealth wherein it is If we dwell in houses of Ceaar why should they dwell in skins And I hope I shall never see a good Bishop left worse than a Parson without a Gleab Certainly Sir this superintendencie of eminent men Bishops over divers Churches is the most Primitive the most spreading the most lasting Government of the Church Wherefore whilest we are earnest to take away Innovations let us beware wee bring not in the greatest Innovation that ever was in England I doe very well know what very many doe very servently desire But let us well bethinke our selves whether a popular Democraticall Government of the Church though fit for other places will be either sutable or acceptable to a Regall Monarchicall Government of the State Every man can say It is so common and knowne a Truth that suddaine and great changes both in naturall and Politick bodies have dangerous opperations and give mee leave to say that we cannot presently see to the end of such a consequence especially in so great a Kingdome as this and where Episcopacie is so wrap'd and involv'd in the Lawes of it Wherefore Mr. Speaker my humble Motion is that we may punish the present offenders reduce and preserve the Calling for better men hereafter Let us remember with fresh thankfulnesse to God those glorious Martyr-Bishops who were burn'd for our Religion in the times of Popery who by their learning zeale and constancy upheld and convey'd it downe to us We have some good Bishops still who doe Preach every Lords Day and are therefore worthy of double honour they have suffered enough already in the Disease I shall bee sorry we should make them suffer more in the Remedy 〈…〉 A message delivered from the Commons to the Lords of the Vpper House in Parliament by Mr. Pym Novemb. 11. 1640. My Lords THe Knights Citizens and Burgesses now assembled for the Commons in Parliament have received information of divers traiterous designes and practices of a great Peere of this House and by vertue of a command from them I doe here in the name of the Commons now assembled in Parliament and in the name of all the Commons of England accuse Thomas Earle of Strafford Lo. Lieutenant of Ireland of high Treason and they have commanded me further to desire your Lordships that he may be sequestred from Parliament and forthwith committed to prison They have further commanded mee to let you know that they will within a very few dayes resort to your Lordships with the particular Articles and grounds of this accusation And they doe further desire that your Lordships will thinke upon some convenient and fit way that the passage betwixt England and Ireland for his Majesties subjects of both Kingdomes may be free notwithstanding any restraint to the contrarie The Lord Lieutenant being required to withdraw and after a debate thereof called in kneeled at the Bar and after standing up the L. Keeper spake as followeth My Lord of Strafford THe House of Commons in their owne name and in the name of the whole Commons of England have this day accused your Lordship to the Lords of the Higher House of Parliament of high treason The articles they will within a very few dayes produce In the meane time they have desired of my Lords and may Lords have accordingly resolved that your Lordship shall be committed to safe custody to the Gentleman Vsher and be sequestred from the House till your Lordship shall cleare your selfe of the accusations that shall be laid against you Articles of the Commons assembled in Parliament against Thomas Earle of Strafford in maintenance of his accusation whereby he stands charged of High Treason 1. THat he the said Thomas Earle of Strafford hath traiterously endevoured to subvert the fundamentall Lawes and government of the Realmes of England and Ireland and in stead thereof to introduce on Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Government against Law which hee hath declared by traiterous words counsels and actions and by giving his Majestie advice by force of Armes to compell his loyall Subjects to submit thereunto 2. That hee hath traiterously assumed to himselfe Regall power over the lives liberties persons lands and goods of his Majesties Subjectâ— in England and Ireland and hath exercised the same tyrannically to the subversion and undoing of many both of Peeres and others of his Majesties Liege people 3. That the better to enrich and enable himselfe to goe thorow with his traiterous designes hee hath detained a great part of his Majesties revenue without giving legall account and hath taken great summes out of the Exchequer converting them to his owne use when his Majestie was necessitated for his owne urgent occasions and his Army had beene a long time unpaid 4. That he hath traiterously abused the power and authoritie of his government to the encreasing countenancing and encouraging of Papists that so hee might settle a mutuall dependance and confidence betwixt himselfe and that partie and by their help prosecute and accomplish his malicious and tyrannicall designes 5. That hee hath maliciously endevoured to stir up enmitie and hostilitie between his Majesties subjects of England and those of Scotland 6. That he hath traiterously broken the great trust reposed in him by his Majestie of Lieutenant Generall of his Army by wilfully betraying divers of his Majesties Subjects to death his Army to a dishonourable defeat by the Scots at Newborn and the Towne of New-Castle into their hands to the end that by the effusion of bloud by dishonour and so great a losse of New-Castle his Majesties
Realme of England might be engaged in a Nationall and irreconciliable quarrell with the Scots 7. That to preserve himselfe from being questioned for those and other his traiterous courses hee laboured to subvert the right of Parliaments and the ancient course of Parliamentarie proceedings and by false and malicious slanders to incense his Majestie against Parliaments By which words counsels and actions hee hath traiterously and contrary to his allegiance laboured to alienate the hearts of the Kings Liege people from his Majestie to set a division betweene them and to ruine and destroy his Majesties Kingdomes for which they impeach him of high Treason against our Soveraigne Lord the King his Crown and dignitie 8. And he the said Earle of Strafford was Lord Deputie of Ireland and Lieutenant Generall of the Army there viz. His most excellent Majestie for his Kingdomes both of England and Ireland and the L. President of the North during the time that all and everie the crimes and offences before set forth were done and committed and hee the said Earle was Lieutenant Generall of all his Majesties army in the North parts of England during the time that the crimes and offences in the fifth and sixth articles set forth were done and committed 9. And the said Commons by protestations saving to themselves the libertie of exhibiting at any time here after any other accusation or impeachment against the said Earle and also of replying to the answers that hee the said Earle shall make unto the said articles or to any of them and of offering proves also of the premisses or any of them or any other impeachment or accusation that shall be exhibited by them as the cause shall according to the course of Parliaments require doe pray that the said Earle may be put to answer for all and every the premisses that such proceedings examinations trials and judgements may be upon everie of them had and used as is agreeable to Law and Iustice The further impeachment of Thomas Earle of Strafford by the Commons assembled in Parliament 1640 WHereas the said Commons have already exhibited Articles against the said Earle formerly expressed c. Now the said Commons doe further impeach the said Earle as followeth c. 1. That he the said Earle of Strafford the 21. day of March in the 8. yeare of his now Majesties Reigne was president of the Kings Counsell in the Northerne parts of England That the said Earle being president of the said Counsell on the 21. day of March a Commission under the great Seal of England with certaine Schedules of instructions thereunto annexed was directed to the said Earle or others the Commissioners therein named wherby amongst other things power and authority is limited to the said Earle and others the Commissioners therein named to heare and determine all offences and misdemeanors suits debates controversies and demaunds causes things and matters whatsoever therein contained and within certaine precincts in the said Northerne parts therein specified and in such manner as by the said Schedule is limited and appointed That amongst other things in the said instructions it is directed that the said President and others therein appointed shall heare and determine according to the course of proceedings in the Court of Starchamber divers offences deceits and falsities therein mentioned whether the same be provided for by the Acts of Parliament or not so that the Fines imposed be not lesse then by Act or Acts of Parliament provided for by those offences is appointed That also amongst other things in the said instructions it is diâ—ected that the said president and others therein appointed have power to examine heare and determine according to the course of proceedings in the Court of Chancery al manner of complaints for any matter within the said precincts as well concerning lands tenements and hereditaments either free-hold customary or coppy-holde as Leases and oter things therein mentioned and to stay proceedings in the Court of Common Law by Injunction or otherwise by all wayes and meanes as is used in the Court of Chancery And although the former Presidents of the said Counsell had never put in practise such Instructions nor haâ— they any such Instructions yet the said Earle in the moreth of May in the said 8. yeare and divers years following did put in practise exercise and use and caused to be used and put in practise the said Commission and Instructions and did direct and exercise an exorbitant and unlawfull power and jurisdiction on the persons and estates of his Majesties subjects in those parts and did disin-herit divers of his Majesties subjects in those parts of their inheritances sequestred their possessions and did fine ransome punish and imprison them and caused them to be fined ransomed punished and imprisoned to their ruine and destruction and namely Sir Conier Darcy Sir Iohn Bourcher and divers others against the Lawes and in subversion of the same And the said Commission and Instructions were procured and issued by the advice of the said Earle And he the said Earle to the intent that such illegall unjust power might be exercised with the greater licence and will did advise Counsell procure further directions in and by the said instructions to be given tha nâ— prohibition he granted at all but in cases where the said Counsell shall exceed the limits of the said instructions And that if any Writ of Habeas Corpus be granted the party be not discharged till the party performe the Decree and Order of the said Counsell And the said Earle in the 13. yeare of his now Majesties Reigne did procure a new Commission to himselfe and others therein appointed with the said Instructions and other unlawfull additions That the said Commission and Instructions were procured by the solicitation and advice of the said Earle of Strafford 2. That shortly after the obtaining of the said Commission dated the 21 of March in the 8 yeare of his now Majesties Reigne to wit the last day of August then next following he the said Earle to bring his Majesties liege people into a dislike of his Majestie and of his Governement and to terrifie the Iustices of the Peace from executing of the Lawes He the said Earle beeing then President as aforesaid and a Iustice of Peace did publiquely at the Assises held for the County of Yorke in the City of Yorke in and upon the said last day of August declare and publish before the people there attending for the administration of Iustice according to the Law in the presence of the Iustices sitting That some of the Justices were all for Law but they should finde that the Kings little finger should be heavier then the loynes of the Law 3. That the Realme of Ireland having been time out of minde anne xed to the Imperiall Crowne of England and governed by the same Lawes The said Earle being Lord Deputy of that Realme to bring his Majesties liege people of that Kingdome likewise into distike of his
in such wayes wherein the Natives of that Kingdome were unpractised and unskilfull which Proclamations so issued were by his Commands and Warrants to his Majesties Justices of Peace and other officers and by other rigorous meanes put in execution and the Flaxe wrought or ordered in other manner than as the said Proclamation prescribed was seized and employed to the use of him and his agents and thereby the said Earle endeavoured to gaine and did gaine in effect the sole sale of that native commodity 15 That the said Earle of Strafford by Proclamation dated the sixteenth of October in the fourteenth yeare of his Majesties Raigne did impose upon the Owners Masters Pursers and Boat-swaines of every ship a new and unlawfull Oath viz. that they two or more of them immediately after the arrivall of any ship within any Port or Creek in the said Kingdom of Ireland should give in a true in-voyce of the outward bulke of Wares and Merchandises and number of goods and the qualities and condition of the said goods as farre as to them should bee knowne the names of the severall Merchants proprietours of the said goods and the places from whence they were fraughted and whither they were bound to discharge which Proclamation was accordingly put in execution and sundry persons enforced to take the said unlawfull Oath 15 That the said Earle of Strafford trayterously and wickedly devised and contrived by force of Armes in a warlike manner to subdue the subjects of the said Realme of Ireland to bring them under his tyrannicall power and will and in pursuance of his wicked and trayterous purposes aforesaid the said Earle of Strafford in the eighth yeare of his Majesties reigne did by his owne â—uthority without any warrant or colour of Law taxe and impose great summes of money upon the Townes of Baltemore Bandenbridge Talowe and divers other Townes and places in the said Realme of Ireland and did cause the same to bee leavied upon the inhabitants of those Townes by troopes of Souldiers with force and armes in a warlike manner And on the ninth day of March in the twelfth yeare of his now Majesties Reigne trayterously did give authority unto Robert Savile a Sarjeant at Armes and to the Captains of the Companies of souldiers in severall parts of that Realm to send such numbers of souldiers to lye on the lands and houses of such as would not conforme to his orders untill they should render obedience to his said orders and warrants and after such submission and not before the said Souldiers to returne to their Garrisons And did also issue the like Warrants unto divers others which Warrants were in warlike manner with force and armes put in execution accordingly and by such warlike meanes did force divers of his Majesties Subjects of that Realme to submit themselves to his unlawfull commands And in the said twelfth yeare of his Majesties reigne the said Earle of Strafford did trayterously cause certaine troops of Horse and Foot armed in warlike manner and in warlike aray with force and Armes to expell Richard Butler from the possession of Castle Cumber in the Territory of Idough in the said Realme of Jreland and did likewise and in like warlike manner expell divers of his Majesties Subjects from their houses families possessions as namely Ed. Brenman Owen Oberman Patrick Oberman Sir Cyprian Horsfield divers others to the number of about an hundred families and took and imprisoned them and their wives and carryed them prisoners to Dublin and there detained them untill they did yield up surrender or release their respective estates and rights And the said Earle in like warlike manner hath during his government of the said Kingdome of Ireland subdued divers others of his Majesties Subjects easily to his will and thereby and by the meanes aforesaid hath levied warre within the said Realm against his Majesty and his liege people of that Kingdome 16 That the said Earle of Strafford the two and twentieth of February in the seventh yeare of his now Majesties Reigne intending to oppresse the said subjects of Ireland did make a proposition and obtained from his Majestie an allowance that no complaint of injustice or oppression done in Ireland should be received in England against any unlesse it first appeared that the party made first his addresse to him the said Earle and the said Earle having by such usurped tyrannicall and exâ—rbitant power expressed in the former Articles destroyed the Peeres and other Subjects of that Kingdome of Ireland in their Lives Consciences Land Liberties and Estates the said Earle to the intent the better to maintaine and strengthen his power and to bring the people into a disaffection of his Majestie as aforesaid did use his Majesties name in the execution of his said power And to prevent the Subjects of that Realme of all meanes of complaints to his Majesty and of redresse against him and his agents did issue a Proclamation bearing date the seventeenth day of Septmber in the eleventh yeare of his Majesties Reigne thereby commanding all the Nobility undertakers and others who held estates and offices in the said Kingdome except such as were imployed in his Majesties service or attending in England by his speciall command to make their personall residence in the said Kingdome of Ireland and not to depart thence without licence of himselfe And the said Earle hath since issued other Proclamations to the same purpose by meanes whereof the Subjects of the said Realme are restrained from seeking reliefe against the oppressions of the said Earle without his licence which Proclamation the said Earle hath by severall rigorous wayes as by fine imprisonment and otherwise put in execution on his Majesties Subjects as namely one Parry and others who came over onely to complain of the exorbitances and oppressions of the said Earle 17 That the said Earle having by such meanes as afore-said subverted the Government and Lawes of the Kingdome of Ireland did in March in the sixteenth yeare of his Majesties Reigne in scandall of his Majesty of all his Kingdomes and in further Execution of his wicked purposes aforesaid speaking of the Armies in Ireland declare that his Majesty was so well pleased with the Army of Ireland and the consequence thereof that his Majesty would certainly make the same a patterne for all his three Kingdomes 18 That the said Earle of Strafford for the better effecting of his traiterous designes and wicked purposes did indevour to draw dependency upon himselfe of the Papists in both Kingdomes of England and Ireland and to that end during the time of government in Ireland he restored divers Frieries and Masse-houses which had beene formerly suppressed by precedent Deputies of that Kingdome two of which houses were in the City of Dublin and had beene assigned to the use of the Vniversity there to the pretended owners thereof who have since imployed the same to the exercise of the Popish Religion And in the Moneth of May and Iune last
drawn away by the Stranger upon feares of our Troubles of which I have experience by Exchanges and Exchanges are the great mystery especially such as are used as a Trade and governed by Bankers who make many returnes in a yeare and gaine by every one more then the interest of a yeare and the greatest danger to a State is when money is made Merchandize which should be but the measure thereof And here I will propose a Probleme Whether it were profitable to a Kingdome or not that the Stranger for many yeares had a great stock here at interest and still hath some I confesse it hath supplyed the necessities of Merchants and helped to drive Trade But my Quaere is this Suppose the first principall were truely brought in by the Stranger yet doubling every tenne yeares what becomes of the increase Have they not lived by our Trade and the Merchant-adventurers and soaked the Kingdome of as many times principall as they have practised this Usury many times ten yeares and in the end drawne or carried all away This is a point to a State very considerable Much Coyne hath beene drawne away without doubt by the French who have brought in Wares of little bulke perhaps without custome but of deare price and having turned them into Gold have returned without investing any part thereof and such petty Merchants cannot bee reached by the Statute of imployments Another cause of scarcity of Coine may be the over strict rule of the uncurrentnesse of any good Coine and that it must bee sold here as bullion in that case what Stranger will bring in money Whereas if every good species were current according to his allay and weight in proportion to our Coyne or rather a little higher it would draw namely money by degrees into England as lower grounds doe water from higher though they see not the Channels And wee see France Holland and Germany admit all good Coynes though forraigne for and above their intrinsique value But I will end this search by proposing some generall Remedies for I doe now but make Essayes and give occasion to more subtill and particular disquisition 1. To the first leake of steading away Coyne I would make it felony by an Act for if a man may justly suffer death for robbing of a private man I see no injustice nor cruelty to inflict the same punishment upon him that robs a Kingdome 2. That the neighbour Princes and States doe cry up our money and so entice it from us This in my judgement ought to be provided for by our Treaties which was the old way especially of Commerce by agreeing and publishing of Placarts according to a true Par For that Prince that will make a treatie of Commerce doth it for the use of the commoditie which certainly I would deny any Prince that would not consent to keep moneyes even by their true values at least that would set a higher price upon our money then the King hath done And if our Coyne did either keep beyond the Sear the English value or were bullion and uncurrent the stranger should have as little of our money as we have of theirs How to recover the strangers money drawne away since our troubles is a hard endeavour and can no wayes be brought to passe but by peace and Trade and the resolution of this will fall into the generall remedy which I shall propose The pedling French Trade must bee met with by diligent search at the landing of these Creamers what they bring in and by suffering none of them to passe any goods by private Warrants but that according as they shall be valued they give bond to invest it in English Commoditie naturall or naturalized and that with surety Nay in this Case not to allow them exchange by bills for it will not hurt the Common-wealth if by any rigour they were beaten out of their private toyish traffique I shall not doubt to offend any but the Mint which may be recompenced to his Majesty in his customes if money bee plentifull for all goods will follow money If I did propose the currentnesse of all goods and great species of forraigne Coins for their true intrinsique value according to the pay with ours and if I say a little higher according to occasions keeping our owne Coine pure and constant to bee cryed downe as much under according to occasions I thinke it will bee a policy both reasonable and profitable by experience tryed in other States But leaving these Empiricall practises I come now to the great and infallible Rule and Remedy which is in plaine English to settle and assure the ground of Trade upon staple Commodities then like the Lady of Whitsontide to her Pipe money will dance after that for as Merchandize doth follow money so doth money Commodity I said at first it was a generall opinion that Trade never flourished more then now and it may be so but wee must consider this be not accidentall and changeable and depending more upon the iniquity or misery of the times then upon our owne Foundation and industry and if that bee so then it is no sute ground for a state to rely upon for if the causes change the effects will follow Now it is true that our great Trade depends upon the troubles of our Neighbours and wee enjoy almost the Trade of Christendome but if a peace happen betwixt France Spaine and the united Provinces all these will share what wee now possesse alone and therefore wee must provide for that day for nothing stands secure but upon his owne foundation To make then our owne Trade secure wee must consider our own staple commodities whereof Wooll is the chiefest and seeke the way to both to keepe up the price at home and the estimation of all commodity made of that and to be vented abroad Some other helpes we have as Tynne Lead and such like but I dare confidently affirme That nothing exported of our owne growth hath ballanced our Riotous consumption at home but those forraigne commodities which I call naturalized that is that surplus of our East-India Trade which being brought home in greater quantity then are spent within the Kingdome are exported againe and become in value and use as naturall commodities and therfore by the way I hold it absolutely necessary to maintaine that Trade by a Regulation with the Dutch of which more reason shall be given when that particular shall be taken into consideration We have yet another great helpe which is our owne and wants onely our industry to gather the harvest which is ouâ— Fishing and erecting of Bustes both for the enriching of our Kingdome and the breeding of Mariners and this by private industry though to private lesse is beaten out ready and shall bee offered to the Common-wealth if they please to accept of it and to give you one onely encouragement I doe avow that before the Dutch were lately interrupted by the Dunkerks by their industry and our fish they made
bee bound together If this Treason had taken effect our Soules had been inthralled to the Spirituall Tyranny of Sathan our Consciences to the Ecclesiasticall Tyranny of the Pope our Lives our Persons and Estates to the Civill Tyranny of an arbitrary unlimited confused Government Treason in the least degree is an odious and a horrid Crime other Treasons are particular if a Fort bee betrayed or an Army or any other treasonable fact committed the Kingdome may out-live any of these this Treason would have dissolved the frame and beeing of the Common-wealth it is an Universall a Catholike Treason the venome and malignity of all other Treasons are abstracted digested sublimated into this The Law of this Kingdome makes the King to be the fountaine of Justice of Peace of Protection therefore we say the Kings Courts the Kings Judges the Kings Lawes The Royall Power and Majestie shines upon us in every publique blessing and benefit wee enjoy but the Author of this Treason would make him the fountaine of Injustice of Confusion of publike misery and calamitie The Gentiles by the light of Nature had some obscure apprehensions of the Deity of which they made this expression that hee was Deus optimus maximus an infinite goodnesse and an infinite greatnesse All soveraigne Princes have some Characters of Divinity imprinted on them they are set up in their dominions to bee Optimi Maximi that they should exercise a goodnesse proportionable to their greatnesse That Law terme Laesa Majestas whereby they expresse that which wee call Treason was never more thorowly fulfilled then now there cannot bee a greater laesion or diminution of Majestie then to bereave a King of the glory of his goodnesse It is goodnesse My Lords that can produce not onely to his people but likewise to himself honour and happiness There are Principalities Thrones and Dominions amongst the Divels greatness enough but being uncapable of goodness they are made uncapable both of honour and happinesse The Lawes of this Kingdome have invested the Royall Crowne with power sufficient for the manifestation of his goodness and of his greatness if more bee required it is like to have no other effects but povertie weaknesse and miserie whereof of late wee have had very wofull experience It is farre from the Commons to desire any abridgement of those great Prerogatives which belong to the King they know that their own Liberty Peace are preserved and secured by his Prerogative they will alwayes be ready to support and supply his Majesty with their lives and fortunes for the maintenance of his just and lawfull Power This My Mords is in all our thoughts in our prayers and I hope will so be manifested in our indeavours that if the proceedings of this Parliament bee not interrupted as others have beene the King may within a few moneths bee put into a cleare way of as much greatnesse plenty and glory as any of his Royall Ancestors have enjoyed A King and his People make one Body the inferiour parts conferre nourishment and strength the superiour sense and motion If there be an interruption of this necessary intercourse of bloud and spirits the whole Body must needs bee subject to decay and distemper therefore obstructions are first to bee removed before restoratives can be applyed This My Lords is the end of this Accusation whereby the Commons seeke to remove this person whom they conceive to have beene a great cause of the obstructions betwixt his Majesty and his People for the effecting whereof they have commanded mee to desire your Lordships that their proceedings against him may bee put into as speedy a way of dispatch as the courses of Parliaments will allow First that hee may bee called to answer and they may have liberty to reply that there may bee a quick and secret examination of witnesses and they may from time to time bee acquainted with the depositions that so when the cause shall bee ripe for Judgement they may collect the severall Examinations and represent to your Lordships in one entire Body the state of the Proofes as now by mee they have presented to you the state of the Charge Mr. PYM his SPEECH After the Articles of the Charge against Sr. GEORGE RATCLIFFE were read My LORDS BY hearing this Charge your Lordships may perceive what neere conjunction there is betweene this Cause and the Earle of STRAFFORDS the materials are for the most part the same in both the offences of the Earle moving from an higher Orb are more comprehensive they extend both to England and Ireland these except in one particular of reducing of England by the Irish Army are confined within one Kingdome the Earle is charged as an Authour Sir GEORGE RATCLIFFE as an Instrument and subordinate Actor The influences of superiour Planets are often augmented and inforced but seldome mitigated by the concurrence of the inferiour where merit doth arise not from well-doing but from ill the officiousnesse of ministers will rather adde to the malignity of their Instructions then diminish it that so they may more fully ingratiate themselves with those upon whom they depend In the crimes committed by the Earle there appears more haughtinesse and fiercenesse being acted by his owne principles those motions are ever strongest which are neerest the Primum mobile But in those of Sir GEORGE RATCLIFFE there seemes to be more basenesse and servility having resigned and subjected himselfe to bee acted by the corrupt will of onother The Earle of STRAFFORD hath not beene bred in the study and practice of the Law and having stronger lusts and passions to incite and lesse knowledge to restraine him might more easily be transported from the Rule Sir GEORGE RATCLIFFE in his naturall temper and disposition more moderate and by his education and profession better acquainted with the grounds and directions of the Law was carried into his offences by a more immediate Concurrence of will and a more corrupt suppression of his owne Reason and Judgement My Lords as both these have beene partners in offending so it is the desire of the Commons they may bee put under such tryall and examination and other proceedings of justice as may bring them to partake in a deserved punishment for the safety and good of both Kingdomes Mr SPEAKERS SPEECH At the presenting of these three BILLS viz. An Act For the shortning of Michaelmas Terme For the pressing of Mariners for the Kings Ships For the remainder of the six entire Subsidies May it please your most excellent Majesty THE great security of the Kingdome rests in the happy concurrence of the King and people in the unity of their hearts These joyned safety and plenty attends the Scepter but divided distraction and confusion as Bryers and Thorns overspreads and makes the Land barren No peace to the King No prosperity to the people The duties and affections of your subjects are most transparent most cleare in the cheerfull and most liberall contributions given to knit fast this union with
would come to nothing and this letter was read and presented unto us His Lordship represented N. H. that the Commissioners and all the Lords had engaged themselves faithfully and truly to declare to the Parliament the distresse of the Counties Hee declared that it was far from their Lordships purpose to move any supply of money from the House of Commons but to lay the cause before them and to leave it to their wisedome averring certainly that if some course were not taken the whole kingdome would be put into disorder Armies would not starve retiring was not yet as hee thought in the thoughts of the Scots Therefore they must plunder and destroy or advance into Yorkeshire and so into England to seeke subsistence the prevention whereof did highly import the King and kingdome His Lordship proposed another no lesse worthy of consideration to the whole kingdome But if the Scots Army were provided of a competency for the ease of those Counties it were very strange there should not an equall care be had for mainteining the Kings Army that stands before them He said the Scots Army was strong and powerfull and little other resistance against it but the impediments of an Army marching in winter But whether it were fit for a kingdome to bee trusted to accidents of Frosts with a people bred in Swedland and cold Countreys hee left to their discretion His Lordship confessed that the Scots had made great protestations and with great execrations averred that they had no intent to advance forward but returne when they shall have received satisfaction Yet their Lordships did not conceive that the kingdome should relye upon promises or protestations Many accidents might happen when a Nation come from a farre Countrey to a better should bee told the businesse they come about was just and their quarrell good who finding themselves in a fat pasture may pick quarrells which their Leaders if they should goe about to prevent them of the reward of their vertue and valour Upon these grounds his Lordship presented to the generall consideration the supply of his Majesties Army that it bee not disbanded which if it should come to passe Yorkeshire and other parts of England were left to the Scots discretion His Lordship said Hee durst not say the Scots would not come forward but that it was in their power if they would and therefore hee recommended this representation to the whole body of the kingdome to prevent furture dangers Hee concluded with a prayer to Almighty God to direct the hearts of all the kingdome and to give a blessing onely able to remove the great distractions so many and so grievous as under which since the Conquest this kingdome never laboured There were presented unto mee two papers more the one being Instructions from Newcastle to Sir Thomas Hope and others concerning the contribution the other an account of Arreers from the eleventh of September to the twentieth of November which were all read unto us nor doe I know how or to what use to imploy them Mr. RIGBYES SPEECH In answer to the LORD KEEPERS last SPEECH 1640. Master SPEAKER THough my Judgement prompts mee to fit still and be silent yet the duty I owe to my King my Countrey and my Conscience moves me to stand up and speake Master Speaker had not this Syren so sweet a tongue surely hee could never have effected so much mischiefe to this kingdome you know Sir optimorum putrefactio pessima the best things putrefied become the worst and as it is in the naturall so in the body politick and what 's to be done then Master Speaker wee all know ense recidendum est the sword Justice must strike nè sinceratruhatur Master Speaker it is not the voice non vox sed votum not the tongue but the heart and actions that are to be suspected for doth not our Saviour say it Shew mee thy faith by thy workes O Man Now Master Speaker hath not this kingdome seene seene say I nay felt and smarted under the cruelty of this mans Justice so malicious as to record it in every Court of Westminster as if hee had not beene contented with the enslaving of us all unlesse hee entailed it to all posterity Why shall I beleeve words now cum factum videam Shall we be so weake men as when wee have beene injured and abused will be gained againe with faire words and complements Or like little children when we have beene whipt and beaten bee pleased againe with sweet meats Oh no there be some birds in the Summer of Parliament will sing sweetly who in the Winter of Persecution will for their prey ravenously fly at all upon our goods nay seize upon our persons and hath it not beene with this man so with some in this assembly Master Speaker it hath beene objected unto us that in Judgement wee should thinke of mercy and Bee yee mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull now God almighty grant that we may be so and that our hearts and Judgements may be truly rectified to know truly what is mercy I say to know what is mercy for there is the point Master Speaker I have heard of foolish pitty foolish pitty doe we not all know the effects of it and I have met with this Epithete to mercy Crudelis misericordia and in some kind I thinke there may be a cruell mercy I am sure that the spirit of God said Be not pitifull in Judgement nay it saith Bee not pitifull of the poore in Judgement if not of the poore then a Latiori not of the rich there 's the Emphasis We see by the sett and solemne appointments of our Courts of Justice what provision the wisedome of our Ancestors hath made for the preservation honour and esteeme of Justice witnesse our frequent Termes Sessions and Assises and in what pompe and state the Judges in their Circuits by the Sheriffes Knights and Justices and all the Countrey are attended oft-times for the hanging of a poore thiefe for the stealing of a hog or a sheep nay in some Cases for the stealing of a penny and Justice too in terrorem and now shall not some of them be hanged that have rob'd us of all our propriety and sheered at once all our sheepe and all we have away and would have made us all indeed poore Bellizarasses to have begged for halfe-pennies when they would not have left us one penny that wee could have called our owne Let us therefore now Master Speaker not be so pitifull as that wee become remisse not so pitifull in Judgement as to have no Judgement but set the deplorable estate of Great Brittain now before our eyes and consider how our most gracious Soveraigne hath beene abused and both his Majesty and all his Subjects injured by these wicked Instruments for which my humble motion is that with these particulars wee become not so mercifull as to the generality the whole kingdome wee grow mercilesse Fiat Justitia Mr. VVALERS SPEECH
publike service as well to prove a sentence not then in rerum natura both Law and charity in a benigne construction of these two ends will allow the more favourable Another objection is whispered that the entrance is not found in the Clerk of the Parliaments Role This is no matter to the validity of his election for his priviledge commenced 40 dayes before the Parliament therefore this and the like are to be judged of as accidentia quae possunt abesse adesse sine subjecti interitu Truely Mr. Speaker my memory and lungs begin to prove Traytors to me Another objection if omitted may be judged by these of what strength and maturity they even as by the coynage of a penny one may iudge of a shilling What hinders then since here is waâ—er but that he may be baptized Here are no non obstant's to be admitted in his new Pattent of Denization the common law the Statute law the Canon the Civill law plead for his admittance the writ of election the exemplification of the Sheriffs return all presidents of all ages all reports plead for his admittance our fore-fathers Ghosts the present practice of Parliaments in England plead for his admittance the Kings successive commands command and confirm his admittance Away then Serieant and with the hazarding power of our Mace touch the Marshals gates and as if there were Divinity in it they will open and bring us our Olive branch of peace wrested from our stock that with welcome Art we may ingraft him to be nourished by a common root Thus the King shall receive the benefit of an able subject who is otherwise civiliter mortuus we enjoy the participation of his labour and posterity both ours and this CAPTAINE AVDLEY MERVINS Speech to the Lords in the Upper house in the Parliament March 40. 1640. Concerning the impeachment of Sir Richard Bolton Knight Lord Chancellor of Ireland Iohn Lord Bishop of Derry Sir Gerrard Lowther Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and Sir George Ratcliffe Knight with high Treason by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House My LORDS I Am commanded by the Knights Citizens and Bur-Burgesses of the Commons House to present unto you Irelands Tragedie the gray headed Common Lawes funerall and the Active Statutes death and obsequies this dejected spectacle answers but the prefiguring Type of Caesars murther wounded to the death in the Senate And by Brutus his bosome friend our Caesars image by reflexion even the fundamentall Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome the sole means by which our estates are confirmed our liberties preserved our lives secured are wound to death in the Senate I mean in the Courts of Justice and by Brutus too even by those persons that have received their beings and subsistence from them so that here enters those inseparable first Twins Treason and Ingratitude In a plain phrase My Lords I tender unto you Treason High Treason such a Treason that wants nothing but words to expresse it To counterfeit the Kings Seale to counterfeit the Kings money it is Treason but this dyes with the individuall partie To betray a Fort is Treason but it dies with a few men To betray an Army is a Treason but it dyes with a limited number which may be reinforced again by politique industry To blow up both Houses of Parlament is Treason but succeeding ages may replant Branches by a fruitfull posterity but this High Treason which I do move in the name of the Houses of Commons charge and impeach Sir Richard Bolion Knight Lord Chancellour of Ireland and Sir Gerard Lowther Knight Lord Chief Iustice of the Common Pleas Iohn Lord Bishop of Derry Sir George Ratcliffe Knight is in its nature so far transcending any of the former that the rest seem to be but petty Larcenies in respect of this What is it to subvert the fundamentall Lawes of this Kingdome High Treason What is it with a contumacious malice to trample under feet the rich legacies of our forefathers purchased with sweat and expence I mean the Statute lawes what is it but High Treason What is it through an Innate Antipathie to the publick good to incarcerate the liberty of the Subject under the Iron and weighty chains of an arbitrary Government High Treason What is it since his Majestie the most amiable and delightful portraiture of flourishing and indulgent Justice to his Subjects to present him personated in their extrajudiciall censures and judgements but to possesse it possible the hearts of his loyall Subjects of this Kingdome That he is a bloody and devowring Tyrant and to provoke their never dying alleageance into a fatall and desperate Rebellion What is it to violate the sacred Graunts of many of his Majesties Progenitors Kings and Queenes of England confirmed under the broad Seale being the publique faith of this Kingdome by an extrajudiciall breath grounded upon no record What is it to insent a surreptitious clause forged by some servile brain in the preamble of our last Act of Subsidies by which the Kings most excellent Majesty and the Earl of Stofford are placed in one and the same sphear allowing them but equall influencies to nourish the alleageance of this Kingdome what is this but to extoll other then Regall Authority and to crucifie the Majestie of our most gracious Soveraign betwixt the two Theeves of Government Tyranny and Treason My Lords having such a full and lasting Gale to drive me into the depth of these accusations I cannot hereby steere and confine my course within the compasse of patience since I read in the first volumes of their browes the least of these to be the certain ruine of the Subject and if prov'd a most favorable Prologue to usher in the Tragedie of the Actors Councellers and Abetters herein What was then the first and main question it was the subvertion of the fundamentall Lawes of this Kingdome let then magna Charta that lies prostrated besmeared and groveling in her own gore discount her wounds as so many pregnant and undeniable proofs mark the Epethite Magna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confirmed by 30. Parliaments in the succession of eight Kings the violation of which hath severall times ingaged the Kingdome of England in a voluntary sacrifice a Charter which imposeth that pleasant and welbecomming oath upon all Soveraigntie to vindicate and preserve the Immunitie thereof before the Crown incircle their Royall Temples in this oath of so high consequence and generall interest his Majesty doth in a manner levie a fine to his Subjects use for avoiding all fraudulent conveyances in the Administration of Justice And this oath is transplanted unto the Judges as the Feoffees in trust appointed between his Majestie and the Subject and sealed by his Majesties provident care with that imphaticall penalty that their estates and lives shall be in the Kings mercy upon the violation of the same either in whole or in part neither hath the deserved punishment for the breach of this oath
Petitioners do most heartily bemone that his Maiesties services and profits are much more impaired than advanced by the grievances aforesaid And the Subsidies granted in the last Parliament having much increased his Maiesties Revenue by the buying in of Grants and otherwise and that all his Maiesties debts then due in this Kingdome were satisfied out of the sayd Subsidies and yet his Maiesty is of late as your Petitioners have beene inform'd in the House of Commons become indebted in this Kingdome in great sums and they do therefore humbly beseech that an exact account may be sent to his Maiesty how and in what manner his treasure issued XII Twelfthly the Petitioners do humbly coâ—ceive great and iust fears at a Proclamation published in this Kingdome in Anno Dom. 1635. prohibiting men of quality or estate for to depart this Kingdome into England without the Lord Deputies License whereby the Subiects of this Kingdome are hindered and interrupted from free accesse and addresse to his sacred Maiesty and Privie Counsell of England to declare their iust grievances or to obtaine remedie for them in such sort as their Ancestors have done in all ages since the Reigne of King Henry the second and great Fees exacted for every of the said Licenses XIII Thirteenthly that of late his Maiesties late Attourny generall hath exhibited informations against many ancient Burroughs of this Kingdome into his Mai sties Court of Exchequer to shew by what warrant the sayd Burroughes who heretofore sent Burgesses to the Parliament should send the sayd Burgesses to the Parliament And thereupon for want of an answer the sayd Priviledge of sending Burgesses was seized by the sayd Court which proceedings were altogether Coram non Judice and contrary to the Lawes and Priviledges of the House of Parliament and if way should be given thereunto might tend to the subversion of Parliaments and by consequence to the ruine and destruction of the Common-wealth and that the House of Commons hath hitherto in this present Parliament bin deprived of the advice and Counsell of many profitable and good members by means thereof XIV Fourteenthly that by the powerfulnesse of some ministers of State in this Kingdome the Parliament in its members and actions hath not his naturall freedome XV. Fifteenthly that the fees taken in all the Courts of Iustice in this Kingdome both Ecclesiasticall and Civill and by other inferiour Officers and Ministers are so immoderately high that it is an unspeakable burthen to all his Maiesties Subiects of this who are not able to subsist except the same be speedily remedied and reduced to such a moderation as may stand with the condition of this Realme And lastly That the Gentry Merchants and other his Maiesties Subiects of this Kingdome are of late by the grievances and pressures aforesayd and other the like very neere to ruine and destruction And Farmers of Customes Customers Waiters Searchers Clearks of unwarrentable proceedings Pursevants and Gaolers and sundry others very much inriched whereby and by the slow redresse of the Petitioners grievances his Maiesties most faithfull and dutifull people of this Kingdome do conceive great feares that their readinesse approved upon all occasions hath not been of late rightly represented to his Maiesty For Remedy whereof the said Petitioners do humbly and of Right beseech your Lordship that the grievances and pressures may be speedily redressed And if your Lordship shall not think sit to afford us present relief therein that your Lordship may admit a select Committee of this House of persons un interessed in the benefit arising the aforesaid grievances to be licensed by your Lordship to repaire to his sacred Maiesty in England for to pursue the same and to obtain fitting Remedies for their aforesaid and other iust grievances and oppressions and upon all iust and honorable occasions they will without respect of particular interest or profit to be raised thereby most humbly and readily in Parliament extend their utmost indeavours to serve his Maiesty and comply with his Royall and Princely occasions And shall pray c. A Speech against the Judges per Ignotum quendam Mr. Speaker IT was a custome among the Romans who as by their power they once gave laws so by the happy successe of their long flourishing Government might they well give examples to all the world that in their Senates the yongest men spake first partly that they might not have their weaker notions anticipated by the more knowing Senators And partly that the Senate might not be diverted from the mature resolutions of the more ancient by the interposition of the younger men They as all free States ever allowing free members to expresse themselves according to their severall capacities And me thinks 't was a happy Method So your opinions and inclinations of the Assembly being discovered and ripened to resolution by such gradations the sentences of the Sages sounded as Iudgements not orations their wisedome and gravity put a seasonable Period to others perhaps otherwise endlesse discourses Their precedent encourges me who worst may to break the Ice Children can lay their fingers on the Sore point out their pain and Infant Graduates in Parliament may groan out the grievances of a diseased Common-wealth but they must be Doctors in the Art of Government that can apply apt remedies to recover it Mr. Speaker Ancient and approved hath been that parallell of the body politique with the body naturall 'T is the part of their Patients in either distempered to impart freely their griefs to the Physitians of the body or state if they expect a cure This Common-wealth is or should be but one body This house the great Physitian of all our maladies and alas Mr. Speaker of what afflicted part shall we poor Patients complain first Or rather of what shall we not complain Are we not heart-sick Is there in us that which God requires unity purity and singulari y of heart Nay is not Religion the soul of this body so miserably distracted that I speak it with terrour of heart 't is to be feared there is more confusion of religions amongst us then there was of tongues at the subversion of Babell And is it not then high time that we understand one another that we were reduc'd to one Faith one Government Sir Is the Head whole The sear of Government and Justice the Fountain from whose sweet influence all the inferiour members of this body should receive both vigour and motion Nay hath not rather a generall Apoplexy or Palsie taken oâ—shaken all our members Are not some dead Others buried quick Some dismembred all disordered by the diversion of the course of Justice Is the Liver Natures Exchequer open from whose free distribution each limb may receive his proper Nutriment or rather is it not wholly obstructed Our property taken from us So that it may properly be said of us Sic vos non vobis fertis aratra our Ancestors drunk the juyce of their own Vines reap'd and eat the fruit
head should swell too great and monstrous It may be easily thought for Monarchy againe may sooner groan under the weight of an Aristocracie as it once did then under Democracie which it never yet either felt or fear'd Sir John Hollands Speech in Parliament 1640. Mr. Speaker THe time of actions are not for rethorick and elocution which emboldens me to rise And though I must acknowledge my selfe to be one of the yongest Schollers and meanest proficients in this great Schâ—ole of wisedome yet I conceive it a great part of my duty at this time both to deliver my suit and conscience We are called hither Master Speaker by the Royall power we sit here by the Kings Majesties grace and favour and since his Majesty hath beene graciously pleased to leave the government of all in our hands I doubt not but we shall lay such a foundation in the beginning of this Parliament that we shall make it a happy Age a long lasting one since the dangers of these times the present distempers of this State and therein both his Majestie and our necessities yea and the whole Kingdomes safety do require it We are called now Master Speaker as I conceive from the reports you have made of his Majesties gracious Declaration for foure principall causes First for supply of his Majesties wants Secondly for the relief of our Brethren in the Northern parts Thirdly for the remove of the Scots forces Fourthly for redresse of ourowne grievances That his Majesties wants are great and many Master Speaker I thinke there is no man doubts it and it is as cerâ—ain out grievances are so to they are great and many both in Church and Common-wealth I shall but touch them in either since they have been so fully remonstrated in both First in the Church by the usurping power of some Prelates and their adherents by which means many great dangers innovations of doctrines of discipline of government have been thrust upon us Secondly in the Church by publique sufferances of Priests and Jesuits not only to come into the land by which means the number of Romish Catholiks are dangerously multiplied Idolatry increased and Gods heavie judgements highly provoked Thirdly in the Common-wealth by the late inundations of the Prerogative Royall which have broken out and almost overturned all our liberties even those which have been best and strongest fortified the Grand Chartea it self Mr. Speaker that which hath been so oft so solemnly confirmed in the Succession of so many Princes ratified in his Majesties name founded by the wisedome of former ages purposely to keepe the beame over and between Soveraignty Even this Master Speaker the dearest and chiefest part of our inheritance hath been infringed broken and set at nought in the Common-wealth by the over-potencie of some faire great ones sacred Councellors of State by whose advices it is thought the greatest part of these present distempers under which the body of this Common-wealth at this time labours doe deprive their originalls Fourthly in the Common-wealth by the mischievous practises and policies of some subtill Projectors and under the title of the Kings profit and the publique good they have entitled themselves to great and vast estates and that by the dammage of the whole Kingdome They are Master Speaker the very moths and cankers that have fretten and eaten out all Trade and commerce the very beauty strength and health of this famous Island In the Common-wealth by the entertainment of Forraigners and strangers and that at his Majesties excessive charge by which means his Majesties Coffers are emptied his Revenues shortned and the whole Kingdome many other wayes oppressed But Master Speaker I shall not trouble my selfe any further in so vast so large a field I shall now represent my owne weak apprehensions for our progressions in all the particulars for which we have been called and in all humility submit unto them First of supply in his Majesties wants I do humbly desire we may proceed there within its due time and that with as much loyall dutie and liberality as ever any people expressed towards their Prince I think I may say the present affairs of the Kingdome require it For the reliefe of our Brethren in the Northern parts with a sense of charity and fellow feeling of the miseries afflictions and losses In the removing of the Scottish Armie with a soft and gentle hand of mediation purification and reconciliation if possible it may be wrought with his Majesties honor and the Kingdomes safety if not then to repell and repulse them with stout and resolute spirits with valiant and united hearts and hands such as shall best suite with our duty to God our King our Country such as shall best become his honor and ancient renowne of this English Nation In redresse of our grievances in those of the Church which ought to have priority in our consultation as well in respect of necessity as dignity In these Master Speaker I do humbly desire and doubt not but we shall proceed with all true piety and well grounded on each guiding Helve towards Gods House and his truth In those of the Communalty with a religious care of our Countries freedom in the faithfull performance of the trust reposed in us by them that sent us in the preservation of our rights our ancient rights the rights of our inheritance our liberties our priviledges our properties Yet in all Mr. Speaker I do humbly desire we may proceed as best suiting the matter and condition of these distempered times or as best becoming the honour dignity and wisedom of this so great a Court so great Councell with all temper modesty and all due moderation SIR EDWARD HALE HIS SPEECH Mr. Speaker HIs Majesty hath been graciously pleased to call us together again to consider freely of all matters of grievances both of this Church and Common-wealth of England and for to be assistants in our Counsels and helps unto him about the Scottish Nation that forceably have entred into our Kingdom so as they may be ordered into their own Country or chased away out of this without any dishonour to the Kings Majesty and this Kingdome all which matters are of great importance moment and consequence and will crave great consideration and debating in our best wills wisedoms and discretions and that must be freely to give us leave First therefore under your favour I do conceive it fit to make this a happy Parliament to begin at home For better it were the Scots come unto us than the devill should raise his Army to overthrow us both in Church and Common-wealth For it is too plaâ—â—â— he is come with great power and his malice is great and his policy strong put into the heads of the Papists no mean ones and Prelates Schismaticks and Atheists in severall Bands which hath and seeketh to prevail so much by their severall designes Carefully lovingly and dutifully mentioned and rightly too by the Lords Petition at York and by a Petition of
unanimously endeavour to oppose and prevent the Counsels and Counsellours which have brought upon us all these miseries and the fears of greater to prevent the ends and bring the Authors of them to condigne punishment and thereby discharge themselves better before God and man The Protestation your Lordships shall have read unto you together with ground and reasons which have induced the House of Commons to make it which are prefixed before it by way of Preamble Then the Protestation was read by Master Maynard Die Mercurii 5 May 1641. IT is this day ordered by the House of Commons now assembled in Parliament that the Preamble togtheer with the Protestation which the Members of this House made the third of May shall be forthwith Printed and the Copies printed brought to the Cleark of the said House to Attest under his hand to the end that the Knights Citizens and Burgesses may send them down to the Sheriffes and Justices of Peace of the severall Shires and to the Citizens and Burgesses of the severall Cities Boroughes and Cinque Ports respectively And the Knights Citizens and Burgesses are to intimate unto the Shires Cities and Boroughes and Cinque Ports with what willingnesse all the Members of this House made this Protestation And further to signifie that as they justifie the taking of it in themselves so the cannot but approve it in all such as shall take it A Preamble with the Protestation made by the whole House of Commons the third of May 1641. and assented unto by the Lords of the upper House the fourth of May last past WE the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House in Parliament finding to the griefe of our hearts that the designes of the Priests and Jesuits and other adherents to the See of Rome have of late more boldly and frequently put in practice then formerly to the undermining and danger of the Ruine of the true reformed Religion in his Majesties Dominions established and finding also that there hath bin and having cause to suspect there still are even during the sitting in Parliament endeavours to subvert the fundamentall Lawes of England and Ireland and to introduce the exercise of an Arbitrary and tyrannicall government by most pernicious and wicked counsells practises plots and conspiracies and that the long intermision and unhappier breach of Parliaments hath occasioned many illegall Taxations whereupon the Subjects have beene prosecuted and grieved and that divers Innovations and Superstitions have been brought into the Church Multitudes driven out of his Maiesties Dominions Jealousies raised and Fomented between the King and his people a Popish Armie leavied in Ireland and two Armies brought into the bowels of this Kingdome to the hazard of his Majesties Royall Person the Consumption of the Revenue of the Crown and the treasure of this Realme And lastly finding the great causes of Jealousie endeavours have beene and are used to bring the English Armie into mis-understanding of this Parliament thereby to encline that Armie by force to bring to passe those wicked counsells have therefore thought good to ioyn our selves in a Declaration of our united affections and resolutions and to make this ensuing Protestation The Protestation I A.B. Do in the presence of Almighty God promise vow and protest to maintain and defend as farre as lawfully I may with my life power and estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all popery and popish Innovation within this Realm contrary to the said Doctrine and according to the duty of my Allegiance I will maintain and defend his Majesties Royall Person Honor and Estate As also the power and priviledge of Parliaments the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subjects And every person that shall make this Protestation in whatsoever he shall do in the lawfull pursuance of the same and to my power as farre as lawfully I may I will oppose and by all good wayes and means endeavour to bring condigne punishment on all such as shall by force practice counsels plots conspiraces or otherwise do any thing to the contrary in this present protestation contained and further that I shall in all Just and Honorable wayes endeavour to preserve the union and peace betwixt the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland And neither for hope fear or any other respects shall relinquish this promise vow and Protestation The Bill of Attainder that passed against Thomas Earl of STAFFORD WHereas the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons in this present Parliament assembled have in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England impeached Thomas Earl of Strafford of high Treason for endeavouring to subvert the Ancient and Fundamentall Laws and Government of his Majesties Realms of England and Ireland and to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Government against Law in the said Kingdoms and for exercising a Tyrannous and exorbitant power over and against the Laws of the said Kingdoms over the Liberties Estates and Lives of his Majesties Subjects and likewise for having by his own authority commanded the laying and asseising of souldiers upon his Majesties Subjects in Ireland against their consents to compell them to obey his unlawfull commands and orders made upon papâ—r Petitions in causes between party and party which accordingly was executed upon divers of his Majesties Subjects in a Warlike manner within the said Realm of Ireland and in so doing did levie Warre against the Kings Majesty and his liege people in that Kingdome And also for that he upon the unhappy Dissolution of the last Parliament did slander the House of Commons to his Majesty and did counsell and advise his Majesty that he was loose and absolved from the rules of Government and that he had an Army in Ireland by which he might reduce this Kingdom for which he deserves to undergo the pains and forfeitures of high Treason And the said Earl hath been also an Incendiary of the Warres between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland all which offences have been sufficiently proved against the said Earl upon his impeachment Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty and by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by authority of the same That the said Earl of Strafford for the haynous crimes and offences aforesaid stand and be adjudged and attainted of high Treason and shall suffer such pain of death and incurre the forfeitures of his Goods and Chattels Lands Tenements and Hereditaments of any estate of Free-hold or Inheritance in the said Kingdoms of England and Ireland which the said Earl or any other to his use or in trust for him have or had the day of the first sitting of this present Parliament or at any time since Provided that no Judge or Judges Justice or Iustices whatsoever shall adiudge or interpret any Act or thing to be Treason nor in any other manner than he or they should or ought to have done before
in the North yet I dwell in England Sir BENJAMIN RUDYERDS Speech concerning the QUEENS Joynture Jan. 1640. Mr. SPEAKER GOD hath blessed the Queens Majestie with a blessed Progeny already whereby she hath relieved and fortified this Kingdome which may put us in minde in a fit time to provide according to their birth and interest Shee is the daughter of a great and famous King she is the wife of our King which to us includes all expressions But in one thing Mr. Speaker her Majestie is singular in that she is the Mother to the greatest Prince that hath beene borne amongst us above these hundred yeers which cannot but work a tendernesse in us The Queene likewise may be another Instrument of happinesse to us in her good affection to Parliaments by a good hansell in this And I beleeve we shall see effects of it for it neerly and wisely concernes her Majestie even in all the Relations that are most deare to her to contribute her best Assistance to Uphold the Government and greatnesse of the kingdome By which meanes also the king will be better enabled to make a further enlargement of his bounty towards her in some degree proportionable Wherefore Mr. Speaker it will become this House to shew our cheerfulnesse in passing of the Bill Articles against Doctor Piercie Bishop of Bath and Wells exhibited by Mr. James Minister within his Diocesse 1 HEE hath Ex officio convented mee before him for having two Sermons preached in my Church on Michaelmas day to the great disturbance hinderance of the sale of the Church Ale as his Lordship pretended and further examined me upon Oath whether I had not the said Sermons preached for the same purpose and intent admonishing me for the future neither to preach my selfe nor suffer any other to preach in my Cure in the afternoon of either the Lords-day or holy dayes 2 I heard him say to his Register That whereas Information had been given concerning certain Ministers that they expounded upon the Catechisme this Information was too narrow to catch them and therefore it should have runne thus that they Catechised or expounded upon the Catechisme Sermon-wise and then they would have been obnoxious to censure 3 At the meeting to elect Clerks of the Convocation he threatned to send forth Censures of the Church against all that would not pay in the Benevolence late granted in the late Synod within a fortnight after the second day of November last past And further at the said election his sonne gave eight single voyces two as Arch-Deacon of Bath two as Prebend of the Church of Wells two as Parson of Buckland Saint Mary two as Vicar of Kingsbury and many others also there present gave as many double voyces as they had Benefices and Dignities against which one Mr. Rosnell protested saying that it was illegall The Bishop replyed that they gave in severall capacities and thereupon commanded him silence saying that he was a young man 4. That upon the meer Information of Mr. Humphry Sydenham Rector of Buckington that in a certain Sermon Preached at the Visitation of the Arch Deacon of Taunton I bespattered the Clergie The Bishop summoned me before him down to Wells and there objected unto mee that I had preached a scandalous Sermon wherein I had cast some aspersions on some of the Clergy Upon which charge I proferd to bring in an exact Copy of the Sermon I preacht and to depose that I spake neither more nor lesse then was contained in the said Copy This the Bishop would not accept of saying that he would not have the Ministers who came to witnesse against mee troubled with a second journey One of my Proctors desired time till the next Court day for me to give in my answer the Bishop commanded him to hold his Peace and the other Proctor though he was retained by me had received a Fee never opened his mouth pretending unto me that because the Bishop was so highly displeased with mee he durst not appeare in my behalf being denyed time to give in my answer at the next Court day I desired respit untill the afternoon this also was denyed In fine contrary to the rules of their own Court he examined witnesses against me and proceeded to Censure me before he received my full answer he would not heare the answer which I could give to the Articles objected to me which I proferd to give and which he had by oath required me to give further by vertue of the oath he administred unto me he questioned me not only concerning matters of outward fact but also concerning my most secret thoughts intentions and aymes Moreover whereas the witnesses confessed that I only said in the foresaid Sermon that some put the Scriptures into a staged dresse the Bishop perswaded them that that expression was equivalent with the Article objected that some mens Sermons were Stage Playes and they by his perswasion swore down right that I saidsome mens Sermons were Stage Playes The Doctor made an Act and Order that I should make publique retractation which I refused to doe and appeald unto the Arches But upon either the Bishops or M. Sidenhams Information my Procter Hunt renounced my appeale and Sir John Lambe dismissed the same cause without hearing unto the Bishop againe 5 The Churchwardens of my Parish by order from the Bishop were enjoyned to turn the Communion Table and place it Altar-wise c. Now they that they might neither displease the Bishop nor transgresse against the Rubrick of the Liturgie made it an exact square Table that so notwithstanding the Bishops order the Minister might still Officiate at the North side of the Table M. Humphry Sydenham informed against this and upon Information the Bishop sent to view it and upon his view he certified the Bishop that it was like an Oyster Table whereupon the Bishop ordered the Churchwardens to make a new one 6 Upon M. Humphry Sydenhams Information that M. John Pym was a Parliamenteer the Bishop would not suffer me any longer to sojourn in his house although before such Information he gave me leave And when I demanded of some of his servants the reason why his Lordship had thus changed his minde they told me that his Lordship was informed by M. Sydenham that M. Pym was a Puritane The Lord Andevers speech in March 1640. concerning the Star-Chamber MY Lords since your Lordships have already looked so farre into priviledges of Peers as to make a strict inquisition upon forraign honours Let us not destroy that among our selves which we desire to preserve from strangers And if this greivance I shall move against have slept till now It is very considerable lest custome make it every day more apparent than other your Lordships very well know there was a Statute framed 3 Hen. 7. Authorizing the Chancellor Treasurer and Privy Seale and the two Chiefe Justices calling to them one Bishop and a temporall Lord of the Kings Councell to receive complaints
Inhabitants are reduced to great poverty and many of them forced to forsake the Countrey the same beeing the first and most usefull Plantation in the large Province of that Ulster to the great weakning of the Kingdome in in this time of danger the said plantation being the principall strength of those parts 9. The late erection of the Court of high Commission for causes Ecclesiasticall in those necessitous times the proceedings of the said Court in many causes without legal warrant and yet so supported as prohibitions have not been obtained though legally sought for And the excessive fees exacted by the Ministers thereof and the encroaching of the same upon the jurisdiction of other Ecclesiasticall Courts of this Kingdome 10. The exorbitant fees and pretended Customes exacted by the Clergy against the Law some of which have been formerly represented to your Lordship 11. The Petitioners doe most heartily bemone that his Majesties service and profit are much more impaired then advanced by the grievances aforesaid the Subsidies graunted in the last Parliament having much increased his Majesties revenue by the buying of graunts and otherwise and that all his Majesties debts then due in this Kingdome were satisfied out of the said Subsidies and yet his Majesty is of late as the petitioners have been informed in the house of Commons become indepted in this Kingdome in great somes And they doe therefore humbly beseech that an exact accompt may bee sent to his Majesty how and in what manner his treasure issued 12. The Petitioners doe humbly conceive just and great feares at a Proclamation published in this Kingdome in Anno Domini 1635. Prohibiting men of quality or estates to depart this Kingdome into England without the Lord Deputies Licence wherein the Subjects of this Kingdome are hindered and interrupted from free accesse to addres to his sacred Majesty and privie Counsell of England to declare their just grievances or to obtaine remedies for them in such fort as their Ancestors have done in all ages since the Reigne of King Henry the second and great fees exacted for every of the said Licenses 13. That of late his Majesties late Atourney generall hath exhibited Informations against many Boroughs of this Kingdome into his Majesties Court of Exchequer to shew cause by what warrant the said Burgesses who heretofore sent Burgesses to the Parliament should send the Burgesses to the Parliament and thereupon for want of an answere the said priviledges of sending Burgesses was seised by the said Court which proceedings were altogether Coram non Iudice and contrary to the lawes and priviledges of the house of Parliament and if way should be given thereunto would tend to the subversion of Parliaments and by consequence to the ruine and destruction of the Common-wealth And that the house of Commons hath hitherto in this present Parliament been deprived of the advice and Counsell of many profitable and good members by means thereof 14. By the powerfulnesse of some Ministers of state in this Kingdome the Parliament in its members and actions hath not his naturall freedome 15. And lastly that the Gentry and Merchants and other his Majesties Subjects of this Kingdome are of late by the grievances and pressures before said other the like brought very neere to ruine and destruction And Farmers of Customes Customers Waiters Searchers Clarkes of unwarrantable proceedings Pursivants and Goalers and sundry others very much enriched whereby and by the slow redress of the petitioners his Majesties most faithfull and dutifull people of this Kingdome doe conceive great feares that their readinesse approved upon all occasions hath not beene of latere presented to his sacred Majesty For remedy whereof the said Petitioners doe humbly and of right beseech your Lordship that the said grievances and pressures may bee speedily redressed and if your Lordship shall not thinke fit to afford present reliefe that your Lordship might admit a select Committee of this house of Persons uninteressed in the benefit a rising of the aforesaid grievances to be licensed by your Lordship to repaire to his sacred Majesty in England for to pursue the same and to obtaine fitting remedy for their aforesaid and other just grievances and expressions and upon all just and honourable occasions they will without respect of particular interest or profit to be raised thereby most humbly and readily in Parliament extend their uttermost endeavour to serve his Majesty and comply with his royall and princely occasions And shal pray c. Mr. Secretarie Windebancks Charge in Parliament 7. December 1640. 1 SEventie fower Letters of grace to Recusants within this fowr yeares signed with his owne hands 2. Sixtie foure Priests discharged from the Gatehouse at Westminster within these 4. years and for the most part by him 3. Twenty nine discharged by a verball warrent from him 4. Awarrant to protect one Musket a condemned Priest and alâ— the houses he frequented 5. One committed by the Kings own hand and discharged by him without signifying the Kings pleasure 6. The Retition of the parish of St. Gyles in the fields to the King of the increase of Poperie and that 21. were turned by two Priests Mosse and Souther which being committed were suddenly discharged by Secretary Windebanck A message from the House of Commons to his Majesty 15. December 1640 Mr. Treasurer IS intreated from this house to acquaint his Majesty with the great care and affection of the house to advance and settle his Majesties Revenue and for that purpose we humbly desire his Majesty will give us leave to enter into debate of his revenue and his expence His Majesties answere thereto by Mr. Treasurer HIs Majesty being by me acquainted with the great care and affection of the house of Commons to advance and settle his Maiesties Revenew doth very graciously interpret the same and hath commanded me to give the House thankes for it in his name and his Majesty doth give the House free leave to enter into debate of his Revenews and Expences as is desired and hath given order that all his Officers and Ministers from time to time shall assist the House therein as there shall be occasion Vote concerning the Cannons in the House of Commons 15. Decem. 1640. THat the Clergy of England Convented in any Convocation or Synod or otherwise have no power to make any Constitutions Cannons or Acts whatsoever in matter of Doctrine or otherwise to bind the Clergy or Laity of this Land without the Commons consent of Parliament That the severall Constitutions and Cannons Ecclesiasticall Treated upon by the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Yorke Presidents of the Convocation for the respective Provinces of Canterbury and Yorke and the rest of the Bishops and Clergy of these Provinces and agreed upon by the Kings Maiestics lycence in their several Synods began at London and York 1640. do not bind the Clergy or Laity of this Land or either of them An Order concerning Monopolers 19. November 1640. JT is ordered that upon